Changes in frailty and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Chinese people: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The older people bears a severe burden of disease due to frailty and depressive symptoms, however, the results of association between the two in the older Chinese people have been conflicting. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the developmental trajectories and interactions of frailty and depressive symptoms in the Chinese middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: The study used four waves of data from 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018 in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database, focused on middle-aged and older people ≥ 45 years of age, and analyzed using latent growth models and cross-lagged models. RESULTS: The parallel latent growth model showed that the initial level of depressive symptoms had a significant positive predictive effect on the initial level of frailty. The rate of change in depressive symptoms significantly positively predicted the rate of change in frailty. The initial level of frailty had a significant positive predictive effect on the initial level of depressive symptoms, but a significant negative predictive effect on the rate of change in depressive symptoms. The rate of change in frailty had a significant positive predictive effect on the rate of change in depressive symptoms. The results of the cross-lagged analysis indicated a bidirectional causal association between frailty and depressive symptoms in the total sample population. Results for the total sample population grouped by age and gender were consistent with the total sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study recommends advancing the age of concern for frailty and depressive symptoms to middle-aged adults. Both men and women need early screening and intervention for frailty and depressive symptoms to promote healthy aging.

The fungal quorum-sensing molecule, farnesol, regulates the immune response of vaginal epithelial cells against Candida albicans.

BACKGROUND: Farnesol is a Candida-secreted quorum-sensing molecule of great interest as a potential antifungal agent for serious and hardly curable infections-candidiasis, especially vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). METHODS: The effect of farnesol on cellular morphology and viability and evaluated the production of Th1 (IL-2), Th2 (IL-4), proinflammatory (IL-6), chemotactic (IL-8), and Th17 (IL-17) cytokines in the culture supernatants of vaginal epithelial cell line (VK2) were evaluated. Moreover, we tested the inhibitory effect of farnesol on C. albicans adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy was conducted to observe any VK2 cell ultrastructural changes. RESULTS: Only low concentrations (≤ 50 µmol/L) of farnesol did not affect the morphology and viability of the VK2 cells (P > 0.05). Farnesol reduced the adhesion of C. albicans to the VK2 cells. When treated with farnesol, statistical elevated levels of both IL-4 and IL-17 secreted by the infected VK2 cells were present in the culture supernatants (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Farnesol acts as a stimulator to up-regulate the Th17-type innate immune response, as well as Th2-type humoral immunity following C. albicans infection. Further research is required to select the optimal therapeutic dose to develop efficacious and safe mucosal immune adjuvant for treating VVCs.

Crystal Structure and Bond-Valence Investigation of Nitrogen-Stabilized LiAl5O8 Spinels.

An in-depth insight into the effect of nitrogen substitution on structural stabilization is important for the design of new spinel-type oxynitride materials with tailored properties. In this work, the crystal structures of ordered and disordered LiAl5O8 obtained by slow cooling and rapid quenching, respectively, were analyzed by a X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld refinement and OccQP program. The variation in the bonding state of atoms in the two compounds was explored by the bond valence model, which revealed that the instability of spinel-type LiAl5O8 crystal structure at room temperature is mainly due to the severe under-bonding of the tetrahedrally coordinated Al cations. With the partial substitution of oxygen with nitrogen in LiAl5O8, a series of the nitrogen-stabilized spinel LiyAl(16+x-y)/3O8-xNx (0 < x < 0.5, 0 < y < 1) was successfully prepared. The crystal structures were systematically investigated by the powder XRD structural refinement combined with 7Li and 27Al magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. All the Li+ ions entered the octahedra, while the Al resonances may be composed of multiple non-equivalent Al sites. The structural stability of spinel LiyAl(16+x-y)/3O8-xNx at ambient temperature was attributed to the cationic vacancies and high valence generated by the N ions, which alleviated the under-bonding state of the tetrahedral Al-O bond. This work provides a new perspective for understanding the composition-structure relationship in spinel compounds with multiple disorders.

Emotional intelligence as a mediator between spiritual care-giving competency and core competencies in Chinese nursing interns: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The development of nursing interns' fundamental competencies should be a top focus because they represent an essential reserve for nursing professionals. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between spiritual care-giving competency (SCG) and nursing core competencies (NCC) among Chinese nursing interns, adopting a competency-based education (CBE) perspective, additionally, the study aims to examine how emotional intelligence (EI) serves as a mediator in this relationship. METHODS: A nationwide online survey was completed by 1811 Chinese nursing interns at vocational colleges between June and July 2022 as part of a multi-site, cross-sectional, web-based study. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and competencies inventory for the registered nurse questionnaire (CIRN), the Chinese version of the spiritual care-giving scale questionnaire (C-SCGS), and the Chinese version of the Wong and Law EI scale questionnaire (WLEIS-C). Means, standard deviations, t-tests, one-way ANOVA analysis, and Pearson's production correlation coefficients were calculated using IBM SPSS25.0 software. Mediated effect tests and studies utilizing the process plug-in SPSS developed by Hayes. RESULTS: The NCCs of college nursing interns were related to whether working as student leaders, whether have a better self-learning evaluation level, whether a college nursing intern with good interpersonal relationship, and whether they intend to engage in the nursing profession in the future. The scores of NCC, EI, and SCG were (156.43±23.14), (61.55±9.10), and (167.64±20.52) respectively. There were positive correlations among SCG (r = 0.402), EI (r = 0.506), and NCC. The partial mediating effect of EI between SCG and NCC was 0.127, accounting for 36.29% of the total results. CONCLUSION: The average levels of Chinese college nursing interns' NCC and SCG were at a moderate level. EI is mediating between SCG and NCC in Chinese nursing interns. This new perspective shows that developing and improving SCG and EI may improve NCC. We suggest modifying the nurse curriculum and instruction to strengthen NCC and integrating SCG and EI management into the nursing curriculum.

Combination of Ultrasound and Molecular Markers in Evaluating Isolated Distal Deep Vein Thrombosis in Lower Limbs: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors of isolated distal deep vein thrombosis (IDDVT) in the lower limbs by using a combination of Doppler ultrasound and thrombus molecular markers. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was used. We selected 145 patients with deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs. They were divided into the IDDVT group and the non-IDDVT group. We compared the differences in Doppler ultrasound and biochemical indexes between the two groups. The independent influencing factors of IDDVT were analyzed using logistic regression, and we plotted the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: We compared 47 IDDVT cases diagnosed by DSA with 47 non-IDDVT cases selected at random. The diameter of the common femoral vein (CFV) of the affected side, deep femoral vein, and the great saphenous vein, thickness of subcutaneous tissue, and serum D-dimer (D-D) and thrombin-antithrombin III complexes (TAT) were significantly higher in the IDDVT group than the non-IDDVT group (P < .05). Logistic regression analysis showed that CFV diameter, subcutaneous tissue thickening, D-D, and TAT were all independent risk factors for IDDVT (P < .05). The combined predictor had higher predictive sensitivity, specificity, and Youden's index (93.6, 87.2, and 0.808, respectively) than using thrombus molecular markers alone or Doppler ultrasound alone. CONCLUSION: D-D and TAT, the thrombosis molecular markers, CFV diameter, and thickening of subcutaneous tissue, as well as the Doppler ultrasound, all have their own independent effects on IDDVT. When Thrombosis molecular markers and Doppler ultrasound are used in combination, they can predict which patients are at high risk of IDDVT and help doctors in making clinical decisions pertaining to prevention and treatment.

Chemical fingerprint analysis and quality assessment of Tibetan medicine Triphala from different origins by high-performance liquid chromatography.

INTRODUCTION: Although the Tibetan medicine Triphala (THL) is widely used in many countries, insufficient progress has been made in quality control. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to propose a methodology for quality control of THL based on HPLC fingerprinting combined with an orthogonal array design. METHODS: Seven identified peaks were used as indicators to examine the effects of temperature, extraction time, and solid-liquid ratio on the dissolution of active ingredients in THL. Fingerprint analysis was performed on 20 batches of THL from four geographical areas (China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam). For further chemometric assessment, analysis techniques including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis, principal component analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to classify the 20 batches of samples. RESULTS: Fingerprints were established and 19 common peaks were identified. The similarity of 20 batches of THL was more than 0.9 and the batches were divided into two clusters. Four differential components of THL were identified based on OPLS-DA, including chebulinic acid, chebulagic acid, and corilagin. The optimal extraction conditions were an extraction time of 30 min, a temperature of 90°C, and a solid-liquid ratio of 30 mL/g. CONCLUSION: HPLC fingerprinting combined with an orthogonal array design could be used for comprehensive evaluation and quality assessment of THL, providing a theoretical basis for further development and utilization of THL.

Clinical and Imaging Characteristics of Primary Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia Caused by Hypervirulent Klebsiella Pneumoniae.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the CT imaging features and microbial phenotypes of primary severe community-acquired pneumonia caused by hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp). METHODS: Patients diagnosed with primary hvKp pneumonia were included, and their clinical data were analyzed, including the baseline characteristics and CT imaging results. After hypermucoviscosity phenotyping, the strains, serological types, and virulence genes of hvKp were identified using multiplex PCR. RESULTS: Twelve patients with primary hvKp pneumonia were included (11 males, 1 female). All patients were infected via respiratory tract inhalation. Ten patients were long-term drinkers. Four patients (33.3%), who were long-term alcohol abusers, died within 30 days after diagnosis. No extrapulmonary metastatic infection was found in any patient. The imaging of lung lesions at the early disease stage exhibited an extensive consolidation in the lungs. As the disease progressed, the most common imaging features were pleural effusion (9/12), cavitation and necrosis (8/12), and pneumothorax (3/12). The serological typing of the capsular polysaccharides on hvKp strains were K1 (6/12) and K2 (6/12). Furthermore, the virulence genotyping showed rmpA (11/12), magA (11/12), ureA (12/12), mrkD (12/12), fim-1 (12/12), wabG (12/12), ybtS (12/12), and iucB (11/12). CONCLUSIONS: Primary severe community-acquired hvKp-associated pneumonia is more common in men, especially those with a long-term history of alcohol consumption. CT scanning at the early disease stage mostly showed extensive pulmonary consolidation, which was prone to be combined with cavitation, necrosis, and pleural effusion. K1 and K2 serotypes were identified among the hvKp strains, which were not prone to form extrapulmonary metastasis via the bloodstream.

Structural Study of MgyAl(8+x-2y)/3O4-xNx (0 < x < 0.5, 0 < y < 1) Spinel Probed by X-ray Diffraction, 27Al MAS NMR, and First-Principles Calculations.

The deep understanding of the crystal structure and composition-structure relationship is important for modifying and designing solids to obtain functional materials with customized properties. However, because of multiple compositions and complex structures in some spinel solid solutions, the composition-structure relationship is unknown, or becomes very complicated and difficult to be controlled. In this work, the solid-state magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) technique and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld refinement were combined to characterize the crystal structure of quaternary disordered MgyAl(8+x-2y)/3O4-xNx solid solutions in detail, which was supported by the first-principles density functional theory calculations. Diffraction data indicate that Mg ions preferentially enter the tetrahedron structure in MgyAl(8+x-2y)/3O4-xNx solid solutions because the sum of the bond valence in tetrahedron is closer to the atomic valence of Mg. With the compositional change, the coordination polyhedra in the crystal structure will also adjust the volume according to the changes in lattice parameter, anion parameter, and inversion parameter. In addition, the populations, chemical shifts, and quadrupole coupling constants of Al located in different coordinated environments of the solid solutions were detected through the simulation and integration of 27Al MAS NMR spectra, which were related to the structural parameters by the bond valence method. It turns out that 27Al MAS NMR parameters are highly sensitive to the subtle changes in the local environment of Al caused by the preferential occupation of Mg in the tetrahedron. These results provide deep insights into the crystal structural details of novel spinel materials with multiple disorders.

[Value of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome after cardiopulmonary bypass in children with congenital heart disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in the early diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) after cardiopulmonary bypass in children with congenital heart disease. METHODS: A total of 90 children with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiopumonary bypass surgery between May 2012 and January 2016 were enrolled. According to the prsence or absence of SIRS after surgery, they were divided into SIRS group (n=43) and control group (n=47). Peripheral blood samples were collected before surgery, during surgery, and after surgery. Serum levels of IDO, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured and compared between the two groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate their diagnostic efficiency. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the SIRS group had higher serum CRP levels at 72 hours after surgery, higher IL-6 levels during surgery and at 72 hours after surgery, and higher IDO levels at 24 and 72 hours after surgery. IDO had a certain value in the diagnosis of SIRS at 24 hours after surgery with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.793, a specificity of 100%, and a sensitivity of 58.14%. CRP, IL-6, and IDO had a certain value in the diagnosis of SIRS at 72 hours after surgery. IDO had the highest diagnostic efficiency with an AUC of 0.927, a specificity of 95.74%, and a sensitivity of 76.74% at 72 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: IL-6, CRP, and IDO have a certain value in the diagnosis of SIRS after surgery for congenital heart disease, and IDO has a higher diagnostic efficiency. IDO can predict the development of SIRS in children after surgery for congenital heart disease earlier.

Biocatalytic Hydrogen-Borrowing Cascade in Organic Synthesis.

Biocatalytic hydrogen borrowing represents an environmentally friendly and highly efficient synthetic method. This innovative approach involves converting various substrates into high-value-added products, typically via a one-pot, two/three-step sequence encompassing dehydrogenation (intermediate transformation) and hydrogenation processes employing the hydride shuffling between NAD(P)+ and NAD(P)H. Represented key transformations in hydrogen borrowing include stereoisomer conversion within alcohols, conversion between alcohols and amines, conversion of allylic alcohols to saturated carbonyl counterparts, and α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes to saturated carboxylic acids, etc. The direct transformation methodology and environmentally benign characteristics of hydrogen borrowing have contributed to its advancements in fine chemical synthesis or drug developments. Over the past decades, the hydrogen borrowing strategy in biocatalysis has led to the creation of diverse catalytic systems, demonstrating substantial potential for straightforward synthesis as well as asymmetric transformations. This perspective serves as a detailed exposition of the recent advancements in biocatalytic reactions employing the hydrogen borrowing strategy. It provides insights into the potential of this approach for future development, shedding light on its promising prospects in the field of biocatalysis.

The causal relationship between sleep disturbances and the risk of frailty: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: Adequate sleep is closely related to people's health. However, with increasing age, the quality of sleep worsens. At the same time, among elderly individuals, frailty is also a disturbing factor, which makes elderly individuals more vulnerable to negative factors. To explore the relationship between the two, we conducted this study. METHODS: In this paper, independent genetic variations related to insomnia, sleep duration and daytime sleepiness were selected as IVs, and related genetic tools were used to search published genome-wide association studies for a two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the main Mendelian randomization analysis method. Cochran's Q test was used to test heterogeneity, MR‒Egger was used to test horizontal pleiotropy, and the MR-PRESSO test was used to remove outliers. RESULTS: According to our research, insomnia (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.17, P = 2.59e-97), long sleep duration (OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.37-1.17, P = 0.02), short sleep duration (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.22-1.38, P = 2.23e-17) and daytime sleepiness (OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.25-1.77, P = 0.96e-4) had a bidirectional causal relationship with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: Our research showed that there is a causal relationship between sleep disturbances and frailty. This result was obtained by a TSMR analysis, which involves the use of genetic variation as an IV to determine causal relationships between exposure and outcome. Future TSMR studies should include a larger sample for analysis.

Effect of Optical Wedge Rotary on Ablation Efficiency of Femtosecond Laser on Dental Hard Tissue and Restorative Materials.

Objective: Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) is a novel tooth preparation tool but its ablation efficiency is insufficient. The purpose is to establish a new fs-laser tooth ablation method based on a dual-wedges path ablation system, and explore the efficiency of tooth hard tissue and dental restorative materials ablation. Materials and methods: Extracted third molars, pure titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, gold alloy, and 3Y-zirconia were prepared into samples. These samples were rotary ablated by an fs-laser with dual-wedges. The wavelength was 1030 nm and the pulse duration was 250 fsec. Laser parameters were set as a repetition frequency of 25 kHz, the power percentages as 50% for dental tissues, and 60% for restorative materials. The optical wedge angle was set as 0°, 20°, 40°, 60°, and 80° for restorative materials, 0°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and 60° for enamel, and 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°for dentin. Three times of ablation was processed at each parameter to obtain total 90 ablation microcavities of 6 kinds of materials. The diameter, depth, and volume of microcavities were measured by confocal laser microscopy and plotted against optical-wedge-angle in curves of different materials. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test whether the ablation efficiency between different angles was statistically significant. Results: The ablation efficiency of each material at different optical-wedge-angle was statistically significant (p < 0.05) and tends to be correlated. For dental hard tissue, the enamel ablation efficiency was 208.1 times and dentin ablation efficiency were 65.2 times than before when the wedge angle was 40°. For pure titanium, zirconia, cobalt-chromium, and gold alloys, the ablation efficiencies were 3.1, 10.7, 81.5, and 128.8 times than before when the rotation angle was 80°. Conclusions: The ablation efficiency of dental hard tissues and restorative materials was significantly increased with the increase of laser oblique incidence angle. Clinical Trial Registration number: PKUSSIRB-201949124.

Interleukin-34-NF-κB signaling aggravates myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury by facilitating macrophage recruitment and polarization.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage infiltration and polarization are integral to the progression of heart failure and cardiac fibrosis after ischemia/reperfusion (IR). Interleukin 34 (IL-34) is an inflammatory regulator related to a series of autoimmune diseases. Whether IL-34 mediates inflammatory responses and contributes to cardiac remodeling and heart failure post-IR remains unclear. METHODS: IL-34 knock-out mice were used to determine the role of IL-34 on cardiac remodeling after IR surgery. Then, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry assays, and RNA-seq analysis were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms of IL-34-induced macrophage recruitment and polarization, and further heart failure after IR. FINDINGS: By re-analyzing single-cell RNA-seq and single-nucleus RNA-seq data of murine and human ischemic hearts, we showed that IL-34 expression was upregulated after IR. IL-34 knockout mitigated cardiac remodeling, cardiac dysfunction, and fibrosis after IR and vice versa. RNA-seq analysis revealed that IL-34 deletion correlated negatively with immune responses and chemotaxis after IR injury. Consistently, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assays demonstrated that IL-34 deletion attenuated macrophage recruitment and CCR2+ macrophage polarization. Mechanistically, IL-34 deficiency repressed both the canonical and noncanonical NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to marked reduction of P-IKKß and P-IκBα kinase levels; downregulation of NF-κB p65, RelB, and p52 expression, which drove the decline in chemokine CCL2 expression. Finally, IL-34 and CCL2 levels were increased in the serum of acute coronary syndrome patients, with a positive correlation between circulating IL-34 and CCL2 levels in clinical patients. INTERPRETATION: In conclusion, IL-34 sustains NF-κB pathway activation to elicit increased CCL2 expression, which contributes to macrophage recruitment and polarization, and subsequently exacerbates cardiac remodeling and heart failure post-IR. Strategies targeting IL-34-centered immunomodulation may provide new therapeutic approaches to prevent and reverse cardiac remodeling and heart failure in clinical MI patients after percutaneous coronary intervention. FUNDING: This study was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (81670352 and 81970327 to R T, 82000368 to Q F).

PFKFB3 Inhibitor 3PO Reduces Cardiac Remodeling after Myocardial Infarction by Regulating the TGF-ß1/SMAD2/3 Pathway.

Adverse cardiac remodeling, including cardiac fibrosis, after myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of long-term heart failure. 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), an enzyme that regulates glucose metabolism, also plays an important role in various fibrotic and cardiovascular diseases. However, its effects on MI remain unknown. Here, PFKFB3 inhibitor 3-(3-pyridinyl)-1-(4-pyridinyl)-2-propen-1-one (3PO) and a permanent left anterior descending ligation mouse model were used to explore the functional role of PFKFB3 in MI. We showed that PFKFB3 expression increased significantly in the area of cardiac infarction during the early phase after MI, peaking on day 3. 3PO treatment markedly improved cardiac function, accompanied by decreased infarction size and collagen density in the infarct area. Meanwhile, 3PO attenuated cardiac fibrosis after MI by reducing the expression of collagen and fibronectin in murine hearts. Notably, 3PO reduced PFKFB3 expression and inhibited the transforming growth factor-beta 1/mothers against the decapentaplegic homolog 2/3 (TGF-ß1/SMAD2/3) signaling pathway to inhibit cardiac fibrosis after MI. Moreover, PFKFB3 expression in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (NRCFs) increased significantly after MI and under hypoxia, whereas 3PO alleviated the migratory capacity and activation of NRCFs induced by TGF-ß1. In conclusion, 3PO effectively reduced fibrosis and improved adverse cardiac remodeling after MI, suggesting PFKFB3 inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce the incidence of chronic heart failure following MI.

Review on Progress of Lamellar Orientation Control in Directionally Solidified TiAl Alloys.

TiAl alloys have excellent high-temperature performance and are potentially used in the aerospace industry. By controlling the lamellar orientation through directional solidification (DS) technology, the plasticity and strength of TiAl alloy at room temperature and high temperatures can be effectively improved. However, various difficulties lie in ensuring the lamellar orientation is parallel to the growth direction. This paper reviews two fundamental thoughts for lamellar orientation control: using seed crystals and controlling the solidification path. Multiple specific methods and their progress are introduced, including α seed crystal method, the self-seeding method, the double DS self-seeding method, the quasi-seeding method, the pure metal seeding method, and controlling solidification parameters. The advantages and disadvantages of different methods are analyzed. This paper also introduces novel ways of controlling the lamellar orientation and discusses future development.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of four Liparis species (Orchidaceae) and phylogenetic implications.

Liparis Richard (Malaxideae, Epidendroideae) is a large and diverse genus of the family Orchidaceae, the taxonomy of which is complicated and controversial. In this study, we sequenced, assembled and analyzed four complete chloroplast genomes of Liparis species including L. kumokiri, L. makinoana, L. pauliana, and L. viridiflora, and evaluated their phylogenetic relationships with related species for the first time. These four chloroplast genomes (size range 153,095 to 158,239 bp) possess typical quadripartite structures that consist of a large single copy (LSC, 83,533-86,752 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 17,938-18,156 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,421-26,933 bp). The genomes contain 133 genes, including 87 protein coding genes, 38 tRNAs and 8 rRNA genes. The genome arrangements, gene contents, gene order, long repeats and simple sequence repeats were similar with small differences observed among these four chloroplast genomes. Five highly variable regions including ycf1, ndhA, ndhF, trnQ and trnK were identified from the comparative analysis with other nine related Liparis species, which had the potential to be used as DNA markers for species identification and phylogenetic studies of Liparis species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome sequences strongly supported the polyphyly of Liparis and its further division into three branches. These results provided valuable information to illustrate the complicated taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution process of the Liparis genus.

Femtosecond Laser for Cavity Preparation in Enamel and Dentin: Axial Wall Taper Related Factors.

Background and objective: Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) is a novel tooth preparation tool. After cavities were prepared by fs-laser, their axial-wall taper is closely related to the retention force and success of restorations, while the taper after preparation by fs-laser is not clear yet. This study aimed to explore the value of the taper after fs-laser tooth preparation and the effect of laser fluence, scanning line spacing, and scanning layers on taper. Materials and methods: Twenty cavities with a width of 0.5 mm were prepared by an fs-laser both in enamel and dentin to obtain the axial-wall taper (No. PKUSSIRB-201949124). To study the effects of three parameters of fs-laser, five different laser fluence were set as 1.56, 3.13, 4.69, 6.25, and 7.81 J/cm2 of five cavities. Scanning line spacing was set as 6, 12, 25, 30, 40, and 50 µm of six cavities and the scanning layers were 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, and 400, respectively, of nine cavities. Laser pulses irradiated perpendicular to the tooth and the scanning path was controlled via a vibratory mirror. The taper was measured with a laser confocal microscope. Curves of the taper versus different parameters were drawn. Results: There was a significant difference in taper between enamel and dentin. Overall, the taper decreased gradually with the increase of laser fluence. The optimal taper obtained was 20.53° ± 0.28° in dentin and 38.71° ± 0.46° in enamel when the corresponding fluence was 6.25 J/cm2. In comparison, the scanning line spacing has little effect on the taper. The scanning layers significantly affect the taper, which decreased dramatically as scanning layers increased within 75 layers and does not change considerably as it was beyond 100 layers. Conclusions: Reasonable selection of laser fluence, scanning line spacing, and the number of scanning layers can optimize the cavity taper by fs-laser.

Phenylacetylglutamine as a risk factor and prognostic indicator of heart failure.

AIMS: To explore the associations between serum phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln) and chronic heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Totally 956 subjects were enrolled consecutively from the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Ruijin Hospital. Baseline data were obtained from all participants, and 471 stable chronic HF subjects were followed up. Serum PAGln was analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The association between PAGln and basic renal indicators was assessed by simple correlation analysis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to measure the association between PAGln and HF risk. Event-free survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier curves, and differences in survival were assessed using log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the prognostic value of PAGln in HF. Serum PAGln levels were increased in patients with chronic HF (3.322 ± 8.220 µM vs. 1.249 ± 1.168 µM, P < 0.001) and were associated with HF after full adjustment [odds ratio (OR), 1.507; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.213-1.873; P < 0.001]. PAGln levels were correlated with the levels of basic renal indicators. High PAGln levels indicated a high risk of renal dysfunction in HF (OR: 1.853; 95% CI: 1.344-2.556; P < 0.001), and elevated PAGln levels were associated with a high risk of cardiovascular death in patients with chronic HF (HR: 2.049; 95% CI: 1.042-4.029; P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PAGln levels are an independent risk factor for HF and are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death. High PAGln levels could indicate renal dysfunction in HF patients. PAGln can be a valuable indicator of HF.

Preliminary Exploration of a Laser-Based Surface Microtexturing Strategy for Improving the Wear Resistance of Dentin: An In Vitro Study.

Objective: Herein, a feasible strategy based on a femtosecond laser (fs-laser) was provided to decelerate dentin wear, and the effect of wear resistance improvement and its potential mechanism were explored. Background: Tooth wear is a common phenomenon that exists throughout life. While once dentin is exposed, it wears away very quickly. Decelerating tooth wear, especially dentin wear, is an important issue, but there is no ideal treatment. Materials and methods: Sixteen third molar dentin samples were randomly divided into the amalgam (N1 = 8) and polymer infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) (N2 = 8) groups. One half of the sample was used as the experimental object and the other for the blank self-control. Array microcavities were fabricated on the experimental parts of all the samples with an fs-laser and then filled with the corresponding materials. The experimental and control parts of all the samples were subjected to 3600 cycles of sliding wear tests with titanium balls. The coefficients of friction (COFs) of every friction pair and the temperature rise were recorded in real time. The wear volume and depth were measured by a laser confocal microscopy. Statistical differences of wear volume and depth between the experimental and self-control parts were calculated by paired t-test. The wear mode was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The COFs in the two experimental groups were significantly decreased. The maximum temperature rise on the dentin surface was 2.0°C. The wear resistance in the amalgam and PICN groups was 4.48 and 3.53 times higher than blank dentin, respectively (p < 0.001). The SEM images showed fewer plough grooves and cracks in dentin after microtexturing. Conclusions: This method could significantly improve tooth wear resistance by reducing the COFs between the friction pairs and reducing the dentin's ploughing effect and provide new treatment ideas for slowing the loss of severely worn dentin.

Trimethyllysine, a trimethylamine N-oxide precursor, predicts the presence, severity, and prognosis of heart failure.

Background and aims: Intestinal flora metabolites are associated with cardiovascular (CV) diseases including heart failure (HF). The carnitine precursor trimethyllysine (TML), which participates in the generation of the atherogenic-related metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), was found to be related to poor prognosis in patients with CV diseases. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between TML and stable chronic HF. Methods and results: In total, 956 subjects including 471 stable chronic HF and 485 non-HF patients were enrolled in the present cohort study and subjects with stable HF were followed up for 2.0 ± 1.1 years. Serum levels of TML and TMAO were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in tandem. TML levels were significantly elevated in patients with HF compared with non-HF patients and were positively correlated with N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels (r = 0.448, P < 0.001). TML was associated with the presence of HF after adjusting for age, sex, complications, traditional clinical factors, and TMAO (tertile 3 (T3), adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-3.13, and P = 0.007). In patients with HF, increased TML levels were associated with a composite endpoint of CV death and HF hospitalization during follow-up (T3, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.93, 95% CI 1.27-2.93, and P = 0.002). Increased TML levels indicated a higher risk of CV death, re-hospitalization, and all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Serum TML levels were associated with the presence and severity of HF in all subjects. High levels of TML can indicate complications and poor prognosis in HF patients.