Extracellular vesicles loaded with ApoB-100 protein affect the occurrence of coronary heart disease in patients after injury of spinal cord.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) patients have an increased susceptibility to coronary heart disease (CHD) due to dysregulated lipid deposition. We conducted a comprehensive investigation to gain insights into the specific roles of Apolipoprotein B-100 (APOB-100) in the development of CHD in patients suffering from SCI. First, we established an SCI rat model through semitransection. APOB-100 expression in plasma exosomes obtained from patients were determined. Subsequently, we found APOB-100 affected macrophage polarization when treating co-cultured neurons/macrophages lacking Sortilin with extracellular vesicles derived from SCI rats, where APOB-100 co-immunoprecipitated with Sortilin. Moreover, APOB-100 upregulation reduced neuronal cell viability and triggered apoptosis by upregulating Sortilin, leading to a decline in the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale, exacerbation of neuron injury, increased macrophage infiltration, and elevated blood lipid-related indicators in SCI rats, which could be reversed by silencing Sortilin. In conclusion, APOB-100 from post-SCI patients' extracellular vesicles upregulates Sortilin, thereby endangering those patients to CHD.

[Evolution Trend of Water Quality in the Inner Mongolia Section of the Yellow River from 2003 to 2020].

The aim of this study was to comprehensively understand the water environment quality status and its change trend in the Inner Mongolia section of the Yellow River Basin. To analyze the water quality in recent years,the water quality data in the Yellow River basin from 2003 to 2020 were firstly collected from five typical monitoring stations．Various data analysis methods, including principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and a long short-term memory model, were used along with an improved comprehensive water quality identification index to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics of water quality in the Yellow River Basin. The results showed that the overall water quality in the basin has improved and stabilized over time. In terms of temporal variation, there was a distinction between the wet season and dry season, with a better status observed during the wet season due to increased agricultural irrigation and higher water volume. Spatially, the five monitoring sections could be divided into three categories based on strong natural factors that maintained their temporal characteristics during the wet season； however, significant differences were observed during the dry season due to urban water usage patterns. Analysis using LSTM models revealed that ammonia nitrogen will continue to decline and have a decreasing impact on the comprehensive water quality. These findings provide valuable insights for the comprehensive management of water quality in Inner Mongolia's Yellow River Basin.

Exosomal Src from hypoxic vascular smooth muscle cells exacerbates ischemic brain injury by promoting M1 microglial polarization.

Inflammatory response mediated by M1 microglia is a crucial factor leading to the exacerbation of brain injury after ischemic stroke (IS). Under the stimulation of IS, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) switch to the synthetic phenotype characterized by exosome secretion. Previous studies have shown that exosomes play an important role in the regulation of microglial polarization. We reported that exosomes derived from primary human brain VSMCs under hypoxia (HExos), but not those under normoxia (Exos), significantly promoted primary human microglia (HM1900) shift to M1 phenotype. Proteomic analysis showed that the Src protein enriched in HExos was a potential pro-inflammatory mediator. In vitro experiments showed that the expression of Src and M1 markers were upregulated in HM1900 co-incubated with HExos. However, the Src inhibitor dasatinib (DAS) significantly promoted the transformation of HM1900 phenotype from M1 to M2. In vivo experiments of pMCAO mice also revealed that DAS could effectively inhibit the activation of M1 microglia/macrophages, protect neurons from apoptosis, and improve neuronal function. These data suggested that hypoxic-VSMCs-derived exosomes were involved in post-IS inflammation by promoting M1 microglial polarization through Src transmission. Targeting inhibition of Src potentially acts as an effective strategy for treating brain injury after IS.

Multi objective optimization and evaluation approach of prefabricated component combination solutions using NSGA-II and simulated annealing optimized projection pursuit method.

As a main carrier mode for the sustainable development of the construction industry in China, prefabricated building may lead to problems such as cost overruns, project delays, and waste of resources due to unreasonable selection of prefabricated components. Therefore, we quantitatively analyze the contribution rate of quality optimization of prefabricated components using QFD-SEM. Under the constraints of prefabrication rate, quality optimization contribution rate, and expected values of various sub-goals, we propose a multi-objective optimization method for prefabricated component combinations based on cost, duration, and carbon emissions. By using NSGA-II to solve the model, we can obtain a set of optimal Pareto solutions for prefabricated component combinations. Based on the optimal Pareto solution set, we establish a multi-objective evaluation model using simulated annealing optimization projection tracing method, and select the optimal prefabricated component combination solution according to the projected eigenvalues of the solutions. An empirical study is conducted using an eleven-story framed building in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China as a case study. The results show that: (1) Using this method, optimal solutions can be obtained in an unbounded solution space, with the optimal solution having advantages over both fully cast-in-place and fully prefabricated solutions. Compared to the fully cast-in-place solution, the duration and carbon emissions are reduced by 36.62% and 12.74% respectively, while compared to the fully prefabricated solution, costs are reduced by 4.15%. (2) There is a certain negative correlation between the cost of prefabricated component combinations and duration, carbon emissions, and quality optimization, while there is a certain positive correlation with the prefabrication rate. (3) The size of the optimal projection direction vector based on the optimization objectives indicates that carbon emissions have the greatest impact on the evaluation results of the solutions.

Analysis of gene expression in microglial apoptotic cell clearance following spinal cord injury based on machine learning algorithms.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological complication following spinal fracture, which has long posed a challenge for clinicians. Microglia play a dual role in the pathophysiological process after SCI, both beneficial and detrimental. The underlying mechanisms of microglial actions following SCI require further exploration. The present study combined three different machine learning algorithms, namely weighted gene co-expression network analysis, random forest analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis, to screen for differentially expressed genes in the GSE96055 microglia dataset after SCI. It then used protein-protein interaction networks and gene set enrichment analysis with single genes to investigate the key genes and signaling pathways involved in microglial function following SCI. The results indicated that microglia not only participate in neuroinflammation but also serve a significant role in the clearance mechanism of apoptotic cells following SCI. Notably, bioinformatics analysis and lipopolysaccharide + UNC569 (a MerTK-specific inhibitor) stimulation of BV2 cell experiments showed that the expression levels of Anxa2, Myo1e and Spp1 in microglia were significantly upregulated following SCI, thus potentially involved in regulating the clearance mechanism of apoptotic cells. The present study suggested that Anxa2, Myo1e and Spp1 may serve as potential targets for the future treatment of SCI and provided a theoretical basis for the development of new methods and drugs for treating SCI.

Evaluation of deep learning-based reconstruction late gadolinium enhancement images for identifying patients with clinically unrecognized myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The presence of infarction in patients with unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) is a critical feature in predicting adverse cardiac events. This study aimed to compare the detection rate of UMI using conventional and deep learning reconstruction (DLR)-based late gadolinium enhancement (LGEO and LGEDL, respectively) and evaluate optimal quantification parameters to enhance diagnosis and management of suspected patients with UMI. METHODS: This prospective study included 98 patients (68 men; mean age: 55.8 ± 8.1 years) with suspected UMI treated at our hospital from April 2022 to August 2023. LGEO and LGEDL images were obtained using conventional and commercially available inline DLR algorithms. The myocardial signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and percentage of enhanced area (Parea) employing the signal threshold versus reference mean (STRM) approach, which correlates the signal intensity (SI) within areas of interest with the average SI of normal regions, were analyzed. Analysis was performed using the standard deviation (SD) threshold approach (2SD-5SD) and full width at half maximum (FWHM) method. The diagnostic efficacies based on LGEDL and LGEO images were calculated. RESULTS: The SNRDL and CNRDL were two times better than the SNRO and CNRO, respectively (P < 0.05). Parea-DL was elevated compared to Parea-O using the threshold methods (P < 0.05); however, no intergroup difference was found based on the FWHM method (P > 0.05). The Parea-DL and Parea-O also differed except between the 2SD and 3SD and the 4SD/5SD and FWHM methods (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that each SD method exhibited good diagnostic efficacy for detecting UMI, with the Parea-DL having the best diagnostic efficacy based on the 5SD method (P < 0.05). Overall, the LGEDL images had better image quality. Strong diagnostic efficacy for UMI identification was achieved when the STRM was ≥ 4SD and ≥ 3SD for the LGEDL and LGEO, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: STRM selection for LGEDL magnetic resonance images helps improve clinical decision-making in patients with UMI. This study underscored the importance of STRM selection for analyzing LGEDL images to enhance diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-making for patients with UMI, further providing better cardiovascular care.

Anatomy of Hidden Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interactions and Topological Spin Textures in Centrosymmetric Crystals.

The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) is understood to be forbidden by the symmetry of centrosymmetric systems, thus restricting the candidate types for investigating many correlated physical phenomena. Here, we report the hidden DMI existing in centrosymmetric magnets driven by the local inversion symmetry breaking of specific spin sublattices. The opposite DMI spatially localized on the inverse spin sublattice favors the separated spin spiral with opposite chirality. Furthermore, we elucidate that hidden DMI widely exists in many potential candidates, from the first-principles calculations on the mature crystal database. Interestingly, novel topological spin configurations, such as the anti-chirality-locked merons and antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic meron chains, are stabilized as a consequence of hidden DMI. Our understanding enables the effective control of DMI by symmetry operations at the atomic level and enlarges the range of currently useful magnets for topological magnetism.

Above-room-temperature chiral skyrmion lattice and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3-xGaTe2.

Skyrmions in existing 2D van der Waals (vdW) materials have primarily been limited to cryogenic temperatures, and the underlying physical mechanism of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), a crucial ingredient for stabilizing chiral skyrmions, remains inadequately explored. Here, we report the observation of Néel-type skyrmions in a vdW ferromagnet Fe3-xGaTe2 above room temperature. Contrary to previous assumptions of centrosymmetry in Fe3-xGaTe2, the atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that the off-centered FeΙΙ atoms break the spatial inversion symmetry, rendering it a polar metal. First-principles calculations further elucidate that the DMI primarily stems from the Te sublayers through the Fert-Lévy mechanism. Remarkably, the chiral skyrmion lattice in Fe3-xGaTe2 can persist up to 330 K at zero magnetic field, demonstrating superior thermal stability compared to other known skyrmion vdW magnets. This work provides valuable insights into skyrmionics and presents promising prospects for 2D material-based skyrmion devices operating beyond room temperature.

Role of crosstalk between synovial cells and chondrocytes in osteoarthritis (Review).

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a low-grade, nonspecific inflammatory disease that affects the entire joint. This condition is characterized by synovitis, cartilage erosion, subchondral bone defects, and subpatellar fat pad damage. There is mounting evidence demonstrating the significance of crosstalk between synovitis and cartilage destruction in the development of OA. To comprehensively explore the phenotypic alterations of synovitis and cartilage destruction, it is important to elucidate the crosstalk mechanisms between chondrocytes and synovial cells. Furthermore, the updated iteration of single-cell sequencing technology reveals the interaction between chondrocyte and synovial cells. In the present review, the histological and pathological alterations between cartilage and synovium during OA progression are described, and the mode of interaction and molecular mechanisms between synovial cells and chondrocytes in OA, both of which affect the OA process mainly by altering the inflammatory environment and cellular state, are elucidated. Finally, the current OA therapeutic approaches are summarized and emerging therapeutic targets are reviewed in an attempt to provide potential insights into OA treatment.

Efficacy and safety of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disease characterized by abdominal pain, distension, and altered bowel habits. Probiotics may alleviate IBS symptoms, but clinical trials remain conflicting. AIMS: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of probiotics for IBS patients. METHODS: We searched relevant trials in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from 2000 to June 2023. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes. A risk ratio (RR) and a 95% CI were calculated for dichotomous outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 20 studies involving 3011 patients were obtained. The results demonstrated that probiotics are more effective than placebo in reducing global IBS symptoms improvement rate (RR = 1.401, 95% CI 1.182-1.662, P < 0.001) and quality of life scores (SMD = 0.286, 95% CI = 0.154-0.418, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that a shorter treatment time (less than eight weeks) could reduce distension scores (SMD = 0.197, 95% CI = 0.038-0.356, P = 0.015). High doses (daily dose of probiotics ≥ 10ˆ10) or multiple strains of probiotics exhibit beneficial effects on abdominal pain (SMD = 0.412, 95% CI = 0.112-0.711, P = 0.007; SMD = 0.590, 95% CI = 0.050-1.129, P = 0.032; respectively). However, there was no significant benefit on global symptom scores (SMD = 0.387, 95% CI 0.122 to 0.653, P = 0.004) with statistically high inter-study heterogeneity (I2 = 91.9%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was no significant inter-group difference in terms of adverse events frequency (RR = 0.997, 95% CI 0.845-1.177, P = 0.973). CONCLUSION: Probiotics are effective and safe for IBS patients. High doses or multiple probiotic strains seem preferable, but definite conclusions are challenging due to the high heterogeneity. Large-scale, well-designed, and rigorous trials are needed to confirm their effectiveness.

Exploring antecedents and outcomes of burnout among emergency department staff using the job demands-resources model: A scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: High levels of burnout are prevalent among Emergency Department staff due to chronic exposure to job stress. There is a lack of knowledge about anteceding factors and outcomes of burnout in this population. AIMS: To provide a comprehensive overview of burnout and identify its workplace antecedents and outcomes among Emergency Department staff. METHODS: The scoping study will follow the methodology outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, and CINAHL databases will be searched using predefined strategies. Two reviewers will screen the title, abstract and full text separately based on the eligibility criteria. Data will be charted, coded, and narratively synthesized based on the job demands-resources model. CONCLUSION: The results will provide insights into the underlying work-related factors contributing to burnout and its implications for individuals, healthcare organizations, and patient care.

Effectiveness of Mobile Health Platform-Based Continuity of Care in Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of using mobile health platforms for continuous care in preventing and treating osteoporosis. Methods: 114 patients with osteoporosis admitted to Nantong First People's Hospital from March 2021 to June 2022 were recruited and assigned equally via random number table method to receive either routine care (namely education on osteoporosis disease, dietary guidance, exercise guidance, activity guidance, medication supervision, fall prevention, psychological care, and secondary health education at the time of discharge) (routine group) or mobile health platform-based continuity of care (continuity group), with 57 patients in each group. Outcome measures included treatment compliance, disease knowledge of osteoporosis (diet, exercise, risk factors), quality of life level, and care satisfaction. Results: All eligible patients were followed up for one year after discharge from the hospital. Patients with continuity of care showed higher treatment compliance and disease knowledge of diet, exercise, and risk factors than those with routine care (P = .004). Continuity of care was associated with significantly higher MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) scores (The SF-36 is a self-administered questionnaire containing 36 items that survey overall health status) and nursing satisfaction in patients versus routine care (P = .004). Conclusion: Mobile health platform-based continuity of care effectively enhances post-discharge compliance and knowledge of osteoporosis in patients with osteoporosis, thereby improving post-discharge quality of life and satisfaction with care. Multi-center studies involving diverse healthcare settings and patient populations would provide more robust evidence. Moreover, these findings highlight the potential benefits of incorporating mobile health platforms into the care continuum for osteoporosis patients. Also, by utilizing mobile health platforms, healthcare providers can extend their reach beyond hospital settings and provide continuous care and support to patients, potentially reducing the burden on healthcare systems and improving overall population health outcomes.

Spatial patterns of Holocene temperature changes over mid-latitude Eurasia.

The Holocene temperature conundrum, the discrepancy between proxy-based Holocene global cooling and simulated global annual warming trends, remains controversial. Meanwhile, reconstructions and simulations show inconsistent spatial patterns of terrestrial temperature changes. Here we report Holocene alkenone records to address spatial patterns over mid-latitude Eurasia. In contrast with long-term cooling trends in warm season temperatures in northeastern China, records from southwestern Siberia are characterized by colder conditions before ~6,000 years ago, thus long-term warming trends. Together with existing records from surrounding regions, we infer that colder airmass might have prevailed in the interior of mid-latitude Eurasian continent during the early to mid-Holocene, perhaps associated with atmospheric response to remnant ice sheets. Our results challenge the proposed seasonality bias in proxies and modeled spatial patterns in study region, highlighting that spatial patterns of Holocene temperature changes should be re-considered in record integrations and model simulations, with important implications for terrestrial hydroclimate changes.

Magnetic skyrmions and their manipulations in a 2D multiferroic CuCrP2Te6 monolayer.

Magnetic skyrmions and their effective manipulations are promising for the design of next-generation information storage and processing devices, due to their topologically protected chiral spin textures and low energy cost. They, therefore, have attracted significant interest from the communities of condensed matter physics and materials science. Herein, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and micromagnetic simulations, we report the spontaneous 2 nm-diameter magnetic skyrmions in the monolayer CuCrP2Te6 originating from the synergistic effect of broken inversion symmetry and strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions (DMIs). The creation and annihilation of magnetic skyrmions can be achieved via the ferroelectric to anti-ferroelectric (FE-to-AFE) transition, due to the variation of the magnetic parameter D2/|KJ|. Moreover, we also found that the DMIs and Heisenberg isotropic exchange can be manipulated by bi-axial strain, to effectively enhance skyrmion stability. Our findings provide feasible approaches to manipulate the skyrmions, which can be used for the design of next-generation information storage devices.

Application of radiomics model based on lumbar computed tomography in diagnosis of elderly osteoporosis.

A metabolic bone disease characterized by decreased bone formation and increased bone resorption is osteoporosis. It can cause pain and fracture of patients. The elderly are prone to osteoporosis and are more vulnerable to osteoporosis. In this study, radiomics are extracted from computed tomography (CT) images to screen osteoporosis in the elderly. Collect the plain scan CT images of lumbar spine, cut the region of interest of the image and extract radiomics features, use Lasso regression to screen variables and adjust complexity, use python language to model random forests, support vector machines, K nearest neighbor, and finally use receiver operating characteristic curve to evaluate the performance of the model, including precision, recall, accuracy and area under the curve (AUC). For the model, 14 radiolomics features were selected. The diagnosis performance of random forest model and support vector machine is good, all around 0.9. The AUC of K nearest neighbor model in training set and test set is 0.828 and 0.796, respectively. We selected the plain scan CT images of the elderly lumbar spine to build radiomics features model, which has good diagnostic performance and can be used as a tool to assist the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the elderly.

An energy-free strategy to elevate anti-icing performance of superhydrophobic materials through interfacial airflow manipulation.

Superhydrophobic surfaces demonstrate excellent anti-icing performance under static conditions. However, they show a marked decrease in icing time under real flight conditions. Here we develop an anti-icing strategy using ubiquitous wind field to improve the anti-icing efficiency of superhydrophobic surfaces during flight. We find that the icing mass on hierarchical superhydrophobic surface with a microstructure angle of 30° is at least 40% lower than that on the conventional superhydrophobic plate, which is attributed to the combined effects of microdroplet flow upwelling induced by interfacial airflow and microdroplet ejection driven by superhydrophobic characteristic. Meanwhile, the disordered arrangement of water molecules induced by the specific 30° angle also raises the energy barriers required for nucleation, resulting in an inhibition of the nucleation process. This strategy of microdroplet movement manipulation induced by interfacial airflow is expected to break through the anti-icing limitation of conventional superhydrophobic materials in service conditions and can further reduce the risk of icing on the aircraft surface.

VIRMA promotes neuron apoptosis via inducing m6A methylation of STK10 in spinal cord injury animal models.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs as a devastating neuropathic disease. The role of serine-threonine kinase 10 (STK10) in the development of SCI remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the action of m6A methylation on STK10 in the apoptosis of spinal cord neurons in the pathogenesis of SCI and the possible underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Rat model of SCI was established and subsequently evaluated for motor function, pathological conditions, and apoptosis of spinal cord neurons. And the effects of overexpression of STK10 on neuronal cells in animal models of spinal cord injury and glyoxylate deprivation (OGD) cell models were evaluated. m6A2Target database and SRAMP database were used to predict the m6A methylation sites of STK10. The methylation kits were used to detect overall m6A methylation. Finally, the interaction between STK10 and vir like m6A methyltransferase associated (VIRMA) was explored in animal and cellular models. RESULTS: STK10 is markedly decreased in spinal cord injury models and overexpression of STK10 inhibits neuronal apoptosis. VIRMA can induce m6A methylation of STK10. VIRMA is over-expressed in spinal cord injury models and negatively regulates the expression of STK10. m6A methylation and apoptosis of neuronal cells are reduced by the knockdown of VIRMA and STK10 shRNA have shown the opposite effects. CONCLUSIONS: VIRMA promotes neuronal apoptosis in spinal cord injury by regulating STK10 m6A methylation.

Decreased FoxO1 expression contributes to facet joint osteoarthritis pathogenesis by impairing chondrocyte migration and extracellular matrix synthesis.

Facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA), a condition commonly observed in individuals of middle to old age, has been relatively under-researched compared to other subtypes of osteoarthritis (OA). This study investigated the role of transcription factor FoxO1 in FJOA using a Col2a1-creERT knock-in mouse model. It was found that FoxO1 deletion led to severe osteoarthritic changes, indicating that FoxO1 played a critical role in cartilage homeostasis. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on degenerated cartilage from FoxO1-deleted mice. This process identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), offering insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying FJOA. Bioinformatics analysis, including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, identified Itgb3, Itga1, Itga6, Itga7, Itga8, Itga10, Col1a1, and Il6, as potential key contributors to FJOA after FoxO1 deletion. Importantly, overexpression of Itgb3 and inhibition of Il6 counteracted FoxO1 knockdown-induced impairments in chondrocyte migration and extracellular matrix synthesis, respectively. This study discovered FoxO1 as a key regulator of the pathogenesis of FJOA, helped unravel the complex molecular mechanisms underlying FJOA, and contributed to the development of promising therapeutic avenues toward FJOA.

The roles of undercooling degree and materials surface configuration in the growth mechanism of ice layer caused by micro-droplets.

Effect mechanisms of the undercooling degree and the surface configuration on the ice growth characteristics were revealed under micro-droplets icing conditions. Preferential ice crystals appear firstly on the surfaces due to the randomness of icing, and obtain growth advantages to form protruding structures. Protruding structures block the incoming droplets from contacting the substrates, causing voids around the structures. The undercooling degree mainly affects the density and the growth rate of preferential ice crystals. With the increase of undercooling degree, the preferential ice crystals have higher density and growth rate, resulting in stronger growth advantage and higher porosity. The surface configuration affects the growth mode, and the ice layer grows with uniform mode, spreading mode and structure-induced mode on the aluminum, smooth Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and rough PTFE surface respectively, causing the needle-like, ridge-like and cluster-like ice crystals. The rough structures effectively improve the porosity of the ice layer, which is beneficial for optimizing the icephobic property of the materials. This paper provides important theoretical guidance for the design of subsequent icephobic materials.