Salivary Proteome and Intact N-Glycopeptides Analysis Reveal Specific Signatures in Periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a prevalent oral inflammatory disease that can result in tooth loss and is closely linked to type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we analyzed the salivary proteome and intact N-glycopeptides (IGPs) of individuals with mild-moderate, severe, aggressive periodontitis, and periodontitis with T2D, including those treated with antidiabetic drugs, to identify specific signatures associated with the disease. Our results revealed that salivary proteins and glycoproteins were altered in all periodontitis groups (PRIDE ID: 1-20230612-72345), with fucose- and sialic acid-containing N-glycans showing the greatest increase. Additionally, differentially expressed proteins were classified into 9 clusters, including those that were increased in all periodontitis groups and those that were only altered in certain types of periodontitis. Interestingly, treatment with antidiabetic drugs reversed many of the changes observed in the salivary proteome and IGPs in T2D-related periodontitis, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for managing periodontitis in patients with T2D. Consistent with MS/MS results, the expression of salivary IGHA2 and Fucα1-3/6GlcNAc (AAL) was significantly increased in MP. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of periodontitis and highlight the potential of salivary biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of disease progression and treatment response.

Still water run deep: Therapeutic TP effect of ucMSC-Ex via regulating mTOR to enhance autophagy.

Our previous study confirmed that umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-exosomes (ucMSC-Ex) inhibit apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells to exert protective effects. However, the relationship between apoptosis and autophagy in traumatic pancreatitis (TP) has rarely been reported. We dissected the transcriptomics after pancreatic trauma and ucMSC-Ex therapy by high-throughput sequencing. Additionally, we used rapamycin and MHY1485 to regulate mTOR. HE, inflammatory factors and pancreatic enzymatic assays were used to comprehensively determine the local versus systemic injury level, fluorescence staining and electron microscopy were used to detect the effect of autophagy, and observe the expression levels of autophagy-related markers at the gene and protein levels. High-throughput sequencing identified that autophagy played a crucial role in the pathophysiological process of TP and ucMSC-Ex therapy. The results of electron microscopy, immunofluorescence staining, polymerase chain reaction and western blot suggested that therapeutic effect of ucMSC-Ex was mediated by activation of autophagy in pancreatic acinar cells through inhibition of mTOR. ucMSC-Ex can attenuate pancreas injury by inhibiting mTOR to regulate acinar cell autophagy after TP. Future studies will build on the comprehensive sequencing of RNA carried by ucMSC-Ex to predict and verify specific non-coding RNA.

Effect of comprehensive nursing methods in postoperative ICU of children with CHD.

To explore effect of comprehensive nursing in postoperative ICU of children with CHD. The subjects were 50 cases of children with CHD treated in our hospital: 25 cases in the control group: routine nursing, and 25 cases in the observation group: comprehensive nursing intervention. The effective rate of 92.00% in the observation group was significantly higher. The serum-free calcium value (1.07 ± 0.11) mmol/L of the observation group on the first day after surgery was significantly lower, and the observation group's creatine phosphate, the daily average dosage of creatine phosphate per unit body weight was significantly higher. 96.00% of patients in the observation group were significantly higher in nursing satisfaction. The complication rate of 8.00% in observation group was significantly lower. In order to successfully complete the operation schedule and improve the postoperative recovery effect of children, high requirements are placed on nursing staff. The comprehensive nursing method used in the postoperative ICU of children with CHD can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and improve nursing satisfaction.

Multi-level integrative analysis of the roles of lncRNAs and differential mRNAs in the progression of chronic pancreatitis to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant tumors and approximately 5% of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) inevitably develop PDAC. This study aims explore the key gene regulation involved in the progression of CP to PDAC, with a particular emphasis on the function of lncRNAs. RESULTS: A total of 103 pancreatic tissue samples collected from 11 to 92 patients with CP and PDAC, respectively, were included in this study. After normalizing and logarithmically converting the original data, differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and mRNAs (DEGs) in each dataset were selected. To determine the main functional pathways of differential mRNAs, we further annotated DEGs using gene ontology (GO) and analyzed the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. In addition, the interaction between lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA was clarified and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen for key modules and determine hub genes. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the changes in non-coding RNAs and key mRNAs in the pancreatic tissues of patients with CP and PDAC. In this study, 230 lncRNAs and 17,668 mRNAs were included. There were nine upregulated lncRNAs and 188 downregulated lncRNAs. Furthermore, 2334 upregulated differential mRNAs and 10,341 downregulated differential mRNAs were included in the enrichment analysis. From the KEGG enrichment analysis, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, calcium signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, and nicotine addiction exhibited significant differences. Additionally, a total of 52 lncRNAs, 104 miRNAs, and 312 mRNAs were included in the construction of a potential lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. PPI network was established and two of the five central DEGs were created in this module, suggesting that lysophosphatidic acid receptor 1 (LPAR1) and regulator of calcineurin 2 (RCAN2) may play significant roles in the progression from CP to PDAC. Finally, the PCR results suggested that LINC01547/hsa-miR-4694-3p/LPAR1 and LINC00482/hsa-miR-6756-3p/RCAN2 play important roles in the carcinogenesis process of CP. CONCLUSION: Two signaling axes critical in the progression of CP to PDAC were screened out. Our findings will be useful for novel insights into the molecular mechanism and potential diagnostic or therapeutic biomarkers for CP and PDAC.

Comammox bacteria predominate among ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in municipal but not in refinery wastewater treatment plants.

Comammox bacteria have proved to be one dominant and significant ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), however, it still remains unknown about their abundance and diversity in industrial WWTPs. In this study, activated sludge samples from 8 municipal WWTPs and 6 industrial WWTPs treating refinery wastewater were taken and analyzed using qPCR and amoA gene sequencing. Intriguingly, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results suggested that comammox bacteria had a higher numerical abundance compared with ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in municipal WWTPs but did not in refinery WWTPs. Moreover, comammox amoA sequences obtained from high-throughput sequencing were retrieved from all the 8 municipal samples but only 1 industrial sample. Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that N. nitrosa cluster accounted for as high as 79.56% of the total comammox affiliated sequences, which was the most numerically abundant comammox species in municipal WWTPs. This study provided new insights into the abundance and diversity of comammox bacteria in the biological nitrification process in municipal and refinery wastewater treatment systems.

Mechanical behavior and waterproof performance of longitudinal section of tunnel segment joint gasket.

In the construction stage, due to construction errors and longitudinal differential settlement during tunnel operation, the amount of dislocation and opening at the segment joint increases, increasing the likelihood of water leakage. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an in-depth study on the influence of the amount of dislocation and opening at the segment joints on the contact stress of the longitudinal section. Firstly, through theoretical analysis, this paper deduces that the waterproof performance of the gasket depends not only on its own contact area, linear compression stiffness, and Poisson's ratio but also on the height of the segment joint specimen and the amount of joint opening caused by the sinking offset angle. Then, the effects of different openings and dislocations at the segment joints on the contact stress of the segment gasket section were compared using numerical simulation and model experiments. Through numerical simulation, it is found that the dislocation has a greater influence on the longitudinal left section. The average contact stress at 16 mm is 28.3% lower than that at 4 mm, and the influence of the opening amount on the sealing gasket section is greater than that of the dislocation. Combined with the test results, it is also shown that the influence of the opening amount of the waterproof performance at the segment joint is greater than that of the dislocation, and the waterproof rate of the segment gasket section joint is greater than 40% under the modified working condition.

Efficacy and safety of different anti-osteoporotic drugs for the spinal fusion surgery: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Administering anti-osteoporotic agents to patients perioperatively is a widely accepted approach for improving bone fusion rates and reducing the risk of complications. The best anti-osteoporotic agents for spinal fusion surgery remain unclear. AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of different anti-osteoporotic agents in spinal fusion surgery via network meta-analysis. METHODS: Searches were conducted in four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) from inception to November 2022. Any studies that compared anti-osteoporotic agents vs placebo for spinal fusion surgery were included in this network meta-analysis. Outcomes included fusion rate, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and adverse events. Network meta-analysis was performed by R software with the gemtc package. RESULTS: In total, 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this network meta-analysis. Only teriparatide (OR 3.2, 95%CI: 1.4 to 7.8) was more effective than placebo in increasing the fusion rate. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of teriparatide combined with denosumab was the highest (SUCRA, 90.9%), followed by teriparatide (SUCRA, 74.0%), zoledronic acid (SUCRA, 43.7%), alendronate (SUCRA, 41.1%) and risedronate (SUCRA, 35.0%). Teriparatide (MD -15, 95%CI: -28 to -2.7) and teriparatide combined with denosumab (MD -20, 95%CI: -40 to -0.43) were more effective than placebo in decreasing the ODI. The SUCRA of teriparatide combined with denosumab was highest (SUCRA, 90.8%), followed by teriparatide (SUCRA, 74.5%), alendronate (SURCA, 52.7), risedronate (SURCA, 52.1%), zoledronic acid (SURCA, 24.2%) and placebo (SURCA, 5.6%) for ODI. The adverse events were not different between groups. CONCLUSION: This network meta-analysis suggests that teriparatide combined with denosumab and teriparatide alone significantly increase the fusion rate and decrease the ODI without increasing adverse events. Based on current evidence, teriparatide combined with denosumab or teriparatide alone is recommended to increase the fusion rate and to reduce ODI in spinal fusion patients.

The visceral pancreatic neck anterior distance may be an effective parameter to predict post-pancreaticoduodenectomy clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula.

Background: The clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) is significantly correlated with a high post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) mortality rate. Several studies have reported an association between visceral obesity and CR-POPF. Nevertheless, there are many technical difficulties and controversies in the measurement of visceral fat. The aim of this research was to determine whether the visceral pancreatic neck anterior distance (V-PNAD) was a credible predictor for CR-POPF. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 216 patients who underwent PD in our center between January 2016 and August 2021. The correlation of patients' demographic information, imaging variables, and intraoperative data with CR-POPF was assessed. Furthermore, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for six distances (abdominal thickness, visceral thickness, abdominal width, visceral width, abdominal PNAD, V-PNAD) were used to identify the best imaging distance to predict POPF. Results: In the multivariate logistic analysis, V-PNAD (P < 0.01) was the most significant risk factor for CR-POPF after PD. Males with a V-PNAD >3.97 cm or females with a V-PNAD >3.66 cm were included into the high-risk group. The high-risk group had a higher prevalence of CR-POPF (6.5% vs. 45.1%, P < 0.001), intraperitoneal infection (1.9% vs. 23.9%, P < 0.001), pulmonary infection (3.7% vs. 14.1%, P = 0.012), pleural effusion (17.8% vs. 33.8%, P = 0.014), and ascites (22.4% vs. 40.8%, P = 0.009) than the low-risk group. Conclusion: Of all imaging distances, V-PNAD may be the most effective predictor of CR-POPF. Moreover, high-risk patients (males, V-PNAD >3.97 cm; females, V-PNAD >3.66 cm) have a high incidence of CR-POPF and poor short-term post-PD prognosis. Therefore, surgeons should perform PD carefully and take adequate preventive measures to reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula when the patient has a high V-PNAD.

Removing the stumbling block of exosome applications in clinical and translational medicine: expand production and improve accuracy.

Although the clinical application and transformation of exosomes are still in the exploration stage, the prospects are promising and have a profound impact on the future transformation medicine of exosomes. However, due to the limitation of production and poor targeting ability of exosomes, the extensive and rich biological functions of exosomes are restricted, and the potential of clinical transformation is limited. The current research is committed to solving the above problems and expanding the clinical application value, but it lacks an extensive, multi-angle, and comprehensive systematic summary and prospect. Therefore, we reviewed the current optimization strategies of exosomes in medical applications, including the exogenous treatment of parent cells and the improvement of extraction methods, and compared their advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, the targeting ability was improved by carrying drugs and engineering the structure of exosomes to solve the problem of poor targeting ability in clinical transformation. In addition, we discussed other problems that may exist in the application of exosomes. Although the clinical application and transformation of exosomes are still in the exploratory stage, the prospects are promising and have a profound impact on drug delivery, clinical diagnosis and treatment, and regenerative medicine.

Serum uric acid is independently associated with hypertension in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Serum uric acid (UA), as an antioxidant, has been associated with hypertension in the general population. Hypertension is highly prevalent in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM). Owning elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, patients with PM/DM have lower concentrations of UA in comparison with healthy people. We explored a potential association between UA levels and hypertension in PM/DM and evaluated whether this association is independent of hypertension risk factors, PM/DM characteristics and relevant drugs. A total of 472 PM/DM patients were assessed. UA and related laboratory data were measured. Demographic, hypertension-related factors, PM/DM characteristics and drug use were assessed as potential covariates. Results were analyzed using logistic models to test the independence of the association between UA and hypertension. UA levels were higher in hypertension subjects compared to non-hypertensive PM/DM patients [284.70 (239.93-357.38) vs 264.00(222.50-322.75), p = .017]. When adjusted for hypertension risk factors, PM/DM characteristics and drugs, the odds of being a hypertensive PM/DM patient per 1 µmol/L UA increase were significantly increased: odds ratio = 1.473 (95% confidence interval:1.063-2.042, p = .020). This cross-sectional study suggests that UA levels are independently associated with hypertension in PM/DM patients.

Evaluation indices of the temperature difference of subgrade and the optimization of mitigation measures in cold regions.

With the construction and operation of railways in cold regions, the asymmetric deformation of subgrades due to the difference in the transverse ground temperature has become a prominent issue. A comprehensive evaluation of the transverse ground temperature difference and investigation of the corresponding mitigation measures should be conducted to avoid or minimize the damage resulting from this difference, thereby improving subgrade stability and reducing deformation. In this study, the time history variations in the homogeneity and symmetry indices of the ground temperature at typical instances that reflect the spatial and temporal changes in the temperature difference of the subgrade were proposed as evaluation indices. The feasibility of these evaluation indices was verified through numerical models with different types of anti-frost berms. Subsequently, the numerical models were used to analyze the ground temperature evaluation indices of a subgrade with expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation board and polyurethane (PU) insulation board at different locations. Additionally, the performances of each mitigation measure in eliminating or reducing the ground temperature difference were assessed and compared. The results show that all the mitigation measures could improve the homogeneity and symmetry of the ground temperature distribution. The maximum mitigation rates for the homogeneity and symmetry are 97.87% and 45.90%, respectively. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation method for the temperature difference of subgrades constructed in cold regions and a theoretical reference for the selection of anti-frost measures in the design, operation, and maintenance of subgrades in cold regions.

Impact of age on short-term outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A retrospective case-control study of 260 patients.

Background: Although the increase of perioperative complications in the elderly undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) surgery has been recognized, the definition of the "old patient" of PD in the studies is different and there is no accepted cut-off value at present. Methods: 279 consecutive patients who have undergone PD in our center between January 2012 and May 2020 were analyzed. Demographic features, clinical-pathological data and short-term outcomes were collected. The patients were divided into two groups, and the cut-off value (62.5 years) is picked based on the highest Youden Index. Primary endpoints were perioperative morbidity and mortality, and complications were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo Score. Results: A total of 260 patients with PD were included in this study. Postoperative pathology confirmed pancreatic tumors in 62 patients, bile duct tumor in 105, duodenal tumor in 90, and others in 3. Age (OR = 1.09, P < 0.01), and albumin (OR = 0.34, P < 0.05) were significantly correlated with postoperative Clavien-Dindo Score ≥3b. There were 173 (66.5%) patients in the younger group (<62.5 years) and 87 (33.5%) in the elderly group (≥62.5 years). Significant difference between two groups was demonstrated for Clavien-Dindo Score ≥3b (P < 0.01), postoperative pancreatic fistula (P < 0.05), and perioperative deceases (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Age and albumin were significantly correlated with postoperative Clavien-Dindo Score ≥3b, and there was no significant difference in predicting the grade of Clavien-Dindo Score. The cut-off value of elderly patients with PD was 62.5 years old and there were useful in predicting Clavien-Dindo Score ≥3b, pancreatic fistula, and perioperative death.

The future of robotic pancreaticoduodenal surgery: a bibliometric analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) has garnered significant research attention in the last decade. However, no bibliometric studies have been conducted on this field yet. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide an up-to-date analysis of the current state of research, as well as future trends and hotspots in RPD, through a bibliometric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a thorough search of all literature related to RPD in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). We then analyzed this literature for a variety of factors, including authorship, country of origin, institutional affiliations, and keywords. To visualize our findings, we utilized Citespace 6.1.R3, which enabled us to create network visualization maps, perform cluster analysis, and extract burst words. RESULTS: A total of 264 articles were retrieved. Zureikat is the author with the largest contribution in this field, and Surgical Endoscopy and Other International Techniques is the journal with the largest number of papers in this field. The United States is the core research country in this field. The University of Pittsburgh is the most productive institution. According to the data, outcome, pancreas fistula, definition, risk factor, stay, survival, learning curve and experience are recognized as research hotspots in this field. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first bibliometric study in the field of RPD. Our data will help us better understand the development trend of the field, and determine research hotspots and research directions. The research results provide practical information for other scholars to understand key directions and cutting-edge information.

KLF10 upregulates ACSM3 via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to inhibit the malignant progression of melanoma.

Malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer caused by mutations in the DNA of melanocytes. Melanoma is relatively rare compared with other types of skin tumors, but has a highly aggressive biological behavior and consequently, a poorer prognosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of Kruppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) and acyl-CoA medium-chain synthetase 3 (ACSM3) in melanoma progression. KLF10 expression in melanoma tissues was predicted using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). KLF10 expression in healthy and melanoma cells was also detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Cell transfection was performed to overexpress KLF10 or silence ACSM3. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis were detected using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, Transwell and TUNEL assays, respectively. The activity of the ACSM3 promoter was detected using a dual-luciferase reporter assay, and the relationship between KLF10 and ACSM3 was detected using the GEPIA database and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The results demonstrated that KLF10 expression was significantly downregulated in melanoma cells, especially in A375 cells. Compared with the Ov-NC group, KLF10 overexpression significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of melanoma cells and promoted their apoptosis. Similar to KLF10, ACSM3 was also downregulated in A375 cells compared with that in the HEM group, and the GEPIA database analysis and ChIP assay results demonstrated that KLF10 expression was positively associated with ACSM3 expression. Furthermore, silencing ACSM3 significantly reversed the effect of KLF10 overexpression on cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and ACSM3 knockdown increased the levels of phosphorylated (p)-PI3K and p-Akt compared with the levels in the Ov-KLF10 + sh-NC group. Overall, the present study suggested that KLF10 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of melanoma cells by targeting ACSM3 via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Cortical VIP+ Interneurons in the Upper and Deeper Layers Are Transcriptionally Distinct.

Different interneuron classes have distinct laminar distribution patterns which contribute to the layer-specific organization of cortical microcircuits. However, laminar differences within the same interneuron classes are not well recognized. Despite systematic efforts towards neuron cell-type taxonomy in the neocortex by single-cell transcriptomics, less attention has been driven towards laminar differences in interneurons compared to projection neurons. VIP+ interneurons are the major interneuron class that mostly populate superficial layers and mediate disinhibition. A few reports noted the morphological and electrophysiological differences between VIP+ interneurons residing in layers I-III (upper layer) and layers IV-VI (deeper layer), but little is known about their molecular differences. Here, we delineated the laminar difference in their transcriptome employing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data from public databases. Analysis of 1175 high-quality VIP+ interneurons in the primary visual cortex (VISp) showed that the upper layer and deeper layer VIP+ interneurons are transcriptionally distinct distinguished by genes implicated in synapse organization and regulation of membrane potential. Similar differences are also observed in the anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) and primary motor cortex (MOp). Cross-comparing between the top 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with Allen Mouse Brain in situ hybridization database, we identified Tac2 and CxCl14 as potential marker genes of upper layer VIP+ interneurons across most cortical regions. Importantly, such expression patterns are conserved in the human brain. Together, we revealed significant laminar differences in transcriptomic profiles within VIP+ interneurons, which provided new insight into their molecular heterogeneity that may contribute to their functional diversity.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes for treating traumatic pancreatitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic and protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-exosomes (hucMSC-Exs) on traumatic pancreatitis (TP) remain unknown. Here, we established a rat model of TP and evaluated and compared the therapeutic effects of hUC-MSCs and hucMSC-Exs. METHODS: HucMSC-Exs were obtained by ultracentrifugation and identified using transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis. TP rats were treated by tail vein injection of hUC-MSCs and hucMSC-Exs. Their homing in rats was observed by performing fluorescence microscopy. The degree of pancreatic tissue damage was assessed by HE staining, the expression levels of amylase, lipase, and inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA, apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay, and the expression levels of various apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western-blot. The expression levels of apoptosis-related molecular markers were detected by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: The colonization of exosomes was observed in pancreatic tissue. Compared to TP group, the histopathological score of pancreas was significantly decreased in the TP + hUC-MSCs group and TP + hucMSC-Exs group (P < 0.05). Compared to TP group, the activity of serum amylase and lipase was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased, while those of IL-10 and TGF-ß were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The apoptosis index of the TP group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas that of the TP + hUC-MSCs and TP + hucMSC-Exs groups was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Compared to TP group, the expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3 were significantly decreased in the TP + hUC-MSCs group and TP + hucMSC-Exs group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HucMSC-Exs can colonize injured pancreatic tissue, inhibit the apoptosis of acinar cells, and control the systemic inflammatory response to facilitate the repair of pancreatic tissue.

Application of exosomes in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases.

Pancreatic diseases, a serious threat to human health, have garnered considerable research interest, as they are associated with a high mortality rate. However, owing to the uncertain etiology and complex pathophysiology, the treatment of pancreatic diseases is a challenge for clinicians and researchers. Exosomes, carriers of intercellular communication signals, play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases. Exosomes are involved in multiple stages of pancreatic disease development, including apoptosis, immune regulation, angiogenesis, cell migration, and cell proliferation. Thus, extensive alterations in the quantity and variety of exosomes may be indicative of abnormal biological behaviors of pancreatic cells. This phenomenon could be exploited for the development of exosomes as a new biomarker or target of new treatment strategies. Several studies have demonstrated the diagnostic and therapeutic effects of exosomes in cancer and inflammatory pancreatic diseases. Herein, we introduce the roles of exosomes in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic diseases and discuss directions for future research and perspectives of their applications.

Predominance of comammox bacteria among ammonia oxidizers under low dissolved oxygen condition.

Although low-oxygen nitrification can significantly cut down the aeration demand in wastewater treatment plants, little is known about the community dynamics of relevant microorganisms under different oxygen concentrations. Here, by conducting a series of bioreactors with oxygen concentrations of 0%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and 70%, we provided a comprehensive investigation on the behaviors and performances of comammox bacteria (CMX), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) during the nitrification process. Quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that CMX was the dominant ammonia-oxidizer under low oxygen condition (10%) after the four-month operation with the abundance increased by 8.65 times higher than the initial operation, whereas the growth of AOA and AOB was inhibited. Moreover, Nitrospira nitrosa dominated the CMX species (relative abundance >96%) in low dissolved oxygen concentrations, while Nitrospira nitrificans (3.39%) seemed to prefer high oxygen conditions. Our study indicates the long-term effects of oxygen concentrations on the niche differentiation of ammonia oxidizers, and highlights the significance of CMX in low-oxygen nitrification for reducing global carbon emission and energy consumption.

Respiratory Mucosal Immunity: Kinetics of Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Sputum and Throat Swabs From COVID-19 Patients and Vaccine Recipients.

While IgM and IgG response to SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about secretory IgA (sIgA) response in respiratory mucosa. Here we report IgA response to the SARS-CoV-2 in sputum, throat swabs, and serum with nucleocapsid protein (NP) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in a cohort of 28 COVID-19 patients and 55 vaccine recipients. The assays showed sIgA in respiratory mucosa could be detected on the first day after illness onset (AIO), and the median conversion time for sIgA in sputum, throat swabs, and serum was 3, 4, and 10 days, respectively. The positive rates of sIgA first week AIO were 100% (24/28) and 85.7% (24/28) in sputum and throat swabs, respectively, and were both 100% during the mid-onset (2-3 weeks AIO). During the recovery period, sIgA positive rates in sputum and throat swabs gradually decreased from 60.7% (17/28) and 57.1% (16/28) 1 month AIO and the sIgA antibodies were all undetectable 6 months AIO. However, serum IgA positive rate was still 100% at 4 months and 53.6% (15/28) at 6 months. Throat swabs obtained from volunteers who received inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines by intramuscular delivery all showed negative results in IgA ELISA. These findings will likely improve our understanding of respiratory mucosal immunity of this emerging disease and help in containing the pandemic and developing vaccines.

The identification, expression profile, and preliminary characterization of Tsunagi protein from Schistosoma japonicum.

Tsunagi is an evolutionarily conserved protein, which is required for germ line differentiation during the development of Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. In this paper, we describe a homologue of the Tsunagi protein from Schistosoma japonicum (SjTsunagi). The gene for this protein was isolated from S. japonicum using degenerate and anchored polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the deduced protein has sequence homology and similarity to Tsunagi protein of other species, including C. elegans, D. melanogaster, Xenopus laevis, Mus musculus, and human. Amino acid sequence analysis showed the presence of a conserved RNA recognition motif. The predicted protein encoded by SjTsunagi gene is 177 amino acids in length with an estimated molecular mass of 20 kD. Immunoblot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis confirms SjTsunagi protein is expressed in eggs, cercariae, schistosomula, and adult female and adult male parasites. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assay confirms that protein of SjTsunagi can interact with SjMago nashi in vitro. Taken together, this is the first report of the expression and preliminary characterization analysis of the SjTsunagi gene from S. japonicum.