Developing and validating a clinlabomics-based machine-learning model for early detection of retinal detachment in patients with high myopia.

BACKGROUND: Retinal detachment (RD) is a vision-threatening disorder of significant severity. Individuals with high myopia (HM) face a 2 to 6 times higher risk of developing RD compared to non-myopes. The timely identification of high myopia-related retinal detachment (HMRD) is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of additional vision impairment. Consequently, our objective was to streamline and validate a machine-learning model based on clinical laboratory omics (clinlabomics) for the early detection of RD in HM patients. METHODS: We extracted clinlabomics data from the electronic health records for 24,440 HM and 5607 HMRD between 2015 and 2022. Lasso regression analysis assessed fifty-nine variables, excluding collinear variables (variance inflation factor > 10). Four models based on random forest, gradient boosting machine (GBM), generalized linear model, and Deep Learning Model were trained for HMRD diagnosis and employed for internal validation. An external test of the models was done. Three random data sets were further processed to validate the performance of the diagnostic model. The primary outcomes were the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the area under the precision-recall curve (AUCPR) to diagnose HMRD. RESULTS: Nine variables were selected by all models. Given the AUC and AUCPR values across the different sets, the GBM model was chosen as the final diagnostic model. The GBM model had an AUC of 0.8550 (95%CI = 0.8322-0.8967) and an AUCPR of 0.5584 (95%CI = 0.5250-0.5879) in the training set. The AUC and AUCPR in the internal validation were 0.8405 (95%CI = 0.8060-0.8966) and 0.5355 (95%CI = 0.4988-0.5732). During the external test evaluation, it reached an AUC of 0.7579 (95%CI = 0.7340-0.7840) and an AUCPR of 0.5587 (95%CI = 0.5345-0.5880). A similar discriminative capacity was observed in the three random data sets. The GBM model was well-calibrated across all the sets. The GBM-RD model was implemented into a web application that provides risk prediction for HM individuals. CONCLUSION: GBM algorithms based on nine features successfully predicted the diagnosis of RD in patients with HM, which will help ophthalmologists to establish a preliminary diagnosis and to improve diagnostic accuracy in the clinic.

Band Gap Engineering and Lattice Distortion for Synergetic Tuning Optical Properties of NaNbO3 toward Enhanced Piezo-photocatalytic Activity.

Piezo-photocatalytic efficiency is severely constrained by the wide band gap and bad piezoelectric properties. Herein, La(Mn0.5Ni0.5)O3 was successfully introduced into NaNbO3 lattices (referred to as 0LMN, 0.05LMN, 0.10LMN, and 0.15LMN) through a water-based sol-gel method. The piezo-photocatalytic degradation ratio for Rhodamine B (RhB) is enhanced from 59.7% (0LMN) to 89.7% (0.10LMN) within 100 min, and the kinetic rate constant (k) is increased from 0.009 to 0.022 min-1. The enhanced performance is attributed to (i) the narrowed band gap (from 3.40 to 2.84 eV), which is conducive to the generation of photogenerated electrons and holes, and (ii) the enhanced piezoelectric properties, which can strengthen the piezoelectric polarization, thereby accelerating the separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes. And we also found that the synergetic effect of photocatalysis and piezocatalysis was superior to that of photocatalysis and piezocatalysis alone. This study could provide new perspectives for the reasonable construction of an efficient catalyst in the piezo-photocatalytic field.

Growth charts for children aged 6-17 years in Shanxi, China: comparison with other cities of China and WHO.

BACKGROUND: Growth charts are an important method for evaluating a child's health, growth, and nutritional status. It is essential to monitor the growth of children and adolescents using growth charts. OBJECTIVES: To present body mass index (BMI)-for-age references reflecting children's growth in Shanxi. We also compare our new data with growth references of other cities of China and World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards. METHODS: A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to recruit 5461 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. The LMS method was used to calculate the percentile values of body mass index by sex and age. Smoothed BMI-for-age growth curves were presented for both sexes and compared with reference data from other cities of China and WHO. RESULTS: BMI centiles increased with age but with different patterns in both boys and girls. The centile curves from the 3rd to the 50th had a slight increase, while a sharp increase was seen from 11 to 17 years in boys and from 6 to 14 years in girls in the higher centiles. In comparison with other cities of China, the values for the 50th percentile are higher than those reported for children from China 2009, Shanghai, Changsha and China 2010 in both sexes. In comparison with WHO growth references, Chinese girls and boys had higher values in all percentiles, whereas curves of girls look roughly the same. The medians for BMI in Shanxi increase linearly from 6 to 17 years in boys. CONCLUSIONS: The BMI percentiles of children aged 6-17 years in Shanxi differed significantly from the growth reference curves of other cities of China and WHO. Recommending the provision of BMI reference curves for local children and adolescents to assess their growth and development and monitor their nutritional status. Early detection of overweight and obesity in children provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in children.

Peroxynitrite is a novel risk factor and treatment target of glaucoma.

To investigate the association between systemic nitrotyrosine (NT) levels and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and the mechanism involved. A case control study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University from April 2017 to December 2017. A total of 400 participants were consecutively recruited into this study (100 PACG, 100 POAG and 200 controls). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between serum NT level and PACG or POAG. Clinical results were validated in cell and animal models. Among 200 glaucoma patients, 101 (50.5%) were women; the age was 57.07 ± 14.51 years. 106 (53%) control participants were women and age was 58.34 ± 14.04 years. Serum levels of NT in PACG and POAG patients are significantly higher than controls (1808.53 ± 417.76 nmol/L vs. 1270.62 ± 454.60 nmol/L, p < 0.001; 1718.63 ± 437.29 nmol/L vs. 1258.38 ± 460.72 nmol/L, p < 0.001). Further, elevated serum NT level increases the risk of developing PACG (OR = 1.003, 95% CI: 1.002 to 1.004, p < 0.001) and POAG (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 1.002 to 1.003, p < 0.001). Consistent with the clinical data, serum and aqueous humour NT levels are significantly higher in caveolin 1 knockout (Cav1 KO) mice, an animal model of glaucoma. More importantly, peroxynitrite (PN) scavenger MnTMPyP and its transduction molecule PARP inhibitor significantly reduce intraocular pressure in Cav1 KO mice. Our data show for the first time that NT is a systemic risk factor and local treatment target of glaucoma.

Associations of maternal ozone exposures during pregnancy with maternal blood pressure and risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A birth cohort study in Guangzhou, China.

Although studies have assessed the associations of maternal exposure to ozone (O3) during pregnancy with blood pressure and the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), the results were inconsistent. Furthermore, no studies have been conducted in China where the ambient O3 concentration continuedly increased. The present study aimed to estimate the effects of maternal exposure to O3 during pregnancy on the HDP risk, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP). All participants of pregnant women were selected from the prospective birth cohort study on Prenatal Environments and Offspring Health conducted in Guangzhou, China. A spatiotemporal land-use-regression model was used to estimate individual monthly air pollution exposure from three months before pregnancy to childbirth date. Information on HDP, SBP, DBP and PP was obtained from maternal medical records. A Logistic regression model and a mixed linear model were used to estimate the associations of maternal exposure to O3 with the risk of HDP and blood pressure (SBP, DBP and PP), respectively. We found significant associations of maternal exposure to O3 during the third (OR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.60) and the second month (OR = 1.25, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.51) before pregnancy with the risk of HDP. Observed significantly positive associations of O3 exposures with SBP, DBP and PP during the two months before pregnancy and during the early pregnancy. The peak effects of O3 exposure on SBP, DBP and PP were respectively observed during the second month of pregnancy (ß = 1.07  mmHg, 95%CI: 0.84, 1.31  mmHg), the first month before pregnancy (ß = 0.40  mmHg, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.50  mmHg) and the second month of pregnancy (ß = 0.78  mmHg, 95%CI: 0.59, 0.97  mmHg). Our results suggest that maternal exposure to O3 were positively associated with blood pressure and the risk of HDP, and the period from three months before pregnancy to the first trimester might be the critical exposure window.

Associations between Blood Cell Profiles and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) were associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective case-control study included 240 patients with POAG and 300 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Complete ophthalmological examination and blood count measurements were performed for all subjects. RESULTS: The values of NLR, PLR, and SII in the POAG group were significantly increased compared with the control group (p < 0.001; p = 0.012; p < 0.001). However, the LMR value was lower in the POAG patients than in the control group (p < 0.001). When we divided the subjects into different age and gender subgroups, the NLR and SII values in the POAG patients were always higher than those in the control group. In the comparison of laboratory parameters in POAG subjects stratified according to severity, we also found that NLR and SII increased with the severity. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the areas under the ROC curve of NLR, PLR, LMR, and SII to predict patients with POAG were found to be 0.627, 0.569, 0.382, and 0.986, respectively. The best cutoff point of NLR was 1.998 with a sensitivity of 59.8% and a specificity of 63.0%, and the SII was 947.365 with a sensitivity of 95.4% and a specificity of 95.7%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that NLR was positively associated with mean deviation; moreover, NLR and SII were independent indicators correlated with POAG (OR 1.502; 95% CI 1.227-1.839; p < 0.001; OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.009-1.021; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We speculated that elevated NLR and SII might serve as readily available inflammatory predictors in POAG patients.

The Value of 1H-MRS and MRI in Combined Methylmalonic Aciduria and Homocystinuria.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to describe the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria and to evaluate the additional value of H-MRS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight children with methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria were included in this study. The control group included 21 healthy children. All the cases underwent MRI and H-MRS before treatment. We measured the N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), and myoinositol (mI) peaks in the basal ganglia regions. The NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, mI/Cr, and NAA/Cho ratios were calculated. We also observed whether there were lactic acid peaks. RESULT: We identified that NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho significantly decreased in the basal ganglia and that 3 patients showed lactate peaks, but other metabolites were not significantly altered. Hydrocephalus and diffuse supratentorial white matter edema were the primary MR findings; 7 patients had thinning of the corpus callosum, and 2 patients had subdural hematoma. Six patients showed normal brain MRI findings. CONCLUSIONS: Methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria patients with metabolite changes in the basal ganglia demonstrate compromised neuronal integrity, and anerobic metabolism occurs in acute encephalopathic episodes. H-MRS is a useful tool for evaluating brain damage. Hydrocephalus and diffuse supratentorial white matter edema are the main MRI features.

Serum Lipid Metabolic Derangement is Associated with Disease Progression During Chronic HBV Infection.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between serum lipid levels and disease progression during chronic hepatitis B virus infection. METHODS: We selected 73 healthy controls and 163 patients with chronic HBV infection as the study subjects. The chronic HBV infection patients were divided into the HBV carrier group (74 patients), chronic hepatitis B group (71 patients), and liver cirrhosis group (21 patients). The age, gender, body mass index, blood lipid index, liver function index, and HBV DNA levels of all participants were tested and recorded. A t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the data between two groups; data from multiple groups were compared using one-way ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis Test. RESULTS: We observed that the serum HDL cholesterol (1.00 ± 0.30 mmol/L in the HBV-infected group, 1.29 ± 0.23 mmol/L in the control group) and APOA (1.29 ± 0.35 mmol/L, 1.36 ± 0.21 mmol/L, respectively) concentrations were significantly lower in the HBV-infected group than in the control group (p < 0.05). As the disease progressed, the blood lipid and lipoprotein values were significantly lower in the cirrhosis group TC (3.26 ± 1.00 mmol/L), HDL cholesterol (0.77 ± 0.33 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (2.09 ± 0.62 mmol/L), and APOB (0.57 ± 0.18 mmol/L) compared with the control group, the carrier group, and the chronic hepatitis B group (p < 0.05). The serum HBV DNA level was significantly, positively correlated with the blood HDL concentration (carrier group R = 0.340, p = 0.02; chronic hepatitis B group R = 0.329, p = 0.014). There was no correlation between the HBV DNA and lipid levels in patients with cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: Serum lipid metabolic derangement was associated with disease progression during chronic HBV infection. Liver function and blood lipid levels were significantly lower in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis.

Effect of Repeated Freeze-Thaw on Serum Biomarkers Associated with Eye Disease.

BACKGROUND Serum biomarkers are associated with eye diseases, which results in the need for cryopreservation of serum samples. However, the effect on serum biomarker levels of repeatedly freezing and thawing remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of repeated freeze-thaw on the serum levels of the protein, complement C3c (C3c), the micromolecule, uric acid (UA), and the enzyme, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). MATERIAL AND METHODS Serum samples were obtained from 50 patients who attended an ophthalmic outpatient department. Following baseline measurements, the serum samples from each subject were divided into aliquots and stored at -80°C for further analysis, following between one to six freeze-thaw cycles. The serum levels of C3c, UA, and ACE were measured immediately after the stored serum samples were thawed. RESULTS The serum level of C3c was significantly changed after the first freeze-thaw cycle (p<0.05), and a significant alteration in serum ACE levels occurred after the third freeze-thaw cycle (p<0.05). The serum UA level remained unchanged after all freeze-thaw cycles. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles significantly increased the serum levels of C3c and decreased the serum levels of ACE. The serum levels of C3c, UA, and ACE, respectively were significantly correlated (p<0.001), while the correlation coefficient for C3c and UA were improved when compared with ACE. CONCLUSIONS Repeated freeze-thaw can have variable effects on the serum levels of biomarkers, C3c, UA and ACE, which supports the need for quality control of cryopreserved serum for biomarker evaluation.

Pediatric Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the temporal bone: clinical and imaging studies of 27 cases.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the clinical and imaging presentations of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in the pediatric temporal bone. METHODS: This retrospective study included 27 pediatric cases with pathological confirmed LCH of the temporal bone. The clinical and imaging features of the cases were analyzed. The involvement of ossicular chain and otic capsule was also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 38 lesions (27 cases) with 11 bilateral involvement were identified. For the 27 cases, the most common complaint was periauricular swelling (12/27, 44.4%), followed by otorrhea (9/27, 33.3%) and otalgia (5/27, 18.2%). The mastoid process was the most common involved subsite (31/38, 81.6%) among the 38 lesions. Ten (26.3%, 10/38) lesions belonged to the group of the diffuse involvement, 22 (57.9%, 22/38) were divided into the group of partial involvement and six (15.8%,6/38) localized lesions with punched-out appearance. Erosion of ossicular chains and otic capsule were found in three and seven lesions respectively. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the most common subsite for LCH of the pediatric temporal bone was the mastoid process. The location and extent of pediatric LCH of the temporal bone varied a lot between each other. The ossicular chains usually remain intact and the erosion of otic capsule can occur in some lesions.

Potential risk factors related to the development of gastric polyps.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric polyps (GPs) are masses of cells that form on the lining inside stomach. The diagnosis and treatment of GPs are vital, since some cases may cause malignant. Endoscopic techniques have led to earlier detection of GPs, the incidence of GPs are projected to continue rising. The treatment of GPs and investigation are specific to the possible presentation, pathology, and malignant. This paper is to investigate risk factors related to GPs patients in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total of 2048 patients who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy from January 2014 to December 2014 were studied. Data collected included gender, age, education level, BMI, eating habits and other lifestyle behaviors. Data were assessed by both univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of these, 181 patients had GPs. The univariate statistical test found significant differences between age and education level ([Formula: see text]=92.87, p = .00, and[Formula: see text]=92.93, p = .00, respectively). Also, significant differences of the type of drinking water, regular eating habits, eating quickly, consumption of a high-salt, meat-based dietary, hard diet, hot food eating, watching television while meal, eating leftovers, vegetable/fruit intake, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were noticed (p < .05). The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, dietary habits, eating styles, eating hot food or leftovers and fruit intake were associated with the development of GPs. CONCLUSIONS: Age and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as irregular eating habits, eating quickly, hot food, leftovers meals and a lower intake of fruit were independent risk factors for GPs.

The value of circulating CYFRA21-1 expression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a study of 529 subjects.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) needs more reliable biomarkers. The aim of this study was to investigate serum cytokeratin 19 fragment 21.1 (CYFRA21-1) as an NPC biomarker based on data from a large sample. METHODS: From October 2010 to February 2014, 529 subjects were enrolled and divided into three groups-NPC group (n = 274), healthy control group (n = 175) and nasal inflammatory disease group (n = 80). Serum CYFRA21-1 levels were measured prior to radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy, and their associations with T, N, and clinical classification were determined. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to discriminate the NPC group from the healthy control and nasal inflammatory disease groups. Three Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies and their correlations with serum CYFRA21-1 levels were analyzed. RESULTS: Pretreatment serum CYFRA21-1 levels were significantly elevated in the NPC group compared with the other groups (p < 0.01), Furthermore, serum CYFRA21-1 levels decreased significantly after radiotherapy (p < 0.01). Serum CYFRA21-1 levels were closely related to T, N, and clinical classifications. The area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity of the serum CYFRA21-1 levels in the NPC patients were 0.89, 0.87 and 0.83, respectively. Strong correlations were observed between serum CYFRA21-1 levels and EBV antibodies. CONCLUSION: Serum CYFRA21-1 may be a reliable and effective biomarker for NPC.

[Construction of CYP1B1 gene haplotypes predisposing to primary congenital glaucoma through allele-specific PCR/restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To develop an allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR)/restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay for CYP1B1 gene haplotypes predisposing to primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). METHODS: Twenty Chinese PCG patients and 20 healthy controls were recruited. Peripheral blood sample was subjected to direct sequencing for common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CYP1B1 gene. Based on the results, CYP1B1 gene haplotypes were constructed by PCR-RFLP and AS-PCR combined with RFLP. RESULTS: Four SNPs loci were identified by sequencing, which included rs10012 G>C (S1 in exon 2), rs1056827 T/G (S2 in exon 2), rs1056836 C/G (S3 in exon 3) and rs1056837T>C (S4 in exon 3). The distribution of such loci showed different characteristics between the two groups. 50% of the PCG patients had rs10012 G>C and rs1056827 T>G, while 25% of PCG patients had rs1056836 C>G and rs1056837T>C. As for the controls, 25% had rs10012 G>C and rs1056827 T>G, 10% had rs1056836 C>G and rs1056837T>C. None of the SNP loci has presented alone. PCR-RFLP was carried out to confirm the results of SNPs typing, but could not confirm the linkage between the SNP loci. By contrast, AS-PCR combined with RFLP has achieved specific amplification for rs10012 G>C and thorough differentiation of 1056827 T>G polymorphism. Similar results have been obtained by the same method for rs1056836 C>G and rs1056837T>C typing and linkage disequilibrium analysis. CONCLUSION: The AS-PCR/RFLP assay has successfully constructed the haplotypes of the CYP1B1 gene. For its accuracy, efficiency and specificity, the method may be used for constructing haplotypes for hereditary disease studies.

Long-term outcome of uniport vs. multiport video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer.

This study aims to compare the perioperative outcomes and long-term survival of U-VATS lobectomy for NSCLC with multiportal VATS (M-VATS, involving two ports or more) lobectomy. A total of 339 patients who underwent intentional VATS lobectomy for lung cancer between 2012 and 2017 were included in the analysis. Perioperative outcomes and long-term survival were evaluated. Propensity score matching was utilized to minimize baseline characteristic differences between the two groups. Out of the total cases, 17 (5.01%) were converted to open thoracotomy. The conversion rates were 4.96% (7/141) in the U-VATS group and 5.05% (10/198) in the M-VATS group. A total of 322 consecutive patients underwent VATS lobectomy and mediastinal lymphadenectomy. After propensity matching, 106 pairs were obtained, consisting of 83 males and 129 females. Intraoperative bleeding volume, number of retrieved lymph nodes, explored nodal stations, drainage time and volume, and postoperative hospital stay were similar between the two groups. Both groups exhibited comparable morbidity and mortality rates. From the multivariable analysis, there was no significant difference observed in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between the two patient cohorts. U-VATS demonstrated comparable perioperative outcomes and long-term efficacy to M-VATS. However, further confirmation of these findings is required.

An application of BWM for risk control in reverse logistics of medical waste.

The pollution posed by medical waste complicate the procedures of medical waste logistics (MWL), and the increasingly frequent occurrence of public health emergencies has magnified the risks posed by it. In this study, the authors established an index of the factors influencing the risks posed by MWL along five dimensions: the logistics business, emergency capacity, equipment, personnel, and management. The best-worst case method was used to identify the critical risk-related factors and rank them by importance. Following this, we assessed the risk posed by MWL in four major cities in China as an example and propose the corresponding measures of risk control. The results showed that the linking of business processes was the most important factor influencing the risk posed by MWL. The other critical risk-related factors included the location of the storage site, the capacity for emergency transportation, measures to manage emergencies, and the safety of packaging. Of the cities considered, Beijing was found to be a high-risk city, and its MWL needed to be improved as soon as possible in light of the relevant critical risks. Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen were evaluated as general-risk cities, which meant that the risks of MWL were not a priority in these areas, and the other goals of urban development should be comprehensively considered during the long-term planning for MWL in these municipalities.

Metastasis-associated 1 localizes to the sarcomeric Z-disc and is implicated in skeletal muscle pathology.

Metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1), a subunit of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) corepressor complex, was reported to be expressed in the cytoplasm of skeletal muscles. However, the exact subcellular localization and the functional implications of MTA1 in skeletal muscles have not been examined. This study aims to demonstrate the subcellular localization of MTA1 in skeletal muscles and reveal its possible roles in skeletal muscle pathogenesis. Striated muscles (skeletal and cardiac) from C57BL/6 mice of 4-5 weeks were collected to examine the expression of MTA1 by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy were performed for MTA1, α-actinin (a Z-disc marker protein), and SMN (survival of motor neuron) proteins. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets were analyzed using the GEO2R online tool to explore the functional implications of MTA1 in skeletal muscles. MTA1 expression was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Subcellular localization of MTA1 was found in the Z-disc of sarcomeres, where α-actinin and SMN were expressed. Data mining of GEO profiles suggested that MTA1 dysregulation is associated with multiple skeletal muscle defects, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, nemaline myopathy, and dermatomyositis. The GEO analysis also showed that MTA1 expression gradually decreased with age in mouse skeletal muscle precursor cells. The subcellular localization of MTA1 in sarcomeres of skeletal muscles implies its biological roles in sarcomere structures and its possible contribution to skeletal muscle pathology.

Metabolomics identifies and validates serum androstenedione as novel biomarker for diagnosing primary angle closure glaucoma and predicting the visual field progression.

Background: Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Asia, and no reliable, effective diagnostic, and predictive biomarkers are used in clinical routines. A growing body of evidence shows metabolic alterations in patients with glaucoma. We aimed to develop and validate potential metabolite biomarkers to diagnose and predict the visual field progression of PACG. Methods: Here, we used a five-phase (discovery phase, validation phase 1, validation phase 2, supplementary phase, and cohort phase) multicenter (EENT hospital, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital), cross-sectional, prospective cohort study designed to perform widely targeted metabolomics and chemiluminescence immunoassay to determine candidate biomarkers. Five machine learning (random forest, support vector machine, lasso, K-nearest neighbor, and GaussianNaive Bayes [NB]) approaches were used to identify an optimal algorithm. The discrimination ability was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Calibration was assessed by Hosmer-Lemeshow tests and calibration plots. Results: Studied serum samples were collected from 616 participants, and 1464 metabolites were identified. Machine learning algorithm determines that androstenedione exhibited excellent discrimination and acceptable calibration in discriminating PACG across the discovery phase (discovery set 1, AUCs=1.0 [95% CI, 1.00-1.00]; discovery set 2, AUCs = 0.85 [95% CI, 0.80-0.90]) and validation phases (internal validation, AUCs = 0.86 [95% CI, 0.81-0.91]; external validation, AUCs = 0.87 [95% CI, 0.80-0.95]). Androstenedione also exhibited a higher AUC (0.92-0.98) to discriminate the severity of PACG. In the supplemental phase, serum androstenedione levels were consistent with those in aqueous humor (r=0.82, p=0.038) and significantly (p=0.021) decreased after treatment. Further, cohort phase demonstrates that higher baseline androstenedione levels (hazard ratio = 2.71 [95% CI: 1.199-6.104], p=0.017) were associated with faster visual field progression. Conclusions: Our study identifies serum androstenedione as a potential biomarker for diagnosing PACG and indicating visual field progression. Funding: This work was supported by Youth Medical Talents - Clinical Laboratory Practitioner Program (2022-65), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82302582), Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Project (20224Y0317), and Higher Education Industry-Academic-Research Innovation Fund of China (2023JQ006).

Humidity Sensing Properties of (In+Nb) Doped HfO2 Ceramics.

(In+Nb) co-doped HfO2 ceramics, Hf1-x(In0.5Nb0.5)xO2 (x = 0, 0.005, 0.05, and 0.1), were prepared via a solid-state reaction method. Dielectric measurements reveal that the environmental moisture has an obvious influence on the dielectric properties of the samples. The best humidity response was found in a sample with the doping level of x = 0.005. This sample was therefore selected as a model sample to further investigate its humidity properties. In doing so, nanosized particles of Hf0.995(In0.5Nb0.5)0.005O2 were fabricated via a hydrothermal method and the humidity sensing properties of this material were studied in the relative humidity range of 11-94% based on impedance sensor. Our results show that the material exhibits a large impedance change of nearly four orders of magnitude over the tested humidity range. It was argued that the humidity-sensing properties were related to the defects created by doping, which improves the adsorption capacity for water molecules.

Serum complement component 3, complement component 4 and complement component 1q levels predict progressive visual field loss in older women with primary angle closure glaucoma.

AIM: To evaluate the association between serum levels of complement component (C) 3, C4 and C1q and visual field (VF) loss in patients with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG). METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 308 patients with PACG were included. The patients were followed up every 6 months (at least 2 years), with clinical examination and VF testing. Based on their sex and age, the subjects were stratified into male and female subgroups, and by age at <60 and ≥60 years per subgroup. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-three (39.94%) patients showed glaucoma VF progression. The serum levels of C3, C4 and C1q were significantly lower (p<0.05) in the progression group compared with the non-progression group in the ≥60 years female subgroup. In female patients with age ≥60 years, (1) lower levels of baseline C3 (HR=0.98, p<0.001), C4 (HR=0.96, p=0.01) and C1q levels (HR=0.99, p=0.003) were associated with a greater risk of VF progression; (2) patients with lower C3 levels had significantly (p<0.05) higher rates of VF loss progression, similar to those with lower C4 and lower C1q levels; and (3) the generalised additive model revealed a negative correlation between baseline C3 (p<0.001), C4 (p<0.001) and C1q (p<0.001) levels with the risk of VF progression. No statistical significance was observed in the male (<60 and ≥60 years) and female (<60 years) subgroups. CONCLUSION: Decreased C3, C4 and C1q levels at baseline were significantly associated with a greater risk of VF loss progression only in older women with PACG.

Enabling Thin-Edged Part Machining of Nomex Honeycomb Composites via Optimizing Variable Angle of Disc Cutters.

Machining Nomex honeycomb composites (NHCs), which are widely-used materials in the aerospace industry, is an imperative process to obtain desired profiles. However, when machining NHCs to obtain a thin-edged surface, some problems can arise due to large cutting forces. To avoid these defects, a method of ultrasonic vibration machining with variable angles of the down milling disc cutter was proposed in this study. The processing principles and motion characteristics of this method were elaborated. A theoretical model of its cutting process was established. The principle of cutting force reduction was qualitatively analyzed based on the model, and an experimental validation was conducted. The results demonstrated that, due to a smaller swing angle in each pass, the proposed method could reduce the fractal dimension of the machined surface by 6.01% compared to 1° with 10° of angle in each pass. And severe machining defects were decreased. Additionally, comparing the process of the fixed 10° angle of ultrasonic vibration machining with the process of a 1° angle in a pass, cutting force can be significantly reduced by 33.5%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method which improved surface quality by reducing cutting forces.