Biosafety of human environments can be supported by effective use of renewable biomass.

Preventing pathogenic viral and bacterial transmission in the human environment is critical, especially in potential outbreaks that may be caused by the release of ancient bacteria currently trapped in the permafrost. Existing commercial disinfectants present issues such as a high carbon footprint. This study proposes a sustainable alternative, a bioliquid derived from biomass prepared by hydrothermal liquefaction. Results indicate a high inactivation rate of pathogenic virus and bacteria by the as-prepared bioliquid, such as up to 99.99% for H1N1, H5N1, H7N9 influenza A virus, and Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores and 99.49% for Bacillus anthracis Inactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis confirmed that low-molecular-weight and low-polarity compounds in bioliquid are potential antibacterial components. High temperatures promoted the production of antibacterial substances via depolymerization and dehydration reactions. Moreover, bioliquid was innoxious as confirmed by the rabbit skin test, and the cost per kilogram of the bioliquid was $0.04427, which is notably lower than that of commercial disinfectants. This study demonstrates the potential of biomass to support our biosafety with greater environmental sustainability.

Multi-line-of-sight Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensing based on image segmentation and K-means sorting.

Multi-line-of-sight wavefront sensing, crucial for next-generation astronomy and laser applications, often increases system complexity by adding sensors. This research introduces, to the best of our knowledge, a novel method for multi-line-of-sight Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensing by using a single sensor, addressing challenges in centroid estimation and classification under atmospheric turbulence. This method contrasts with existing techniques that rely on multiple sensors, thereby reducing system complexity. Innovations include combining edge detection and peak extraction for precise centroid calculation, improved k-means clustering for robust centroid classification, and a centroid filling algorithm for subapertures with light loss. The method's effectiveness was confirmed through simulations for a five-line-of-sight system and experimental setup for two-line and three-line-of-sight systems, demonstrating its potential in real atmospheric aberration correction conditions. Experimental findings indicate that, when implemented in a closed-loop configuration, the method significantly reduces wavefront residuals from 1 λ to 0.1 λ under authentic atmospheric turbulence conditions. Correspondingly, the quality of the far-field spot is enhanced by a factor of 2 to 4. These outcomes collectively highlight the method's robust capability in enhancing optical system performance in environments characterized by genuine atmospheric turbulence.

Chlorogenic acid can improve spermatogenic dysfunction in rats with varicocele by regulating mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes by oxidative mitochondrial DNA and cGAS/STING pathway.

In recent years, Varicocele (VC) has been recognized as a common cause of male infertility that can be treated by surgery or drugs. How to reduce the damage of VC to testicular spermatogenic function has attracted extensive attention in recent years. Among them, overexpressed ROS and high levels of inflammation may play a key role in VC-induced testicular damage. As the key mediated innate immune pathways, cGAS-STING shaft under pathological conditions, such as in cell and tissue damage stress can be cytoplasmic DNA activation, induce the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory corpuscle, triggering downstream of the inflammatory cascade reaction. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), as a natural compound from a wide range of sources, has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and is a potential effective drug for the treatment of varicocele infertility. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of CGA in the spermatogenic dysfunction of the rat testis induced by VC and the potential mechanisms. The results of this study have shown that CGA gavage treatment ameliorated the pathological damage of seminiferous tubules, increased the number of sperm in the lumen, and increased the expression levels of Occludin and ZO-1, which indicated the therapeutic effect of CGA on spermatogenic dysfunction in the testis of VC rats. Meanwhile, the damage of mitochondrial structure was alleviated and the expression levels of ROS, NLRP3 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18) were significantly reduced in the testicular tissues of model rats after CGA treatment. In addition, we demonstrated for the first time the high expression status of cGAS and STING in testicular tissues of VC model rats, and this was ameliorated to varying degrees after CGA treatment. In conclusion, this study suggests that CGA can improve the spermatogenic function of the testis by reducing mitochondrial damage and inhibiting the activation of the cGAS-STING axis, inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and improving the inflammatory damage of the testis, highlighting the potential of CGA as a therapeutic agent for varicocele infertility.

Efficacy and safety of ongericimab given by prefilled syringe or autoinjector in primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed hyperlipidemia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Limited evidence exist regarding the association between ongericimab, a novel recombinant humanized anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody, and primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ongericimab administered by prefilled syringe (PFS) or autoinjector (AI) in Chinese patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia on stable optimized lipid-lowering therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 255 patients on stable optimized lipid-lowering therapy were randomized in a 2:1:2:1 ratio to receive PFS for the subcutaneous injection of ongericimab 150 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or a matching placebo, or AI for the subcutaneous injection of ongericimab 150 mg Q2W or a matching placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the percent change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from baseline to week 12. Safety was also evaluated. At week 12, the least squares mean percent changes were -72.7% (3.9%) for PFS and -71.1% (3.8%) for AI (all P < 0.001) compared to respective matching placebo groups. Beneficial effects were also seen for all secondary lipid parameters, notably with robust reduction in Lp (a). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and serious AEs with ongericimab were reported in 46.2% and 2.4% of patients, compared to 44.2% and 3.5% with placebo. CONCLUSION: In Chinese patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia, a 12-week treatment regimen with ongericimab administered by PFS or AI significantly reduced LDL-C and other lipid parameters, proving to be safe and well tolerated. Patients experienced consistent effects from PFS or AI devices. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTR20220027; January 11, 2022; http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/index.html.

Identifying the Risk Factors of Allergic Rhinitis Based on Zhihu Comment Data Using a Topic-Enhanced Word-Embedding Model: Mixed Method Study and Cluster Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic disease, and several risk factors predispose individuals to the condition in their daily lives, including exposure to allergens and inhalation irritants. Analyzing the potential risk factors that can trigger AR can provide reference material for individuals to use to reduce its occurrence in their daily lives. Nowadays, social media is a part of daily life, with an increasing number of people using at least 1 platform regularly. Social media enables users to share experiences among large groups of people who share the same interests and experience the same afflictions. Notably, these channels promote the ability to share health information. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to construct an intelligent method (TopicS-ClusterREV) for identifying the risk factors of AR based on these social media comments. The main questions were as follows: How many comments contained AR risk factor information? How many categories can these risk factors be summarized into? How do these risk factors trigger AR? METHODS: This study crawled all the data from May 2012 to May 2022 under the topic of allergic rhinitis on Zhihu, obtaining a total of 9628 posts and 33,747 comments. We improved the Skip-gram model to train topic-enhanced word vector representations (TopicS) and then vectorized annotated text items for training the risk factor classifier. Furthermore, cluster analysis enabled a closer look into the opinions expressed in the category, namely gaining insight into how risk factors trigger AR. RESULTS: Our classifier identified more comments containing risk factors than the other classification models, with an accuracy rate of 96.1% and a recall rate of 96.3%. In general, we clustered texts containing risk factors into 28 categories, with season, region, and mites being the most common risk factors. We gained insight into the risk factors expressed in each category; for example, seasonal changes and increased temperature differences between day and night can disrupt the body's immune system and lead to the development of allergies. CONCLUSIONS: Our approach can handle the amount of data and extract risk factors effectively. Moreover, the summary of risk factors can serve as a reference for individuals to reduce AR in their daily lives. The experimental data also provide a potential pathway that triggers AR. This finding can guide the development of management plans and interventions for AR.

Efficacy and safety of tafolecimab in Chinese patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial (CREDIT-2).

BACKGROUND: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated in China where few patients achieved recommended target levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). We conducted the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in Chinese patients with HeFH to assess the efficacy and safety of tafolecimab, a novel fully human proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibody. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with HeFH by Simon Broome criteria and on a stable lipid-lowering therapy for at least 4 weeks were randomized 2:2:1:1 to receive subcutaneous tafolecimab 150 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W), tafolecimab 450 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), placebo Q2W or placebo Q4W in the 12-week double-blind treatment period. After that, participants received open-label tafolecimab 150 mg Q2W or 450 mg Q4W for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percent change from baseline to week 12 in LDL-C levels. Secondary endpoints included proportion of participants achieving ≥50% LDL-C reductions and proportion of participants with LDL-C <1.8 mmol/L at week 12 and 24, the change from baseline to week 12 in non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) levels, as well as the change from baseline to week 24 in lipid levels. RESULTS: In total, 149 participants were randomized and 148 received at least one dose of the study treatment. At week 12, tafolecimab treatment induced significant reductions in LDL-C levels (treatment difference versus placebo [on-treatment estimand]: -57.4% [97.5% CI, -69.2 to -45.5] for 150 mg Q2W; -61.9% [-73.4 to -50.4] for 450 mg Q4W; both P <0.0001). At both dose regimens, significantly more participants treated with tafolecimab achieved ≥50% LDL-C reductions or LDL-C <1.8 mmol/L at week 12 as compared with corresponding placebo groups (all P <0.0001). Meanwhile, non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) levels were significantly reduced in the tafolecimab groups at week 12. The lipid-lowering effects of tafolecimab were maintained till week 24. During the double-blind treatment period, the most commonly-reported adverse events in the tafolecimab groups included upper respiratory tract infection, increased blood creatine phosphokinase, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased aspartate aminotransferase and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Tafolecimab administered either 150 mg Q2W or 450 mg Q4W yielded significant and persistent reductions in LDL-C levels and showed a favorable safety profile in Chinese patients with HeFH. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04179669.

Customizing delivery nano-vehicles for precise brain tumor therapy.

Although some tumor has become a curable disease for many patients, involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is still a major concern. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), a special structure in the CNS, protects the brain from bloodborne pathogens via its excellent barrier properties and hinders new drug development for brain tumor. Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology have resulted in various nanovehicless (NPs) as drug carriers to cross the BBB by different strategys. Here, the complex compositions and special characteristics of causes of brain tumor formation and BBB are elucidated exhaustively. Additionally, versatile drug nanovehicles with their recent applications and their pathways on different drug delivery strategies to overcome the BBB obstacle for anti-brain tumor are briefly discussed. Customizing nanoparticles for brain tumor treatments is proposed to improve the efficacy of brain tumor treatments via drug delivery from the gut to the brain. This review provides a broad perspective on customizing delivery nano-vehicles characteristics facilitate drug distribution across the brain and pave the way for the creation of innovative nanotechnology-based nanomaterials for brain tumor treatments.

Influential Factors in the Efficacy of Hemoporfin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy for Port-wine Stains.

Hemoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy (HMME-PDT) is commonly used in the treatment of port-wine stains (PWS). However, the influential factors for the efficacy of the treatment are not well defined. This study intends to observe the influential factors for the efficacy of HMME-PDT in the treatment of port-wine stains (PWS). A total of 551 patients with PWS of head and neck was enrolled in this retrospective study. Further screening the patients of facial PWS, 484 patients were chosen. Patients were treated with HMME-PDT. All patients received 1~3 sessions of treatment with 2~3-month intervals. We photographed the lesions before each session and 2~3 months after the last session. Ages, sessions, lesion subtypes, and previous treatment history were related to the response of HMME-PDT (P =0.032, P<0.001, P=0.012, P=0.003 respectively). Treatment sessions were the independent factor correlated with efficacy after 3 sessions of treatment. Patients with no treatment history targeting PWS showed higher efficacy than those were treated with laser or other photodynamic treatment (P<0.05). The efficacy was higher by increasing the sessions of treatment. The efficacy was higher for lesion on maxillary prominence area and mandibular prominence area that on frontonasal prominence area and optic vesicle area (P<0.05). HMME-PDT is an effective in the treatment of PWS. Patients received no previous treatment for PWS, total treatment sessions and lesion on maxillary prominence area and mandibular prominence area are positive factors.

Synthesis and insecticidal activities of 4-(propargyloxy) benzenesulfonamide derivatives.

A series of 4-(propargyloxy) benzenesulfonamide derivatives with different substituents on the benzene ring were synthesized and evaluated for their insecticidal activity. Some of the compounds showed good insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata, and the LC50 value of the most active compound B2.5 was 0.235 mg/ml. Ultrastructural changes in the midgut epithelial cells of Mythimna separata were observed using transmission electron microscopy, and severe structural damage was found in microvilli, mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum. It indicates that the possible site of action of these benzenesulfonamides is the cytoplasmic membrane and endomembrane system of the midgut epithelial cells. The above provides a basis for the development of novel insecticidal active compounds with a novel mechanism of action.

Fully Automated CRISPR-LAMP Platform for SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron Variants.

Integrated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) technology is of great importance in CRISPR-based diagnostic systems, which urgently needs to be developed to improve diagnostic accuracy. A labor-free, contamination-free, and fully automated droplet manipulation platform for the CRISPR-LAMP technology has not been developed before. Herein, we propose a fully automated CRISPR-LAMP platform, which can precisely manipulate the CRISPR-LAMP droplet and perform combined reactions with high sensitivity and specificity. SARS-CoV-2 Spike T478K, D614G, P681R, and P681H mutations, typical point mutations of B.1.617.2 (Delta) and Omicron variants, are monitored with this platform with a detection limit of 102 copies/µL. Allele discrimination between the mutants and wild type is significant with the designed one/two-mismatch CRISPR RNA (crRNA) at a limit of 102 copies/µL. Chemically synthesized and modified crRNAs greatly increase the CRISPR-LAMP signal, which advance the wide application. Combined with the previously developed RdRp CRISPR-LAMP assay, clinical results showed that Spike T478K and P681H can discriminate the mutant type form the wild type with 70% (49.66-85.50%, 95% confidence interval) and 78% (57.27-90.62%, 95% confidence interval) sensitivity, respectively, and 100% specificity (51.68-100%, 95% confidence interval), and the RdRp target can detect SARS-CoV-2 strains with 85% sensitivity (65.39-95.14%, 95% confidence interval) and 100% specificity (51.68-100%, 95% confidence interval). We believe that this automatic digital microfluid (DMF) system can advance the integrated CRISPR-LAMP technology with higher stability, sensitivity, and practicability, also for other CRISPR-associated diagnostic platforms.

Design, synthesis, and insecticidal activities of propargyloxy-naphthalene-sulfonamide derivatives.

In our previous studies, a kind of novel benzenesulfonamides was found to be a candidate insecticidal compounds. It was shown that propargyloxy and sulfonamide groups are pharmacodynamic groups. One hundred and twenty-six (126) naphthalenesulfonamides derivatives with propargyloxy functionality were designed and synthesized, and their insecticidal activities were determined. Some of them showed outstanding activity, with LC50 values as low as 0.202 mg ml-1, much lower than that of the positive control celangulin V (23.9 mg ml-1). In addition, the structure-activity relationships were discussed, and molecular docking was used to verify the binding mode of the compound and the target receptor.

Association of PM2.5 with Insulin Resistance Signaling Pathways on a Microfluidic Liver-Kidney Microphysiological System (LK-MPS) Device.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a typical sign of metabolic dysregulation caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but the underlying signaling has not been clearly determined. Herein, a microfluidic liver-kidney microphysiological system (LK-MPS) is presented to assess the signaling pathways of IR generated by PM2.5 at 200 µg/mL for 24 h. The LK-MPS device consisted of a biomimetic liver-kidney architecture and reconstructed two circulation paths: the liver metabolism-kidney excretion (LM-KE) and kidney excretion-liver metabolism (KE-LM), by which PM2.5 is feasibly distributed in the two organs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that PM2.5 can embed in the cytoplasm and nuclei, undergo transport by vesicles, and lead to the destruction of mitochondria. Further comprehensive immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and untargeted metabolomic analyses confirmed that PM2.5 disturbed the classic IRS-1/AKT signaling pathway (INSR, IRS-1, PI3K, AKT, GLUT2, GLUT4, and FOXO1 downregulated) and IR-related metabolic pathways: UDP-hexosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), gluconeogenesis (ß-d-glucose 6-phosphate), and lipid biosynthesis (ceramide (Cer) and triacylglycerol (TG)) pathways, leading to the disorder of glucose levels. Collectively, these disorders aggravate hepatic and renal IR. Pearson's correlation coefficient test showed that elemental carbon (EC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals (Ca, Co, and V) were negatively correlated to the dysregulated proteins (INSR, IRS-1, AKT, FOXO1, GLUT2, and GLUT4). These findings may partially explain IR-related signaling pathways triggered by PM2.5.

Universally Stable and Precise CRISPR-LAMP Detection Platform for Precise Multiple Respiratory Tract Virus Diagnosis Including Mutant SARS-CoV-2 Spike N501Y.

Nowadays, rapid and accurate diagnosis of respiratory tract viruses is an urgent need to prevent another epidemic outbreak. To overcome this problem, we have developed a clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loop mediated amplification (LAMP) technology to detect influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial A virus, respiratory syncytial B virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, including variants of concern (B.1.1.7), which utilized CRISPR-associated protein 12a (Cas12a) to advance LAMP technology with the sensitivity increased 10 times. To reduce aerosol contamination in CRISPR-LAMP technology, an uracil-DNA-glycosylase-reverse transcription-LAMP system was also developed which can effectively remove dUTP-incorporated LAMP amplicons. In vitro Cas12a cleavage reaction with 28 crRNAs showed that there were no position constraints for Cas12a/CRISPR RNA (crRNA) recognition and cleavage in LAMP amplicons, and even the looped position of LAMP amplicons could be effectively recognized and cleaved. Wild-type or spike N501Y can be detected with a limit of detection of 10 copies/µL (wild-type) even at a 1% ratio level on the background (spike N501Y). Combining UDG-RT-LAMP technology, CRISPR-LAMP design, and mutation detection design, we developed a CRISPR-LAMP detection platform that can precisely diagnose pathogens with better stability and significantly improved point mutation detection efficiency.

The risk of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer conforming to indications of endoscopic resection and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) status is an important prognostic factor that strongly influences the treatment decision of early gastric cancer (EGC). This study aimed to evaluate the pattern and clinical significance of LNM in EGC. METHODS: A total of 354 patients with carcinoma in situ (n = 42), EGC (n = 312) who underwent radical gastrectomy were enrolled. Their clinicopathological features, pathological reports, and prognostic data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence of LNM in all patients was 18.36% (65/354). The rates of D1 and D2 station metastases were 12.10% (43/354) and 6.21% (22/354), respectively. The rates of LNM in absolute indication of endoscopic resection and expanded indication were 3.27% (2/61) and 28.55% (4/14), respectively. Skip LNM was observed in 3.67% (13/354) of patients. For those with middle-third tumor, the metastasis rate of the No. 5 lymph node was 3.05% (5/164). The independent risk factors for LNM were tumors measuring > 30 mm, poorly differentiated tumors, and lymphovascular invasion (all P < 0.05; area under the curve, 0.783). The 5-year disease-free survival rates of patients with and without LNM were 96.26 and 79.17%, respectively (P = 0.011). Tumors measuring > 20 mm and LNM were independent predictive factors for poor survival outcome in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with EGC conforming to expanded indications have a relatively high risk of LNM and may not be suitable for endoscopic submucosal dissection. Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy for patients with middle-third EGC remains controversial due to the high metastasis rate of the No. 5 lymph node.

The length of susceptibility vessel sign predicts early neurological deterioration in minor acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) presenting with minor stroke are at risk of early neurological deterioration (END). The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency and potential predictors of END in patients with medical management and LVO presenting with minor stroke. The relationship between SVS length and END was also investigated. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter study. Consecutive patients were collected with anterior circulation. LVO presented with minor stroke [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≤ 4] within 24 h following onset. END was defined as a deterioration of NIHSS ≥4 within 24 h, without parenchymal hemorrhage. The length of the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) was measured using the T2* gradient echo imaging. RESULTS: A total of 134 consecutive patients with anterior circulation LVO presenting with minor stroke were included. A total of 27 (20.15%) patients experienced END following admission. Patients with END exhibited longer SVS and higher baseline glucose levels compared with subjects lacking END (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that the optimal cutoff point SVS length for END was SVS ≥ 9.45 mm. Multivariable analysis indicated that longer SVS [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.45-2.84; P < 0.001] and higher baseline glucose (aOR,1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03; P = 0.009) levels were associated with increased risk of END. When SVS ≥ 9.45 mm was used in the multivariate logistic regression, SVS ≥ 9.45 mm (aOR, 5.41; 95%CI, 1.00-29.27; P = 0.001) and higher baseline glucose [aOR1.01; 95%CI, 1.00-1.03; P = 0.021] were associated with increased risk of END. CONCLUSIONS: END was frequent in the minor stroke patients with large vessel occlusion, whereas longer SVS and higher baseline glucose were associated with increased risk of END. SVS ≥ 9.45 mm was a powerful independent predictor of END.

Microplastics contamination in the surface water of the Yangtze River from upstream to estuary based on different sampling methods.

In this study, we investigated microplastic contamination of the Yangtze River from the upper reaches to the estuary using different sampling methods to understand extensive information on microplastic pollution. The microplastic samples were collected at 10 sites using two conventional methods: trawling and filtering water. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics ranged from 1.62±0.61 × 105 to 4.25±3.87 × 106 items/km2 (trawling samples) and 800.0±300.0 to 3088.9±330.6 items/m3 (filtering water samples). The average abundance (by trawling) in the Three Gorges Reservoir (2.80±1.86 × 106 items/km2) was one order of magnitude higher than that of other sections, which affirmed the barrier effect of dams on microplastic distribution. The barrier effect was more obvious on larger size particles by comparing the results of two methods. The abundances near the left, right banks, and in the midstream showed no significant difference by both two methods, illustrating that sampling at each bank along the Yangtze River was also representative in one section. Characteristics analysis demonstrated that fragments (47.9%) dominated in trawling samples and fiber (63.4%) dominated in filtering water samples. Microplastics of small sizes (<1 mm) and transparent were dominant in samples collected by the two methods. Polyethylene (PP) and polypropylene (PE) were the dominant polymer types in the detected microplastics. In this study, we provided detailed information on microplastic pollution of the Yangtze River from the upstream to the estuary, which is useful for microplastic management and control in this area.

Wireless Epidural Electrical Stimulation in Combination With Serotonin Agonists Improves Intraspinal Metabolism in Spinal Cord Injury Rats.

OBJECTIVES: The combination of epidural electrical stimulation (EES) and serotonin agonists (5-HTA) effectively restores rhythmic lower-limb movements and improves intraspinal hemodynamics after spinal cord injury (SCI). Nonetheless, whether EES + 5-HTA improves intraspinal metabolism remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of EES + 5-HTA on intraspinal metabolism in SCI rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wireless EES (WEES) implantation with complete T8 transection was performed in SCI rats. Electrodes were placed at the T12 and L2 vertebral levels. After rest for a week, the SCI rats received 11 weeks of WEES + 5-HTA treatment and treadmill training. WEES was switched off after each daily training. Locomotor function was evaluated by motion capture at week 12. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography was conducted to evaluate basal metabolism when WEES was switched off and assess task metabolism when WEES was switched on. RESULTS: With locomotor recovery after training for 11 weeks, WEES + 5-HTA conjointly improved basal metabolism (vs. each intervention alone; p < 0.05) and linearly modulated task metabolism in a frequency-dependent manner (R2 = 0.8901). Furthermore, 60 Hz of WEES was identified as the threshold for the extensive activation of the spinal cord's task metabolism below the transection plane (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: WEES + 5-HTA could conjointly restore basal metabolism to a healthy level and modulate task metabolism by adjusting the stimulation frequency.

Potential Regulatory Role of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a high-incidence of heart disease. We aimed to identify potential biomarkers linked to the progression of CAD using multiple sets of data mining analysis methods. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) + messenger RNA (mRNA) data set GSE113079 and microRNA (miRNA) data set GSE28858 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. After data preprocessing, differentially expressed mRNA, lncRNA, and miRNA were identified using limma software. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used for the construction and screening of modules related to disease states. Besides, key mRNAs and lncRNAs were extracted for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction and lncRNA-mRNA co-expression analysis. Additionally, the final integration resulted in the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA relationship pairs (competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network). Finally, CTD 2020 update database was used for the verification of the expression level of the candidate genes. A total of 1319 differentially expressed mRNAs and 1983 lncRNAs were screened. After WGCNA, a total of 234 mRNAs and 546 lncRNAs were identified. A PPI network including 127 mRNA corresponding proteins was constructed. The ceRNA network included 24 up-regulated lncRNAs, 16 down-regulated miRNAs, and 42 up-regulated mRNAs. Through the validation of CTD 2020 update database, 21 CAD related mRNAs, and four important ceRNAs those may be participated in the pathogenesis of CAD were obtained. In this study, through multiple sets of data mining methods, the regulatory relationship of lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA was comprehensively analyzed, and the important role of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA in the pathogenesis of CAD was emphasized.

Increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts the development of post-stroke infections in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Infections could increase the risk of poor outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The peripheral neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an important indicator of inflammation. The purpose of our study was to investigate the association increased NLR with post stroke infections (PSI) in AIS. METHODS: In this study, we included 606 consecutive patients with AIS within 24 h. The NLR was calculated by dividing absolute neutrophil counts by absolute lymphocyte counts. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to identify the optimal cut point of NLR for PSI. The relationship between NLR and PSI was analyzed by multivariable analysis. RESULTS: We assessed 606 consecutive patients with AIS. ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut point of NLR for PSI was NLR ≥ 5.79. Compared with no PSI, patients with PSI have higher NLR, older age, higher NIHSS, higher PCT, higher percentage of nasogastric tube feeding and indwelling urinary catheter (P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that NLR ≥ 5.79 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR),4.52; 95% confidence interval (CI),3.02-6.76; P < 0.001], older age (aOR,1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.05; P = 0.009), higher admission NIHSS (aOR,1.13; 95%CI, 1.07-1.18; P < 0.001), indwelling urinary catheter (aOR1.83; 95%CI, 1.08-3.10; P = 0.026], and nasogastric tube feeding (aOR2.52; 95%CI, 1.38-4.59; P = 0.003) were associated with increased risk of PSI. CONCLUSIONS: Higher NLR can predict PSI in AIS patients. The NLR may help to select high-risk patients to start intervention in time.

Wavefront reconstruction of a Shack-Hartmann sensor with insufficient lenslets based on an extreme learning machine.

In a standard Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, the number of effective lenslets is the vital parameter that limits the wavefront restoration accuracy. This paper proposes a wavefront reconstruction algorithm for a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with an insufficient microlens based on an extreme learning machine. The neural network model is used to fit the nonlinear corresponding relationship between the centroid displacement and the Zernike model coefficients under a sparse microlens. Experiments with a 6×6 lenslet array show that the root mean square (RMS) relative error of the proposed method is only 4.36% of the initial value, which is 80.72% lower than the standard modal algorithm.