Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Methoxypolyethylene-Glycol-Substituted Abiraterone Derivatives as Potential Antiprostate Cancer Agents.

Globally, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed tumor and a cause of death in older men. Abiraterone, an orally administered irreversible CYP17 inhibitor, is employed to treat prostate cancer. However, abiraterone has several clinical limitations, such as poor water solubility, low dissolution rate, low bioavailability, and toxic side effects in the liver and kidney. Therefore, there is a need to identify high-efficiency and low-toxicity water-soluble abiraterone derivatives. In this work, we aimed to design and synthesize a series of abiraterone derivatives by methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) modification. Their antitumor activities and toxicology were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. The most potent compound, 2e, retained the principle of action on the CYP17 enzyme target and significantly improved the abiraterone water solubility, cell permeability, and blood safety. No significant abnormalities were observed in toxicology. mPEG-modification significantly improved abiraterone's antitumor activity and efficiency while reducing the associated toxic effects. The finding will provide a theoretical basis for future clinical application of mPEG-modified abiraterone.

Characterization of the metabolites of Eucommiae Cortex in rats provides a further insight into its estrogen-like effective substances.

Eucommiae Cortex is one of important traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) used in Asia for preventing and treating osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency. However, the low exposure of prototype components in Eucommiae Cortex in vivo is difficult to interpret its efficacy. Under the guidance of UPLC-Q/TOF-MS, 42 metabolites including 32 lignans and 10 phenolics, 21 of which were new compounds, were isolated from rat urine and feces after oral administration of aqueous extract of E. ulmoides Oliv. by various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were determined based on extensive physicochemical analyses and spectral data. Their absolute configurations were determined by experimental and calculated ECD spectra, along with the calculated NMR with DP4 evaluation. Additionally, all isolated metabolites were evaluated for their estrogen-like activities, and there are 15 metabolites having estrogen-like effects after assessing influences in MCF-7 cells. Further, Dual Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay was used to determine their activation with estrogen receptor, M10 and M11 mixtures, M14, M19, M33, M27, M31, M38-M41 could activate ERα, and M19 and M41 could activate ERß. These results not only clarify the pharmacological substances of Eucommiae Cortex, but also provide a basis for guiding its clinical application.

Predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index combined with serum chloride levels for the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and serum chloride level are related to adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, little is known about the relationship between the PNI and serum chloride level in predicting the poor prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed 1221 consecutive patients with ADHF admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2017 to October 2021. After excluding patients with in hospital death, missing follow-up data, missing chloride data, missing lymphocyte (LYM) count data, or missing serum albumin data, 805 patients were included. PNI was calculated using the formula: serum albumin (ALB) (g/L) + 5 × LYM count (10^9/L). Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of the PNI, and the highest PNI quartile (PNI Q4: PNI ≥ 47.3) was set as the reference group. The patients in the lowest PNI quartile (PNI Q1: PNI < 40.8) had the lowest cumulative survival rate, and mortality risk decreased progressively through the quartiles (log-rank χ2 142.283, P < 0.0001). Patients with ADHF were divided into 8 groups by quartiles of PNI and median levels of serum chloride. After adjustment, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in ADHF patients in Group 1 was 8.7 times higher than that in the reference Group 8. Furthermore, the addition of serum chloride level and PNI quartile to the Cox model increased the area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve by 0.05, and the area under the ROC curve of the new model was higher than that of the original model with traditional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Both the lowest PNI quartiles and low chloride level indicate a higher risk of all-cause death in patients with ADHF.

Development and validation of a social alienation predictive model for older maintenance hemodialysis patients based on latent profile analysis-a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Social alienation refers to the state of feeling isolated, helpless, and unsatisfied due to maintaining distance from others or avoiding social interaction and activities. This phenomenon is caused by a lack of social skills, social anxiety, physical health problems, and other reasons. Older maintenance hemodialysis patients are exposed to a higher risk of social alienation. However, previous studies have been performed using the total score of the scale, which does not allow the identification of the characteristics of various patient groups with different levels of social alienation. In contrast, latent profile analysis can classify individuals into different categories based on continuous observational indicators, which improves accuracy and provides a more objective assessment by accounting for the uncertainty of variables. Given the concealed nature of social alienation and the differences in characteristics and treatment measures between different profiles, developing a predictive model for social alienation in older maintenance hemodialysis patients holds significance. OBJECTIVE: To explore the latent profile analysis of social alienation in older maintenance hemodialysis patients and to develop and validate a predictive model for social alienation in this population. METHODS: A total of 350 older maintenance hemodialysis patients were selected as the study subjects using convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a general information questionnaire, the Generalized Alienation Scale, and the Self-Perceived Burden Scale. Based on the results of the Generalized Alienation Scale, a latent profile analysis was performed, followed by univariate analysis and multinomial logistic regression to develop a predictive model. The effectiveness of the predictive model was evaluated in terms of its authenticity, reliability, and predictive ability. RESULTS: Three hundred nineteen valid questionnaires were collected. The social alienation of older maintenance hemodialysis patients based on latent profile analysis were divided into three profiles, which were named the low/medium/high-symptom groups, comprising 21%, 38.9%, and 40.1% of participants, respectively. Based on male, monthly social activity hours, Age-Adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, dialysis age, and Self-Perceived Burden Scale, a predictive model of social alienation for older maintenance hemodialysis patients was developed, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow tests showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The model has high predictive efficiency in authenticity, reliability and predictability. CONCLUSION: Older maintenance hemodialysis patients exhibited moderate to high levels of social alienation. The latent profile analysis based method was used to divide patients into low/medium/high-symptom profiles, and the predictive model demonstrates excellent authenticity, reliability, and predictability.

A prospective, randomized, single-blinded study comparing the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine and propofol for sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

BACKGROUND: Balanced propofol sedation is extensively used in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), but sedation-related adverse events (SRAEs) are common. In various clinical settings, the combination of dexmedetomidine with opioids and benzodiazepines has provided effective sedation with increased safety. The aim of this investigation was to compare the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine and propofol for sedation during ERCP. METHODS: Forty-one patients were randomly divided into two groups: the dexmedetomidine (DEX) group and the propofol (PRO) group. Patients in the DEX group received an additional bolus of 0.6 µg kg-1 dexmedetomidine followed by a dexmedetomidine infusion at 1.2 µg kg-1 h-1, whereas the PRO group received 1-2 mg kg-1 of propofol bolus followed by a propofol infusion at 2-3 mg kg-1 h-1. During ERCP, the primary outcome was the incidence of hypoxemia (SpO2 < 90% for > 10 s). Other intraoperative adverse events were also recorded as secondary outcomes, including respiratory depression (respiratory rate of < 10 bpm min-1), hypotension (MAP < 65 mmHg), and bradycardia (HR < 45 beats min-1). RESULTS: The incidence of hypoxemia was significantly reduced in the DEX group compared to the PRO group (0% versus 28.6%, respectively; P = 0.032). Patients in the PRO group exhibited respiratory depression more frequently than patients in the DEX group (35% versus 81%, respectively; P = 0.003). There were no significant differences in terms of hypotension and bradycardia episodes between groups. During the procedures, the satisfaction scores of endoscopists and patients, as well as the pain and procedure memory scores of patients were comparable between groups. CONCLUSION: In comparison with propofol, dexmedetomidine provided adequate sedation safety with no adverse effects on sedation efficacy during ERCP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2200061468, 25/06/2022.

Beneficial Effects of Small-Molecule Oligopeptides Isolated from Panax Ginseng C. A. Meyer on Cellular Fates in Oxidative Stress-Induced Damaged Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and PC-12.

Cell fate instability is a crucial characteristic of aging and appears to contribute to various age-related pathologies. Exploring the connection between bioactive substances and cell fate stability may offer valuable insights into longevity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential beneficial effects of ginseng oligopeptides (GOPs) isolated from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer at the cellular level. Disruption of homeostasis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and PC-12 was achieved by culturing them in the growth medium supplemented with 200 µM of H2O2, and 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL GOPs for 4 h. Then, they were cultured in a H2O2-free growth medium containing different concentration of GOPs. We found that GOP administration retards the oxidative stress-induced cell instability in HUVECs by increasing cell viability, inhibiting the cell cycle arrest, enhancing telomerase (TE) activity, suppressing oxidative stress and an inflammatory attack, and protecting mitochondrial function. Furthermore, we hypothesized that GOPs may promote mitochondrial biosynthesis by upregulating PGC-1α expression. Similarly, GOPs positively regulated cell stability in PC-12; notably, the protective effect of GOPs on PC-12 mainly occurred through the inhibition of autophagic cell death of neuronal cells, while the protective effect on mitochondria was weak. In conclusion, it is evident that GOPs demonstrate potential beneficial effects in maintaining cell fate stability, thereby potentially contributing to an enhanced health span and overall well-being.

The mediating role of nutritional care literacy on the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence.

BACKGROUND: Nurses' nursing competence and nutritional care literacy directly affect patients' health and safety. Self-directed learning ability was pervasive throughout the entire work process of nursing work and was the basis for improving both. However, there are few studies has explored the mechanism from the perspective of nutritional care literacy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence, and to explore the mediating role of nutritional care literacy between self-directed learning and nursing competence among clinical nurses in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 805 clinical nurses recruited from seven general hospitals in Hunan Province, China, between January 25 and March 6, 2022. The self-directed learning ability, nutritional care literacy and nursing competence of nurses were evaluated through investigation. A total of 799 questionnaires were received, resulting in an response rate of 99.25%.We performed an intermediary modeling to examine the mediating roles of nutritional care literacy on the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence in clinical nurses. RESULTS: Self-directed learning ability was positively correlated with nutritional care  literacy (r=0.792, P<0.001) and nursing competence (r=0.696, P<0.001). Nutritional care literacy was positively correlated with nursing competence (r=0.658, P<0.001). Nutritional care literacy mediated the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence. The mediating effect accounted for 32.48% of the total effect and 48.10% of the direct effect . CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the positive correlation between self-directed learning ability, nutritional care literacy, and nursing competence. Nutritional care  literacy played a mediating role in the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence. The findings not only provide a novel strategy for cultivating nursing professionals and improving nurse disease care abilities, but also offer a new perspective for nursing educators and managers.

Construction of a BiOI/ZnO heterojunction on biomass Juncus effusus fiber for photodegradation of organic pollutants.

Semiconductor heterojunction engineering and three-dimensional (3D) architecture construction have been considered highly desirable strategies to enhance photocatalytic performance. Herein, a BiOI/ZnO composite photocatalyst with a 3D flower-like architecture was successfully prepared, which was stably immobilized on three-dimensional porous lignocellulosic biomass Juncus effusus (JE) fiber. The outstanding photocatalytic performance of the BiOI/ZnO-JE fiber was confirmed by the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC, 90%), ciprofloxacin (CIP, 79%), and norfloxacin (NOR, 81%). The enhanced photocatalytic activities were mainly attributed to the synergistic absorption performance of the lignocellulosic JE and the effective transfer and separation of charges. Moreover, the hydroxyl (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O2-) are the main reactive species in the photocatalytic process according to the analysis. This work may provide a novel perspective for constructing high-performance lignocellulosic-based photocatalytic materials.

[Pharmacokinetics of 11 active components of Psoraleae Fructus in normal and diabetic rats].

A total of 11 active ingredients including psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol, bavachalcone, bavachinin, corylin, coryfolin, isobavachalcone, neobavaisoflavone, bakuchalcone, and corylifol A from Psoraleae Fructus in the plasma samples of diabetic and normal rats were simultaneously determined by UHPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated to elucidate the pharmacokinetic profiles of coumarins, flavonoids, and monoterpene phenols in normal and diabetic rats. The rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) was induced by a high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with injection of 1% streptozotocin every two days. The plasma samples were collected at different time points after the rats were administrated with Psoraleae Fructus. The proteins in the plasma samples were precipitated by ethyl acetate, and the plasma concentrations of the 11 components of Psoraleae Fructus were determined by UHPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by DAS 3.0. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic beha-viors of 8 components including psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol, and bavachinin from Psoraleae Fructus in both female and male mo-del rats were significantly different from those in normal rats. Among them, the coumarins including psoralen, isopsoralen, and corylin showed lowered levels in the blood of both female and male model rats. The flavonoids(bavachinin, corylifol A, and bakuchalcone) and the monoterpene phenol bakuchiol showed decreased levels in the female model rats but elevated levels in the male model rats. It is suggested that the dosage of Psoraleae Fructus should be reasonably adjusted for the patients of different genders at the time of clinical administration.

A Retrospective Study on the Effect of Empowerment Psychological Intervention Led by Specialist Nurses on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in ICU Patients.

BACKGROUND: Many patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which seriously affects the treatment, recovery, and prognosis of patients. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of empowerment psychological intervention on the status of PTSD in ICU patients. METHODS: A total of 86 patients with PTSD who were treated in ICU from July 2019 to December 2021 were divided into two groups according to the intervention method. The control group (n = 43) used routine psychological intervention, while the intervention group (n = 43) used empowerment psychological intervention led by specialist nurses. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the sleep quality of the patients. The Resilience Questionnaire (CD-RISC) was used to evaluate the resilience of the patients, and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Self-Rating Scale (PTSD-SS) was used to assess the severity of the symptoms. The Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Inventory (HAMA and HAMD) was adapted to assess the degree of anxiety and depression, and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was adapted to evaluate the post-traumatic growth of the patients. RESULTS: After the intervention, the total CD-RISC score and its tenacity, self-improvement, and optimism scores in the two groups were all higher than before, and the total PSQI score and its sleep quality, time, efficiency and impairment, as well as hypnotic drugs, daytime dysfunction and time to sleep were lower than before, and the CD-RISC score in the intervention group was higher than that in the control group, PSQI score was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). After the intervention, PTSD-SS scores and anxiety-depression scores were lower, and PTGI scores were higher in both groups than before (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The empowerment psychological intervention led by specialist nurses applied to ICU patients with PTSD can improve their psychological resilience and sleep quality, reduce negative emotions, alleviate clinical symptoms, and promote post-traumatic growth.

[Different processed products of Polygonati Rhizoma treat Alzheimer's disease in rats: urine metabolomics based on UPLC-Q/TOF-MS].

The study investigated the effects of different processed products of Polygonati Rhizoma(black bean-processed Polygonati Rhizoma, BBPR; stewed Polygonati Rhizoma, SPR) on the urinary metabolites in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease(AD). Sixty SPF-grade male SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group, a donepezil group, a BBPR group, and a SPR group, with twelve rats in each group. Other groups except the control group were administrated with D-galactose injection(100 mg·kg~(-1)) once a day for seven weeks. The control group was administrated with an equal volume of normal saline once a day for seven consecutive weeks. After three weeks of D-galactose injection, bilateral hippocampal Aß_(25-35) injections were performed for modeling. The rats were administrated with corresponding drugs(10 mL·kg~(-1)) by gavage since week 2, and the rats in the model and control group with an equal volume of double distilled water once a day for 35 continuous days. The memory behaviour and pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue were observed. The untargeted metabolites in the urine were detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). Principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were employed to characterize and screen differential metabolites and potential biomarkers, for which the metabolic pathway enrichment analysis was conducted. The results indicated that BBPR and SPR increased the new object recognition index, shortened the escape latency, and increased the times of crossing the platform of AD rats in the Morris water maze test. The results of hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining showed that the cells in the hippocampal tissue of the drug administration groups were closely arranged. Moreover, the drugs reduced the content of interleukin-6(IL-6, P<0.01) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the hippocampal tissue, which were more obvious in the BBPR group(P<0.05). After screening, 15 potential biomarkers were identified, involving two metabolic pathways: dicoumarol pathway and piroxicam pathway. BBPR and SPR may alleviate AD by regulating the metabolism of dicoumarol and piroxicam.

The Potential of Bioactive Fish Collagen Oligopeptides against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced NIH/3T3 and HUVEC Damage: The Involvement of the Mitochondria.

Extensive in vivo investigations have demonstrated the antioxidant properties of fish collagen oligopeptides (FCOPs). One of the main causes of aging and chronic non-communicable diseases is oxidative stress. Therefore, FCOPs have a broad range of applications in illness prevention and delaying aging from the standpoint of the "food is medicine" theory. However, the mechanisms that underpin the antioxidant activity of FCOPs are not completely understood. The specific objective of this essay was to investigate the antioxidant effect of FCOPs and its possible mechanism at the cellular level. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH/3T3 and human vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to 200 µM hydrogen peroxide containing different concentrations of FCOPs for 4 h and were supplemented with different concentrations of FCOPs for 24 h. Normal growth medium without FCOPs was applied for control cells. An array of assays was used to evaluate the implications of FCOPs on cellular oxidative stress status, cellular homeostasis, inflammatory levels, and mitochondrial function. We found that FCOPs exerted a protective effect by inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activities and cell viability, inhibiting cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, suppressing interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) secretion, downregulating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activity, protecting mitochondrial membrane potential, and increasing ATP synthesis and NAD+ activities in both cells. FCOPs had a stronger antioxidant impact on NIH/3T3 than on HUVECs, simultaneously increasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content in NIH/3T3. These findings indicate that FCOPs have antioxidant effects on different tissue cells damaged by oxidative stress. FCOPs were therefore found to promote cellular homeostasis, inhibit inflammation, and protect mitochondria. Meanwhile, better health outcomes will be achieved by thoroughly investigating the effective dose and intervention time of FCOPs, as the absorption efficiency of FCOPs varies in different tissue cells.

The relationship between young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and the improvement of national identity: the mediating role of online participation in public health critical events.

Background: Improving the young college students' national identity is crucial for ensuring social stability and fostering development during public health critical events such as COVID-19. Young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities can influence their national identity, and online participation in public health criticalevents may serve as a crucial role in shaping this intricate relationship. To investigate this possibility, the present study established an intermediary model to examine the impact of online participation in public health critical events on young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and improvement of national identity. Methods: This cross-sectional survey study employed a convenience sampling method to investigate a total of 3041 young college students in China. The correlations between study variables were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation. The mediation model was established using PROCESS Model 4 with 5000 bootstrap samples in SPSS. The bias-corrected bootstrap method provided statistical efficacy and identification interval estimation. Results: Young college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities (r=0.729, P<0.001) and online participation in public health critical events (r=0.609, P<0.001) were positively correlated with improvement of their national identity. The relationship between these two factors was partially mediated by online participation in public health critical events (Indirect effect estimate=0.196, P<0.001). Conclusion: Online participation in public health critical events played a mediating role in the association between college students' recognition of national COVID-19 crisis governance capabilities and the improvement of national identity. Our findings provide a novel intervention strategy for improving college students' national identity, which is to encourage their online participation in public health critical events.

5'-Cytimidine Monophosphate Ameliorates H2O2-Induced Muscular Atrophy in C2C12 Myotubes by Activating IRS-1/Akt/S6K Pathway.

Age-related muscle atrophy (sarcopenia), characterized by reduced skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength, is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, which is especially true for older people, and can seriously damage health and quality of life in older adults. This study aims to investigate the beneficial effects of 5'-cytimidine monophosphate (CMP) on H2O2-induced muscular atrophy in C2C12 myotubes. C2C12 myotubes were treated with H2O2 in the presence and absence of CMP and the changes in the anti-oxidation, mitochondrial functions, and expression of sarcopenia-related proteins were observed. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that CMP significantly increased the diameter of myotubes. We found that CMP could increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and improve mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as reduce inflammatory cytokine levels associated with sarcopenia. RNA-seq analysis showed that CMP could relieve insulin resistance and promote protein digestion and absorption. Western blot analysis further confirmed that CMP could promote the activation of the IRS-1/Akt/S6K signaling pathway and decrease the expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1, which are important markers of muscle atrophy. The above results suggest that CMP protects myotubes from H2O2-induced atrophy and that its potential mechanism is associated with activating the IRS-1/Akt/S6K pathway to promote protein synthesis by improving mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance. These results indicate that CMP can improve aging-related sarcopenia.

Effect of oral health education on improving knowledge, attitude, practice, and oral health status of patients with liver cancer: A quasi-experimental study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model (PPM) in helping patients with liver cancer be aware of their knowledge, skills, and abilities in self-oral health behaviors and improve their oral health status. METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental study of 90 patients with liver cancer assigned to an oral health education or a control group. The intervention group was educated with the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. A brief oral scale and the knowledge, attitude, and practice oral health questionnaire were employed to measure the oral health status and cognitive behavioral ability to seek oral health in patients. RESULTS: Among 102 eligible patients, 90 (88.23%) agreed to participate in the present study and were divided to intervention (n = 45) or control (n = 45) groups. After the intervention and one month after discharge, the oral health scores of patients in the Intervention group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, after the intervention and one month after discharge, the patients in the test group had higher scores on knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors of oral health than the control group (P < 0.05). One month after discharge, the mean knowledge and skills scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that oral health education may be a useful health intervention for patients with liver cancer. It may also improve the knowledge and beliefs of liver cancer patients seeking oral health. Larger long-term investigations are necessary to provide more support for these preliminary conclusions.

Elevated hyaluronic acid levels in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in the post-COVID-19 era.

Objective: Human identical sequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) promoted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression by upregulating hyaluronic acid (HA) via NamiRNA-enhancer network, based on previous experimental research. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of HA for the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: A total of 217 consecutive patients with COVID-19 were enrolled at Beijing Ditan Hospital between July 2023 and October 2023. HA levels were analyzed using biochemical detector. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent factors for severe COVID-19. The predictive performance of HA for severe infection was assessed by ROC curve. Furthermore, the relationship between HA levels and COVID-19 severity was investigated using multivariate logistic regression models after adjustment for potential confounders. Results: According to the cut-off value of HA, COVID-19 patients were divided into HA < 90 ng/mL group (80 cases) and HA ≥ 90 ng/mL group (137 cases). High HA levels were positively associated with the severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, including elevated inflammatory indicators, severe lung involvement, prolonged clinical course, and higher incidence of respiratory failure and death (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis suggested that HA was an independent predictor of severe COVID-19 (OR = 4.540, 95% CI = 2.105-9.790, P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of HA for severe infection was 0.724. HA levels were significantly higher in COVID-19 cases compared to the healthy population (123.9 (82.6, 174.1) vs. 50.5 (37.8, 66.8), P < 0.001), but similar to those with non-SARS-CoV-2 lung infection (121.6 (78.5, 175.6) vs. 106.0 (66.5, 149.7), P = 0.244). We also found that the first COVID-19 infections had higher HA levels (118.8 (79.5, 174.3) vs. 85.0 (61.1, 128.8), P < 0.001) and a higher proportion of severe infection (37.1% vs. 21.3%, P = 0.043) than re-infections. However, HA expression failed to fully return to normal levels with infection recovery (204.7 (152.9, 242.2) vs. 97.0 (69.3, 137.3), P < 0.001). Conclusion: HA was associated with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and could be used as a novel serum biomarker to predict the risk of COVID-19 progression in the post-COVID-19 era.

Ovary Transcriptome Profiling in Broody and Egg-laying Chahua Chickens.

Broodiness in egg-laying hens (EHs) leads to ovarian atrophy, resulting in reduced egg-laying performance. However, the ovarian regulatory mechanisms in broody hens (BCs) remain elusive. Therefore, ovaries were removed from 300-day-old BCs and EHs for RNA sequencing. Ovarian morphology and histological characteristics of the BC and EH groups were compared and analyzed. The EH group had significantly more hierarchical follicles (HFs) and small yellow follicles (SYFs) than that of the BC group. Although several secondary follicles (SFs) and primary follicles were observed in the ovaries of the EH group, only a few SFs were observed in the ovaries of the BC group. Subsequently, RNA-sequencing analysis was conducted to determine the ovarian expression profiles of the two groups. Transcriptome sequencing identified 259 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the BC and EH groups. Of the 259 DEGs, 136 were upregulated and 123 were downregulated. The DEGs were mapped to 22 gene ontology terms and 4 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways for ovarian tissue. The analysis showed that matrix metalloproteinases 11/13 (MMP11/MMP13) were enriched in the extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix mediated by MMP13 is affected by follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and estrogen, which are critical signaling pathways that may affect ovarian follicle development to regulate the large yellow follicle reserve process and the ovulation cycle of broody Chahua chickens. These findings indicate that understanding differences in gene expression between the ovarian tissues of BCs and EHs could serve as a valuable reference point for enhancing egg-laying performance in Chahua chickens.

The effect of different nerve block strategies on the quality of post-operative recovery in breast cancer patients: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of three types of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks on post-operative recovery quality in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer. METHODS: In this randomized double-blinded trial (chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2200059428), 150 female patients were equally assigned to S group (serratus anterior plane block, SAPB) group, P group (paravertebral block, PVB) or ST group (serratus anterior combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane blocks, SA-TTMPB). The primary outcome was QoR-15 at five time points after surgery. Secondary outcomes were pain scores, time of first rescue analgesic and chronic pain incidence at 3 months. RESULTS: The QoR-15 total score of S group at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days post-surgery was significantly lower in groups P and ST, while there was no significant difference between groups P and ST (S vs. P vs. ST, 100.29 ± 6.20 vs. 108.51 ± 7.46 vs. 106.46 ± 6.95; 105.59 ± 6.18 vs. 113.06 ± 7.44 vs. 111.22 ± 6.56; 112.51 ± 6.32 vs. 119.88 ± 6.44 vs. 117.62 ± 6.09; 123.00 ± 5.78 vs. 128.86 ± 5.96 vs. 126.92 ± 5.72, p < 0.05). The dynamic and rest NRS scores at 6 and 12 h post-surgery were significantly higher in group S than in groups P and ST. CONCLUSION: Serratus anterior plane block combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane block and paravertebral block both have better effects than serratus anterior plane block alone in improving patients' early post-operative recovery quality, and also have an advantage in improving early post-operative pain. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2200059428). DATE OF REGISTRATION: 29 April 2022. SIGNIFICANCE: Serratus anterior combined with transverse thoracic muscle plane block may be a safer, easier, and equally effective nerve block strategy than paravertebral block in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer.

Effects of overgrazing on the functional diversity of rodents in desert areas.

Environmental stressors and disturbances can cause changes in an ecosystem's community structure, which can be reflected in its functional diversity. As grazing intensity increases, this causes changes in the environment that inevitably lead to changes in the community structure, which can especially affect rodents due to their sensitivity to the environment. The effects of grazing prohibition and overgrazing on the functional diversity of desert rodent communities in Alxa were studied in April, July, and October of 2018-2020. The trap-day method was used to study rodent communities in disturbed habitats. Five functional traits were selected and quantified: nutrition, life history, physiology, morphology, and activity rhythm. The results showed that: (1) The species composition of rodent communities in the Alxa Desert in spring and autumn was significantly correlated with the functional traits of the hibernation, reproductive cycle, and feeding habits. The species composition in the summer was only significantly correlated with the functional traits of reproductive cycle and diet. (2) The effects of overgrazing on the functional diversity of rodents in desert areas have significant temporal and spatial characteristics. (3) In spring and summer, overgrazing made the Functional Richness index of the rodent community lower than that of areas where grazing is prohibited, but the Functional Evenness index was higher than that of grazing-prohibition areas. In autumn, overgrazing increased the Functional Richness index of the rodent community and decreased the Functional Evenness index. The Functional Divergence index was higher in overgrazing areas than in grazing-prohibited ones. These results suggest that, in spring and summer, overgrazing reduced the ecological space utilization ability of rodent communities; however, the impact on the degree of utilization of community resources is more comprehensive. In autumn, overgrazing increases the ability of rodent communities to use ecological space but reduces resource efficiency. Overgrazing makes the niche differentiation of rodent communities higher, the degree of overlap lower, and the competition between species weaker. Therefore, overgrazing will affect the functional diversity of the community through the utilization of ecological space, resource utilization, interspecific competition, and niche.

Food waste impact on dry anaerobic digestion of straw in a novel reactor: Biogas yield, stability, and hydrolysis-methanogenesis processes.

Gradient anaerobic digestion reactor (GADR) can improve substrate utilization efficiency by solving the problem of the "short circuit" of materials. However, the substrate's composition significantly affects the reactor's performance. This study investigated the impact of food waste (FW) levels on corn straw's dry anaerobic digestion (AD) in a novel GADR. The results show that biomethane production can be improved by coupling urban and agricultural solid waste recycling. The mechanism is to increase the hydrolysis and acid production efficiency, and the abundance of enzymes related to methanogenesis. The maximum methane yield (494.2 mL CH4/g VS) and the highest anaerobic biodegradability (85.7 %) were obtained when the FW was added at 60 %. The co-digestion of FW and straw can improve the hydrolysis and acid production efficiency and methane yield, which improves the buffering capacity and stability of the system compared with the single digestion of FW.