Clinical case analysis of 32 children aged 0-6 years with lead poisoning in Nanning, China.

Lead is one of the heavy metals that is toxic and widely distributed in the environment, and children are more sensitive to the toxic effects of lead because the blood-brain barrier and immune system are not yet well developed. The objective of the study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of lead poisoning in children aged 0∼6 years in a hospital in Guangxi, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of lead poisoning. We collected and analyzed the clinical data of 32 children with lead poisoning admitted to a hospital in Guangxi from 2010 to 2018. The results showed that most of the 32 cases presented with hyperactivity, irritability, poor appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. The hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpusular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and hematocrit (HCT) of the lead-poisoned children were all decreased to different degrees and were below normal acceptable levels. Urinary ß2-microglobulin was increased. Blood lead levels (BLL) decreased significantly after intravenous injection of the lead chelator, calcium disodium edetate (CaNa2-EDTA). In addition, HGB returned to normal levels, while MCV, MCH, and HCT increased but remained below normal levels. Urinary ß2-microglobulin was reduced to normal levels. Therefore, in this cohort of children, the high-risk factors for lead poisoning are mainly Chinese medicines, such as baby powder. In conclusion, lead poisoning caused neurological damage and behavioral changes in children and decreased erythrocyte parameters, leading to digestive symptoms and renal impairment, which can be attenuated by CaNa2-EDTA treatment.

Uncoupling protein 1 knockout aggravates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial ischemia via AMPK/mTOR/PPARα pathways in rats.

Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) was found exclusively in the inner membranes of the mitochondria of brown adipose tissue (BAT). We found that UCP1 was also expressed in heart tissue and significantly upregulated in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) rat model. The present study is to determine the underlying mechanism involved in the UCP1 upregulation in ISO-induced AMI rat model. The Ucp1-/- rats were generated by CRISPR-Cas9 system and presented decreased BAT volume. 2-months old Sprague Dawley (SD) wild-type (WT) and Ucp1-/- rats were treated with ISO intraperitoneally 30 mg/kg once a day for 3 consecutive days to establish AMI model. In saline group, the echocardiographic parameters, serum markers of myocardial injury cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB), oxidant malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) or fibrosis were comparable between WT and Ucp1-/- rats. ISO treatment induced worse left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, increased higher cTnI, CK-MB and MDA and decreased lower SOD level in Ucp1-/- rats compared with that of WT rats. Ucp1-/- rats also presented lower myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr)/ATP-ratio, which demonstrated worse cardiac energy regulation defect. ISO treatment induced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, subsequently the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibition and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor α (PPARα) activation in WT rats, whereas activation of AMPK/mTOR/PPARα pathways significantly inhibited in Ucp1-/- rats. To sum up, UCP1 knockout aggravated ISO-induced AMI by inhibiting AMPK/mTOR/PPARα pathways in rats. Increasing UCP1 expression in heart tissue may be a cytoprotective therapeutic strategy for AMI.

A MRI-based radiomics model predicting radiation-induced temporal lobe injury in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a radiomics-based model for predicting radiation-induced temporal lobe injury (RTLI) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by pretreatment MRI of the temporal lobe. METHODS: A total of 216 patients with diagnosed NPC were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were randomly allocated to the training (n = 136) and the validation cohort (n = 80). Radiomics features were extracted from pretreatment contrast-enhanced T1- or fat-suppressed T2 weighted MRI. A radiomics signature was generated by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm, Pearson correlation analysis, and univariable logistic analysis. Clinical features were selected with logistic regression analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to develop three models for RTLI prediction in the training cohort: namely radiomics signature, clinical variables, and clinical-radiomics parameters. A radiomics nomogram was used and assessed with respect to calibration, discrimination, reclassification, and clinical application. RESULTS: The radiomics signature, composed of two radiomics features, was significantly associated with RTLI. The proposed radiomics model demonstrated favorable discrimination in both the training (AUC, 0.89) and the validation cohort (AUC, 0.92), outperforming the clinical prediction model (p < 0.05). Combining radiomics and clinical features, higher AUCs were achieved (AUC, 0.93 and 0.95), as well as a better calibration and improved accuracy of the prediction of RTLI. The clinical-radiomics model showed also excellent performance in predicting RTLI in different clinical-pathologic subgroups. CONCLUSION: A radiomics model derived from pretreatment MRI of the temporal lobe showed persuasive performance for predicting radiation-induced temporal lobe injury in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. KEY POINTS: • Radiomics features from pretreatment MRI are associated with radiation-induced temporal lobe injury in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. • The radiomics model shows better predictive performance than a clinical model and was similar to a clinical-radiomics model. • A clinical-radiomics model shows excellent performance in the prediction of radiation-induced temporal lobe injury in different clinical-pathologic subgroups.

Maternal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposure during pregnancy and risk of miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have suggested that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might be associated with increased risk of miscarriage. However, these results are conflicting and inconclusive. METHODS: We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relationship between NSAIDs exposure and risk of miscarriage. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published from the time of database inception until June 2021. RESULTS: A total of ten studies involving 207,341 pregnant women were subjected to meta-analysis. There was no statistically significantly increased risk of miscarriage with the use of NSAIDs during pregnancy (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 0.99-1.88, p = 0.057). However, our findings showed that women exposed to NSAIDs around the time of conception were at increased risk of miscarriage (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.16-4.66, p = 0.018). Furthermore, no significant association between NSAID use and miscarriage was evident during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR = 1, 95% CI = 0.83-1.2, p = 0.996), possibly attributable to the small sample size. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that NSAID exposure around the time of conception might be a risk factor for miscarriage. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether the risk varies by the type, dosage, or timing of NSAID exposure.

Use of acid-suppressive drugs and risk of fracture in children and young adults: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Acid-suppressive drugs (ASDs) are being used by increasing number of children and young adults. However, evidence for a relationship between ASD use and the risk of fracture in these groups of patients is conflicting. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of fracture in children and young adults exposed to ASDs. METHODS: A literature search was performed using the PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to November 2020. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to determine the relationship of ASD use with fracture risk in children and young adults. RESULTS: Six studies reporting the outcomes of more than 900,000 children and young adults with ASD use were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RR for fracture with the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) versus non-use of these medications was 1.17 (95% CI = 1.1-1.25; P < 0.001) in children and 1.2 (95% CI = 0.87-1.65; P = 0.272) in young adults. By contrast, the use of histamine H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) was not significantly associated with fracture risk in children (RR, 1.08, 95% CI = 0.99-1.17; P = 0. 083) or young adults (RR, 1.08, 95% CI = 0.82-1.42; P = 0.589). Significant statistical and clinical heterogeneity among studies were determined for the main analysis and most of the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence linking PPI use to an increased risk of fracture in children. Thus, the use of PPIs in these patients should be carefully considered. However, randomized controlled studies are needed to determine causality and the role of unmeasured/residual confounding factors in this association.

Joint communication interference system design based on parameter modulation.

In this paper, a joint communication interference integration signal waveform is proposed to satisfy the need of electronic system integration in civil and military uses, and mitigate the tension of spectrum resource. We design the system structure of the integrated signal model and propose the communication receiving processing flow of the integrated system. We utilize the dense false-target jamming style to raise the constant false alarm rate detection threshold via the delay superposition of multiple groups of frequency modulation (FM) slope mismatch jamming signals, which can play a role in protecting our target from being detected. Furthermore, linear frequency modulation (LFM) signals with different FM slopes and Doppler frequencies are obtained via the modulation mapping of communication data; thus, a single LFM signal can carry n bit data. Through correlation processing and frequency detection, code sequence information can be obtained to achieve communication function. The simulation results show that the integrated signal has the effect of shielding and jamming the pulse compression radar. Moreover, the system has a better bit error rate and a high communication rate, which can ensure that the communication task of sending accurate instructions is completed while implementing effective interference.

Fungal diversity notes 1512-1610: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa.

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarina kunmingense, Asterina lopi, Asterina brigadeirensis, Bartalinia bidenticola, Bartalinia caryotae, Buellia pruinocalcarea, Coltricia insularis, Colletotrichum flexuosum, Colletotrichum thasutense, Coniochaeta caraganae, Coniothyrium yuccicola, Dematipyriforma aquatic, Dematipyriforma globispora, Dematipyriforma nilotica, Distoseptispora bambusicola, Fulvifomes jawadhuvensis, Fulvifomes malaiyanurensis, Fulvifomes thiruvannamalaiensis, Fusarium purpurea, Gerronema atrovirens, Gerronema flavum, Gerronema keralense, Gerronema kuruvense, Grammothele taiwanensis, Hongkongmyces changchunensis, Hypoxylon inaequale, Kirschsteiniothelia acutisporum, Kirschsteiniothelia crustaceum, Kirschsteiniothelia extensum, Kirschsteiniothelia septemseptatum, Kirschsteiniothelia spatiosum, Lecanora immersocalcarea, Lepiota subthailandica, Lindgomyces guizhouensis, Marthe asmius pallidoaurantiacus, Marasmius tangerinus, Neovaginatispora mangiferae, Pararamichloridium aquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsis piraubensis, Phacidium chinaum, Phaeoisaria goiasensis, Phaeoseptum thailandicum, Pleurothecium aquisubtropicum, Pseudocercospora vernoniae, Pyrenophora verruculosa, Rhachomyces cruralis, Rhachomyces hyperommae, Rhachomyces magrinii, Rhachomyces platyprosophi, Rhizomarasmius cunninghamietorum, Skeletocutis cangshanensis, Skeletocutis subchrysella, Sporisorium anadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploa dashaoensis, Tomentella exiguelata, Tomentella fuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsis lechatii, Vaginatispora flavispora and Wetmoreana blastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torula sundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiospora guiyangensis, Aplosporella artocarpi, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Astrocystis bambusicola, Athelia rolfsii, Bambusicola bambusae, Bipolaris luttrellii, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Chlorophyllum squamulosum, Colletotrichum aeschynomenes, Colletotrichum pandanicola, Coprinopsis cinerea, Corylicola italica, Curvularia alcornii, Curvularia senegalensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Diaporthe longicolla, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Diatrypella quercina, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Helicoma aquaticum, Lepiota metulispora, Lepiota pongduadensis, Lepiota subvenenata, Melanconiella meridionalis, Monotosporella erecta, Nodulosphaeria digitalis, Palmiascoma gregariascomum, Periconia byssoides, Periconia cortaderiae, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, Psilocybe keralensis, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium dehoogii, Scedosporium marina, Spegazzinia deightonii, Torula fici, Wiesneriomyces laurinus and Xylaria venosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly.

Optimal antiplatelet therapy for prevention of gastrointestinal injury evaluated by ANKON magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy: Rationale and design of the OPT-PEACE trial.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal injury is a common complication in patients treated with antiplatelet agents after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the effects of different antiplatelet regimens on the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal injury have not been well studied, principally due to the lack of a low-risk sensitive and accurate detection system. TRIAL DESIGN: OPT-PEACE is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Gastrointestinal injury will be evaluated with the ANKON magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy system (AMCE), a minimally invasive approach for detecting mucosal lesions in the stomach, duodenum and small intestine. Patients without AMCE-detected gastrointestinal erosions, ulceration or bleeding after drug-eluting stent implantation are enrolled and treated with open-label aspirin (100 mg/d) plus clopidogrel (75 mg/d) for 6 months. Thereafter, 480 event-free patients will undergo repeat AMCE and are randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive aspirin plus clopidogrel, aspirin plus placebo or clopidogrel plus placebo for an additional 6 months. A final AMCE is performed at 12 months. The primary endpoint is the incidence of gastric or intestinal mucosal lesions (erosions, ulceration, or bleeding) within 12 months after enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: OPT-PEACE is the first study to investigate the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal injury in patients receiving different antiplatelet therapy regimens after stent implantation. This trial will inform clinical decision-making for personalized antiplatelet therapy post-PCI.

Impact of dual antiplatelet therapy duration on 1-year clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the real-world OPT-CAD study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration for diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients are at high risk for ischemic and bleeding events when treated with antithrombotic agents after an ACS episode. METHODS: This post hoc study analyzed DAPT duration and clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with ACS who underwent PCI in the Optimal antiPlatelet Therapy for Chinese patients with Coronary Artery Disease (OPT-CAD) registry. The primary outcome was patient-oriented composite endpoints (PoCE) at 12 months; it was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, all myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or any revascularization. The safety outcome was bleeding events. RESULTS: In total, 1,773 diabetic patients with ACS were enrolled and treated with PCI in the OPT-CAD study. Premature DAPT discontinuation before 12 months was an independent PoCE predictor in diabetic patients (hazard ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.74, p = .006). It was associated with a significantly higher risk of PoCE (17.3 vs. 11.2%, p = .014) in diabetic patients with high risk factors (age ≥ 65 years or history of cardiovascular events including MI, stroke, or peripheral artery disease), but this association was not observed in those without high risk factors (10.4 vs. 9.1, p = .554). No excess bleeding risk was found in patients who received 12-month DAPT compared with those who discontinued DAPT prematurely. CONCLUSIONS: Premature DAPT discontinuation before 12 months was associated with increased risk of clinical events in diabetic patients with ACS after PCI, particularly in those with high-risk profiles.

Establishment of a Mouse Model of Premature Ovarian Failure Using Consecutive Superovulation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study investigated the effect of consecutive superovulation on the ovaries and established a premature ovarian failure (POF) model in mice. METHODS: The mouse POF model was induced by 5-15 consecutive superovulation treatments with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α). Normal adult mice were compared with mice displaying natural ovarian aging. The following serum biochemical parameters were measured: including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone (P), estradiol (E2), inhibin B (INH B), malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels. Follicles were counted using H&E staining. Levels of 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OhdG), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), nitrotyrosine (NTY), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and CDKN2A/ p16 (p16) were detected using immunohistochemical staining. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Cell apoptosis was detected using an in situ TUNEL fluorescence staining assay. Levels of proteins involved in ROS-related pathways and the p16 protein were detected using Western blotting. Sod1, Sod2 and Sod3 mRNA levels were detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). Oocyte quality was evaluated using in vitro fertilization (IVF) and zygote culture. RESULTS: Consecutive superovulation groups presented lower P, E2, SOD, GSH-Px and INH B levels, significantly higher FSH, LH, MDA and ROS levels, and significantly fewer primordial follicles compared with the control group. Consecutive superovulation groups presented significantly increased levels of Sod2, 8-OhdG, 4-HNE, NTY, significantly increased levels of the SIRT1 and FOXO1 proteins, significantly increased levels of the senescence-associated protein p16, as well as decreased AMH, Sod1 and Sod3 levels and increased granulosa cell apoptosis compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Consecutive superovulation significantly decreased ovarian function and oocyte quality and increased oxidative stress and apoptosis in the ovary via a mechanism involving the p16 and SIRT1/FOXO1 signaling pathways. These findings suggest that consecutive superovulation may be used to establish a mouse model of ovarian aging.

Efficiency and safety of bivalirudin in patients undergoing emergency percutaneous coronary intervention via radial access: A subgroup analysis from the bivalirudin in acute myocardial infarction versus heparin and GPI plus heparin trial.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficiency and safety of bivalirudin in patients undergoing emergency percutaneous coronary intervention via radial access. BACKGROUND: Bivalirudin reduces bleeding risks over heparin in patients undergoing PCI. However, bleeding advantages of bivalirudin in patients undergoing transradial intervention is uncertain. METHODS: In the BRIGHT trial, 1,723 patients underwent emergency PCI via radial access, with 576 patients in the bivalirudin arm, 576 in the heparin arm and 571 in the heparin plus tirofiban arm. The primary outcome was 30-day net adverse clinical event (NACE), defined as a composite of major cardiac and cerebral events or any bleeding. RESULTS: 30-day NACE occurred in 5.7% with bivalirudin, 7.8% with heparin alone (vs. bivalirudin, P = 0.159), and 10.3% with heparin plus tifofiban (vs. bivalirudin, P = 0.004). The 30-day bleeding rate was 0.9% for bivalirudin, 2.3% for heparin (vs. bivalirudin, P = 0.057), and 5.8% for heparin plus tirofiban (vs. bivalirudin, P < 0.001). Major cardiac and cerebral events (4.9 vs. 5.7 vs. 4.6%, P = 0.899), stent thrombosis (0.5 vs. 0.5 vs. 0.7%, P = 0.899) and acquired thrombocytopenia (0.2 vs. 0.5 vs. 0.9%, P = 0.257) at 30 days were similar among three arms. The interaction test for PCI access and randomized treatment showed no significance on all bleeding (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The bleeding benefit of bivalirudin was independent of artery access. Bivalirudin lead to statistical reduction on bleeding risks in comparison to heparin plus tirofiban, and only small numerical difference in comparison to heparin, with comparable risks of ischemic events and stent thrombosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing emergency transradial PCI. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dkk3 prevents familial dilated cardiomyopathy development through Wnt pathway.

To date, the role of Dickkopf 3 (Dkk3) on the pathogenesis of familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDCM), and whether and how Dkk3 interferes with Wnt signaling in heart tissues remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that strong Dkk3 expression was markedly downregulated in adult hearts from WT mice, and Dkk3 expression was upregulated suddenly in hearts from DCM mouse models. Using Dkk3 transgenic and knockout mice, as well as cTnT(R141W) transgenic mice, which manifests progressive chamber dilation and contractile dysfunction and has pathologic phenotypes similar to human DCM patients, we determined that transgenic expression of Dkk3 increased survival rate, improved cardiac morphology breakage and dysfunction, and ameliorated cardiac pathological changes in the cTnT(R141W) mice. In contrast, Dkk3 knockout reduced the survival rate and aggravated the pathological phenotypes of the cTnT(R141W) mice. The protective effects of Dkk3 appeared clearly at 3 months of age, peaked at 6 months of age, and decreased at 10 months of age in the cTnT(R141W) mice. Furthermore, we determined that Dkk3 upregulated Dvl1 (Dishevelled 1) and key proteins of the canonical Wnt pathway (cytoplasmic and nuclear ß-catenin, c-Myc, and Axin2) and downregulated key proteins of the noncanonical Wnt pathway (c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII), and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4)). In contrast, Dkk3 knockout reversed these changes in the cTnT(R141W) mice. In summary, Dkk3 could prevent FDCM development in mice, especially in the compensatory stage, and probably through activation of the canonical and inhibition of the noncanonical Wnt pathway, which suggested that Dkk3 could serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Preparation and characterization of latex particles as potential physical shale stabilizer in water-based drilling fluids.

The poly(styrene-methyl methacrylate) latex particles as potential physical shale stabilizer were successfully synthesized with potassium persulfate as an initiator in isopropanol-water medium. The synthesized latex particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), particle size distribution measurement (PSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR and TGA analysis confirmed that the latex particles were prepared by polymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate and maintained good thermal stability. TEM and PSD analysis indicated that the spherical latex particles possessed unimodal distribution from 80 nm to 345 nm with the D90 value of 276 nm. The factors influencing particle size distribution (PSD) of latex particles were also discussed in detail. The interaction between latex particles and natural shale cores was investigated quantitatively via pore pressure transmission tests. The results indicated that the latex particles as potential physical shale stabilizer could be deformable to bridge and seal the nanopores and microfractures of shale to reduce the shale permeability and prevent pore pressure transmission. What is more, the latex particles as potential physical shale stabilizer work synergistically with chemical shale stabilizer to impart superior shale stability.

9-(2-Chloro-phen-yl)-4a-hy-droxy-3,4,4a,5,6,7,9,9a-octa-hydro-2H-xanthene-1,8-dione.

In the title compound, C19H19ClO4, the di-hydro-pyran ring and the cyclo-hexane ring adopt a half-chair conformation and a chair conformation, respectively. The cyclo-hexene ring has an envelope conformation with the central CH2 C atom as the flap. This atom is disordered over two positions [site-occupancy ratio = 0.744 (12):0.256 (12)] above and below the mean plane formed by the other five atoms. In the crystal, O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between hy-droxy and carbonyl groups link mol-ecules into chains propagating along [001].

Challenge-Hindrance Stressors and Academic Engagement Among Medical Postgraduates in China: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Background: Improving academic engagement of medical postgraduates is crucial for enhancing the quality of learning and the development of medical education. Due to medical postgraduates face high levels of stress and rigorous demands, yet the mechanisms linking challenge-hindrance stressors to academic engagement in this context remain largely unexplored. This study aims to explore the comprehensive relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement among medical postgraduates in China. Methods: Data were collected from 437 medical postgraduates in China, to investigate their challenge-hindrance stressors, emotional exhaustion, learning, relaxation and academic engagement. Among these postgraduates, 40.3% were male and 59.7% were female, with the mean age of the participants being 25.71 years. Statistical procedures were conducted using Mplus 8.3, ensuring a robust analysis of the data collected. Results: Our study showed that both challenge and hindrance stressors are significantly positively correlated with emotional exhaustion among Chinese medical postgraduates, and emotional exhaustion is negatively associated with academic engagement. Emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement. Learning plays a protective role, moderating the challenge stressors and emotional exhaustion relationship and its indirect effect on academic engagement. However, relaxation was not identified as a significant moderating factor in this context. Conclusion: Our findings not only revealed emotional exhaustion as a potential mechanism underlying the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and academic engagement but also validated the moderating role of learning in mitigating the adverse effects of challenge stressors on emotional exhaustion and academic engagement among Chinese medical postgraduates. This comprehensive insight into the complex dynamics between different stressors and academic engagement provides both theoretical and empirical evidence for medical universities. It underscores the importance of interventions to enhance academic engagement in stressful environments and serves as a valuable reference for the development of reasonable assessment systems. These contributions are crucial for fostering a supportive educational atmosphere and promoting the well-being of medical postgraduates.

The relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and innovative behavior among medical postgraduates in China: the mediation role of academic engagement and the moderating effect of relaxation.

This study investigated the relationship between challenge-hindrance stressors and innovative behavior of medical postgraduates in China, examining the mediating role of academic engagement and the moderating effect of relaxation. Drawing from a sample of 437 medical postgraduates from three Chinese universities, our findings revealed that challenge stressors positively correlated with innovative behavior, while the direct relationship between hindrance stressors and innovative behavior was not statistically significant. Furthermore, academic engagement mediated the relationship between two types of stressors and innovative behavior. Challenge stressors enhanced academic engagement, which in turn fostered innovative behavior. Conversely, hindrance stressors were found to diminish academic engagement, which in turn indirectly limited innovative behavior. Additionally, relaxation was identified as a moderating factor that helped mitigate the negative effects of hindrance stressors on academic engagement and indirectly on innovative behavior. These results suggested that academic engagement as a mechanism played a pivotal role in determining how different stressors influenced innovative behavior, underscoring the need for stress management, particularly through relaxation techniques, to maintain high levels of academic engagement and innovative behavior. This study offers practical insights for medical education policymakers and educators in China, emphasizing the importance of balancing stressors and incorporating relaxation practices to enhance the innovative capabilities of medical postgraduates in demanding academic environments.

Diversity of Distoseptispora (Distoseptisporaceae) taxa on submerged decaying wood from the Red River in Yunnan, China.

The Red River Basin is located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and is rich in lignicolous freshwater fungi, but no systematic research has been conducted. A systematic study on the species diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the basin is ongoing. Seven distoseptispora-like specimens were collected from the Red River Basin in Yunnan. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 genes and combined morphological data indicate that there are six distinct species of Distoseptispora, including two new species and four known species. Two new species were named D.suae and D.xinpingensis, and the four known species were D.bambusae, D.euseptata, D.obpyriformis and D.pachyconidia. This study provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of these six species and an updated phylogenetic backbone tree of Distoseptispora.

TRPV3 promotes sebocyte inflammation via transcriptional modulating TLR2 in acne.

Acne is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) is an ion channel that is involved in inflammatory dermatosis development. However, the involvement of TRPV3 in acne-related inflammation remains unclear. Here, we used acne-like mice and human sebocytes to examine the role of TRPV3 in the development of acne. We found that TRPV3 expression increased in the skin lesions of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)-injected acne-like mice and the facial sebaceous glands (SGs) of acne patients. TRPV3 promoted inflammatory cytokines and chemokines secretion in human sebocytes and led to neutrophil infiltration surrounding the SGs in acne lesions, further exacerbating sebaceous inflammation and participating in acne development. Mechanistically, TRPV3 enhanced TLR2 level by promoting transcriptional factor phosphorylated-FOS-like antigen-1 (p-FOSL1) expression and its binding to the TLR2 promoter, leading to TLR2 upregulation and downstream NF-κB signaling activation. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of TRPV3 both alleviated acne-like skin inflammation in mice via the TLR2-NF-κB axis. Thus, our study revealed the critical role of TRPV3 in sebaceous inflammation and indicated its potential as an acne therapeutic target.