Regulatory mechanism of FCGR2A in macrophage polarization and its effects on intervertebral disc degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) poses a significant health burden, necessitating a deeper understanding of its molecular underpinnings. Transcriptomic analysis reveals 485 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with IDD, underscoring the importance of immune regulation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identifies a yellow module strongly correlated with IDD, intersecting with 197 DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis identifies ITGAX, MMP9 and FCGR2A as hub genes, predominantly expressed in macrophages. Functional validation through in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrates the pivotal role of FCGR2A in macrophage polarization and IDD progression. Mechanistically, FCGR2A knockdown suppresses M1 macrophage polarization and NF-κB phosphorylation while enhancing M2 polarization and STAT3 activation, leading to ameliorated IDD in animal models. This study sheds light on the regulatory function of FCGR2A in macrophage polarization, offering novel insights for IDD intervention strategies. KEY POINTS: This study unveils the role of FCGR2A in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD). FCGR2A knockdown mitigates IDD in cellular and animal models. Single-cell RNA-sequencing uncovers diverse macrophage subpopulations in degenerated IVDs. This study reveals the molecular mechanism of FCGR2A in regulating macrophage polarization. This study confirms the role of the NF-κB/STAT3 pathway in regulating macrophage polarization in IDD.

Umbilical cord blood metabolomics: association with intrauterine hyperglycemia.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine hyperglycemia can harm a fetus's growth and development, and this can be seen in the umbilical cord blood metabolism disorder. However, the metabolites and metabolic mechanisms involved in the condition remain unknown. METHODS: Targeted metabolomics using liquid chromatography and MetaboAnalyst were conducted in this study to explore differences in metabolites and metabolic pathways between individuals with hyperglycemia or well-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and healthy controls. RESULTS: Univariate analysis found that the hyperglycemic and healthy control groups differed in 30 metabolites, while the well-controlled GDM and the healthy control groups differed only in three metabolites-ursodeoxycholic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid. Most of these metabolic variations were negatively associated with neonatal weights. Further research showed that the variations in the metabolites were primarily associated with the metabolic pathways of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). CONCLUSION: Gestational hyperglycemia and well-controlled GDM, which may play a major role by inhibiting the LA and ALA metabolic pathways, have detrimental effects on cord blood metabolism. IMPACT: The main point of this paper is that intrauterine hyperglycemia has a negative effect on cord blood metabolism mainly through the linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid metabolic pathways. This is a study to report a new association between well-controlled GDM and cord blood metabolism. This study provides a possible explanation for the association between intrauterine hyperglycemia and neonatal adverse birth outcomes.

SNHG1 functions as an oncogenic lncRNA and promotes osteosarcoma progression by up-regulating S100A6 via miR-493-5p.

The mechanism behind the aberrant expression of S100A6 in osteosarcoma is seldom reported so far. This study sought to explore the regulatory axis targeting S100A6 involved in osteosarcoma progression. Clinical samples collected from osteosarcoma patients were used to detect the expressions of SNHG1, miR-493-5p, and S100A6 by western bolt analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The effects of S100A6 on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation were investigated by the CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, Ethynyl deoxyuridine staining, matrix mineralization assay, and alkaline phosphatase assay. The potential of lncRNAs/miRNAs targeting S100A6 was identified by the bioinformatics approach, and the results were verified by the dual luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Both and rescue experiments were performed to investigate the regulatory relationship between the identified lncRNAs and S100A6. The results showed that S100A6 is highly expressed in osteosarcoma. S100A6 overexpression not only increases the proliferation but also reduces the osteogenic differentiation of osteosarcoma cells, while S1006A silence exerts the opposite effects. Then, SNHG1 is identified to directly interact with miR-493-5p to attenuate miR-493-5p binding to the 3'-untranslated region of S100A6. Notably, S100A6 silence partially rescues the effect of SNHG1 overexpression on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of osteosarcoma cells. Furthermore, the suppressive role of SNHG1 silence in the growth of osteosarcoma xenograft tumors is countered by S100A6 overexpression. Collectively, this study reveals that S100A6 plays an important role in osteosarcoma progression, and SNHG1 promotes S100A6 expression by competitively sponging miR-493-5p.

Predicting Positions of Bridging Water Molecules in Nucleic Acid-Ligand Complexes.

Over the past two decades, interests in DNA and RNA as drug targets have been growing rapidly. Following the trends observed with protein drug targets, computational approaches for drug design have been developed for this new class of molecules. Our efforts toward the development of a universal docking program, Fitted, led us to focus on nucleic acids. Throughout the development of this docking program, efforts were directed toward displaceable water molecules which must be accurately located for optimal docking-based drug discovery. However, although there is a plethora of methods to place water molecules in and around protein structures, there is, to the best of our knowledge, no such fully automated method for nucleic acids, which are significantly more polar and solvated than proteins. We report herein a new method, Splash'Em (Solvation Potential Laid around Statistical Hydration on Entire Macromolecules) developed to place water molecules within the binding cavity of nucleic acids. This fast method was shown to have high agreement with water positions in crystal structures and will therefore provide essential information to medicinal chemists.

Expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs and messenger RNAs in the border zone of myocardial infarction in rats.

BACKGROUND: The participation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in myocardial infarction has recently been noted. However, their underlying roles in the border zone of myocardial infarction remain unclear. This study uses microarrays to determine the profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the border zone. METHODS: Bioinformatics methods were employed to uncover their underlying roles. Highly dysregulated lncRNAs was further validated via PCR. RESULTS: Four hundred seven lncRNAs and 752 mRNAs were upregulated, while 132 lncRNAs and 547 mRNAs were downregulated in the border zone of myocardial infarction. A circos graph was constructed to visualize the chromosomal distribution and classification of the dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs. The upregulated mRNAs in the border zone were most highly enriched in cytokine activity, binding, cytokine receptor binding and related processes, as ascertained through Go analysis. Pathway analysis of the upregulated mRNAs showed the most significant changes were in the TNF signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and chemokine signaling pathway and similar pathways and interactions. An lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was established to probe into the underlying functions of the 10 most highly dysregulated lncRNAs based on their co-expressed mRNAs. In the co-expression network, we found 16 genes directly involved in myocardial infarction, including Alox5ap, Itgb2 and B4galt1. The lncRNAs AY212271, EF424788 and MRAK088538, among others, might be associated with myocardial infarction. BC166504 is probably a key lncRNA in the border zone of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: The results may have revealed some aberrantly expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs that contribute to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of myocardial infarction.

PD-L1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1) Protects Against Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Induced Brain Injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a neurologically destructive stroke, for which no valid treatment is available. This preclinical study examined the therapeutic effect of PD-L1 (programmed death ligand 1), a B7 family member and a ligand for both PD-1 (programmed death 1) and B7-1 (CD80), in a murine ICH model. METHODS: ICH was induced by injecting autologous blood into 252 male C57BL/6 and Rag1-/- mice. One hour later, ICH mice were randomly assigned to receive an intraperitoneal injection of vehicle, PD-L1, or anti-PD-L1 antibody. Neurological function was assessed along with brain edema, brain infiltration of immune cells, blood-brain barrier integrity, neuron death, and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway products. RESULTS: PD-L1 significantly attenuated neurological deficits, reduced brain edema, and decreased hemorrhage volume in ICH mice. PD-L1 specifically downsized the number of brain-infiltrating CD4+ T cells and the percentages of Th1 and Th17 cells but increased the percentages of Th2 and regulatory T cells. In the PD-L1-treated group, we observed an amelioration of the inflammatory milieu, decreased cell death, and enhanced blood-brain barrier integrity. PD-L1 also inhibited the mTOR pathway. The administration of anti-PD-L1 antibody produced the opposite effects to those of PD-L1 in ICH mice. CONCLUSIONS: PD-L1 provided protection from the damaging consequences of ICH.

Effect of tiotropium on neural respiratory drive during exercise in severe COPD.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that tiotropium once daily reduces lung hyperinflation and dyspnea during exercise and improves exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. Mechanisms underlying the effects of the muscarinic receptor antagonist tiotropium on COPD have not been fully understood. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated whether improvement in neural respiratory drive is responsible for reducing dyspnea during exercise and improving exercise tolerance in COPD. METHODS: Twenty subjects with severe COPD were randomized into two groups: no treatment (Control, n = 10, 63.6 ± 4.6 years, FEV1 29.6 ± 13.3%pred) or inhaled tiotropium 18 µg once daily for 1 month (n = 10, 66.5 ± 5.4 years, FEV1 33.0 ± 11.1%pred). All subjects were allowed to continue their daily medications other than anti-cholinergics during the study. Constant cycle exercise with 75% of maximal workload and spirometry were performed before and 1 month after treatment. Diaphragmatic EMG (EMGdi) and respiratory pressures were recorded with multifunctional esophageal catheter. Efficiency of neural respiratory drive, defined as the ratio of minute ventilation (VE) and diaphragmatic EMG (VE/EMGdi%max), was calculated. Modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) was used for the evaluation of dyspnea before and after treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in spirometry before and after treatment in both groups. Diaphragmatic EMG decreased significantly at rest (28.1 ± 10.9% vs. 22.6 ± 10.7%, P < 0.05) and mean efficiency of neural respiratory drive at the later stage of exercise increased (39.8 ± 2.9 vs. 45.2 ± 3.9, P < 0.01) after 1-month treatment with tiotropium. There were no remarkable changes in resting EMGdi and mean efficiency of neural respiratory drive post-treatment in control group. The score of mMRC decreased significantly (2.5 ± 0.5 vs. 1.9 ± 0.7, P < 0.05) after 1-month treatment with tiotropium, but without significantly difference in control group. CONCLUSION: Tiotropium significantly reduces neural respiratory drive at rest and improves the efficiency of neural respiratory drive during exercise, which might account for the improvement in exercise tolerance in COPD.

[Efficacies of continuous positive airway pressure on mixed sleep respiratory events in patients with sleep apnea].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacies of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for mixed sleep apnea (MSA) events in patients with sleep apnea. METHODS: A total of 21 patients with sleep apnea whose MSA events >10 events/h on overnight polysomnography (PSG) were studied. They were selected from the Sleep Center, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease. Ten of them were diagnosed only by conventional polysomnography (PSG group) while the diagnosis of another 11 patients was further confirmed by diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) (EMG group). All of them were treated by CPAP titrated manually on PSG. RESULTS: Manual CPAP titrating pressure in PSG group was (8.1 ± 2.2) cmH2O (1 cmH2O = 0.098 kPa) and it was similar to that in EMG group ((8.9 ± 1.5) cmH2O). Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased significantly after CPAP in both PSG group (6.9 (3.5, 10.2) vs 62.2 (54.7, 71.4) events/h) and EMG group (1.5 (0.5, 5.5) vs 71.3 (59.5, 79.5) events/h) (both P < 0.01). CPAP could eliminate MSA diagnosed either by conventional PSG (0.1 (0.0, 0.4) vs 29.6 (19.6, 32.4) events/h) or by diaphragm EMG (0.0 (0.0, 0.2) vs 18.1 (9.1, 19.3) events/h) (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: CPAP can effectively treat MSA events in patients with sleep apnea.

GAS5, a long noncoding RNA, contributes to annulus fibroblast osteogenic differentiation and apoptosis in intervertebral disk degeneration via the miR-221-3p/SOX11 axis.

miR-221-3p has been reported to attenuate the osteogenic differentiation of annulus fibrosus cells (AFs), which has been implicated in intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD) development. This study aimed to elucidate miR-221-3p's role in osteogenic differentiation and apoptosis of AFs in an IVDD model. After successfully establishing an IVDD rat model by annulus fibrosus needle puncture, AFs were isolated. Bioinformatics, dual-luciferase reporter, and AGO2-RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays predicted and confirmed the potential miR-221-3p lncRNA and gene target. Functional analyses were performed after AF transfection to explore the roles of the identified lncRNA and gene. Western blotting, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and Alizarin red and TUNEL staining were performed to investigate AF apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation with different transfections. Compared with AFs isolated from sham rats, IVDD-isolated Afs exhibited stronger osteogenic potential and higher apoptosis rates accompanied by miR-221-3p downregulation. The growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) was identified as miR-221-3p's target lncRNA, which was highly expressed in IVDD. GAS5 overexpression facilitated AF apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation, whereas silencing GAS5 had the opposite effect. SRY box-related11 (SOX11) was identified as a downstream miR-221-3p target gene in IVDD. GASS silencing-induced suppression of AF apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation could be reversed by SOX11 overexpression. Our findings uncovered a lncRNA GAS5/miR-221-3p/SOX11 axis in Afs under IVDD, which may help implement novel IVDD therapeutic strategies.

Network pharmacology to explore the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of ground glass nodules.

Background: Ground glass nodules (GGNs) in the lung are considered to be a high-risk factor of lung adenocarcinoma. Immediate surgery is not recommended for GGNs patients, and low-dose computed tomography (CT) is often used for observation and follow-up, which brings high psychological and economic burden to the patient. Methods: Three traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions for the treatment of GGNs were found through database including PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Scopus and so on. The possible targets of the active ingredients of the TCM preparations and the gene targets of GGNs were screened out from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), UniProt and GeneCards. Network visualization was realized via STRING, Cytoscape 3.7.2, Evenn, DAVID and Hiplot. Finally, molecular docking Vina and PyMOL software were performed to further explore the possibility of drug-target interactions using PubChem compounds, protein data bank (PDB) database, Autodocktools and Autodock. Results: Three TCM preparations could target the same 13 potential therapeutic targets in GGNs. From network pharmacology, 14 signaling pathways, the functions of the significant targets, an effective ingredient in TCM prescriptions and its functions were obtained. Conclusions: Chinese herbal formulas containing quercetin could be a potential treatment for GGNs, targeting C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) through the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and leukocyte transendothelial migration.

Comparison of manual versus automatic continuous positive airway pressure titration and the development of a predictive equation for therapeutic continuous positive airway pressure in Chinese patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Whether the therapeutic nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) derived from manual titration is the same as derived from automatic titration is controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the therapeutic pressure derived from manual titration with automatic titration. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) (mean apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) = 50.6 ± 18.6 events/h) who were newly diagnosed after an overnight full polysomnography and who were willing to accept CPAP as a long-term treatment were recruited for the study. Manual titration during full polysomnography monitoring and unattended automatic titration with an automatic CPAP device (REMstar Auto) were performed. A separate cohort study of one hundred patients with OSA (AHI = 54.3 ± 18.9 events/h) was also performed by observing the efficacy of CPAP derived from manual titration. RESULTS: The treatment pressure derived from automatic titration (9.8 ± 2.2 cmH(2)O) was significantly higher than that derived from manual titration (7.3 ± 1.5 cmH(2)O; P < 0.001) in 51 patients. The cohort study of 100 patients showed that AHI was satisfactorily decreased after CPAP treatment using a pressure derived from manual titration (54.3 ± 18.9 events/h before treatment and 3.3 ± 1.7 events/h after treatment; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that automatic titration pressure derived from REMstar Auto is usually higher than the pressure derived from manual titration.

[Comparison of manual versus automatic titration in pressure determination for long-term therapy of continuous positive airway pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of automatic titration with that of manual titration. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) diagnosed by overnight polysomnography at sleep center of First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University were studied between December 2010 and December 2012. Manual titration was performed under full polysmnography and auto-titration at home for 3-7 nights. RESULTS: There were 52 males and 6 females with an age range of (48 ± 11) years. CPAP pressure titrated by automatic device (10.0 ± 2.2) cm H2O (1 cm H2O = 0.098 kPa) was significantly higher than that titrated manually (7.5 ± 1.5) cm H2O (P = 0.000). Apnea-hyponea index decreased significantly from (54.0 ± 21.0) events/h pre-treatment to (3.8 ± 2.5) events/h post-treatment under manual titration (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: CPAP pressure titrated by automatic device is usually higher than that titrated manually. Manual titration should be performed if a patient can not tolerate the CPAP pressure titrated by an automatic device.

[Prevalence of central sleep apnea in different age groups of children with sleep apnea-hypopnea].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of central sleep apnea in different age groups of children with sleep apnea-hypopnea (SAH). METHODS: A total of 431 children with SAH diagnosed by overnight polysomnography at our Sleep Center were retrospectively studied. They were divided into 3 groups based on their ages: toddler group (1 - < 3 years old), preschool group (3 - < 6 years old) and school group (6 - < 13 years old). The relationship between age and different types of apnea-hyponea index (AHI) was analyzed. And the prevalence of central sleep apnea and sleep structure were compared between the groups. RESULTS: A negative correlation existed between age and central sleep apnea index (r = -0.322, P < 0.01). However, there was no correlation between age and obstructive apnea index (P > 0.05). AHI was similar in different age groups, but the medians of central sleep apnea index for toddler, preschool and school groups were 2.35, 1.50 and 0.90 events/h respectively (all P < 0.01). Sleep structure was similar between the groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Central sleep apnea is common in children with sleep disordered breathing. The younger their ages, a higher prevalence of central sleep apnea.

Adipokines in atherosclerosis: unraveling complex roles.

Adipokines are biologically active factors secreted by adipose tissue that act on local and distant tissues through autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine mechanisms. However, adipokines are believed to be involved in an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Classical adipokines include leptin, adiponectin, and ceramide, while newly identified adipokines include visceral adipose tissue-derived serpin, omentin, and asprosin. New evidence suggests that adipokines can play an essential role in atherosclerosis progression and regression. Here, we summarize the complex roles of various adipokines in atherosclerosis lesions. Representative protective adipokines include adiponectin and neuregulin 4; deteriorating adipokines include leptin, resistin, thrombospondin-1, and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 5; and adipokines with dual protective and deteriorating effects include C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3; and adipose tissue-derived bioactive materials include sphingosine-1-phosphate, ceramide, and adipose tissue-derived exosomes. However, the role of a newly discovered adipokine, asprosin, in atherosclerosis remains unclear. This article reviews progress in the research on the effects of adipokines in atherosclerosis and how they may be regulated to halt its progression.

Characteristics and evaluation of atherosclerotic plaques: an overview of state-of-the-art techniques.

Atherosclerosis is an important cause of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lipid infiltration, inflammation, and altered vascular stress are the critical mechanisms that cause atherosclerotic plaque formation. The hallmarks of the progression of atherosclerosis include plaque ulceration, rupture, neovascularization, and intraplaque hemorrhage, all of which are closely associated with the occurrence of CVD. Assessing the severity of atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability is crucial for the prevention and treatment of CVD. Integrating imaging techniques for evaluating the characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques with computer simulations yields insights into plaque inflammation levels, spatial morphology, and intravascular stress distribution, resulting in a more realistic and accurate estimation of plaque state. Here, we review the characteristics and advancing techniques used to analyze intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic plaques to provide a comprehensive understanding of atheroma.

Simultaneous placement of short implants (≤ 8 mm) versus standard length implants (≥ 10 mm) after sinus floor elevation in atrophic posterior maxillae: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the clinical outcomes of using short implants (≤ 8 mm) inserted with osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) and standard implants (≥ 10 mm) inserted with sinus floor elevation (SFE) in atrophic posterior maxillae with insufficient residual bone height (RBH). METHODS: An electronic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from 1994 to July 2022, in combination with a manual search of references in relevant articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the clinical results between short and standard implant placement with SFE were included. The primary outcomes were implant survival rate and marginal bone loss (MBL); the secondary outcome was complication rate. RESULTS: Three RCTs were included, totaling 138 short and 156 standard implants. The results of the meta-analysis showed no significant differences between the short and standard implant groups in survival rate (RR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.96-1.08, p = 0.570), MBL (MD = - 0.13, 95% CI - 0.32 to 0.07, p = 0.190) and complication rate (intra-surgical complication: RR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.46-2.83, p = 0.770; post-operative complication: RR = 1.34, 95% CI 0.71-2.55, p = 0.370). CONCLUSIONS: Using short implants (≤ 8 mm) combined with OSFE might be an alternative to standard implants (≥ 10 mm) with SFE when the RBH of the posterior maxilla is insufficient. Based on a short-term clinical observation, short implants with OSFE show good results in terms of survival rate, MBL, and complication incidence.

Clinical Efficacy of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Methods: Allergic rhinitis patients included in this study were randomly divided into control group and study group for 7 days of treatment. The control group was treated with Tongqiao Biyan Pian, while the study group was treated with Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan. Results: After 7 days of treatment, the total effective rate of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan was 75.76%, which was higher than that of Tongqiao Biyan Pian (65.62%). The scores of visual analogue scale (VAS), symptom relief, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) in both groups were significantly improved before and after treatment (P < 0.05), and the improvement was most significant 24 hours after treatment. The adverse reactions in both groups were low. Conclusion: Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan can significantly alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis, with less adverse reactions.

Wearable Sensor-Based Monitoring of Environmental Exposures and the Associated Health Effects: A Review.

Recent advances in sensor technology have facilitated the development and use of personalized sensors in monitoring environmental factors and the associated health effects. No studies have reviewed the research advancement in examining population-based health responses to environmental exposure via portable sensors/instruments. This study aims to review studies that use portable sensors to measure environmental factors and health responses while exploring the environmental effects on health. With a thorough literature review using two major English databases (Web of Science and PubMed), 24 eligible studies were included and analyzed out of 16,751 total records. The 24 studies include 5 on physical factors, 19 on chemical factors, and none on biological factors. The results show that particles were the most considered environmental factor among all of the physical, chemical, and biological factors, followed by total volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide. Heart rate and heart rate variability were the most considered health indicators among all cardiopulmonary outcomes, followed by respiratory function. The studies mostly had a sample size of fewer than 100 participants and a study period of less than a week due to the challenges in accessing low-cost, small, and light wearable sensors. This review guides future sensor-based environmental health studies on project design and sensor selection.

Efficacy and safety of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan in patients with allergic rhinitis: a single-arm clinical trial in China.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and its own characteristics in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. In this study, the efficacy and safety of patients with allergic rhinitis treated with Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan were observed to support the clinical medication of patients with allergic rhinitis. Methods: A total of 61 patients with allergic rhinitis aged 12-70 years from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were included in this study. All the patients were treated with Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan for a period of 7 days. Return visits were carried out 24 hours after the first medication, the 4th day of medication, and the 7th day of medication, during which the efficacy and safety were assessed. Results: The effective rates of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan at 24 hours, 4 days, and 7 days were 49.2%, 60.7%, and 65.6%, respectively. Comparing the severity of various symptoms after treatment to baseline, significant differences were found in nasal secretion (2.95±0.67 vs. 2.26±1.30, P<0.001), stuffy nose (5.66±2.95 vs. 3.34±2.57, P<0.001), mucosa congestion (7.08±1.82 vs. 4.23±2.28, P<0.001), running nose (5.21±1.81 vs. 2.90±1.89, P<0.001), and sneezing (3.00±0 vs. 1.92±1.45, P<0.001). The full symptom scores showed progressive decline during treatment, measuring 20.21±5.13 at baseline and 12.02±6.47 at 7 days (P<0.001). Compared to the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) score of 64.61±30.27 at baseline, statistical significance (P<0.001) was found at 24 hours, 4 days, and 7 days, measuring 43.11±28.01, 40.74±28.6, and 39.97±40.48, respectively. The incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) was 3.3% (2/61), with no serious AEs. Conclusions: In this study, the use of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan is effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis patients, especially in patients with severe symptoms. Although the treatment system of TCM is different from that of Western medicine, the application of TCM will provide a new direction for the treatment of chronic diseases. Follow-up studies with an increased sample size are required for verification.

Metabolism Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection in Asthmatic Children.

PURPOSE: Studies have shown that Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) infection can aggravate symptoms in asthmatics. However, the mechanism by which Mp infection exacerbates asthma remains unclear. Metabolomics can help identify the mechanism of Mp aggravating asthma in children, thereby providing more a potential target for improving clinical treatment programs. In this article, we analyzed the metabolic level of patients to explain how Mp aggravates asthma in children. METHODS: We divided the subjects into the asthma, Mp infection, asthma combined with Mp infection and healthy groups. Patients' peripheral blood was collected for metabolic and interaction analysis. Cytokine levels were measured via serum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC). RESULTS: A total of 150 participating subjects were divided into four groups after exclusion. We found out that there were different metabolic pathways between the healthy and disease groups. The major pathways of both asthma and asthma combined with Mp infection were valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis; malate-aspartate shuttle was the main differential pathway for Mp infection. Moreover, even though three disease groups involved 81 metabolites at the same time, compared with asthma combined with Mp infection, 2 single disease groups still involved different amino acid pathways (phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis; valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis). Interaction analysis showed that Mp infection in asthmatic patients not only activated cytokines, but also activated Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 6. Finally, the levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-8, IL-13 and tumor necrosis factor-α in EBC with asthma combined with Mp infection were significantly higher than the 2 single disease groups. CONCLUSIONS: Mp infection in asthmatic children can cause changes in the levels of various amino acids in the body, which were enriched in the pathways such as valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis. Palmitic acid can activate TLR2, and iloprost reduces IL-10 levels, ultimately leading to the increased airway inflammation.