Causal association between peripheral immune cells and IgA nephropathy: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: The relationship between peripheral immune cells and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is widely known; however, causal evidence of this link is lacking. Here, we aimed to determine the causal effect of peripheral immune cells, specifically total white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, eosinophils, and neutrophils, as well as lymphocyte subset traits, on the IgAN risk using a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used for the primary analysis. We applied three complementary methods, including the weighted median, MR-Egger regression, and MR-PRESSO, to detect and correct for the effect of horizontal pleiotropy. Additionally, we performed a multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis, adjusting for the effects of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The roles of specific lymphocyte subtypes and their significance have garnered interest. Bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was performed to test the potential causal relationships between immune traits, including median fluorescence intensities (MFIs) and the relative cell count (AC), and IgAN. Results: The IVW-MR analysis suggested a potential causal relationship between lymphocyte counts and IgAN in Europe (OR per 1-SD increase: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.08-1.88, P = 0.0123). The risk effect of lymphocytes remained even after adjusting for CRP levels using the MVMR method (OR per 1-SD increase: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.05-1.96, P = 0.0210). The other sensitivity analyses showed a consistent trend. The largest GWAS published to date was used for peripheral blood immunophenotyping to explore the potential causal relationship between peripheral immune cell subsets and IgAN. Six AC-IgAN and 14 MFI-IgAN pairs that reached statistical significance (P < 0.05) were detected. Notably, CD3, expressed in eight subsets of T cells, consistently showed a positive correlation with IgAN. The bidirectional MR analysis did not reveal any evidence of reverse causality. According to the sensitivity analysis, horizontal pleiotropy was unlikely to distort the causal estimates. Conclusions: Genetically determined high lymphocyte counts were associated with IgAN, supporting that high lymphocyte counts is causal risk factor for IgAN.

Kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: This paper reviews the scope of research on kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery. Further, it reviews the current situation, evaluation tools, risk factors, adverse effects, and intervention methods of kinesiophobia to provide a reference for promoting early rehabilitation of patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Guided by the scoping methodology, the Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature Database, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, CNKI, and other databases were searched from database inception until July 31, 2024. The studies obtained were screened, summarised and systematically analysed by two researchers. RESULTS: Eighteen studies (16 cross-sectional studies, one qualitative study, and one randomised controlled trial) were included. The incidence of kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery was 39.20-82.57%, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia Heart (TSK-SV Heart) was used to evaluate this incidence. The influencing factors of kinesiophobia in patients after cardiac surgery included demographic characteristics, pain severity, frailty, exercise self-efficacy, disease-related factors, and psychosocial factors. Kinesiophobia led to adverse health outcomes such as reduced recovery, prolonged hospital stays, and decreased quality of life in patients after cardiac surgery, and there were few studies on intervention methods for postoperative kinesiophobia. CONCLUSION: The kinesiophobia assessment tools suitable for patients after cardiac surgery should be improved, and intervention methods to promote the early recovery of patients after major clinical surgery and those with difficult and critical diseases should be actively researched.

Intracellular Construction of Organelle-like Compartments Facilitates Metabolic Flux in Escherichia coli.

The formation of well-designed synthetic compartments or membraneless organelles for applications in synthetic biology and cellular engineering has aroused enormous interest. However, establishing stable and robust intracellular compartments in bacteria remains a challenge. Here, we use the structured DIX domains derived from Wnt signaling pathway components, more specifically, Dvl2 and Axin1, as building blocks to generate intracellular synthetic compartments in Escherichia coli. Moreover, the aggregation behaviors and physical properties of the DIX-based compartments can be tailored by genetically embedding a specific dimeric domain into the DIX domains. Then, a pair of interacting motifs, consisting of the aforementioned dimeric domain and its corresponding binding ligand, was incorporated to modify the client recruitment pattern of the synthetic compartments. As a proof of concept, the human milk oligosaccharide lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) biosynthesis pathway was selected as a model metabolic pathway. The fermentation results demonstrated that the co-compartmentalization of sequential pathway enzymes into intracellular compartments created by DIX domain, or by the DIX domain in conjunction with interacting motifs, prominently enhanced the metabolic flux and increased LNT production. These synthetic protein compartments may provide a feasible and effective tool to develop versatile organelle-like compartments in bacteria for applications in cellular engineering and synthetic biology.

Triphenylamine-Based Covalent Organic Framework Films for Dopamine-Responsive Electrofluorochromism.

Covalent organic framework (COF) film with electrofluorochromic (EFC) and electrochromic (EC) properties has been synthesized by using triphenylamine-based monomers. The film exhibited a high maximum fluorescence contrast of 151 when subjected to a drive voltage of 0.75 V vs the Ag/AgCl electrode, causing the fluorescence to be quenched, which resulted in the EFC process's "fluorescence off" state. The switching times for the fluorescence on and off states were 0.51 and 7.79 s, respectively. Over the same voltage range, the COF film also displayed EC properties, achieving a contrast of 50.23% and a coloration efficiency of 297.4 cm2 C-1 at 532 nm, with switching times of 18.6 s for coloration and 0.7 s for bleaching. Notably, the quenched fluorescence of the COF film could be restored by adding dopamine as a reductant. This phenomenon enabled the implementation of a NAND logic gate using the applied potential as a physical input and dopamine addition as a chemical input. This study demonstrates the successful development of COF films with bifunctional EFC and EC properties, showcasing their potential for use in constructing advanced optoelectronic devices.

A pilot study on the detection of microsatellite instability using long mononucleotide repeats in solid tumors.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) status is a prognostic biomarker for immunotherapy in certain types of cancers, such as colorectal cancers (CRCs) and endometrial cancers (ECs). Tumors that are categorized as having high MSI (MSI-H) express high levels of neoantigens for immune recognition. The typical MSI test measures the length of short mononucleotide repeats (SMR) poly(A) 21-27; however, a limitation of this test is the difficulty in determining the shift size, particularly in endometrial cancer. To investigate an MSI detection assay with improved performance, the present study analyzed the use of poly(A) 40-44 mononucleotide repeats to detect the MSI status of 100 patients with either CRC (n=50) or EC (n=50). Capillary electrophoresis was used to evaluate five long mononucleotide repeat (LMR) markers, including poly(A) 40-A, 40-B, 40-C, 40-D and 44. The concordance rate of the LMR-MSI assay compared with an immunohistochemistry MSI detection assay was 96.0 and 95.1% for CRCs and ECs respectively, with the detection limit of the LMR-MSI assay demonstrated to be 2.5% MSI-H in HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cell lines. The LMR-MSI assay yielded a 95.1% concordance rate in ECs compared with that in the SMR-MSI test (87.8%). The LMR-MSI test identified a significantly higher mean shift size (13 bp) in MSI-H tumors compared with the SMR-MSI test (10 bp), in both EC and CRC tissue samples. Together, the present study suggested that the LMR-MSI test could potentially be a sensitive and practical technology for molecular laboratory testing, particularly in the use of immunotherapy for patients with CRCs and ECs.

Hepatic microcirculatory disturbance in liver diseases: intervention with traditional Chinese medicine.

The liver, a complex parenchymal organ, possesses a distinctive microcirculatory system crucial for its physiological functions. An intricate interplay exists between hepatic microcirculatory disturbance and the manifestation of pathological features in diverse liver diseases. This review updates the main characteristics of hepatic microcirculatory disturbance, including hepatic sinusoidal capillarization, narrowing of sinusoidal space, portal hypertension, and pathological angiogenesis, as well as their formation mechanisms. It also summarized the detection methods for hepatic microcirculation. Simultaneously, we have also reviewed the characteristics of microcirculatory disturbance in diverse liver diseases such as acute liver failure, hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, this review also summarizes the advancement in hepatic microcirculation attributed to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its active metabolites, providing novel insights into the application of TCM in treating liver diseases.

Five commonly used traditional Chinese medicine formulas in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Currently, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas are commonly being used as adjunctive therapy for ulcerative colitis in China. Network meta-analysis, a quantitative and comprehensive analytical method, can systematically compare the effects of different adjunctive treatment options for ulcerative colitis, providing scientific evidence for clinical decision-making. AIM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of commonly used TCM for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical practice through a network meta-analysis. METHODS: Clinical randomized controlled trials of these TCM formulas used for the adjuvant treatment of UC were searched from the establishment of the databases to July 1, 2022. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were screened and evaluated for literature quality and risk of bias according to the Cochrane 5.1 standard. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using ReviewManager (RevMan) 5.4, and a funnel plot was constructed to test for publication bias. ADDIS 1.16 statistical software was used to perform statistical analysis of the treatment measures and derive the network relationship and ranking diagrams of the various intervention measures. RESULTS: A total of 64 randomized controlled trials involving 5456 patients with UC were included in this study. The adjuvant treatment of UC using five TCM formulations was able to improve the clinical outcome of the patients. Adjuvant treatment with Baitouweng decoction (BTWT) showed a significant effect [mean difference = 36.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.63 to 65.76]. For the reduction of tumor necrosis factor in patients with UC, adjunctive therapy with BTWT (mean difference = -9.55, 95%CI: -17.89 to -1.41), Shenlingbaizhu powder [SLBZS; odds ratio (OR) = 0.19, 95%CI: 0.08 to 0.39], and Shaoyao decoction (OR = -23.02, 95%CI: -33.64 to -13.14) was effective. Shaoyao decoction was more effective than BTWT (OR = 0.12, 95%CI: 0.03 to 0.39), SLBZS (OR = 0.19, 95%CI: 0.08 to 0. 39), and Xi Lei powder (OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.81) in reducing tumor necrosis factor and the recurrence rate of UC. CONCLUSION: TCM combined with mesalazine is more effective than mesalazine alone in the treatment of UC.

[Correlation of environment temperature with the incidence of testicular torsion].

Objective： To explore the influence of environment temperature on the incidence of testicular torsion. METHODS: We collected the clinical data on 172 cases of testicular torsion diagnosed in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from December 2013 to December 2020. According to the local environment temperature on the day of onset, we divided the patients into groups A (below 0℃), B (0－10℃), C (10－20℃) and D (above 20℃), and compared the incidence rates of testicular torsion among the four groups, followed by correlation analysis. RESULTS: The incidence rate of testicular torsion was 12.8% (n = 22) in group A, 35.5% (n = 61) in B, 34.9% (n = 60) in C and 16.9% (n = 29) in D, the highest at 0－10℃ in group B, with statistically significant difference among the four groups (χ2 = 29.07, P <0.001). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the incidence of testicular torsion was negatively correlated with the environment temperature (r = －0.261, P <0.01), with no statistically significant difference among different seasons (χ2 = 5.349, P >0.05), but higher in autumn and winter than in the other two seasons. CONCLUSION: The incidence of testicular torsion is negatively correlated with the environment temperature, elevated when the temperature decreases, but has no statistically significant difference among different seasons, though relatively higher in autumn and winter.

A novel AP2/ERF transcription factor, NtERF10, positively regulates plant height in tobacco.

Ethylene response factors have been shown to be involved in the effects of plant developmental processes and to regulate stress tolerance. The aim of this study was to recognize the regulatory mechanisms of ethylene response factors on tobacco plant height. In this study, a gene-edited mutant (ERF10-KO) and wild type (WT) were utilized as experimental materials. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism of NtERF10 gene editing on plant height in tobacco. Here, through the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 2051 genes were upregulated and 1965 genes were downregulated. We characterized the different ERF10-KO and WT plant heights and identified key genes for photosynthesis, the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and the terpene biosynthesis pathway. NtERF10 was found to affect the growth and development of tobacco by regulating the expression levels of the PSAA, PSBA, GLY17 and GGP3 genes. Amino acid metabolism was analyzed by combining analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). In addition, we found that members of the bHLH, NAC, MYB, and WRKY transcription factor families have vital roles in regulating plant height. This study not only provides important insights into the positive regulation of the ethylene response factor NtERF10 on plant height during plant growth and development but also provides new research ideas for tobacco molecular breeding.

Case report: Managing pemphigus foliaceus using apremilast without systemic glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is a superficial form of pemphigus. Treatment options for PF resemble pemphigus vulgaris, including glucocorticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents and rituximab et al. These treatment approaches can effectively improve the condition but may also be accompanied by high risks of side effects. Therefore, it is crucial to find a safe and effective treatment options for patients with PF. It will not only benefit/be necessary for patients who refuse glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents treatments, but also for patients who cannot be treated with glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents. Herein, we reported a case of PF that was treated with apremilast without systemic glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents. A 54-year-old woman presented with itchy erythema and erosions on the trunk for more than 1 month. The patient applied mometasonefuroate cream without improvement for a duration of two weeks. The past history of diabetes mellitus and atrophic gastritis was reported. Physical examination revealed scattered erythematous macules and erosions on the trunk. No mucosal involvement was observed. The condition was assessed by the pemphigus disease area index and numerical rating scale, with baseline scores of 7 and 8, respectively. Histopathological examination showed acantholysis and intraepithelial blister. Direct immunofluorescence revealed the presence of IgG and Complement 3 deposition between the acanthocytes with the reticular distribution. Based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results, the levels of Dsg1 and Dsg3 antibodies were 28.18 and 0.26 kU/L respectively. The diagnosis of PF was made. This patient was successfully treated with apremilast without systemic glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents. The patient has continued with apremilast 30mg once daily for maintenance and no adverse events related to apremilast such as gastrointestinal side effects were observed during the 9-month follow-up period. In conclusion, apremilast therapy without systemic glucocorticosteroids nor immunosuppressive agents might provide an effective alternative to management of mild PF without obvious side effect.

Risk factors for unplanned weaning of continuous renal replacement therapy in ICU patients: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the risk factors for unplanned weaning during continuous renal replacement therapy in ICU patients. METHODS: A combination of subject words + free words was used to search the relevant literature published in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Mediline and other databases. The search period was from the establishment of the databases to June 25, 2024. Revman 5.4 software and Stata15.0 software was used to meta-analyze the risk factors for unplanned weaning during continuous renal replacement therapy in ICU patients. RESULTS: A total of 23 studies were included in this meta-analysis, describing 15 variables, 3793 patients, and using 7197 filters. Meta-analysis results showed that risk factors for unplanned weaning during continuous renal replacement therapy in ICU patients were as follows: Low mean arterial pressure [OR = 1.02, 95%CI (1.00, 1.03), p < 0.05], hypothermia [OR = 3.40, 95%CI (1.78, 6.47), p < 0.05], age (≥60 years) [OR = 4.45, 95%CI (3.18, 6.22), p < 0.05], comorbid underlying disease [OR = 3.63, 95%CI (2.70, 4.88), p < 0.05], agitation [OR = 4.97, 95%CI (3.20, 7.74), p < 0.05], no anticoagulant use [OR = 1.65, 95%CI (1.25, 2.17), p < 0.05], short activated partial prothrombin time [OR = 1.23, 95%CI (1.13, 1.34), p < 0.05], hyper-hematocrit [OR = 1.73, 95%CI (1.13, 2.66), p = 0.01], low ionized calcium concentration [OR = 1.48, 95% CI (1.08, 2.02), p = 0.01], CRRT that was treated at a high dose [OR = 1.42, 95%CI (1.14, 1.76), p < 0.05], mechanical ventilation [OR = 4.25, 95%CI (2.67, 6.77), p < 0.05], and lack of dedicated care [OR = 5.08, 95%CI (2.51, 10.28), p < 0.05]. However, it is unclear whether platelet count, prothrombin activity, and blood flow velocity are risk factors for unplanned weaning during CRRT in ICU patients, and more studies are needed for further validation. CONCLUSION: Available evidence suggests that a variety of factors contribute to unplanned weaning of CRRT in ICU patients. Early detection of these risk factors is essential for healthcare professionals to develop preventive and curative strategies. REGISTRATION: This study is registered on the PROSERO website under registration number CRD42024543554.

Compartmentalization of pathway sequential enzymes into synthetic protein compartments for metabolic flux optimization in Escherichia coli.

Advancing the formation of artificial membraneless compartments with organizational complexity and diverse functionality remains a challenge. Typically, synthetic compartments or membraneless organelles are made up of intrinsically disordered proteins featuring low-complexity sequences or polypeptides with repeated distinctive short linear motifs. In order to expand the repertoire of tools available for the formation of synthetic membraneless compartments, here, a range of DIshevelled and aXin (DIX) or DIX-like domains undergoing head-to-tail polymerization were demonstrated to self-assemble into aggregates and generate synthetic compartments within E. coli cells. Then, synthetic complex compartments with diverse intracellular morphologies were generated by coexpressing different DIX domains. Further, we genetically incorporated a pair of interacting motifs, comprising a homo-dimeric domain and its anchoring peptide, into the DIX domain and cargo proteins, respectively, resulting in the alteration of both material properties and client recruitment of synthetic compartments. As a proof-of-concept, several human milk oligosaccharide biosynthesis pathways were chosen as model systems. The findings indicated that the recruitment of pathway sequential enzymes into synthetic compartments formed by DIX-DIX heterotypic interactions or by DIX domains embedded with specific interacting motifs efficiently boosted metabolic pathway flux and improved the production of desired chemicals. We propose that these synthetic compartment systems present a potent and adaptable toolkit for controlling metabolic flux and facilitating cellular engineering.

Update on aquaporin-4 antibody detection: the early diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune-mediated primary inflammatory myelinopathy of the central nervous system that primarily affects the optic nerve and spinal cord. The aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) is a specific autoantibody marker for NMOSD. Most patients with NMOSD are seropositive for AQP4-Ab, thus aiding physicians in identifying ways to treat NMOSD. AQP4-Ab has been tested in many clinical and laboratory studies, demonstrating effectiveness in diagnosing NMOSD. Recently, novel assays have been developed for the rapid and accurate detection of AQP4-Ab, providing further guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of NMOSD. This article summarizes the importance of rapid and accurate diagnosis for treating NMOSD based on a review of the latest relevant literature. We discussed current challenges and methods for improvement to offer new ideas for exploring rapid and accurate AQP4-Ab detection methods, aiming for early diagnosis of NMOSD.

Amorphous (lysine)2PbI2 layer enhanced perovskite photovoltaics.

Passivation materials play a crucial role in a wide range of high-efficiency, high-stability photovoltaic applications based on crystalline silicon and state-of-the-art perovskite materials. Currently, for perovskite photovoltaic, the mainstream passivation strategies routinely rely on crystalline materials. Herein, we have invented a new amorphous (lysine)2PbI2 layer-enhanced halide perovskite. By utilizing a solid phase reaction between PbI2 and lysine molecule, an amorphous (lysine)2PbI2 layer is formed at surface/grain boundaries in the perovskite films. The amorphous (lysine)2PbI2 with fewer dangling bonds can effectively neutralize surface/interface defects, achieving an impressive efficiency of 26.27% (certified 25.94%). Moreover, this amorphous layer not only reduces crystal lattice stress but also functions as a barrier against the decomposition of organic components, leading to suppressed de-structuring of perovskite and highly stable perovskite solar cells.

[Corrigendum] The role of IGFBP­5 in mediating the anti­proliferation effect of tetrandrine in human colon cancer cells.

Following the publication of the above article, a concerned reader drew to the authors' attention that, among Figs. 1D, 2A and 4B, certain of the control western blots had been re­used in different blots. The authors have retrieved and re­examined their original data, and were able to identify the correct control western blots where the data had been inadvertently duplicated in the affected original figures. The revised versions of Figs. 2 and 4, now featuring the correct control western blots, are shown in the subsequent two pages. The authors regret that the data in question featured in the original article had been re­used, and thank the Editor of International Journal of Oncology for granting them the opportunity to publish this corrigendum. All the authors agree with the publication of this corrigendum; furthermore, they apologize to the readership of the journal for any inconvenience caused. [International Journal of Oncology 46: 1205­1213, 2015; DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2014.2800].

ICPNet: Advanced Maize Leaf Disease Detection with Multidimensional Attention and Coordinate Depthwise Convolution.

Maize is an important crop, and the detection of maize diseases is critical for ensuring food security and improving agricultural production efficiency. To address the challenges of difficult feature extraction due to the high similarity among maize leaf disease species, the blurring of image edge features, and the susceptibility of maize leaf images to noise during acquisition and transmission, we propose a maize disease detection method based on ICPNet (Integrated multidimensional attention coordinate depthwise convolution PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization)-Integrated lion optimisation algorithm network). Firstly, we introduce a novel attention mechanism called Integrated Multidimensional Attention (IMA), which enhances the stability and responsiveness of the model in detecting small speckled disease features by combining cross-attention and spatial channel reconstruction methods. Secondly, we propose Coordinate Depthwise Convolution (CDC) to enhance the accuracy of feature maps through multi-scale convolutional processing, allowing for better differentiation of the fuzzy edges of maize leaf disease regions. To further optimize model performance, we introduce the PSO-Integrated Lion Optimisation Algorithm (PLOA), which leverages the exploratory stochasticity and annealing mechanism of the particle swarm algorithm to enhance the model's ability to handle mutation points while maintaining training stability and robustness. The experimental results demonstrate that ICPNet achieved an average accuracy of 88.4% and a precision of 87.3% on the self-constructed dataset. This method effectively extracts the tiny and fuzzy edge features of maize leaf diseases, providing a valuable reference for disease control in large-scale maize production.

Path analysis of COVID-19 cognition, social support, and mental health of pregnant women with interventional prenatal diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic based on structural equation modeling.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cognition, social support, and mental health among pregnant women proposed for undergoing interventional prenatal diagnosis in Sichuan Province during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2270 pregnant women (2232 valid) who were proposed to undergo interventional prenatal diagnosis at a tertiary hospital prenatal diagnosis center in Sichuan Province from January to December 2022 were selected by Convenience sampling and surveyed using a self-administered general information questionnaire, social support rating scale, mental health questionnaire (including: Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale), and self-administered COVID-19 cognition questionnaire. Structural equation modeling showed that social support negatively predicted anxiety (ß = -0.34, t = -14.98, P < .001) and negatively predicted depressive status (ß = -0.21, t = -9.57, P < .001); COVID-19 cognition negatively predicted anxiety (ß = -0.76, t = -5.34, P < .001) and depression (ß = -0.40, t = -2.99, P < .01); anxiety positively predicted anxiety (ß = 0.73, t = 37.34, P < .001). The overall knowledge rate of COVID-19 cognition among 2232 pregnant women who were to undergo interventional prenatal diagnosis was 76.40%. The fit indices of the model were: CMIN/DF = 3.071, GFI = 0.999, AGFI = 0.993, CFI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.030, NFI = 0.998, and TLI = 0.992, indicating that the model had a good fit and the model was scientifically valid. Pregnant women in Sichuan province who are to undergo prenatal interventional diagnosis have a medium level of COVID-19 awareness, and their level of COVID-19 awareness and social support will directly affect their anxiety and depression level, and their anxiety level will also affect their depression level. We should give more attention to pregnant women, especially those in particular situations such as advanced age, poor maternal history, family history of genetic disease, etc, they should be given adequate care and social support, and multiple channels and types of health education should be provided for the COVID-19 to improve the pregnant women's knowledge of COVID-19, which is important for improving the mental health of pregnant women.

Mechanism of Jizhi syrup's prevention and treatment of acute bronchitis based on LPS-iNOS inflammatory mediators' signalling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jizhi syrup (JZTJ) is composed of eight medicinal herbs, including Houttuynia cordata, Fagopyrum dibotrys, Ilex chinensis, Ephedra sinica, Aster tataricus, Peucedanum praeruptorum, Citrus aurantium and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. It is mainly used for coughing caused by exogenous wind heat. Symptoms include fever, aversion to cold, chest and diaphragm tightness, cough and sore throat; and acute bronchitis and acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis with the above symptoms. PURPOSE: This study aimed to preliminary analyse the chemical components in the liposoluble part of JZTJ, evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of JZTJ by using six animal and cell models and predict the target and mechanism of acute bronchitis prevention and treatment with JZTJ. METHODS: The chemical components in the liposoluble fraction of JZTJ (extracted by cyclohexane) were quantitatively analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Classic non-specific inflammation models and acute bronchitis models were established to systematically evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of JZTJ. The anti-inflammatory intensity and characteristics of three doses of JZTJ were comprehensively compared on the basis of principal component analysis method at the cellular and overall animal levels. By using lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) as modelling factors, a RAW264.7 macrophage inflammatory response model and a rat acute bronchitis model were created to study the effect of JZTJ on the in-vitro and - vivo LPS-iNOS-inflammatory mediators' inflammatory signalling pathway to reveal the mechanism of acute bronchitis prevention and treatment by JZTJ at the levels of genes, proteins, and inflammatory mediators. RESULTS: Seventeen alkane and ester compounds were preliminarily qualitatively identified from the lipid soluble fraction of JZTJ: dibutyl phthalate, tetradecane, ridecane, n-hexadecanoic acid, pentadecane, n-decanoic acid, 2,6,10,14,18,22-tetracosahexaene, 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyl-(all-E)-; phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl-; hexadecane. JZTJ has a significant inhibitory effect on acute non-specific inflammation, specifically inhibiting 'xylene-induced ear swelling in mice', 'acetic acid-induced increased permeability of abdominal capillaries in mice' and 'egg white-induced foot swelling in rats'. The above effects are most evident in high doses, followed by medium doses, whereas low doses have poorer or no effects. JZTJ can prevent and treat acute bronchitis induced by LPS in mice and rats, significantly improve the pathological changes in patchy interstitial and alveolar bleeding with excessive neutrophil infiltration and inhibit the release of inflammatory mediators by LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Its mechanism of action may be by downregulating the phosphorylation level of p-ERK1/2 protein, thereby inhibiting inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α MRNA and IL-1ß. The expression levels of genes, such as mRNA and IL-6 mRNA, thereby reducing iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1ß. The expression of proteins in the cytoplasm of lung and bronchial tissue cells reduced the release of downstream inflammatory mediators NO and IL-6. CONCLUSION: Preliminary analysis of the chemical components in the lipid soluble fraction of JZTJ can lay the foundation for subsequent research on its effective components. Evaluating the anti-inflammatory effect of JZTJ is helpful for further research on its mechanism of action. The anti-inflammatory effects are exerted by regulating the inflammatory signalling pathway of LPS-iNOS inflammatory mediators, providing a scientific basis for their clinical application.

Superconductivity under pressure in a chromium-based kagome metal.

Superconductivity in a highly correlated kagome system has been theoretically proposed for years (refs. 1-5), yet the experimental realization is hard to achieve6,7. The recently discovered vanadium-based kagome materials8, which exhibit both superconductivity9-11 and charge-density-wave orders12-14, are nonmagnetic8,9 and weakly correlated15,16. Thus these materials are unlikely to host the exotic superconductivity theoretically proposed. Here we report the discovery of a chromium-based kagome metal, CsCr3Sb5, which is contrastingly featured with strong electron correlations, frustrated magnetism and characteristic flat bands close to the Fermi level. Under ambient pressure, this kagome metal undergoes a concurrent structural and magnetic phase transition at 55 K, with a stripe-like 4a0 structural modulation. At high pressure, the phase transition evolves into two transitions, possibly associated with charge-density-wave and antiferromagnetic spin-density-wave orderings. These density-wave-like orders are gradually suppressed with pressure and, remarkably, a superconducting dome emerges at 3.65-8.0 GPa. The maximum of the superconducting transition temperature, Tcmax = 6.4 K, appears when the density-wave-like orders are completely suppressed at 4.2 GPa, and the normal state exhibits a non-Fermi-liquid behaviour, reminiscent of unconventional superconductivity and quantum criticality in iron-based superconductors17,18. Our work offers an unprecedented platform for investigating superconductivity in correlated kagome systems.

Size-resolved gas-particle partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a large temperature range of 50 ℃.

Size-resolved gas-particle partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) can affect their environmental behaviors and health effects, which has not been widely studied in comparing with the gas-total suspended particle partitioning. Herein, the size-resolved gas-particle partitioning quotient (KPi) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a large temperature range (-20.6 â„ƒ ∼ 29.4 â„ƒ) was firstly comprehensively studied. The log KPi values of PAHs related to fine particles were significantly higher than those related to coarse particles. When the logarithm of subcooled liquid-vapor pressure (log PL0) ∈ [-7, -1), the regression slopes of log KPi vs log PL0 related to the particle size > 1.0 µm were shallower than those with the particle size range of 0.10-1.0 µm, which indicated the influence of particle size on KPi. Among the three previous prediction equations of gas-particle partitioning quotient, the empirical equation based on the ambient temperature matched better with the measured log KPi. Therefore, a new prediction equation including ambient temperature and particle size as the two major parameters was established. For most particle size ranges, the new equation showed better prediction performance than the three previous equations. In summary, this study provided new insights for the size-resolved gas-particle partitioning mechanism and quotient.