Metagenomic Analysis Reveals A Gut Microbiota Structure and Function Alteration between Healthy and Diarrheic Juvenile Yaks.

Diarrhea-induced mortality among juvenile yaks is highly prevalent in the pastoral areas of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Although numerous diseases have been linked to the gut microbial community, little is known about how diarrhea affects the gut microbiota in yaks. In this work, we investigated and compared changes in the gut microbiota of juvenile yaks with diarrhea. The results demonstrated a considerable drop in the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota in diarrheic yaks, accompanied by Eysipelatoclostridium, Parabacteroides, and Escherichia-Shigella, which significantly increased during diarrhea. Furthermore, a PICRust analysis verified the elevation of the gut-microbial metabolic pathways in diarrhea groups, including glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, alanine, aspartate, oxidative phosphorylation, glutamate metabolism, antibiotic biosynthesis, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Taken together, our study showed that the harmful bacteria increased, and beneficial bacteria decreased significantly in the gut microbiota of yaks with diarrhea. Moreover, these results also indicated that the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may be a significant driving factor of diarrhea in yaks.

Soil bacterial community in a photovoltaic system adopted different survival strategies to cope with small-scale light stress under different vegetation restoration modes.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is a major carbon reduction technology that is rapidly developing worldwide. However, the impact of PV plant construction on subsurface microecosystems is currently understudied. We conducted a systematic investigation into the effects of small-scale light stress caused by shading of PV panels and sampling depth on the composition, diversity, survival strategy, and key driving factors of soil bacterial communities (SBCs) under two vegetation restoration modes, i.e., Euryops pectinatus (EP) and Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum (LC). The study revealed that light stress had a greater impact on rare species with relative abundances below 0.01% than on high-abundance species, regardless of the vegetation restoration pattern. Additionally, PV shadowing increased SBCs' biomass by 20-30% but had varying negative effects on the numbers of Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU), Shannon diversity, abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE), and Chao1 richness index. Co-occurrence and correlation network analysis revealed that symbiotic relationships dominated the key SBCs in the LC sample plots, with Chloroflexi and Actinobacteriota being the most ecologically important. In contrast, competitive relationships were significantly increased in the EP sample plots, with Actinobacteriota having the most ecological importance. In the EP sample plot, SBCs were found to be more tightly linked and had more stable ecological networks. This suggests that EP is more conducive to the stability and health of underground ecosystems in vulnerable areas when compared with LC. These findings offer new insights into the effects of small-scale light stress on subsurface microorganisms under different vegetation restoration patterns. Moreover, they may provide a reference for optimizing ecological restoration patterns in fragile areas.

Stop codon variant in EFEMP1 is associated with primary open-angle glaucoma due to impaired regulation of aqueous humor outflow.

It is known that the actin cytoskeleton and its associated cellular interactions in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and juxtacanalicular tissues mainly contribute to the formation of resistance to aqueous outflow of the eye. Fibulin-3, encoded by EFEMP1 gene, has a role in extracellular matrix (ECM) modulation, and interacts with enzymatic ECM regulators, but the effects of fibulin-3 on TM cells has not been explored. Here, we report a stop codon variant (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) of EFEMP1 that co-segregates with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) in a Chinese pedigree. In the human TM cells, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 reduced intracellular actin stress fibers formation and the extracellular fibronectin levels by inhibiting Rho/ROCK signaling. TGFß1 up-regulated fibulin-3 protein levels in human TM cells by activating Rho/ROCK signaling. In rat eyes, overexpression of wild-type fibulin-3 decreased the intraocular pressure and the fibronectin expression of TM, however, overexpression of mutant fibulin-3 (c.T1480C, p.X494Q) showed opposite effects in cells and rat eyes. Taken together, the EFEMP1 variant may impair the regulatory capacity of fibulin-3 which has a role for modulating the cell contractile activity and ECM synthesis in TM cells, and in turn may maintain normal resistance of aqueous humor outflow. This study contributes to the understanding of the important role of fibulin-3 in TM pathophysiology and provides a new possible POAG therapeutic approach.

Biochanin A inhibits endothelial dysfunction induced by IL­6­stimulated endothelial microparticles in Perthes disease via the NFκB pathway.

Endothelial dysfunction caused by the stimulation of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) by the inflammatory factor IL-6 is one of the pathogenic pathways associated with Perthes disease. The natural active product biochanin A (BCA) has an anti-inflammatory effect; however, whether it can alleviate endothelial dysfunction in Perthes disease is not known. The present in vitro experiments on human umbilical vein endothelial cells showed that 0-100 pg/ml IL-6-EMPs could induce endothelial dysfunction in a concentration-dependent manner, and the results of the Cell Counting Kit 8 assay revealed that, at concentrations of <20 µM, BCA had no cytotoxic effect. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR demonstrated that BCA reduced the expression levels of the endothelial dysfunction indexes E-selectin and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in a concentration-dependent manner. Immunofluorescence and western blotting illustrated that BCA increased the expression levels of zonula occludens-1 and decreased those of ICAM-1. Mechanistic studies showed that BCA inhibited activation of the NFκB pathway. In vivo experiments demonstrated that IL-6 was significantly increased in the rat model of ischemic necrosis of the femoral head, whereas BCA inhibited IL-6 production. Therefore, in Perthes disease, BCA may inhibit the NFκB pathway to suppress IL-6-EMP-induced endothelial dysfunction, and could thus be regarded as a potential treatment for Perthes disease.

Acetate Ions Facilitated Immobilization of Highly Dispersed Transition Metal Oxide Nanoclusters in Mesoporous Silica.

The immobilization of tiny active species within inert mesoporous silica imparts a range of functions, enhancing their applicability. A significant obstacle is the spontaneous migration and aggregation of these species within the mesopores, which threaten their uniform distribution. To address this, we propose a postmodification method that involves grafting transition metal oxide nanoclusters into silica mesopores via interfacial condensation, catalyzed by acetate ions. Specifically, CuO nanoclusters, in the form of oligomeric [O1-x-Cu2-(OH) 2x]n2+, have a strong interaction with the silica framework. This interaction inhibits their growth and prevents mesopore blockage. Theoretical calculation results reveal that the acetate ion promotes proton transfer among various hydroxy species, lowering the free energy and thereby facilitating the formation of Cu-O-Si bonds. This technique has also been successfully applied to the encapsulation of four other types of transition metal oxide nanoclusters. Our encapsulation strategy effectively addresses the challenge of dispersing transition metal oxides in mesoporous silica, offering a straightforward and widely applicable method for enhancing the functionality of mesoporous materials.

The effect of cognition in combination with an ACBT on dyspnea-related kinesiophobia in patients with moderate to severe COPD: Quasirandomized controlled trial study.

Patients with moderate to severe COPD frequently experience dyspnea, which causes these patients to acquire a fear of dyspnea and a fear of activity. This study developed a cognitive intervention combined with active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT) intervention program based on the fear-avoidance model, with the goal of evaluating the program's effectiveness in improving dyspnea-related kinesiophobia in patients with moderate to severe COPD. This study had a total of 106 participants. For 8 weeks, the intervention group (N=53) received cognitive combined with ACBT, while the control group (N=53) received standard care. The findings of the four times the dyspnea belief questionnaire were collected indicated that the combined intervention had a better impact on reducing dyspnea-related kinesiophobia than did routine nursing (P<0.05), and the impact persisted even after the intervention. Additionally, it may enhance dyspnea and quality of life, increase exercise capacity, and lower the BODE index.

B-type natriuretic peptide levels at admission predict the prognosis of patients with infective endocarditis undergoing cardiac surgery.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and the prognosis of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: In total, 162 IE patients with recorded BNP levels upon admission were included in the present study. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Results: Multivariate Cox analysis revealed a significant association between log BNP and all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a poorer prognosis for patients with BNP levels ≥ the 75th percentile. Furthermore, the linear trend test indicated a significant link between BNP quartiles and the primary end point within the models. Conclusion: Elevated BNP levels upon admission could predict all-cause mortality in IE patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Infective endocarditis (IE) refers to an infection affecting the heart lining, heart valves or blood vessels. Despite advancements in medical and surgical interventions, the overall mortality rate remains high among IE patients after surgery. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a peptide released in response to increased stress on the ventricular and atrial walls and is commonly used as a biomarker for heart failure. This study was aimed to assess the potential of BNP in predicting all-cause mortality in IE patients. The results indicate that elevated BNP levels upon admission could predict a worse prognosis following endocarditis surgery. Additionally, elevated BNP levels upon admission were associated with an increased risk of death.

Strong, tough and anisotropic bioinspired hydrogels.

Soft materials are widely used in tissue engineering, soft robots, wearable electronics, etc. However, it remains a challenge to fabricate soft materials, such as hydrogels, with both high strength and toughness that are comparable to biological tissues. Inspired by the anisotropic structure of biological tissues, a novel solvent-exchange-assisted wet-stretching strategy is proposed to prepare anisotropic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels by tuning the macromolecular chain movement and optimizing the polymer network. The reinforcing and toughening mechanisms are found to be "macromolecule crystallization and nanofibril formation". These hydrogels exhibit excellent mechanical properties, such as extremely high fracture stress (12.8 ± 0.7 MPa) and fracture strain (1719 ± 77%), excellent modulus (4.51 ± 0.76 MPa), high work of fracture (134.47 ± 9.29 MJ m-3), and fracture toughness (305.04 kJ m-2) compared with other strong hydrogels and even natural tendons. In addition, excellent conductivity, strain sensing capability, water retention, freezing resistance, swelling resistance, and biocompatibility can also be achieved. This work provides a new and effective method to fabricate multifunctional anisotropic hydrogels with high tunable strength and toughness with potential applications in the fields of regenerative medicine, flexible sensors, and soft robotics.

Artificial intelligence-based models enabling accurate diagnosis of ovarian cancer using laboratory tests in China: a multicentre, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Timely diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult due to the lack of effective biomarkers. Laboratory tests are widely applied in clinical practice, and some have shown diagnostic and prognostic relevance to ovarian cancer. We aimed to systematically evaluate the value of routine laboratory tests on the prediction of ovarian cancer, and develop a robust and generalisable ensemble artificial intelligence (AI) model to assist in identifying patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS: In this multicentre, retrospective cohort study, we collected 98 laboratory tests and clinical features of women with or without ovarian cancer admitted to three hospitals in China during Jan 1, 2012 and April 4, 2021. A multi-criteria decision making-based classification fusion (MCF) risk prediction framework was used to make a model that combined estimations from 20 AI classification models to reach an integrated prediction tool developed for ovarian cancer diagnosis. It was evaluated on an internal validation set (3007 individuals) and two external validation sets (5641 and 2344 individuals). The primary outcome was the prediction accuracy of the model in identifying ovarian cancer. FINDINGS: Based on 52 features (51 laboratory tests and age), the MCF achieved an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0·949 (95% CI 0·948-0·950) in the internal validation set, and AUCs of 0·882 (0·880-0·885) and 0·884 (0·882-0·887) in the two external validation sets. The model showed higher AUC and sensitivity compared with CA125 and HE4 in identifying ovarian cancer, especially in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. The MCF also yielded acceptable prediction accuracy with the exclusion of highly ranked laboratory tests that indicate ovarian cancer, such as CA125 and other tumour markers, and outperformed state-of-the-art models in ovarian cancer prediction. The MCF was wrapped as an ovarian cancer prediction tool, and made publicly available to provide estimated probability of ovarian cancer with input laboratory test values. INTERPRETATION: The MCF model consistently achieved satisfactory performance in ovarian cancer prediction when using laboratory tests from the three validation sets. This model offers a low-cost, easily accessible, and accurate diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer. The included laboratory tests, not only CA125 which was the highest ranked laboratory test in importance of diagnostic assistance, contributed to the characterisation of patients with ovarian cancer. FUNDING: Ministry of Science and Technology of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China; and Science and Technology Project of Guangzhou, China. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Betaine alleviates cognitive impairment induced by homocysteine through attenuating NLRP3-mediated microglial pyroptosis in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner.

Dementia, with homocysteine (Hcy) as an important risk factor, is a severe public health problem in the aging society. Betaine serves as a methyl donor and plays an important role in reducing Hcy. However, the effects and mechanisms of betaine on Hcy-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. Firstly, SD rats were injected with Hcy (400 µg/kg) through vena caudalis, and betaine (2.5 % w/v) was supplemented via drinking water for 14 days. Betaine supplementation could attenuate Hcy-induced cognitive impairment in the Y maze and novel object recognition tests by repairing brain injury. Meanwhile, microglial activation was observed to be inhibited by betaine supplementation using immunofluorescence and sholl analysis. Secondly, HMC3 cells were treated with betaine, which was found to decrease the ROS level, ameliorate cell membrane rupture, reduce the release of LDH, IL-18 and IL-1ß, and attenuate the damage of microglia to neurons. Mechanistically, betaine alleviates cognitive impairment by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis via reducing the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, cleaved-caspase-1, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, IL-18 and IL-1ß. Betaine treatment can increase SAM/SAH ratio, confirming its enhancement on methylation capacity. Furthermore, betaine treatment was found to enhance N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of NLRP3 mRNA, and reduced the NLRP3 mRNA stability through increasing the expression of the m6A reader YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 2 (YTHDF2). Finally, silencing YTHDF2 could reverse the inhibitory effect of betaine on pyroptosis. Our data demonstrated that betaine attenuated Hcy-induced cognitive impairment by suppressing microglia pyroptosis via inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner.

Embodied Conversational Agents for Chronic Diseases: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are computer-generated animated humanlike characters that interact with users through verbal and nonverbal behavioral cues. They are increasingly used in a range of fields, including health care. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to identify the current practice in the development and evaluation of ECAs for chronic diseases. METHODS: We applied a methodological framework in this review. A total of 6 databases (ie, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, and Web of Science) were searched using a combination of terms related to ECAs and health in October 2023. Two independent reviewers selected the studies and extracted the data. This review followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) statement. RESULTS: The literature search found 6332 papers, of which 36 (0.57%) met the inclusion criteria. Among the 36 studies, 27 (75%) originated from the United States, and 28 (78%) were published from 2020 onward. The reported ECAs covered a wide range of chronic diseases, with a focus on cancers, atrial fibrillation, and type 2 diabetes, primarily to promote screening and self-management. Most ECAs were depicted as middle-aged women based on screenshots and communicated with users through voice and nonverbal behavior. The most frequently reported evaluation outcomes were acceptability and effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review provides valuable insights for technology developers and health care professionals regarding the development and implementation of ECAs. It emphasizes the importance of technological advances in the embodiment, personalized strategy, and communication modality and requires in-depth knowledge of user preferences regarding appearance, animation, and intervention content. Future studies should incorporate measures of cost, efficiency, and productivity to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the benefits of using ECAs in health care.

Effectiveness of acupuncture for postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery: a prospective randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) is one of the most common complications among patients who have undergone thoracic surgery. Acupuncture has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal diseases and has shown benefit as an alternative therapy for the management of digestive ailments. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effectiveness of acupuncture as a means to aid postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: In total, 112 patients aged 18-70 years undergoing thoracoscopic surgery between 15 June 2022 and 30 August 2022 were randomized into two groups. Patients in the acupuncture group (AG) first received acupuncture treatment 4 h after surgery, and treatment was repeated at 24 and 48 h. Patients in the control group (CG) did not receive any acupuncture treatment. Both groups received the same anesthetic protocol. Ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) was performed in the paravertebral spaces between T4 and T5 with administration of 20 mL of 0.33% ropivacaine. All patients received patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after surgery. RESULTS: Median time to first flatus [interquartile range] in the AG was significantly less than in the CG (23.25 [18.13, 29.75] vs 30.75 [24.13, 45.38] h, p < 0.001). Time to first fluid intake after surgery was significantly less in the AG, as compared with the CG (4 [3, 7] vs 6.5 [4.13, 10.75] h, p = 0.003). Static pain, measured by visual analog scale (VAS) score, was significantly different on the third day after surgery (p = 0.018). Dynamic pain VAS scores were lower in the AG versus CG on the first three postoperative days (p = 0.014, 0.003 and 0.041, respectively). CONCLUSION: Addition of acupuncture appeared to improve recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function and alleviate posteoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. Acupuncture may represent a feasible strategy for the prevention of PGD occurrence. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2200060888 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry).

Folate deficiency promotes cervical squamous carcinoma SiHa cells progression by targeting miR-375/FZD4/ß-catenin signaling.

Epidemiological studies suggest an association between folate deficiency (FD) and cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) progression. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Our study showed that FD-driven downregulation of miR-375 promoted proliferation of SCC SiHa cells and progression of xenograft tumors developed from SiHa; however, the exact mechanism of this process remained unclear. The current study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which FD promotes the progression of SiHa cells by downregulating miR-375 expression. The results showed that miR-375 acted as a suppressor of SCC and inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SiHa cells. The FZD4 gene was identified as a target gene of miR-375, which can reverse the anti-onco effect of miR-375 and promote the proliferation and migration of SiHa cells. Furthermore, the regulatory effects of miR-375 and FZD4 on SiHa cells may be achieved by activating the ß-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, FD may regulate the expression of miR-375 by regulating its DNA methylation level in the promoter region. In conclusion, our study reveals that FD regulates the miR-375/FZD4 axis by increasing the methylation of the miR-375 promoter, thereby activating ß-catenin signaling to promote SiHa cells progression. This study may provide new insights into the role of folic acid in the prevention and treatment of SCC.

Betaine attenuates age-related suppression in autophagy via Mettl21c/p97/VCP axis to delay muscle loss.

Age-related impairment of autophagy accelerates muscle loss and lead to sarcopenia. Betaine can delay muscle loss as a dietary methyl donor via increasing S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM, a crucial metabolite for autophagy regulation) in methionion cycle. However, whether betaine can regulate autophagy level to attenuate degeneration in aging muscle remains unclear. Herein, male C57BL/6J young mice (YOU, 2-month-old), old mice (OLD, 15-month-old), and 2%-betaine-treated old mice (BET, 15-month-old) were employed and raised for 12 weeks. All mice underwent body composition examination and grip strength test before being sacrificed. Betaine alleviated age-related decline in muscle mass and strength. Meanwhile, betaine preserved the expression autophagy markers (Atg5, Atg7, LC3-II, and Beclin1) both at transcriptional and translational level during the aging process. RNA-sequencing results generated from mice gastrocnemius muscle found Mettl21c, a SAM-dependent autophagy-regulating methyltransferase, was significantly higher expressed in BET and YOU group. Results were further validated by qPCR and western bloting. In vitro, C2C12 cells with or without Mettl21c RNA interference were treated different concentration of betaine (0 mM, 10 mM) under methionine-starved condition. Compared with control group, betaine upregulated autophagy markers expression and autophagy flux. By increasing the SAM level, betaine facilitated trimethylation of p97 (Mettl21c downstream effector) into valosin-containing protein (VCP). Increased VCP promoted autophagic turnover of cellular components, ATP production, and cell differentiation. Knock-down of Metthl21c dismissed improvements mentioned above. Collectively, betaine could enhance aged skeletal muscle autophagy level via Mettl21c/p97/VCP axis to delay muscle loss.

Mitophagy genes in ovarian cancer: a comprehensive analysis for improved immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Mitophagy is a process of selectively degrading damaged mitochondria, which has been found to be related to immunity, tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis. However, the role of mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of ovarian cancer (OV) remains largely unexplored. METHODS: We analyzed the expression, prognosis, and genetic alterations of 29 MRGs in 480 OV samples. Unsupervised clustering was used to classify OV into two subtypes (clusters A and B) based on MRG changes. We compared the clinical features, differential expressed genes (DEGs), pathways, and immune cell infiltration between the two clusters. We constructed a mitophagy scoring system (MRG_score) based on the DEGs and validated its ability to predict overall survival of OV patients. RESULTS: We found that patients with high MRG_scores had better survival status and increased infiltration by immune cells. Further analysis showed that these patients may be more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. Additionally, the MRG_score significantly correlated with the sensitivity of chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted inhibitors. CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive analysis of MRGs in the TME, clinical features, and patient prognosis revealed that the MRG_score is a potentially effective prognostic biomarker and predictor of treatment. This study provides new insights into the role of MRGs in OV and identifies patients who may benefit from ICI treatment, chemotherapy, or targeted treatment.

Predicting Hospital Readmissions in Patients Receiving Novel-Dose Sacubitril/Valsartan Therapy: A Competing-Risk, Causal Mediation Analysis.

Backgrounds: Our study aimed to identify and predict patients with heart failure (HF) taking novel-dose Sacubitril/Valsartan (S/V) at risk for all-cause readmission, as well as investigate the possible role of left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR). Methods and results: There were 464 patients recruited from December 2017 to September 2021 in our hospital with a median follow-up of 660 days (range, 17-1494). Competing risk analysis with Gray's Test showed statistically significant differences in all-cause readmission (p-value< .001) across the three different dose groups. Models 1 and 2 were developed based on the results of univariable competing risk analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator approach, backward stepwise regression, and multivariable competing risk analysis. The internal verification (data-splitting method) indicated that Model 1 had better discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. The corresponding nomogram showed that patients aged 75 years and above, or taking the lowest-dose S/V (≤50 mg twice a day), or diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia, or valvular heart disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or diabetes mellitus were at the highest risk of all-cause readmission. In the causal mediation analysis, LVRR was considered as a critical mediator that negatively affected the difference of novel-dose S/V in readmission. Conclusions: A significant association was detected between novel-dose S/V and all-cause readmission in HF patients, in part negatively mediated by LVRR. The web-based nomogram could provide individual prediction of all-cause readmission in HF patients receiving novel-dose S/V. The effects of different novel-dose S/V are still needed to be explored further in the future.

Development of a behavior change intervention to improve physical activity in patients with COPD using the behavior change wheel: a non-randomized trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a theory-based behavior change intervention could promote changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as its effects on symptoms of dyspnea, lung function, exercise capacity, self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). A quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling were adopted. A total of 92 patients with stable COPD were recruited from outpatient and inpatient centers of two hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Both the experimental and control groups received standard medical care provided in the hospital. The experimental group performed a PA program based on the behavior change wheel theory. Outcomes were measured at baseline (T0) and after 4 weeks (T1), 8 weeks (T2), and 12 weeks of the intervention (T3). The primary outcome was PA measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Secondary outcomes included SB measured by the IPAQ, dyspnea measured by the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) questionnaire, exercise capacity assessed by 6-min walk distance (6MWD), self-efficacy measured by the Exercise Self-Regulatory Efficacy Scale (EX-SRES), and HRQoL measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT). In addition, we measured lung function using a spirometer at baseline and 12 weeks. Of the 89 patients included in this study, 64 were male (71.91%), with a mean age of 67.03 ± 6.15 years. At 12 weeks, the improvements in PA, SB, mMRC, 6MWD, EX-SRES and CAT were all statistically significant (P < 0.05) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that there were group effects and time effects on total PA, SB, mMRC, 6MWD, EX-SRES, and CAT in both groups (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in pulmonary function between the two groups before and after intervention (P < 0.05). The PA program based on theory significantly increased PA levels, reduced sedentary time, enhanced exercise capacity and self-efficacy as well as HRQoL in patients with stable COPD. Due to the limited intervention time in this study, the pulmonary function of COPD patients may not be reversed in a short time, and the long-term effect of this program on the pulmonary function of patients needs to be further explored.Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov (ChiCTR2200060590). Registered 05/06/2022.

Knockdown of HNRNPM inhibits the progression of glioma through inducing ferroptosis.

PURPOSE: Ferroptosis acts as an important regulator in diverse human tumors, including the glioma. This study aimed to screen potential ferroptosis-related genes involved in the progression of glioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Differently expressed genes (DEGs) were screened based on GSE31262 and GSE12657 datasets, and ferroptosis-related genes were separated. Among the important hub genes in the protein-protein interaction networks, HNRNPM was selected as a research target. Following the knockdown of HNRNPM, the viability, migration, and invasion were detected by CCK8, wound healing, and transwell assays, respectively. The role of HNRNPM knockdown was also verified in a xenograft tumor model in mice. Immunohistochemistry detected the expression levels of HNRNPM and Ki67. Moreover, the ferroptosis was evaluated according to the levels of iron, glutathione peroxidase (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the expression of PTGS2, GPX4, and FTH1. RESULTS: Total 41 overlapping DEGs relating with ferroptosis and glioma were screened, among which 4 up-regulated hub genes (HNRNPM, HNRNPA3, RUVBL1, and SNRPPF) were determined. The up-regulation of HNRNPM presented a certain predictive value for glioma. In addition, knockdown of HNRNPM inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of glioma cells in vitro, and also the tumor growth in mice. Notably, knockdown of HNRNPM enhanced the ferroptosis in glioma cells. Furthermore, HNRNPM was positively associated with SMARCA4 in glioma. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of HNRNPM inhibits the progression of glioma via inducing ferroptosis. HNRNPM is a promising molecular target for the treatment of glioma via inducing ferroptosis. We provided new insights of glioma progression and potential therapeutic guidance.

Yak-Derived CXCL14 Activates the Pro-Inflammatory Response of Macrophages and Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of HepG2.

CXCL14 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 14) is an important chemokine involved in infection and immunity and plays an important role in a variety of immune-related diseases. The 446 bp cDNA sequence of the CXCL14 gene in yaks was obtained. Additionally, the prokaryotic expression vector of the CXCL14 protein with a molecular weight of 27 kDa was successfully constructed and expressed. The proliferation activities and migration abilities of spleen macrophages were significantly inhibited after treatment with the CXCL14 protein at different concentrations (1, 10 and 20 µg/mL) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL6), interleukin 8 (IL8) and interferon-α (TNF-α) were significantly increased (p < 0.05), but the expression of anti-inflammatory factor interleukin 10 (IL10) was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The contents of inflammatory factors in the supernatant of cells were detected using ELISA, and it was also found that the contents of TNF-α, IL6 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX2) were significantly increased under different CXCL14 protein concentrations (p < 0.05). Finally, the exogenous addition of CXCL14 inhibited the activity, clonal formation and migration of hepatoma cells (HepG2). Additionally, after HepG2 cells were treated with 20 µg/mL CXCL14 protein for 12 h, 24 h and 36 h, the expression levels of BCL2 homologous antagonist/killer (BAK) and the BCL2-associated X apoptosis regulator (BAX) were increased to varying degrees, while the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A), the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) genes decreased compared to the control group. In conclusion, the CXCL14 protein can inhibit the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells by inducing the expression of macrophage pro-inflammatory factors and activating apoptosis-related genes to exert innate immunity. These results are helpful to further study the function of the CXCL14 protein and provide research data for the innate immune mechanism of yaks under harsh plateau environments.

Giant thoracic hematoma post-transradial coronary angiography: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Although there are cardiac interventional procedures, certain transradial access complications might be life-threatening. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old male was admitted for coronary angiography due to chest tightness and shortness of breath on exertion. Hours after the right transradial access angiography, the patients complained the right side of chest pain. Emergent chest X-ray revealed a giant mass in the right chest. The right radial artery was reaccessed and subsequent arteriograms confirmed that the presence of a rupture of the branch of right internal mammary artery. Simultaneously, a microcoil was implanted to seal the perforation. The perforation caused a thoracic hematoma measuring 13.8 cm × 6.7 cm, along with a decrease in hemoglobin concentration from 14.1 g/dL to a minimum of 7.8 g/dL. Additionally, the drainage of the hematoma and red blood cells transfusion were carried out. Further, the patient underwent ascending aortic replacement, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and thoracic hematoma removal. Postoperative echocardiography showed that the prosthetic valves were properly positioned and functioning normally. The patient recovered well after the surgery and remained event-free during the latest 14moth follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular perforation and subsequent hematoma might occur due to guidewire maneuvering during transradial approach. Awareness of prevention, early recognition and management of access complications may help reduce the occurrence and severity of complications related to the transradial approach.