Association Between Serum Interleukin-32 Level and Disease Status in Cases with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders.

Background: Various cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), but whether serum interleukin-32 (IL-32) level is related to disease activity in cases with NMOSD remains poorly understood. Thus, we investigated the underlying role of IL-32 in NMOSD cases. Methods: Our observation recruited 32 cases with acute NMOSD, 36 NMOSD cases in remission, and 60 healthy individuals in this study. Serum concentrations of IL-32 were detected using ELISA. The associations among IL-32 levels and clinical characteristics were assessed by Spearman correlation coefficient and logistic regression analysis. Results: IL-32 concentrations were strongly increased in cases with acute NMOSD [(52.06 ± 16.56) pg/mL] and NMOSD in remission [(25.78 ± 8.31) pg/mL] compared with healthy controls [(10.83 ± 6.94) pg/mL] (all p <0.001). ROC analysis suggested that the AUC for IL-32 and the combined diagnosis of acute NMOSD was 0.811 (P = 0.026, 95% CI 0.673-0.949), with a sensitivity of 0.800 and a specificity of 0.806. The level of IL-32 was positively correlated with EDSS scores in patients with acute NMOSD (r = 0.620, p < 0.001). EDSS score was independently associated with increased serum levels of LI-32 (B = 1.529, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher level of IL-32 is related to disease severity in NMOSD. Therefore, serum IL-32 may be a novel biomarker for acute NMOSD.

Extended Surface Bands Enabled Lasing Emission and Wavelength Switch from Sulfur Quantum Dots.

The development of a lasing wavelength switch, particularly from a single inorganic gain material, is challenging but highly demanded for advanced photonics. Nonetheless, all current lasing emission of inorganic gain materials arises from band-edge states, and the inherent fixed bandgap limitation of the band-edge system leads to the inaccessibility of lasing wavelength switching from a single inorganic gain material. Here the realization of a single inorganic gain material-based lasing wavelength switch is reported by proposing an alternative lasing emission strategy, that is, lasing emission from surface gain. Previous efforts to achieve surface-gain-enabled lasing emission have been hindered by the limited gain volume provided by surface states due to the broad emission bandwidth and/or low emission efficiency. This challenge is overcome by introducing extended surface bands onto the surface of sulfur quantum dots. The extended surface bands contribute to a high photoluminescence quantum yield and narrow emission bandwidth, thereby providing sufficient gain volume and facilitating stimulated emission. When combined with whispering gallery mode microcavity, surface gain enabled lasing emission manifests an ultralow threshold of 8.3 µJ cm-2. Remarkably, the reconfigurable perturbation to surface gain, facilitated by molecular affinity, allows for the realization of the lasing wavelength switch from a single inorganic gain material.

Puerarin Alleviates Blood Pressure via Inhibition of ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 Inflammasome Signaling Pathway in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus of Salt-Induced Prehypertensive Rats.

BACKGROUND: Puerarin is an isoflavone compound isolated from the roots of a leguminous plant, the wild kudzu. Various functional activities of this compound in multiple diseases have been reported. However, the effect and mechanism of puerarin in improving blood pressure remain non-elucidated. PURPOSE: The current study was designed to assess the preventive effects of puerarin on the onset and progression of hypertension and to verify the hypothesis that puerarin alleviates blood pressure by inhibiting the ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of salt-induced prehypertensive rats. METHODS: Male Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed low NaCl salt (3% in drinking water) for the control (NS) group or 8% (HS) to induce prehypertension. Each batch was divided into two group and treated by bilateral PVN microinjection with either artificial cerebrospinal fluid or puerarin through a micro-osmotic pump for 6 weeks. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was recorded, and samples were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: We concluded that puerarin significantly prevented the elevation of blood pressure and effectively alleviated the increase in heart rate caused by high salt. Norepinephrine (NE) in the plasma of salt-induced prehypertensive rats also decreased upon puerarin chronic infusion. Additionally, analysis of the PVN sample revealed that puerarin pretreatment decreased the positive cells and gene level of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), NLRP3, Caspase-1 p10, NOX2, MyD88, NOX4, and proinflammatory cytokines in the PVN. Puerarin pretreatment also decreased NF-κBp65 activity, inhibited oxidative stress, and alleviated inflammatory responses in the PVN. CONCLUSION: We conclude that puerarin alleviated blood pressure via inhibition of the ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the PVN, suggesting the therapeutic potential of puerarin in the prevention of hypertension.

Altered Brain Functional and Effective Connectivity Induced by Electroacupuncture in Rats Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection.

Background: The chronic pain arising from knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent clinical manifestation. As a traditional Chinese approach, electroacupuncture (EA) has a positive influence in relieving chronic pain from KOA. The study aims to explore functional connectivity (FC) and effective connectivity (EC) alterations induced by EA in anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) rat model of KOA using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods: After the establishment of ACLT, rats were randomly divided into the EA group and the sham-EA group. The EA group received EA intervention while the sham-EA group received sham-intervention for 3 weeks. Mechanical pain threshold (MPT) assessment was performed before and after intervention, and fMRI was conducted after intervention. Results: EA intervention effectively relieved pain in post-ACLT rats. Results of rest-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis revealed that compared with the sham-EA group, the EA group had higher FC between the right raphe and the left auditory cortex, the left caudate_ putamen and the left internal capsule (IC), as well as the right zona incerta (ZI) and the left piriform cortex, but lower FC between the right raphe and the left hippocampus ventral, as well as the right septum and the left septum. Furthermore, Granger causality analysis (GCA) found the altered EC between the right septum and the left septum, as well as the left IC and the right septum. Conclusion: The results confirmed the effect of EA on analgesia in post- ACLT rats. The alterations of FC and EC, mainly involving basal ganglia and limbic system neural connections, might be one of the neural mechanisms underlying the effect of EA, providing novel information about connectomics plasticity of EA following ACLT.

BAP1 loss confers sensitivity to bromodomain and extra-terminal inhibitors in renal cell carcinoma.

The tumor suppressor gene BRCA1 associated protein-1 (BAP1) is frequently mutated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). BAP1 loss-of-function mutations are associated with poor survival outcomes. However, personalized therapy for BAP1-mutated RCC is currently not available. Previously, we found that BAP1 loss renders RCC cells more sensitive to bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) inhibitors, as demonstrated in both cell culture and xenografted nude mice models. Here, we demonstrate that BAP1 loss in murine RCC cells enhances sensitivity to BET inhibitors in ectopic and orthotopic allograft models. While BAP1 deletion suppresses RCC cell survival in vitro, it does not impede tumor growth in immunocompetent murine models. Thus, the effect of BAP1 loss on the interactions between tumor cells and host microenvironment plays a predominant role in RCC growth, highlighting the importance of utilizing immunocompetent animal models to assess the efficacy of potential anticancer therapies. Mechanistically, BAP1 deletion compromises DNA repair capacity, rendering RCC cells more vulnerable to DNA damage induced by BET inhibitors. Our results indicate that BET inhibitors show promise as targeted therapy for BAP1-deficient RCC.

Impact of extreme pre-monsoon drought on xylogenesis and intra-annual radial increments of two tree species in a tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest, southwest China.

Tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forests cover the majority of forest areas and have high carbon storage in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. However, stem radial growth dynamics and their correlations with climate factors have never been analyzed in this forest type. By combining bi-weekly microcoring and high-resolution dendrometer measurements, we monitored xylogenesis and stem radius variations of the deciduous species Betula alnoides Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don and the evergreen species Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. We analyzed the relationships between weekly climate variables prior to sampling and the enlarging zone width or wall-thickening zone width, as well as weekly radial increments and climate factors during two consecutive years (2020 to 2021) showing contrasting hydrothermal conditions in the pre-monsoon season. In the year 2020, which was characterized by a warmer and drier pre-monsoon season, the onset of xylogenesis and radial increments of B. alnoides and S. wallichii were delayed by three months and one month, respectively, compared with the year 2021. In 2020, xylem formation and radial increments were significantly reduced for B. alnoides, but not for S. wallichii. The thickness of enlarging zone and wall-thickening zone in S. wallichii were positively correlated with relative humidity, and minimum and mean air temperature, but were negatively correlated with vapor pressure deficit during 2020 to 2021. The radial increments of both species showed significant positive correlations with precipitation and relative humidity, and negative correlations with vapor pressure deficit and maximum air temperature during two years. Our findings reveal that drier pre-monsoon conditions strongly delay growth initiation and reduce stem radial growth, providing deep insights to understand tree growth and carbon sequestration potential in tropical forests under a predicted increase in frequent drought events.

HCV 5-Methylcytosine Enhances Viral RNA Replication through Interaction with m5C Reader YBX1.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a positive-stranded RNA virus that mainly causes chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently we confirmed m5C modifications within NS5A gene of HCV RNA genome. However, the roles of the m5C modification and its interaction with host proteins in regulating HCV's life cycle, remain unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that HCV infection enhances the expression of the host m5C reader YBX1 through the transcription factor MAX. YBX1 acts as an m5C reader, recognizing the m5C-modified NS5A C7525 site in the HCV RNA genome and significantly enhancing HCV RNA stability. This m5C-modification is also required for YBX1 colocalization with lipid droplets and HCV Core protein. Moreover, YBX1 facilitates HCV RNA replication, as well as viral assembly/budding. The tryptophan residue at position 65 (W65) of YBX1 is critical for these functions. Knockout of YBX1 or the application of YBX1 inhibitor SU056 suppresses HCV RNA replication and viral protein translation. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that the interaction between host m5C reader YBX1 and HCV RNA m5C methylation facilitates viral replication. Therefore, hepatic-YBX1 knockdown holds promise as a potential host-directed strategy for HCV therapy.

Macrophages exploit the mannose receptor and JAK-STAT1-MHC-II pathway to drive antigen presentation and the antimycobacterial immune response after BCG vaccination.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M. tb), remains one of the leading causes of fatal infectious diseases worldwide. The only licensed vaccine, Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), has variable efficacy against TB in adults. Insufficiency of immune cell function diminishes the protective effects of the BCG vaccine. It is critical to clarify the mechanism underlying the antimycobacterial immune response during BCG vaccination. Macrophage mannose receptor (MR) is important for enhancing the uptake and processing of glycoconjugated antigens from pathogens for presentation to T cells, but the roles of macrophage MR in the BCG-induced immune response against M. tb are not yet clear. Here, we discover that macrophage MR deficiency impairs the antimycobacterial immune response in BCG-vaccinated mice. Mechanistically, macrophage MR triggers JAK-STAT1 signaling, which promotes antigen presentation via upregulated MHC-II and induces IL-12 production by macrophages, contributing to CD4 + T cell activation and IFN-γ production. MR deficiency in macrophages reduces the vaccine efficacy of BCG and increases susceptibility to M. tb H37Ra challenge in mice. Our results suggest that MR is critical for macrophage antigen presentation and the antimycobacterial immune response to BCG vaccination and offer valuable guidance for the preventive strategy of BCG immunization.

Adolescent administration of ketamine impairs excitatory synapse formation onto parvalbumin-positive GABAergic interneurons in mouse prefrontal cortex.

Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, induces deficits in cognition and information processing following chronic abuse. Adolescent ketamine misuse represents a significant global public health issue; however, the neurodevelopmental mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely elusive. This study investigated the long-term effects of sub-chronic ketamine (Ket) administration on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and associated behaviors. In this study, Ket administration during early adolescence displayed a reduced density of excitatory synapses on parvalbumin (PV) neurons persisting into adulthood. However, the synaptic development of excitatory pyramidal neurons was not affected by ketamine administration. Furthermore, the adult Ket group exhibited hyperexcitability and impaired socialization and working memory compared to the saline (Sal) administration group. These results strongly suggest that sub-chronic ketamine administration during adolescence results in functional deficits that persist into adulthood. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the gene co-expression module1 (M1) decreased expression after ketamine exposure, which is crucial for synapse development in inhibitory neurons during adolescence. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that sub-chronic ketamine administration irreversibly impairs synaptic development, offering insights into potential new therapeutic strategies.

Association between hyperuricemia and chronic total coronary occlusion in non-chronic kidney disease populations: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) is an extremely hazardous condition that leads to various clinical phenomena and complications and results in social and economic burdens. Hyperuricemia (HU) is often associated with atherosclerosis. Few studies, however, have investigated the risk of CTO in individuals with HU and the role of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in this setting. METHODS: A cohort of 1245 individuals without chronic kidney disease from southwest China who underwent coronary angiography between February 2018 and June 2021 were enrolled. CTO was defined as a total occlusion of any coronary artery or arteries for more than 3 months. HU was defined as a serum uric acid level of ≥420 µmol/L in men and ≥360 µmol/L in women. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models and subgroup analyses were applied to assess the relationship between HU and CTO. RESULTS: After adjustment, HU was noted to be associated with a 1.47-fold increase in the risk of CTO [odds ratio (OR), 1.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-2.58; P = 0.026]. As a continuous variable, uric acid was an independent predictor of CTO (OR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.001-1.004; P = 0.047). Subgroup analyses showed that the risk of CTO was higher among individuals under 65 years of age (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.3-5.89), nonobese individuals (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.16-3.1), and those with dyslipidemia (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.04-3.11), while sex, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes did not show similar effects. Interaction analyses revealed no interaction among subgroups. CONCLUSION: Among individuals residing in southwest China, HU was associated with an increased risk of CTO in non-CKD individuals, especially those under 65 years of age and nonobese and dyslipidemic individuals.

Taurocholic acid ameliorates hypertension through the activation of TGR5 in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

Diets rich in taurine can increase the production of taurine-conjugated bile acids, which are known to exert antihypertensive effects. Despite their benefits to the heart, kidney and arteries, their role in the central nervous system during the antihypertensive process remains unclear. Since hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) plays a key role in blood pressure regulation, we aimed to investigate the function of bile acids in the PVN. The concentration of bile acids in the PVN of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) fed with normal chow was measured using LC-MS/MS, which identified taurocholic acid (TCA) as the most down-regulated bile acid. To fully understand the mechanism of TCA's functions in the PVN, bi-lateral PVN micro-infusion of TCA was carried out. TCA treatment in the PVN led to a significant reduction in the blood pressure of SHRs, with decreased plasma levels of norepinephrine and improved morphology of cardiomyocytes. It also decreased the number of c-fos+ neurons, reduced the inflammatory response, and suppressed oxidative stress in the PVN of the SHRs. Most importantly, the TGR5 receptors in neurons and microglia were activated. PVN infusion of SBI-115, a TGR5 specific antagonist, was able to counteract with TCA in the blood pressure regulation of SHRs. In conclusion, TCA supplementation in the PVN of SHRs can activate TGR5 in neurons and microglia, reduce the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, suppress activated neurons, and attenuate hypertension.

The impact of preoperative biliary drainage on postoperative healthcare-associated infections and clinical outcomes following pancreaticoduodenectomy: a ten-year retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a complex procedure and easily accompanied by healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This study aimed to assess the impact of PBD on postoperative infections and clinical outcomes in PD patients. METHODS: The retrospective cohort study were conducted in a tertiary hospital from January 2013 to December 2022. Clinical and epidemiological data were collected from HAIs surveillance system and analyzed. RESULTS: Among 2842 patients who underwent PD, 247 (8.7%) were diagnosed with HAIs, with surgical site infection being the most frequent type (n = 177, 71.7%). A total of 369 pathogenic strains were detected, with Klebsiella pneumoniae having the highest proportion, followed by Enterococcu and Escherichia coli. Although no significant association were observed generally between PBD and postoperative HAIs, subgroup analysis revealed that PBD was associated with postoperative HAIs in patients undergoing robotic PD (aRR = 2.174; 95% CI:1.011-4.674; P = 0.047). Prolonging the interval between PBD and PD could reduce postoperative HAIs in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (≥4 week: aRR = 0.292, 95% CI 0.100-0.853; P = 0.024) and robotic PD (≤2 week: aRR = 3.058, 95% CI 1.178-7.940; P = 0.022). PBD was also found to increase transfer of patients to ICU (aRR = 1.351; 95% CI 1.119-1.632; P = 0.002), extended length of stay (P < 0.001) and postoperative length of stay (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: PBD does not exhibit a significant association with postoperative HAIs or other outcomes. However, the implementation of robotic PD, along with a suitable extension of the interval between PBD and PD, appear to confer advantages concerning patients' physiological recuperation. These observations suggest potential strategies that may contribute to enhanced patient outcomes.

Effectiveness of S100 calcium-binding protein A12 combined with modified early warning score in the clinical diagnosis of adult community-acquired pneumonia.

Background: Recent studies have found that S100 serum calcium-binding protein A12 (S100A12) has important significance in the expression of acute infectious diseases, and has high clinical application value in the differential diagnosis, prognosis and other aspects of acute infectious diseases. The accuracy of modified early warning score (MEWS) in evaluating the disease risk level of critically ill patients is comparable to Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II). Methods: Based on MEWS, 108 adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients were divided into the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups. The differences in invasive mechanical ventilation rate and mortality rate among each group were compared, and the differences of S100A12 in different levels of MEWS scores were compared through one-way analysis of variance. According to the prognosis after 30 days, the patients were divided into the death group and the survival group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to study the influencing and independent factors of 30-day death in CAP patients. The sensitivity and specificity of S100A12, procalcitonin (PCT), and MEWS scores in predicting the 30-day death in CAP patients were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, as well as the area under each indicator curve. Results: The serum S100A12 concentration increased with the increase in the MEWS stratification, and the mechanical ventilation and mortality rates also increased significantly. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the factors influencing mortality in adult CAP patients after 30 days. The receiver-operating characteristics curve was used to analyze the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curves of serum S100A12, PCT, and MEWS in predicting mortality in CAP patients after 30 days. Conclusions: The serum S100A12, PCT, and MEWS can effectively predict the mortality risk in adult CAP patients after 30 days. Serum S100A12 combined with MEWS has a high clinical application value in evaluating the severity and prognosis of adult CAP.

Emerging therapeutic strategies for metastatic uveal melanoma: Targeting driver mutations.

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary malignant intraocular tumor in adults. Although primary UM can be effectively controlled, a significant proportion of cases (40% or more) eventually develop distant metastases, commonly in the liver. Metastatic UM remains a lethal disease with limited treatment options. The initiation of UM is typically attributed to activating mutations in GNAQ or GNA11. The elucidation of the downstream pathways such as PKC/MAPK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and Hippo-YAP have provided potential therapeutic targets. Concurrent mutations in BRCA1 associated protein 1 (BAP1) or splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) are considered crucial for the acquisition of malignant potential. Furthermore, in preclinical studies, actionable targets associated with BAP1 loss or oncogenic mutant SF3B1 have been identified, offering promising avenues for UM treatment. This review aims to summarize the emerging targeted and epigenetic therapeutic strategies for metastatic UM carrying specific driver mutations and the potential of combining these approaches with immunotherapy, with particular focus on those in upcoming or ongoing clinical trials.

CRDet: A circle representation detector for lung granulomas based on multi-scale attention features with center point calibration.

Lung granuloma is a very common lung disease, and its specific diagnosis is important for determining the exact cause of the disease as well as the prognosis of the patient. And, an effective lung granuloma detection model based on computer-aided diagnostics (CAD) can help pathologists to localize granulomas, thereby improving the efficiency of the specific diagnosis. However, for lung granuloma detection models based on CAD, the significant size differences between granulomas and how to better utilize the morphological features of granulomas are both critical challenges to be addressed. In this paper, we propose an automatic method CRDet to localize granulomas in histopathological images and deal with these challenges. We first introduce the multi-scale feature extraction network with self-attention to extract features at different scales at the same time. Then, the features will be converted to circle representations of granulomas by circle representation detection heads to achieve the alignment of features and ground truth. In this way, we can also more effectively use the circular morphological features of granulomas. Finally, we propose a center point calibration method at the inference stage to further optimize the circle representation. For model evaluation, we built a lung granuloma circle representation dataset named LGCR, including 288 images from 50 subjects. Our method yielded 0.316 mAP and 0.571 mAR, outperforming the state-of-the-art object detection methods on our proposed LGCR.

Hemoglobin is associated with BMDs and risk of the 10-year probability of fractures in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the associations between hemoglobin (HGB) levels and bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) population of different ages. Method: This cross-sectional study included 641 patients with T2DM (57.9% males). BMD of the femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH), and lumbar spine (LS) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The 10-year probability of fracture was assessed using a fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX). HGB and other biochemical indices were measured in a certified laboratory at our hospital. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and R language (R version 4.1.0). Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to identify the associations between HGB and BMD and fracture risk. Results: Patients with osteoporosis have lower HGB levels than the non-osteoporotic population and lower FN BMD in patients with anemia than in the non-anemic population. In patients with T2DM, there was sex- and age-related variability in the correlation between HGB levels and BMDs and fracture risk. In older men, HGB level was an independent determinant of BMD and was positively correlated with FN and TH BMD. In non-older women, HGB level was an independent determinant of BMD and fracture risk, positively associated with BMDs and negatively associated with 10-year probability of fracture risk. GAMs revealed a positive linear association between HGB level and BMDs in non-older female patients but not in older male patients. Conclusion: Our study provides a new perspective on the association of HGB level and BMDs with fracture risk. Relatively high HGB levels are a protective factor for bone quality in patients with T2DM. However, the bone-protective effect of HGB is influenced by age and sex and persists only in older men and non-older women with T2DM.

EGFR core fucosylation, induced by hepatitis C virus, promotes TRIM40-mediated-RIG-I ubiquitination and suppresses interferon-I antiviral defenses.

Aberrant N-glycosylation has been implicated in viral diseases. Alpha-(1,6)-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) is the sole enzyme responsible for core fucosylation of N-glycans during glycoprotein biosynthesis. Here we find that multiple viral envelope proteins, including Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-E2, Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-G, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-Spike and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-gp120, enhance FUT8 expression and core fucosylation. HCV-E2 manipulates host transcription factor SNAIL to induce FUT8 expression through EGFR-AKT-SNAIL activation. The aberrant increased-FUT8 expression promotes TRIM40-mediated RIG-I K48-ubiquitination and suppresses the antiviral interferon (IFN)-I response through core fucosylated-EGFR-JAK1-STAT3-RIG-I signaling. FUT8 inhibitor 2FF, N-glycosylation site-specific mutation (Q352AT) of EGFR, and tissue-targeted Fut8 silencing significantly increase antiviral IFN-I responses and suppress RNA viral replication, suggesting that core fucosylation mediated by FUT8 is critical for antiviral innate immunity. These findings reveal an immune evasion mechanism in which virus-induced FUT8 suppresses endogenous RIG-I-mediated antiviral defenses by enhancing core fucosylated EGFR-mediated activation.

Relation Between Calcium-Phosphorus Product and Total Coronary Artery Occlusion in a Nonchronic Kidney Disease Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Excessive calcium-phosphorus product (Ca-P product) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with coronary artery calcification and coronary artery disease, but the relation between Ca-P product and coronary artery disease in non-CKD populations has rarely been reported. Therefore, we designed a cross-sectional study to investigate the role of Ca-P product in total coronary artery occlusion (TCAO) in a non-CKD population. We reviewed 983 patients who underwent coronary angiography at Guangyuan Central Hospital from February 2018 to January 2020. Ca-P product (mg2/dl2) was calculated as Ca (mmol/L) × 4 × P (mmol/L) × 3.1 and was analyzed as a continuous and tertiary variable. TCAO was defined as complete occlusion of any coronary artery by coronary angiography (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade 0). Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between Ca-P product and TCAO (odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95 to 0.99, p <0.001). After stepwise adjustment for covariates, the risk of TCAO was reduced by 40% in the high versus low Ca-P group (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.95, p = 0.031), and the risk of TCAO was predicted to decrease by 4% (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.99, p = 0.006) for each unit increase in Ca-P product. Restricted cubic splines showed a nonlinear relation between Ca-P product and TCAO, with a significant decrease in the risk of TCAO after reaching 27.46 (nonlinear p = 0.047). In conclusion, in non-CKD populations, a higher Ca-P product (≥27.46 mg2/dl2) may help avoid TCAO.

Limbic system plasticity after electroacupuncture intervention in knee osteoarthritis rats.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is characterized by debilitating pain. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medical therapy, has shown promise in KOA pain management. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of EA in KOA and its impact on limbic system neural plasticity. Sixteen rats were randomly assigned into two groups: EA group and sham-EA group. EA or sham-EA interventions were administered at acupoints ST32 (Futu) and ST36 (Zusanli) for three weeks. Post-intervention resting-state fMRI was scanned, assessing parameters including Amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), functional connectivity (FC) and nodal characterizations of network within limbic system. The results showed that EA was strategically directed towards the limbic system, resulting in discernible alterations in neural activity, FC, and network characteristics. Our findings demonstrate that EA had a significant impact on the limbic system neural plasticity in rats with KOA, presenting a novel nonpharmacological approach for KOA treatment.