[Application of interventional respiratory techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae:an update]

Pulmonary bullae is a common complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), causing the deterioration in lung function, leading to aggravated dyspnea and poor quality of life for patients. The traditional therapeutic approach for pulmonary bullae is bullectomy using surgical thoracoscopy. The disadvantage of this approach is the postoperative complications and high risk of recurrence in many patients. In addition, for some patients, due to the patient's physical conditions, such as poor lung function and other diseases, bullectomy could not be used. Therefore, new alternative approaches were urgently needed. In recent years, interventional respiratory technology has been trialed to treat pulmonary bulla all around the world and has achieved great success. In this paper, we reviewed the relevant clinical research progress of interventional respiratory medicine techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae.

[New insights into the role of macrophages in tumor immunotherapy]

Macrophages are the main components of the innate immunity system, derived mainly from blood monocytes, and help the host to defend itself against many pathogens and cancers. Most established tumors can educate macrophages into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which contribute to tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, as well as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, when appropriately activated, macrophages can also exert anti-tumor effects through enhanced phagocytosis and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. In addition, TAMs are associated with poor prognosis and drug resistance, including immunotherapies, suggesting that macrophages are attractive targets as part of combination therapy in cancer treatment. Herein, we review the recent findings on the role of macrophages in tumor development, metastasis and immunotherapy. We focus mainly on macrophage-centered therapy, including strategies to reduce and reshape TAMs, to represent potential targets for tumor immunotherapy.

The Hippocampal Subfield Volume Reduction and Plasma Biomarker Changes in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease

Background

The hippocampus consists of histologically and functionally distinct subfields, which shows differential vulnerabilities to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated pathological changes.

Objective

To investigate the atrophy patterns of the main hippocampal subfields in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD and the relationships among the hippocampal subfield volumes, plasma biomarkers and cognitive performance.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 119 patients stratified into three categories: normal cognition (CN; N = 40), MCI (N = 39), and AD (N = 40). AD-related plasma biomarkers were measured, including amyloid-β (Aβ)42, Aβ40, Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, p-tau181, and p-tau217, and the hippocampal subfield volumes were calculated using automated segmentation and volumetric procedures implemented in FreeSurfer.

Results

The subiculum body, cornu ammonis (CA) 1-head, CA1-body, CA4-body, molecular_layer_HP-head, molecular_layer_HP-body, and GC-ML-DG-body volumes were smaller in the MCI group than in the CN group. The subiculum body and CA1-body volumes accurately distinguished MCI from CN (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.647-0.657). The subiculum-body, GC-ML-DG-body, CA4-body, and molecular_layer_HP-body volumes accurately distinguished AD from MCI (AUC = 0.822-0.833) and AD from CN (AUC = 0.903-0.905). The p-tau 217 level served as the best plasma indicator of AD and correlated with broader hippocampal subfield volumes. Moreover, mediation analysis demonstrated that the subiculum-body volume mediated the associations between the p-tau217 and p-tau181 levels, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Auditory Verbal Learning Test recognition scores.

Conclusions

Hippocampal subfields with distinctive atrophy patterns may mediate the effects of tau pathology on cognitive function. The subiculum-body may be the most clinically meaningful hippocampal subfield, which could be an effective target region for assessing disease progression.

Assessing hydrological connectivity for natural-artificial catchment with a new framework integrating graph theory and network analysis

Anthropogenic activities alter the underlying surface conditions and arrangements of landscape features in a drainage basin, interfering with the pollutant (e.g., dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus) transport network configuration and altering the hydrological response. Assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on hydrological connectivity for natural-artificial catchment is critical to understand the hydrological-driven ecosystem processes, services and biodiversity. However, quantifying this impact at catchment scale remains challenging. In this study, a new framework was proposed to quantify the impact of anthropogenic activities on hydrological connectivity combined with graph theory and network analysis. This framework was exemplified in a natural-artificial catchment of the Yangtze River basin of China. Based on remote sensing and field-investigated data, three transport networks were constructed, including natural transport network (N1), ditch-road transport network (N2), and terrace-dominated transport network (N3), which reflected the different human intervention. The results showed that human intervention improved the connectivity of the nodes and enhanced the complexity of the catchment transport network structure. Anthropogenic activities significantly decreased the hydrological structural connectivity of the catchment. In particular, compared with the N1 network, the critical nodes for hydrological connectivity which were judged by connectivity indexes were reduced by 92.94% and 95.29% in the N2 and N3 network, respectively. Furthermore, the ditch-road construction had a greater impact than terraces in decreasing hydrological structural connectivity at catchment scale. This framework has proven effective in quantifying the hydrological connectivity analysis under different human intervention at the catchment scale and facilitates the improvement of catchment management strategies.

The Effect of MDSC-Derived Exosomes Played in Esophageal Squamous Carcinoma Cells after Ionizing Radiation

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Radiotherapy is the main treatment for esophageal cancer. Previous studies have shown that radiotherapy not only kills tumor cells directly, but also reshapes the immune microenvironment of the tumor. It has been reported an increase in the recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) can occur in tumor tissue after ionizing radiation. Exosomes are mediators of intercellular information exchange and are also involved in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we wanted to understand whether MDSC in esophageal cancer tissue are involved in the regulation of tumor cell response to ionizing radiation via exosomes.

MATERIALS/METHODS

KYSE-150 was used to construct a subcutaneous transplantation tumor model in nude mice. And then mice irradiated with 5 Gy×5fx and 0 Gy×5fx respectively. After irradiation, the spleens of the mice were used to isolate MDSC, and collect the cell supernatants to extract the exosomes. Based on the exosomes, we divided the experiment into three groups (control, exosomes, exosomes+radiation). Exosomes were injected into a nude mouse model of esophageal cancer via the tail vein or co-cultured with KYSE-150 cells. Mice were irradiated with a 5 Gy×5fx after completion of injection, and KYSE-150 cells were irradiated with a single dose 4 Gy. After radiation, KYSE-150 cells were used to detect cell cloning, apoptosis and cell cycle by flow cytometry, cell proliferation by CCK 8. XRCC4,XRCC5,XRCC6,γH2AX,ATM expression in cells and tumor tissue were measured by Western blot and RT-PCR.

RESULTS

The tumor volume was significantly reduced after 5 Gy x 5fx radiation. When exosomes co-cultured with KYSE-150 cells, decrease in apoptosis and increase in cell cloning and cell proliferation were found in the exosomes+radiation group and exosomes group after radiation when compared with the control group, with this change being more pronounced in the exosome+radiation group. The results of the cell cycle assay showed that after ionizing radiation, the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase was significantly lower, and the proportion of cells in the S and G2/M phases were significantly higher in the exosomes+radiation group and exosomes group when compared to the Control group. The protein and mRNA expression of XRCC4,XRCC5,XRCC6,γH2AX,ATM in cells were increased in exosomes+radiation group and exosomes group after radiation when compared with the control group, with this change being more obvious in the exosome+radiation group. After irradiation, tumor volumes were measured in nude mice and the results showed that exosomes+radiation group tumors were the largest in volume, while the control group regressed most significantly after irradiation.

CONCLUSION

MDSC-derived exosomes have a tumor growth-promoting effect in esophageal squamous carcinoma, which is enhanced by ionizing radiation, and this may be related to the accelerated repair of damage in tumor tissue after radiation.

Metabolic syndrome-related cognitive impairment with white matter hyperintensities and functional network analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and cognitive impairment related to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the underlying neural network mechanisms.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 50 participants with MetS and WMHs (MetS-WMHs), 45 with MetS without WMHs, and 50 control participants. All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and a detailed cognitive evaluation. A graph theory analysis based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to calculate functional network properties. A mediation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between WMHs and MetS-related cognitive impairment.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the participants in the MetS-WMHs group displayed lower global efficiency, local efficiency, and nodal efficiency, mainly located in the regions of the salience network. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between functional network efficiency and cognitive performance. Mediation analysis indicated that WMHs served as a mediating variable between MetS and cognitive decline, affecting attention/executive function, language, and global cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

WMHs mediated the association between MetS and cognitive function, with a decline in the efficiency of functional brain networks being a probable neural mechanism.

[Procine recombinant NK-lysin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by downregulating FKBP3 and inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis: a proteomic analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the potential mechanisms that mediate the inhibitory effect of porcine recombinant NKlysin (prNK-lysin) against liver cancer cell metastasis.

METHODS

HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify the differentially expressed proteins in prNK-lysin-treated hepatocellular carcinoma SMMOL/LC-7721 cells in comparison with the control and PBS-treated cells. GO functional annotation and KEGG pathway analysis of the differentially expressed proteins were performed using GO and KEGG databases. RT-qPCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of polypeptide-N-acetylgalactosaminotransferase 13 (GALNT13), transmembrane protein 51 (TMEM51) and FKBP prolyl isomerase 3 (FKBP3) in the cells, and the protein expression of FKBP3 was verified using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Proteomic analysis identified 1989 differentially expressed proteins in prNK-lysin-treated cells compared with the control cells, and 2753 compared with PBS-treated cells. Fifteen proteins were differentially expressed between PBS-treated and the control cells, and 1909 were differentially expressed in prNK- lysin group compared with both PBS and control groups. These differentially expressed proteins were involved mainly in the viral process, translational initiation and RNA binding and were enriched mainly in ribosome, protein process in endoplasmic reticulum, and RNA transport pathways. RT-qPCR showed that compared with the control group, prNK-lysin treatment significantly increased the mRNA expressions of GALNT13 (P < 0.05) and TMEM51 (P < 0.01) and lowered FKBP3 mRNA expression (P < 0.05). Western blotting also showed a significantly decreased expression of FKBP3 protein in prNK-lysin-treated cells (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Treatment with prNK-lysin causes significant changes in protein expression profile of SMMOL/LC-7721 cells and inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by downregulating FKBP3 protein and affecting the cellular oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis pathways.

Integrating EM and Patch-seq data: Synaptic connectivity and target specificity of predicted Sst transcriptomic types

Neural circuit function is shaped both by the cell types that comprise the circuit and the connections between those cell types ¹ . Neural cell types have previously been defined by morphology ^{2, 3} , electrophysiology ^{4, 5} , transcriptomic expression ^6-8 , connectivity ^9-13 , or even a combination of such modalities ^14-16 . More recently, the Patch-seq technique has enabled the characterization of morphology (M), electrophysiology (E), and transcriptomic (T) properties from individual cells ^17-20 . Using this technique, these properties were integrated to define 28, inhibitory multimodal, MET-types in mouse primary visual cortex ²¹ . It is unknown how these MET-types connect within the broader cortical circuitry however. Here we show that we can predict the MET-type identity of inhibitory cells within a large-scale electron microscopy (EM) dataset and these MET-types have distinct ultrastructural features and synapse connectivity patterns. We found that EM Martinotti cells, a well defined morphological cell type ^{22, 23} known to be Somatostatin positive (Sst+) ^{24, 25} , were successfully predicted to belong to Sst+ MET-types. Each identified MET-type had distinct axon myelination patterns and synapsed onto specific excitatory targets. Our results demonstrate that morphological features can be used to link cell type identities across imaging modalities, which enables further comparison of connectivity in relation to transcriptomic or electrophysiological properties. Furthermore, our results show that MET-types have distinct connectivity patterns, supporting the use of MET-types and connectivity to meaningfully define cell types.

Bilateral Hippocampal Volume Mediated the Relationship Between Plasma BACE1 Concentration and Memory Function in the Early Stage of Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is a key enzyme in the formation of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein. Increasing evidence suggests that BACE1 concentration is a potential biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the correlations between plasma BACE1 concentration, cognition, and hippocampal volume at different stages of the AD continuum.

METHODS

Plasma BACE1 concentrations were measured in 32 patients with probable dementia due to AD (ADD), 48 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD, and 40 cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals. Memory function was evaluated using the auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), and voxel-based morphometry was used to analyze bilateral hippocampal volumes. Correlation and mediation analyses were performed to investigate the associations between plasma BACE1 concentration, cognition, and hippocampal atrophy.

RESULTS

The MCI and ADD groups exhibited elevated BACE1 concentrations compared with the CU group after adjusting for age, sex, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Increased BACE1 concentration was found in AD continuum patients who were APOE ɛ4 carriers (p < 0.05). BACE1 concentration was negatively associated with the scores of the subitems of the AVLT and hippocampal volume (p < 0.05, false discovery rate correction) in the MCI group. Moreover, bilateral hippocampal volume mediated the relationship between BACE1 concentration and recognition in the MCI group.

CONCLUSION

BACE1 expression increased in the AD continuum, and bilateral hippocampal volume mediated the effect of BACE1 concentration on memory function in patients with MCI. Research has indicated that the plasma BACE1 concentration might be a biomarker at the early stage of AD.

Brain Gray Matter Volume Mediated the Correlation Between Plasma P-Tau and Cognitive Function of Early Alzheimer's Disease in China: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

BACKGROUND

The primary manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include cognitive decline and brain gray matter volume (GMV) atrophy. Recent studies have found that plasma phosphorylated-tau (p-tau) concentrations perform better in diagnosing, differentiating, and monitoring the progression of AD. However, the correlation between plasma p-tau, GMV, and cognition remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether GMV plays a mediating role in the association between plasma p-tau concentrations and cognition.

METHODS

In total, 99 participants (47 patients with AD and 52 cognitively unimpaired [CU] individuals) were included. All participants underwent neuropsychological assessments, laboratory examinations, and magnetic resonance imaging scans. Plasma p-tau217 and p-tau181 concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to assess participants' brain GMV. Partial correlation and mediation analyses were conducted in AD group.

RESULTS

Plasma p-tau concentrations were significantly higher in the AD group than in the CU group. Patients with AD had significant brain GMV atrophy in the right hippocampus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus, and right inferior temporal gyrus. In the AD group, there were significant correlations between plasma p-tau217 concentrations, GMV, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Brain GMV of the right hippocampus mediated the association between plasma p-tau217 concentrations and MMSE scores. A significant correlation between plasma p-tau181 and MMSE scores was not identified.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that p-tau217 is a promising biomarker for central processes affecting brain GMV and cognitive function. This may provide potential targets for future intervention and treatment of tau-targeting therapies in the early stages of AD.

Emergence of Spinons in Layered Trimer Iridate Ba_{4}Ir_{3}O_{10}

Spinons are well known as the elementary excitations of one-dimensional antiferromagnetic chains, but means to realize spinons in higher dimensions is the subject of intense research. Here, we use resonant x-ray scattering to study the layered trimer iridate Ba_{4}Ir_{3}O_{10}, which shows no magnetic order down to 0.2 K. An emergent one-dimensional spinon continuum is observed that can be well described by XXZ spin-1/2 chains with a magnetic exchange of ∼55  meV and a small Ising-like anisotropy. With 2% isovalent Sr doping, magnetic order appears below T_{N}=130  K along with sharper excitations in (Ba_{1-x}Sr_{x})_{4}Ir_{3}O_{10}. Combining our data with exact diagonalization calculations, we find that the frustrated intratrimer interactions effectively reduce the system into decoupled spin chains, the subtle balance of which can be easily tipped by perturbations such as chemical doping. Our results put Ba_{4}Ir_{3}O_{10} between the one-dimensional chain and two-dimensional quantum spin liquid scenarios, illustrating a new way to suppress magnetic order and realize fractional spinons.

Hysteresis analysis reveals dissolved carbon concentration - discharge relationships during and between storm events

The dissolved carbon concentration, which is responsible for aquatic ecosystem productivity and water quality, is tightly coupled with hydrological processes. Excess dissolved carbon may exacerbate eutrophication and hypoxia in aquatic ecosystems and lead to deterioration of water quality. Storm events dominate the dynamics of dissolved carbon concentrations, and this nonlinear behavior exhibits significant time scale dependence. Here, we identified inter- and intra-event variability in the dissolved carbon concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationship in an agriculture-intensive catchment. The driving factors of C-Q hysteresis patterns for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and organic carbon (DOC) were quantified by redundancy analysis combined with hierarchical partitioning. At the inter-event scale, DIC exhibited mainly clockwise hysteresis, indicating an exhaustible, proximal source (e.g., groundwater). However, DOC hysteresis was generally counter-clockwise, indicating distal and plentiful sources (e.g., soil water) in the agricultural catchment. Hierarchical partitioning showed that total rainfall, peak discharge and flood intensity explained 28.38% of the total variation in C-Q hysteresis for DIC and 39.87% for DOC at the inter-event scale. At the intra-event scale, time series analysis of dissolved carbon concentration and discharge indicated the interconversion of supply limitation to transport limitation, which depends on the activation of the specific DIC or DOC source zones. These findings provide significant insights into understanding the dynamics of dissolved carbon during storm periods and are important for targeted watershed management practices aimed at reducing carbon loading to surface waters.

Telemedicine management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in obese and overweight young and middle-aged patients during COVID-19 outbreak: A single-center, prospective, randomized control study

Objective

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic severely affected the disease management of patients with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to assess the effect of telemedicine management of diabetes in obese and overweight young and middle-aged patients with T2DM during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A single-center randomized control study was conducted in 120 obese or overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 24 kg/m2) young and middle-aged patients (aged 18–55 years) with T2DM. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention (telemedicine) or control (conventional outpatient clinic appointment) group. After baseline assessment, they were home isolated for 21 days, received diet and exercise guidance, underwent glucose monitoring, and followed up for 6 months. Glucose monitoring and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores were evaluated at 22 days and at the end of 3 and 6 months.

Results

Ninety-nine patients completed the 6-month follow-up (intervention group: n = 52; control group: n = 47). On day 22, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level of the intervention group was lower than that of the control group (p < 0.05), and the control group’s SDS increased significantly compared with the baseline value (p < 0.05). At the end of 3 months, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and FBG levels in the intervention group decreased significantly compared with those in the control group (p < 0.01). At the end of 6 months, the intervention group showed a significant decrease in postprandial blood glucose, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as well as waist-to-hip ratio compared with the control group (p < 0.05); moreover, the intervention group showed lower SDS scores than the baseline value (p < 0.05). Further, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in BMI compared with the control group at the end of 3 and 6 months (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Telemedicine is a beneficial strategy for achieving remotely supervised blood glucose regulation, weight loss, and depression relief in patients with T2DM.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04723550.

The Clustering Analysis of Time Properties in Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: A Dynamic Connectivity Study

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) pattern in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and explore the relationships between DFC temporal properties and cognitive impairment in CSVD.

Methods

Functional data were collected from 67 CSVD patients, including 35 patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) and 32 cognitively unimpaired (CU) patients, as well as 35 healthy controls (HCs). The DFC properties were estimated by k-means clustering analysis. DFC strength analysis was used to explore the regional functional alterations between CSVD patients and HCs. Correlation analysis was used for DFC properties with cognition and SVD scores, respectively.

Results

The DFC analysis showed three distinct connectivity states (state I: sparsely connected, state II: strongly connected, state III: intermediate pattern). Compared to HCs, CSVD patients exhibited an increased proportion in state I and decreased proportion in state II. Besides, CSVD patients dwelled longer in state I while dwelled shorter in state II. CSVD subgroup analyses showed that state I frequently occurred and dwelled longer in SVCI compared with CSVD-CU. Also, the internetwork (frontal-parietal lobe, frontal-occipital lobe) and intranetwork (frontal lobe, occipital lobe) functional activities were obviously decreased in CSVD. Furthermore, the fractional windows and mean dwell time (MDT) in state I were negatively correlated with cognition in CSVD but opposite to cognition in state II.

Conclusion

Patients with CSVD accounted for a higher proportion and dwelled longer mean time in the sparsely connected state, while presented lower proportion and shorter mean dwell time in the strongly connected state, which was more prominent in SVCI. The changes in the DFC are associated with altered cognition in CSVD. This study provides a better explanation of the potential mechanism of CSVD patients with cognitive impairment from the perspective of DFC.

Nanoparticle core size and spacer coating thickness dependence on metal-enhanced luminescence in optical oxygen sensors

Metal-enhanced luminescence (MEL) originated from near field interactions of luminescence with the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of nearby metallic nanoparticles (NPs) is an effective strategy to increase luminescence detection sensitivity in oxygen sensors. Once the excitation light induces SPR, the generated enhanced local electromagnetic filed will result in an enhanced excitation efficiency and an increased radiative decay rates of luminescence in close proximity. Meanwhile, the nonradioactive energy transfer from the dyes to the metal NPs, leading to emission quenching, can also be affected by their separation. The extent of the intensity enhancement depends critically on the particle size, shape and the separation distance between the dye and the metal surface. Here, we prepared core-shell Ag@SiO₂ with different core sizes (35 nm, 58 nm and 95 nm) and shell thickness (5-25 nm) to investigate the size and separation dependence on the emission enhancement in oxygen sensors at 0-21% oxygen concentration. Intensity enhancement factors of 4-9 were observed with a silver core size of 95 nm and silica shell thickness of 5 nm at 0-21% O₂. In addition, the intensity enhancement factor increases with increasing core size and decreasing shell thickness in the Ag@SiO₂-based oxygen sensors. Using Ag@SiO₂ NPs result in brighter emission throughout the 0-21% oxygen concentration. Our fundamental understanding of MEP in the oxygen sensors provides us the opportunity to design and control efficient luminescence enhancement in oxygen and other sensors. .

Epidemiology of gaming disorder and its effect on anxiety and insomnia in Chinese ethnic minority adolescents

BACKGROUND

The growing popularity and frequency of online game use have resulted in a large number of studies reporting various mental problems associated with game abuse in adolescents. In this article, we examined the prevalence of gaming disorder (GD) and explored the associations of GD with anxiety and insomnia symptoms in minority youth in China.

METHODS

A total of 1494 students completed the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire Short-Form (POGQ-SF), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item questionnaire (GAD-7), and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore the associations between gaming disorder and anxiety/insomnia.

RESULTS

A total of 356 (23.83%) respondents reported that they had gaming disorder. Chi-square analysis showed that gender, grade, marital status of parents and exercise situation were significantly associated with GD. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who had GD were at significantly higher risk for anxiety and insomnia than those without GD.

CONCLUSION

We found a high incidence of GD and a positive association among anxiety, insomnia and GD. Thus, special attention should be paid to those who have suffered from GD. It is worth addressing the adverse effects of GD on anxiety and insomnia.

The relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptom among Zhuang adolescents: Mediating and moderating effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies

BACKGROUND

Not all adolescents who have endured childhood trauma will develop depressive symptom, nor will they all experience the same level of depressive symptom. According to previous research, cognitive emotion regulation strategies may explain a portion of the variance. Observe the connection between childhood trauma and depressive symptom and investigate whether cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediate or moderate this association.

METHODS

In October 2019, a cross-sectional study measuring childhood trauma, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and depressive symptom among Zhuang adolescents was done in one senior high school and two junior highs in Chongzuo, Guangxi, China, using a self-report questionnaire. To examine the hypothesis of mediating and moderating effects, SPSS PROCESS was utilized.

RESULTS

In this study, there was a positive relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptom, whereas there were positive correlations between expressive suppression and childhood trauma and depressive symptom (r = 0.380, 0.246, and 0.089, respectively, p < 0.01). The 5,000-sample bootstrap procedure revealed that the indirect relationship between the independent variable (childhood trauma or emotional abuse) and the dependent variable (depressive symptom) was statistically significant (β = 0.0154 95% CI: 0.0019, 0.0165, β = 0.0442 95% CI: 0.0008, 0.0117). The statistical significance of the interaction effect enhanced the R-square value of the moderating effect when the independent variable was the total childhood trauma score (ΔR2 = 0.0044, 0.0089).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings corroborated the conclusion of prior research that cognitive emotion regulation strategies mediate and moderate the development of depressive symptom. Although we demonstrate that cognitive emotion regulation strategies play a mediating and moderating role in the relationships between childhood trauma and depressive symptom, the mediating effects on the relationships between the other types of childhood traumas, including physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and depressive symptom, did not emerge.

Epidemiology of childhood trauma and its association with insomnia and psychotic-like experiences in Chinese Zhuang adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescents who have experienced childhood trauma are more likely to have insomnia and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) than adolescents from other ethnic groups. However, little is known about the youth of ethnic minorities. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of childhood trauma and its relationship with insomnia and PLEs in Chinese Zhuang adolescents, focusing on the role of a specific type of trauma and accumulation.

METHODS

A questionnaire of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Chinese Version Community assessment psychic experiences-8 (CCAPE- 8) were all completed by 1,493 Chinese Zhuang adolescents. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the association between childhood trauma and insomnia/PLEs.

RESULTS

The incidences of emotional abuse (EA), physical abuse (PA), sexual abuse (SA), emotional neglect (EN), and physical neglect (PN) occurred at rates of 5.63, 5.02, 6.56, 23.98, and 33.15%, respectively. EA, SA, EN, and PN were all positively related to insomnia (OR: 1.314-7.720, all p < 0.05). EA and SA were positively associated with PLEs (OR: 2.131-3.202, all p < 0.001). Adolescents who had experienced three or more types of traumas were more likely to have insomnia (OR = 6.961, p < 0.001) and PLEs (OR = 3.558, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The most common type of childhood trauma is PN. Childhood trauma has the primary effect on insomnia/PLE. A significant dose-response relationship was found between Childhood trauma and insomnia/ PLEs. This association varied depending on the type and accumulation of exposure.

The Influence of MTHFR Polymorphism on Gray Matter Volume in Patients With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) represents a prodromal stage of dementia and involves a high risk of progression into AD. Although the effects of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene on structural alterations in aMCI have been widely investigated, the effects of MTHFR C677T and interaction effects of MTHFR × APOE genotypes on gray matter atrophy in aMCI remain largely unknown. In the present study, 60 aMCI patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled, and voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed to inspect the effects of diagnosis, different genotypes, and their interactions on gray matter atrophy. The results showed that aMCI patients had significant gray matter atrophy involving the bilateral hippocampus, the right parahippocampal gyrus, and the left superior temporal gyrus compared with healthy controls. Besides, a substantial reduction in gray matter volume was observed in the right hippocampus region in APOE ε4 carriers from the aMCI group, compared with APOE ε4 non-carriers. A significant interaction was found between diagnosis and MTHFR C677T genotype on the right precuneus in healthy controls and aMCI patients not carrying APOE ε4 allele. Our findings may provide new evidence substantiating the genetic effects of MTHFR C677T on brain structural alternation in patients with aMCI.

Effects of feeding solid-state fermented wheat bran on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens

Solid-state fermentation has been used to improve the nutritive value of feed ingredients. In the present study, we investigated the effects of solid-state fermented wheat bran (FWB) on growth performance and apparent digestibility in broiler chickens. We measured the growth performance (ADFI, ADG, feed conversion, livability, and European performance efficiency factor) over 38 d in chicks fed a corn-soybean meal control diet (CON) or CON plus wet FWB (25 g/kg [T₁]; 50 g/kg [T₂]); or T₁ plus 3 g/kg (T₃); or T₂ plus 6 g/kg (T₄) soybean oil). The same diets were used to determine nutrient availability in chicks aged 20 d. Regression equations for AME and AME_n were obtained using 20-day-old chicks fed either the corn-soybean meal basal diet only or basal diet partially substituted with 50, 150, or 300 g/kg DM FWB. Diets containing 25 or 50 g/kg wet FBW did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens, nor the apparent DM, energy, and nitrogen digestibility of the feeds, compared with the control diets (all P > 0.05). Further supplementation with oil did not improve the growth performance of broiler chickens compared with controls or chickens fed FBW. However, chickens fed diets containing soybean oil (T₃ or T₄) had lower (P = 0.005 and P = 0.040, respectively) apparent DM and energy digestibility than the control and FWB groups. The regression equations for AME and AME_n with the substitution of FWB produced values of 1,854.3 and 1,743.9 kcal/kg DM, respectively, and the equations were Y = 1854.3X + 52.7 (R² = 0.971, n = 24, P < 0.001), and Y = 1743.9X + 44.6 (R² = 0.978, n = 24, P < 0.001), respectively. Supplementation with wet FWB did not affect the growth performance of broiler chickens. Therefore, FWB is a suitable feed component for broilers.

The relationship between depressive symptoms and activity of daily living disability among the elderly: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

OBJECTIVE

The acceleration of population aging has brought an unprecedented impact on China's health system. This study is designed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and activity of daily living disability among the elderly in China.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale was used to access depressive symptoms, and physical function was assessed by the Activity of Daily Living (ADL) scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between depressive symptoms and ADL among the elderly.

RESULTS

Based on a sample of 5863 elderly people over 60 years old, our results showed that 1999 elderly people are with depressive symptoms, accounting for 34.1%. The mean score of ADL among the elderly with depressive symptoms (20.65 ± 7.14) was much higher than that in those without depressive symptoms (17.40 ± 4.87). After controlling potential confounders, multivariate logistic regression showed that ADL and its specific domains including personal care, transfer, medical care, household, and managing money were associated with depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This cross-sectional study provides evidence of the association between depressive symptoms and ADL disability among the Chinese elderly. As a result, prevention or reduction of ADL disability may have a positive effect on the medical care of the elderly with depressive symptoms.

[GCS score combined with CT score and serum S100B protein level Can evaluate severity and early prognosis of acute traumatic brain injury]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score and CT score combined with serum S100B protein level for evaluation of injury severity and predicting early prognosis of acute traumatic brain injury (TBI).

OBJECTIVE

A total of 108 patients with TBI admitted within 24 h after injury in the Emergency Department of West China Hospital from May, 2019 to May, 2020 were enrolled in this study. The clinical data, laboratory test results, CT examination, GCS score, Full Outline of Unresponsiveness score, Fisher CT classification, Rotterdam CT score, and serum S100B protein level of the patients were collected upon admission. The patients were followed up for 28 days and divided based on their Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores into poor prognosis group (GOS 1-3) and good prognosis group (GOS 4-5). The indexes related to poor prognosis were analyzed for their efficacy for predicting the patinets' prognosis. According to the results of head CT, the patients were divided into CT^- positive (CT⁺) group and CT^- negative (CT^-) group, and the efficacy of serum S100B protein level for predicting CT positivity was evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

Compared with those with favorable prognosis, the patients with poor prognosis had significantly lower GCS scores (P < 0.01) and higher Rotterdam CT score and serum S100B protein levels (P < 0.01). Among the 3 index, serum S100B protein level had the highest AUC value (0.79); among the combined indexes, GCS score combined with serum S100B protein had the highest AUC value (0.80). Serum S100B protein level was significantly higher in CT⁺ group than in CT - group (P < 0.05) with a significant correlation with Rotterdam CT score (r=0.26, P < 0.01).

OBJECTIVE

Serum S100B protein level, GCS score, and Rotterdam CT score can be used as indicators for evaluating the severity of acute TBI, and they are all closely related with early prognosis of the patients. The combination of serum S100B protein, GCS score and Rotterdam CT score has better performance than any of the 3 indexes alone for predicting early prognosis of the patients. Serum S100B protein level is correlated with head imaging findings of patients with acute TBI, but its value in selection of appropriate imaging modalities awaits further investigation.

Sarcopenia as a Risk Factor for Future Hip Fracture: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to determine whether sarcopenia is a predictive factor of future hip fractures.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Set: We searched for potentially suitable articles in PubMed, Cochrane library, Medline and EMBASE from inception to March 2020. The quality of the research was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Finally, a meta-analysis was conducted with the Stata software.

PARTICIPANTS

Older community-dwelling residents.

MEASUREMENTS

Hip fracture due to sarcopenia.

RESULTS

We retrieved 2129 studies through our search strategy, and five studies with 23,359 individuals were analyzed in our pooled analyses. Sarcopenia increases the risk of future hip fractures with a pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.18-1.71, P <0.001, I2 = 37.7%). In addition, in subgroup analyses based on different definitions of sarcopenia, sarcopenia was associated with the risk of future hip fractures with the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria with a pooled HR of 2.13(95% CI: 1.33-3.43). When subgroup analyses were conducted by sex, sarcopenia was associated with the risk for future hip fractures in females with pooled HRs of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.18-2.43). Sarcopenia was associated with the risk of future hip fractures in the group with a follow-up period of more than 5 years, with a pooled HR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.08-1.61), and in the group with a follow-up period of less than 5 years, with a pooled HR of 2.13 (95% CI: 1.33-3.43).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia could significantly increase the risk of future hip fracture in old people; thus, it is necessary to prevent hip fractures in individuals with sarcopenia.

Altered Brain Function in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Patients With Gait Disorders: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study

Gait disturbances are important clinical features of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) that increase the risk of falls and disability. Brain structural alterations and gait disturbances in CSVD patients have been well demonstrated. However, intrinsic resting cerebral function patterns in CSVD patients with gait disorders remain largely unknown. Fifty-eight CSVD patients were enrolled in our studies and categorized into the gait disorder group (CSVD-GD, n = 29) and no-gait disorder group (CSVD-NGD, n = 29) based on a gait examination. Gait was quantitatively assessed with the Timed Up and Go test and the intelligent device for energy expenditure and activity (IDEEA). Functional MRI and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) analyses were employed to explore local intrinsic neural oscillation alterations. Functional connectivity based on fALFF results was calculated to detect the potential changes in remote connectivity. Compared with the CSVD-NGD group, the CSVD-GD group showed decreased fALFF in regions mainly located in the sensorimotor network and frontoparietal network, such as the left supplementary motor area (SMA.L) and the left superior parietal gyrus, and increased fALFF in the right inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part), the left caudate, and the left precuneus. Moreover, the CSVD-GD patients exhibited lower connectivity between the SMA.L and temporal lobe, which was related to gait speed. The fALFF value of the SMA.L was associated with cadence. This study highlights the regional and network interaction abnormalities of the SMA in CSVD patients with gait disturbances. These findings could provide further insight into the neural mechanisms of gait disturbances in CSVD.

Activation of the STAT1 Pathway Accelerates Periodontitis in Nos3-/- Mice

Early studies on the etiology and pathogenesis of hypertension have shown that it has a considerable association with inflammation and the immune response as well as periodontitis. Clinical studies have also shown that hypertension can promote the periodontal tissue destruction caused by periodontitis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the possible mechanisms of how hypertension aggravates periodontitis. Treatment with or without the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) inhibitor fludarabine was performed in an endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene knockout-related (Nos3^-/-) mouse model with the hypertension phenotype of periodontitis induced by bacteria. Micro-computed tomography, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and ELISA were performed. We demonstrated that Nos3^-/--related hypertension increases bone resorption and periodontal destruction in periodontitis lesion areas, which can be inhibited by the STAT1 inhibitor. Experimental data also showed that Nos3^-/- significantly increased macrophage infiltration and proinflammatory cytokine expression in the periodontitis lesion area, which is dependent on the angiotensin II-induced STAT1 pathway. Inhibition of STAT1 in vivo can decrease the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and macrophage infiltration. Furthermore, data in this study showed that Nos3^-/--related hypertension further downregulated the STAT3 anti-inflammatory function and its downstream chemokine expression in a STAT1-dependent manner. By applying RAW 264.7 and L929 cell lines and monocytes isolated from Nos3^-/- mice, we confirmed that activation of the STAT1 pathway inhibits STAT3 and its downstream pathway and promotes inflammatory cytokine expression in vitro. Collectively, our current study demonstrated that STAT1 plays an indispensable role in the Nos3^-/--related hypertension with aggravation of periodontitis, suggesting that STAT1 may be a key target for the treatment of periodontitis with hypertension.

Clinical significance of perioperative EMT-CTC in rectal cancer patients receiving open/laparoscopic surgery

The objective of this study was to explore the clinical significance of perioperative CTCs (circulating tumor cells) counts and EMT-CTCs (epithelial-mesenchymal transition-CTCs) in rectal cancer patients. A total of 30 patients with rectal cancer who underwent radical resection of rectal cancer at the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's hospital were enrolled. Five ml peripheral blood was withdrawn from 30 patients with rectal cancer before the operation and seven days after the operation and at the corresponding time also from 20 healthy volunteers. CanPatrol™ CTC detection technique was used to enrich and identify CTCs and IER3 expression simultaneously. We found out that the preoperative total CTCs were correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.008) and tumor size, and mixed CTCs were closely correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.009). The number of IER3-positive total CTCs and mesenchymal CTCs were statistically associated with tumor size, p=0.034 and 0.043, respectively. The number of CTCs varied significantly before and after the operation in all patients (p=0.049). There were significant differences in CTCs variations between the open operation group and the laparoscopic operation group. In the laparoscopic operation group, the average number of single-cell CTCs was 6.9 before operation and 3.5 after the operation (p=0.013). In the open operation group, the average number of single-cell CTCs was 5.9 before operation and 4.2 after the operation. To conclude, surgery is associated with a decrease of CTCs in rectal cancer patients, especially in patients receiving laparoscopic surgery. The number of CTCs before the operation in rectal cancer patients is related to the size of tumors and regional lymph node metastasis. CTCs detection and characterization may be useful for clinical staging and lymph node dissection during operation.

Effect of local watershed landscapes on the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the waterbodies of reservoir bays

Reservoir bays, which are affected by the reservoir and watershed characteristics, are the initial and most sensitive areas in the evolution process of reservoir water quality. However, the relationship between the watershed characteristics and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in reservoir bays is poorly understood. We selected 66 bays from the Danjiangkou Reservoir and sampled twice per year (storage and discharge periods) from 2015 to 2018 to monitor the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentration in the waterbodies of the reservoir bays. Four types of watershed characteristic indices (topographic variables, soil variables, land-use composition, and landscape patterns) around these bays were obtained. We quantified the relationship between the TN and TP concentrations and watershed characteristics in the waterbodies of the reservoir bays using partial least squares regression (PLSR). The results showed that the mean concentrations of TN and TP in the storage period (TN:1.69 mg·L^-1, TP:0.088 mg·L^-1) were higher than those in the discharge period (TN:1.22 mg·L^-1, TP:0.063 mg·L^-1). The optimal PLSR models explained 67.9% and 82.5% of the TN concentration variability, and 65.4% and 67.2% of the TP concentration variability during the storage and discharge period, respectively. Based on the variable importance in the projection (VIP) values, soil erodibility had significant effects on the TN and TP concentrations. The key factors affecting the TN concentration were the slope gradient, basin relief, topographic wetness index, forest and agricultural land use, whereas the factors controlling the TP concentration were the landscape shape index, edge density, Shannon's diversity index and grass land use, although the TP concentration was also controlled by the patch density and contagion during the storage period, and by mean patch size and largest patch index during the discharge period. This study provides critical insights into sustainable landscape planning and effective reservoir water quality management.

Potential correlation between EDN1 gene polymorphisms with preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE

To explore the potential correlation between endothelin 1 (EDN1) gene polymorphisms with preeclampsia (PE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 248 PE patients and 232 healthy controls were genotyped by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The possible association between EDN1 polymorphisms and PE was revealed through the t-test and the Chi-square test.

RESULTS

PE risk was significantly correlated with the C allele of polymorphism rs5370 in EDN1. The polymorphism rs5370 in EDN1 was remarkably associated with the onset of severe PE, rather than mild PE. The markedly increased risk of early-onset PE was related to the C allele of polymorphism rs5370 in EDN1, while no significant difference in the allele frequency of polymorphism rs1800541 was detected between the PE group and the control group. In the co-dominant model, the CC genotype of polymorphism rs5370 in EDN1 was associated with the increased PE risk. PE risk in the population carrying TC genotype was 1.59 times higher than those with TT/CC genotype, while polymorphism rs1800541 had no apparent association with PE risk. In the severe PE group, there was an evident difference in the genotype frequency between the dominant and over-dominant models of polymorphism rs5370. In the recessive model, the raised risk of early-onset PE was notably correlated with the TT/CC genotype compared with that of TT genotype. However, no evident association with the genotype frequency of polymorphism rs1800541 was observed between PE patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

EDN1 gene polymorphism rs5370 is correlated with the increased risk of PE.

Survival comparision of three-dimensional radiotherapy alone with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for non-surgical esophageal carcinoma

PURPOSE

Radiotherapy is the main treatment method for patients with locally advanced, unresectable esophageal cancer. The aim of this study is to compare overall survival (OS) using 3D radiotherapy (3DRT) alone with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in 296 non-surgical esophageal carcinoma patients.

PATENTS AND METHODS

Over 10 years, of the 480 patients with esophageal carcinoma treated with 3DRT with or without chemotherapy, 148 patients each comprised 3DRT and CCRT groups after propensity score matching.

RESULTS

The 5- and 10-year OS (P=0.337) and PFS (P=0.715) rates for 3DRT alone were 22.0%, 14.4% and 26.1%, 23.2%, respectively, compared with 28.8%, 18.6% and 34.7%, 29.1% for CCRT, respectively. CCRT did not improve 5-year and 10-year OS or PFS in 60-70Gy group (OS: 27.5% and 25.2%; 17.9% and 17.0%, P=0.938; PFS: 38.3% and 31.8%; 31.9% and 27.8%, P=0.890) nor reduce 10-year hematogenous metastasis (31.7% and 28.3%, P=0.698). CCRT improved 5-year OS and PFS of 50.0-59.9Gy group (OS: 33.3% and 12.0%, P=0.029; PFS: 33.1% and 10.6%, P=0.081). For 3DRT, the 5-year OS and PFS rates were significantly better in the 60-70Gy group (P=0.017) compared with 50.0-59.9Gy group (P=0.002). For CCRT group, 5-year OS and PFS favored the 50.0-59.9Gy group, but the difference was insignificant. Major toxicities were greater with CCRT compared with 3DRT.

CONCLUSION

For non-surgical esophageal carcinoma patients, 3DRT combined with CCRT was effective in prolonging both OS and PFS.

Effects of a diet with or without physical activity on angiopoietin-like protein 8 concentrations in overweight/obese patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8) is a newly discovered adipokine plays an important role in energy homoeostasis, obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although lifestyle modification in obesity and T2D is known to offer metabolic benefits, there is paucity of comprehensive data on change in ANGPTL8. We investigated the effect of lifestyle intervention on ANGPTL8 concentrations. 384 obese/overweight adults with newly diagnosed T2D were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to diet (n = 128), diet + activity (n = 128) or usual care (control, n = 128) groups. All patients received usual care. Besides, the diet group received a calorie-restricted diet aiming for a weight loss of 5-10%. The diet + activity group additionally received a pedometer-based walking program. Primary outcome was change in ANGPTL8 concentration at 6 months. Data were analyzed according to intention-to-treat. From baseline to 6 months, the median ANGPTL8 level changed from 804.38 pg/mL to 792.86 pg/mL in control group. Compared with control, ANGPTL8 decreased with diet (baseline-adjusted between-group difference was -121.00 pg/mL, 95% CI -177.47 to -64.53; p < 0.0001) and diet + activity (-126.16 pg/mL, -181.21 to -71.11; p < 0.0001). There was no greater effect of diet + activity compared with diet (-5.16 pg/mL, -53.63 to 43.31; p = 0.8348). Both effects disappeared after adjusting for change in body fat, but did not differ significantly when adjusting for physical activity. A 6-month intervention inducing weight loss by a calorie-restricted diet or diet + activity, resulted in significant decrease on ANGPTL8 concentration. These effects were established by change in total body fat, and not by change in physical activity.

Space-Confined Seeded Growth of Black Silver Nanostructures for Solar Steam Generation

Plasmonic metal nanostructures have attracted considerable attention for solar energy harvesting due to their capability in photothermal conversion. However, the narrow resonant band of the conventional plasmonic nanoparticles greatly limits their application as only a small fraction of the solar energy can be utilized. Herein, a unique confined seeded growth strategy is developed to synthesize black silver nanostructures with broadband absorption in the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Through this novel strategy, assemblages of silver nanoparticles with widely distributed interparticle distances are generated in rod-shaped tubular spaces, leading to strong random plasmonic coupling and accordingly broadband absorption for significantly improved utilization of solar energy. With excellent efficiency in converting solar energy to heat, the resulting black Ag nanostructures can be made into thin films floating at the air/water interface for efficient generation of clean water steam through localized interfacial heating.

[Distribution and drug resistance of pathogens in infected organ donors from donation after the citizen death]

Objective: To investigate the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens in infected organ donors from donation after the citizen death (DCD). Methods: Clinical data of 217 DCD donors from January 2013 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.The phlegm, urine, blood and drainage fluid from all of the donors were routinely cultured.The infection rate of the donors, the composition ratio of pathogens and the distribution of specimen sources were observed and the drug resistance was analyzed. Results: Of all the 217 donors, 128 were infected and the infection rate was 59%.A total of 218 pathogens were isolated from these infected donors, including 55.5% (121/218) of gram-negative pathogens, 33.5% (73/218) of gram-positive pathogens followed by 11.0% (24/218) of fungi.The pathogenic specimens were mainly derived from sputum samples (72.5%), followed by urine (15.6%). The mainly two gram-negative pathogens were Klebsiella pneumonia and Acinetobacter baumannii.Klebsiella pneumonia exhibited varying degree of resistance to commonly used antibiotics, whereas susceptible to imipenem and meropenem.Acine-tobacterbaumannii was highly resistant to most of the antibiotics, and the drug resistance rate of imipenem and meropenem was over 60%, displaying a tendency of multi-drug resistance.Staphylococcus aureus, as the mainly gram-positive pathogen, was generally resistant to penicillin and clindamycin, but still sensitive to tovancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid. Conclusions: DCD donors have a high infection rate, and respiratory infection is most common. Gram-negative pathogens are the primary pathogens causing infection in DCD donors.Klebsiella pneumonia maintain susceptible to imipenem and meropenem, while Acinetobacter baumannii reveals a tendency of multi-drug resistance.Gram-positive pathogens are still sensitive to vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid.

Novel benzamido derivatives as PTP1B inhibitors with anti-hyperglycemic and lipid-lowering efficacy

Based on a non-competitive and selective PTP1B inhibitor reported by us previously, thirty-nine benzamido derivatives were designed and synthesized as novel PTP1B inhibitors. Among them, twelve compounds exhibited IC₅₀ values at micromolar level against human recombinant PTP1B, and most of them exhibited significant selectivity to PTP1B over TC-PTP and CD45. Further evaluation of the most potent compound 27 on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin-resistant (IR) obese mice indicated that 27 could modulate glucose metabolism and ameliorate dyslipidemia simultaneously.

Environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, kitchen ventilation, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, and risk of diabetes among Chinese females

Diabetes is related to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), inflammation in the body, and housing characters. However, associations of urinary monohydroxy-PAHs (OH-PAHs) or fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) with diabetes risk in relation to housing characters are unclear. In this study, 2645 individuals were drawn from the baseline survey of the Wuhan-Zhuhai Cohort Study. Associations of diabetes with urinary OH-PAHs or FeNO among cooking participants were estimated using logistic regression models. Among women with self-cooking meals, urinary OH-PAH levels were positively associated with diabetes risk (P < .05); the cooking women with high FeNO (≥25 ppb) had a 59% increase in the risk of diabetes (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.38), compared with those with low FeNO (<25 ppb). The cooking women with use of kitchen exhaust fans/hoods had a 52% decrease in the risk of diabetes (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.84), compared with those with nonuse of kitchen exhaust fans/hoods. The results indicated that the cooking women had an elevated risk of diabetes, which may be partly explained by an increase in the PAH body burden and higher inflammatory responses. Use of kitchen exhaust fan/hood can be associated with a lower risk of diabetes.

β-Catenin Cooperates with CREB Binding Protein to Promote the Growth of Tumor Cells

BACKGROUND/AIMS

β-catenin is an integral component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, and its mutations are an autosomal recessive cause of colorectal cancer (CRC), medulloblastoma (MDB), and ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, little is known about its function in lung cancers.

METHODS

We first knocked down β-catenin by siRNA to investigate its effects on lung cancer cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Then we verified the interaction between β-catenin and CREB binding protein (CBP) by immunofluoresence and co-immunoprecipition assays. Finally, the expression of β-catenin and CBP in human lung adenocarcinoma specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry assay.

RESULTS

β-catenin knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis and suppressed cell migration in A549 and H460 cells accompanied by the decreased expression of Myc, PCNA, VEGF, CD44, MMP-9, MMP-13 and activated bax/caspase-3 pathway. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipition and immunofluoresence analyses revealed that CBP interacted with β-catenin and contributed to β-catenin-mediated lung cancer cell growth. Abolishment of their interaction by the Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor ICG-001 remarkably suppressed cell proliferation. Immunohistochemistry assay of tissue microarrays from patients with lung cancer indicated that both CBP and β-catenin were highly expressed in tumor tissues and predicted poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has provided new evidence for the role of β-catenin in promoting the growth of lung cancer cells through cooperation with CBP, and suggested that dual targeting of β-catenin and CBP could be a potential therapeutic strategy in lung cancer treatment.

Etoposide and cisplatin versus paclitaxel and carboplatin with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy in unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter randomized phase III trial

Background

The optimal chemotherapy regimen administered currently with radiation in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. A multicenter phase III trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of concurrent thoracic radiation therapy with either etoposide/cisplatin (EP) or carboplatin/paclitaxel (PC) in patients with stage III NSCLC.

Patients and methods

Patients were randomly received 60-66 Gy of thoracic radiation therapy concurrent with either etoposide 50 mg/m2 on days 1-5 and cisplatin 50 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks for two cycles (EP arm), or paclitaxel 45 mg/m2 and carboplatin (AUC 2) on day 1 weekly (PC arm). The primary end point was overall survival (OS). The study was designed with 80% power to detect a 17% superiority in 3-year OS with a type I error rate of 0.05.

Results

A total of 200 patients were randomized and 191 patients were treated (95 in the EP arm and 96 in the PC arm). With a median follow-up time of 73 months, the 3-year OS was significantly higher in the EP arm than that of the PC arm. The estimated difference was 15.0% (95% CI 2.0%-28.0%) and P value of 0.024. Median survival times were 23.3 months in the EP arm and 20.7 months in the PC arm (log-rank test P = 0.095, HR 0.76, 95%CI 0.55-1.05). The incidence of Grade ≥2 radiation pneumonitis was higher in the PC arm (33.3% versus 18.9%, P = 0.036), while the incidence of Grade ≥3 esophagitis was higher in the EP arm (20.0% versus 6.3%, P = 0.009).

Conclusion

EP might be superior to weekly PC in terms of OS in the setting of concurrent chemoradiation for unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Trial registration ID

NCT01494558.