Peripheral hemoglobin to albumin ratio predicts prognosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the hemoglobin to albumin ratio (HAR) has been shown to be closely associated with the survival of certain malignancies. However, its prognostic value in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remained to be elucidated. Herein, we aimed to explore the correlation between HAR and overall survival (OS) in NPC patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: This retrospective study included a total of 858 patients with NPC receiving CCRT between January 2010 and December 2014 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. We randomly divided them into the training cohort (N = 602) and the validation cohort (N = 206). We performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify variables associated with OS, based on which, a predictive nomogram was constructed and assessed. RESULTS: In both the training and validation cohorts, patients were classified into low- and high-HAR groups according to the cutoff value determined by the maximally selected rank statistics. This HAR cutoff value effectively divided patients into two distinct prognostic groups with significant differences. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed that higher T-stage, N-stage, and HAR values were significantly related to poorer prognosis in NPC patients and served as independent prognostic factors for NPC. Based on these, a predictive model was constructed and graphically presented as a nomogram, whose predictive performance is satisfactory with a C-index of 0.744 [95%CI: 0.679-0.809] and superior to traditional TNM staging system [C-index = 0.609, 95%CI: 0.448-0.770]. CONCLUSION: The HAR value was an independent predictor for NPC patients treated with CCRT, the predictive model based on HAR with superior predictive performance than traditional TNM staging system might improve individualized survival predictions.

Changes in urinary renal injury markers in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and a prediction model for related early renal injury.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyse changes in urinary kidney injury markers in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), investigate the risk factors for MPP-related acute kidney injury (AKI) and establish a model to predict MPP-related AKI. METHODS: Ninety-five children were enrolled based on the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were divided into a severe MPP (SMPP) group and a non-SMPP group and then into an AKI group and a non-AKI group according to the presence of AKI. A univariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the early risk factors for AKI. Based on a multivariate logistic regression analysis and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis, appropriate variables were selected to establish a prediction model, and R 4.2.2 software was used to draw nomograms and generate a dynamic nomogram website. RESULTS: Seven urinary kidney injury markers were abnormally elevated in the SMPP group and the non-SMPP group: urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), ß2-microglobulin, α1-microglobulin, retinol-binding protein, urinary immunoglobulin G, urinary transferrin and urinary microalbumin. Sixteen children were identified with AKI during hospitalisation. The AKI group had higher levels of urinary NAG, α1-microglobulin, ß2-microglobulin, urinary microalbumin, urinary transferrin and retinol-binding protein than the non-AKI group (P < 0.05). The MPP-related AKI prediction model consists of four indicators (serum immunoglobulin M [IgM], C-reactive protein [CRP], urine NAG and sputum plug presence) and a dynamic nomogram. CONCLUSION: Urinary kidney injury markers are often elevated in children with MPP; urinary NAG is the marker most likely to be elevated, and it is especially evident in severe cases. The nomogram of the prediction model, comprising serum IgM, CRP, urinary NAG and sputum plug presence, can predict the probability of AKI in children with MPP.

Tourniquet Use and Local Tissue Concentrations of Cefazolin During Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Prophylactic administration of antibiotics before skin incision is an important component in the prevention of periprosthetic joint infection in arthroplasty surgery. For antibiotics to be effective, the local tissue concentration (LTC) must exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration of typical infecting organisms; however, the LTC of cefazolin during arthroplasty is poorly understood. Objective: To compare the systemic concentration of cefazolin in serum with the LTC in fat, synovium, and bone during primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) while assessing the effect of tourniquet inflation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted from March 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, in patients undergoing TKA at a single academic center. Intervention: Total knee arthroplasty with or without a limb tourniquet. Main Outcomes and Measures: Systemic blood and local tissues from the surgical site (fat, synovium, and bone) were harvested at regular intervals during the surgery. The primary outcome was the LTC of cefazolin, quantified using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique. Results: A total of 59 patients were included in the study, with 29 in the tourniquet group (mean [SD] age, 69.3 [9.6] years; 23 [79.3%] female) and 30 in the no tourniquet group (mean [SD] age, 69.9 [9.7] years; 21 [70.0%] female). In patients undergoing TKA without a tourniquet, the mean concentration of cefazolin in serum was 71.9 µg/mL (95% CI, 66.4-77.5 µg/mL), whereas the mean LTCs were 13.9 µg/g (95% CI, 12.1-15.7 µg/g) in fat, 27.7 µg/g (95% CI, 24.3-31.0 µg/g) in synovium, and 17.7 µg/g (95% CI, 14.8-20.5 µg/g) in bone. For patients undergoing TKA with a tourniquet, the mean concentration of cefazolin in serum was 72.0 µg/mL (95% CI, 66.3-77.7 µg/mL), and the mean LTCs were 9.9 µg/g (95% CI, 8.7-11.1 µg/g) in fat, 21.8 µg/g (95% CI, 18.7-25.0 µg/g) in synovium, and 13.0 µg/g (95% CI, 10.8-15.2 µg/g) in bone. The use of a tourniquet resulted in significantly lower mean LTCs by 60 minutes after cefazolin infusion (10.8 µg/g [95% CI, 9.1-12.4 µg/g] vs 16.9 µg/g [95% CI, 14.1-19.6 µg/g], P = .001 in fat; 18.9 µg/g [95% CI, 14.1-23.6 µg/g] vs 25.8 µg/g [95% CI, 21.4-30.3 µg/g], P = .03 in synovium; and 11.8 µg/g [95% CI, 9.3-14.2 µg/g] vs 19.4 µg/g [95% CI, 14.5-24.4 µg/g], P = .007 in bone). Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, the concentration of cefazolin was lower in local tissues (fat, synovium, and bone) than in systemic blood, and the use of a limb tourniquet further significantly reduced these concentrations. Although the current prophylactic dosing regimen for cefazolin provides sufficient serum concentrations, the levels in the periarticular tissue during TKA may be insufficient to prevent periprosthetic joint infection. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05604157.

Prognostic significance of the novel immunonutritional marker of cholesterol-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a strong correlation between the novel cholesterol-to-lymphocyte ratio (CLR) and tumor survival, its prognostic significance in breast cancer (BC) is unknown. After analyzing the relationship between CLR and the overall survival (OS) of patients with BC, we created a predictive model. METHODS: Following retrospective enrollment, 1316 patients with BC were randomized into two cohorts: validation (n = 392) and training (n = 924). Distinct factors within the training dataset were identified for OS by univariate and multivariate Cox analyses; two-tailed P-value < 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. On this premise, we developed novel signals for survival prediction and utilized the calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic curves, and concordance index (C-index) to validate their efficacy across both datasets. RESULTS: Patients with BC were categorized into two categories with differing prognoses based on the CLR score [hazard ratio = 0.492; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.286-0.846, P = 0.009]. A prediction nomogram was created based on multivariate analysis, which showed that N stage, postoperative pathological categorization, and CLR score were all independently correlated with OS. In the training [C-index = 0.831 (95% CI: 0.788-0.874)] and validation [C-index = 0.775 (95% CI: 0.694-0.856)] cohorts, the nomogram demonstrated favorable performance in predicting OS. In both the training and validation cohorts, it outperformed the traditional staging system [C-index = 0.702 (95% CI: 0.623-0.782)] and [C-index = 0.709 (95% CI: 0.570-0.847)]. The accurate prediction by the signature was further demonstrated by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves. CONCLUSIONS: The novel immunonutritional marker CLR could function as a simplified, cost-effective, easily accessible, non-invasive, and readily promotive prognostic indicator for patients with early-stage BC and demonstrates superior predictive power than the traditional staging system.

Underlying Mechanism of Fluoride Inhibits Colonic Gland Cells Proliferation by Inducing an Inflammation Response.

The integrity of colonic gland cells is a prerequisite for normal colonic function and maintenance. To evaluate the underlying injury mechanisms in colonic gland cells induced by excessive fluoride (F), forty-eight female Kunming mice were randomly allocated into four groups and treated with different concentrations of NaF (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg F-/L) for 70 days. As a result, the integrity of the colonic mucosa and the cell layer was seriously damaged after F treatment, as manifested by atrophy of the colonic glands, colonic cell surface collapse, breakage of microvilli, and mitochondrial vacuolization. Alcian blue and periodic acid Schiff staining revealed that F decreased the number of goblet cells and glycoprotein secretion. Furthermore, F increased the protein expression of TLR4, NF-κB, and ERK1/2 and decreased IL-6, interfered with NF-κB signaling, following induced colonic gland cells inflammation. The accumulation of F inhibited proliferation via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, as characterized by decreased mRNA and protein expression of JAK, STAT3, STAT5, PCNA, and Ki67 in colon tissue. Additionally, the expression of CDK4 was up-regulated by increased F concentration. In conclusion, excessive F triggered colonic inflammation and inhibited colonic gland cell proliferation via regulation of the NF-κB and JAK/STAT signaling pathways, leading to histopathology and barrier damage in the colon. The results explain the damaging effect of the F-induced inflammatory response on the colon from the perspective of cell proliferation and provide a new idea for explaining the potential mechanism of F-induced intestinal damage.

The CXCR4 might be a potential biomarker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between CXCL12/CXCR4 and the progress, prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), providing evidence for potential early diagnosis, clinical treatment, prognosis evaluation, and therapeutic target of ESCC. METHODS: Databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for the relationship between CXCL12/CXCR4 and clinicopathological characteristics and survival time of ESCC. Stata16.0 software was used to conduct meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies involving 1216 cases of patients with ESCC were included in our study. The results indicated that high-level expression of CXCR4 was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation [OR = 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): (0.50, 0.97)], tumor infiltration [OR = 0.39, 95% CI: (0.25, 0.61)], lymph node metastasis [OR = 0.36, 95% CI: (0.21, 0.61)], clinical stage [OR = 0.33, 95% CI: (0.24, 0.45)] of ESCC. The expression of CXCR4 was also significantly correlated with OS [HR = 2.00, 95% CI: (1.63, 2.45)] and disease-free survival [HR = 1.76, 95% CI: (1.44, 2.15)] in patients of ESCC after surgical resection. No significant relationship was observed between the expression of CXCL12 and the clinicopathological characteristics of ESCC. CONCLUSION: CXCR4 might be a potential biomarker for the progress and prognosis evaluation, and therapeutic target for ESCC.

Clinical application of two types of Hook-Wire needle localization procedures for pulmonary small nodule biopsy.

BACKGROUND: With the widespread use of low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) and increasing awareness of personal health, the detection rate of pulmonary nodules is steadily rising. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success rate and safety of two different models of Hook-Wire needle localization procedures for pulmonary small nodule biopsy. METHODS: Ninety-four cases with a total of 97 pulmonary small nodules undergoing needle localization biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were divided into two groups: Group A, using breast localization needle steel wire (Bard Healthcare Science Co., Ltd.); Group B, using disposable pulmonary nodule puncture needle (SensCure Biotechnology Co., Ltd.). All patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for nodule removal on the same day after localization and biopsy. The puncture localization operation time, success rate, complications such as pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and postoperative comfort were observed and compared. RESULTS: In Group A, the average localization operation time for 97 nodules was 15.47 ± 5.31 minutes, with a success rate of 94.34%. The complication rate was 71.69% (12 cases of pneumothorax, 35 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage, 2 cases of hemoptysis), and 40 cases of post-localization discomfort were reported. In Group B, the average localization operation time was 25.32 ± 7.83 minutes, with a 100% success rate. The complication rate was 29.55% (3 cases of pneumothorax, 15 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage, 0 cases of hemoptysis), and 3 cases reported postoperative discomfort. According to the data analysis in this study, Group B had a lower incidence of puncture-related complications than Group A, along with a higher success rate and significantly greater postoperative comfort. CONCLUSIONS: The disposable pulmonary nodule puncture needle is safer and more effective in pulmonary small nodule localization biopsy, exhibiting increased comfort compared to the breast localization needle. Additionally, the incidence of complications is significantly lower.

Visualization and Analysis of Infectious Disease Research on Nursing Care Based on CiteSpace in China.

Objective: To analyze the relevant research publications on infectious disease nursing in China to understand the current research status of infectious disease in nursing. Methods: Retrieve relevant literature on infectious disease in nursing from the establishment of the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, and Wanfang Database until May 10, 2021. Conduct bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace software. Key words were analyzed using cluster analysis. Results: A total of 4693 relevant literature on infectious disease research in nursing care were included in this study. The overall number of publications on infectious disease research in nursing showed an increasing trend, with a peak in 2010. There were 324 papers funded by scientific research funds, mainly from provincial-level fund projects. The core journal with the most published articles was Nursing Research. The research on infectious disease in nursing mainly focused on various aspects of infectious disease in nursing and infection control. CiteSpace cluster analysis of keywords showed that a total of six clusters were formed: infectious diseases, infectious disease care, health education, mental health, infectious disease nurses, and etiology. After 2015, high-mutation keywords included "quality nursing" and "infection control". Conclusion: Chinese research on infectious disease research in nursing closely follows clinical reality and has developed rapidly. Currently, research focuses on infectious disease research in nursing and infection control. Future research trends will further broaden the depth and breadth of the research, enhance research on infection control and quality nursing, and improve the breadth and depth of the research.

Description of a new species of Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and a key to species of the F. (L.) taiwana species group in China.

Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) (Meigen, Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) penguin sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on male specimens from China. It is characterized by the approximately rectangular aedeagus, which is longitudinally split in the middle, with the apices slightly bending to the outside, making it into the shape of a hook; bilobed aedeagus is very closely connected. The description is provided using scanning electron microscopes, light microscopes, and camera lucida drawing. The specimens were collected from woods near a pond in Liping County, Guizhou Province. We provide both keys to male and female of Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) taiwana species group in China.

Relationship between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma risk and alcohol-related ALDH2 and ADH1B polymorphisms: Evidence from a meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that ALDH2 and ADH1B genes may be associated with alcohol metabolism and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), with inconsistent results. This meta-analysis aimed at comprehensively assessing the associations between ALDH2 and ADH1B polymorphisms and the risk of ESCC to synthesize and clarify the evidence. METHODS: We calculated summary estimates of the associations between four genetic variants (rs671 and rs674 in ALDH2, and rs1229984 and rs1042026 in ADH1B) and the ESCC risk across 23 publications in the additive model and allelic model. Venice criteria, Bayesian false discovery probability (BFDP), and false-positive reporting probability (FPRP) were used to assess the strength of epidemiological evidence. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated by using the Higgin's I2 statistic, and publication bias was assessed by using funnel plots and Begg's test. A Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to determine the causal association between alcohol intake and esophageal cancer risk. Data from the HaploReg v4.1 and PolyPhen-2 were analyzed for functional annotations. RESULTS: Of the four genetic variants, rs671 of ALDH2 was associated with a significantly reduced risk of ESCC (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.50-0.73), whereas rs1229984 of ADH1B was associated with a significantly increased risk (2.50, 95% CI: 1.70-3.69) in the additive model. In the allelic model, the variant rs1229984 of ADH1B also increased the risk of ESCC (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.21-1.87). The result for the variant rs671 was considered as strong epidemiological evidence. Functional annotations identified that the four variants were related to the enhancer histone marks and motif changes. The other two variants were not associated with the ESCC risk (rs674 of ALDH2 OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.71-2.12; rs1042026 of ADH1B OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.52-3.14) in the additive model. The MR analysis did not find a causal effect of alcohol on the esophageal cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that ADH1B rs1229984 was significantly associated with an increased the risk of ESCC.

Prognostic significance of the novel nutrition-inflammation marker of lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Recent studies indicate that the novel lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) is strongly associated with the survival of various tumors, but its prognostic value in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is understudied. This study aimed to explore the relationship between LCR and overall survival (OS) in NPC and develop a predictive model. Methods: A total of 841 NPC patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) between January 2010 and December 2014 were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 589) and a validation cohort (n = 252), and 122 patients between January 2015 and March 2015 were included as an additional validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to identify variables associated with OS and construct a predictive nomogram. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated and independently validated. Results: The LCR score differentiated NPC patients into two groups with distinct prognoses (HR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32-0.89, P = 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed that age, T stage, N stage, EBV-DNA status, and LCR score were independently associated with OS, and a predictive nomogram was developed. The nomogram had a good performance for the prediction of OS [C-index = 0.770 (95% CI: 0.675-0.864)]. and outperformed the traditional staging system [C-index = 0.589 (95% CI: 0.385-0.792)]. The results were internally and additionally validated using independent cohorts. Conclusion: The pretreatment LCR could independently predict the overall survival in NPC patients. A novel LCR-based prognostic model of an easy-to-use nomogram was established, and it outperformed the conventional staging system in terms of predictive power. Further external verification remains necessary.

Development of Neovasculature in Axially Vascularized Calcium Phosphate Cement Scaffolds.

Augmenting the vascular supply to generate new tissues, a crucial aspect in regenerative medicine, has been challenging. Recently, our group showed that calcium phosphate can induce the formation of a functional neo-angiosome without the need for microsurgical arterial anastomosis. This was a preclinical proof of concept for biomaterial-induced luminal sprouting of large-diameter vessels. In this study, we investigated if sprouting was a general response to surgical injury or placement of an inorganic construct around the vessel. Cylindrical biocement scaffolds of differing chemistries were placed around the femoral vein. A contrast agent was used to visualize vessel ingrowth into the scaffolds. Cell populations in the scaffold were mapped using immunohistochemistry. Calcium phosphate scaffolds induced 2.7-3 times greater volume of blood vessels than calcium sulphate or magnesium phosphate scaffolds. Macrophage and vSMC populations were identified that changed spatially and temporally within the scaffold during implantation. NLRP3 inflammasome activation peaked at weeks 2 and 4 and then declined; however, IL-1ß expression was sustained over the course of the experiment. IL-8, a promoter of angiogenesis, was also detected, and together, these responses suggest a role of sterile inflammation. Unexpectedly, the effect was distinct from an injury response as a result of surgical placement and also was not simply a foreign body reaction as a result of placing a rigid bioceramic next to a vein, since, while the materials tested had similar microstructures, only the calcium phosphates tested elicited an angiogenic response. This finding then reveals a potential path towards a new strategy for creating better pro-regenerative biomaterials.

Application of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) techniques to remove heavy metal in the natural environment: A critical review.

The occurrence of imbalanced heavy metals concentration due to anthropogenic hindrances in the aquatic and terrestrial environment has become a potential risk to life after circulating through different food chains. The microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method has gradually received great attention from global researchers but the underlying mechanism of heavy metal mineralization is not well-understood and challenging, limiting the applications in wastewater engineering. This paper reviews the metabolic pathways, mechanisms, operational factors, and mathematical/modeling approaches in the MICP process. Subsequently, the recent advancement in MICP for the remediation of heavy metal pollution is being discussed. In the follow-up, the key challenges and prospective associated with technical bottlenecks of MICP method are elaborated. The prospective study reveals that MICP technology could be efficiently used to remediate heavy metal contaminants from the natural environment in a cost-effective way and has the potential to improve soil properties while remediating heavy metal contaminated soil.

Molybdenum-Induced Apoptosis of Splenocytes and Thymocytes and Changes of Peripheral Blood in Sheep.

To investigate the effects of molybdenum (Mo) on apoptosis of lymphocytes and changes of peripheral blood in sheep, a total of 20 5-month-old healthy female sheep were randomly divided into five groups of 4 and orally administered with water containing Na2MoO4·2H2O (0, 5, 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. Jugular vein blood was taken on the 0th, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of Mo treatment, respectively. On the 28th day, the spleen and thymus were removed for observing histopathology and apoptosis-related DNA damage by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and TdT­mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. The blood routine indexes were determined by an automatic blood analyzer. Further, the apoptosis of lymphocytes and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results showed that excessive Mo induced apoptosis-related DNA damage in the splenocytes and thymocytes and significantly increased the apoptosis indexes of the splenocytes and thymocytes (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the treatment with excessive Mo significantly decreased the MMP (P < 0.01) and promoted apoptosis in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.01). And the number of WBC, Lymph, Gran, and RBC and the indexes of HGB and HCT were also significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while RDW was significantly increased by excessive Mo (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In conclusion, excessive Mo-induced DNA damage and apoptosis of the lymphocytes changed the RBC-related indexes of the peripheral blood in sheep.

Th17-Related Cytokines Involved in Fluoride-Induced Cecal and Rectal Barrier Damage of Ovariectomized Rats.

To investigate fluoride (F)-induced intestine barrier damage and the role of estrogen deficiency in this progress, a rat model of estrogen deficiency was established through bilateral surgical removal of ovaries. The F exposure model was then continued by adding sodium fluoride (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L, calculated on a fluorine ion basis) to drinking water for 90 days. Afterward, intestinal mucosal structure, barrier function, and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated. The results showed that excessive F decreased the developmental parameters (crypt depth) of the cecum and rectum and inhibited the proliferation capacity of the intestinal epithelia, which are more obvious in the state of estrogen deficiency. The distribution of goblet cells and glycoproteins in the intestinal mucosa decreased with the increase in F concentration, and estrogen deficiency led to a further decline, especially in the rectum. Using the immunofluorescence method, the study showed that excessive F caused interleukin-17A (IL-17A) significantly decrease in the cecum and increase in the rectum. Meanwhile, F treatment remarkably upregulated the expression of intestinal IL-1ß, IL-23, and IL-22, while the level of IL-6 was downregulated. In addition, estrogen deficiency increased IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-23, and IL-22, but decreased IL-17A expression in the cecum and rectum. Collectively, F exposure damaged intestinal morphological structure, inhibited epithelial cell proliferation and mucus barrier function, and resulted in the disturbance of T helper (Th) 17 cell-related cytokines expression. Estrogen deficiency may further aggravate F-induced damage to the cecum and rectum.

Signaling network controlling ROP-mediated tip growth in Arabidopsis and beyond.

Cell polarity operates across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and is essential for specific biological functions of polarized cells. Tip growth is a special type of polarization in which a single and unique polarization site is established and maintained, as for the growth of root hairs and pollen tubes in plants. Extensive studies in past decades have demonstrated that the spatiotemporal localization and activity of Rho of Plants (ROPs), the only class of Rho GTPases in plants, are critical for tip growth. ROPs are switched on or off by different factors to initiate dynamic intracellular activities, leading to tip growth. Recent studies have also uncovered several feedback modules for ROP signaling. In this review, we summarize recent progress on ROP signaling in tip growth, focusing on molecular mechanisms that underlie the dynamic distribution and activity of ROPs in Arabidopsis. We also highlight feedback modules that control ROP-mediated tip growth and provide a perspective for building a complex ROP signaling network. Finally, we provide an evolutionary perspective for ROP-mediated tip growth in Physcomitrella patens and during plant-rhizobia interaction.

Thoracic perivascular adipose tissue inhibits VSMC apoptosis and aortic aneurysm formation in mice via the secretome of browning adipocytes.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dangerous vascular disease without any effective drug therapies so far. Emerging evidence suggests the phenotypic differences in perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) between regions of the aorta are implicated in the development of atherosclerosis evidenced by the abdominal aorta more vulnerable to atherosclerosis than the thoracic aorta in large animals and humans. The prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) is much less than that of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). In this study we investigated the effect of thoracic PVAT (T-PVAT) transplantation on aortic aneurysm formation and the impact of T-PVAT on vascular smooth muscle cells. Calcium phosphate-induced mouse AAA model was established. T-PVAT (20 mg) was implanted around the abdominal aorta of recipient mice after removal of endogenous abdominal PVAT (A-PVAT) and calcium phosphate treatment. Mice were sacrificed two weeks after the surgery and the maximum external diameter of infrarenal aorta was measured. We found that T-PVAT displayed a more BAT-like phenotype than A-PVAT; transplantation of T-PVAT significantly attenuated calcium phosphate-induced abdominal aortic dilation and elastic degradation as compared to sham control or A-PVAT transplantation. In addition, T-PVAT transplantation largely preserved smooth muscle cell content in the abdominal aortic wall. Co-culture of T-PVAT with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) significantly inhibited H2O2- or TNFα plus cycloheximide-induced VSMC apoptosis. RNA sequencing analysis showed that T-PVAT was enriched by browning adipocytes and anti-apoptotic secretory proteins. We further verified that the secretome of mature adipocytes isolated from T-PVAT significantly inhibited H2O2- or TNFα plus cycloheximide-induced VSMC apoptosis. Using proteomic and bioinformatic analyses we identified cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) as a secreted protein significantly increased in T-PVAT. Recombinant COMP protein significantly inhibited VSMC apoptosis. We conclude that T-PVAT exerts anti-apoptosis effect on VSMCs and attenuates AAA formation, which is possibly attributed to the secretome of browning adipocytes.

[Abundance of denitrifying genes and their driving factors in soil under different land use types in the karst region of Northwest Guangxi]. / æ¡‚è¥¿åŒ—å²©æº¶åŒºä¸åŒåœŸåœ°åˆ©ç”¨æ–¹å¼ä¸‹åœŸå£¤åç¡åŒ–åŸºå› ä¸°åº¦åŠå ¶é©±åŠ¨å› ç´ .

To understand the role of denitrifying microbes during vegetation recovery in karst regions, we determined the basic physicochemical properties and abundance of denitrifying microbial functional genes (nirS, nirK, fungal nirK, p450nor, and nosZ) of 13 collected soil samples under three land use types (cropland, grassland, and plantation) in Northwest Guangxi, and investigated the changes in the abundance of denitrifying microbial functional genes and their driving factors. Results showed that soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (TN), and exchangeable calcium (Caexe) in plantation soil were significantly higher than those in cropland and grassland. The abundance of nirS, nirK, p450nor, and nosZ in plantation soil were significantly higher than those in cropland and grassland. Soil pH, TN, and Caexe were positively correlated with the abundance of denitrifying functional genes nirS, nirK, and p450nor. Results of redundancy analysis showed that soil Caexe, pH and TN were the primary factors influencing the abundance of denitrifying functional genes, which accounted for 34.1%, 20.1%, and 16.1% of the total variation, respectively. Such a result suggested that Caexe was the main driver of changes in denitrifying functional genes under different land use types. Overall, vegetation restoration (plantation) could effectively increase soil denitrifying microbe genes abundance in the karst region of Northwest Guangxi, and consequently influence soil nitrogen cycling.

The prevalence, awareness, management and influencing factors of diabetes in middle-aged and elderly in China, evidence from the CHARLS in 2015.

Diabetes seriously affects the health of middle-aged and elderly. What we can do is to suppress the progression and avoid complications of diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, management and influencing factors in middle-aged and elderly diabetics. The data used in our study came from the follow-up survey (2015) of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. After all the questionnaire data of participants was acquired, the first screening step was conducted and the participants without blood glucose or glycosylated hemoglobin test results were excluded. In the second screening step, participants without self-reported diabetes, age <45 were excluded. After data screening, STATA 16.0 software (StataCorp, USA) was used to conduct statistical analysis. Multiple logistics regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of diabetes in middle-aged and elderly. After data screening, A total of 9738 participants were enrolled in the survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2015, including diabetes 1965 and control 7773. The prevalence of diabetes in age >60 (22.20%) was significantly higher than that in age 45 to 60 (16.60%). Age, residence, physical activity, drinking, smoking and body mass index were key influencing factors according to the results of logistics regression. 46.92% diabetics were diagnosed in hospital, 22.14% were diagnosed by community medical care. 1298 among 1965 diabetes patients had standardized medication to control blood glucose, the rate was only 66.01%. The awareness rate of diabetes was only 28.75%, and the monitoring, treatment and accepting medical advice rates were 68.32%, 66.01% and 56.99% separately. The follow-up rate of diabetes was only 14.16%. Diabetes is widely prevalent in the middle-aged and elderly with the prevalence of 16.60% in the participants with age 45 to 60. The rate of self-rated diabetics underestimated the true prevalence of diabetes. Age, residence, physical activity, drinking, smoking and body mass index are key influencing factors to diabetes. Although a national diabetes health management model has been established, the awareness of diabetes was only 28.75%. Standardized diabetes registration and regular follow up should also be strictly implemented.

Estrogen deficiency aggravates fluoride-induced small intestinal mucosa damage and junctional complexes proteins expression disorder in rats.

To investigate the effect of estrogen deficiency on the small intestinal mucosal barrier induced by fluoride (F), F exposure models of ovariectomy (OVX) rats (surgically removed ovaries) and non-OVX rats (normal condition) were established by adding sodium fluoride (NaF) (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L, calculated by F ion) in drinking water for 90 days. The intestinal mucosal histomorphology, mucosal barrier function, and protein expression levels of tight junctions (TJs), adhesion junctions (AJs), and desmosomes were evaluated in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and 5-Bromo-2-deoxyUridine (BrdU) measurement showed that excessive F-induced damage to intestinal epithelial cells and inhibited the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells, eventually decreasing the number of goblet cells and decreasing glycoprotein secretion, as indicated by Alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Further immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that excessive F decreased the protein expression levels of occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), E-cadherin, and desmoplakin (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and enhanced the expression of claudin-2 (P < 0.01), suggesting that cell-to-cell junctions were disrupted. Collectively, F exposure impaired the small intestinal mucosal barrier by inducing damage to intestinal epithelial cells and inhibiting intestinal epithelial cell proliferation. Disorders in the junctional complex protein expression blocked the synergy between intercellular communication and aggravated mucosal injury. In particular, estrogen deficiency exacerbated F-induced enterotoxicity, which provides new explanations for the development and severity of intestinal disease in postmenopausal women with high-F areas.