Crystallinity engineering for overcoming the activity-stability tradeoff of spinel oxide in Fenton-like catalysis.

A precise modulation of heterogeneous catalysts in structural and surface properties promises the development of more sustainable advanced oxidation water purification technologies. However, while catalysts with superior decontamination activity and selectivity are already achievable, maintaining a long-term service life of such materials remains challenging. Here, we propose a crystallinity engineering strategy to break the activity-stability tradeoff of metal oxides in Fenton-like catalysis. The amorphous/crystalline cobalt-manganese spinel oxide (A/C-CoMnOx) provided highly active, hydroxyl group-rich surface, with moderate peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-binding affinity and charge transfer energy and strong pollutant adsorption, to trigger concerted radical and nonradical reactions for efficient pollutant mineralization, thereby alleviating the catalyst passivation by oxidation intermediate accumulation. Meanwhile, the surface-confined reactions, benefited from the enhanced adsorption of pollutants at A/C interface, rendered the A/C-CoMnOx/PMS system ultrahigh PMS utilization efficiency (82.2%) and unprecedented decontamination activity (rate constant of 1.48 min-1) surpassing almost all the state-of-the-art heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts. The superior cyclic stability and environmental robustness of the system for real water treatment was also demonstrated. Our work unveils a critical role of material crystallinity in modulating the Fenton-like catalytic activity and pathways of metal oxides, which fundamentally improves our understanding of the structure-activity-selectivity relationships of heterogeneous catalysts and may inspire material design for more sustainable water purification application and beyond.

Precise arrangement of metal atoms at the interface by a thermal printing strategy.

The kinetics and pathway of most catalyzed reactions depend on the existence of interface, which makes the precise construction of highly active single-atom sites at the reaction interface a desirable goal. Herein, we propose a thermal printing strategy that not only arranges metal atoms at the silica and carbon layer interface but also stabilizes them by strong coordination. Just like the typesetting of Chinese characters on paper, this method relies on the controlled migration of movable nanoparticles between two contact substrates and the simultaneous emission of atoms from the nanoparticle surface at high temperatures. Observed by in situ transmission electron microscopy, a single Fe3O4 nanoparticle migrates from the core of a SiO2 sphere to the surface like a droplet at high temperatures, moves along the interface of SiO2 and the coated carbon layer, and releases metal atoms until it disappears completely. These detached atoms are then in situ trapped by nitrogen and sulfur defects in the carbon layer to generate Fe single-atom sites, exhibiting excellent activity for oxygen reduction reaction. Also, sites' densities can be regulated by controlling the size of Fe3O4 nanoparticle between the two surfaces. More importantly, this strategy is applicable to synthesize Mn, Co, Pt, Pd, Au single-atom sites, which provide a general route to arrange single-atom sites at the interface of different supports for various applications.

Passer, a highly active transposon from a fish genome, as a potential new robust genetic manipulation tool.

The discovery of new, active DNA transposons can expand the range of genetic tools and provide more options for genomic manipulation. In this study, a bioinformatics analysis suggested that Passer (PS) transposons, which are members of the pogo superfamily, show signs of recent and current activity in animals and may be active in some species. Cell-based transposition assays revealed that the native PS transposases from Gasterosteus aculeatus and Danio rerio displayed very high activity in human cells relative to the Sleeping Beauty transposon. A typical overproduction inhibition phenomenon was observed for PS, and transposition capacity was decreased by ∼12% with each kilobase increase in the insertion size. Furthermore, PS exhibited a pronounced integration preference for genes and their transcriptional regulatory regions. We further show that two domesticated human proteins derived from PS transposases have lost their transposition activity. Overall, PS may represent an alternative with a potentially efficient genetic manipulation tool for transgenesis and mutagenesis applications.

Identification of Fenton-like active Cu sites by heteroatom modulation of electronic density.

Developing heterogeneous catalysts with atomically dispersed active sites is vital to boost peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for Fenton-like activity, but how to controllably adjust the electronic configuration of metal centers to further improve the activation kinetics still remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a systematic investigation into heteroatom-doped engineering for tuning the electronic structure of Cu-N4 sites by integrating electron-deficient boron (B) or electron-rich phosphorus (P) heteroatoms into carbon substrate for PMS activation. The electron-depleted Cu-N4/C-B is found to exhibit the most active oxidation capacity among the prepared Cu-N4 single-atom catalysts, which is at the top rankings of the Cu-based catalysts and is superior to most of the state-of-the-art heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts. Conversely, the electron-enriched Cu-N4/C-P induces a decrease in PMS activation. Both experimental results and theoretical simulations unravel that the long-range interaction with B atoms decreases the electronic density of Cu active sites and down-shifts the d-band center, and thereby optimizes the adsorption energy for PMS activation. This study provides an approach to finely control the electronic structure of Cu-N4 sites at the atomic level and is expected to guide the design of smart Fenton-like catalysts.

Tas2R activation relaxes airway smooth muscle by release of Gαt targeting on AChR signaling.

Both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are severe respiratory diseases. Bitter receptor-mediated bronchodilation is a potential therapy for asthma, but the mechanism underlying the agonistic relaxation of airway smooth muscle (ASM) is not well defined. By exploring the ASM relaxation mechanism of bitter substances, we observed that pretreatment with the bitter substances nearly abolished the methacholine (MCh)-induced increase in the ASM cell (ASMC) calcium concentration, thereby suppressing the calcium-induced contraction release. The ASM relaxation was significantly inhibited by simultaneous deletion of three Gαt proteins, suggesting an interaction between Tas2R and AChR signaling cascades in the relaxation process. Biochemically, the Gαt released by Tas2R activation complexes with AChR and blocks the Gαq cycling of AChR signal transduction. More importantly, a bitter substance, kudinoside A, not only attenuates airway constriction but also significantly inhibits pulmonary inflammation and tissue remodeling in COPD rats, indicating its modulation of additional Gαq-associated pathological processes. Thus, our results suggest that Tas2R activation may be an ideal strategy for halting multiple pathological processes of COPD.

Surface-Diffusion-Induced Amorphization of Pt Nanoparticles over Ru Oxide Boost Acidic Oxygen Evolution.

Phase transformation offers an alternative strategy for the synthesis of nanomaterials with unconventional phases, allowing us to further explore their unique properties and promising applications. Herein, we first observed the amorphization of Pt nanoparticles on the RuO2 surface by in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate the low energy barrier and thermodynamic driving force for Pt atoms transferring from the Pt cluster to the RuO2 surface to form amorphous Pt. Remarkably, the as-synthesized amorphous Pt/RuO2 exhibits 14.2 times enhanced mass activity compared to commercial RuO2 catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Water electrolyzer with amorphous Pt/RuO2 achieves 1.0 A cm-2 at 1.70 V and remains stable at 200 mA cm-2 for over 80 h. The amorphous Pt layer not only optimized the *O binding but also enhanced the antioxidation ability of amorphous Pt/RuO2, thereby boosting the activity and stability for the OER.

Oncoprotein-induced transcript 3 protein-enriched extracellular vesicles promotes NLRP3 ubiquitination to alleviate acute lung injury after cardiac surgery.

Acute lung injury (ALI) including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and increase the mortality of patients with cardiac surgery. We previously found that the protein cargoes enriched in circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) are closely associated with cardiopulmonary disease. We aimed to evaluate the implication of EVs on cardiac surgery-associated ALI/ARDS. The correlations between "oncoprotein-induced transcript 3 protein (OIT3) positive" circulating EVs and postoperative ARDS were assessed. The effects of OIT3-overexpressed EVs on the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) -induced ALI in vivo and inflammation of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were detected. OIT3 enriched in circulating EVs is reduced after cardiac surgery with CPB, especially with postoperative ARDS. The "OIT3 positive" EVs negatively correlate with lung edema, hypoxemia and CPB time. The OIT3-overexpressed EVs can be absorbed by pulmonary epithelial cells and OIT3 transferred by EVs triggered K48- and K63-linked polyubiquitination to inactivate NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and restrains pro-inflammatory cytokines releasing and immune cells infiltration in lung tissues, contributing to the alleviation of CPB-induced ALI. Overexpression of OIT3 in human bronchial epithelial cells have similar results. OIT3 promotes the E3 ligase Cbl proto-oncogene B associated with NLRP3 to induce the ubiquitination of NLRP3. Immunofluorescence tests reveal that OIT3 is reduced in the generation from the liver sinusoids endothelial cells (LSECs) and secretion in liver-derived EVs after CPB. In conclusion, OIT3 enriched in EVs is a promising biomarker of postoperative ARDS and a therapeutic target for ALI after cardiac surgery.

The correlation of asparaginase enzyme activity levels after PEG-asparaginase administration with clinical characteristics and adverse effects in Chinese paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Studies on asparaginase enzyme activity (AEA) monitoring in Chinese patients receiving PEG-asparaginase remain limited. We monitored AEA in paediatric patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and treated according to the Chinese Children's Cancer Group study protocols, CCCG-ALL-2015/CCCG-ALL-2020 protocols. We measured the AEA at days 7 ± 1 and 14 ± 1 and analysed their association with patient characteristics and PEG-asparaginase-related adverse effects (AEs). We measured 2147 samples from 329 patients. Mean AEA levels (interquartile range) were 931 iu/L (654-1174 iu/L) at day 7 ± 1 and 664 iu/L (463-860 iu/L) at day 14 ± 1. The AEA levels were higher in younger children and increased with the cumulative dose numbers. PEG-asparaginase inactivation rate was 19.1%, and the silent inactivation (SI) rate was 12.5%. Nine patients were identified with allergic-like reactions. Hypofibrinogenaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, pancreatitis and thrombosis were associated with older age, whereas hypoglycaemia was associated with younger age. The risk of hypertriglyceridaemia and hypoglycaemia increased with cumulative dose numbers of PEG-asparaginase. Except for hypofibrinogenaemia, elevated AEA levels did not increase the risk of PEG-asparaginase-related AEs. Drug monitoring can be utilized as guidance for treatment decision-making. Individualizing asparaginase doses do not reduce toxicities. The treatment target of PEG-asparaginase remains to achieve sustained and adequate activity.

Repositioning baloxavir marboxil as VISTA agonist that ameliorates experimental asthma.

V-type immunoglobulin domain-containing suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), a novel negative checkpoint regulator, plays an essential role in allergic pulmonary inflammation in mice. Treatment with a VISTA agonistic antibody could significantly improve asthma symptoms. Thus, for allergic asthma treatment, VISTA targeting may be a compelling approach. In this study, we examined the functional mechanism of VISTA in allergic pulmonary inflammation and screened the FDA-approved drugs for VISTA agonists. By using mass cytometry (CyTOF), we found that VISTA deficiency primarily increased lung macrophage infiltration in the OVA-induced asthma model, accompanied by an increased proportion of M1 macrophages (CD11b+F4/80+CD86+) and a decreased proportion of M2 macrophages (CD11b+F4/80+CD206+). Further in vitro studies showed that VISTA deficiency promoted M1 polarization and inhibited M2 polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Importantly, we discovered baloxavir marboxil (BXM) as a VISTA agonist by virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays revealed that BXM (KD = 1.07 µM) as well as its active form, baloxavir acid (BXA) (KD = 0.21 µM), could directly bind to VISTA with high affinity. Notably, treatment with BXM significantly ameliorated asthma symptoms, including less lung inflammation, mucus secretion, and the generation of Th2 cytokines (IL-5, IL-13, and IL-4), which were dramatically attenuated by anti-VISTA monoclonal antibody treatment. BXM administration also reduced the pulmonary infiltration of M1 macrophages and raised M2 macrophages. Collectively, our study indicates that VISTA regulates pulmonary inflammation in allergic asthma by regulating macrophage polarization and baloxavir marboxil, and an old drug might be a new treatment for allergic asthma through targeting VISTA.

Wastewater Discharge Transports Riverine Microplastics over Long Distances.

Wastewater discharge from wastewater treatment plants continuously pumps microplastics into rivers, yet their transport distances within these waterways remain unknown. Herein, we developed a conceptual framework by synthesizing the microplastic data from the Yangtze River Basin to evaluate its transport distances, quantifying a significant spatial dependence between large-scale wastewater discharge and riverine microplastics (p < 0.05). The presence of microplastics at a specific sampling site could be attributed to wastewater discharge within a large-scale range spanning >1000 km upstream, encompassing a substantial portion equivalent to one-third of the Yangtze River Basin. The dominance analysis indicated that the contribution of wastewater discharge in rivers with higher discharge (>100 m3/s) to riverine microplastic pollution exceeded 65% within the Yangtze River Basin. The spatial dependence framework of riverine microplastics on wastewater discharge advances our prior understanding of the prevention and control of riverine microplastics by demonstrating that such pollution is not limited to nearby environmental factors.

Prevalence of homologous recombination biomarkers in multiple tumor types: an observational study.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of deleterious mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 and in 13 genes involved in homologous recombination repair (HRR), the prevalence of genomic loss of heterozygosity and the allelic and hereditary status of BRCA1, BRCA2 and other HRR gene mutations in multiple solid tumor types. Patients & methods: This was a retrospective observational study of patients with an advanced/metastatic diagnosis in one of 15 solid tumor types, who were identified in a real-world clinico-genomic database. Results: Tumor tissue samples from 9457 patients were analyzed, among which 4.7% had known or suspected deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations. The prevalence (range) of mutations in HRR genes was 13.6% (2.4%-26.0%) and genomic loss of heterozygosity ≥16% was 20.6% (2.6-34.4%) across all tumor types. Conclusion: The prevalence of mutations varied significantly depending on the type of tumor.

The integrity of the human genome is maintained via multiple pathways of DNA repair, one of the most important of which is homologous recombination repair (HRR), which uses a sister chromatid as a template for high-fidelity restoration of altered DNA sequences. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of deleterious mutations, i.e., changes in the genetic code that interfere with proper cellular function, in the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 and in 13 other genes involved in HRR in various types of solid tumors in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. The researchers found that 4.7% of tumor samples had BRCA1/2 mutations, 13.6% had mutations in any of the HRR genes and 20.6% had genomic loss of heterozygosity (gLOH) of at least 16% i.e., loss of sections of chromosomes affecting 16% or more of the genome. BRCA1/2 mutations were most common in ovarian cancer (13.1%), prostate cancer (9.3%), breast cancer (8.2%) and pancreatic cancer (4.9%). Prevalence for mutations in HRR genes ranges from 2.4 to 26.0% and gLOH ≥16% ranged from 2.6 to 34.4% depending on the tumor type. In conclusion, the prevalence of mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes, HRR genes and gLOH ≥16% varied widely across 15 tumor types.

Prevalence and risk factors for dementia and mild cognitive impairment among older people in Southeast China: a community-based study.

BACKGROUND: With the aging population, the number of individuals with dementia in China is increasing rapidly. This community-based study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among older adults in China. METHODS: In this study, 20,070 individuals aged ≥ 65 were recruited between January 1, 2022, and February 1, 2023, from ten communities in Xiamen City, China. We collected data on age, sex, level of education, and medical history, as well as global cognition and functional status. The prevalence of dementia and MCI was examined, and the risk factors for different groups were assessed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of dementia and MCI was approximately 5.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.1-5.7) and 7.7% (95% CI, 7.4-8.1), respectively. The results also indicated that dementia and MCI share similar risk factors, including older age, female sex, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Compared with individuals with no formal education, those with > 6 years of education had an odds ratio for MCI of 1.83 (95% CI, 1.49-2.25). We also found that only 5.5% of the positive participants chose to be referred to the hospital for further diagnosis and treatment during follow-up visits. CONCLUSIONS: This study estimated the prevalence and risk factors for dementia and MCI among individuals aged ≥ 65 years in Southeast China. These findings are crucial for preventing and managing dementia and MCI in China.

Lung transcriptomics reveals the underlying mechanism by which aerobic training enhances pulmonary function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Aerobic training is the primary method of rehabilitation for improving respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in remission. However, the mechanism underlying this improvement is not yet fully understood. The use of transcriptomics in rehabilitation medicine offers a promising strategy for uncovering the ways in which exercise training improves respiratory dysfunction in COPD patients. In this study, lung tissue was analyzed using transcriptomics to investigate the relationship between exercise and lung changes. METHODS: Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 24 weeks, followed by nine weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise, with a control group for comparison. Pulmonary function and structure were assessed at the end of the intervention and RNA sequencing was performed on the lung tissue. RESULTS: Exercise training was found to improve airway resistance and lung ventilation indices in individuals exposed to cigarette smoke. However, the effect of this treatment on damaged alveoli was weak. The pair-to-pair comparison revealed numerous differentially expressed genes, that were closely linked to inflammation and metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is necessary to confirm the cause-and-effect relationship between the identified biomarkers and the improvement in pulmonary function, as this was not examined in the present study.

Ensemble Extreme Learning Machine Method for Hemoglobin Estimation Based on PhotoPlethysmoGraphic Signals.

Non-invasive detection of hemoglobin (Hb) concentration is of great clinical value for health screening and intraoperative blood transfusion. However, the accuracy and stability of non-invasive detection still need to be improved to meet clinical requirement. This paper proposes a non-invasive Hb detection method using ensemble extreme learning machine (EELM) regression based on eight-wavelength PhotoPlethysmoGraphic (PPG) signals. Firstly, a mathematical model for non-invasive Hb detection based on the Beer-Lambert law is established. Secondly, the captured eight-channel PPG signals are denoised and fifty-six feature values are extracted according to the derived mathematical model. Thirdly, a recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithm is used to select the features that contribute most to the Hb prediction. Finally, a regression model is built by integrating several independent ELM models to improve prediction stability and accuracy. Experiments conducted on 249 clinical data points (199 cases as the training dataset and 50 cases as the test dataset) evaluate the proposed method, achieving a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.72 g/dL and a Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.76 (p < 0.01) between predicted and reference values. The results demonstrate that the proposed non-invasive Hb detection method exhibits a strong correlation with traditional invasive methods, suggesting its potential for non-invasive detection of Hb concentration.

Perturbated glucose metabolism augments epithelial cell proinflammatory function in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Glucose concentrations are increased in nasal secretions in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, the glucose metabolism and its contribution to disease pathogenesis in CRS remain unexplored. OBJECTIVES: We sought to explore the glucose metabolism and its effect on the function of nasal epithelial cells in CRS with and without nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP). METHODS: Glucose metabolites were detected with mass spectrometry. The mRNA levels of glucose transporters (GLUTs), metabolic enzymes, and inflammatory mediators were detected by quantitative RT-PCR. The protein expression of GLUTs was studied by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. Glucose uptake was measured by using fluorescent glucose analog. Human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) were cultured. Bioenergetic analysis was performed with Seahorse XF analyzer. Gene expression in HNECs was profiled by RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Increased glucose concentrations in nasal secretions was confirmed in both CRSsNP and CRSwNP. GLUT4, GLUT10, and GLUT11 were abundantly expressed in HNECs, whose expression was upregulated by inflammatory cytokines and D-glucose and was increased in CRS. Glucose uptake, glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites, metabolic enzymes, and extracellular acidification rate and oxygen consumption rates were increased in HNECs in CRSsNP and CRSwNP, with a predominant shift to glycolysis. HNECs treated with high-level apical D-glucose showed enhanced glucose uptake, predominant glycolysis, and upregulated production of IL-1α, IL-1ß, TNF-α, CCL20, and CXCL8, which was suppressed by 2-deoxy-D-glucose, an inhibitor of glycolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Increased glucose in nasal secretions promotes glucose uptake and predominant glycolysis in epithelial cells, augmenting the proinflammatory function of epithelial cells in CRS.

C3-Alkylation of Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via Three-Component Aza-Friedel-Crafts Reaction Catalyzed by Y(OTf)3.

As an important class of nitrogen-containing fused heterocyclic compounds, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines often exhibit significant biological activities, such as analgesic, anticancer, antiosteoporosis, anxiolytic, etc. Using Y(OTf)3 as a Lewis acid catalyst, a simple and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of C3-alkylated imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines through the three-component aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, aldehydes, and amines in the normal air atmosphere without the protection of inert gas and special requirements for anhydrous and anaerobic conditions. A series of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives were obtained with moderate to good yields, and their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. Furthermore, this conversion has the advantages of simple operation, excellent functional group tolerance, high atomic economy, broad substrate scope, and can achieve gram-level reactions. Notably, this methodology may be conveniently applied to the further design and rapid synthesis of potential biologically active imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with multifunctional groups.

Axial Dual Atomic Sites Confined by Layer Stacking for Electroreduction of CO2 to Tunable Syngas.

Arranging atoms in an orderly manner at the atomic scale to create stable polyatomic structures is a very challenging task. In this study, we have developed three-dimensional confinement areas on the two-dimensional surface by creating regional defects. These areas are composed of vertically stacked graphene layers, where Ni and Fe atoms are anchored concentrically to form axial dual atomic sites in high yield. These sites can be used to produce tunable syngas through the electroreduction of CO2. Theoretical calculations indicate that the Ni sites vertically regulate the charge distribution of the adjacent Fe sites in the layer below, resulting in a lower d-band center. This, in turn, weakens the adsorption of the *CO intermediate and inhibits the production of H2 at the Fe site. Our research presents a novel approach for concentrated creation of dual atomic sites by building a confinement-selective surface.

New framework for recombination and adaptive evolution analysis with application to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly worldwide and was declared a pandemic by the WHO in March 2020. The evolution of SARS-CoV-2, either in its natural reservoir or in the human population, is still unclear, but this knowledge is essential for effective prevention and control. We propose a new framework to systematically identify recombination events, excluding those due to noise and convergent evolution. We found that several recombination events occurred for SARS-CoV-2 before its transfer to humans, including a more recent recombination event in the receptor-binding domain. We also constructed a probabilistic mutation network to explore the diversity and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 after human infection. Clustering results show that the novel coronavirus has diverged into several clusters that cocirculate over time in various regions and that several mutations across the genome are fixed during transmission throughout the human population, including D614G in the S gene and two accompanied mutations in ORF1ab. Together, these findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 experienced a complicated evolution process in the natural environment and point to its continuous adaptation to humans. The new framework proposed in this study can help our understanding of and response to other emerging pathogens.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes between dusting and fragmentation in retrograde intrarenal surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Comparing stone-free rates and associated outcome measures between two surgical modalities of lithotripsy fragmentation and removal or spontaneous passage of dust during retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). METHODS: In March 2023, we conducted a literature search in several widely used databases worldwide, including PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar. We only considered English articles and excluded pediatric patients. Reviews and protocols without any published data were excluded. We also excluded articles with conference abstracts and irrelevant content. We used the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel method and random-effects models to assess inverse variances and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mean differences in categorical variables. The results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Our final meta-analysis included nine articles, comprising two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and seven cohort studies. The total number of patients included in these studies was 1326, and all studies used holmium laser lithotripsy. The pooled analysis of the dust and fragmentation groups showed that the fragmentation group had a higher stone-free rate (OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.41 - 0.89; p = 0.01); the dust group had a shorter operative time (WMD - 11.6 min; 95% CI - 19.56 - -3.63; p = 0.004); and the dust group had a higher retreatment rate (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.31 - 3.13; p = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of length of hospital stay, overall complications, or postoperative fever. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that both procedures could be safely and effectively used for upper ureteral and renal calculi lithotripsy, the dust group had potential advantages over the fragmentation group in terms of the operation time, and the fragmentation group had certain advantages in terms of stone-free rate and retreatment rate.

Does seasonality affect snoring? A study based on international data from the past decade.

BACKGROUND: Though snoring is often regarded as a harmless condition that coincides with sound sleep, it is a sleep disorder that can be a potential indicator of more severe conditions such as sleep apnea syndrome. In the present study, we investigated the association between seasonal variations and snoring. METHOD: Search index for snoring (SIS) data were obtained from Google Trends and Baidu Index. SIS data were collected for the USA, India, Germany, Russia, Japan, Australia, China, and Brazil from 2011 to 2020, with the periodicity of the relationship between seasonal time series data and snoring evaluated using a time series decomposition model. RESULT: The highest average SIS growth rates from 2011 to 2020 were observed for Brazil, Japan, and Germany, with average SIS values of 94%, 68%, and 49%, respectively. The SIS of the USA, Russia, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Germany, and India increased by 22.3%, 12.4%, 11.9%, 35.4%, 12.3%, 28.0%, and 55.8%, respectively, in comparison with their SIS values in 2019, whereas for China, it decreased by 13.7%. Relative to countries in the southern hemisphere, those in the northern hemisphere showed comparable SIS trends, increasing from September to February and decreasing from March to August. CONCLUSION: The SIS data showed cyclical changes over the study period. The search index for snoring increased during the cold season or the heating season, suggesting that snoring is associated with seasonal changes.