Cortical gray to white matter signal intensity ratio as a sign of neurodegeneration and cognition independent of ß-amyloid in dementia.

Cortical gray to white matter signal intensity ratio (GWR) measured from T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images was associated with neurodegeneration and dementia. We characterized topological patterns of GWR during AD pathogenesis and investigated its association with cognitive decline. The study included a cross-sectional dataset and a longitudinal dataset. The cross-sectional dataset included 60 cognitively healthy controls, 61 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 63 patients with dementia. The longitudinal dataset included 26 participants who progressed from cognitively normal to dementia and 26 controls that remained cognitively normal. GWR was compared across the cross-sectional groups, adjusted for amyloid PET. The correlation between GWR and cognition performance was also evaluated. The longitudinal dataset was used to investigate GWR alteration during the AD pathogenesis. Dementia with ß-amyloid deposition group exhibited the largest area of increased GWR, followed by MCI with ß-amyloid deposition, MCI without ß-amyloid deposition, and controls. The spatial pattern of GWR-increased regions was not influenced by ß-amyloid deposits. Correlation between regional GWR alteration and cognitive decline was only detected among individuals with ß-amyloid deposition. GWR showed positive correlation with tau PET in the left supramarginal, lateral occipital gyrus, and right middle frontal cortex. The longitudinal study showed that GWR increased around the fusiform, inferior/superior temporal lobe, and entorhinal cortex in MCI and progressed to larger cortical regions after progression to AD. The spatial pattern of GWR-increased regions was independent of ß-amyloid deposits but overlapped with tauopathy. The GWR can serve as a promising biomarker of neurodegeneration in AD.

hnRNPA0 promotes MYB expression by interacting with enhancer lncRNA MY34UE-AS in human leukemia cells.

MYB is a key regulator of hematopoiesis and erythropoiesis, and dysregulation of MYB is closely involved in the development of leukemia, however the mechanism of MYB regulation remains still unclear so far. Our previous study identified a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) derived from the -34 kb enhancer of the MYB locus, which can promote MYB expression, the proliferation and migration of human leukemia cells, and is therefore termed MY34UE-AS. Then the interacting partner proteins of MY34UE-AS were identified and studied in the present study. hnRNPA0 was identified as a binding partner of MY34UE-AS through RNA pulldown assay, which was further validated through RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). hnRNPA0 interacted with MY34UE-AS mainly through its RRM2 domain. hnRNPA0 overexpression upregulated MYB and increased the proliferation and migration of K562 cells, whereas hnRNPA0 knockdown showed opposite effects. Rescue experiments showed MY34UE-AS was required for above mentioned functions of hnRNPA0. These results reveal that hnRNPA0 is involved in leukemia through upregulating MYB expression by interacting with MY34UE-AS, suggesting that the hnRNPA0/MY34UE-AS axis could serve as a potential target for leukemia treatment.

Formation of chronic morphine withdrawal memories requires C1QL3-mediated regulation of PSD95 in the mouse basolateral amygdala.

Chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation is a complex process influenced by various molecular mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contributions of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and complement component 1, q subcomponent-like 3 (C1QL3), a secreted and presynaptically targeted protein, to the formation of chronic morphine (repeat dosing of morphine) withdrawal memory using conditioned place aversion (CPA) and chemogenetic methods. We conducted experiments involving the inhibition of the BLA during naloxone-induced withdrawal to assess its impact on CPA scores, providing insights into the significance of the BLA in the chronic morphine memory formation process. We also examined changes in C1ql3/C1QL3 expression within the BLA following conditioning. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the colocalization of C1QL3 and the G protein-coupled receptor, brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 3 (BAI3) in the BLA, supporting their involvement in synaptic development. Moreover, we downregulated C1QL3 expression in the BLA to investigate its role in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Our findings revealed that BLA inhibition during naloxone-induced withdrawal led to a significant reduction in CPA scores, confirming the critical role of the BLA in this memory process. Additionally, the upregulation of C1ql3 expression within the BLA postconditioning suggested its participation in withdrawal memory formation. The colocalization of C1QL3 and BAI3 in the BLA further supported their involvement in synaptic development. Furthermore, downregulation of C1QL3 in the BLA effectively hindered chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation, emphasizing its pivotal role in this process. Notably, we identified postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) as a potential downstream effector of C1QL3 during chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Blocking PSD95 led to a significant reduction in the CPA score, and it appeared that C1QL3 modulated the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PSD95, resulting in decreased PSD95 protein levels. This study underscores the importance of the BLA, C1QL3 and PSD95 in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. It provides valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms, emphasizing their significance in this intricate process.

Paranasal sinus occupancy assessed from magnetic resonance images-associations with clinical indicators in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: Nasal, paranasal sinus and mucosal disorders are common symptoms in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Soft tissue changes and fluid accumulation in the osteomeatal complexes and paranasal sinuses manifest as opaqueness on radiological images which can be assessed using visual scoring and computational methods on CT scans, but their results do not always correlate. Using MRI, we investigate the applicability of different image analysis methods in SLE. METHODS: We assessed paranasal sinus opaqueness on MRI from 51 SLE patients, using three visual scoring systems and expert-delineated computational volumes, and examined their association with markers of disease activity, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and common small vessel disease (SVD) indicators, adjusting for age and sex-at-birth. RESULTS: The average paranasal sinus volume occupation was 4.55 (6.47%) [median (interquartile range) = 0.67 (0.25-2.65) ml], mainly in the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses. It was highly correlated with Lund-Mackay (LM) scores modified at 50% opaqueness cut-off (Spearman's ρ: 0.71 maxillary and 0.618 ethmoids, P < 0.001 in all), and with more granular variations of the LM system. The modified LM scores were associated with SVD scores (0: B = 5.078, s.e. = 1.69, P = 0.0026; 2: B = -0.066, s.e. = 0.023, P = 0.0045) and disease activity (anti-dsDNA: B = 4.59, s.e. = 2.22, P = 0.045; SLEDAI 3-7: 2.86 < B < 4.30; 1.38 < s.e. < 1.63; 0.0083 ≤ P ≤ 0.0375). Computationally derived percent opaqueness yielded similar results. CONCLUSION: In patients with SLE, MRI computational assessment of sinuses opaqueness and LM scores modified at a 50% cut-off may be useful tools in understanding the relationships among paranasal sinus occupancy, disease activity and SVD markers.

Loss of synaptic density in nucleus basalis of meynert indicates distinct neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease: the RJNB-D study.

BACKGROUND: The nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) is known to play a crucial role in the development and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), particularly the cholinergic system within the NBM. However, the relationship between synaptic loss in the NBM and the clinical profile of AD remains unclear. METHODS: In our study, we included 44 Aß-negative normal controls (CN) and 76 Aß-positive participants with cognitive impairment (CI). All participants underwent structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to measure synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) levels (Trial registration: NCT05623124. Registered 21 November 2022). The SV2A standardized uptake value ratios (SUVR) distribution in the NBM of CN participants was used as the reference norm. We investigated the association between NBM synaptic density and clinical performance, traditional AD biomarkers, and white matter tracts that passed the NBM. RESULTS: Participants with cognitive impairment (CI) who had NBM synaptic density below 1.5 standard deviations (SD) or 0.5 SD of the norm exhibited worse cognitive performance compared to cognitively normal (CN) individuals. Crucially, the extent of deviation in synaptic density from the norm was directly proportional to the severity of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration biomarkers. Furthermore, among patients with cognitive impairment, synaptic loss in the NBM was associated with potential impairment in the density and organization of neurites within the white matter tracts connected to the NBM. Finally, neurite density index in the medial tracts may play a mediating role in the relationship between NBM synaptic density and MMSE scores. CONCLUSION: The extent that synaptic density in NBM deviated from the norm suggested the extent of worse cognitive performance and severe neurodegeneration. Furthermore, cognitive impairment associated with synaptic loss in the NBM may be mediated by its pathological impact on NBM white matter tracts.

Cachexia Index as a Predictor of Reduced Survival in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The cachexia index is a novel indicator of cachexia, but its prognostic implications for survival outcomes have not been systematically assessed in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the association between the cachexia index and survival outcomes in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify studies that evaluated the prognostic significance of the cachexia index in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The prognostic value of the cachexia index was determined by combining the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Thirteen studies were identified, including a total of 4207 patients. Meta-analysis indicated that a lower cachexia index was associated with shorter overall survival (HR 2.18; 95% CI 1.78-2.66) and disease-free survival (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.50-1.97) in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Further stratified analysis confirmed the significant association between a lower cachexia index and shorter overall survival in different study designs, regions, patients' age, sample sizes, gastrointestinal cancer subtypes, tumor stages, and follow-up duration subgroups. The cachexia index could be utilized as a predictor of overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. However, future prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

OCTN2- and ATB0,+-targeted nanoemulsions for improving ocular drug delivery.

Traditional eye drops are administered via topical instillation. However, frequent dosing is needed due to their relatively rapid precorneal removal and low ocular bioavailability. To address these issues, stearoyl L-carnitine-modified nanoemulsions (SC-NEs) were fabricated. The physicochemical properties of SC-NEs in terms of size, morphology, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release behavior were characterized. The cellular uptake and mechanisms of SC-NEs were comprehensively studied in human corneal epithelial cells and the stearoyl L-carnitine ratio in SC-NEs was optimized. The optimized SC-NEs could target the novel organic cation/carnitine transporter 2 (OCTN2) and amino acid transporter B (0 +) (ATB0,+) on the corneal epithelium, which led to superior corneal permeation, ocular surface retention ability, ocular bioavailability. Furthermore, SC-NEs showed excellent in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy in a rabbit model of endotoxin-induced uveitis. The ocular safety test indicated that the SC-NEs were biocompatible. In general, the current study demonstrated that OCTN2 and ATB0,+-targeted nanoemulsions were promising ophthalmologic drug delivery systems that can improve ocular drug bioavailability and boost the therapeutic effects of drugs for eye diseases.

Association between risk of malnutrition defined by patient-generated subjective global assessment and adverse outcomes in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between the risk of malnutrition, as estimated by the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) numerical scores, and adverse outcomes in oncology patients. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTINGS: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CKNI, VIP, Sinomed and Wanfang databases. Studies that examined the association between the risk of malnutrition, as estimated by the PG-SGA numerical scores, and overall survival (OS) or postoperative complications in oncology patients were included. Patients were classified as low risk (PG-SGA ≤ 3), medium risk (PG-SGA 4-8) and high risk of malnutrition (PG-SGA > 8). SUBJECT: Nineteen studies reporting on twenty articles (n 9286 patients). RESULTS: The prevalence of medium and high risk of malnutrition ranged from 16·0 % to 71·6 %. A meta-analysis showed that cancer patients with medium and high risk of malnutrition had a poorer OS (adjusted hazard ratios (HR) 1·98; 95 % CI 1·77, 2·21) compared with those with a low risk of malnutrition. Stratified analysis revealed that the pooled HR was 1·55 (95 % CI 1·17, 2·06) for medium risk of malnutrition and 2·65 (95 % CI 1·90, 3·70) for high risk of malnutrition. Additionally, the pooled adjusted OR for postoperative complications was 4·65 (95 % CI 1·61, 13·44) for patients at medium and high risk of malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of medium and high risk of malnutrition, as estimated by the PG-SGA numerical scores, is significantly linked to poorer OS and an increased risk of postoperative complications in oncology patients.

Identification of molecular signatures in acute myocardial infarction based on integrative analysis of proteomics and transcriptomics.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most serious cardiovascular diseases, characterized by a rapid and irreversible decline in myocardial function. Early detection of patients with MI and prolonging the optimal therapeutic window of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are particularly important. This study aimed to identify the diagnostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for acute myocardial infarction. METHOD: We generated the AMI mouse models by ligating the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. Six time points-Sham, AMI 10-min, 1-h, 6-h, 24-h, and 72-h-were chosen to examine the molecular changes that occur during the AMI process. RNA-seq and DIA-MS were performed on the infarcted left ventricular tissues of AMI mice at each time point. Co-expression pattern genes were screened from myocardial infarction samples at different time points by time-series analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were used to examine these genes. Using the Interactive Gene/Protein Retrieval Tool (STRING) database, the protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed and the hub genes were identified. In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of hub genes, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed. An independent data set, GSE163772, confirmed the diagnostic value of hub genes further. RESULT: We obtained the expression profiles at different time points after the occurrence of heart failure through high-throughput sequencing, and found 167 genes with similar expression patterns through time series analysis. The immune response and immune-related pathways had the greatest enrichment of these genes. Among them, Itgb2 Syk, Tlr4, Tlr2, Itgax, and Lcp2 may play key roles as hub genes. Combined with the results of proteomic analysis, it was found that the expression of Coro1a in both omics increased with time. The results of external validation showed that TLR2, ITGAX, and LCP2 had good predictive ability for AMI diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Itgb2, Syk, Tlr4, Tlr2, Itgax, Lcp2 and Coro1a are considered to be the seven key genes significantly associated with AMI. Our results may provide potential targets for the prevention of adverse ventricular remodeling and the treatment of AMI.

Linking white matter hyperintensities to regional cortical thinning, amyloid deposition, and synaptic density loss in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the association between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and regional cortical thickness, amyloid and tau deposition, and synaptic density in the WMH-connected cortex using multimodal images. METHODS: We included 107 participants (59 with Alzheimer's disease [AD]; 27 with mild cognitive impairment; 21 cognitively normal controls) with amyloid beta (Aß) positivity on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). The cortex connected to WMH was identified using probabilistic tractography. RESULTS: We found that WMH connected to the cortex with more severe regional degeneration as measured by cortical thickness, Aß and tau deposition, and synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 A (SV2A) density using 18F-SynVesT-1 PET. In addition, higher ratios of Aß in the deep WMH-connected versus WMH-unconnected cortex were significantly related to lower cognitive scores. Last, the cortical thickness of WMH-connected cortex reduced more than WMH-unconnected cortex over 12 months. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that WMH may be associated with AD-intrinsic processes of degeneration, in addition to vascular mechanisms. HIGHLIGHTS: We studied white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and WMH-connected cortical changes. WMHs are associated with more severe regional cortical degeneration. Findings suggest WMHs may be associated with Alzheimer's disease-intrinsic processes of degeneration.

Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Patients With Small Vessel Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is inversely related to white matter hyperintensity severity, a marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Less is known about the relationship between CVR and other SVD imaging features or cognition. We aimed to investigate these cross-sectional relationships. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2021 in Edinburgh, we recruited patients presenting with lacunar or cortical ischemic stroke, whom we characterized for SVD features. We measured CVR in subcortical gray matter, normal-appearing white matter, and white matter hyperintensity using 3T magnetic resonance imaging. We assessed cognition using Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Statistical analyses included linear regression models with CVR as outcome, adjusted for age, sex, and vascular risk factors. We reported regression coefficients with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Of 208 patients, 182 had processable CVR data sets (median age, 68.2 years; 68% men). Although the strength of association depended on tissue type, lower CVR in normal-appearing tissues and white matter hyperintensity was associated with larger white matter hyperintensity volume (BNAWM=-0.0073 [95% CI, -0.0133 to -0.0014] %/mm Hg per 10-fold increase in percentage intracranial volume), more lacunes (BNAWM=-0.00129 [95% CI, -0.00215 to -0.00043] %/mm Hg per lacune), more microbleeds (BNAWM=-0.00083 [95% CI, -0.00130 to -0.00036] %/mm Hg per microbleed), higher deep atrophy score (BNAWM=-0.00218 [95% CI, -0.00417 to -0.00020] %/mm Hg per score point increase), higher perivascular space score (BNAWM=-0.0034 [95% CI, -0.0066 to -0.0002] %/mm Hg per score point increase in basal ganglia), and higher SVD score (BNAWM=-0.0048 [95% CI, -0.0075 to -0.0021] %/mm Hg per score point increase). Lower CVR in normal-appearing tissues was related to lower Montreal Cognitive Assessment without reaching convention statistical significance (BNAWM=0.00065 [95% CI, -0.00007 to 0.00137] %/mm Hg per score point increase). CONCLUSIONS: Lower CVR in patients with SVD was related to more severe SVD burden and worse cognition in this cross-sectional analysis. Longitudinal analysis will help determine whether lower CVR predicts worsening SVD severity or vice versa. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.isrctn.com; Unique identifier: ISRCTN12113543.

Tetracoordinate Fe3+ Activated Li2ZnAO4 (A = Si, Ge) Near-Infrared Luminescent Phosphors.

Fe3+-doped near-infrared (NIR) phosphors have received a lot of interest because they are nontoxic, inexpensive, and ecologically benign. In this work, Fe3+-activated Li2ZnAO4 (A = Si, Ge) phosphors were synthesized by solid-phase reactions, in which Fe3+ entered the Zn2+ tetrahedral site. When excited by 300 nm UV light, broad NIR emission bands at 750 nm (Li2ZnSiO4: Fe3+) and 777 nm (Li2ZnGeO4: Fe3+) were observed, with internal quantum efficiencies (IQE) of 62.70% (Li2ZnSiO4: Fe3+) and 30.57% (Li2ZnGeO4: Fe3+). The thermal stability was increased from 35.43 to 49.79% at 373 K via cationic regulation. The combination of activation energy, electron-phonon coupling, and Debye temperature explained the improved thermal stability of Li2ZnGeO4: Fe3+ phosphor. Besides, the as-synthesized phosphor demonstrated sensitive and selective Cu2+ ion detection.

Nicotine pretreatment alleviates MK-801-induced behavioral and cognitive deficits in mice by regulating Pdlim5/CRTC1 in the PFC.

Increasing evidence shows that smoking-obtained nicotine is indicated to improve cognition and mitigate certain symptoms of schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated whether chronic nicotine treatment alleviated MK-801-induced schizophrenia-like symptoms and cognitive impairment in mice. Mice were injected with MK-801 (0.2 mg/kg, i.p.), and the behavioral deficits were assessed using prepulse inhibition (PPI) and T-maze tests. We showed that MK-801 caused cognitive impairment accompanied by increased expression of PDZ and LIM domain 5 (Pdlim5), an adaptor protein that is critically associated with schizophrenia, in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Pretreatment with nicotine (0.2 mg · kg-1 · d-1, s.c., for 2 weeks) significantly ameliorated MK-801-induced schizophrenia-like symptoms and cognitive impairment by reversing the increased Pdlim5 expression levels in the PFC. In addition, pretreatment with nicotine prevented the MK-801-induced decrease in CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1), a coactivator of CREB that plays an important role in cognition. Furthermore, MK-801 neither induced schizophrenia-like behaviors nor decreased CRTC1 levels in the PFC of Pdlim5-/- mice. Overexpression of Pdlim5 in the PFC through intra-PFC infusion of an adreno-associated virus AAV-Pdlim5 induced significant schizophrenia-like symptoms and cognitive impairment. In conclusion, chronic nicotine treatment alleviates schizophrenia-induced memory deficits in mice by regulating Pdlim5 and CRTC1 expression in the PFC.

Distribution, Source Identification, and Output flux of Barium in Surface Waters in the Sanjiangyuan Region and Qilian Mountain Region of Tibetan Plateau.

Water safety concerning Barium (Ba) has become a public issue worldwide. As the "Asian water tower", Tibetan Plateau is the birthplace of many rivers. However, the distribution, source, and output flux of Ba are largely unknown. In this study, surface water samples were collected from different catchments in the Sanjiangyuan Region (SJY) and the Qilian Mountain Region (QLM) in Tibetan Plateau. The concentration of Ba was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, the source of Ba was discussed by a Gibbs diagram, and the output flux of Ba was estimated using the observation data from different hydrological stations. The results showed that the Ba concentrations were less than 160 µg/L, which is much lower than the guideline value of 700 µg/L for surface waters. The main sources of Ba were rock weathering and evaporation concentration. The total Ba output flux from SJY and QLM to downstream waters was 1,240 t/yr, which accounts for about 0.01% of the global freshwater Ba output flux to the ocean. The Ba production rate in Tibetan Plateau was comparable with that in the Arctic rivers. Under the scenario of global warming, water safety issues concerning Ba will be more serious since the output flux of Ba to downstream waters will be increased by intensified rock weathering, evaporation concentration, glacial retreat, and permafrost thawing. This study reveals the Ba flux and production rate in Tibetan Plateau, which will provide important information for evaluating the environmental impact of global warming on public health.

Exosomal microRNA-222-3p increases UVB sensitivity of lens epithelium cells by suppressing MGMT.

BACKGROUND: Age-related cataract (ARC) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide with multiple pathogenic factors. Oxidative damage of lens epithelium cells (LECs) is one of the well-accepted pathogenesis of ARC which can be regulated by DNA repair genes (DRGs). The present research aimed to clarify the regulatory mechanism of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) on DRGs in LECs. METHODS: The LECs oxidative damage model was established by UVB-irradiation on SRA01/04 (human lens epithelium cell line). Exosomes from UVB-irradiated cells (UVB-exo) and exosomes from normal control cells (NC-exo) were collected from the culture medium. To explore the functions of LECs exosomes, SRA01/04 were incubated with UVB-exo/NC-exo. Then, we detected SRA01/04 proliferation, viability and apoptosis respectively using 5'-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. Next, the miRNA expression profiles of UVB-exo and NC-exo were identified by miRNA microarrays. RNA expression in exosomes, cells, and clinical samples was verified by qRT-PCR. The location and expression of MGMT and CD63 proteins were detected by immunofluorescence and western blot. The 3'UTR regulation of miR-222-3p to MGMT was verified by luciferase analyses. RESULTS: MGMT down-regulated while miR-222-3p up-regulated in LECs sub-central anterior capsule from ARC lenses. MGMT and miR-222-3p expressions in central and peripheral LECs from anterior lens capsules were differential. UVB-exo can transport the up-regulated miR-222-3p from oxidative-damaged LECs to normal LECs, which could suppress MGMT expression and increase UVB sensitivity of LECs. CONCLUSIONS: Findings on exosomal miRNA functions provided novel insights into pathogenesis of ARC. Exosomal miR-222-3p can be a potential target for prevention and cure of ARC.

Prevalence and associated factors for pterygium in a Chinese rural population with type 2 diabetes in a cross-sectional study: Jiangsu Diabetic Eye Disease Study (JDEDS).

PURPOSE: To investigate the pterygium prevalence and evaluate risk factors of pterygium in rural type 2 diabetic (D2M) patients aged 50 years and above in Funing Country, Jiangsu Province, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional ophthalmic survey was conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (D2M) patients aged ≥ 50 years in Funing County, Jiangsu Province, China, which was named Jiangsu Diabetic Eye Disease Study (JDEDS). All participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire and ocular examination. Pterygium was diagnosed by slit lamp examination. The risk factors associated with pterygium were evaluated with logistic regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of pterygium was 22.37% (n = 427) and 95% confidence interval (CI) (20.50-24.24%) in D2M patients aged 50 years and above in JDEDS. The prevalence of pterygium was 18.32% (95% CI 15.33-21.32%) in men and 24.43% (95% CI 22.06-26.80%) in women. Women had a higher prevalence than men (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed, for male participants with D2M, pterygium was independently associated with increasing age [70-79 years: OR and 95% CI 2.49(1.20-5.18), p = 0.014; ≥ 80 years: 4.84(2.04-11.47), p < 0.001], while cigarette smoking was the protective factors, especially in current smoker [OR and 95% CI 0.79(0.67-0.92); p = 0.003]. For female participants with D2M, age [60-69 years OR and 95% CI 1.68(1.07-2.62), p = 0.023; 70-79 years: 2.62(1.69-4.06), p < 0.001; ≥ 80 years:3.24(1.70-5.90), p < 0.001], hypertension [OR and 95% CI 1.40(1.05-1.87), p = 0.024], BMI 24-27.9 [OR and 95% CI 1.20(1.00-1.44), p = 0.047], higher HbA1c [(5.6-7.9) % OR and 95% CI 1.42(1.10-1.82), p = 0.006; (8.0-9.9) %: 1.32(1.10-1.58), p = 0.003] were risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: D2M patients aged over 50 years has a high prevalence of pterygium in JDEDS. The pterygium prevalence is higher in female D2M participants. Diabetes and related factors may be risk factors of pterygium in female D2M patients. Further studies are needed to explore the gender difference in the pathogenesis of pterygium in D2M subjects.

Multi-Channel Lanthanide Nanocomposites for Customized Synergistic Treatment of Orthotopic Multi-Tumor Cases.

Simultaneous photothermal ablation of multiple tumors is limited by unpredictable photo-induced apoptosis, caused by individual intratumoral differences. Here, a multi-channel lanthanide nanocomposite was used to achieve tailored synergistic treatment of multiple subcutaneous orthotopic tumors under non-uniform whole-body infrared irradiation prescription. The nanocomposite reduces intratumoral glutathione by simultaneously activating the fluorescence and photothermal channels. The fluorescence provides individual information on different tumors, allowing customized prescriptions to be made. This enables optimal induction of hyperthermia and dosage of chemo drugs, to ensure treatment efficacy, while avoiding overtherapy. With an accessional therapeutic laser system, customized synergistic treatment of subcutaneous orthotopic cancer cases with multiple tumors is possible with both high efficacy and minimized side effects.

Humoral immune response to authentic circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants elicited by booster vaccination with distinct receptor-binding domain subunits in mice.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants could induce immune escape by mutations of the spike protein which are threatening to weaken vaccine efficacy. A booster vaccination is expected to increase the humoral immune response against SARS-CoV-2 variants in the population. We showed that immunization with two doses of wild type receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein, and booster vaccination with wild type or variant RBD protein all significantly increased binding and neutralizing antibody titers against wild type SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in mice. Only the booster immunization by Omicron (BA.1)RBD induced a strong antibody titer against the omicron virus strain and comparable antibody titers against all the other virus strains. These findings might shed the light on coronavirus disease 2019 booster immunogens.

The pharmacokinetic characteristics and excretion studies of fucosterol from Sargasssum fusiforme in rats.

Fucosterol is the main phytosterol in brown algae with various pharmacological effects such as cholesterol-lowering, anticancer, hepatoprotection and neuroprotection. Little is known about the pharmacokinetics and excretion characteristics of fucosterol. In this study, a GC-MS method was developed and validated for the determination of fucosterol in rat plasma, urine and feces. The method effectively avoids the interference of Δ5 -avenasterol, a cis-trans-isomer of fucosterol derived from feed, by using a TG-5 capillary column (a nonpolar column with 5% phenyl-methylpolysilicone as stationary phase material). The linearity ranges were fucosterol 0.300-18.0 µg/ml (R2 = 0.9960) for plasma, 0.0500-2.50 µg/ml for the urine sample (R2 = 0.9963) and 0.100-8.00 µg/mg (R2 = 0.9923) for the feces sample. With good extraction recoveries and stability, this rapid and sensitive method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic and excretion studies of fucosterol in Sprague-Dawley rats. Fucosterol from Sargassum fusiforme had poor absorption and slow elimination with an absolute oral bioavailability of 0.74%, and was mainly eliminated through fecal excretion.

Prognostic Ability of Enhancer RNAs in Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

(1) Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer. Enhancer RNA (eRNA) has potential utility in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer, but the role of eRNAs in NSCLC metastasis is not clear; (2) Methods: Differentially expressed transcription factors (DETFs), enhancer RNAs (DEEs), and target genes (DETGs) between primary NSCLC and metastatic NSCLC were identified. Prognostic DEEs (PDEEs) were screened by Cox regression analyses and a predicting model for metastatic NSCLC was constructed. We identified DEE interactions with DETFs, DETGs, reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA) protein chips, immunocytes, and pathways to construct a regulation network using Pearson correlation. Finally, the mechanisms and clinical significance were explained using multi-dimensional validation unambiguously; (3) Results: A total of 255 DEEs were identified, and 24 PDEEs were selected into the multivariate Cox regression model (AUC = 0.699). Additionally, the NSCLC metastasis-specific regulation network was constructed, and six key PDEEs were defined (ANXA8L1, CASTOR2, CYP4B1, GTF2H2C, PSMF1 and TNS4); (4) Conclusions: This study focused on the exploration of the prognostic value of eRNAs in the metastasis of NSCLC. Finally, six eRNAs were identified as potential markers for the prediction of metastasis of NSCLC.