Dynamic chromatin accessibility licenses STAT5- and STAT6-dependent innate-like function of TH9 cells to promote allergic inflammation.

Allergic diseases are a major global health issue. Interleukin (IL)-9-producing helper T (TH9) cells promote allergic inflammation, yet TH9 cell effector functions are incompletely understood because their lineage instability makes them challenging to study. Here we found that resting TH9 cells produced IL-9 independently of T cell receptor (TCR) restimulation, due to STAT5- and STAT6-dependent bystander activation. This mechanism was seen in circulating cells from allergic patients and was restricted to recently activated cells. STAT5-dependent Il9/IL9 regulatory elements underwent remodeling over time, inactivating the locus. A broader 'allergic TH9' transcriptomic and epigenomic program was also unstable. In vivo, TH9 cells induced airway inflammation via TCR-independent, STAT-dependent mechanisms. In allergic patients, TH9 cell expansion was associated with responsiveness to JAK inhibitors. These findings suggest that TH9 cell instability is a negative checkpoint on bystander activation that breaks down in allergy and that JAK inhibitors should be considered for allergic patients with TH9 cell expansion.

A rare combination of correct transposition of the great arteries and isolated levocardia: Imaging characterization.

Congenitally correct transposition of the great arteries (cc-TGA) is an extremely rare congenital cardiac malposition. It can be detected antenatally by echocardiography. This case report describes a 58-year-old female patient who presented with tachycardia. The combination of cc-TGA and isolated levocardia is incidentally diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Quality prediction of whole-grain rice noodles using backpropagation artificial neural network.

BACKGROUND: Whole-grain rice noodles are a kind of healthy food with rich nutritional value, and their product quality has a notable impact on consumer acceptability. The quality evaluation model is of great significance to the optimization of product quality. However, there are few methods that can establish a product quality prediction model with multiple preparation conditions as inputs and various quality evaluation indexes as outputs. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model based on a backpropagation (BP) algorithm was used to predict the comprehensive quality changes of whole-grain rice noodles under different preparation conditions, which provided a new way to improve the quality of extrusion rice products. RESULTS: The results showed that the BP-ANN using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm and the optimal topology (4-11-8) gave the best performance. The correlation coefficients (R2) for the training, validation, testing, and global data sets of the BP neural network were 0.927, 0.873, 0.817, and 0.903, respectively. In the validation test, the percentage error in the quality prediction of whole-grain rice noodles was within 10%, indicating that the BP-ANN could accurately predict the quality of whole-grain rice noodles prepared under different conditions. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the quality prediction model of whole-grain rice noodles based on the BP-ANN algorithm was effective, and suitable for predicting the quality of whole-grain rice noodles prepared under different conditions. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Regulatory T cell expansion promotes white matter repair after stroke.

Recent research highlights the function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in white matter integrity in CNS diseases. Approaches that expand the number of Tregs have been utilized to improve stroke recovery. However, it remains unclear if Treg augmentation preserves white matter integrity early after stroke or promotes white matter repair. This study evaluates the effect of Treg augmentation on white matter injury and repair after stroke. Adult male C57/BL6 mice randomly received Treg or splenocyte (2 million, iv) transfer 2 h after transient (60 min) middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Immunostaining showed improved white matter recovery after tMCAO in Treg-treated mice compared to mice received splenocytes. In another group of mice, IL-2/IL-2 antibody complexes (IL-2/IL-2Ab) or isotype IgG were administered (i.p) for 3 consecutive days starting 6 h after tMCAO, and repeated on day 10, 20 and 30. The IL-2/IL-2Ab treatment boosted the number of Tregs in blood and spleen and increased Treg infiltration into the ischemic brain. Longitudinal in vivo and ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging analysis revealed an increase in fractional anisotropy 28d and 35d, but not 14d, after stroke in IL-2/IL-2Ab-treated mice compared to isotype-treated mice, suggesting a delayed improvement in white matter integrity. IL-2/IL-2Ab also improved sensorimotor functions (rotarod test and adhesive removal test) 35d after stroke. There were correlations between white matter integrity and behavior performance. Immunostaining confirmed the beneficial effects of IL-2/IL-2Ab on white matter structures 35d after tMCAO. IL-2/IL-2Ab treatment starting as late as 5d after stroke still improved white matter integrity 21d after tMCAO, suggesting long-term salutary effects of Tregs on the late-stage tissue repair. We also found that IL-2/IL-2Ab treatment reduced the number of dead/dying OPCs and oligodendrocytes in the brain 3d after tMCAO. To confirm the direct effect of Tregs on remyelination, Tregs were cocultured with lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC)-treated organotypic cerebella. LPC exposure for 17 h induced demyelination in organotypic cultures, followed by gradual spontaneous remyelination upon removal of LPC. Co-culture with Tregs accelerated remyelination in organotypic cultures 7d after LPC. In conclusion, Boosting the number of Tregs protects oligodendrocyte lineage cells early after stroke and promotes long-term white matter repair and functional recovery. IL-2/IL-2Ab represents a feasible approach of Treg expansion for stroke treatment.

Influence of eating together on brain activation and hedonic evaluation in response to foods.

Previous research has documented the influence of eating together on people's food expectations and choices. We conducted an fMRI study to investigate the influence of the label "eating together" on behavioral and brain responses to healthy or unhealthy foods. The participants (N = 28, 13 females; mean age = 21.19) viewed food photos presented with a label of "eating together" or "eating alone" and estimated the palatability, pleasantness, and desirability of each food. The label "eating together" elicited more positive ratings for both healthy and unhealthy foods than the label "eating alone," and this effect of social context was larger for unhealthy than healthy foods. The label "eating together" also elicited greater activation in the left insula and the right posterior insula for unhealthy foods (p = 0.001 and p = 0.004, whole-brain corrected, respectively). These findings suggest that a label of "eating together" can enhance the reward values of foods, with a potentially greater enhancement for unhealthy foods.

A cross-cultural study of beliefs about the influence of food sharing on interpersonal relationships and food choices.

We conducted two studies on participants from China and the USA to investigate their beliefs about food sharing. In Study 1, the participants were asked to rate the influence of different types of sharing on the interpersonal relationships between two individuals. Compared to sharing non-food material, both groups expected sharing food to exert a more positive influence on the intimacy and mutual trust between the sharer and the recipient. In Study 2A, the participants were asked to rate to which extent it is appropriate to share a certain food with another person. The results revealed that the solid or liquid state and the type of foods influenced both groups of participants' beliefs about whether a food is appropriate for sharing. In Study 2B, the participants were asked to rate the likelihood of ordering certain foods when they were eating alone, eating together, or sharing food with another person in a restaurant scenario. When sharing food with other people, both groups of participants were less likely to order foods that were inappropriate for sharing and more likely to order foods that were appropriate for sharing, thus suggesting the influence of beliefs about food sharing on food choices. Despite some cross-cultural differences in both studies, the results revealed some cross-cultural shared beliefs about food sharing. These findings suggest that people's beliefs regarding the positive influence of food sharing on interpersonal relationships influence food choices and may help explain why foods are shared while eating with others even there is no social obligation to do so.

Influence of a robotic companion on women's food choices: Evidence from an imaginary task.

Previous research has demonstrated the influence of commensal dining between humans on food choices, whereas we conducted two studies to examine how the presence of a robot might influence people's choices between meat-heavy and vegetable-forward meals in imaginary scenarios. In Study 1, participants were instructed to choose three desirable dishes from a set of two meat and two vegetable dishes while they imagined eating alone, with a human, or with a robot. Although the meat dishes were rated as more palatable and pleasant, the female participants chose fewer meat-heavy meals when eating alone or with a robot than when eating with a human, whereas no such effect was observed for the male participants. We also replicated these patterns in Study 2, as the female participants chose fewer meat-heavy meals when eating with a robot and a human than when eating with two humans. Collectively, these findings provide empirical evidence regarding how the presence of a certain robot can influence female consumers' food choices in imaginary scenarios, which has direct implications for the practice of promoting sustainable food choices.

Influence of flavor information on visual search: Attentional capture by and suppression of flavor-associated colors.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the impact of flavor cues on visual search, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this experiment, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine whether, and if so, how flavor information could lead to attentional capture by, and suppression of, flavor-associated colors. The participants were asked to taste certain flavored beverages and subsequently complete a shape-based visual search task, while their neural activities were simultaneously recorded. The behavioral results revealed that the participants made slower responses when a distractor in the flavor-associated color (DFAC) was present, suggesting an attentional bias toward the flavor-associated color. The ERP results revealed that the N2pc was detected if the target and the DFAC were shown in the same visual field (e.g. both target and DFCA on the right side of the screen), when the pairings between flavor cues and target colors were incongruent. However, the N2pc was not observed if the target and the DFAC were shown in the opposite visual fields (e.g. target on the right and DFCA on the left side of the screen) for the incongruent color-flavor pairings. Moreover, the distractor positivity (Pd) was observed if the target and the DFAC were shown in the opposite visual field for the congruent color-flavor pairings. These results suggest that both attentional capture and suppression are involved in the influence of flavor information on visual search. Collectively, these findings provide initial electrophysiological evidence on the mechanisms of the crossmodal influence of flavor cues on visual search.

Interfacial Engineering of Ag/C Catalysts for Practical Electrochemical CO2 Reduction to CO.

Electrochemical CO2 reduction to value-added chemicals by renewable energy sources is a promising way to implement the artificial carbon cycle. During the reaction, especially at high current densities for practical applications, the complex interaction between the key intermediates and the active sites would affect the selectivity, while the reconfiguration of electrocatalysts could restrict the stability. This paper describes the fabrication of Ag/C catalysts with a well-engineered interfacial structure, in which Ag nanoparticles are partially encapsulated by C supports. The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits CO Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) of over 90 % at current densities even as high as 1.1 A/cm2. The strong interfacial interaction between Ag and C leads to highly localized electron density that promotes the rate-determining electron transfer step by enhancing the adsorption and the stabilization of the key *COO- intermediate. In addition, the partially encapsulated structure prevents the reconfiguration of Ag during the reaction. Stable performance for over 600 h at 500 mA/cm2 is achieved with CO FE maintaining over 95 %, which is among the best stability with such a high selectivity and current density. This work provides a novel catalyst design showing the potential for the practical application of electrochemical reduction of CO2.

Alone but together: Cloud-based commensality benefits physical and mental health.

Cloud-based commensality refers to an eating scenario in which people are eating and videoconferencing with remote co-diners. We report two experiments designed to investigate whether cloud-based commensality can exert a positive effect on individuals' physical and mental health. In Experiment 1, the participants were asked to rate their expectations concerning their feelings when eating in the context of cloud-based commensality or solitary eating and to make food choices in each eating scenario. In Experiment 2, romantic couples were recruited to have meals in different eating scenarios in the laboratory and were asked to rate their emotions and close relationships. The results of the two experiments revealed that when engaging in cloud-based commensality, participants reduced their intake of meat dishes but did not increase their choices of meat dishes compared to solitary eating. Moreover, the results suggest that cloud-based commensality can alleviate negative feelings and promote positive emotions during periods of quarantine or non-quarantine and enhance close relationships for romantic couples. These findings demonstrate that cloud-based commensality is beneficial for individuals' physical and mental health and provide practical implications for utilizing social eating to promote healthy eating.

Evaluating the effect of PD-1 inhibitors on left ventricular function in lung cancer with noninvasive myocardial work.

Background: The treatment of advanced lung cancer has been revolutionized by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in recent years, largely driven by programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors. However, patients with lung cancer who are treated with PD-1 inhibitors are prone to immune-related adverse events (irAEs), especially cardiac adverse events. Noninvasive myocardial work is a novel technique used to assess left ventricular (LV) function, which can effectively predict myocardial damage. Here, noninvasive myocardial work was used to evaluate changes in LV systolic function during PD-1 inhibitor therapy and to assess ICIs-related cardiotoxicity. Methods: From September 2020 to June 2021, 52 patients with advanced lung cancer in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were prospectively enrolled. In total, 52 patients underwent PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The cardiac markers, noninvasive LV myocardial work, and conventional echocardiographic parameters were measured at pretherapy (T0) and posttreatment after the first (T1), second (T2), third (T3), and fourth (T4) cycles. Following this, the trends of the above parameters were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures and the Friedman nonparametric test. Furthermore, the relationships between disease characteristics (tumor type, treatment regimen, cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular drugs, and irAEs) and noninvasive LV myocardial work parameters were assessed. Results: Throughout the follow-up, the cardiac markers and conventional echocardiographic parameters showed no significant changes. Based on the normal reference ranges, patients with PD-1 inhibitor therapy had increased values of LV global waste work (GWW) and decreased global work efficiency (GWE) that began at T2. Compared with T0, GWW increased from T1 to T4 (42%, 76%, 87%, and 87%, respectively), while global longitudinal strain (GLS), global work index (GWI), and global constructive work (GCW) decreased in varying degrees (P<0.001). Most of the disease characteristics had no effect on the LV myocardial work parameters; however, the numbers of irAEs were closely associated with GLS (P=0.034), GWW (P<0.001), and GWE (P<0.001). Patients with 2 or more irAEs had higher values of GWW and lower GLS and GWE. Conclusions: Noninvasive myocardial work can accurately reflect myocardial function and energy utilization in patients with lung cancer who are undergoing PD-1 inhibitor treatment and may thus benefit the management of patients with ICIs-related cardiotoxicity.

Prediction of sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer by using deep learning radiomics based on ultrasound images.

Sentinel lymph node metastasis (SLNM) is a crucial predictor for breast cancer treatment and survival. This study was designed to propose deep learning (DL) models based on grayscale ultrasound, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), and elastography images, and to evaluate how DL radiomics can be used to classify SLNM in breast cancer. Clinical and ultrasound data of 317 patients diagnosed with breast cancer at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were collected from January 2018 to December 2021 and randomly divided into training and internal validation cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. An external validation cohort comprising data from Nanchang Third Hospital with 42 patients collected. Three DL models, namely DL-grayscale, DL-CDFI, and DL-elastography, were proposed to predict SLNM by analyzing grayscale ultrasound, CDFI, and elastography images. Three DL models were compared and evaluated to assess diagnostic performance based on the area under the curve (AUC). The AUCs of the DL-grayscale were 0.855 and 0.788 in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. For the DL-CDFI model, the AUCs were 0.761 and 0.728, respectively. The diagnostic performance of DL-elastography was superior to that of the DL-grayscale and DL-CDFI. The AUC of the DL-elastography model was 0.879 in the internal validation cohort, with a classification accuracy of 86.13%, sensitivity of 91.60%, and specificity of 82.79%. The generalization capability of DL-elastography remained high in the external cohort, with an AUC of 0.876, and an accuracy of 85.00%. DL radiomics can be used to classify SLNM in breast cancer using ultrasound images. The proposed DL-elastography model based on elastography images achieved the best diagnostic performance and holds good potential for the management of patients with SLNM.

A virtual reality-based study of color contrast to encourage more sustainable food choices.

In order to identify effective strategies to increase more environmentally friendly food choices, we conducted an experimental study to examine how the color contrast between the food and the background might influence people's choices between meat and vegetable dishes. Participants were instructed to choose three desirable dishes out of a choice set presented on a red- or green-colored table in a simulated restaurant environment. Each choice set consisted of two meat and two vegetable dishes, so the participants had to choose between the meat-heavy and vegetable-forward meals. The participants chose the meat-heavy meals more often than the chance level. However, the results revealed that using a red table to present the choice set could shift them toward choosing fewer meat-heavy meals and thus more vegetable-forward meals, and the visual attractiveness of the meat dishes was decreased when presented on the red tables. These findings provide empirical evidence regarding how the contrast between the color of food and the background color of the dining table can be used to modulate the sensory appeal of foods in order to promote sustainable food choices.

Rectal ectopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: A case report.

RATIONALE: Rectal ectopic pregnancy is an extremely rare abdominal pregnancy. This article presents a female underwent an unsuccessful in vitro fertilization which was misdiagnosed by serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) test and transvaginal ultrasonography. Twenty days later, a ruptured rectal ectopic pregnancy was confirmed by laparoscopy then the gestational tissue removed successfully. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 32-year-old Chinese female was admitted to our hospital with complaining of symptoms, like gradual worsening of lower abdominal pain and dysuria. The abdominal ultrasonography revealed a sac-like mass in the posterior area to the uterus and a moderate amount of free fluid in the pelvic cavity. Forty days ago, she underwent a frozen embryo transfer. Twenty days ago, her serum ß-hCG level was <5 mIU/mL and neither intrauterine nor ectopic pregnancy was detected by transvaginal ultrasonography. Then the procedure was thought to have resulted in biochemical pregnancy failure. DIAGNOSIS: The primary rectal ectopic pregnancy. INTERVENTIONS: The mass was removed laparoscopic surgery. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well. LESSONS: When the history of in vitro fertilization combined with an inappropriate rise of serum ß-hCG and no visible evidence of an intra-uterine pregnancy, physicians should consider the possibility of abdominal pregnancy. Early diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy can effectively save the life of the pregnant woman.

IL-33/ST2 Axis Protects Against Traumatic Brain Injury Through Enhancing the Function of Regulatory T Cells.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating condition due to its long-term sequelae on neurological functions. Inflammatory responses after TBI are critical for injury expansion and repair. Recent research in central nervous system (CNS) disorders reveals the importance of IL-33 and its receptor (ST2) as an alarmin system to initiate immune responses. This study explored the role of IL-33/ST2 signaling in TBI. TBI was induced in adult male C57BL/6J mice using a controlled cortical impact (CCI) model. We found that the expression of IL-33 increased in the injured brain and blood, and ST2 was elevated in the circulating and infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) early after TBI. ST2 deficient mice exhibited reduced Treg numbers in the blood and brain 5 days after TBI. The brain lesion size was enlarged in ST2 knockout mice, which was accompanied by deteriorated sensorimotor function 5 days after TBI. In contrast, post-TBI treatment with IL-33 (2 µg/30 g body weight, intranasal) for 3 days significantly reduced brain lesion size and improved neurological functions 5 days after TBI. Meanwhile, IL-33 treatment increased ST2 expression in circulating and brain infiltrating Tregs. To further explore the involvement of Tregs in IL-33/ST2-mediated neuroprotection, Tregs were depleted by CD25 antibody injection. The absence of Tregs significantly reduced the protective effect of IL-33 after TBI. In vitro study confirmed that IL-33 (50 ng/ml) increased the production of IL-10 and TGFß from activated Tregs and boosted the inhibitory effect of Tregs on T effector cell proliferation. Taken together, this study suggests that the activation of IL-33/ST2 signaling reduces brain lesion size and alleviates functional deficits after TBI at least partially through regulating the Treg response. IL-33 may represent a new immune therapeutic strategy to improve TBI outcomes.

Quantitative assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a non-invasive pressure-strain loop technique.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases, even in the early stage of disease development. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients with SLE using a novel non-invasive pressure-strain loop (PSL) technique. Methods: This prospective case-control study included 132 patients with SLE and 99 normal controls, all of whom underwent traditional transthoracic echocardiography. The LV myocardial work was evaluated with the PSL technique based on speckle tracking and brachial artery blood pressure. The differences among groups were compared, and the correlations between myocardial work, laboratory data, and disease activity were analyzed in the SLE group. Results: Compared with the normal group, SLE patients had significantly higher global wasted work {GWW; SLE: 109 [82-150] mmHg%; controls: 66 [45-109] mmHg%; P<0.001} and impaired global work efficiency [GWE; SLE: 95% (94-97%); controls: 97% (96-98%); P<0.001]. Global work index (GWI) and global constructive work (GCW) did not show significant differences (P>0.05). Further subdivision analysis found that the increase of GWW and the damage of GWE were more obvious in SLE patients with high disease activity or severe diastolic dysfunction. Multivariate analysis revealed that increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-phospholipid antibodies, peak strain dispersion, and SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) were independently associated with increased GWW (ß=0.189, 0.230, 0.444, 0.111, and 0.180, respectively; all P<0.05) and damaged GWE (ß=-0.184, -0.130, -0.468, -0.149, and -0.191, respectively; all P<0.05). Conclusions: The non-invasive PSL can quantitatively evaluate the LV systolic function in SLE patients. This technique may provide a new method for monitoring cardiac function in chronic diseases.

Cloud-Based Commensality: Enjoy the Company of Co-diners Without Social Facilitation of Eating.

Previous research has associated frequently enforced solo dining with negative consequences on psychological well-being, but the problem of having to eat alone may be solved by seeking mealtime companions in the digital space by watching an eating broadcast (i.e., Mukbang) or videoconferencing with others (i.e., cloud-based commensality). We conducted the present study to compare the consequences of Mukbang-based, cloud-based, and in-person commensality. Ninety-five healthy Chinese young adults were instructed to rate images of eating scenarios and foods. The results revealed that they expected loneliness to be reduced by Mukbang-based or in-person commensality, but they were also aware of the risks of enhancing food intake and/or being shifted toward less healthy food choices in these two scenarios. By contrast, the participants expected cloud-based commensality to provide the benefits of reducing loneliness without the health-compromising risks of increasing food intake or unhealthy eating. Collectively, these findings suggest the beliefs of the participants that cloud-based commensality can provide an "alone but together" context to balance the need for social interactions with the strategic avoidance of a social context facilitating unhealthy eating. The findings also provide some novel insights into how the application of technologies for eating behavior can be used to integrate social factors and food pleasure, and shed light on the promising future of cloud-based commensality as a combination of the strengths of solitary and commensal eating.

Food Sharing With Choice: Influence on Social Evaluation.

We conducted two studies to investigate the influence of food sharing on people's social evaluation. In Study 1, the results of an online survey revealed that Chinese adults expected voluntary food sharing to influence the recipient's social evaluation of the sharer. In Study 2, we ran a laboratory-based experiment in which each participant broke bread with one of two unacquainted individuals. When the participants could choose whom to share food with, they rated the selected person as being more prosocial than the person they did not choose. These results demonstrate the influence of voluntary food sharing with choice on people's social evaluation of unacquainted individuals, and shed some light on the influence of eating behavior on social perception.