Microbial strategies for effective microplastics biodegradation: Insights and innovations in environmental remediation.

Microplastics (MPs), diminutive yet ubiquitous fragments arising from the degradation of plastic waste, pervade environmental matrices, posing substantial risks to ecological systems and trophic dynamics. This review meticulously examines the origins, distribution, and biological impacts of MPs, with an incisive focus on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning their toxicity. We highlight the indispensable role of microbial consortia and enzymatic pathways in the oxidative degradation of MPs, offering insights into enhanced biodegradation processes facilitated by innovative pretreatment methodologies. Central to our discourse is the interplay between MPs and biota, emphasizing the detoxification capabilities of microbial metabolisms and enzymatic functions in ameliorating MPs' deleterious effects. Additionally, we address the practical implementations of MP biodegradation in environmental remediation, advocating for intensified research to unravel the complex biodegradation pathways and to forge effective strategies for the expeditious elimination of MPs from diverse ecosystems. This review not only articulates the pervasive challenges posed by MPs but also positions microbial strategies at the forefront of remedial interventions, thereby paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in environmental conservation.

NEDD1 Promotes the Development of Lung Adenocarcinoma and Can be Used as a Prognostic Marker.

Objective : To explore the roles of Neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated 1(NEDD1) in lung cancer tumorigenesis and the relationship between NEDD1 expression and clinicopathology of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: Expression of NEDD1 or other proteins in tissues and cell lines were determined with immunohistochemistry or western blot, the data of patients with LUAD in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets and LUAD tissue array were collected and analyzed, the effects of NEDD1 on proliferation, migration, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of cancer cells were detected with colony formation assay, transwell assay and Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis respectively. the impact of NEDD1 knockdown on DNA damage was analyzed using Immunofluorescence staining of H2AX and comet assay. Furthermore, the effect of NEDD1 on cancer cell proliferation in vivo was investigated in nude mice. Results : NEDD1 was upregulated in lung tissues and the NEDD1 immune score was an independent prognostic factor. Overexpression of NEDD1 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition, accelerated cell cycle progression, and enhanced the proliferation and migration of A549 and H1299 cells, while knockdown of NEDD1 resulted in the opposite phenotype and leaded to DNA damage. In addition, NEDD1 improved cell tumorigenicity in vivo. Conclusion : These findings suggest that NEDD1 plays important roles in lung cancer development and may therefore be a potential prognostic marker and promising therapeutic target for lung cancer therapy.

The discriminatory capability of anthropometric measures in predicting reproductive outcomes in Chinese women with PCOS.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is a common feature in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and potentially significantly influences reproductive function. However, opinions are divided as to which factor is a more appropriate obesity predictor of reproductive outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the discriminatory capability of anthropometric measures in predicting reproductive outcomes in Chinese women with PCOS. METHODS: A total of 998 women with PCOS from PCOSAct were included. Logistic regression models were used to compute the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CIs) to assess the effect of anthropometric measures, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), the waist‒hip ratio (WHR) and the waist‒height ratio (WHtR), on reproductive outcomes. The discrimination abilities of the models were assessed and compared based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). RESULTS: Among PCOS women, there was a graded association between anthropometric measures and predicted reproductive outcomes across quintiles of anthropometric measures, including a linear association among WHR, BMI and reproductive outcomes and among waist circumference, WHtR and live birth, pregnancy, and ovulation. However, only a linear association was noted between the hip and ovulation. C-statistic comparisons and IDI analyses revealed a trend towards a significant superiority of BMI for ovulation and WHR for live birth, pregnancy and conception in the models. Combining obesity variables improved discrimination in the multivariable models for reproductive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support that BMI is a better predictor of ovulation and that the WHR is a better predictor of live birth, pregnancy and conception, whereas the combination of obesity variables contributes to the discrimination of reproduction.

Accumulation and depuration of tire wear particles in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and toxic effects on gill, liver, and gut.

The toxic effects of tire wear particles (TWPs) in the environment are a growing concern for a variety of aquatic organisms. However, studies about TWPs toxicity on aquatic organisms are limited. This study investigated the accumulation and depuration of TWPs in zebrafish at three different concentrations (5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, and 20 mg/L), as well as the toxic effects on the gill, liver, and gut. We found that TWPs could accumulate in the gill and gut for a long time, and the number of TWPs at the high-concentration (20 mg/L) was higher than at the low-concentration (5 mg/L). TWPs induced oxidative stress in the gill and liver. The liver transcriptome profiles indicated that the high concentration of TWPs tended to up-regulate metabolic processes, whereas the low concentration of TWPs was inclined to down-regulate cellular processes. The high-concentration treatment significantly increased xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, and lipid metabolism-related pathways, whereas the low-concentration treatment distinctly altered amino acid metabolism-related pathways. The expression of gstt1b, ugt1a1, mgst3b, miox, hsd17b3, and cyp8b1 gene was up-regulated in all TWPs treatments. In addition, Gemmobacter and Shinella enriched in the high-concentration treatment were closely correlated with the degradation of TWPs. These findings provided objective evidence for the toxicity evaluation of TWPs on zebrafish.

Mechanism and treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage focus on mitochondrial permeability transition pore.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the second most common subtype of stroke, characterized by high mortality and a poor prognosis. Despite various treatment methods, there has been limited improvement in the prognosis of ICH over the past decades. Therefore, it is imperative to identify a feasible treatment strategy for ICH. Mitochondria are organelles present in most eukaryotic cells and serve as the primary sites for aerobic respiration and energy production. Under unfavorable cellular conditions, mitochondria can induce changes in permeability through the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), ultimately leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and contributing to various diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that mPTP plays a role in the pathological processes associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, ischemic stroke and ischemia-reperfusion injury, among others. However, there is limited research on mPTP involvement specifically in ICH. Therefore, this study comprehensively examines the pathological processes associated with mPTP in terms of oxidative stress, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and other related mechanisms to elucidate the potential mechanism underlying mPTP involvement in ICH. This research aims to provide novel insights for the treatment of secondary injury after ICH.

Structural connectivity matures along a sensorimotor-association connectional axis in youth.

Childhood and adolescence are associated with protracted developmental remodeling of cortico-cortical structural connectivity. However, how heterochronous development in white matter structural connectivity spatially and temporally unfolds across the macroscale human connectome remains unknown. Leveraging non-invasive diffusion MRI data from both cross-sectional (N = 590) and longitudinal (baseline: N = 3,949; two-year follow-up: N = 3,155) developmental datasets, we found that structural connectivity development diverges along a pre-defined sensorimotor-association (S-A) connectional axis from ages 8.1 to 21.9 years. Specifically, we observed a continuum of developmental profiles that spans from an early childhood increase in connectivity strength in sensorimotor-sensorimotor connections to a late adolescent increase in association-association connectional strength. The S-A connectional axis also captured spatial variations in associations between structural connectivity and both higher-order cognition and general psychopathology. Together, our findings reveal a hierarchical axis in the development of structural connectivity across the human connectome.

The crucial role of HFM1 in regulating FUS ubiquitination and localization for oocyte meiosis prophase I progression in mice.

BACKGROUND: Helicase for meiosis 1 (HFM1), a putative DNA helicase expressed in germ-line cells, has been reported to be closely associated with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). However, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of HFM1 in the first meiotic prophase of mouse oocytes. RESULTS: The results suggested that the deficiency of HFM1 resulting in increased apoptosis and depletion of oocytes in mice, while the oocytes were arrested in the pachytene stage of the first meiotic prophase. In addition, impaired DNA double-strand break repair and disrupted synapsis were observed in the absence of HFM1. Further investigation revealed that knockout of HFM1 promoted ubiquitination and degradation of FUS protein mediated by FBXW11. Additionally, the depletion of HFM1 altered the intranuclear localization of FUS and regulated meiotic- and oocyte development-related genes in oocytes by modulating the expression of BRCA1. CONCLUSIONS: These findings elaborated that the critical role of HFM1 in orchestrating the regulation of DNA double-strand break repair and synapsis to ensure meiosis procession and primordial follicle formation. This study provided insights into the pathogenesis of POI and highlighted the importance of HFM1 in maintaining proper meiotic function in mouse oocytes.

The PP2A inhibitor LB-100 mitigates lupus nephritis by suppressing tertiary lymphoid structure formation.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multi-organ involvement and autoantibody production. Patients with SLE face a substantial risk of developing lupus nephritis (LN), which imposes a substantial burden on both patients and their families. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a widely distributed serine/threonine phosphatase that participates in regulating multiple signaling pathways. Inhibition of PP2A has been implicated in the treatment of various diseases. LB-100, a small molecule inhibitor of PP2A, has demonstrated anti-tumor therapeutic effects and high safety profile in preclinical experiments. However, the role of PP2A and its inhibitor has been insufficiently studied in LN. In this study, we assessed the potential effects of LB-100 in both MRL/lpr mice and R848-induced BALB/c mice. Our findings indicated that LB-100 administration led to reduced spleen enlargement, decreased deposition of immune complexes, ameliorated renal damage, and improved kidney function in both spontaneous and R848-induced lupus mouse models. Importantly, we observed the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) in the kidneys of two distinct lupus mouse models. The levels of signature genes of TLS were elevated in the kidneys of lupus mice, whereas LB-100 mitigated chemokine production and inhibited TLS formation. In addition, we confirmed that inhibition or knockdown of PP2A reduced the production of T cell-related chemokines by renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC). In summary, our study highlighted the renal protective potential of the PP2A inhibitor LB-100 in two distinct lupus mouse models, suggesting its potential as a novel strategy for treating LN and other autoimmune diseases.

Tire and road wear particles in the aquatic organisms - A review of source, properties, exposure routes, and biological effects.

With the continuous development of the modern social economy, rubber has been widely used in our daily life. Tire and road wear particles (TRWPs) are generated by friction between tires and the road surface during the processes of driving, acceleration, and braking. TRWPs can be divided into three main components according to their source: tire tread, brake wear, and road wear. Due to urban runoff, TRWPs flow with rainwater into the aquatic environment and influence the surrounding aquatic organisms. As an emerging contaminant, TRWPs with the characteristics of small particles and strong toxicity have been given more attention recently. Here, we summarized the existing knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of TRWPs, the pathways of TRWPs into the water body, and the exposure routes of TRWPs. Furthermore, we introduced the biological effects of TRWPs involved in size, concentration, and shape, as well as key toxic compounds involved in heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), and benzothiazole on aquatic organisms, and attempted to find the relevant factors influencing the toxic effects of TRWPs. In the context of existing policies that ignore pollution from TRWPs emissions in the aquatic environment, we also proposed measures to mitigate the impact of TRWPs in the future, as well as an outlook for TRWPs research.

Compound prebiotics as prophylactic and adjunctive treatments ameliorate DSS-induced colitis through gut microbiota modulation effects.

The prophylactic and adjunctive impacts of compound prebiotics (CP), comprising galacto-oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides, and isomalto-oligosaccharides, on colitis remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of CP on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis via modulation of the gut microbiota. Mice received prophylactic CP (PCP) for three weeks and DSS in the second week. In the third week, therapeutic CP, mesalazine, and a combination of CP and mesalazine (CPM) were administered to mice with DSS-induced colitis. The administration of PCP and CPM was found to ameliorate colitis, as evidenced by increases in body weight and colon length, elevation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and reductions in the disease activity index, histological scores, and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice with DSS-induced colitis on days 14 or 21. Furthermore, an increase in the relative abundance of probiotics (Ligilactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Limosilactobacillus), alpha diversity indices, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) contents, and microbial network complexity was observed following PCP or CPM treatment. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between these probiotics and both SCFA and IL-10, and negative associations with pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study highlighted the potential of CP as novel prophylactic and adjunctive treatments for alleviating DSS-induced intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis.

RNA-seq analysis-based study on the effects of gestational diabetes mellitus on macrosomia.

Background: Both the mother and the infant are negatively impacted by macrosomia. Macrosomia is three times as common in hyperglycemic mothers as in normal mothers. This study sought to determine why hyperglycemic mothers experienced higher macrosomia. Methods: Hematoxylin and Eosin staining was used to detect the placental structure of normal mother(NN), mothers who gave birth to macrosomia(NM), and mothers who gave birth to macrosomia and had hyperglycemia (DM). The gene expressions of different groups were detected by RNA-seq. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened with DESeq2 R software and verified by qRT-PCR. The STRING database was used to build protein-protein interaction networks of DEGs. The Cytoscape was used to screen the Hub genes of the different group. Results: The NN group's placental weight differed significantly from that of the other groups. The structure of NN group's placenta is different from that of the other group, too. 614 and 3207 DEGs of NM and DM, respectively, were examined in comparison to the NN group. Additionally, 394 DEGs of DM were examined in comparison to NM. qRT-PCR verified the results of RNA-seq. Nucleolar stress appears to be an important factor in macrosomia, according on the results of KEGG and GO analyses. The results revealed 74 overlapped DEGs that acted as links between hyperglycemia and macrosomia, and 10 of these, known as Hub genes, were key players in this process. Additionally, this analysis believes that due of their close connections, non-overlapping Hubs shouldn't be discounted. Conclusion: In diabetic mother, ten Hub genes (RPL36, RPS29, RPL8 and so on) are key factors in the increased macrosomia in hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia and macrosomia are linked by 74 overlapping DEGs. Additionally, this approach contends that non-overlapping Hubs shouldn't be ignored because of their tight relationships.

HiMIC-Monthly: A 1 km high-resolution atmospheric moisture index collection over China, 2003-2020.

Near-surface atmospheric moisture is a key environmental and hydro-climatic variable that has significant implications for the natural and human systems. However, high-resolution moisture data are severely lacking for fine-scale studies. Here, we develop the first 1 km high spatial resolution dataset of monthly moisture index collection in China (HiMIC-Monthly) over a long period of 2003~2020. HiMIC-Monthly is generated by the light gradient boosting machine algorithm (LightGBM) based on observations at 2,419 weather stations and multiple covariates, including land surface temperature, vapor pressure, land cover, impervious surface proportion, population density, and topography. This collection includes six commonly used moisture indices, enabling fine-scale assessment of moisture conditions from different perspectives. Results show that the HiMIC-Monthly dataset has a good performance, with R2 values for all six moisture indices exceeding 0.96 and root mean square error and mean absolute error values within a reasonable range. The dataset exhibits high consistency with in situ observations over various spatial and temporal regimes, demonstrating broad applicability and strong reliability.

Establishment and validation of a nomogram model for predicting ovulation in the PCOS women.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms underlying ovulatory dysfunction in PCOS remain debatable. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting ovulation among PCOS patients based on a large sample-sized randomized control trial. METHODS: Data were obtained from a multi-centered randomized clinical trial, the PCOSAct, which was conducted between 2011 and 2015. Univariate and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression were used to construct a prediction model and nomogram. The accuracy of the model was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. RESULTS: The predictive variables included in the training dataset model were luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone, body mass index (BMI), period times per year, and clomiphene treatment. The ROC curve for the model in the training dataset was 0.81 (95% CI [0.77, 0.85]), while in the validation dataset, it was 0.7801 (95% CI [0.72, 0.84]). The model showed good discrimination in both the training and validation datasets. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram designed for ovulation had clinical utility and superior discriminative ability for predicting ovulation. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram composed of LH, free testosterone, BMI, period times per year and the application of clomiphene may predict the ovulation among PCOS patients.

Impact of C-reactive protein on the effect of Roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation, reflected by an increased blood C-reactive protein (CRP) level, is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is involved in the development of renal anemia. This systematic review aims to investigate the impacts of CRP on the efficacy of hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) in the treatment of renal anemia in patients with CKD. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases including Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), from their inception to May 19, 2022. We systematically reviewed evidence from randomized controlled trials using HIF-PHIs for renal anemia treatment. The mean difference (MD) in changes in hemoglobin concentration (∆Hb) before and after treatment served as the meta-analysis outcome, utilizing a random-effects model. We compared groups with CRP levels greater than or equal to the upper limit of normal (ULN) and less than the ULN. Additionally, further analysis was conducted in the CRP ≥ ULN group comparing HIF-PHIs and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA). RESULTS: A total of 7 studies from 6 publications were included in the analysis. In the comparison between the CRP ≥ ULN group and the CRP < ULN group, 524 patients from 4 studies were incorporated into the analysis. All patients received roxadustat as the primary intervention. The pooled results revealed no significant difference in ΔHb between patients with CRP ≥ ULN and CRP < ULN at baseline (Mean Difference: 0.00, 95% Confidence Interval: -0.32 to 0.33, P = 0.99). Moreover, within the CRP ≥ ULN group, three studies involving 1399 patients compared the efficacy of roxadustat and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). The results indicated no significant difference in ΔHb between patients treated with ESAs and HIF-PHIs (Mean Difference: 0.24, 95% Confidence Interval: -0.08 to 0.56, P = 0.14). In terms of medication dosage, an increase in ESA dose over time was observed across various studies, particularly evident in the CRP ≥ ULN group, while the dose of roxadustat remains constant over time and is not influenced by the baseline levels of CRP. CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review demonstrates that roxadustat exhibits similar efficacy across different CRP levels. Moreover, within the CRP ≥ ULN group, roxadustat can maintain efficacy comparable to ESA without the necessity for dose escalation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42023396704.

Comparative efficacy and tolerability of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic formulations for adult patients with mild-moderate ulcerative colitis in an adjunctive therapy: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics (PPS) have been widely used as adjuvant treatments in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in recent years. However, the most effective formulations of PPS have yet to be identified. We thus aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of different PPS formulations for mild-moderate UC. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane CENTRAL from inception to June 24, 2023 for double-blind randomized controlled trials. We used a frequentist approach in random-effects models for network meta-analysis and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to evaluate the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: We analysed data from 20 trials involving 1153 patients. The combinations of specific strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (CLB) (odds ratio (OR), 3.85; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.40-10.60; low certainty) and combinations of specific strains of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus (CLBS) (OR, 2.20; 95 % CI, 1.47-3.28; low certainty) significantly increased the clinical remission rate in intention-to-treat analysis (ITT) when compared to placebo. Similarly, compared with placebo, the two combinations significantly reduced clinical activity scores (standardized mean difference (SMD), -1.17 (95 % CI, -1.68 to -0.65), low certainty; and SMD, -1.33 (95 % CI, -1.81 to -0.86), low certainty, respectively). Hierarchical cluster analyses showed the two combinations formed clusters with high efficacy (clinical remission in ITT and clinical activity score) and tolerability (withdrawal due to worsening symptoms) within 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: In this systematic review, we found CLB and CLBS demonstrated a clinical benefit in adjuvant treatments, with a comparable tolerability and safety profile to placebo. Further trials are needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022344905.

Identifying And Unveiling the Role of Multivalent Metal States for Bidirectional UOR and HER Over Ni, Mo-Trithiocyanuric Based Coordination Polymer.

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR), an ideal alternative to oxygen evolution reaction (OER), has received increasing attention for realizing energy-saving H2 production and relieving pollutant degradation. Normally, most studied Ni-based UOR catalysts pre-oxidate to NiOOH and then act as active sites. However, the unpredictable transformation of the catalyst's structure and its dissolution and leaching, may complicate the accuracy of mechanism studies and limit its further applications. Herein, a novel self-supported bimetallic Mo-Ni-C3 N3 S3 coordination polymers (Mo-NT@NF) with strong metal-ligand interactions and different H2 O/urea adsorption energy are prepared, which realize a bidirectional UOR/hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) reaction pathway. A series of Mo-NT@NF is prepared through a one-step mild solvothermal method and their multivalent metal states and HER/UOR performance relationship is evaluated. Combining catalytic kinetics, in situ electrochemical spectroscopic characterization, and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, a bidirectional catalytic pathway is proposed by N, S-anchored Mo5+ and reconstruction-free Ni3+ sites for catalytic active center of HER and UOR, respectively. The effective anchoring of the metal sites and the fast transfer of the intermediate H* by N and S in the ligand C3 N3 S3 H3 further contribute to the fast kinetic catalysis. Ultimately, the coupled HER||UOR system with Mo-NT@NF as the electrodes can achieve energy-efficient overall-urea electrolysis for H2 production.

Identification and analysis of autism spectrum disorder via large-scale dynamic functional network connectivity.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with severe cognitive impairment. Several studies have reported that brain functional network connectivity (FNC) has great potential for identifying ASD from healthy control (HC) and revealing the relationships between the brain and behaviors of ASD. However, few studies have explored dynamic large-scale FNC as a feature to identify individuals with ASD. This study used a time-sliding window method to study the dynamic FNC (dFNC) on the resting-state fMRI. To avoid arbitrarily determining the window length, we set a window length range of 10-75 TRs (TR = 2 s). We constructed linear support vector machine classifiers for all window length conditions. Using a nested 10-fold cross-validation framework, we obtained a grand average accuracy of 94.88% across window length conditions, which is higher than those reported in previous studies. In addition, we determined the optimal window length using the highest classification accuracy of 97.77%. Based on the optimal window length, we found that the dFNCs were located mainly in dorsal and ventral attention networks (DAN and VAN) and exhibited the highest weight in classification. Specifically, we found that the dFNC between DAN and temporal orbitofrontal network (TOFN) was significantly negatively correlated with social scores of ASD. Finally, using the dFNCs with high classification weights as features, we construct a model to predict the clinical score of ASD. Overall, our findings demonstrated that the dFNC could be a potential biomarker to identify ASD and provide new perspectives to detect cognitive changes in ASD.

Acupuncture and Doxylamine-Pyridoxine for Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy : A Randomized, Controlled, 2 × 2 Factorial Trial.

BACKGROUND: An effective and safe treatment for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture, doxylamine-pyridoxine, and a combination of both in women with moderate to severe NVP. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04401384). SETTING: 13 tertiary hospitals in mainland China from 21 June 2020 to 2 February 2022. PARTICIPANTS: 352 women in early pregnancy with moderate to severe NVP. INTERVENTION: Participants received daily active or sham acupuncture for 30 minutes and doxylamine-pyridoxine or placebo for 14 days. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the reduction in Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE) score at the end of the intervention at day 15 relative to baseline. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, adverse events, and maternal and perinatal complications. RESULTS: No significant interaction was detected between the interventions (P = 0.69). Participants receiving acupuncture (mean difference [MD], -0.7 [95% CI, -1.3 to -0.1]), doxylamine-pyridoxine (MD, -1.0 [CI, -1.6 to -0.4]), and the combination of both (MD, -1.6 [CI, -2.2 to -0.9]) had a larger reduction in PUQE score over the treatment course than their respective control groups (sham acupuncture, placebo, and sham acupuncture plus placebo). Compared with placebo, a higher risk for births with children who were small for gestational age was observed with doxylamine-pyridoxine (odds ratio, 3.8 [CI, 1.0 to 14.1]). LIMITATION: The placebo effects of the interventions and natural regression of the disease were not evaluated. CONCLUSION: Both acupuncture and doxylamine-pyridoxine alone are efficacious for moderate and severe NVP. However, the clinical importance of this effect is uncertain because of its modest magnitude. The combination of acupuncture and doxylamine-pyridoxine may yield a potentially larger benefit than each treatment alone. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: The National Key R&D Program of China and the Project of Heilongjiang Province "TouYan" Innovation Team.

Development of The Chinese Version of Ultra-Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire-150.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the Chinese version of Ultra-Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire-150 (ULV-VFQ-150) and evaluate its psychometric function. Methods: A standardized procedure for the translation of ULV-VFQ-150 was carried out, including the forward translation, consistency check, back translation, back review, and coordination. Participants with ultra-low vision (ULV) were recruited for the questionnaire survey. Psychometric characteristics were evaluated using Rasch analysis based on Item Response Theory (IRT), and some items were revised and proofread accordingly. Results: In total, 70 out of 74 responders completed the Chinese ULV-VFQ-150, of which 10 were excluded because their vision did not meet the criterion of ULV. Therefore, 60 valid questionnaires were analyzed (valid response rate = 81.1%). The average age of eligible responders was 49.0 years (standard deviation = 16.0), with 35% female subjects (21/60). The person measures (ability) ranged from -1.7 to +4.9 logits, and the item measures (difficulty) ranged from -1.6 to +1.2 logits. The mean value of item difficulty and personnel ability were 0.00 and 0.62 logits, respectively. The reliability index was 0.87 for items and 0.99 for persons, and the overall fit is good. The items conform to unidimensionality as indicated by principal component analysis of the residuals. Conclusions: The Chinese version of ULV-VFQ-150 is a reliable questionnaire for evaluating both visual function and functional vision in people with ULV in China. Translational Relevance: The Chinese version of ULV-VFQ-150 is a new assessment of the visual function of people with ULV in China.

Protective effects of electroacupuncture on polycystic ovary syndrome in rats: Down-regulating Alas2 to inhibit apoptosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian granulosa cells.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder affecting women at reproductive age. The therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on PCOS has been revealed, while the anti-PCOS mechanisms of EA have not been fully explored. In this study, PCOS were induced in rats by daily injection with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for 20 days and EA treatment was performed for 5 weeks. The mRNA expression profiles in ovarian tissues from control, PCOS, and EA-treated rats were examined by high-throughput mRNA sequencing. 5'-aminolevulinate synthase 2 (Alas2), a vital rate-limiting enzyme of the heme synthesis pathway, was selected to be further studied. PCOS led to the upregulation of Alas2 mRNA, whereas EA treatment restored this change. In vitro, primary ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) were challenged with H2O2 to mimic the oxidative stress (OS) state in PCOS. H2O2 induced apoptosis, OS, mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as Alas2 overexpression in GCs, while lentivirus-mediated Alas2 knockdown evidently restrained the above impairments. In summary, this study highlights the crucial role of Alas2 in cell apoptosis, OS, and mitochondrial dysfunction of PCOS GCs and provides potential therapeutic candidates for further investigation on PCOS treatment.