Perceived social support and diet quality among ethnic minority groups in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Social support is an important health determinant and may affect dietary behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relations between perceived social support and the Chinese Diet Balance Index-16 (DBI-16) among ethnic minority groups in Southwest China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2019 and August 2020 among six ethnic minority groups native to Yunnan Province (n = 3564). Perceived social support from family, friends and significant others were measured with the Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Dietary data were obtained using a 100-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a lifestyle questionnaire. Lower Bound Score (LBS), Higher Bound Score (HBS) and Diet Quality Distance (DQD) which represent inadequate, excessive and unbalanced food intake respectively were calculated to measure the compliance with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese 2016. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred ninety-six men and two thousand sixty-eight women were included. 51.2% of the subjects had moderate or high levels of inadequate intake; 21.3% had moderate or high levels of excessive intake; and 74.0% had moderate or high levels of unbalanced dietary intake. With potential confounders adjusted, support from family was negatively associated with inadequate intake, while support from friends was positively associated with inadequate and excessive intake. No significant associations were found between perceived social support from significant others and diet quality indicators. CONCLUSIONS: An unbalanced diet is common among adults of the ethnic minority groups in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Social support should be taken into account in designing nutrition interventions rather than focusing solely on individuals.

A Novel Tetramethylpyrazine Chalcone Hybrid- HCTMPPK, as a Potential Anti-Lung Cancer Agent by Downregulating MELK.

Purpose: Lung adenocarcinoma currently ranks the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Many anti-inflammation herbs, like tetramethylpyrazine, have shown their anti-tumor potentials. Here, we evaluated the role of a novel chalcone derivative of tetramethylpyrazine ((E) -1- (E) -1- (2-hydroxy-5-chlorophenyl) -3- (3,5,6-trimethylpyrazin-2-yl) -2-propen-1, HCTMPPK) in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: The effects of HCTMPPK on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion were investigated by in-vitro assays, including CCK-8, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and wound-healing assay. The therapeutic potential of HCTMPPK in vivo was evaluated in xenograft mice. To figure out the target molecules of HCTMPPK, a network pharmacology approach and molecular docking studies were employed, and subsequent experiments were conducted to confirm these candidate molecules. Results: HCTMPPK effectively suppressed the proliferative activity and migration, as well as enhanced the apoptosis of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Consistent with this, tumor growth was inhibited by HCTMPPK significantly in vivo. Regarding the mechanisms, HCTMPPK down-regulated Bcl-2 and MMP-9 and up-regulating Bax and cleaved-caspase-3. Subsequently, we identified 601 overlapping DEGs from LUAD patients in TCGA and GEO database. Then, 15 hub genes were identified by PPI network and CytoHubba. Finally, MELK was verified to be the HCTMPPK targeted site, through the molecular docking studies and validation experiments. Conclusion: Overall, our study indicates HCTMPPK as a potential MELK inhibitor and may be a promising candidate for the therapy of lung cancer.

Efficacy and safety of oliceridine treatment in patients with postoperative pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIM: Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the efficacy and safety of oliceridine in patients with postoperative pain. METHODS: Four databases were searched from the beginning of the database to the present. We included all randomized controlled trials (RCT) that evaluated the efficacy and safety of oliceridine in patients with postoperative pain. Our endpoints were the proportion of treatment responders to the oliceridine regimen and the incidence of adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: The analysis showed that more patients responded significantly with oliceridine compared to placebo. The proportion of treatment responders to oliceridine was comparable to that of morphine. Oliceridine had analgesia effects similar to morphine compared to placebo. The incidence of respiratory safety events was significantly lower with oliceridine compared to morphine. Oliceridine was significantly associated with more adverse events such as nausea and vomiting compared to placebo. The safety profile of oliceridine was superior to morphine compared to morphine. CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that oliceridine is an effective and safe intravenous analgesic in patients with postoperative pain, producing rapid postoperative analgesic and usually well tolerated, and reducing incidence of adverse events compared to morphine. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42023391581.

CXCL17 Attenuates Diesel Exhaust Emissions Exposure-Induced Lung Damage by Regulating Macrophage Function.

Exposure to diesel exhaust emissions (DEE) is strongly linked to innate immune injury and lung injury, but the role of macrophage chemoattractant CXCL17 in the lung damage caused by DEE exposure remains unclear. In this study, whole-body plethysmography (WBP), inflammatory cell differential count, and histopathological analysis were performed to assess respiratory parameters, airway inflammation, and airway injury in C57BL/6 male mice exposed to DEE for 3 months. qRT-PCR, IHC (immunohistochemistry), and ELISA were performed to measure the CXCL17 expression in airway epithelium or BALF (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) following DEE/Diesel exhaust particle (DEP) exposure. Respiratory parameters, airway inflammation, and airway injury were assessed in CXCL17-overexpressing mice through adeno-associated virus vector Type 5 (AAV5) infection. Additionally, an in vitro THP-1 and HBE co-culture system was constructed. Transwell assay was carried out to evaluate the effect of rh-CXCL17 (recombinant human protein-CXCL17) on THP-1 cell migration. Flow cytometry and qRT-PCR were conducted to assess the impacts of rh-CXCL17 on apoptosis and inflammation/remodeling of HBE cells. We found that the mice exposed to DEE showed abnormal respiratory parameters, accompanied by airway injury and remodeling (ciliary injury in airway epithelium, airway smooth muscle hyperplasia, and increased collagen deposition). Carbon content in airway macrophages (CCAM), but not the number of macrophages in BALF, increased significantly. CXCL17 expression significantly decreased in mice airways and HBE after DEE/DEP exposure. AAV5-CXCL17 enhanced macrophage recruitment and clearance of DEE in the lungs of mice, and it improved respiratory parameters, airway injury, and airway remodeling. In the THP-1/HBE co-culture system, rh-CXCL17 increased THP-1 cell migration while attenuating HBE cell apoptosis and inflammation/remodeling. Therefore, CXCL17 might attenuate DEE-induced lung damage by recruiting and activating pulmonary macrophages, which is expected to be a novel therapeutic target for DEE-associated lung diseases.

A Panel of E2F Target Gene Signature Predicting the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most malignant tumors, and the therapeutic effects of traditional treatments are poor. It is urgent to explore and identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets to develop novel treatments which are individualized and effective. Three hallmarks, including E2F targets, G2M checkpoint and DNA repair, were collected by GSEA analysis. The panel of E2F-related gene signature consisted of five genes: HN1, KIF4A, CDCA3, CDCA8 and SSRP1. They had various mutation rates ranging from 0.8 to 5% in hepatocellular carcinoma, and patients with gene mutation had poorer prognosis. Among these genes, HN1 has the greatest mutation rate, and SSRP1 has the greatest impact on the model with a B (COX) value of 0.8842. Patients with higher expression of these genes had poorer prognosis. Kaplan-Meier curves in stratified survival analysis confirmed that patients with high risk scores had poor prognosis (p < 0.05). The results of univariate and multivariate COX survival analysis showed that risk score was closely related to the overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. For clinical validation, we found that all the genes in the model were upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues compared to normal liver tissues, which was consistent with the previous results we obtained. Our study demonstrated that a panel of E2F target genes signature including five genes could predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. This panel gene signature can facilitate the development of individualized and effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Assessing impacts of the Ecological Retreat project on water conservation in the Yellow River Basin.

The Ecological Retreat (ER) project significantly impacts water conservation functions in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). However, studies on the impact and benefit of different ER modes on ecological water effects still lack systematic and integral disclosure. In our study, CNLUCC (China land use/cover data sets) and the Markov transition matrix were used to simulate land pattern changes from 2000 to 2018. Water yield was chosen as an indicator of water conservation to explore the impact of the ER project by using the water yield module of the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. After the ER project, the land pattern changed significantly because massive cropland was transformed into forest and grassland. Thus, the total water yields of the YRB increased by 46.32 × 103 hm3 from 2000 to 2018, and the overall water yield benefit was 12.39% larger than the water loss. Forest rehabilitation (FR) showed the highest average water yield capacity, while grassland restoration (GR) exhibited the most incredible total water conservation benefit. Wetland recovery (WLR) manifested a great capacity to improve average water yield, but its total benefit was far less than FR and GR, while waterbody recovery (WBR) showed a negative impact. The results indicate that FR and GR were effective restoration methods, and WLR showed great potential to improve water yield. By using the random forest and principal components analysis, precipitation (PRE), evaporation (AET and ET0), and variation of forest and grassland proved to be the most critical driving indicators affecting water yield changes. Additionally, the correlation and sensitivity between root depth (R_depth) and water yield indicate that increasing R_Depth can also enhance water conservation. The ER project provides a valuable restoration model for water yield and water conservation benefits. The results can provide theoretical support for eco-hydrology and land ecological restoration studies.

Identification of a novel nine-SnoRNA signature with potential prognostic and therapeutic value in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has been confirmed that small nucleolar RNAs (SnoRNAs) play critical roles in tumorigenesis and exhibit prognostic value in clinical practice. However, there is short of systematic research on SnoRNAs in ovarian cancer (OV). MATERIAL/METHODS: 379 OV patients with RNA-Seq and clinical parameters from TCGA database and 5 paired clinical OV tissues were embedded in our study. Cox regression analysis was used to identify prognostic SnoRNAs and construct prediction model. SNORic database was adopted to examine the copy number variation of SnoRNAs. ROC curves and KM plot curves were applied to validate the prognostic model. Besides, the model was validated in 5 paired clinical tissues by real-time PCR, H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A prognostic model was constructed on the basis of SnoRNAs in OV patients. Patients with higher RiskScore had poor clinicopathological parameters, including higher age, larger tumor size, advanced stage and with tumor status. KM plot analysis confirmed that patients with higher RiskScore had poorer prognosis in subgroup of age, tumor size, and stage. 7 of 9 SnoRNAs in the prognostic model had positive correlation with their host genes. Moreover, 5 of 9 SnoRNAs in the prognostic model correlated with their CNVs, and SNORD105B had the strongest correction with its CNVs. ROC curve showed that the RiskScore had excellent specificity and accuracy. Further, results of H&E staining and immunohistochemistry of Ki67, P53 and P16 confirmed that patients with higher RiskScore are more malignant. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we identified a nine-SnoRNAs signature as an independent indicator to predict prognosis of OV, providing a prospective prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

Social capital and dietary patterns in three ethnic minority groups native to Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on the influencing factors of dietary practices among ethnic minority groups in China, particularly from a social capital perspective. METHODS: Between May and September 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among adults (n = 1,813) from three ethnic minority communities (A Chang, De Ang and Jing Po) in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Dietary intakes during the past 12 months were measured with a 100-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and two forms of social capital (bonding and bridging) were measured using the validated Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCS-16). Principal component factor analysis was used to derive dietary patterns from 20 food groups. Multivariate linear regressions were used to examine the associations between social capital and dietary patterns. RESULTS: Two distinct dietary patterns were identified: the traditional and the modern. The traditional pattern was characterized by high consumptions of tubers, poultry, rice, fruits, vegetables and low consumptions of oil and salt, whereas the modern pattern was highly correlated with egg, nut, beverage, snack and oil consumptions. After adjusted for potential confounders, the modern pattern was positively associated with bonding capital (ß = 0.066; 95%CI: 0.058, 0.075) and negatively associated with bridging capital (ß = -0.017; 95%CI: -0.024, -0.010). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, an unhealthy dietary pattern was identified among the ethnic minority groups in Southwest China. The influences of people's social connections on dietary behaviors should be considered in designing and implementing nutrition intervention programs for the population.

Assessing the ecological regime and spatial spillover effects of a reclaimed mining subsided lake: A case study of the Pan'an Lake wetland in Xuzhou.

In the North China Plain, coal mining subsided lakes are surface water bodies that form after the conclusion of coal mining. In China, mining subsided lakes are often transformed into artificial wetland parks for ecological restoration. While many studies have focused on evaluating coal mining subsidence lake ecosystem service value and water pollution, little attention has been paid to changes in ecological regimes and ecological spillover effects before and after the reclamation of mining areas. This paper examines the Pan'an Lake artificial wetland in Jiawang District, Xuzhou, as a case study. Changes in the ecological regime of the mining subsidence area before and after land reclamation and corresponding spatial spillover effect on land prices are assessed based on remote sensing, GIS raster calculations and geostatistical methods. The results show that the ecosystem service value and ecological storage capacity changed significantly after the mining subsided lake was transformed into an artificial wetland and the wetland ecosystem has been developing well with significantly positive spillover effects on surrounding land prices. From 2008 to 2017, service functions of the artificial wetland ecosystem of Pan'an Lake increased by 81.95%, and the system's ecological storage capacity increased from RMB 6,754 yuan/hm2 in 2008 to RMB 12,289 yuan/hm2 in 2017. The average impact of the Pan'an Lake artificial wetland on the spillover effects of surrounding residential land prices was measured at RMB 195.18 yuan/m2, and the total spillover value of planned residential land in the study area was measured at RMB 805,422,100 yuan. The present study can serve as a useful guide for evaluating the economic feasibility of land reclamation planning and ecological restoration in mining subsidence areas.

Assessment of the impact of the Poplar Ecological Retreat Project on water conservation in the Dongting Lake wetland region using the InVEST model.

The Poplar Ecological Retreat (PER) project is a significant environmental protection initiative implemented to protect the Dongting Lake wetlands ecosystem in China, and the ecological impacts of this project have gradually become a hot topic. In this study, water conservation was selected as an indicator of ecosystem function to explore the impact of the project by using the water yield module of the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and geographic statistical methods. Water yield and land-use changes were quantitatively evaluated, and significant changes in the wetland landscape configuration occurred after the PER project because forest beach, moss marshland and mudflat areas were transformed into a poplar-retreat area. Thus, the proportion of the poplar-retreat area and average water yield increased. By using the principal component and cluster analysis methods, climate change and landscape patterns were shown to be the dominant driving factors affecting water conservation under stable meteorological conditions. Moreover, the landscape heterogeneity that resulted from the landscape patterns had a greater impact than climate change, which means that reducing human activities can enhance water conservation. Additionally, the correlation between landscape heterogeneity and water yield indicated that reducing landscape fragmentation and improving aggregation also benefit water conservation. Therefore, the PER project is successful at enhancing ecological functions and protecting wetland environments, and it represents a good example of maintaining ecological sustainability despite local economic performance restrictions. This project serves as an important reference for the establishment of sustainable wetland ecological policies by national governments, and the results can provide theoretical support for landscape ecology and eco-hydrology research.

Ultrasound-Guided Unilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane Combined with Rectus Sheath Block versus Subarachnoid Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Surgery: A Randomized Prospective Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis catheter placement can be performed under general anesthesia, local anesthesia or subarachnoid anesthesia (SA). Recently, studies have reported the successful placement of peritoneal dialysis catheters using a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block and rectus sheath (RS) block. This study compared the TAP + RS block with SA for patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis catheter placement. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups, with 30 receiving unilateral ultrasound-guided TAP + RS block anesthesia and 30 receiving SA. The demographic characteristics, anesthesia efficacy, indicators related to anesthesia or operation, hemodynamic index, postoperative pain numeric rating score (NRS), postoperative recovery indicators, complications related to anesthesia or surgery, and dosage of sedative or analgesic medication were analyzed. RESULTS: Anesthesia operation time was significantly shorter in the TAP + RS block group than in the SA group (P<0.001), while there was no significant difference in success rates (TAP + RS 93.33% [95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 83.9-102.8%] vs SA 100.00% [95% CI, 100-100%], P=0.472). Two patients in the TAP + RS group needed extra analgesia, although the dermatome pinprick sensation test gave negative results for all patients. Patients who received the TAP + RS block expressed significantly less pain on movement or at rest at 4 h and 8 h postoperative. Fewer patients needed rescue analgesia with tramadol in the postoperative period in the TAP + RS block group than in the SA group (P<0.05). The intraoperative MAP was more stable (P<0.05) in the TAP + RS group compared to the SA group. CONCLUSION: The TAP + RS block is a safe, effective method for use as the principal anesthesia technique in PD catheter placement. Compared to SA, it has the advantages of less influence on hemodynamics and a better postoperative analgesic effect.

[Desorption characteristics of phosphorus in tea tree rhizosphere soil].

In order to explore the phosphorus (P) release process and its supply mechanism in tea tree rhizosphere soil, an exogenous P adsorption and culture experiment was conducted to study the P desorption process and characters in the tea tree rhizosphere soils having been cultivated for different years and derived from different parent materials. The least squares method was used to fit the isotherms of P desorption kinetics. There was an obvious difference in the P desorption process between the rhizosphere soils and non-rhizosphere soils. The P desorption ability of the rhizosphere soils was significantly higher than that of the non-rhizosphere soils. As compared with non-rhizosphere soils, rhizosphere soils had higher available P content, P desorption rate, and beta value (desorbed P of per unit adsorbed P), with the average increment being 5.49 mg x kg(-1), 1.7%, and 24.4%, respectively. The P desorption ability of the rhizosphere soils derived from different parent materials was in the order of granite > quaternary red clay > slate. The average available P content and P desorption ability of the rhizosphere soils increased with increasing cultivation years.