Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene enhances the sensitivity of airway epithelial cells to ferroptosis and aggravates asthma.

Particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) exposure induces oxidative stress in lung tissues. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death based on oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation. Whether PM2.5 exposure-induced oxidative stress can promote ferroptosis to aggravate asthma is not known. To investigate if PM2.5 exposure induces oxidative stress to promote ferroptosis and influence asthma development, a cockroach extract-induced asthma model in mice was used for in vivo studies. Airway epithelial cell (AEC) ferroptosis was detected by assays (CCK8, malonaldehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal). Molecular mechanisms were investigated by real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, flow cytometry, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. We found that exposure to PM2.5 and Indeno[1,2,3-cd] pyrene (IP; one of the prominent absorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM2.5) enhanced the sensitivity of AECs to ferroptosis to aggravate asthma, whereas ferroptosis inhibitors and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) inhibitors reversed this augmented inflammatory response in mice suffering from asthma. IP treatment enhanced cPLA2 expression/activation through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) genomic and non-genomic pathways, resulting in arachidonic-acid release to promote the sensitivity of AECs to ferroptosis. IP exposure enhanced the release of leukotriene-B4 from lung macrophages, resulting in enhanced expression of acyl-coA synthetase long chain family member4 (ACSL4) and the sensitivity of AECs to ferroptosis. This finding suggests that exposure to PM2.5 and IP promote ferroptosis sensitivity in AECs to aggravate asthma, which may provide new targets for the prevention and treatment of asthma.

Associations of diabetes status and glucose measures with outcomes after endovascular therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke: an analysis of the nationwide TREAT-AIS registry.

Background: Hyperglycemia affects the outcomes of endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study compares the predictive ability of diabetes status and glucose measures on EVT outcomes using nationwide registry data. Methods: The study included 1,097 AIS patients who underwent EVT from the Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke. The variables analyzed included diabetes status, admission glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), admission glucose-to-HbA1c ratio (GAR), and outcomes such as 90-day poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥ 2) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH). Multivariable analyses investigated the independent effects of diabetes status and glucose measures on outcomes. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to compare their predictive abilities. Results: The multivariable analysis showed that individuals with known diabetes had a higher likelihood of poor functional outcomes (odds ratios [ORs] 2.10 to 2.58) and SICH (ORs 3.28 to 4.30) compared to those without diabetes. Higher quartiles of admission glucose and GAR were associated with poor functional outcomes and SICH. Higher quartiles of HbA1c were significantly associated with poor functional outcomes. However, patients in the second HbA1c quartile (5.6-5.8%) showed a non-significant tendency toward good functional outcomes compared to those in the lowest quartile (<5.6%). The ROC analysis indicated that diabetes status and admission glucose had higher predictive abilities for poor functional outcomes, while admission glucose and GAR were better predictors for SICH. Conclusion: In AIS patients undergoing EVT, diabetes status, admission glucose, and GAR were associated with 90-day poor functional outcomes and SICH. Admission glucose was likely the most suitable glucose measure for predicting outcomes after EVT.

Application of the combination of CBL teaching method and SEGUE framework to improve the doctor-patient communication skills of resident physicians in otolaryngology department.

BACKGROUND: To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of applying CBL teaching method and SEGUE Framework in the doctor-patient communication skills of resident physicians in the department of otolaryngology. METHODS: This is an observational study to compare the score changes in doctor-patient communication skills of 120 resident physicians, before and after using CBL combined SEGUE Framework teaching method. The effects of gender, age, grade, educational background and marital status on SEGUE score were analyzed. RESULTS: Through the combined application of CBL teaching method and SEGUE Framework, the SEGUE score of 120 resident physicians was significantly improved. There was no significant difference in SEGUE score among different sex and marital status of resident physicians. SEGUE score is positively correlated with age; Different grades and educational backgrounds have significant effects on SEGUE score. CONCLUSION: The combination of CBL teaching method and SEGUE Framework is feasible and effective in the education program of doctor-patient communication skills for resident physicians in the department of otolaryngology, and worthy of popularization and application in other medical specialties.

Use of a Flexible Ruler in Measuring the Length of Artificial Stapes During Stapedotomy Under Otoendoscopy.

BACKGROUND We explored a new method for measuring the length of artificial stapes during stapedotomy in otoendoscopic middle-ear surgery using a flexible ruler. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 56 cases of otosclerosis, comprising 56 ears with a follow-up of over 6 months and complete data. Patients were admitted to the Department of Otology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital from July 2020 to June 2022. SPSS statistical software was used for efficacy analysis. The results of different measurement methods on the implantation time of the prosthesis and postoperative hearing follow-up were compared. RESULTS The 56 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. In 1 case measured by the metal measuring stick, the prosthesis was too short and was replaced during the operation; 2 patients experienced transient dizziness postoperatively, and the other patients had no surgical complications. All 56 patients had varying degrees of hearing improvement after surgery, and no dislocation of the ossicular chain was observed during the follow-up. There was a statistically significant difference in the implantation time of the prosthesis between the different measurement methods (P<0.05). The improvement in hearing in the flexible ruler group was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The selection of the length of the ossicular prosthesis is a crucial step in the operation and can directly affect hearing outcomes. The use of a flexible ruler to measure prosthesis length can significantly shorten operation time and improve hearing, and the ruler is easily obtainable. It is worth promoting its application in ear endoscopic stapedotomy.

A Chiral Metal-Organic Framework Prepared on Large-Scale for Sensitive and Enantioselective Fluorescence Recognition.

MOF-based luminescent sensors have garnered considerable attention due to their potential in recognition and discrimination with high sensitivity, selectivity, and fast response in the last decades. Herein, this work describes the bulk preparation of a novel luminescent homochiral MOF, namely, [Cd(s-L)](NO3)2 (MOF-1), from an enantiopure pyridyl-functionalized ligand with rigid binaphthol skeleton under mild synthetic condition. Except for the features of porosity and crystallinity, the MOF-1 has also been characterized with water-stability, luminescence, and homochirality. Most important, the MOF-1 exhibits highly sensitive molecular recognition toward the4-nitrobenzoic acid (NBC) and moderate enantioselective detection of proline, arginine, and 1-phenylethanol.

eccDB: a comprehensive repository for eccDNA-mediated chromatin contacts in multi-species.

SUMMARY: We developed the eccDB database to integrate available resources for extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) data. eccDB is a comprehensive repository for storing, browsing, searching, and analyzing eccDNAs from multispecies. The database provides regulatory and epigenetic information on eccDNAs, with a focus on analyzing intrachromosomal and interchromosomal interactions to predict their transcriptional regulatory functions. Moreover, eccDB identifies eccDNAs from unknown DNA sequences and analyzes the functional and evolutionary relationships of eccDNAs among different species. Overall, eccDB offers web-based analytical tools and a comprehensive resource for biologists and clinicians to decipher the molecular regulatory mechanisms of eccDNAs. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: eccDB is freely available at http://www.xiejjlab.bio/eccDB.

Characteristics and Treatment of Pediatric Tracheobronchial Foreign Bodies: A Retrospective Analysis of 715 Cases.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children in Shenzhen and to explore the diagnosis and treatment methods for special cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included a total of 715 children who were diagnosed with tracheobronchial foreign bodies at Shenzhen Children's Hospital between October 2016 and October 2021. Data on sex, age, inducement, symptoms, foreign body type, foreign body location, foreign body retention time, foreign body history, and complications were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS Tracheal foreign bodies were found to occur primarily in children aged 0-2 years (90.6%). The overall incidence rates were 69.1% and 30.9% in boys and girls, respectively. Among them, 42.5% of the foreign bodies were detected in the left bronchus and 45.6% in the right bronchus. Inducements included playing while eating (n=398, 55.7%) and also crying (n=209, 29.2%). Operations were performed on 710 (99.3%) children, including 80 (11.2%) immediate surgeries and 2 tracheotomies. One child had no vital signs upon admission and died after emergency foreign body removal. All of the other children who underwent surgery recovered well postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS This study presents the characteristics and methods of diagnosis and treatment of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in pediatric patients in Shenzhen. Tracheobronchial foreign bodies are a major cause of accidental injury in infants and young children. In critical cases, airways should be immediately and rapidly cleared with multidisciplinary collaboration. In addition, public safety awareness should be strengthened, particularly among parents, teachers, and other child caregivers, to reduce and prevent instances of tracheobronchial foreign body accidents in children.

Corrigendum to "Tentative study on radial endobronchial ultrasonography evaluating airway wall thickness before and after bronchial thermoplasty" [Respir. Med. Case Rep. 36 (2022) 101571].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2021.101571.].

Transcanal endoscopic treatment for congenital middle ear cholesteatoma in children.

To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of transcanal endoscopic treatment for congenital middle ear cholesteatoma in children. Eleven children diagnosed with congenital middle ear cholesteatoma, who underwent total ear endoscopic surgery under general anesthesia, were included from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital between January 2016 and December 2020. We retrospectively analyzed their operation process and surgical complications through the surgical video; moreover, we compared the pre- and postoperative hearing outcomes. One child underwent a planned second operation to reconstruct the ossicular chain. At 6 postoperative months, all 11 children underwent reexamination. There was no significant change and a significant decrease in the mean bone and air conduction hearing thresholds, respectively (P > .05 and P < .05); moreover, there was a significant reduction in the air-bone conduction difference (P < .05). Further, the air-bone conduction difference was reduced to >20 dB and >10 dB in 11 and 7 children, respectively. Follow-up of the children did not reveal sensorineural deafness, facial paralysis, and other serious complications; further, there were no cases of recurrence. Transcanal endoscopic treatment for congenital middle ear cholesteatoma in children is feasible, minimally invasive, and functional.

Construction of the Six-lncRNA Prognosis Signature as a Novel Biomarker in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignant gastrointestinal tumor threatening global human health. For patients diagnosed with ESCC, determining the prognosis is a huge challenge. Due to their important role in tumor progression, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be putative molecular candidates in the survival prediction of ESCC patients. Here, we obtained three datasets of ESCC lncRNA expression profiles (GSE53624, GSE53622, and GSE53625) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The method of statistics and machine learning including survival analysis and LASSO regression analysis were applied. We identified a six-lncRNA signature composed of AL445524.1, AC109439.2, LINC01273, AC015922.3, LINC00547, and PSPC1-AS2. Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses were conducted, and the prognostic ability and predictive independence of the lncRNA signature were found in three ESCC datasets. In the entire set, time-dependent ROC curve analysis showed that the prediction accuracy of the lncRNA signature was remarkably greater than that of TNM stage. ROC and stratified analysis indicated that the combination of six-lncRNA signature with the TNM stage has the highest accuracy in subgrouping ESCC patients. Furthermore, experiments subsequently confirmed that one of the lncRNAs LINC01273 may play an oncogenic role in ESCC. This study suggested the six-lncRNA signature could be a valuable survival predictor for patients with ESCC and have potential to be an auxiliary biomarker of TNM stage to subdivide ESCC patients more accurately, which has important clinical significance.

Mild Three-Step Consecutive C-H Activations.

Herein, the Rh-catalyzed consecutive C-H bond olefination/annulation/olefination cascade, tandemly directed by sulfonamide and ester groups, has been developed under mild conditions with the assistance of 1-adamantane carboxylic acid. A seven-membered metallacycle including an ester group was preferred to the five-membered one including a sulfonamide group for the third C-H activation. In this transformation, the Rh catalyst exhibits its high reactivity by catalyzing a triple C-H activation process with a low catalyst loading at 50 °C. This method can be applied in the construction of various pharmaceutical derivatives.

Endoscopic percutaneous suture lateralization with syringe needles for neonatal bilateral vocal cord paralysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the novel technique of percutaneous endoscopic suture lateralization for bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP) in neonates from Shenzhen, China, and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the operation. METHODS: In this retrospective case series, we present four neonates with BVCP diagnosed within 3 days after birth from Shenzhen Children's Hospital. All had stridor, respiratory distress and hypoxemia requiring respiratory support at diagnosis. Endoscopic vocal fold lateralization was performed under general anesthesia using 3.0 mm endotracheal intubation through the improved technique of percutaneous needle-directed placement of a 4-0 Prolene suture, without the use of specialized equipment. A 4-0 Prolene wire was led out through two 10 ml syringe needles, the left vocal cord was fully moved and fixed under the skin with endoscopy monitoring. RESULTS: Overall, 3/4 of the patients showed clinical improvement in stridor and dyspnea 2-3 weeks after the operation and avoided a tracheostomy, two of them could breathe and feed normally when they were discharged from hospital, and one patient had a weak ability to suck but could breathe normally. The last patient had to undergo a tracheotomy due to the poor improvement in respiratory distress. None of the babies experienced any complications from this surgery, but case four presented with a series of complications and other problems in postoperative care related to the tracheostomy. At the last follow-up (mean 8 months), complete function of the bilateral vocal cords was acquired in case two (6 months) and partial function of the vocal cords was acquired in case one (13 months), with the other cases still experiencing paralysis. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic percutaneous suture lateralization may be a reversible, effective and minimally invasive primary treatment for neonatal BVCP. Most of neonates with BVCP undergoing this procedure avoided a tracheotomy.

Chloramphenicol-activated electro-chemiluminescent behavior of BNQDs-Ru(phen)32+ system for ultra-sensitive sensing of chloramphenicol in pharmaceutical and milk samples.

To improve the sensitivity for electro-chemiluminescent (ECL) detection of chloramphenicol (CAP), a common broad-spectrum antibiotic, boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) were prepared with excellent photoelectric property and low toxicity. After its structure and electrochemical property were investigated in detail, it was noted that the ECL signal of Ru(Phen)32+could be strengthened by the proposed BNQDs, which was further activated by ten's times in the presence of CAP. Under the optimized conditions, there was an excellent linear relationship between ΔECL and lgcCAPin a wide linear range from 1.0 × 10-10to 1.0 × 10-6mol l-1CAP. The detection limit was super-low to be 3.3 × 10-11mol l-1(S/N = 3). When applied for CAP detection in real pharmaceutical and food samples, the recoveries were between 97.8% and 105.7% with R.S.D. less than 3.3%. A possible CAP-activated ECL mechanism of BNQDs-Ru(phen)32+was also proposed. This work will offer a great potential for efficient monitoring of CAP pollution and clinical diagnosing of CAP-related diseases in future.

Chloramphenicol-activated electro-chemiluminescent behavior of BNQDs-Ru(phen)32+ system for ultra-sensitive sensing of chloramphenicol in pharmaceutical and milk samples.

To improve the sensitivity for electro-chemiluminescent (ECL) detection of chloramphenicol (CAP), a common broad-spectrum antibiotic, boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) were prepared with excellent photoelectric property and low toxicity. After its structure and electrochemical property were investigated in detail, it was noted that the ECL signal of Ru(Phen)32+ could be strengthened by the proposed BNQDs, which was further activated by ten's times in the presence of CAP. Under the optimized conditions, there was an excellent linear relationship between △ECL and lgcCAP in a wide linear range from 1.0×10-10 to 1.0×10-6 mol/L CAP. The detection limit was super-low to be 3.3×10-11 mol/L (S/N=3). When applied for CAP detection in real pharmaceutical and food samples, the recoveries were between 97.8 and 105.7 % with R.S.D. less than 3.3%. A possible CAP-activated ECL mechanism of BNQDs-Ru(phen)32+ was also proposed. This work will offer a great potential for efficient monitoring of CAP pollution and clinical diagnosing of CAP-related diseases in future.

Acupuncture: A therapeutic approach against acne.

Acne is a common but chronic skin disease that influence large population especially juvenile. Acne can continue, begin, or grow into severe form in adult age, affecting face, back, and chest. It may be a serious issue if not cared or treated timely. Even if acne got treated it leaves a persistent scar, which is difficult to alleviate. These acne lesions are long-lasting and result in significant impact on mental and physical health of an individual. There are four mechanisms that are involved in acne lesion formation. However, the accurate series of events of the interaction among the factors in acne pathogenesis is still unsettled. Pubescent acne is due to increase hormone levels, when in fact adult acne is due to fluctuation in hormone levels. There are various approaches for the treatment of acne, including oral medications, creams or gels, acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medicine stated acne as a infection that is associated with the pathogenic influence of damp heat and heat on specific meridians. As an ancient and integral part of Chinese medicine acupuncture therapy is employed in the treatment of many diseases including acne. It functions by ameliorating the deep-rooted mechanisms playing crucial role in acne development. In this review, we have explained the acne causes, pathogenesis, and its available treatment options. Additionally, we also discussed the acupuncture therapy methods, devices, different techniques. and its mechanism of action in treating acne. Furthermore, clinical trials studies motivated us to highlight the scope of acupuncture in the growing system of medicine.

Presentation and management of nasal foreign bodies in a Chinese metro area.

ABSTRACT: Nasal foreign bodies in children are common complaints encountered by pediatric otolaryngologists. We investigated clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of nasal foreign bodies in children in a Chinese metro area.Six hundred sixty eight children with nasal foreign bodies presented to Shenzhen Children's Hospital, diagnosed and treated by the authors were enrolled from January 2016 to October 2019, causes for medical consultation, age, sex, duration, types, locations, removal, and complications were recorded and analyzed.Nasal foreign bodies were common in children between 1 and 5 years of ages (96.8%). The right nasal cavity (61.4%) was the most common site for foreign body insertion (61.4%). Most of the children (89.4%) presented for a complaint of nasal discomfort or foreign body insertion themselves, or for foreign body impaction discovered by the caregivers. Most of the foreign bodies (85.0%) were discovered within 1 day. The most nasal foreign bodies were the whole toys and toy parts (34.1%). The majority of nasal foreign bodies (99.1%) located in the antero-inferior portion of the nasal cavities and could be removed with simple instruments. The occurrence of complications in nasal foreign bodies (10.2%) was not common.The present study objectively exhibited clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of nasal foreign bodies in a Chinese metro area.

Cobalt-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Adsorption of CO2 and C2 Hydrocarbons: Effect of Auxiliary Ligands with Different Functional Groups.

Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been investigated as potential materials for CO2 capture and light hydrocarbon storage/separation due to their high porosity, large surface area, and tunable skeleton structures. In this work, the six cobalt-based MOFs 1-6 were successfully synthesized under solvothermal conditions by a mixed-ligand strategy. 1 and 2 have the same framework structure with a topology of {42·5}2{44·510·67·76·8}, while the structures of the 3-6 frameworks are the same with a topology of {42·5}2{44·510·69·74·8}. The adsorption properties of these MOFs for CO2 and C2 hydrocarbons were then investigated, and the effect of the functional groups was discussed. The results revealed that the introduction of amino and bromo groups could effectively strengthen the adsorption performance.

Evaluation Model for Hospital Response Capability for Public Health Emergency.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore and create an evaluation model to assess hospital response capability for a public health emergency (PHE). METHODS: Grounded theory was used to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system. Combining with the index system and previous studies and policy documents, we investigated surge capability of hospitals in a PHE. The factor analysis method was used to establish the model. RESULTS: The comprehensive evaluation system with 11 primary and 30 secondary indicators was constructed. A total of 89 secondary and tertiary hospitals were surveyed in China. The evaluation model (C = 0.587C1 + 0.151C2 + 0.140C3 + 0.122C4) was established. Four factors were identified, namely, preparation factor, treatment factor, emergency awareness factor, and prehospital first-aid factor. CONCLUSIONS: A public health emergency could bring huge losses and a capable hospital response was necessary. There was an urgent need to evaluate hospital capability for a PHE.

Deficiency of ß-arrestin2 exacerbates inflammatory arthritis by facilitating plasma cell formation.

ß-arrestin2 (ß-arr2) is, a key protein that mediates desensitization and internalization of G protein-coupled receptors and participates in inflammatory and immune responses. Deficiency of ß-arr2 has been found to exacerbate collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) through unclear mechanisms. In this study we tried to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ß-arr2 depletion-induced exacerbation of CAIA. CAIA was induced in ß-arr2-/- and wild-type (WT) mice by injection of collagen antibodies and LPS. The mice were sacrificed on d 13 after the injection, spleen, thymus and left ankle joints were collected for analysis. Arthritis index (AI) was evaluated every day or every 2 days. We showed that ß-arr2-/- mice with CAIA had a further increase in the percentage of plasma cells in spleen as compared with WT mice with CAIA, which was in accordance with elevated serum IgG1 and IgG2A expression and aggravating clinical performances, pathologic changes in joints and spleen, joint effusion, and joint blood flow. Both LPS stimulation of isolated B lymphocytes in vitro and TNP-LPS challenge in vivo led to significantly higher plasma cell formation and antibodies production in ß-arr2-/- mice as compared with WT mice. LPS treatment induced membrane distribution of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on B lymphocytes, accordingly promoted the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and the transcription of Blimp1. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed that more TLR4 colocalized with ß-arr2 in B lymphocytes in response to LPS stimulation. Depletion of ß-arr2 restrained TLR4 on B lymphocyte membrane after LPS treatment and further enhanced downstream NF-κB signaling leading to additional increment in plasma cell formation. In summary, ß-arr2 depletion exacerbates CAIA and further increases plasma cell differentiation and antibody production through inhibiting TLR4 endocytosis and aggravating NF-κB signaling.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C(sp2)-H Chemoselective Annulation to O-Cyclized Isochromen-imines from Benzamides.

Through the development of ligands and reaction conditions, the Rh(III)-catalyzed selective annulation of benzamides with internal alkynes has been achieved to the formation of O-cyclized isochromen-imines. Various substituents are well-tolerated under mild reaction conditions. Density functional theory calculations indicate that silver carbonate could act as a Lewis acid to assist the ligand to improve the chemical selectivity of the reaction in a catalytic system.