Lymph node metastasis diagnosis of postoperative OSCC patients by analyzing extracellular vesicles in drainage fluid based on microfluidic isolation.

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a typical marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) indicating poor prognosis. Pathological examination by artificial image acquisition and analysis, as the main diagnostic method for LNM, often takes a week or longer which may cause great anxiety of the patient and also retard timely treatment. However, there are few efficient fast LNM diagnosis methods in clinical applications currently. Our previous study profiled the proteomics of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from postoperative drainage fluid (PDF) and showed the potential of detecting specific EVs that expressed aspartate ß-hydroxylase (ASPH) for LNM diagnosis in OSCC patients. Considering that the analysis of ASPH+ PDF-EVs is challenging due to their low abundance (counting less than 10% of total EVs in PDF) and the complex EV isolation process of ultra-centrifugation, we developed a facile platform containing two microfluidic chips filled with antibody-modified microbeads to isolate ASPH+ PDF-EVs, with both the capture and retrieval rate reaching around 90%. Clinical sample analysis based on our method revealed that a mean of 6 × 106 /mL ASPH+ PDF-EVs could be isolated from LNM+ OSCC patients compared to 2.5 × 106 /mL in LNM- OSCC ones. When combined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique that was commonly used in clinical laboratories in hospitals, this microfluidic platform could precisely distinguish postoperative OSCC patients with LNM or not in several hours, which were validated by a double-blind test containing 6 OSCC patients. We believe this strategy has promise for early diagnosis of LNM in postoperative OSCC patients and finally helps guiding timely and reasonable treatment in clinic.

Cognitive impairment induced by sevoflurane anesthesia is mediated by the cholinergic system after gastrointestinal surgery in older patients: A randomized, controlled trial.

Delayed neurocognitive recovery after surgery is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, its mechanism of action remains controversial and complex. A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was performed at the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University. Older patients (aged 65 years and older) who underwent gastrointestinal surgery were randomly divided into sevoflurane-based or propofol-based anesthesia groups. The Mini-Mental State Examination was performed to evaluate cognitive function. Peripheral venous blood was collected to test the levels of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase. A total of 75 patients were enrolled and 30 patients in each group completed the study. On Day 1 postoperation, patients in the sevoflurane group showed worse performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination than patients in the propofol group. Lower blood choline acetyltransferase concentrations and higher acetylcholinesterase concentrations were observed in patients who had sevoflurane anesthesia than in patients who had propofol anesthesia 1 day postoperative. At 3 days postoperation, patients with sevoflurane- or propofol-based general anesthesia did not differ regardless of Mini-Mental State Examination score or choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase levels. Sevoflurane-based anesthesia has short-term delayed neurocognitive recovery in older surgical patients, which may be related to central cholinergic system degeneration.

Stereotactic radiosurgery alone for brain arteriovenous malformations: a single-institute experience.

OBJECTIVE: Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) represent an ongoing clinical challenge because of their complex nature. The long-term outcomes of BAVMs patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone are unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 201 patients treated for BAVMs from January 2010 to December 2019. The identified predictors of obliteration or hemorrhage in the multivariate analysis were estimated by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 201 patients treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) alone as the primary treatment for BAVMs were included. The mean age at GKRS treatment was 31.4 ± 1.1 years, and 61.2% of the patients were male. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that a higher radiosurgery-based AVM score (OR 1.847, 95% CI = 1.292-2.641; p = 0.001) was significantly associated with worse obliteration, and a higher margin dose significantly favored obliteration (OR 0.352, 95% CI = 0.189-0.658; p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that an increased lesion volume of 1 cm3 (OR 1.279, 95% CI = 1.023-1.600; p = 0.031) and a high margin dose (OR 0.363, 95% CI = 0.134-0.983; p = 0.046) were significant prognostic factors for post-SRS hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study investigated the available clinical and radiological prognostic factors for BAVMs and revealed that a higher margin dose significantly improved both the obliteration rate and nonhemorrhagic outcomes. Currently, the most appropriate candidates, Spetzler-Martin grade, and optimal radiation dose are still being defined by prospective trials.

Analysis of unsuccessful tests and the effect of prolonged clinical sample preprocessing in the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay.

BACKGROUND: The GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay is a widely used technology for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in clinical samples. However, the study on the failure of the Xpert assay during routine implementation and its potential solutions is limited. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of unsuccessful tests in the Xpert and the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) assays between April 2017 and April 2021 at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. To further investigate the effect of prolonged preprocessing on clinical sputum, an additional 120 sputum samples were collected for Xpert testing after 15 min, 3 h, and 6 h preprocessing. The analysis was performed by SPSS version 19.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 11,314 test records were analyzed, of which 268 (2.37%) had unsuccessful test results. Among these, 221 (1.95%) were reported as "Error", 43 (0.38%) as "Invalid", and 4 (0.04%) as "No result". The most common clinical specimen for Xpert tests was sputum, accounting for 114 (2.17%) unsuccessful tests. The failure rate of urine specimens was lower than that of sputum (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02-0.88, χ2 = 6.22, p = 0.021). In contrast, the failure rate of stool specimens was approximately twice as high as that of sputum (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.09-3.40, χ2 = 5.35, p = 0.014). In the prolonged preprocessing experiment, 102 cases (85%) yielded consistent results in Xpert tests. Furthermore, 7 cases (5.83%) detected an increase in MTB load, 8 cases (6.67%) detected a decrease in MTB load, and 3 cases (2.5%) yielded incongruent results in MTB and rifampicin resistance detection. CONCLUSIONS: The primary cause of unsuccessful tests in the Xpert assay was reported as "Error". Despite varying failure rates depending on the samples, the Xpert assay can be applied to extrapulmonary samples. For paucibacillary specimens, retesting the remaining preprocessed mixture should be carefully considered.

Peripheral inflammation as a potential mechanism and preventive strategy for perioperative neurocognitive disorder under general anesthesia and surgery.

General anesthesia, as a commonly used medical intervention, has been widely applied during surgical procedures to ensure rapid loss of consciousness and pain relief for patients. However, recent research suggests that general anesthesia may be associated with the occurrence of perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND). PND is characterized by a decline in cognitive function after surgery, including impairments in attention, memory, learning, and executive functions. With the increasing trend of population aging, the burden of PND on patients and society's health and economy is becoming more evident. Currently, the clinical consensus tends to believe that peripheral inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of PND, providing strong support for further investigating the mechanisms and prevention of PND.

Molecular Characteristics and Functional Identification of a Key Alpha-Amylase-Encoding Gene AMY11 in Musa acuminata.

Alpha-amylase (AMY) plays a significant role in regulating the growth, development, and postharvest quality formation in plants. Nevertheless, little is known about the genome-wide features, expression patterns, subcellular localization, and functional regulation of AMY genes (MaAMYs) in the common starchy banana (Musa acuminata). Twelve MaAMY proteins from the banana genome database were clustered into two groups and contained a conserved catalytic domain. These MaAMYs formed collinear pairs with the AMYs of maize and rice. Three tandem gene pairs were found within the MaAMYs and are indicative of putative gene duplication events. Cis-acting elements of the MaAMY promoters were found to be involved in phytohormone, development, and stress responses. Furthermore, MaAMY02, 08, 09, and 11 were actively expressed during fruit development and ripening. Specifically, MaAMY11 showed the highest expression level at the middle and later stages of banana ripening. Subcellular localization showed that MaAMY02 and 11 were predominately found in the chloroplast, whereas MaAMY08 and 09 were primarily localized in the cytoplasm. Notably, transient attenuation of MaAMY11 expression resulted in an obvious increase in the starch content of banana fruit, while a significant decrease in starch content was confirmed through the transient overexpression of MaAMY11. Together, these results reveal new insights into the structure, evolution, and expression patterns of the MaAMY family, affirming the functional role of MaAMY11 in the starch degradation of banana fruit.

Mechanism research on microRNA-669f-5p/deoxycytidylate deaminase axis mediating sevoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction in aged mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the microRNA (miRNA)-669f-5p/deoxycytidylate deaminase (Dctd) axis in sevoflurane inducing cognitive dysfunction in aged mice. METHODS: Sixty-six C57BL/6J mice were used in the experiment model and were randomly divided into the sevoflurane group and the control group. The mice in the sevoflurane group were anesthetised with 3.4% sevoflurane, whereas those in the control group were air-treated for the same period. The study was then performed using bioinformatics sequencing, as well as in vitro and in vivo validation. RESULTS: The mice in the sevoflurane group showed significant cognitive impairments in terms of a decrease in both spatial learning and memory abilities. Experimental doses of miR-669f-5p agonist exhibited no obvious effect on cognitive function following sevoflurane inhalation, but inhibiting the expression of miR-669f-5p could alleviate the impairments. Based on the results of the bioinformatics sequencing, miR-669f-5p/Dctd and the toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling pathway could be the key miRNA, gene and pathway leading to postoperative cognitive dysfunction following sevoflurane inhalation. The aged mice showed significantly increased expression of miR-669f-5p in the hippocampus following sevoflurane inhalation, and upregulating/inhibiting its expression could increase/decrease TLR expression in the hippocampus. Furthermore, miR-669f-5p could reduce the expression of the Dctd gene by binding to its 3'untranslated region. CONCLUSION: The miR-669f-5p/Dctd axis plays an important role in sevoflurane inducing cognitive dysfunction in aged mice, providing a new direction for further development of therapeutic strategies concerning the prevention and treatment of cognitive dysfunction associated with sevoflurane anaesthesia.

Pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of Fuqi Guben Gao in the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency syndrome: a randomized, double-blind phase I trial.

Introduction: Fuqi Guben Gao (FQGBG) is a botanical drug formulation composed of FuZi (FZ; Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux [Ranunculaceae; Aconiti radix cocta]), Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L. [Solanaceae; Lycii fructus]), and Cinnamon (Neolitsea cassia (L.) Kosterm. [Lauraceae; Cinnamomi cortex]). It has been used to clinically treat nocturia caused by kidney-yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS) for over 30 years and warms kidney yang. However, the pharmacological mechanism and the safety of FQGBG in humans require further exploration and evaluation. Methods: We investigated the efficacy of FQGBG in reducing urination and improving immune organ damage in two kinds of KYDS model rats (hydrocortisone-induced model and natural aging model), and evaluated the safety of different oral FQGBG doses through pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, metabonomics, and occurrence of adverse reactions in healthy Chinese participants in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose clinical trial. Forty-two participants were allocated to six cohorts with FQGBG doses of 12.5, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 g. The PKs of FQGBG in plasma were determined using a fully validated LC-MS/MS method. Results: FQGBG significantly and rapidly improved the symptoms of increased urination in both two KYDS model rats and significantly resisted the adrenal atrophy in hydrocortisone-induced KYDS model rats. No apparent increase in adverse events was observed with dose escalation. Major adverse drug reactions included toothache, thirst, heat sensation, gum pain, diarrhea, abdominal distension, T-wave changes, and elevated creatinine levels. The PK results showed a higher exposure level of benzoylhypaconine (BHA) than benzoylmesaconine (BMA) and a shorter half-life of BMA than BHA. Toxic diester alkaloids, aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine were below the lower quantitative limit. Drug-induced metabolite markers primarily included lysophosphatidylcholines, fatty acids, phenylalanine, and arginine metabolites; no safety-related metabolite changes were observed. Conclusion: Under the investigated dosing regimen, FQGBG was safe. The efficacy mechanism of FQGBG in treating nocturia caused by KYDS may be related to the improvement of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function and increased energy metabolism. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=26934, identifier ChiCTR1800015840.

Current status of sevoflurane anesthesia in association with microglia inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

Sevoflurane is one of the most commonly used volatile anesthetics in clinical practice and is often used in pediatric anesthesia and intraoperative maintenance. Microglia exist in the central nervous system and are innate immune cells in the central nervous system. Under external stimulation, microglia are divided into two phenotypes: proinflammatory (M1 type) and anti-inflammatory (M2 type), maintaining the stability of the central nervous system through induction, housekeeping, and defense functions. Sevoflurane can activate microglia, increase the expression of inflammatory factors through various inflammatory signaling pathways, release inflammatory mediators to cause oxidative stress, damage nerve tissues, and eventually develop into neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, the relationship between sevoflurane anesthesia and microglia inflammation expression and the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases is reviewed as follows.

TET2 Is Downregulated in Early Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Promotes Esophageal Squamous Cell Malignant Behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of the ten eleven translocation (TET) 2 protein in early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (EESCC), precancerous lesions, and cell lines and to evaluate the effect of TET2 on the functional behavior of EC109 esophageal cancer cells. METHODS: Thirty-one samples of EESCC and precancerous lesions collected via endoscopic submucosal dissection at Taihe Hospital, Shiyan, from February 1, 2017, to February 1, 2019, were analyzed. The study involved evaluating TET2 expression levels in lesion tissue and adjacent normal epithelium, correlating these with clinical pathological features. Techniques including 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, cell scratch assays, flow cytometry for propidium iodide (PI) staining, Hoechst 333258/PI double staining, and nude mouse tumorigenesis experiments were employed to assess the effect of TET2 on the proliferation, migration, cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumorigenic ability of esophageal cancer cells. RESULTS: TET2 expression was notably reduced in early esophageal cancer tissue and correlated with tumor invasion depth (P < 0.05). Overexpression of TET2 enhanced the proliferation and migration of esophageal cancer cells, increased the cell population in the G0 phase, decreased it in the S phase, and intensified cell necrosis (P < 0.05). There was a partial increase in tumorigenic ability (P = 0.087). CONCLUSION: TET2 downregulation in ESCC potentially influences the necrosis, cell cycle, and tumorigenic ability of esophageal cancer cells, suggesting a role in the onset and progression of esophageal cancer.

Rapamycin alleviates irradiation-induced parotid injury by enhancing the whole gland homeostasis.

OBJECTIVES: Salivary gland injury is one of the most common complications of radiotherapy in head-and-neck cancers. This study investigated the mechanism by which rapamycin prevents irradiation (IR)-induced injury in the parotid glands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Miniature pigs either received (a) no treatment (NT), (b) IR in the right parotid gland for 5 consecutive days (IR), or intraperitoneal administration of rapamycin (Rap) 1 h prior to IR (IR + Rap). Tissues were collected at three distinct time points (24 h, 4 weeks, and 16 weeks) after IR. Histological analyses, western blot, and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction were performed to explore the mechanisms of IR-induced injury in the parotid gland. RESULTS: Rapamycin treatment maintained parotid salivary flow 16 weeks post-IR, preserved the number of acinar cells, and reduced parotid tissue fibrosis, as well as reduced apoptosis levels, decreased cleaved caspase-3 expression, and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the parotid glands. Autophagy marker LC3B was upregulated by rapamycin after IR, while P62 expression was downregulated. Rapamycin reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and the mesenchymal tissue fibrosis following IR. CONCLUSIONS: Rapamycin maintains gland homeostasis after IR by decreasing apoptosis, reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, and enhancing autophagy.

Diabetes and osteoporosis: a two-sample mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The effects on bone mineral density (BMD)/fracture between type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the causal relationship between the two types of diabetes and BMD/fracture using a Mendelian randomization (MR) design. METHODS: A two-sample MR study was conducted to examine the causal relationship between diabetes and BMD/fracture, with three phenotypes (T1D, T2D, and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) of diabetes as exposures and five phenotypes (femoral neck BMD [FN-BMD], lumbar spine BMD [LS-BMD], heel-BMD, total body BMD [TB-BMD], and fracture) as outcomes, combining MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and inverse variance weighted (IVW) sensitivity assessments. Additionally, horizontal pleiotropy was evaluated and corrected using the residual sum and outlier approaches. RESULTS: The IVW method showed that genetically predicted T1D was negatively associated with TB-BMD (ß = -0.018, 95% CI: -0.030, -0.006), while T2D was positively associated with FN-BMD (ß = 0.033, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.062), heel-BMD (ß = 0.018, 95% CI: 0.006, 0.031), and TB-BMD (ß = 0.050, 95% CI: 0.022, 0.079). Further, HbA1c was not associated with the five outcomes (ß ranged from - 0.012 to 0.075). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that T1D and T2D have different effects on BMD at the genetic level. BMD decreased in patients with T1D and increased in those with T2D. These findings highlight the complex interplay between diabetes and bone health, suggesting potential age-specific effects and genetic influences. To better understand the mechanisms of bone metabolism in patients with diabetes, further longitudinal studies are required to explain BMD changes in different types of diabetes.

Research advances in the influence of lipid metabolism on cognitive impairment.

Cognitive impairment (CI) is a mental disorder related to cognition and understanding, which is mainly categorized into mild CI and senile dementia. This disease is associated with multiple factors, such as chronic brain injury, aging, chronic systemic disease, mental state, and psychological factors. However, the pathological mechanism of CI remains unclear; it is usually associated with such underlying diseases as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. It has been demonstrated that abundant lipid metabolism indexes in the human body are closely related to CI, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein, and so forth. As a crucial risk factor for CI, hyperlipidemia is of great significance in the occurrence and development of CI. However, the specific correlation between dyslipidemia and CI is still not fully elucidated. Besides, the efficacy of lipid-lowering drugs in the prophylaxis and treatment of CI has not been clarified. In this study, relevant advances in the influence of lipid metabolism disorders in CI will be reviewed, in an attempt to explore the effect of mediating blood lipid levels on the prophylaxis and treatment of CI, thus providing a reference for its clinical management.

Negative Regulation of LINC01013 by METTL3 and YTHDF2 Enhances the Osteogenic Differentiation of Senescent Pre-Osteoblast Cells Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide.

Senescent pre-osteoblasts have a reduced ability to differentiate, which leads to a reduction in bone formation. It is critical to identify the keys that regulate the differentiation fate of senescent pre-osteoblasts. LINC01013 has an essential role in cell stemness, differentiation, and senescence regulation. This study aims to examine the role and mechanism of LINC01013 in regulating osteogenic differentiation in senescent human embryonic osteoblast cell line (hFOB1.19) cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results show that LINC01013 decreased alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization of hFOB1.19 cells in vitro, and the expression of collagen II, osteocalcin, and bone sialoprotein. LINC01013 knockdown enhances the osteogenesis of hFOB1.19 cells and rescues osteogenic differentiation impaired by H2O2. METTL3 negatively regulates LINC01013 expression, enhancing hFOB1.19 cells' osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. METTL3 overexpression can enhance hFOB1.19 cells' osteogenic differentiation impaired by H2O2. YTHDF2 promotes LINC01013 decay, facilitating osteogenic differentiation. YTHDF2 overexpression rescues hFOB1.19 cells osteogenic differentiation impaired by H2O2. Taken together, METTL3 upregulates osteogenic differentiation by inhibiting LINC01013, and YTHDF2 accelerates LINC01013 degradation, reducing its inhibitory effect. This study highlights LINC01013 as a key regulator in the fate switching process of senescent hFOB1.19 cells, impacting osteogenic differentiation.

Long-term tadalafil once daily in Chinese men with erectile dysfunction: a 2-year final analysis of a post-marketing, multicenter, randomized, open-label trial.

The long-term safety and effectiveness of once-daily tadalafil is crucial, but limited data are available in Chinese patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). In this post-marketing, multicenter, randomized, open-label trial with 2-year follow-up, 635 ED cases were randomized to receive daily oral tadalafil 2.5 mg or 5 mg for 3 months, of whom 580 continued once-daily tadalafil 5 mg for 21 months. Treatment-emergent adverse events in the 12-month and 24-month period were similar, with the most common being viral upper respiratory tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. Significant improvement from baseline in the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) score was detected at month 12 (least squares mean [LSM] change: 7.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.5-8.4, P < 0.001) and was maintained to month 24 (LSM change: 8.6, 95% CI: 8.1-9.0, P < 0.001). The proportions of patients regaining normal erectile function (IIEF-EF score ≥26) were 43.7% and 48.0% at months 12 and 24, respectively. Global Assessment Questionnaire results showed improved erection function in 97.5% of patients and improved ability to engage in sexual activity in 95.9% of patients at month 12; these values were 96.1% and 95.0% at month 24, respectively. The quality of sexual life score based on the Sexual Life Quality Questionnaire (SLQQ) was increased by 52.2% at month 12 and by 55.3% at month 24 (both P < 0.001). The treatment satisfaction score determined by SLQQ (mean ± standard deviation) was 62.4 ± 21.0 at month 12 versus 65.9 ± 20.2 at month 24. Two-year daily application of tadalafil 5 mg in Chinese men with ED showed a favorable safety profile and durable improvement in sexual performance and satisfaction.

BLK positively regulates TLR/IL-1R signaling by catalyzing TOLLIP phosphorylation.

TLR/IL-1R signaling plays a critical role in sensing various harmful foreign pathogens and mounting efficient innate and adaptive immune responses, and it is tightly controlled by intracellular regulators at multiple levels. In particular, TOLLIP forms a constitutive complex with IRAK1 and sequesters it in the cytosol to maintain the kinase in an inactive conformation under unstimulated conditions. However, the underlying mechanisms by which IRAK1 dissociates from TOLLIP to activate TLR/IL-1R signaling remain obscure. Herein, we show that BLK positively regulates TLR/IL-1R-mediated inflammatory response. BLK-deficient mice produce less inflammatory cytokines and are more resistant to death upon IL-1ß challenge. Mechanistically, BLK is preassociated with IL1R1 and IL1RAcP in resting cells. IL-1ß stimulation induces heterodimerization of IL1R1 and IL1RAcP, which further triggers BLK autophosphorylation at Y309. Activated BLK directly phosphorylates TOLLIP at Y76/86/152 and further promotes TOLLIP dissociation from IRAK1, thereby facilitating TLR/IL-1R-mediated signal transduction. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of BLK as an active regulatory component in TLR/IL-1R signaling.

Seismic behavior of precast columns with unbonded prestressed tendons and energy-dissipating bars: physical and numerical investigations.

The study of the strength and failure modes of construction components has become increasingly important with the advent of industrialized construction. Recently, because of the need to promote the survivability of both structures and persons, it has encompassed failure modes associated with seismic threats. This study reports the seismic behavior of precast segmented columns designed with both unbonded prestressed tendons (UPTs) and energy-dissipating (ED) bars. A physical specimen was subjected to a quasi-static cyclic test; this permitted the evaluation of the damage mode and behavior of the energy dissipation mechanism, and permitted the establishment and verification of a fiber beam element simulation model. The model was then used to evaluate the effects of the variation of the design parameters on the behavior of precast assembled columns. The test specimen exhibited stable energy dissipation and a pinching effect during cyclic loading. An analysis using the fiber beam element model with varying design parameters revealed that high-strength concrete could mitigate the concrete damage and residual deformation after an earthquake, and that the concrete strength and steel bar strength should be matched when enhancing the seismic resilience of precast columns with high-strength steel bars. It was determined that increasing the prestress mechanism, namely the ratio of the UPTs, could greatly improve the residual deformation, while the ratio of ED bars is the key factor in enhancing the energy dissipation capacity of the precast columns. Suitable ratios of UPTs and ED bars are the keys to ensuring stable energy dissipation and low residual drifts. Moreover, an increased axial load ratio and prestress level are able to restrain the joint opening and improve the bearing capacity of the precast columns; however, an excessive axial load or prestressing force would result in the rapid degeneration of the carrying capacity and larger residual displacements.

To re-examine the intersection of microglial activation and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases from the perspective of pyroptosis.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and motor neuron disease, are diseases characterized by neuronal damage and dysfunction. NDs are considered to be a multifactorial disease with diverse etiologies (immune, inflammatory, aging, genetic, etc.) and complex pathophysiological processes. Previous studies have found that neuroinflammation and typical microglial activation are important mechanisms of NDs, leading to neurological dysfunction and disease progression. Pyroptosis is a new mode involved in this process. As a form of programmed cell death, pyroptosis is characterized by the expansion of cells until the cell membrane bursts, resulting in the release of cell contents that activates a strong inflammatory response that promotes NDs by accelerating neuronal dysfunction and abnormal microglial activation. In this case, abnormally activated microglia release various pro-inflammatory factors, leading to the occurrence of neuroinflammation and exacerbating both microglial and neuronal pyroptosis, thus forming a vicious cycle. The recognition of the association between pyroptosis and microglia activation, as well as neuroinflammation, is of significant importance in understanding the pathogenesis of NDs and providing new targets and strategies for their prevention and treatment.

Determinants of acute and subacute case-fatality in elderly patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background: Given that limited reports have described the survival and risk factors for elderly patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH), we aimed to develop a valid but simple prediction nomogram for the survival of HICH patients. Methods: All elderly patients ≥65 years old who were diagnosed with HICH between January 2011 and December 2019 were identified. We performed the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) on the Cox regression model with the R package glmnet. A concordance index was performed to calculate the nomogram discrimination; and calibration curves and decision curves were graphically evaluated by depicting the observed rates against the probabilities predicted by the nomogram. Results: A total of 204 eligible patients were analyzed, and over 20 % of the population was above the age of 80 (65-79 years old, n = 161; 80+ years old, n = 43). A hematoma volume ≥13.64 cm3 was associated with higher 7-day mortality (OR = 6.773, 95 % CI = 2.622-19.481; p < 0.001) and higher 90-day mortality (OR = 3.955, 95 % CI = 1.611-10.090, p = 0.003). A GCS score between 13 and 15 at admission was associated with a 7-day favorable outcome (OR = 0.025, 95 % CI = 0.005-0.086; p < 0.001) and a 90-day favorable outcome (OR = 0.033, 95 % CI = 0.010-0.099; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our nomogram models were visualized and accurate. Neurosurgeons could use them to assess the prognostic factors and provide advice to patients and their relatives.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of IRF3 by BLK facilitates its sufficient activation and innate antiviral response.

Viral infection triggers the activation of transcription factor IRF3, and its activity is precisely regulated for robust antiviral immune response and effective pathogen clearance. However, how full activation of IRF3 is achieved has not been well defined. Herein, we identified BLK as a key kinase that positively modulates IRF3-dependent signaling cascades and executes a pre-eminent antiviral effect. BLK deficiency attenuates RNA or DNA virus-induced ISRE activation, interferon production and the cellular antiviral response in human and murine cells, whereas overexpression of BLK has the opposite effects. BLK-deficient mice exhibit lower serum cytokine levels and higher lethality after VSV infection. Moreover, BLK deficiency impairs the secretion of downstream antiviral cytokines and promotes Senecavirus A (SVA) proliferation, thereby supporting SVA-induced oncolysis in an in vivo xenograft tumor model. Mechanistically, viral infection triggers BLK autophosphorylation at tyrosine 309. Subsequently, activated BLK directly binds and phosphorylates IRF3 at tyrosine 107, which further promotes TBK1-induced IRF3 S386 and S396 phosphorylation, facilitating sufficient IRF3 activation and downstream antiviral response. Collectively, our findings suggest that targeting BLK enhances viral clearance via specifically regulating IRF3 phosphorylation by a previously undefined mechanism.