Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their human health risks depend on the characteristics of microplastics in marine organisms of Sanggou Bay, China.

Microplastics pose a threat to marine environments through their physical presence and as vectors of chemical pollutants. However, the impact of microplastics on the accumulation and human health risk of chemical pollutants in marine organisms remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in marine organisms from Sanggou Bay and analyzed their correlations. Results showed that microplastic and PAHs concentration ranged from 1.23 ± 0.23 to 5.77 ± 1.10 items/g, from 6.98 ± 0.45 to 15.07 ± 1.25 µg/kg, respectively. The microplastic abundance, particularly of fibers, transparent and color plastic debris, correlates strongly with PAH contents, indicating that microplastics increase the bioaccumulation of PAHs and microplastics with these characteristics have a significant vector effect on PAHs. Although consuming seafood from Sanggou Bay induce no carcinogenic risk from PAHs, the presence of microplastics in organisms can significantly increases incremental lifetime cancer risk of PAHs. Thus, microplastics can serve as transport vectors for PAHs with implications for the potential health risks to human through consumption. This study provides new insight into the risks of microplastics in marine environments.

PVP/aprepitant microcapsules produced by supercritical antisolvent process.

The supercritical antisolvent (SAS) process was a green alternative to improve the low bioavailability of insoluble drugs. However, it is difficult for SAS process to industrialize with limited production capacity. A coaxial annular nozzle was used to prepare the microcapsules of aprepitant (APR) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by SAS with N, N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent. Meanwhile, the effects of polymer/drug ratio, operating pressure, operating temperature and overall concentration on particles morphology, mean particle diameter and size distribution were analyzed. Microcapsules with mean diameters ranging from 2.04 µm and 9.84 µm were successfully produced. The morphology, particle size, thermal behavior, crystallinity, drug content, drug dissolution and residual amount of DMF of samples were analyzed. The results revealed that the APR drug dissolution of the microcapsules by SAS process was faster than the unprocessed APR. Furthermore, the drug powder collected every hour is in the kilogram level, verifying the possibility to scale up the production of pharmaceuticals employing the SAS process from an industrial point of view.

[Genetic analysis of a family with epilepsy accompanied by developmental delay and brain deformity due to a de novo variant of TUBB2A gene].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical manifestations and pathogenic variant in a family with epilepsy, developmental delay and brain deformity. METHODS: Clinical data of the child and his family members who had visited the Department of Pediatrics, Linyi People's Hospital on July 2, 2022 were collected. The child, his sister and parents were subjected to high-throughput sequencing, and the result was verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The child was a 6-year-old boy with developmentally delay and had epileptic seizures with fever sensitivity for four years. Cranial imaging showed brain dysplasia, while the video electroencephalogram showed abnormal discharge. High-throughput sequencing showed the child has harbored a heterozygous c.5G>T (p.Arg2Leu) variant of TUBB2A gene, which was unreported previously. His sister also carried the variant and had similar clinical manifestations, whilst his parents were of the wild-type and had normal clinical phenotypes. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was classified as pathogenic (PS2+PM2_Supporting+PM5+PP1+PP2+PP3). CONCLUSION: The heterozygous c.5G>T (p.Arg2Leu) variant of the TUBB2A gene, in the form of gonadal mosaicism, probably underlay the disorders in this family.

Increasing the Amounts of Bioactive Components in American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) Leaves Using Far-Infrared Irradiation.

Both the roots and leaves of American ginseng contain ginsenosides and polyphenols. The impact of thermal processing on enhancing the biological activities of the root by altering its component composition has been widely reported. However, the effects of far-infrared irradiation (FIR), an efficient heat treatment method, on the bioactive components of the leaves remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of FIR heat treatment between 160 and 200 °C on the deglycosylation and dehydration rates of the bioactive components in American ginseng leaves. As the temperature was increased, the amounts of common ginsenosides decreased while those of rare ginsenosides increased. After FIR heat treatment of American ginseng leaves at an optimal 190 °C, the highest total polyphenolic content and kaempferol content were detected, the antioxidant activity was significantly enhanced, and the amounts of the rare ginsenosides F4, Rg6, Rh4, Rk3, Rk1, Rg3, and Rg5 were 41, 5, 37, 64, 222, 17, and 266 times higher than those in untreated leaves, respectively. Moreover, the radical scavenging rates for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and the reducing power of the treated leaf extracts were 2.17, 1.86, and 1.77 times higher, respectively. Hence, FIR heat treatment at 190 °C is an efficient method for producing beneficial bioactive components from American ginseng leaves.

Physiological and transcriptomic analysis reveals the toxic and protective mechanisms of marine microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa in response to TiO2 nanoparticles and UV-B radiation.

Concerns have been raised regarding the adverse effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on marine organisms, as an increasing number of NPs inevitably enter the marine environment with the development of nanotechnology. Owing to the photocatalytic properties, TiO2 NPs' toxicity may be aggravated by enhanced UV-B resulting from stratospheric ozone depletion. However, the molecular mechanisms of phytoplankton in response to TiO2 NPs under UV-B remains poorly understood. In this study, we integrated whole transcriptome analysis with physiological data to provide understanding on the toxic and protective mechanisms of marine Chlorella pyrenoidosa in response to TiO2 NPs under UV-B. The results indicated that the changes in gene expression could be related to the growth inhibition and TiO2 NP internalization in C. pyrenoidosa, and several molecular mechanisms were identified as toxicity response to TiO2 NPs and UV-B. Differential expression of genes involved in glycerophospholipids metabolism indicated that cell membrane disruption allowed TiO2 NPs to enter the algal cell under UV-B exposure, although the up-regulation of genes involved in the general secretory dependent pathway and the ATP-binding cassette transporter family drove cellular secretion of extracellular polymeric substances, acting as a barrier that prevent TiO2 NP internalization. The absence of changes in gene expression related to the antioxidant system may be responsible for the severe oxidative stress observed in algal cells following exposure to TiO2 NPs under UV-B irradiation. Moreover, differential expression of genes involved in pathways such as photosynthesis and energy metabolism were up-regulated, including the light-harvesting, photosynthetic electron transport coupled to photophosphorylation, carbon fixation, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, indicating that more energy and metabolites were supplied to cope with the toxicity of TiO2 NPs and UV-B. The obtained results provide valuable information on the molecular mechanisms of response of marine phytoplankton exposed to TiO2 NPs and UV-B.

Effect of storage time of paraffin sections on the expression of PD-L1 (SP142) in invasive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: PD-L1 staining using long-stored paraffin sections may not be consistent with the true PD-L1 expression of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the expression of PD-L1(SP142) in paraffin sections of invasive breast cancer with different storage times and the optimal storage temperature for unstained paraffin sections. METHODS: The study included 71 cases of PD-L1(SP142) positive breast cancer. The unstained paraffin sections were stored at room temperature conditions (20-25 °C), 4 °C, -20 °C and - 80 °C, respectively. PD-L1 staining was performed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of storage. PD-L1 expression was assessed with a continuity score. RESULTS: The PD-L1 antigen was gradually lost as the storage time of paraffin sections increased. The PD-L1 positivity rate was 97.18% at 1 week for the sections stored at room temperature, and decreased from 83.10 to 71.83% for the sections stored for 2 weeks to 4 weeks, and 61.97%, 54.93%, and 32.93% for 8, 12, and 24 weeks, respectively. When stored at low temperatures of 4 °C, -20 °C and - 80 °C, the positivity rate decreases with the same trend but more slowly compared to room temperature. The mean IC score of PD-L1 also showed a gradual decrease in all cases. In the consistency analysis, PD-L1 expression in slices stored at room temperature for 2 weeks was consistent with PD-L1 expression in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9 for all slices), and PD-L1 expression in slices stored at 4 °C or -20 °C for 4 weeks was consistent with PD-L1 expression in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9 for all slices). When stored under refrigeration at -80 °C, PD-L1 expression in slices stored for 3 weeks was consistent with that in fresh slices (ICC ≥ 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first article on the effect of preservation time and preservation temperature of paraffin sections on PD-L1 expression in breast cancer. Long-term storage of paraffin sections of unstained invasive breast cancer can lead to antigen loss of PD-L1 (SP142). Refrigerated storage of paraffin sections can delay antigen loss, with best results at 4 °C or -20 °C, and a storage time of no more than 4 weeks is recommended.

Effect of general anaesthesia with remimazolam versus propofol on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing ambulatory arthroscopic meniscus repair: a randomised clinical trial.

Background: The type of anaesthesia and choice of anaesthetic drugs may affect the quality of recovery after surgery. Remimazolam is a new benzodiazepine with rapid onset and offset, specifically antagonised by flumazenil. This study aimed to compare remimazolam with propofol on the quality of recovery in patients undergoing ambulatory arthroscopic surgery. Methods: Patients aged 18-65 yr and scheduled for ambulatory arthroscopic meniscus repair were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either continuous i.v. infusion of remimazolam or plasma target-controlled infusion of propofol. The quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) scale was administered on postoperative day 1 (POD1) as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) scores and cardiovascular variables. Results: In total, 120 patients were randomly assigned to the remimazolam or propofol groups and 114 patients were included in the analysis. The remimazolam group had higher total QoR-15 scores on POD1 (125 [120-127.5] vs 121.5 [119-124], with a median difference of 3 (95% confidence interval: 1-5; P=0.002). Physical independence and psychological support were higher in the remimazolam group (8.5 [8-10] vs 8 [7-9], P=0.043; 17 [13-17] vs 12.5 [12-14], P<0.001). Remimazolam lowered the number of awakenings during the first postoperative night (P=0.042) and the incidence of hypotension (P=0.04). Conclusions: Remimazolam-based total i.v. anaesthesia was associated with small improvements in the quality of recovery; however, the improvement was less than the minimally clinically important difference. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2100053014.

Helical insertion of polyphenylene chains into confined cylindrical slits composed of two carbon nanotubes.

The helical insertion behavior of poly(para-phenylene) (PP) chains into confined cylindrical slits constructed by two carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different diameters is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The contribution of system energy and each energy component to helical self-assembly is discussed to further explain the conditions, driving force and mechanism. The width and length of the slit, the diameter of the outer tube and the temperature have a great impact on the helical insertion of PP chains. Two equations are proposed to confirm the diameter and the distances between the PP helix and the inner and outer walls of the given CNTs. The helical self-assembly of PP with different numbers of chains inserted into the slits is further studied. This study has a great benefit in understanding the conformational behavior of polymers, even biological macromolecules in confinements.

A Case of ALK-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma of the Male Breast.

Background: Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a very rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). A primary T-cell lymphoma in the breast with no previously identified lymphomatous lesions is an even rarer form of this malignancy. Case Presentation: A biopsy of a breast mass in a 60-year-old Caucasian man showed a morphologic-immunophenotypic profile with features characteristic of an ALK-positive (AKT+), anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of this lesion was performed at our institution for IRF4/DUSP22 gene rearrangement. No rearrangement was detected. The patient presented with mutations in the following genes; BCOR_p.Q600X, DNMT3A_p.F609fs, NOTCH1_p.P2320fs, and IDH2_p.R140Q. However, the patient's consultation was complicated by the fact that he had been diagnosed with breast cancer at a local hospital and had come to our institution for further consultation. The histology findings were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and FISH. Computed tomography and positron emission tomography did not reveal nodules elsewhere in the body, which allowed the staging of the patient to be completed. However, although the patient had previously received the chemotherapy CCOP regimen (ie, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone acetate) he did not go into remission in a timely manner and relapsed after six months, followed by a drastic deterioration in his condition after four months, resulting in his death in less than one month. Conclusion: This report of a male patient describes a case of a rare T-cell lymphoma of the breast that occurs considerably more frequently in female patients. The differential diagnosis of the histology of this tumor showed mutations that occur more often in lymphoblastic lymphoma or leukemia. This rare malignancy and associated mutations led to the death of this patient during treatment.

Comprehensive binding analysis of glycated myosin with furan derivatives via glucose by means of multi-spectroscopy techniques and molecular docking simulation.

Myosin is an ideal binding receptor for aroma compounds and its functional properties are easily affected by glucose. The study comprehensively clarified the effects of glucose glycation-induced structural modifications of myosin on its binding ability with furan derivatives, including 2-methylfuran, 2-furfural, and 2-furfurylthiol. The results demonstrated that the binding levels of furan derivatives were obviously affected by the glycation levels of myosin due to the changes of myosin structure and surface. The increased glycation levels caused the unfolding of myosin structure and accelerated the aggregation, as were exhibited by the data of zeta potential, particle size, microstructure, and secondary structure. The glycated myosin with wrinkled surfaces favored the significant increase of hydrophobic interactions (31.59-69.50 µg), the more exposure of amino acid residues (3459-6048), the formation of free sulfhydryl groups (16.37-20.58 mmol/104g) and hydrogen bonds. These key (non)covalent linkages accounted for the generation of glycated myosin-odorants complex, including 2-furfurylthiol (29.17-47.87 %), thus enhancing the resultant binding ability as evidenced by the free furan derivatives concentrations, fluorescence quenching and molecular docking simulation analysis. The glycated myosin for 8 h bound highest concentrations of furan derivatives. The results will provide comprehensive data on the retention of aroma compounds in meat products.

Effects of liraglutide on extraglycemic inflammatory markers and renal hemodynamic parameters in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) was the leading cause of kidney disease, which has been a crucial public health. Liraglutide is a drug, widely used for DKD treatment globally. However, the extraglycemic inflammatory markers and renal hemodynamic parameters of DKD patients treated with liraglutide has been not reported. In this study, 160 patients with early DKD were enrolled, 80 cases in the control group and 80 cases in the treatment group, respectively. The individuals in the control group were treated with metformin, while the individuals in the treatment group were treated with liraglutide and metformin for 3 months. The urinary microalbumin and urinary creatinine was measured to calculate the ratio (UACR), while the Doppler ultrasound were measured before and after treatment. After 3 months of treatment, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) in the treatment group were significantly decreased compared with before and after treatment in the control group; the levels of cystatin and UACR in treatment group were lower than before treatment and control group; The end-diastolic blood flow velocity (EDV) of renal artery and segment artery in treatment group was significantly higher than that before treatment and control group; The levels of CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 in the treatment group after treatment were lower than those before treatment and those in the control group. After 3 months of treatment, blood cystatin in the treatment group decreased significantly compared with before treatment and after treatment in the control group, with statistical significance After 3 months of treatment, the EDV of renal artery and renal segment in treatment group was significantly higher than that before treatment and control group, the peak systolic blood flow velocity (PSV) and EDV of renal interlobar artery in treatment group were significantly higher than those before treatment and control group. The resistance index (RI) was significantly lower than that before treatment and control group. Liraglutide can reduce inflammatory indicators, renal artery blood flow and renal function indicators in early DKD patients.

High-Performance Artificial Ligament Made from Helical Polyester Fibers Wrapped with Aligned Carbon Nanotube Sheets.

Repairing high-load connective tissues, such as ligaments, by surgically implanting artificial grafts after injury is challenging because they lack biointegration with host bones for stable interfaces. Herein, a high-performance helical composite fiber (HCF) ligament by wrapping aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets around polyester fibers is proposed. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery shows that HCF grafts could induce effective bone regeneration, thus allowing the narrowing of bone tunnel defects. Such repair of the bone tunnel is in strong contrast to the tunnel enlargement of more than 50% for commercial artificial ligaments made from bare polyester fibers. Rats reconstructed with this HCF ligament show normal jumping, walking, and running without limping. This work allows bone regeneration in vivo through a one-step surgery without seeding cells or transforming growth factors, thereby opening an avenue for high-performance artificial tissues.

[Lianmei Qiwu Decoction relieves diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy by regulating AMPK/TrkA/TRPM7 signaling pathway].

This study investigated the effect of Lianmei Qiwu Decoction(LMQWD) on the improvement of cardiac autonomic nerve remodeling in the diabetic rat model induced by the high-fat diet and explored the underlying mechanism of LMQWD through the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/tropomyosin receptor kinase A(TrkA)/transient receptor potential melastatin 7(TRPM7) signaling pathway. The diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group, an LMQWD group, an AMPK agonist group, an unloaded TRPM7 adenovirus group(TRPM7-N), an overexpressed TRPM7 adenovirus group(TRPM7), an LMQWD + unloaded TRPM7 adenovirus group(LMQWD+TRPM7-N), an LMQWD + overexpressed TRPM7 adenovirus group(LMQWD+TRPM7), and a TRPM7 channel inhibitor group(TRPM7 inhibitor). After four weeks of treatment, programmed electrical stimulation(PES) was employed to detect the arrhythmia susceptibility of rats. The myocardial cell structure and myocardial tissue fibrosis of myocardial and ganglion samples in diabetic rats were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining. The immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), and Western blot were adopted to detect the distribution and expression of TRPM7, tyrosine hydroxylase(TH), choline acetyltransferase(ChAT), growth associated protein-43(GAP-43), nerve growth factor(NGF), p-AMPK/AMPK, and other genes and related neural markers. The results showed that LMQWD could significantly reduce the arrhythmia susceptibility and the degree of fibrosis in myocardial tissues, decrease the levels of TH, ChAT, and GAP-43 in the myocardium and ganglion, increase NGF, inhibit the expression of TRPM7, and up-regulate p-AMPK/AMPK and p-TrkA/TrkA levels. This study indicated that LMQWD could attenuate cardiac autonomic nerve remodeling in the diabetic state, and its mechanism was associated with the activation of AMPK, further phosphorylation of TrkA, and inhibition of TRPM7 expression.

Systematic Investigation of TCP Gene Family: Genome-Wide Identification and Light-Regulated Gene Expression Analysis in Pepino (Solanum Muricatum).

Plant-specific transcription factors such as the TCP family play crucial roles in light responses and lateral branching. The commercial development of S. muricatum has been influenced by the ease with which its lateral branches can be germinated, especially under greenhouse cultivation during the winter with supplemented LED light. The present study examined the TCP family genes in S. muricatum using bioinformatics analysis (whole-genome sequencing and RNA-seq) to explore the response of this family to different light treatments. Forty-one TCP genes were identified through a genome-wide search; phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CYC/TB1, CIN and Class I subclusters contained 16 SmTCP, 11 SmTCP and 14 SmTCP proteins, respectively. Structural and conserved sequence analysis of SmTCPs indicated that the motifs in the same subcluster were highly similar in structure and the gene structure of SmTCPs was simpler than that in Arabidopsis thaliana; 40 of the 41 SmTCPs were localized to 12 chromosomes. In S. muricatum, 17 tandem repeat sequences and 17 pairs of SmTCP genes were found. We identified eight TCPs that were significantly differentially expressed (DETCPs) under blue light (B) and red light (R), using RNA-seq. The regulatory network of eight DETCPs was preliminarily constructed. All three subclusters responded to red and blue light treatment. To explore the implications of regulatory TCPs in different light treatments for each species, the TCP regulatory gene networks and GO annotations for A. thaliana and S. muricatum were compared. The regulatory mechanisms suggest that the signaling pathways downstream of the TCPs may be partially conserved between the two species. In addition to the response to light, functional regulation was mostly enriched with auxin response, hypocotyl elongation, and lateral branch genesis. In summary, our findings provide a basis for further analysis of the TCP gene family in other crops and broaden the functional insights into TCP genes regarding light responses.

Evolution and clinical significance of HER2-low status after neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

Background: The emergence of HER2 antibody-drug conjugates provides new treatment decisions for breast cancer patients, especially those with HER2-low expression. In order to explore the biological characteristics of breast cancer with HER2-low expression, the HER2-low category in primary breast cancer and residual tumor after neoadjuvant therapy was investigated to reflect the evolution of HER2 expression. Methods: HER2 was assessed according to the latest ASCO/CAP guidelines. The cut-off value for staining of HER2-positive cells was >10%. HER2-negative cases were divided into HER2-low (IHC=1+/2+ and no ISH amplification) and HER2-zero (IHC-0), and the clinicopathological characteristics of the cases were collected. Results: This study included 1140 patients with invasive breast cancer who received preoperative neoadjuvant therapy from 2018 to 2021, of which 365 patients achieved pCR and 775 were non-pCR. In the non-pCR cohort, HER2-low cases accounted for 59.61% of primary tumors and 55.36% of residual tumors. Among HER2-negative cases, HR-positive tumors had a higher incidence of low HER2 expression compared with triple-negative tumors (80.27% vs 60.00% in primary tumors and 72.68% vs 50.77% in residual tumors). The inconsistency rate of HER2 expression was 21.42%, mainly manifested as the conversion of HER2-low cases to HER2-zero (10.19%) and the conversion of HER2-zero to HER2-low (6.45%). Among the HER2-negative cases in the primary tumor, the HER2 discordance rate of HR-positive cases was lower than that of triple-negative cases (23.34% VS 36.92%). This difference was mainly caused by the case switching from HER2-low to HER2-zero. Compared with HER2-zero cases, there were statistically significant differences in RCB grade, MP grade and the number of metastatic lymph nodes in HER2-low cases. Patients with low HER2 expression had a lower pathological response rate and a higher number of metastatic lymph nodes. Conclusion: HER2-low breast cancer is highly unstable during disease evolution and has certain biological characteristics. HER2-low breast cancer is not only correlated with positive HR, but also has a certain correlation with positive AR. Re-detection of HER2 in breast cancer after neoadjuvant therapy may lead to new treatment opportunities for a certain proportion of patients.

Cimigenol depresses acute myeloid leukemia cells protected by breaking bone marrow stromal cells via CXCR4/SDF­1α.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate cimigenol (Cim) treatment effects to cell proliferation by breaking bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) through C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4)/stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) pathway. MV-4-11 and U937 cell lines were used. The present study was divided into two parts. First, the cell lines were divided into normal control (NC), BMSC (cells co-cultured with BMSCs), BMSC + DMSO, BMSC + Low (treated with 5 mg/ml Cim), BMSC + Middle (treated with 10 mg/ml Cim), BMSC + High (treated with 20 mg/ml Cim). In the second step, the cell lines were divided into NC, BMSC, BMSC + BL8040 (treated with BL8040 which inhibits CXCR4), BMSC + Cim and BMSC + Cim + BL8040. EdU positive cell numbers were measured by EdU assay and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry and TUNEL assay. Relative gene and protein expression was measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting assay. BMSCs were able to protect proliferation of cancer cells and decreased cell apoptosis compared with the NC group (P<0.001, respectively). With Cim supplement, the cell proliferation was decreased with cell apoptosis increasing compared with NC group (P<0.001 respectively). However, the anti-tumor effects of Cim were not significantly different from the BL8040 treated groups (P<0.001, respectively). In conclusion Cim decreased acute myeloid leukemia cells protected by BMSCs through the CXCR4/SDF-1α pathway.

Diagnostic performance of adenosine deaminase for abdominal tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and aim: Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is a common type of extrapulmonary TB with an insidious onset and non-specific symptoms. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels increase rapidly in the early stages of abdominal TB. However, it remains unclear whether ADA serves as a diagnostic marker for abdominal TB. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search for relevant articles published in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase up to April 2022. First, we used the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool-2 (QUADAS-2), to evaluate the quality of the included articles. Bivariate and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) models were then utilized to analyze pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). In addition, we explored a subgroup analysis for potential heterogeneity and publication bias among the included literature. Results: Twenty-four articles (3,044 participants, 3,044 samples) which met the eligibility criteria were included in this study. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of ADA for abdominal TB detection were 93% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-0.95] and 95% (95% CI: 0.93-0.96), respectively. PLR and NLR were 18.6 (95% CI: 14.0-24.6) and 0.08 (95% CI: 0.05-0.12), respectively. DOR and AUROC were 236 (95% CI: 134-415) and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99), respectively. Furthermore, no heterogeneity or publication bias was found. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis found ADA to be of excellent diagnostic value for abdominal TB and could be used as an auxiliary diagnostic tool. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022297931.

Influences of Antithrombotic Elastic Socks Combined with Air Pressure in Reducing Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis for Patients Undergoing Cardiothoracic Surgery.

This study was designed to investigate the application and therapeutic effect of antithrombotic elastic socks combined with air pressure in the prevention of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery. Sixty patients in cardiothoracic surgery of our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were randomly divided into a study group and control group. The control group was treated with routine treatment intervention. Based on routine treatment intervention, the study group was treated with antithrombotic elastic socks combined with pneumatic treatment intervention. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), femoral venous blood flow velocity of both lower limbs, and the incidence of lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT), postoperative lower extremity swelling, inflammatory factors, and satisfaction were measured. After intervention, APTT (31.74 ± 1.15 s) and TT (14.58 ± 0.24 s) in the study group were higher than those in the control group APTT (25.13 ± 1.14 s) and TT (12.14 ± 0.23 s) (P < 0.05). The left lower limb femoral vein blood flow velocity and the right lower limb femoral vein blood flow velocity in the study group were better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative lower limb swelling and deep vein in the study group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 concentrations in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The satisfaction rate of patients in the study group (93.33%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (70.00%) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, after cardiothoracic surgery, antithrombotic elastic socks combined with air pressure can significantly reduce the incidence of LEDVT by improving patients' coagulation function, reducing inflammatory reaction. It is worthy of popularization and application in relevant surgery.

Biomedical polymers: synthesis, properties, and applications.

Biomedical polymers have been extensively developed for promising applications in a lot of biomedical fields, such as therapeutic medicine delivery, disease detection and diagnosis, biosensing, regenerative medicine, and disease treatment. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances in the synthesis and application of biomedical polymers, and discuss the comprehensive understanding of their property-function relationship for corresponding biomedical applications. In particular, a few burgeoning bioactive polymers, such as peptide/biomembrane/microorganism/cell-based biomedical polymers, are also introduced and highlighted as the emerging biomaterials for cancer precision therapy. Furthermore, the foreseeable challenges and outlook of the development of more efficient, healthier and safer biomedical polymers are discussed. We wish this systemic and comprehensive review on highlighting frontier progress of biomedical polymers could inspire and promote new breakthrough in fundamental research and clinical translation.

Association Between Antibiotic Overexposure and Adverse Outcomes in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants Without Culture-Proven Sepsis or Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the associations between higher antibiotic use rates (AURs) and adverse outcomes in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants without culture-proven sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a multicenter of China. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed on VLBW infants admitted to 24 neonatal intensive care units from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018. AUR was calculated as calendar days of antibiotic therapy divided by total hospital days. The composite primary outcome was defined as mortality or severe morbidity, including any of the following: severe neurologic injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and stage 3 or higher retinopathy of prematurity. RESULTS: A total of 1,034 VLBW infants who received antibiotics without culture-proven sepsis or NEC were included in this study. The overall AUR of eligible VLBW infants was 55%, and the AUR of each eligible VLBW infant ranged from 3 to 100%, with a median of 56% (IQR 33%, 86%). After generalized propensity score and logistic regression analysis of 4 groups of VLBW infants with different AUR range, infants in the higher quartile AUR, (Q3, 0.57~0.86) and (Q4, 0.87~1.00), had higher odds of composite primary outcome (adjusted OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.23-2.67; adjusted OR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.59-3.54, respectively) and BPD (adjusted OR: 3.09; 95% CI: 1.52-6.57; adjusted OR 3.17; 95% CI: 1.56-6.57, respectively) than those in the lowest AUR (Q1). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic overexposure in VLBW infants without culture-proven sepsis or NEC was associated with increased risk of composite primary outcome and BPD. Rational empirical antibiotic use in VLBW infants is urgently needed in China.