Associations of prenatal and concurrent exposure to phenols mixture with anthropometric measures and blood pressure during childhood: A time-varying mixture approach.

BACKGROUND: Environmental phenols were recognized as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, their impact on childhood anthropometric measures and blood pressure (BP) is still inconclusive. Limited studies have simultaneously considered prenatal and childhood exposures in analyzing mixtures of phenols. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the relationships between combined prenatal and childhood exposures (two periodic exposures) to phenol mixtures and anthropometric measure and BP, to further identify the vulnerable periods of phenol exposure and to explore the important individual contribution of each phenol. METHODS: We analyzed 434 mother-child dyads from the Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS). The urinary concentrations of 11 phenolic compounds were measured using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear regression models (GLMs) and hierarchical Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (hBKMR) were used to examine the effects of individual phenolic compounds at each period and of two periodic exposures. RESULTS: In the single-chemical analysis, prenatal or childhood exposure to specific phenols, especially Benzopheone-3 (BP3), 4-tert-Octylphenol (4-tOP), and Benzyl paraben (BePB) were associated with BMI z-scores (BAZ), Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and BP. In the hBKMR models, two periodic exposures to phenol mixtures had a U-shaped association with WHtR, primarily driven by childhood BePB exposure. Moreover, among the phenol mixtures analysis, childhood 4-tOP exposure was identified as the primary contributor to the positive association with diastolic BP. Concurrent exposure to phenol mixtures resulted in greater susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS: We found that prenatal and childhood exposure to phenol mixtures might influence childhood obesity and elevate blood pressure levels. Concurrent exposure to 4-tOP may be the primary driver of the positive associations with BP.

S-Arylation of Thioic S-Acid Using Thianthrenium Salts via Photoactivation of Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex.

Thioesters make up an important class of bioactive compounds. Due to their chemoselectivity, they have been widely used in the synthesis of a wide range of complex bioactive molecules and natural products. At present, chemists have developed a variety of methods for the preparation of thioester compounds. However, these methods usually require the use of transition metal catalysis or harsh reaction conditions. The strategy of synthesizing thioester compounds via visible light-induced electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex reactions avoids the problems associated with conventional methods through the development of photocatalysis. Here we report a sustainable method for thiocarbonylating aryl sulfonium salts via a visible light-induced EDA complex process without transition metals.

Photoredox-catalyzed C(sp2)-H trifluoromethylation of 3-methylene-isoindolin-1-ones under metal-free conditions.

A facile synthetic method for direct C(sp2)-H bond trifluoromethylation of 3-methylene-isoindolin-1-ones under visible-light-induced metal-free conditions is presented. This protocol features mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope and excellent functional group tolerance, resulting in a range of structurally diverse trifluoromethylated products in good to excellent yields.

Exosomal mRNA in plasma serves as a predictive marker for microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There is a pressing need for non-invasive preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study investigates the potential of exosome-derived mRNA in plasma as a biomarker for diagnosing MVI. METHODS: Patients with suspected HCC undergoing hepatectomy were prospectively recruited for preoperative peripheral blood collection. Exosomal RNA profiling was conducted using RNA sequencing in the discovery cohort, followed by differential expression analysis to identify candidate targets. We employed multiplexed droplet digital PCR technology to efficiently validate them in a larger sample size cohort. RESULTS: A total of 131 HCC patients were ultimately enrolled, with 37 in the discovery cohort and 94 in the validation cohort. In the validation cohort, the expression levels of RSAD2, PRPSAP1, and HOXA2 were slightly elevated while CHMP4A showed a slight decrease in patients with MVI compared with those without MVI. These trends were consistent with the findings in the discovery cohort, although they did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). Notably, the expression level of exosomal PRPSAP1 in plasma was significantly higher in patients with more than 5 MVI than in those without MVI (0.147 vs 0.070, P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: This study unveils the potential of exosome-derived PRPSAP1 in plasma as a promising indicator for predicting MVI status preoperatively.

Spore germination and lactic acid combined treatment: A new processing strategy for the shelf-life extension of instant wet noodles.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BAM) was identified as the predominant spoilage bacteria in instant wet noodles (IWNs). The utilization of industrial acid treatment as a long shelf-life strategy resulted in reduced consumer acceptance due to the acidic taste of the products. This study proposed a processing strategy that integrated spore germination (SG) and lactic acid (LA) treatment to effectively reduce the spore survival rate and extend the shelf life of IWNs. L-histidine, d-glucose, and sodium chloride were highly efficient and safe germinants for BAM spores. In IWNs, compound germinants (1.0 % L-histidine, 0.5 % d-glucose, and 1.0 % sodium chloride) boosted the SG rate by 3.61 times. With synergistic LA treatment, the spore lethality increased by 34.41 % -41.68 %. Under the SG and reduced acid-heat conditions of pH 2.30-2.50, the mortality of spores could reach 92.00 %-93.17 %, which was 14.11 %-15.28 % higher than the industrial acid-heat condition of pH 2.10. DPA, ATP, and membrane potential showed that germinants reduced the spore membrane permeability and promoted the occurrence of spore membrane damage under acid-heat conditions. Moreover, this strategy significantly extended the shelf-life of IWNs by 3.00-5.50 times and controlled the pH ≥ 5.50. Additionally, it improved color, texture, and overall sensory evaluation. Accordingly, this strategy solved the contradiction between the long shelf-life of IWNs and the unacceptable acidification in industrial production.

Diagnostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma using small extracellular vesicle-propagated miRNA signatures.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are bilayer lipid membrane vesicles containing RNA that exhibit promising diagnostic and prognostic potential as cancer biomarkers. Aims: To establish a miRNA panel from peripheral blood for use as a noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC. Methods: sEVs obtained from plasma were profiled using high-throughput sequencing. The identified differential miRNA expression patterns were subsequently validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results: The random forest method identified ten distinct miRNAs distinguishing HCC plasma from non-HCC plasma. During validation, miR-140-3p (p = 0.0001) and miR-3200-3p (p = 0.0017) exhibited significant downregulation. Enrichment analysis uncovered a notable correlation between the target genes of these miRNAs and cancer development. Utilizing logistic regression, we developed a diagnostic model incorporating these validated miRNAs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.951, with a sensitivity of 90.1% and specificity of 87.8%. Conclusion: These aberrantly expressed miRNAs delivered by sEVs potentially contribute to HCC pathology and may serve as diagnostic biomarkers for HCC.

Nucleophilic hydrolysis of dichloroacetonitrile and trichloroacetonitrile disinfection byproducts by peroxymonosulfate: Kinetics and mechanisms.

In this work, it was found that peroxymonosulfate (PMS) could appreciably accelerate the transformation rates of dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and trichloracetonitrile (TCAN) in aqueous solutions, especially under alkaline pHs. The impact of reactive oxygen species scavengers (methyl alcohol for sulfate radical, tert-butyl alcohol for hydroxyl radical, and azide for singlet oxygen) and water matrices (chloride (Cl-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), and natural organic matter (NOM)) on DCAN and TCAN transformation by PMS is evaluated, revealing negligible effects. A nucleophilic hydrolysis pathway, as opposed to an oxidation process, was proposed for the transformation of DCAN and TCAN by PMS, supported by the hydrolyzable characteristics of these compounds and validated through density functional theory calculations. Kinetic analysis indicated that the transformation of DCAN and TCAN by PMS adhered to a second-order kinetic law, with higher reaction rates observed at elevated pH levels within the range of 7.0-10.0. Kinetic modeling incorporating the hydrolytic contributions of water, hydroxyl ion, and protonated and deprotonated PMS (i.e., HSO5- and SO52-) effectively fitted the experimental data. Species-specific second-order rate constants reveal that SO52- exhibited significantly higher reactivity towards DCAN ((1.69 ± 0.22) × 104 M-1h-1) and TCAN ((6.06 ± 0.18) × 104 M-1h-1) compared to HSO5- ((2.14 ± 0.12) × 102 M-1h-1) for DCAN; and (1.378 ± 0.11) × 103 M-1h-1 for TCAN). Comparative analysis of DCAN and TCAN transformation efficiencies by four different oxidants indicated that PMS rivaled chlorine but falls short of hydrogen peroxide, with peroxydisulfate displaying negligible reactivity. Overall, this study uncovers the nucleophilic hydrolysis characteristics of PMS, supplementing its recognized role as an oxidant precursor or mild oxidant, and underscores its significant implications for environmental remediation.

[Application of micro-computed tomography (µCT)in quantifying xylem vessels of broadleaved trees]. / 计算机显微断层扫描技术(µCT)åœ¨é‡åŒ–é˜”å¶æ ‘ç§å¯¼ç®¡ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨.

Quantitative analysis of vessel characteristics at the cellular scale is of great significance for understan-ding plant adaptation strategies to environment. The direct grinding combined with stereo-microscope imaging is one of the main approaches to examine the anatomical structure of xylem (conifer tracheid and hardwood vessel) wood structure, which inevitably damages xylem cells, hindering the accurate understanding of anatomical structures. In this study, we applied X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) and stereo-microscope technology to quantitatively measure the diameter and area of vessels of seven Canadian broadleaved tree species (Acer saccharum, Betula papyrifera, Fraxinus americana, Ostrya virginiana, Populus grandidentata, Quercus rubra, and Carya cordiformis). We fitted the results by linear model and tested the feasibility of µCT technology in quantifying the vessel size of broadleaved species. We found that the results of the two methods for measuring vessel size were highly similar (R2=0.98). The goodness of fit of the vessel diameter results measured by the two methods for the ring-porous wood species (C. cordiformis, R2=0.98; F. americana, R2=0.96; Q. rubra, R2=0.99) was higher than that of the diffuse-porous wood species (B. papyrifera, R2=0.88; O. virginiana, R2=0.73; A. saccharum, R2=0.68; P. grandiden-tata, R2=0.88). The goodness of fit of small vessels (diameter≤200 µm, R2=0.94) measured by the two methods was higher than that of large vessels (diameter>200 µm, R2=0.92). Thus, the µCT technique provided a new non-destructive detection method for quantifying xylem vessels of broadleaved tree species.

Assessment of Peanut Protein Powder Quality by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Generalized Regression Neural Network-Based Approach.

The global demand for protein is on an upward trajectory, and peanut protein powder has emerged as a significant player, owing to its affordability and high quality, with great future market potential. However, the industry currently lacks efficient methods for rapid quality testing. This research paper addressed this gap by introducing a portable device with employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) to quickly assess the quality of peanut protein powder. The principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares (PLS), and generalized regression neural network (GRNN) methods were used to construct the model to further enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the device. The results demonstrated that the newly established NIR method with PLS and GRNN analysis simultaneously predicted the fat, protein, and moisture of peanut protein powder. The GRNN model showed better predictive performance than the PLS model, the correlation coefficient in calibration (Rcal) of the fat, the protein, and the moisture of peanut protein powder were 0.995, 0.990, and 0.990, respectively, and the residual prediction deviation (RPD) were 10.82, 10.03, and 8.41, respectively. The findings unveiled that the portable NIR spectroscopic equipment combined with the GRNN method achieved rapid quantitative analysis of peanut protein powder. This advancement holds a significant application of this device for the industry, potentially revolutionizing quality testing procedures and ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality products to fulfil consumer desires.

Nonlinear relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality in ICU acute respiratory failure patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists regarding the link between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality in acute respiratory failure (ARF) patients. Thus, this study aims to investigate this association among ICU patients experiencing acute respiratory failure. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study across multiple centers, utilizing data from the US eICU-CRD v2.0 database covering 22,262 patients with ARF in the ICU from 2014 to 2015. Our aim was to investigate the correlation between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality using binary logistic regression, subgroup analyses, and smooth curve fitting. RESULTS: The 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 19.73% (4393 out of 22,262), with a median platelet count of 213 × 109/L. After adjusting for covariates, our analysis revealed an inverse association between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.99, 0.99). Subgroup analyses supported the robustness of these findings. Furthermore, a nonlinear relationship was identified between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality, with the inflection point at 120 × 109/L. Below the inflection point, the effect size (OR) was 0.89 (0.87, 0.91), indicating a significant association. However, beyond this point, the relationship was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study establishes a clear negative association between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality among ICU patients with ARF. Furthermore, we have identified a nonlinear relationship with saturation effects, indicating that among ICU patients with acute respiratory failure, the lowest 30-day in-hospital mortality rate occurs when the baseline platelet count is approximately 120 × 109/L.

Effect of black cloth ointment on hypertrophic scar formation: An investigation using integrated network pharmacology and animal assay.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scars (HS) are a common disfiguring condition in daily clinical encounters which brings a lot of anxieties and concerns to patients, but the treatment options of HS are limited. Black cloth ointment (BCO), as a cosmetic ointment applicable to facial scars, has shown promising therapeutic effects for facial scarring. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Network pharmacology was first applied to analyze the major active components of BCO and the related signaling pathways. Subsequently, rabbit ear scar model was successfully established to determine the pharmacological effects of BCO and its active component ß-elemene on HS. Finally, the molecular mechanism of BCO and ß-elemene was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Through the network pharmacology, it showed that ß-elemene was the main active ingredient of BCO, and it could significantly improve the pathological structure of HS and reduce collagen deposition. BCO and ß-elemene could increase the expression of ER stress-related markers and promote the increase of apoptotic proteins in the Western blot experiment and induce the apoptosis of myofibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the material basis for the scar-improving effects of the BCO is ß-elemene, and cellular apoptosis is the key mechanism through which the BCO and ß-elemene exert their effects.

Intestinal mRNA expression profiles associated with mucosal healing in ustekinumab-treated Crohn's disease patients: bioinformatics analysis and prospective cohort validation.

BACKGROUND: Variations exist in the response of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) to ustekinumab (UST) treatment, but the underlying cause remains unknown. Our objective was to investigate the involvement of immune cells and identify potential biomarkers that could predict the response to interleukin (IL) 12/23 inhibitors in patients with CD. METHODS: The GSE207022 dataset, which consisted of 54 non-responders and 9 responders to UST in a CD cohort, was analyzed. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to screen the most powerful hub genes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive performances of these genes. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) was used to estimate the proportions of immune cell types. These significantly altered genes were subjected to cluster analysis into immune cell-related infiltration. To validate the reliability of the candidates, patients prescribed UST as a first-line biologic in a prospective cohort were included as an independent validation dataset. RESULTS: A total of 99 DEGs were identified in the integrated dataset. GO and KEGG analyses revealed significant enrichment of immune response pathways in patients with CD. Thirteen genes (SOCS3, CD55, KDM5D, IGFBP5, LCN2, SLC15A1, XPNPEP2, HLA-DQA2, HMGCS2, DDX3Y, ITGB2, CDKN2B and HLA-DQA1), which were primarily associated with the response versus nonresponse patients, were identified and included in the LASSO analysis. These genes accurately predicted treatment response, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.938. T helper cell type 1 (Th1) cell polarization was comparatively strong in nonresponse individuals. Positive connections were observed between Th1 cells and the LCN2 and KDM5D genes. Furthermore, we employed an independent validation dataset and early experimental verification to validate the LCN2 and KDM5D genes as effective predictive markers. CONCLUSIONS: Th1 cell polarization is an important cause of nonresponse to UST therapy in patients with CD. LCN2 and KDM5D can be used as predictive markers to effectively identify nonresponse patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: NCT05542459; Date of registration: 2022-09-14; URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov .

An analysis of risk factors for visceral disseminated varicella in children.

Background: Visceral disseminated varicella involves the internal organs, and complications such as encephalitis, hepatitis, and coagulation disorders threaten a patient's life. In this study, our aim is to analyze the risk factors for visceral disseminated varicella to enable the early identification of patients at a high risk of visceral disseminated varicella. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of children hospitalized with varicella. The data covered demographics, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations, treatments, and outcomes. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors. Results: A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that abdominal pain [odds ratio (OR) 20.451, 95% CI 1.637-255.548], increased levels of C-reactive protein (OR 12.794, 95% CI 1.820-89.937), increased levels of alanine aminotransferase (OR 7.453, 95% CI 1.624-34.206), and the time between onset and antiviral therapy of more than 7 days (OR 12.451, 95% CI 1.569-98.810) were independent risk factors for visceral disseminated varicella. Conclusions: Patients with varicella who have the abovementioned risk factors need to be monitored for the risk of developing visceral disseminated varicella, for which timely antiviral therapy is necessary.

Complement system is overactivated in patients with IgA nephropathy after COVID-19.

IgA nephropathy (IgAN), which has been confirmed as a complement mediated autoimmune disease, is also one form of glomerulonephritis associated with COVID-19. Here, we aim to investigate the clinical and immunological characteristics of patients with IgAN after COVID-19. The level of plasma level of C5a (p < 0.001), soluble C5b-9 (p = 0.018), FHR5 (p < 0.001) were all significantly higher in Group CoV (33 patients with renal biopsy-proven IgAN experienced COVID-19) compared with Group non-CoV (44 patients with IgAN without COVID-19), respectively. Compared with Group non-CoV, the intensity of glomerular C4d (p = 0.017) and MAC deposition (p < 0.001) and Gd-IgA1 deposition (p = 0.005) were much stronger in Group CoV. Our finding revealed that for IgAN after COVID-19, mucosal immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection may result in the overactivation of systemic and renal local complement system, and increased glomerular deposition of Gd-IgA1, which may lead to renal dysfunction and promote renal progression in IgAN patients.

Severe pertussis in infants: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Pertussis (Whooping Cough) is a respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis usually occurs in childhood; severe infections are most common in infants. It can be fatal with severe complications such as pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and encephalitis. OBJECTIVES: We sought to synthesize the existing literature on severe pertussis in infants and inform further study. METHODS: A scoping review was performed based on the methodological framework developed by Arksey & O'Malley. Search in Pubmed and Embase databases, with no restrictions on the language and date of publication. RESULTS: Of the 1299 articles retrieved, 64 were finally included. The selected articles were published between 1979 and 2022, with 90.6% (58/64) of the studies in the last two decades. The studies covered epidemiology, pathology, clinical characteristics, risk factors, treatments, and burden of disease. CONCLUSION: The literature reviewed suggests that studies on severe pertussis in infants covered a variety of clinical concerns. However, these studies were observational, and experimental studies are needed to provide high-quality evidence.

Photoredox Synthesis of Silicon-Containing Isoindolin-1-ones and Deuterated Analogues Through Hydrosilylation and Deuterium-silylation.

An efficient, practical, and metal-free protocol for the synthesis of silicon-containing isoindolin-1-ones and deuterated analogues via the synergistic combination of an organic photoredox and hydrogen atom transfer process is described. This strategy features mild reaction conditions, high atom economy, and excellent functional group compatibility, delivering a myriad of structurally diverse and valuable products with good to excellent yields.