Microscopic and spectroscopic analysis of atmospheric iron-containing single particles in Lhasa, Tibet.

The Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Third Pole", is currently in a state of perturbation caused by intensified human activity. In this study, 56 samples were obtained at the five sampling sites in typical area of Lhasa city and their physical and chemical properties were investigated by TEM/EDS, STXM, and NEXAFS spectroscopy. After careful examination of 3387 single particles, the results showed that Fe should be one of the most frequent metal elements. The Fe-containing single particles in irregular shape and micrometer size was about 7.8% and might be mainly from local sources. Meanwhile, the Fe was located on the subsurface of single particles and might be existed in the form of iron oxide. Interestingly, the core-shell structure of iron-containing particles were about 38.8% and might be present as single-, dual- or triple-core shell structure and multi-core shell structure with the Fe/Si ratios of 17.5, 10.5, 2.9 and 1.2, respectively. Meanwhile, iron and manganese were found to coexist with identical distributions in the single particles, which might induce a synergistic effect between iron and manganese in catalytic oxidation. Finally, the solid spherical structure of Fe-containing particles without an external layer were about 53.4%. The elements of Fe and Mn were co-existed, and might be presented as iron oxide-manganese oxide-silica composite. Moreover, the ferrous and ferric forms of iron might be co-existed. Such information can be valuable in expanding our understanding of Fe-containing particles in the Tibetan Plateau atmosphere.

Surgical Treatment for Chest "Lock" Keloid Using Autologous Split-Thickness Skin Grafting and Postoperative Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of chest "lock" keloids is challenging due to skin defects and a high recurrence rate. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the effectiveness of autologous split-thickness skin graft with local radiotherapy for treating chest "lock" keloids. METHODSAND MATERIALS: Fifty-seven patients with chest "lock" keloids were treated from July 2018 to September 2020. The skin defects were closed with an autologous split-thickness skin graft (STSG) and vacuum sealing drainage. The donor and the recipient sites received the first session of radiotherapy 72 hours postoperation for 3 consecutive days. Patients underwent follow-up examinations 12 months after surgery. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used to assess the treatment outcome. RESULTS: Except for the complaints of pain, which did not improve in the patients' assessments (p = .368), POSAS improved significantly after treatment (p < .0001). The cure rate (including cured and partially cured scars) was 100%. No keloid recurrence was observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The procedure of treating chest "lock" keloid by keloid debulking and autologous STSG followed by postoperational radiotherapy is a novel combined methodology for treating keloids.

A case of acute basilar artery occlusion due to atherosclerotic disease revascularized by drug-coated balloon dilation.

Acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO) accounts for 1% of all ischemic stroke cases, but has a high rate of severe complications and mortality (75-91%). Intracranial atherosclerosis is an significant cause of ischemic stroke. Revascularization using stents has shown good efficacy. However, intra-stent thrombosis and in-stent restenosis (ISR) are significant complications following stent placement. Drug-coated balloons (DCB), coated with the anti-proliferative drug paclitaxel (an inhibitor of endothelial proliferation), can prevent in-stent restenosis. Successful use of DCB dilation in the coronary and lower extremity vasculature has been reported. In our case, a 68-year-old Chinese male with ABAO was successfully revascularized by DCB dilation and showed dramatic improvement in stroke symptoms. This report may inform future treatment of patients with ABAO.

The outcome of sutured wounds compared with tissue adhesive for paediatric wound closure: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis investigation was executed to measure the outcome of sutured wounds (SWs) compared with tissue adhesive (TA) for paediatric wound closure (PWC). A comprehensive literature inspection till February 2023 was applied and 2018 interrelated investigations were reviewed. The 18 chosen investigations enclosed 1697 children with PWC in the chosen investigations' starting point, 977 of them were utilising SWs, and 906 were utilising TA. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compute the value of the effect of SWs compared with TA for PWC by the dichotomous approaches and a fixed or random model. SWs had significantly higher wound cosmetic (WC) scores (mean deviation [MD], 1.70; 95% CI, 0.57-2.84, P = .003), lower wound dehiscence (WD) (OR 0.60; 95% CI, 0.06-0.43, P < .001), and lower cost (MD, -10.22; 95% CI, -10.94 to -9.50, P < .001) compared with those with TA in PWC. No significant difference was found between children utilising SWs and TA in wound infection (WI) (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.15-1.30, P = .14) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%) in PWC. SWs had significantly higher WC scores, lower WD, and lower cost, yet, no significant difference was found in WI compared with those with TA in PWC. However, care must be exercised when dealing with its values because of the low sample size of some of the nominated investigations and the low number of selected investigations for the meta-analysis.

A transparent kaolinite-loaded zinc oxide nanocomposite sunscreen with UV shielding rate over 99% based on bidirectional dispersion.

Nano-sized TiO2and ZnO are the most efficient and widely used inorganic sunscreen, but they still have some drawbacks including agglomeration, delamination, clogging pores and high cost. In this study, a kaolinite-loaded zinc oxide nanocomposite sunscreen was prepared and the key technical problems in application of inorganic nano-sized sunscreens was solved. The synthesized kaolinite-loaded zinc oxide nanocomposite was characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, XRF and UV-vis spectrophotometry. The SEM image of the nanocomposite suggests that agglomeration of nano-ZnO is avoided by bidirectional dispersion of superfine kaolinite powder and nano-ZnO. Nano-effect and UV shielding rate are enhanced and the nanocomposite sunscreen possesses UV shielding efficiency of 1 + 1 > 2. The UV shielding rate of the nanocomposite sunscreen is greater than 99%, only 10% addition of it endows ordinary skin care products with excellent UV protective efficacy. Moreover, the content of nano-ZnO is reduced by half through introduction of kaolinite, the cost of the sunscreen is lowered, delamination and pore clogging are avoided. This work provides a technical approach for producing stronger, safer and more economical popularized anti-UV skincare products.

Hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether-mediated photodynamic therapy inhibits the growth of keloid graft by promoting fibroblast apoptosis and reducing vessel formation.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to significantly inhibit fibroblast activity. However, the effect of PDT mediated by the photosensitizer hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) on keloids is not known well. The aim of our study was to examine the efficacy of HMME-PDT in cellular and animal models of keloids. Keloid fibroblasts (KFbs) were isolated from human keloid specimens and the proliferation, invasion, and migration of KFbs after HMME-PDT treatment was examined in vitro. Apoptosis in cells was measured by flow cytometry. Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (Caspase3) expression was determined by immunofluorescence staining and western blot. HMME-PDT inhibited KFbs proliferation, invasion, migration, increased apoptosis rate and enhanced caspase3 and cleaved caspase3 expression. The keloid graft transplantation was performed by using nude mice. The growth of the graft was monitored every third day. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA expression were detected by quantitative real time PCR. It was observed that HMME-PDT attenuated graft growth and reduced vessel density in the keloid grafts. However, HMME-PDT did not alter IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expression in the keloid grafts. Moreover, HMME-PDT suppressed transforming growth-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and small phenotype and Drosophila Mothers Against Decapentaplegic 3 (Smad3) expression in both KFbs and keloid grafts. Collectively, the evidence suggests that HMME-PDT inhibits the growth of the keloid graft by promoting the apoptosis of fibroblasts and reducing vessel formation of the keloid graft.

Surgical treatment for a giant epidermoid cyst on the buttock.

An epidermoid cyst is a common keratin-filled epithelial-lined cyst in clinic, which generally present as a slowly and progressively growing lesion. Surgical treatment is usually performed for epidermoid cysts. In this article, we describe a giant epidermoid cyst on the buttock, which has been growing for 20 years with no rupture.

miR-188-5p regulates proliferation and invasion via PI3K/Akt/MMP-2/9 signaling in keloids.

Keloids (KDs) and hypertrophic scars (HSs), two forms of pathological scars, seriously affect the physical and psychological health of patients. Despite many similarities with HSs, KDs are characterized by invasion and a high rate of recurrence after surgery, features they share in common with tumors. The underlying molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used microRNA (miRNA) array analysis to search for invasion-associated miRNAs in KDs. The expression of miR-188-5p in KDs, HSs, normal skin (NS) tissues, and cell lines was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected in KD fibroblasts (KFs) and HS fibroblasts (HSFs), and interrelated proteins were ascertained by western blot analysis. It was found that miR-188-5p was significantly decreased in KD tissue compared with HS and NS tissues. Upregulated expression of miR-188-5p suppressed KF proliferation, migration, and invasion; and decreased expression of miR-188-5p also promoted HSF proliferation, migration, and invasion. The protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, and p-Akt in miR-188-5p mimic-transfected KFs were repressed. In contrast, after transfection with miR-188-5p inhibitor, the protein levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, PI3K, and p-Akt were higher than the control in HSFs. Treatment with PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 in KFs with miR-188-5p inhibitor did not further reduce their proliferation, migration, and invasion. The upregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by miR-188-5p inhibitor could be abolished by LY294002. These findings together demonstrate a tumor-suppressive role of miR-188-5p in KD proliferation and invasion via PI3K/Akt/MMP-2/9 signaling, indicating that miR-188-5p may be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for KDs.

Structure-Property Relationships of Polyethylene Glycol Modified Fluorophore as Near-Infrared Aß Imaging Probes.

To optimize the lipophilicity and improve in vivo pharmacokinetics of near-infrared probes targeted Aß plaques, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of polyethylene glycol modified probes with hydroxyl and methoxyl terminals. The relationships between chemical structure and optical, biological properties were systemically elucidated. The results indicated that a desired Aß probe should keep a balance among molecular rigidity, size, and lipophilicity. Probe 12d displayed improved properties including intense and selective response to Aß1-42 aggregates ( Kd = 7.3 nM, 22-fold fluorescence enhancement and emission maxima at 715 nm upon interaction with Aß1-42 aggregates), sufficient blood-brain barrier penetration (3.04% ID/g), and fast wash out from the brain (brain2 min/brain60 min = 10.1). Clear fluorescence signals retention in transgenic mice than control mice in in vivo near-infrared imaging. Hence, polyethylene glycol modified probes retained favorable optical properties but displayed great improvement of biological properties for Aß detection.

Tumor suppressive role of miR-1224-5p in keloid proliferation, apoptosis and invasion via the TGF-ß1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

The molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis of keloids is still not known and the clinical management of keloids remains challenging. MiRNA (microRNA) is a novel class of small regulatory RNAs that has emerged as key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. MiRNAs participate in diverse biological processes of various skin diseases and function as key regulators in the occurrence and development of tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of miRNAs in keloid pathogenesis. We performed miRNA microarray analysis to compare miRNA expression between keloid and normal skin samples. We found that 46 miRNAs were upregulated and 28 miRNAs were downregulated in keloid compared with normal skin samples. We focused on miR-1224-5p, which has been reported to function in cancers, although the expression and mechanism of miR-1224-5p in keloids remain to be explored. Overexpression of miR-1224-5p led to inhibition of keloid fibroblast proliferation, promotion of apoptosis and decrease of migration and invasion. Our results suggest that downregulation of miR-1224-5p may be one of the mechanisms involved in the occurrence and development of keloids.

No Evidence of Causal Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) can present with open-angle glaucoma, but powerful evidence to support their causal relationship is absent. Objective: To investigate the causal association of AD with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: A bidirectional 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed with the software R. Results: Eighteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used in the forward MR analysis with AD as exposure. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method produced a result that genetically predicted AD was not associated with POAG (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-1.27, P = 0.215). Fifty-one SNPs were used in the reverse MR analysis with POAG as exposure. The IVW method yielded a result that genetically predicted POAG was not correlated with AD (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95-1.01, P = 0.191). The bidirectional causal effect estimates were consistent with supplementary MR methods (MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode). The sensitivity analysis showed stable results. Conclusions: This bidirectional 2-sample MR study did not give evidence of causal association between AD and POAG.

Mediating effect of cumulative lipid profile burden on the effect of diet and obesity on hypertension incidence: a cohort study of people aged 35-65 in rural China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cumulative lipid profile burden is designed to dynamically measure lipid accumulation, and its effect on hypertension has been poorly studied. Our main purpose was to investigate the effect of cumulative lipid profile burden on the incidence of essential hypertension (EH) and to investigate whether cumulative lipid burden mediates the pathogenesis of the effects of diet and obesity on EH. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1295 participants were included in the study, which started in 2017. The average follow-up time was 2.98 years. A total of 240 EH patients occurred during the follow-up period. RESULTS: The HR (95% CI) of the highest quartile in cumulative Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) burden were 1.747 (1.145 - 2.664), 1.502 (1.038 - 2.173), 0.615 (0.413 - 0.917) for incidence of EH respectively, compared to the respective reference groups. Participants with EH consumed more red meat and refined grains, and red meat was positively associated with cumulative TC burden. BMI and Waist-To-Height Ratio (WHtR) increased the incidence of EH, and obesity was positively correlated with cumulative TG burden. Mediating analysis showed that cumulative TG had a partial mediating effect in the causal relationship between obesity and EH, and Mendelian randomization (MR) also proved this result. Diet was not found to influence EHn through cumulative lipid profile burden. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative TG burden partially mediates the effect of obesity on EH.

Role of low-proportion, hydrophobic dissolved organic matter components in inhibiting methylmercury uptake by phytoplankton.

Uptake of methylmercury (MeHg), a potent neurotoxin, by phytoplankton is a major concern due to its role as the primary pathway for MeHg entry into aquatic food webs, thereby posing a significant risk to human health. While it is widely believed that the MeHg uptake by plankton is negatively correlated with the concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the water, ongoing debates continue regarding the specific components of DOM that exerts the dominant influence on this process. In this study, we employed a widely-used resin fractionation approach to separate and classify DOM derived from algae (AOM) and natural rivers (NOM) into distinct components: strongly hydrophobic, weakly hydrophobic, and hydrophilic fractions. We conduct a comparative analysis of different DOM components using a combination of spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques, aiming to identify their impact on MeHg uptake by Microcystis elabens, a prevalent alga in freshwater environments. We found that the hydrophobic components had exhibited more pronounced spectral characteristics associated with the protein structures while protein-like compounds between hydrophobic and hydrophilic components displayed significant variations in both distributions and the values of m/z (mass-to-charge ratio) of the molecules. Regardless of DOM sources, the low-proportion hydrophobic components usually dominated inhibition of MeHg uptake by Microcystis elabens. Results inferred from the correlation analysis suggest that the uptake of MeHg by the phytoplankton was most strongly and negatively correlated with the presence of protein-like components. Our findings underscore the importance of considering the diverse impacts of different DOM fractions on inhibition of phytoplankton MeHg uptake. This information should be considered in future assessments and modeling endeavors aimed at understanding and predicting risks associated with aquatic Hg contamination.

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from municipal wastewater treatment in China.

Municipal wastewater treatment plays an indispensable role in enhancing water quality by eliminating contaminants. While the process is vital, its environmental footprint, especially in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, remains underexplored. Here we offer a comprehensive assessment of GHG emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across China. Our analyses reveal an estimated 1.54 (0.92-2.65) × 104 Gg release of GHGs (CO2-eq) in 2020, with a dominant contribution from N2O emissions and electricity consumption. We can foresee a 60-65% reduction potential in GHG emissions with promising advancements in wastewater treatment, such as cutting-edge biological techniques, intelligent wastewater strategies, and a shift towards renewable energy sources.

Research Progress on the Correlation Between Hypertension and Gut Microbiota.

Among cardiovascular diseases, hypertension is the most important risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its pathogenesis is complex, involving genetic, dietary and environmental factors. The characteristics of the gut microbiota can vary in response to increased blood pressure (BP) and influence the development and progression of hypertension. This paper describes five aspects of the relationship between hypertension and the gut microbiota, namely, the different types of gut microbiota, metabolites of the gut microbiota, sympathetic activation, gut-brain interactions, the effects of exercise and dietary patterns and the treatment of the gut microbiota through probiotics, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and herbal remedies, providing new clues for the future prevention of hypertension. Diet, exercise and traditional Chinese medicine may contribute to long-term improvements in hypertension, although the effects of probiotics and FMT still need to be validated in large populations.

First comprehensive assessment of dietary chlorinated paraffins intake and exposure risk for the rural population of the Tibetan Plateau, China.

Knowledge regarding the occurrence of short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) in foodstuffs and their dietary exposure risks for rural Tibetan residents remains largely unknown. Herein, we collected main foodstuffs (including highland barley, vegetables, Tibetan butter, mutton, and yak beef) across the rural Tibetan Plateau and characterized the CP profiles and concentrations. The highest SCCPs concentrations were detected in Tibetan butter (geometric mean (GM): 240.6 ng/g wet weight (ww)), followed by vegetables (59.4 ng/g ww), mutton (51.4 ng/g ww), highland barley (46.3 ng/g ww), and yak beef (31.7 ng/g ww). For MCCPs, the highest concentrations were also detected in Tibetan butter (319.5 ng/g ww), followed by mutton (181.9 ng/g ww), vegetables (127.0 ng/g ww), yak beef (71.2 ng/g ww), and highland barley (30.3 ng/g ww). The predominant congener profiles of SCCPs were C13Cl7-8 in mutton and yak beef, C10Cl7-8 in Tibetan butter, and C10-11Cl6-7 in highland barley and vegetables. The predominant congener profiles of MCCPs were C14Cl7-9 in all sample types. Combined with our previous results of free-range chicken eggs, the median estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of SCCPs and MCCPs via diet for Tibetan rural adults and children was estimated to be 728.8 and 1853.9 ng/kg bw/day and 2565.6 and 5952.8 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. In the worst scenario, MCCPs might induce potential health risks for rural Tibetan population. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic dietary exposure research of SCCPs and MCCPs in the remote rural areas.

Differential response of Hg-methylating and MeHg-demethylating microbiomes to dissolved organic matter components in eutrophic lake water.

Methylmercury (MeHg) production in aquatic ecosystems is a global concern because of its neurotoxic effect. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a crucial role in biogeochemical cycling of Hg. However, owing to its complex composition, the effects of DOM on net MeHg production have not been fully understood. Here, the Hg isotope tracer technique combined with different DOM treatments was employed to explore the influences of DOM with divergent compositions on Hg methylation/demethylation and its microbial mechanisms in eutrophic lake waters. Our results showed that algae-derived DOM treatments enhanced MeHg concentrations by 1.42-1.53 times compared with terrestrial-derived DOM. Algae-derived DOM had largely increased the methylation rate constants by approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude compared to terrestrial-derived DOM, but its effects on demethylation rate constants were less pronounced, resulting in the enhancement of net MeHg formation. The abundance of hgcA and merB genes suggested that Hg-methylating and MeHg-demethylating microbiomes responded differently to DOM treatments. Specific DOM components (e.g., aromatic proteins and soluble microbial byproducts) were positively correlated with both methylation rate constants and the abundance of Hg-methylating microbiomes. Our results highlight that the DOM composition influences the Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation differently and should be incorporated into future Hg risk assessments in aquatic ecosystems.

Clinical features of ischemic stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation combined with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) are major causes of ischemic stroke. Relatively few studies have focused on the risk factors and clinical features of ischemic stroke caused by NVAF combined with ICAS. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated NVAF and/or ICAS in patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted within 72 h after stroke. All patients with acute ischemic stroke underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and/or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). NVAF was detected by routine electrocardiogram or 24-h Holter examination, Doppler echocardiography, and contrast echocardiography of the right heart. RESULTS: Among the 635 enrolled patients, NVAF, ICAS, and NVAF+ICAS were diagnosed in 170 (26.77%), 255 (40.16%), and 210 (33.07%) patients, respectively. Patients in the NVAF+ICAS group were older (p < .001), specifically aged ≥75 years (p < .001). The admission time of the NVAF+ICAS group was shorter (p < .001) than that of the ICAS group. The admission NIHSS score of the NVAF group was higher than that of the NVAF+ICAS group (p < .001). HsCRP, NTpro-BNP, and LEVF levels were significantly different among the three groups (p < .001). NVAF+ICAS ischemic stroke occurred mainly in the right hemisphere (52.4%). CONCLUSION: NVAF with ICAS ischemic stroke is more likely to occur in older patients. Infarctions occurred mainly in the right cerebral hemisphere. Neurological deficits in NVAF are more severe than those in NVAF combined with ICAS and in simple ICAS ischemic strokes. HsCRP, LEVF, andNTpro-BNP seem to be closely associated with NVAF+ICAS ischemic stroke.