A nearby long gamma-ray burst from a merger of compact objects.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashes of high-energy radiation arising from energetic cosmic explosions. Bursts of long (greater than two seconds) duration are produced by the core-collapse of massive stars1, and those of short (less than two seconds) duration by the merger of compact objects, such as two neutron stars2. A third class of events with hybrid high-energy properties was identified3, but never conclusively linked to a stellar progenitor. The lack of bright supernovae rules out typical core-collapse explosions4-6, but their distance scales prevent sensitive searches for direct signatures of a progenitor system. Only tentative evidence for a kilonova has been presented7,8. Here we report observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 211211A, which classify it as a hybrid event and constrain its distance scale to only 346 megaparsecs. Our measurements indicate that its lower-energy (from ultraviolet to near-infrared) counterpart is powered by a luminous (approximately 1042 erg per second) kilonova possibly formed in the ejecta of a compact object merger.

Very-high-frequency oscillations in the main peak of a magnetar giant flare.

Magnetars are strongly magnetized, isolated neutron stars1-3 with magnetic fields up to around 1015 gauss, luminosities of approximately 1031-1036 ergs per second and rotation periods of about 0.3-12.0 s. Very energetic giant flares from galactic magnetars (peak luminosities of 1044-1047 ergs per second, lasting approximately 0.1 s) have been detected in hard X-rays and soft γ-rays4, and only one has been detected from outside our galaxy5. During such giant flares, quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) with low (less than 150 hertz) and high (greater than 500 hertz) frequencies have been observed6-9, but their statistical significance has been questioned10. High-frequency QPOs have been seen only during the tail phase of the flare9. Here we report the observation of two broad QPOs at approximately 2,132 hertz and 4,250 hertz in the main peak of a giant γ-ray flare11 in the direction of the NGC 253 galaxy12-17, disappearing after 3.5 milliseconds. The flare was detected on 15 April 2020 by the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor instrument18,19 aboard the International Space Station, which was the only instrument that recorded the main burst phase (0.8-3.2 milliseconds) in the full energy range (50 × 103 to 40 × 106 electronvolts) without suffering from saturation effects such as deadtime and pile-up. Along with sudden spectral variations, these extremely high-frequency oscillations in the burst peak are a crucial component that will aid our understanding of magnetar giant flares.

No pulsed radio emission during a bursting phase of a Galactic magnetar.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration radio transients of unknown physical origin observed at extragalactic distances1-3. It has long been speculated that magnetars are the engine powering repeating bursts from FRB sources4-13, but no convincing evidence has been collected so far14. Recently, the Galactic magnetar SRG 1935+2154 entered an active phase by emitting intense soft γ-ray bursts15. One FRB-like event with two peaks (FRB 200428) and a luminosity slightly lower than the faintest extragalactic FRBs was detected from the source, in association with a soft γ-ray/hard-X-ray flare18-21. Here we report an eight-hour targeted radio observational campaign comprising four sessions and assisted by multi-wavelength (optical and hard-X-ray) data. During the third session, 29 soft-γ-ray repeater (SGR) bursts were detected in γ-ray energies. Throughout the observing period, we detected no single dispersed pulsed emission coincident with the arrivals of SGR bursts, but unfortunately we were not observing when the FRB was detected. The non-detection places a fluence upper limit that is eight orders of magnitude lower than the fluence of FRB 200428. Our results suggest that FRB-SGR burst associations are rare. FRBs may be highly relativistic and geometrically beamed, or FRB-like events associated with SGR bursts may have narrow spectra and characteristic frequencies outside the observed band. It is also possible that the physical conditions required to achieve coherent radiation in SGR bursts are difficult to satisfy, and that only under extreme conditions could an FRB be associated with an SGR burst.

A validation of register-derived diagnoses of interstitial lung disease in patients with inflammatory arthritis: data from the NOR-DMARD study.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lack of knowledge concerning the validity of the interstitial lung disease (ILD) diagnoses used in epidemiological studies on rheumatic diseases. This paper seeks to verify register-derived ILD diagnoses using chest computed tomography (CT) and medical records as a gold standard. METHOD: The Norwegian Anti-Rheumatic Drug Register (NOR-DMARD) is a multicentre prospective observational study of patients with inflammatory arthritis who start treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. NOR-DMARD is linked to the Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR) and Cause of Death Registry. We searched registers for ILD coded by ICD-10 J84 or J99 among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or spondyloarthritis. We extracted chest CT reports and medical records from participating hospitals. Two expert thoracic radiologists scored examinations to confirm the ILD diagnosis. We also searched medical records to find justifications for the diagnosis following multidisciplinary evaluations. We calculated the positive predictive values (PPVs) for ILD across subsets. RESULTS: We identified 71 cases with an ILD diagnosis. CT examinations were available in 65/71 patients (91.5%), of whom ILD was confirmed on CT in 29/65 (44.6%). In a further 10 patients, medical records confirmed the diagnosis, giving a total of 39/71 verified cases. The PPV of a register-derived ILD diagnosis was thus 54.9%. In a subset of patients who had received an ILD code at two or more time-points and had a CT scan taken within a relevant period, the PPV was 72.2%. CONCLUSION: The validity of register-based diagnoses of ILD must be carefully considered in epidemiological studies.

Muscular MRI and magnetic resonance neurography in spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by the degeneration of the α-motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. SMA is clinically characterized by progressive and symmetrical muscle weakness and muscle atrophy and ends up with systemic multisystem abnormalities. Quantitative MRI (qMRI) has the advantages of non-invasiveness, objective sensitivity, and high reproducibility, and has important clinical value in evaluating the severity of neuromuscular diseases and monitoring the efficacy of treatment. This article summarizes the clinical use of muscular MRI and magnetic resonance neurography in assessing the progress of SMA.

Magnetic resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA) is reliable in assessing response to treatment in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

AIM: To assess the accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA) in evaluating therapeutic efficacy in Crohn's disease (CD) patients with different activity levels using ileocolonoscopy as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients underwent magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and ileocolonoscopy at baseline, week 26, and week 52, along with the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease (SES-CD) and MaRIA scores. According to the SES-CD score at baseline, all patients were subdivided into mild, moderate, and severe activity subgroups. The identification of endoscopic mucosal healing (MH) was explored primarily. Moreover, the Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were collected and analysed. RESULTS: MaRIA correlated significantly with SES-CD and CRP at baseline, week 26, and week 52. The discrepancies in MaRIA and SES-CD were statistically significant before and after treatment. MaRIA = 24.43 and ΔMaRIA = 12.77 as the cut-off points were found to have high diagnostic accuracy for predicting MH. MaRIA (p<0.001), SES-CD (p<0.001), CRP (p<0.05), ESR (p<0.05), and CDAI score (p<0.05) in patients with MH were considerably decreased compared to those in patients without MH. CONCLUSIONS: MRE has good application value in evaluating the therapeutic response of CD patients treated with biological agents. MaRIA is a reliable indicator in the follow-up of CD patients, which is strongly correlated with SES-CD, and it has high accuracy in predicting endoscopic MH.

Menopausal age and cardiovascular disease risk in American women: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant contributor to the deaths of females, and premature menopause adds to the risk of CVD in females. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the age of menopause and CVD incidence in American females using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHOD: We analyzed data from 6347 females to investigate the association between menopausal age and the risk of CVD using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The study found that a later menopausal age reduces the risk of developing CVD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.63 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Moreover, females with early-onset CVD had an increased risk of premature menopause before the age of 40 years (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.60 - 3.72, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Menopausal age is associated with the risk of developing CVD in American females. Specifically, if menopause occurs earlier, there is an increased risk of CVD. Additionally, early-onset CVD significantly raises the risk of premature menopause, which in turn has important implications for female reproductive health.

Remnant cholesterol is associated with hip BMD and low bone mass in young and middle-aged men: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Remnant cholesterol (RC) is a contributor to cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. However, the specific relationship between RC and bone metabolism remains unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationships of RC with hip bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk of low bone mass. METHODS: Physical examination data was collected from men aged < 60 years as part of the Kailuan Study between 2014 and 2018. The characteristics of the participants were compared between RC quartile groups. A generalized linear regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between RC and hip BMD and a logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for low bone mass. Additional analyses were performed after stratification by body mass index (BMI) (≥ or < 24 kg/m2). Sensitivity analyses were performed by excluding individuals who were taking lipid-lowering therapy or had cancer, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes. RESULTS: Data from a total of 7,053 participants were included in the analysis. After adjustment for confounding factors, RC negatively correlated with hip BMD (ß = - 0.0079, 95% CI: - 0.0133, - 0.0025). The risk of low bone mass increased from the lowest to the highest RC quartile, with ORs of 1 (reference), 1.09 (95% CI: (0.82, 1.44), 1.35 (95%CI: 1.02, 1.77), and 1.43 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.89) for Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively (P for trend = 0.004) in the fully adjusted model. Compared to RC < 0.80 mmol/l group, the risk of low bone mass increased 39% in RC ≥ 0.80 mmol/l group (P < 0.001). The correlation between RC and hip BMD was stronger in participants with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 group (ß = - 0.0159, 95% CI: - 0.0289, - 0.0029). The results of sensitivity analyses were consistent with the main results. CONCLUSION: We have identified a negative correlation between serum RC and hip BMD, and a higher RC concentration was found to be associated with a greater risk of low bone mass in young and middle-aged men.

Diabetes and long duration leading to speech-, low/mid-, and high- frequency hearing loss: current evidence from the China National Health Survey 2023.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of diabetes, duration of diabetes, and blood glucose on speech-, low/mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 2821 participants aged 20-87 years in the China National Health Survey were included. Diabetes was defined as valid fasting blood glucose (FBG) of ≥ 7.0 mmol/L, a self-reported history of diabetes or the use of anti-diabetic medications. Speech-(500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), low/mid- (500, 1000 and 2000 Hz), and high-frequency (4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz) hearing loss was defined as pure tone average of responding frequencies > 20 dB HL in the better ear, respectively. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, for speech-, low/mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss, compared with no diabetes, those with diabetes (OR[95%CI]: 1.44 [1.12, 1.86], 1.23 [0.94, 1.61], and 1.75 [1.28, 2.41], respectively) and with diabetes for > 5 years duration (OR[95%CI]: 1.63 [1.09, 2.42], and 1.63 [1.12, 2.36], 2.15 [1.25, 3.70], respectively) were at higher risk. High FBG level was associated with a higher risk of speech-, low/ mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss. And there were stronger associations between HL and diabetes, longer duration and higher in "healthier population" (no hypertension, no dyslipidemia and younger age). CONCLUSION: Diabetes, longer duration, and higher FBG level were independently associated with hearing loss for speech-, low/mid- and high-frequency hearing loss, particularly in higher frequency and "healthier population". Paying more attention to hearing loss in those populations could lower the burden of hearing loss.

Biocontrol of strawberry Botrytis gray mold and prolong the fruit shelf-life by fumigant Trichoderma spp.

Objectives To screen high active volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-producing Trichoderma isolates against strawberry gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, and to explore their antagonistic mode of action against the pathogen. VOCs produced by nine Trichoderma isolates (Trichoderma atroviride T1 and T3; Trichoderma harzianum T2, T4 and T5; T6, T7, T8 and T9 identified as Trichoderma asperellum in this work) significantly inhibited the mycelial growth (13.9-63.0% reduction) and conidial germination (17.6-96.3% reduction) of B. cinerea, the highest inhibition percentage belonged to VOCs of T7; in a closed space, VOCs of T7 shared 76.9% and 100% biocontrol efficacy against gray mold on strawberry fruits and detached leaves, respectively, prolonged the fruit shelf-life by 3 days in presence of B. cinerea, completely protected the leaves from B. cinerea infecting; volatile metabolites of T7 damaged the cell membrane permeability and integrity of B. cinerea, thereby inhibiting the mycelial growth and conidial germination. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the VOCs contain 23 potential compounds, and the majority of these compounds were categorised as alkenes, alcohols, and esters, including PEA and 6PP, which have been reported as substances produced by Trichoderma spp. T. asperellum T7 showed high biofumigant activity against mycelial growth especially conidial germination of B. cinerea and thus protected strawberry fruits and leaves from gray mold, which acted by damaging the pathogen's plasma membrane and resulting in cytoplasm leakage, was a potential biofumigant for controlling pre- and post-harvest strawberry gray mold.

China's prevention and control experience of echinococcosis: A 19-year retrospective.

Echinococcosis poses a significant threat to public health. The Chinese government has implemented prevention and control measures to mitigate the impact of the disease. By analyzing data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Council of the People's Republic of China, we found that implementation of these measures has reduced the infection rate by nearly 50% between 2004 to 2022 (from 0.3975 to 0.1944 per 100,000 person-years). Nonetheless, some regions still bear a significant disease burden, and lack of detailed information limites further evaluation of the effects on both alveolar and cystic echinococcosis. Our analysis supports the continuing implementation of these measures and suggests that enhanced wildlife management, case-based strategies, and surveillance systems will facilitate disease control.

Characterisation of the mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of Toxocara apodemi (Nematoda: Ascarididae).

We first sequenced and characterised the complete mitochondrial genome of Toxocara apodeme, then studied the evolutionary relationship of the species within Toxocaridae. The complete mitochondrial genome was amplified using PCR with 14 specific primers. The mitogenome length was 14303 bp in size, including 12 PCGs (encoding 3,423 amino acids), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and 2 NCRs, with 68.38% A+T contents. The mt genomes of T. apodemi had relatively compact structures with 11 intergenic spacers and 5 overlaps. Comparative analyses of the nucleotide sequences of complete mt genomes showed that T. apodemi had higher identities with T. canis than other congeners. A sliding window analysis of 12 PCGs among 5 Toxocara species indicated that nad4 had the highest sequence divergence, and cox1 was the least variable gene. Relative synonymous codon usage showed that UUG, ACU, CCU, CGU, and UCU most frequently occurred in the complete genomes of T. apodemi. The Ka/Ks ratio showed that all Toxocara mt genes were subject to purification selection. The largest genetic distance between T. apodemi and the other 4 congeneric species was found in nad2, and the smallest was found in cox2. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 PCGs demonstrated that T. apodemi formed a distinct branch and was always a sister taxon to other congeneric species. The present study determined the complete mt genome sequences of T. apodemi, which provide novel genetic markers for further studies of the taxonomy, population genetics, and systematics of the Toxocaridae nematodes.

[Association between intraoperative hypothermia and outcomes in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery].

Objective: To investigate the impact of intraoperative hypothermia on postoperative outcome in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Methods: The data of 1 008 neonates undergoing non-cardiac surgery in Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to October 2022 were retrospectively collected,which included 558 males and 450 females, with a midian age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 6 (2, 14) days. Neonates were divided into 4 groups according to whether hypothermia (below 36 ℃) occurred and the lowest body temperature during the surgery: normal temperature group (n=246), mild hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 35.0-35.9 ℃, n=434), moderate hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 34.0-34.9 ℃, n=232) and severe hypothermia group (the lowest temperature<34 ℃, n=96). The primary outcome was the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia. The four groups' difference of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative mortality within 30 days, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion and acidosis were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between intraoperative hypothermia and prolonged postoperative hospital stay (>14 d), 30 d-mortality and other complications. Results: In the 1 008 neonatal patients, 762 (75.6%) cases suffered intraoperative hypothermia, among which the incidence of mild, moderate and severe hypothermia was 43.1% (434/1008), 23.0% (232/1008) and 9.5% (96/1008), respectively. The postoperative hospital stay in normal, mild, moderate and severe hypothermia groups was 9.0 (5.8, 18.0), 12.0 (7.0, 21.0), 17.0 (10.0, 34.5) and 31.5 (12.5, 55.8) days. The mortality rate with 30 days after surgery was 2.9% (7/246), 4.4% (19/434), 6.9% (16/232) and 14.7% (14/96), the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was 31.7%(78/246), 39.9%(173/434), 44.8%(104/232) and 67.4%(64/96), the rate of postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion was 19.9%(49/246), 32.3%(140/434), 49.1%(114/232) and 79.0%(75/96), and the incidence of acidosis was 26.8%(66/246), 35.7%(155/434), 44.4%(103/232) and 46.3%(44/96), respectively. All differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). According to the adjusted logistic regression analysis, compared with the normal body temperature group, severe hypothermia was associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay (OR=1.962, 95%CI: 1.063-3.619) and postoperative pulmonary complications (OR=2.020, 95%CI: 1.149-3.553). The mild, moderate and severe hypothermia group could increase the risk of postoperative blood/transfusion rate (mild: OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.080-2.644; Moderate: OR=2.382, 95%CI: 1.444-3.927; Severe: OR=8.334, 95%CI: 3.123-8.929). The mild and moderate hypothermia could raise the risk of acidosis (mild: OR=1.458, 95%CI: 1.009-2.107; Moderate: OR=1.949, 95%CI: 1.279-2.972). Conclusion: Intraoperative hypothermia can prolong the postoperative hospital stay, and increase the risk of postoperative mortality, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/transfusion, and acidosis.

[Construction of a risk prediction model for diabetes after kidney transplantation based on genome-wide association study].

Objective: To explore the clinical risk factors and susceptibility genes of diabetes after kidney transplantation (PTDM) and construct a risk prediction model for PTDM. Methods: The data of kidney transplant recipients who underwent follow-up in the Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University and Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2001 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The recipients were divided into PTDM group and Non-PTDM group according to whether they were complicated with PTDM. The differences in clinical indicators between the two groups were compared, the risk factors affecting the incidence of PTDM were determined, and susceptibility genes of PTDM were screened by genome-wide association study (GWAS). PTDM risk prediction models based only on clinical indicators (Model 1) and clinical indicators combined with susceptibility genes (Model 2) were established respectively, and the predictive performance of the two prediction models was compared. Finally, the Nomogram of the optimal model was drawn, and the discrimination, calibration and clinical applicability of the model were evaluated. Results: A total of 113 kidney transplant recipients (70 males and 43 females) were included, with an average age of (46.2±10.8) years. There were 51 cases in PTDM group and 62 cases in Non-PTDM group. The related factors screened by GWAS and logistic regression analysis included family history of diabetes (OR=88.912, 95%CI: 5.827-1 356.601, P=0.001), preoperative triglyceride (TG) (OR=1.888, 95 %CI: 1.150-3.098, P=0.012), uric acid (UA) (OR=1.011, 95%CI: 1.000-1.022, P=0.045) and rs802707 (OR=10.046, 95%CI: 1.462-69.042, P=0.019). The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristics analysis (ROC) predicted by Model 1 for PTDM was 0.891 (95%CI: 0.811-0.972), with the sensitivity of 0.889 and the specificity of 0.742. The AUC of ROC curve predicted by Model 2 for PTDM was 0.930 (95%CI: 0.864-0.995), with the sensitivity of 0.885 and the specificity of 0.900. Conclusions: Family history of diabetes, preoperative TG and UA, and rs802707 are significantly associated with the occurrence of PTDM. In addition, the combination of susceptibility genes could improve the predictive ability of clinical indicators for the risk of PTDM.

[New insights into the role of macrophages in tumor immunotherapy].

Macrophages are the main components of the innate immunity system, derived mainly from blood monocytes, and help the host to defend itself against many pathogens and cancers. Most established tumors can educate macrophages into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which contribute to tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, as well as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, when appropriately activated, macrophages can also exert anti-tumor effects through enhanced phagocytosis and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. In addition, TAMs are associated with poor prognosis and drug resistance, including immunotherapies, suggesting that macrophages are attractive targets as part of combination therapy in cancer treatment. Herein, we review the recent findings on the role of macrophages in tumor development, metastasis and immunotherapy. We focus mainly on macrophage-centered therapy, including strategies to reduce and reshape TAMs, to represent potential targets for tumor immunotherapy.

[Application of interventional respiratory techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae:an update].

Pulmonary bullae is a common complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), causing the deterioration in lung function, leading to aggravated dyspnea and poor quality of life for patients. The traditional therapeutic approach for pulmonary bullae is bullectomy using surgical thoracoscopy. The disadvantage of this approach is the postoperative complications and high risk of recurrence in many patients. In addition, for some patients, due to the patient's physical conditions, such as poor lung function and other diseases, bullectomy could not be used. Therefore, new alternative approaches were urgently needed. In recent years, interventional respiratory technology has been trialed to treat pulmonary bulla all around the world and has achieved great success. In this paper, we reviewed the relevant clinical research progress of interventional respiratory medicine techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae.

[Effect of corneal e-value on myopia control in children and adolescents with orthokeratology].

Objective: To investigate the influence of corneal e-value on the effectiveness of orthokeratology in controlling myopia in children and adolescents. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, involving the data from 1 563 myopic patients (1 563 eyes) who underwent orthokeratology at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2015 to August 2021 and adhered to lens wear for at least 2 years. The cohort consisted of 737 males and 826 females with an average age of (10.84±2.13) years. Based on corneal e-value parameters obtained from corneal topography, patients were categorized into a low e-value group (n=425) and a high e-value group (n=1 138). Data on gender, age, parental myopia history, and baseline measures such as spherical equivalent (SE), axial length, and corneal e-value were collected. Differences in axial length change and corneal fluorescein staining rates were compared between the two groups at 1 and 2 years after the start of lens wear. A generalized linear mixed model was established with axial length change as the dependent variable to analyze the correlation between axial length change and baseline corneal e-value. Results: The initial age of the 1 563 myopic patients was (10.84±2.13) years, with a baseline SE of (-3.05±1.30) D. After 1 year of lens wear, the axial length change was (0.20±0.19) mm in the low e-value group and (0.24±0.20) mm in the high e-value group. After 2 years, the changes were (0.38±0.25) mm and (0.43±0.27) mm, respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The incidence of corneal staining after 1 year of lens wear was 9.2% (39/425) in the low e-value group and 14.1% (160/1 138) in the high e-value group. After 2 years, the rates were 15.8% (67/425) and 21.8% (248/1 138), respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). After adjusting for parental myopia history, age, SE, and baseline axial length, the baseline corneal e-value was positively correlated with axial length change at 1 and 2 years after lens wear (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Corneal e-value is an independent factor influencing the effectiveness of orthokeratology in controlling myopia. A smaller corneal e-value is associated with slower axial length growth after orthokeratology, indicating better control of myopia in treated eyes.

Transcriptomic analyses of joint tissues during osteoarthritis development in a rat model reveal dysregulated mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix pathways.

OBJECTIVE: Transcriptomic changes in joint tissues during the development of osteoarthritis (OA) are of interest for the discovery of biomarkers and mechanisms of disease. The objective of this study was to use the rat medial meniscus transection (MMT) model to discover stage and tissue-specific transcriptomic changes. DESIGN: Sham or MMT surgeries were performed in mature rats. Cartilage, menisci and synovium were scored for histopathological changes at 2, 4 and 6 weeks post-surgery and processed for RNA-sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) were used to identify pathways and mechanisms. Published transcriptomic datasets from animal models and human OA were used to confirm and extend present findings. RESULTS: The total number of DEGs was already high at 2 weeks (723 in meniscus), followed by cartilage (259) and synovium (42) and declined to varying degrees in meniscus and synovium but increased in cartilage at 6 weeks. The most upregulated genes included tenascins. The 'response to mechanical stimulus' and extracellular matrix-related pathways were enriched in both cartilage and meniscus. Pathways that were enriched in synovium at 4 weeks indicate processes related to synovial hyperplasia and fibrosis. Synovium also showed upregulation of IL-11 and several MMPs. The mechanical stimulus pathway included upregulation of the mechanoreceptors PIEZO1, PIEZO2 and TRPV4 and nerve growth factor. Analysis of data from prior RNA-sequencing studies of animal models and human OA support these findings. CONCLUSION: These results indicate several shared pathways that are affected during OA in cartilage and meniscus and support the role of mechanotransduction and other pathways in OA pathogenesis.

Stochastic simulation of hydrogen-oxygen auto-ignition at the microscale.

A hybrid stochastic simulation method is developed to study H2-O2 auto-ignition at the microscale. Simulation results show that the discrete and stochastic characteristics of reaction collisions have notable impacts on the ignition process, particularly in the early stages when only a few radicals exist. The statistical properties of ignition delay time, which reflect the accumulated stochasticity during ignition, are obtained and analyzed for different initial temperatures and total molecular numbers. It is found that the average and standard deviation of ignition delay time increase as the total molecular number decreases, with this phenomenon being particularly pronounced near the crossover temperature. When the total molecular number is sufficiently small, the chain initiation reaction becomes crucial to the stochastic properties, as its average firing time exhibits an inverse proportionality to the total molecular number. As the total molecular number increases, the influence of other chain reactions intensifies, causing the power law relation between standard deviation and total molecular number to shift from -1 power to -0.5 power. Owing to different chain reaction paths for high- and low-temperature auto-ignition, the strongest relative fluctuation occurs near the crossover temperature. A theoretical equation for the standard deviation of ignition delay time is obtained based on dimensional analysis, giving excellent agreement with the simulation results in both high- and low-temperature modes.

The association between dietary selenium intake and Hashimoto's thyroiditis among US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2012.

BACKGROUND: Selenium has been shown to influence the pathological processes and physiological functions of thyroid. Although growing evidence has shown that selenium can improve the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), there is a need to evaluate the association between dietary selenium intake and HT in a large cross-sectional study. This study explored the association between dietary selenium intake and HT based on the National Health reand Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2007-2012). METHODS: A total of 8756 of 30,442 participants were included in the study. Dietary selenium intake was the independent variable, while HT was the dependent variable. In addition, the relative importance of the selected variables was determined using the XGBoost model. A smooth curve was constructed based on the fully adjusted model to investigate the potential linear relationship between dietary selenium intake and HT. Smooth curves were also constructed to explore the linear/non-linear relationship between dietary selenium intake and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb)/ thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb). RESULTS: The mean age of the enrolled participants was 44.35 years (± 20.92). The risk of HT was significantly reduced by a 35% per-unit increase in dietary selenium intake after fully adjusting for covariates according to the model (log2-transformed data; OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51, 0.83). The XGBoost model revealed that dietary selenium intake was the most important variable associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Dietary selenium intake (Log2-transformed) was negatively correlated with TPOAb levels [- 16.42 (- 22.18, - 10.65), P < 0.0001], while a non-linear relationship was observed between dietary selenium intake and TgAb with an inflection point of 6.58 (95.67 µg, Log2-transformed). CONCLUSION: Dietary selenium intake is independently and inversely associated with HT risk. Moreover, dietary selenium intake is negatively correlated with TPOAb levels and non-linearly correlated with TGAb levels. Therefore, dietary selenium intake may be a safe and low-cost alternative for the prevention and treatment of HT.