Daily gaseous air pollution and pediatric conjunctivitis: A case-crossover study across ten cities in China's southeastern coastal region.

The evidence on associations between ambient gaseous pollutants and conjunctivitis remains inconclusive, and limited research is available, particularly regarding children. Based on a case-crossover study conducted in ten Chinese cities from 2013 to 2023, we documented 418,027 outpatient visits for conjunctivitis in children. Of these visits, 256,525 were for boys and 161,502 for girls. A one standard deviation (SD) increase in daily concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) was related to a 1.20 % rise in same-day outpatient visits for pediatric conjunctivitis (OR = 1.012, 95 % CI: 1.005, 1.018). Similar associations were found for nitrogen dioxide (NO2: 2.90 % increase; OR = 1.029, 95 % CI: 1.019, 1.040), sulfur dioxide (SO2: 1.70 % increase; OR = 1.017, 95 % CI: 1.007, 1.028), and ozone (O3: 1.30 % increase; OR = 1.013, 95 % CI: 1.006, 1.021). The positive associations remained significant in two-pollutant and mixed-effects models. Notably, we observed stronger associations in girls compared to boys, among children at 1-5 years of age compared to other age groups, and the relationships were more pronounced during the summer months. This study reveals a link between exposure to common gaseous air pollutants and increased risks of conjunctivitis in children, indicating the potential benefits of public health interventions.

Exploring the anticancer mechanism of cardiac glycosides using proteome integral solubility alteration approach.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiac glycosides (CGs), traditionally used for heart failure, have shown potential as anti-cancer agents. This study aims to explore their multifaceted mechanisms in cancer cell biology using proteome integral solubility alteration (PISA), focusing on the interaction with key proteins implicated in cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function. METHODS: We conducted lysate-based and intact-cell PISA assays on cancer cells treated with CGs (Digoxin, Digitoxin, Ouabain) to analyze protein solubility changes. This was followed by mass spectrometric analysis and bioinformatics to identify differentially soluble proteins (DSPs). Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict protein-CG interactions. Public data including gene expression changes upon CG treatment were re-analyzed for validation. RESULTS: The PISA assays revealed CGs' broad-spectrum interactions, particularly affecting proteins like PKM2, ANXA2, SLC16A1, GOT2 and GLUD1. Molecular docking confirmed stable interactions between CGs and these DSPs. Re-analysis of public data supported the impact of CGs on cancer metabolism and cell signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that CGs could be repurposed for cancer therapy by modulating cellular processes. The PISA data provide insights into the polypharmacological effects of CGs, warranting further exploration of their mechanisms and clinical potential.

Structure, anti-cancer properties, and potential mechanism of a biological active polysaccharide from Platycodon grandiflorum.

Polysaccharides serve as a source of energy for organisms and play a crucial role in various life activities, exhibiting a wide array of biological functions. To develop bioactive polysaccharides for combating cancer, PGP40-2B, a homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 7.05 × 103 g/mol, has been isolated from Platycodon grandiflorum, which is a traditional medicinal and edible plant with multiple functions. PGP40-2B was found to mainly formed from several fragments including →2)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→, →3,4)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→, →6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→, and α-d-Galp-(1→. In addition to the structural characteristics characterized by various techniques, PGP40-2B was biologically assessed using zebrafish models and was found to exhibit in vivo antitumor effects. Subsequent mechanism studies suggested that the antitumor activity in vivo of PGP40-2B was not caused by cytotoxic mechanisms but was related to its targeting of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) to inhibit angiogenesis and activate immunity.

Sex and obesity influence the relationship between perfluoroalkyl substances and lean body mass: NHANES 2011-2018.

Objective: Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known endocrine disruptors, that have been the subject of limited research regarding their impact on human lean body mass. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PFAS exposure on lean body mass. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional data analysis involving 1022 adolescents and 3274 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018, whose lean body mass was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The lean mass index (LMI) was calculated as lean body mass dividing by the square of height. The association between PFAS and LMI was examined through a multivariate-adjusted weighted generalized linear model. Moreover, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models were employed to futher examine the relationship between the mixture of PFAS and LMI. Results: Regression analyses revealed an inverse correlation between PFAS exposure and LMI after adjusting for potential covariates. Adults with higher serum PFAS concentrations manifested a reduction in whole LMI ( ß  = -0.193, 95 % confidence interval (CI): -0.325 to -0.06). Notably, this correlation was particularly significant in adult females and individuals with obesity, and it was observed across diverse anatomical regions, including lower limbs, right arm, trunk, and whole lean body mass. In adult females, the association between PFAS and whole LMI was statistically significant ( ß  = -0.294, 95 % CI: -0.495 to -0.094), and a similar trend was found in obese individuals ( ß  = -0.512, 95 % CI: -0.762 to -0.261). WQS regression analyses supported the results obtained from weighted linear regression analyses. Conclusions: Our study suggests that exposure to PFAS, whether individually or in combination, is associated with decreased lean body mass in specific body areas, with sex and obesity serving as major influencing factors.

Reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission using intervention mapping: a systematic review.

Intervention mapping (IM) is a planning approach that reflects the intricate decision-making process involved in the design of behavior interventions. The development and implementation of IM is complex in preventing HIV/AIDS transmission. Therefore, it is significant to conduct a perfect preliminary work to successfully implement HIV/AIDS prevention. The objectives of this review were to collect and evaluate the data of the first three steps using IM to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission, and summarize the key points in the preliminary steps of IM. A total of 18 studies were identified, and six studies completely described the tasks in the first three steps of IM. Three studies described the logic model of the problem (n = 3). Six studies reported the matrix of behavior changes (n = 6), including personal and environmental determinants. Among the selected determinants, most studies reported the personal level determinants (self-efficacy and skills, knowledge, attitudes, and norms). The most used practical applications in reducing HIV/AIDS risk behaviors were video roles (n = 8) and role-model stories (n = 5). The review may be helpful for healthcare professionals to carefully design and implement the key procedures of the first three steps of the IM programs for people with HIV/AIDS in preventing HIV/AIDS transmission.

Comprehensive analysis of the relationship between yield stress and dewatering performance in sludge conditioning: Insights from various treatment methods.

Understanding the relationship between sludge yield stress (σy) and dewatering performance is essential for optimizing sludge conditioning processes. This study systematically investigates the effects of various conditioning methods-including thermal hydrolysis (TH), freezing/thawing (FT), anaerobic digestion (AD), polyaluminum chloride (PAC), polyacrylamide (PAM), and Fenton treatment (Fenton)-on sludge yield stress and its correlation with dewatering efficiency. Using linear regression, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and correlation heatmap analyses, we reveal significant variations in the correlation between σy and dewatering indexes, including moisture content (Mc), capillary suction time (CST), and bound water proportion (Wb/Wt), depending on the conditioning method and intensity. Under FT and PAM conditioning, σy shows a strong negative linear correlation with dewatering performance, with Pearson's r values exceeding -0.880, indicating that a decrease in σy corresponds to improved dewatering efficiency. Conversely, AD conditioning exhibits a positive linear correlation, with r values up to 0.993, suggesting that an increase in σy correlates with reduced dewatering efficiency. For TH, PAC, and Fenton treatments, the correlation between σy and dewatering metrics is highly sensitive to changes in treatment intensity. In the PLSR analysis, the VIP values, which quantify the importance of each predictor variable, indicate that Wb/Wt in TH conditioning (VIP = 1.649) and CST in PAC (VIP = 1.309) and Fenton (VIP = 1.299) conditioning strongly influence σy. This study highlights the significant impact of conditioning methods and intensities on the correlation between σy and dewatering performance. While σy provides valuable insights as a predictive indicator, its predictive power is limited in more complex conditioning scenarios. Therefore, optimizing conditioning intensity and incorporating multiple rheological parameters are essential for achieving superior sludge dewatering outcomes.

Sodium Houttuybonate Promotes the Browning of White Adipose Tissue by Inhibiting Ferroptosis via the AMPK-NRF2-HO1 Pathway.

The rising prevalence of obesity has resulted in an increased demand for innovative and effective treatment strategies. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (H. cordata) has demonstrated promising potential in preventing obesity. However, the mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects of H. cordata and its bioactive component, sodium houttuybonate (SH), remains unclear. Our study reveals that SH treatment promotes the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) and prevents the obesity induced by a high-fat diet. SH significantly mitigates ferroptosis by upregulating glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) and decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, while also enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Furthermore, SH promotes the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which subsequently increases the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the iWAT. However, the effects of SH were attenuated by ML385, an Nrf2 inhibitor. Collectively, our findings suggest that SH induces iWAT browning and prevents diet-induced obesity primarily through the AMPK/NRF2/HO-1 pathway by inhibiting ferroptosis.

TIGIT: Will it be the next star therapeutic target like PD-1 in hematological malignancies?

Research on the mechanism and application of checkpoint inhibitory receptors in hematologic diseases has progressed rapidly. However, in the treatment of relapserefractory (R/R) hematologic malignancies and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), patients who are resistant to anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are in urgent need of alternative therapeutic targets. T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domains (TIGIT) has a broad prospect as an inhibitory receptor like PD-1, but its more specific mechanism of action and application in hematologic diseases still need to be further studied. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of TIGIT pathway, combined effects with other immune checkpoints, immune-related therapy, the impact of TIGIT on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the tumor microenvironment (TME) provides a potential therapeutic target for hematologic malignancies.

Preparation and exploration of anti-tumor activity of Poria cocos polysaccharide gold nanorods.

With the continuous advancement of nanotechnology, the application of gold nanorods (AuNRs) functionalized with polysaccharides in the realm of cancer photothermal therapy is garnering increasing attention. To harness photothermal therapy for cancer treatment, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs were successfully synthesized in this study for the first time, utilizing Poria cocos polysaccharides (FLP), mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA), and gold nanorods (AuNRs). FLP-MPBA-AuNRs are a nanomaterial characterized by a unique rod-shaped structure, featuring a long diameter of 29.3 nm and a short diameter of 6.5 nm, which conferred exceptional photothermal stability and remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency. Under near-infrared light irradiation, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs elicited significant photothermal effects, effectively curtailing the proliferation of various cancer cells. Additionally, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs impeded cancer progression by inducing cell apoptosis and releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs suppressed the metastasis and growth of cancer cells in zebrafish models. In summary, FLP-MPBA-AuNRs showcased immense potential in cancer therapy by inhibiting tumor cell growth through photothermal and photodynamic mechanisms.

SGLT2 inhibitor promotes ketogenesis to improve MASH by suppressing CD8+ T cell activation.

During the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), the accumulation of auto-aggressive CD8+ T cells significantly contributes to liver injury and inflammation. Empagliflozin (EMPA), a highly selective inhibitor of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2), exhibits potential therapeutic benefits for liver steatosis; however, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. Here, we found that EMPA significantly reduced the hepatic accumulation of auto-aggressive CD8+ T cells and lowered granzyme B levels in mice with MASH. Mechanistically, EMPA increased ß-hydroxybutyric acid by promoting the ketogenesis of CD8+ T cells via elevating 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 (Bdh1) expression. The ß-hydroxybutyric acid subsequently inhibited interferon regulatory factor 4 (Irf4), which is crucial for CD8+ T cell activation. Furthermore, the ablation of Bdh1 in T cells aggravated the manifestation of MASH and hindered the therapeutic efficacy of EMPA. Moreover, a case-control study also showed that SGLT2 inhibitor treatment repressed CD8+ T cell infiltration and improved liver injury in patients with MASH. In summary, our study indicates that SGLT2 inhibitors can target CD8+ T cells and may be an effective strategy for treating MASH.

Three-dimensional forward modeling and quantitative assessment of electrode offset effects in ERT.

Resistivity data has important applications in geophysical exploration, but the impact of electrode offsets on resistivity response characteristics remains unclear. This study aims to explore the influence of horizontal electrode offset angles and vertical offsets caused by topographical variations on the forward modeling of resistivity data. By analyzing experimental models with different measurement arrays, the paper revealed their influence laws on the buried depth of the target body and resistivity resolution. Utilizing tools like ZondRes3D, we conducted 3D resistivity forward modeling and analyzed the results in detail. It is found that horizontal electrode offsets lead to pseudo-anomalies in the apparent resistivity response, which is related to the offset angles and the number of electrodes. Under different conditions, the horizontal electrode offsets exhibit a "gradient variation" pattern. In addition, topographical variations can also cause distortions and offsets in the apparent resistivity curves and the locations of the anomaly response. Specifically, the measuring lines near the edge of the target bodies are more susceptible to these effects. Based on the comprehensive experimental results, we have drawn several conclusions regarding the impact of electrode offsets and topographical variations, including the effects of offset angles on the pseudo-anomalies, the anomalous response laws under different topographic conditions, as well as anomalous situations under specific angles. These findings provide crucial insights for interpreting resistivity data in geophysical exploration and addressing practical engineering problems, and offer guidance for optimizing measuring line layouts and post-processing terrain correction algorithms.

Recurrent spinal subdural hematoma following percutaneous kyphoplasty: A unique case report.

Spinal intradural (subdural and subarachnoid) hematoma following percutaneous kyphoplasty is an extremely rare complication. In this report, we described a case of 2 episodes of subarachnoid hemorrhage with delayed paralysis after kyphoplasty. A 73-year-old man underwent percutaneous kyphoplasty in our hospital an osteoporotic vertebral fracture at the T12 level. On the 55 h after kyphoplasty for T12 osteoporotic vertebral fracture, he developed paralysis of the lower limbs. An emergency posterior decompression from T8 to L2 was performed. And the subarachnoid hematomas were removed. Postoperatively, the neurological symptoms improved rapidly. However, 2 weeks after the operation, the patient experienced a setback with severe neurological decline (paraplegia with sensory and autonomic dysfunction). An emergency posterior decompression from T5 to L2 was performed. The subarachnoid hematomas were removed. This case reflects the cause and progression of spinal subdural hematoma. Previous literature has debated the best treatment approach for spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage, but the prognosis of patients is heavily dependent on precise symptom evaluation and localization.

Prognostic impact of body composition in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with immunotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the possible relationship between body composition parameters, sarcopenia, and clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. METHODS: Three online databases, including Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library, were thoroughly searched for literature describing the relationship between body composition parameters, sarcopenia, and outcomes of ICI-treated HCC patients from the start of each database to 21 January 2024. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to rate the quality of the studies. The assessed outcomes included hazard ratio (HR) for OS and PFS, as well as odds ratio (OR) for ORR and DCR. RESULTS: This analysis included a total of 15 articles with a combined patient cohort of 1543 individuals. The results demonstrated that HCC patients with low skeletal muscle index (SMI) had significantly inferior OS (HR: 1.68, p < 0.001), PFS (HR: 1.45, p < 0.001), ORR (OR: 0.64, p = 0.044), and DCR (OR: 0.58, p = 0.009) compared to those with high SMI. The presence of sarcopenia in HCC patients was significantly related to poorer OS (HR: 1.63, p < 0.001) and PFS (HR: 1.48, p < 0.001), as well as a lower ORR (OR: 0.64, p = 0.020) and DCR (OR: 0.58, p = 0.007) in comparison to those without sarcopenia. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that these findings were consistent with the multivariate analysis. Moreover, high subcutaneous adipose index (SAI) levels were associated with better OS (HR: 0.46, p = 0.001) and PFS (HR: 0.68, p = 0.021) than those with low SAI levels. CONCLUSION: The presence of sarcopenia and low SMI in HCC patients undergoing treatment with ICIs was found to be related to inferior treatment response and reduced long-term effectiveness.

Guluronic acid disaccharide inhibits reactive oxygen species production and amyloid-ß oligomer formation.

In general, Cu(II) is the critical factor in catalyzing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and accelerating amyloid-ß (Aß) oligomer formation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Natural chelating agents with good biocompatibility and appropriate binding affinity with Cu(II) have emerged as potential candidates for AD therapy. Herein, we tested the capability of guluronic acid disaccharide (Di-GA), a natural chelating agent with the moderate association affinity to Cu(II), in inhibiting ROS production and Aß oligomer formation. The results showed that Di-GA was capable of chelating with Cu(II) and reducing ROS production, even in solutions containing Fe(II), Zn(II), and Aß. In addition, Di-GA can also capture Cu(II) from Cu-Aß complexes and decrease Aß oligomer formation. The cellular results confirmed that Di-GA prevented SH-SY5Y cells from ROS and Aß oligomer damage by reducing the injury of ROS and Aß oligomers on cell membrane and decreasing their intracellular damage on mitochondria. Notably, the slightly higher efficiency of Di-GA in chelating with Cu(I) than Cu(II) can be benefit for its in vivo applications, as Cu(I) is not only the most active but also the special intermediate specie during ROS production process. All of these results proved that Di-GA could be a promising marine drug candidate in reducing copper-related ROS damage and Aß oligomer toxicity associated with AD.

Optimization of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization for enhanced forage production and quality of Festuca Krylovianacv. Huanhu artificial grassland in alpine regions.

Artificial grasslands of F. kryloviana in the region surrounding Qinghai Lake have been observed to a decline in productivity following three years of establishment. Traditional fertilization practices, aimed at maintaining ecological balance, have predominantly focused on the application of phosphorus. However, it remains unclear whether phosphorus fertilizers offer a superior advantage over nitrogen fertilizers in sustaining productivity. Consequently, from 2017 to 2019, we conducted an experimental to assess the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on forage yield and quality. We designed with four levels of phosphorus and two levels of nitrogen, resulting in eight distinct fertilizer combinations. Our experimental findings indicate that the degradation of artificial grasslands leads to a shift in the allocation pattern of aboveground biomass. There was a respective decrease of 68.2 % and 62.5 % in the biomass proportions of stems and ears, contrasted by a greater than 200 % increase in the biomass proportion of leaves. The application of nitrogen not only elevated the total aboveground biomass but also promoted a preferential allocation of biomass to stems and leaves, consequently enhancing the forage's crude protein content. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased aboveground biomass, and crude protein content by 63.21 %, and 6 %, respectively. Phosphorus fertilization's impact varied annually but favored the distribution of biomass to stems and ears. The net photosynthetic rate improved by over 53.12 % with fertilizer application, although the differences among treatments were not statistically significant. The balanced application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers significantly bolstered the aboveground biomass, ear biomass, stem biomass, leaf biomass, and crude protein content in varying years by 17.25 %-209.83 %, 34.7 %-438.9 %, 25.5 %-250.2 %, 18.4 %-133.3 %, and 10.21 %-25.62 %, respectively. Our analysis revealed that nitrogen-only fertilization exhibited the most optimal fertilizer use efficiency and economic returns. In conclusion, nitrogen fertilization is crucial for sustaining the productivity and quality of F. kryloviana artificial grasslands. The local practice of 75 kg ha-1 phosphorus fertilizer is detrimental to the maintenance of productivity in F. kryloviana artificial grasslands. This study offers valuable insights into the optimization of fertilization strategies for sustainable forage production within alpine regions.

[Research progress on DNMT3A gene expression in Acute myeloid leukemia].

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic regulatory mechanism which plays a crucial role in cell differentiation and development. Its function is closely related to DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A), which can affect gene expression and stem cell differentiation. The mutation rate of the DNMT3A gene is relatively high in Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but its type and pathogenic mechanism are not yet clear. Further research on DNMT3A may help to identify its pathogenic targets and provide a basis for precise treatment of AML. This article has provided a review for the research progress on the expression of the DNMT3A gene in AML.

Association between short-term ozone exposure and allergic conjunctivitis in China: A multi-city case-crossover study.

Short-term exposure to ozone has been linked to multiple allergic diseases, but the relationship between ozone exposure and allergic conjunctivitis (AC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between short-term exposure to ozone and the risk of AC. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study across five Chinese cities from 2014 to 2022. Daily outpatient visit records for AC were identified in five hospitals using either the diagnosis name or ICD-10 code H10.1. Data on air pollution and meteorological conditions were also collected. We first examined the city-specific association between short-term ozone exposure and AC using conditional logistic regression. A random-effects meta-analysis was then conducted to obtain overall estimates. During the study period, 130,093 outpatient visits for AC occurred, with 58.8% (76,482) being male and 41.2% (53,611) female. A one-standard-deviation (SD) increase in ozone was associated with an 8.3% increase (95% CI: 3.8%, 13.0%) in AC outpatient visits. Similar positive associations were observed when adjusting for other pollutants (PM2.5, CO, SO2 and NO2) in two-pollutant and multi-pollutant models. Furthermore, the positive association remained consistent when using mixed-effects regression models or further adjusting for meteorological conditions. In addition, no effect modification of the AC-ozone association by sex, age and season was apparent. This study provides evidence supporting a positive association between short-term ozone exposure and AC risk in China. This highlights the potential value of mitigating ozone pollution to reduce the risk of ocular surface disorders.

Genetics of causal relationships between circulating inflammatory proteins and postherpetic neuralgia: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: According to data from several observational studies, there is a strong association between circulating inflammatory cytokines and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), but it is not clear whether this association is causal or confounding; therefore, the main aim of the present study was to analyze whether circulating inflammatory proteins have a bidirectional relationship with PHN at the genetic inheritance level using a Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Methods: The Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) database was used for our analysis. We gathered data on inflammation-related genetic variation from three GWASs of human cytokines. These proteins included 91 circulating inflammatory proteins, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), macrophage inflammatory protein 1b (MIP-1b), and CXC chemokine 13 (CXCL13). The PHN dataset was obtained from the FinnGen biobank analysis round 5, and consisted of 1,413 cases and 275,212 controls. We conducted a two-sample bidirectional MR study using the TwoSampleMR and MRPRESSO R packages (version R.4.3.1). Our main analytical method was inverse variance weighting (IVW), and we performed sensitivity analyses to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, as well as the potential influence of individual SNPs, to validate our findings. Results: According to our forward analysis, five circulating inflammatory proteins were causally associated with the development of PHN: interleukin (IL)-18 was positively associated with PHN, and IL-13, fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF-19), MIP-1b, and stem cell growth factor (SCF) showed reverse causality with PHN. Conversely, we found that PHN was closely associated with 12 inflammatory cytokines, but no significant correlation was found among the other inflammatory factors. Among them, only IL-18 had a bidirectional causal relationship with PHN. Conclusion: Our research advances the current understanding of the role of certain inflammatory biomarker pathways in the development of PHN. Additional verification is required to evaluate the viability of these proteins as targeted inflammatory factors for PHN-based treatments.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage vs percutaneous transhepatic bile duct drainage in the management of malignant obstructive jaundice.

BACKGROUND: Malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ) is a condition characterized by varying degrees of bile duct stenosis and obstruction, accompanied by the progressive development of malignant tumors, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. Currently, the two most commonly employed methods for its management are percutaneous transhepatic bile duct drainage (PTBD) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD). While both methods have demonstrated favorable outcomes, additional research needs to be performed to determine their relative efficacy. AIM: To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of EUS-BD and PTBD in treating MOJ. METHODS: This retrospective analysis, conducted between September 2015 and April 2023 at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (The First People's Hospital of Changzhou), involved 68 patients with MOJ. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of surgical procedure received: EUS-BD subgroup (n = 33) and PTBD subgroup (n = 35). Variables such as general data, preoperative and postoperative indices, blood routine, liver function indices, myocardial function indices, operative success rate, clinical effectiveness, and complication rate were analyzed and compared between the subgroups. RESULTS: In the EUS-BD subgroup, hospital stay duration, bile drainage volume, effective catheter time, and clinical effectiveness rate were superior to those in the PTBD subgroup, although the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The puncture time for the EUS-BD subgroup was shorter than that for the PTBD subgroup (P < 0.05). Postoperative blood routine, liver function index, and myocardial function index in the EUS-BD subgroup were significantly lower than those in the PTBD subgroup (P < 0.05). Additionally, the complication rate in the EUS-BD subgroup was lower than in the PTBD subgroup (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EUS-BD may reduce the number of punctures, improve liver and myocardial functions, alleviate traumatic stress, and decrease complication rates in MOJ treatment.

Adequate water supply enhances seedling growth and metabolism in Festuca kryloviana: insights from physiological and transcriptomic analys.

BACKGROUND: Festuca kryloviana is a significant native grass species in the Qinghai Lake region, and its low emergence rate is a primary factor limiting the successful establishment of cultivated grasslands. The region's arid and low-rainfall climate characteristics result in reduced soil moisture content at the surface. Despite the recognized impact of water availability on plant growth, the specific role of moisture in seedling development remains not fully elucidated. This study aims to investigate the germination rate and seedling growth velocity of F. kryloviana seeds under varying moisture conditions, and to integrate physiological and transcriptomic analyses of seedlings under these conditions to reveal the mechanisms by which water influences seedling development. RESULTS: The emergence rate of F. kryloviana seedlings exhibited an initial increase followed by a decrease with increasing moisture content. The highest emergence rate, reaching 75%, was observed under 20% soil moisture conditions. By the eighth day of the experiment, the lengths of the plumules and radicles under the optimal emergence rate (full water, FW) were 21.82% and 10.87% longer, respectively, than those under closely matching the soil moisture content during the background survey (stress water, SW). The differential development of seedlings under varying moisture regimes is attributed to sugar metabolism within the seeds and the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA). At FW conditions, enhanced sugar metabolism, which generates more energy for seedling development, is facilitated by higher activities of α-amylase, sucrose synthase, and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase compared to SW conditions. This is reflected at the transcriptomic level with upregulated expression of the α-amylase (AMY2) gene and trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS6), while genes associated with ABA signaling and transduction are downregulated. Additionally, under FW conditions, the expression of genes related to the chloroplast thylakoid photosystems, such as photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI), is upregulated, enhancing the seedlings' light-capturing ability and photosynthetic efficiency, thereby improving their autotrophic capacity. Furthermore, FW treatment enhances the expression of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, promoting metabolism within the seeds. In contrast, SW treatment increases the activity of the enzymatic antioxidant system, including peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), to cope with water stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiment systematically evaluated the impact of moisture conditions on the growth and development of F. kryloviana seedlings. Physiological and transcriptomic data collectively indicate that adequate water (20%) supply enhances seedling growth and development by reducing ABA levels and increasing α-amylase activity within seeds, thereby boosting sugar metabolism and promoting the growth of seedling, which in turn leads to an improved emergence rate. Considering water management in future cultivation practices may be a crucial strategy for enhancing the successful establishment of F. kryloviana in grassland ecosystems.