Analysis of risk factors and construction of a prediction model for posttraumatic stress disorder among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: To explore the risk factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the construction and validation of risk prediction models. METHODS: A total of 10,705 university students were selected for the study. The questionnaire included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and self-designed questionnaire. These assessments were conducted to facilitate the survey, construct the predictive model and validate the model's validity. RESULTS: Sex, left-behind experience, poverty status, anxiety score, and depression score were identified as independent risk factors influencing psychological trauma among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, while COVID-19 infection emerged as a protective factor against psychological trauma. A column chart was constructed to visualize the six independent risk factors derived from logistic regression analysis. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results (χ2 = 13.021, P = 0.111) indicated that the risk prediction model fitted well. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.864 in the model group and 0.855 in the validation group. The calibration curves of the model closely resembled the ideal curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) revealed that the model provided net benefit and demonstrated good clinical utility. LIMITATIONS: The validation of the model is currently restricted to internal assessments. However, further confirmation through larger sample sizes, multicenter investigations, and prospective studies is necessary. CONCLUSIONS: The model effectively predicted PTSD risk among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating strong clinical applicability.

Optimizing the Biosynthesis of Dihydroquercetin from Naringenin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Dihydroquercetin (DHQ), known for its varied physiological benefits, is widely used in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the efficiency of the DHQ synthesis is significantly limited by the substantial accumulation of intermediates during DHQ biosynthesis. In this study, DHQ production was achieved by integrating genes from various organisms into the yeast chromosome for the expression of flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid-3'-hydroxylase, and cytochrome P450 reductase. A computer-aided protein design approach led to the development of optimal F3H mutant P221A, resulting in a 1.67-fold increase in DHQ yield from naringenin (NAR) compared with the control. Subsequently, by analysis of the enzyme reaction and optimization of the culture medium composition, 637.29 ± 20.35 mg/L DHQ was synthesized from 800 mg/L NAR. This corresponds to a remarkable conversion rate of 71.26%, one of the highest reported values for DHQ synthesis from NAR to date.

Preoperative pulmonary nodule localization: A comparison of hook wire and Lung-pro-guided surgical markers.

In minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery, for solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) far from the pleura, it is difficult to resected by only relying on imaging data, and effective preoperative localization can significantly improve the success rate of surgery. Therefore, preoperative localization is particularly important for accurate resection. Here, we compare the value of a novel Lung-pro-guided localization technique with Hook-wire localization in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. METHOD: In this study, 70 patients who underwent CT-guided Hook-wire localization and Lung-pro guided surgical marker localization before VATS-based SPNs resection between May 2020 and March 2021 were analyzed, and the clinical efficacy and complication rate of the two groups were compared. RESULT: Thirty-five patients underwent Lung-pro guided surgical marker localization, and 35 patients underwent CT-guided Hook-wire localization. The localization success rates were 94.3% and 88.6%, respectively (p = 0.673). Compared with the puncture group, the locating time in the Lung-pro group was significantly shorter (p = 0.000), and the wedge resection time was slightly shorter than that in the puncture group (P = 0.035). There were no significant differences in the success rate of localization, localization complications, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and the number of staplers used. CONCLUSION: The above studies show that the Lung-pro guided surgical marker localization and the CT-guided Hook-wire localization have shown good safety and effectiveness. However, the Lung-pro guided surgical marker localization may show more safety than the Hook-wire and can improve the patient's perioperative experience.

Integrated multi-omics analysis for lung adenocarcinoma in Xuanwei, China.

BACKGROUND: Xuanwei lung cancer (XWLC) is well-known for its high incidence and mortality. However, the molecular mechanism is still unclear. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic characterization of tumors and matched normal adjacent tissues from three XWLC patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). RESULTS: Integrated transcriptome and proteome analysis revealed dysregulated molecules and pathways in tumors and identified enhanced metabolic-disease coupling. Non-coding RNAs were widely involved in post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms to coordinate the progress of LUAD and partially explained the molecular differences between RNA and protein expression patterns. Phosphoproteome provided evidence support for new phosphate sites, reporting the potential roles of core kinase family members and key kinase pathways involved in metabolism, immunity, and homeostasis. In addition, by comparing with the previous LUAD researches, we emphasized the higher degree of oxidative phosphorylation in Xuanwei LUAD and pointed that VIPR1 deficiency aggravated metabolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Our integrated multi-omics analysis provided a powerful resource for a systematic understanding of the molecular structure of XWLC and proposed therapeutic opportunities based on redox metabolism.

Effects of health education during public health emergencies on the health literacy, emotion and coping style of Chinese junior middle school students: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Schools are high incidence places for public health emergencies. Good health literacy helps students cope with public health emergencies. Overall, the health literacy of young students is relatively low. Health education can promote health literacy, but the health education related to public health emergencies for Chinese junior middle school students needs to be improved. To design and implement health education courses related to public health emergencies for junior middle school students and examine the impact on their health literacy, emotions, and coping styles. METHODS: From March to December 2022, 724 students in Grade 7 and Grade 8 of two junior middle schools in Changzhou were randomly divided into a course group (n = 359) and a control group (n = 365). The course group received an age-appropriate health education course that addressed public health emergencies; there were 12 classes, one per week. The control group received general health education. One week before and after the courses, the two groups of students were assessed with the Adolescent Health Literacy Evaluation Scale under Public Health Emergencies (AHLES-PHE), the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRSC), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). RESULTS: After the courses were completed, the scores of AHLES-PHE [156.0 (45.0,180.0) vs. 165.0 (54.0,180.0), P < 0. 05] in the course group increased significantly. The positive rate of DSRSC [81 (22.6%) vs. 57 (15.9%), P < 0.05] and GAD-7 [45 (12.5%) vs. 29 (8.1), P < 0.05]in the course group were significantly lower than those before courses. There was no significant difference in the above indices before and after courses in the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This suggests that the health education courses related to public health emergencies designed in this study has an effect on improving health literacy, depression and anxiety in junior middle school students.

Alignment strategy for different types of varus knee with generic instruments: Mechanical alignment or kinematic alignment?

OBJECTIVE: A thorough examination of the available approaches is crucial to comprehensively understand the variance among the alignment strategies employed in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In this study, we assessed the functional outcomes during the perioperative and postoperative periods of TKA in patients using generic instruments with varus knee to compare the mechanical alignment (MA) and kinematic alignment (KA) procedures. METHODS: A total of 127 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College who had undergone unilateral TKA between November 2019 and April 2021 were included. The patients with varus knee deformity were categorized into two groups [type I (n = 64) and type IV (n = 63)] based on the modified coronal plane alignment of the knee (mCPAK) classification. The type I and IV groups were further subdivided into MA (n = 30 and n = 32) and KA subgroups (n = 34 and n = 21), respectively. The clinical information collected included sex, surgical side, age, body mass index, and perioperative data [including operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification]. All patients were monitored for 12 months post-surgery to evaluate the recovery of knee joint function. During this period, the Knee Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR) and the active range of motion (AROM) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were compared at different time points, i.e., before the operation and 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post-operation. Additionally, the patients' subjective experiences were assessed at 6 and 12 months post-surgery using Forgotten Joint Score Knee (FJS-12 Knee), while complications were recorded throughout the monitoring period. RESULTS: No significant variances were observed in ASA classification, operation duration, blood loss volume during surgery, and hospital stay length between the patients who underwent KA TKA and those who received MA TKA (P > 0.05). During the initial 6 weeks post-operation, the KA group exhibited a significantly reduced average VAS pain score (P < 0.05), with no such differences at 6 months and 1 year after the surgery (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the KA group had significantly higher scores on the KOOS JR at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year following the surgery (P < 0.05). Moreover, the AROM score of the KA group significantly improved only at 6 weeks after the surgery (P < 0.05); however, no prominent differences were found at 6 months and 1 year after the operation (P > 0.05). The KA cohort also exhibited a significant increase in FJS-12 Knee at 1 year following the operation (P < 0.05), whereas no such difference was detected at 6 months following the surgery (P > 0.05). Thus, compared to the MA method, the KA procedure provided pain relief and improved active motion range within 6 weeks after the surgery in patients undergoing TKA. Further, the KOOS JR exhibited significant increases at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year while the FJS-12 Knee demonstrated a significant increase at 1 year after the KA TKA procedure. CONCLUSION: Therefore, our study results suggest that the KA approach can be considered in patients using generic instruments with varus alignment of the knee, particularly those with mCPAK type I and IV varus knees, to help improve patient satisfaction.

Increased Neuron-Specific Enolase Level Predicts Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients with Ischemic Stroke Treated with Endovascular Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), which is a highly specific marker for neurons, could be a predictor for prognosis in patients with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) with acute ischemic stroke who are receiving endovascular treatment (EVT). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between NSE and sICH in patients with acute anterior circulation stroke undergoing EVT. METHODS: A total of 215 consecutive patients with acute stroke treated with EVT were included. Patients with stroke and acute anterior circulation occlusion, receiving EVT treated at our hospital, were enrolled between January 2017 and August 2021. NSE level was measured on arrival at the neurology intensive care unit after EVT. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether sICH was present. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. NSE level was also incorporated into the TAG score (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, and glucose level), which was developed as a scoring system to predict sICH, and the prediction capability was compared with the TAG score alone. Causal inference was performed using the package DoWhy in Python to evaluate the causal relationship between NSE and sICH. RESULTS: The area under the curve (AUC) value of NSE showed moderate accuracy, with an AUC value of 0.729 (95% confidence interval, 0.655-0.795; P < 0.001). The NSE cutoff value was set at 23.88 ng/mL. When the NSE level ≥23.88 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 58.33% and the specificity was 78.72% (P < 0.001). The AUC for the TAG + NSE score was 0.801 compared with an AUC of 0.632 for the TAG score (Z = 2.034; P = 0.042). A causal inference model using the DoWhy library shows a proportional relationship between NSE and the diagnosis of sICH. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show that increased NSE level is an independent predictor of sICH in patients with acute anterior circulation stroke who are undergoing endovascular treatment.

Patients with epilepsy without cognitive impairment show altered brain networks in multiple frequency bands in an audiovisual integration task.

OBJECTIVES: Comorbid cognitive and behavioral deficits are often observed in patients with epilepsy. It is not clear whether the brain networks of patients with epilepsy without cognitive decline differs from that of healthy controls in different frequency bands in the task-state. The purpose of our study was to explore whether epilepsy affects the structure of brain networks associated with cognitive processing, even when patients with epilepsy do not have cognitive impairment. METHODS: We designed an audiovisual discrimination task and recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) data from healthy controls and patients with epilepsy. We established constructed time-varying brain networks across the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands on the task-state EEG data during audiovisual integration processing. RESULTS: The results showed changes in the structure of the brain networks in the theta, alpha, and beta bands in patients with epilepsy who had no cognitive deficit. No significant difference in the connectivity strength, clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, or global efficiency was noted between patients and healthy controls. Moreover, the structure of brain networks in patients showed no correlation with the behavioral performance. CONCLUSION: The repeated abnormal firing of neurons in the brain of patients with epilepsy may inhibit it from optimizing networks into more efficient structures. Epilepsy might affect decision-making ability by damaging the neural activity in the beta band and preventing its correlation with decision-making behaviors.

Unique profile on the progress free survival and overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the Qujing area, Southwest China.

Background: China's southwestern region, Qujing, harbors a high incidence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and related mortality. This study was designed to reveal the impact of an immune-related prognostic signature (IRPS) on advanced NSCLC in the Qujing. Methods: Tissue specimens from an independent cohort of 37 patients with advanced NSCLC were retrospectively evaluated to determine the relationship between the IRPS estimated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clinical outcome. To compare the IRPS in tissue and the clinical outcomes between Qujing and non-Qujing populations, we analyzed datasets of 23 patients with advanced NSCLC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, an independent cohort (n=111) of blood specimens was retrospectively analyzed to determine the relationship between the IRPS and clinical outcome. Finally, we evaluated the utility of the blood IRPS in classifying 24 patients with advanced NSCLC who might benefit from immunotherapy. Results: In cohort 1, the Qujing population with tTMB-H (≥ 10 mutations/Mb) or KRAS mutations had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.37, 0.14 to 0.97, P = 0.04; HR 0.23, 0.08 to 0.66, P < 0.01) and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.05, 0.01 to 0.35, P < 0.01; HR 0.22, 0.07 to 0.66, P < 0.01). In cohort 2 of the Qujing population, bTMB-H (≥ 6 mutations per Mb) and KRAS mutations were related to PFS (HR 0.59, 0.36 to 0.99, P = 0.04; HR 0.50, 0.26 to 0.98, P = 0.04) and OS (HR 0.58, 0.35 to 0.96, P = 0.03; HR 0.48, 0.25 to 0.93, P = 0.03). Notably, the Qujing population with bTMB-H had superior PFS (HR 0.32, 0.09 to 1.09, P = 0.01), OS (HR 0.33, 0.10 to 1.13, P < 0.01) and objective response rates (ORRs) (83.3% vs. 14.3% vs. 20.0%, P <0.01) to immunotherapy than other populations. Conclusions: These findings show that tTMB, bTMB and KRAS mutations appear to be independent validated IRPSs that predict the clinical outcomes of Qujing populations with advanced NSCLC and that bTMB may be used as a reliable IRPS to predict the clinical benefit from anti-PD-1 therapies among populations from Qujing with advanced NSCLC.

Efavirenz restored NMDA receptor dysfunction and inhibited epileptic seizures in GluN2A/Grin2a mutant mice.

Introduction: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is one of the main receptor of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain, which is the key determinant of the excitatory/inhibitory balance of neural network. GluN2A/GRIN2A is one of the subunits of NMDAR and plays an important role in epilepsy. Approximately 78% of patients with GluN2A/Grin2a mutations have epilepsy, and the underlying mechanism of this association is not well characterized. Methods: We constructed a mouse model of hyperthermic seizure, and conducted in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological and behavioral studies to clarify the pathogenic characteristics and mechanism of GluN2A/GRIN2A-V685G mutation. In addition, the drug efavirenz (EFV), which is used to treat HIV infection, was administrated to mutant animals to assess whether it can restore the loss of function. Results: Mutant mice showed no significant change in the mRNA or protein expressions of NMDAR compared with wild type (WT) mice. Mice with GluN2A/GRIN2A-V685G mutation exhibited shorter latency to seizure, increased frequency of seizure-like events, decreased peak current and current area of NMDAR excitatory postsynaptic current, and decreased event frequency of micro-inhibitory postsynaptic current, compared to WT mice. They also exhibited decreased threshold, increased amplitude, increased input resistance, and increased root number of action potential. EFV administration reversed these changes. The loss-of-function (LoF) mutation of NMDAR changed the excitatory/inhibitory balance of neural network, rendering animal more prone to seizures. Discussion: EFV was indicated to hold its potential in the treatment of inherited epilepsy.

[Advances in the Study of Invasive Non-mucinous Adenocarcinoma 
with Different Pathological Subtypes].

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world today, and adenocarcinoma is the most common histopathological type of lung cancer. In May 2021, World Health Organization (WHO) released the 5th edition of the WHO classification of thoracic tumors, which classifies invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (INMA) into lepidic adenocarcinoma, acinar adenocarcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma, solid adenocarcinoma, and micropapillary adenocarcinoma based on its histological characteristics. These five pathological subtypes differ in clinical features, treatment and prognosis. A complete understanding of the characteristics of these subtypes is essential for the clinical diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis predictions of patients with lung adenocarcinoma, including recurrence and progression. This article will review the grading system, morphology, imaging prediction, lymph node metastasis, surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy of different pathological subtypes of INMA.
.

A Novel Nomogram for Predicting Malignant Cerebral Edema After Endovascular Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Malignant cerebral edema (MCE) is a common and feared complication after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict MCE in anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke (LVOS) patients receiving EVT in order to guide the postoperative medical care in the acute phase. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 381 patients with anterior circulation LVOS receiving EVT were screened from 636 hospitalized patients with LVOS at 2 stroke medical centers. Clinical baseline data and imaging data were collected within 2-5 days of admission to the hospital. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether MCE occurred after EVT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for MCE and to establish a nomogram. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients out of 381 (17.32%) developed MCE. The independent risk factors for MCE included admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥16 (odds ratio [OR] 1.851; 95% CI 1.029-3.329; P = 0.038), ASPECT score (OR 0.621; 95% CI 0.519-0.744; P < 0.001), right hemisphere (OR 1.636; 95% CI 0.941-2.843; P = 0.079), collateral circulation (OR 0.155; 95% CI 0.074-0.324; P < 0.001), recanalization (OR 0.223; 95% CI 0.109-0.457; P < 0.001), hematocrit (OR, 0.937; 95% CI: 0.892-0.985; P =0.010), and glucose (OR 1.118; 95% CI 1.023-1.223; P = 0.036), which were adopted as parameters of the nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of the nomogram in predicting MCE was 0.901(95% CI 0.848-0.940; P < 0.001). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results were not significant (P = 0.685), demonstrating a good calibration of the nomogram. CONCLUSIONS: The novel nomogram composed of admission NIHSS, ASPECT scores, right hemisphere, collateral circulation, recanalization, hematocrit, and serum glucose provide a potential predictor for MCE in patients with AIS after EVT.

Prognostic signature of lipid metabolism associated LncRNAs predict prognosis and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most predominant histological subtype of lung cancer. Abnormal lipid metabolism is closely related to the development of LUAD. LncRNAs are involved in the regulation of various lipid metabolism-related genes in various cancer cells including LUAD. Here, we aimed to identify lipid metabolism-related lncRNAs associated with LUAD prognosis and to propose a new prognostic signature. Methods: First, differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) from the TCGA-LUAD and the GSE31210 dataset were identified. Then the correlation analysis between DE-lncRNAs and lipid metabolism genes was performed to screen lipid metabolism-related lncRNAs. Cox regression analyses were performed in the training set to establish a prognostic model and the model was validated in the testing set and the validation set. Moreover, The role of this model in the underlying molecular mechanisms, immunotherapy, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity analysis was predicted by methods such as Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, immune infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), neoantigen, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion, chemosensitivity analysis between the high- and low-risk groups. The diagnostic ability of prognostic lncRNAs has also been validated. Finally, we validated the expression levels of selected prognostic lncRNAs by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: The prognostic model was constructed based on four prognostic lncRNAs (LINC00857, EP300-AS1, TBX5-AS1, SNHG3) related to lipid metabolism. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and Kaplan Meier (KM) curves of the risk model showed their validity. The results of Gene Set Enrichment Analysis suggested that differentially expressed genes in high- and low-risk groups were mainly enriched in immune response and cell cycle. There statistical differences in TMB and neoantigen between high- and low-risk groups. Drug sensitivity analysis suggested that patients with low risk scores may have better chemotherapy outcomes. The results of qRT-PCR were suggesting that compared with the normal group, the expressions of EP300-AS1 and TBX5-AS1 were down-regulated in the tumor group, while the expressions of LINC00857 and SNHG3 were up-regulated. The four prognostic lncRNAs had good diagnostic capabilities, and the overall diagnostic model of the four prognostic lncRNAs was more effective. Conclusion: A total of 4 prognostic lncRNAs related to lipid metabolism were obtained and an effective risk model was constructed.

Efficient production of anthocyanins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by introducing anthocyanin transporter and knocking out endogenous degrading enzymes.

Anthocyanins are natural pigments found in various plants. As multifunctional natural compounds, anthocyanins are widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, health products, and cosmetics. At present, the anthocyanins are heterologously biosynthesized in prokaryotes from flavan-3-ols, which is rather expensive. This study aimed to metabolically engineer Saccharomyces cerevisiae for anthocyanin production. Anthocyanin production has been extensively studied to understand the metabolic pathway enzymes in their natural hosts, including CHS (chalcone synthase); FLS (flavonol synthase); CHI (chalcone isomerase); F3H (flavanone 3-hydroxylase); F3'H (flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase); F3'5'H (flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase); DFR (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase); ANS (anthocyanidin synthase); LAR (leucoanthocyanidin reductase); and UFGT (flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase). The anthocyanin transporter MdGSTF6 was first introduced and proven to be indispensable for the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. By expressing MdGSTF6, FaDFR, PhANS0, and Dc3GT and disrupting EXG1 (the main anthocyanin-degrading enzyme), the BA-22 strain produced 261.6 mg/L (254.5 mg/L cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and 7.1 mg/L delphinidin-3-O-glucoside) anthocyanins from 2.0 g/L dihydroflavonols, which was known to be the highest titer in eukaryotes. Finally, 15.1 mg/L anthocyanins was obtained from glucose by expressing the de novo biosynthesis pathway in S. cerevisiae, which is known to be the highest de novo production. It is the first study to show that through the introduction of a plant anthocyanin transporter and knockout of a yeast endogenous anthocyanin degrading enzyme, the anthocyanin titer has been increased by more than 100 times.

A Multi-Omics Study of Familial Lung Cancer: Microbiome and Host Gene Expression Patterns.

Background: Inherited susceptibility and environmental carcinogens are crucial players in lung cancer etiology. The lung microbiome is getting rising attention in carcinogenesis. The present work sought to investigate the microbiome in lung cancer patients affected by familial lung cancer (FLC) and indoor air pollution (IAP); and further, to compare host gene expression patterns with their microbiome for potential links. Methods: Tissue sample pairs (cancer and adjacent nonmalignant tissue) were used for 16S rRNA (microbiome) and RNA-seq (host gene expression). Subgroup microbiome diversities and their matched gene expression patterns were analyzed. Significantly enriched taxa were screened out, based on different clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: Our FLC microbiome seemed to be smaller, low-diversity, and inactive to change; we noted microbiome differences in gender, age, blood type, anatomy site, histology type, TNM stage as well as IAP and smoking conditions. We also found smoking and IAP dramatically decreased specific-OTU biodiversity, especially in normal lung tissue. Intriguingly, enriched microbes were in three categories: opportunistic pathogens, probiotics, and pollutant-detoxication microbes; this third category involved Sphingomonas, Sphingopyxis, etc. which help degrade pollutants, but may also cause epithelial damage and chronic inflammation. RNA-seq highlighted IL17, Ras, MAPK, and Notch pathways, which are associated with carcinogenesis and compromised immune system. Conclusions: The lung microbiome can play vital roles in carcinogenesis. FLC and IAP subjects were affected by fragile lung epithelium, vulnerable host-microbes equilibrium, and dysregulated immune surveillance and response. Our findings provided useful information to study the triple interplay among environmental carcinogens, population genetic background, and diversified lung microbiome.

Leukocytes in Cerebral Thrombus Respond to Large-Vessel Occlusion in a Time-Dependent Manner and the Association of NETs With Collateral Flow.

Thrombus components are dynamically influenced by local blood flow and blood immune cells. After a large-vessel occlusion stroke, changes in the cerebral thrombus are unclear. Here we assessed a total of 206 cerebral thrombi from patients with ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. The thrombi were categorized by time to reperfusion of <4 h (T4), 4-8 h (T4-8), and >8 h (T8). The cellular compositions in thrombus were analyzed, and relevant clinical features were compared. Both white blood cells and neutrophils were increased and then decreased in thrombus with time to reperfusion, which were positively correlated with those in peripheral blood. The neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) content in thrombus was correlated with the degree of neurological impairment of patients. Moreover, with prolonged time to reperfusion, the patients showed a trend of better collateral grade, which was associated with a lower NET content in the thrombus. In conclusion, the present results reveal the relationship between time-related endovascular immune response and clinical symptoms post-stroke from the perspective of thrombus and peripheral blood. The time-related pathological changes of cerebral thrombus may not be the direct cause for the difficulty in thrombolysis and thrombectomy. A low NET content in thrombi indicates excellent collateral flow, which suggests that treatments targeting NETs in thrombi might be beneficial for early neurological protection.

Case Report: Diffuse Cerebral Microbleeds in Cerebral Autosomal Recessive Arteriopathy With Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy.

Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is a hereditary cerebral small vascular disease caused by a homozygous mutation in the high-temperature requirement A serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1) gene. Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are increasingly being recognized as neuroimaging findings occurring with cerebrovascular disease and have different etiologies. Mild to moderate CMBs are not unusual in CARASIL, and they are observed to affect cortical and subcortical structures; in contrast, diffuse CMBs, especially in the cerebellum, are rare. In this case, we report a novel mutation of HTRA1 in a 43-year-old woman whose imaging indicated multiple CMBs in all lobes, brain stem, and cerebellum. The amount and location of CMBs vary in CARASIL cases, and the potential cause is not fully understood. This study revealed that specific imaging findings of this patient may be related to a new genetic mutation.

Safety and Efficacy of Rapamycin-Eluting Vertebral Stents in Patients With Symptomatic Extracranial Vertebral Artery Stenosis.

Background and Purpose: Drug-eluting stents generally have superior performance to bare metal stents in the treatment of vertebral artery stenosis (VAS). This prospective, multicenter, and single-arm clinical trial was initiated to assess in-stent restenosis (ISR) and midterm outcome after rapamycin-eluting stent placement in patients with symptomatic extracranial VAS. Methods: The subjects underwent angiographic follow-up at 6 months and final clinical follow-up at 12 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was ISR at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included technical success, target lesion-related transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, or death, and all-cause TIA, stroke, or death during the 12-month follow-up period. Results: A total of 104 stents were implanted in the 101 patients and 83 patients (82.2%) completed angiographic follow-up at 6 months. The technical success rate was 86.1% (87/101); mean in-stent stenosis rate was 25.1 ± 17.1% and ISR rate was 5.9% (95% CI: 0.8-10.9%). All the patients with ISR were completely asymptomatic and no stent fractures were observed during angiographic follow-up. At the 12-month clinical follow-up, target lesion-related TIA, stroke, or death had occurred in two (2.0%) patients and all-cause TIA, stroke, or death had occurred in six (6.1%) patients. Conclusion: The placement of rapamycin-eluting stents in patients with symptomatic extracranial VAS yields favorable ISR results and showed a trend of favorable safety outcomes including low rates of perioperative complications and late stroke. However, further study is needed to establish the long-term clinical benefits of this stent in the treatment of VA disease.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Hyperhomocysteinemia-Linked Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Underlying Mechanisms and Treatment Timing.

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD)-a common cause of stroke and vascular dementia-is a group of clinical syndromes that affects the brain's small vessels, including arterioles, capillaries, and venules. Its pathogenesis is not fully understood, and effective treatments are limited. Increasing evidence indicates that an elevated total serum homocysteine level is directly and indirectly associated with cSVD, and endothelial dysfunction plays an active role in this association. Hyperhomocysteinemia affects endothelial function through oxidative stress, inflammatory pathways, and epigenetic alterations at an early stage, even before the onset of small vessel injuries and the disease. Therefore, hyperhomocysteinemia is potentially an important therapeutic target for cSVD. However, decreasing the homocysteine level is not sufficiently effective, possibly due to delayed treatment, which underlying reason remains unclear. In this review, we examined endothelial dysfunction to understand the close relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and cSVD and identify the optimal timing for the therapy.