Influence of information anxiety on core competency of registered nurses: mediating effect of digital health literacy.

BACKGROUND: In the information age of health care, nurses often face information overload, leading to negative emotions, e.g., anxiety that may impede the adoption of evidence-based practice and clinical decision-making process. Nurses with higher digital health literacy can effectively process and manage information. Despite this, no research has explored the relationship between information anxiety, digital health literacy, and core competency among nurses. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the mediating effects of digital health literacy on information anxiety and core competency among nurses. METHODS: From July to October 2023, the data for this cross-sectional study were collected. The study surveyed a total of 608 nurses from three tertiary hospitals in Fujian Province, and the survey instruments included a sociodemographic information questionnaire, Chinese revision version of the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (CR-DHLI), Information Anxiety Scale (IAS), and Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses (CIRN). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS 29.0, and the mediating effect of digital health literacy was examined using Mplus. RESULTS: The mean score of nurses' information anxiety, digital health literacy, and core competency was 3.03 ± 0.91, 2.46 ± 0.56, 2.72 ± 0.88, respectively. And the mediation model of information anxiety on core competency for nurses showed a good model fit index (χ²/df = 2.207, CFI = 0.985, TLI = 0.982, RMSEA = 0.045, SRMR = 0.035). Digital health literacy was positively correlated with nurses' core competency but negatively correlated with information anxiety. The results of path analysis revealed that information anxiety had negative and significant direct effects on NCC (ß = -0.119, P = 0.004) and DHL (ß = -0.297, P < 0.001). DHL had a positive effect on NCC (ß = 0.306, P < 0.001). Digital health literacy played a partial mediating role, accounting for 43.54% of the relationship between information anxiety and nurses' core competency. CONCLUSIONS: Information anxiety among nurses was at relatively high levels, which had a negative impact on the core competency of nurses. This issue requires attention from nursing managers. The mediating role of digital health literacy in the relationship between information anxiety and core competency among nurses has been established. Nursing managers should strengthen the evaluation of nurses' DHL and devise effective support strategies to enhance DHL, thus improving the core competence of nurses in information age.

Association of maternal infection of SARS-CoV-2 and neonatal susceptibility: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aims to assess the risk of neonatal susceptibility to COVID-19 among pregnant women. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 1089 pregnant women ≥28 weeks of gestational age, who were categorized into infected and uninfected groups. Data for all participants were collected through a comprehensive review of electronic medical records and follow-up phone calls. The primary outcome was neonatal infection with SARS-CoV-2, while secondary outcomes included delivery patterns and gestational age at delivery. Results: Maternal vaccination (OR 95%CI:0.63[0.46, 0.85]) and maternal infection with SARS-CoV-2 (OR 95%CI: 0.45[0.34, 0.60]) were found to be associated with a decreased risk of neonatal infection. The infected group exhibited a lower neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection rate (25.93%) compared to the uninfected group (45.15%). Logistic regression analysis identified several risk factors associated with an increased risk of neonatal infection, including pregnancy BMI (OR 95%CI: 1.04[1.01, 1.08]), age at first pregnancy (OR 95%CI: 1.05[1.01, 1.10]), age at menarche (OR 95%CI: 1.13[1.02, 1.26]), and parturition (Yes vs. No) (OR 95%CI:1.4 [1.04,1.88]). Conclusion: Maternal vaccination and perinatal infection with SARS-CoV-2 play a protective role in preventing neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infection.

[Clinical Significance of the Levels of Peripheral Blood Tregs and Cytokines IL-35, TGF-ß and IL-10 in Hemophilia A Patients with Fâ § Inhibitor].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the levels of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and cytokines IL-35, TGF-ß and IL-10 in peripheral blood of hemophilia A(HA) patients with FⅧ inhibitor and their clinical significance. METHODS: 43 HA patients admitted to the Hematology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Science and Technology from October 2019 to December 2020 were selected, including 6 cases with FⅧ inhibitor and 37 cases without FⅧ inhibitor. In addition, 20 healthy males who underwent physical examinations were selected as healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of CD4 + CD25 + CD127 - Tregs in peripheral blood of the HA patients and healthy controls, and ELISA assay was used to detect the expression levels of IL-35, TGF-ß and IL-10 in serum, and their differences between different groups were compared. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy control group, the level of Tregs in HA patients was decreased, and the level of Tregs in the FⅧ inhibitor positive group was the lowest, the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression level of Tregs in HA patients of different severity levels. The serum IL-35, TGF-ß, and IL-10 levels in both FⅧ inhibitor negative and positive groups were significantly lower than those in healthy control group, and those in FⅧ inhibitor positive group were significantly lower than those in FⅧ inhibitor negative group (all P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The decrease of Tregs, IL-35, TGF-ß, and IL-10 levels in HA patients may be related to the formation of FⅧ inhibitors.

Factors influencing the prognosis of patients with cardiogenic shock treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock is a clinical syndrome caused by primary heart disease that results in decreased cardiac output and insufficient systemic perfusion. A study was conducted to determine what factors affect survival in patients with cardiogenic shock treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across various databases, including CKNI, VIP, Wan Fang, CBM, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, to gather factors linked to the prognosis of patients with cardiogenic shock who underwent ECMO treatment. The search period for each database was set to conclude on April 30, 2024. RESULTS: The findings suggest that, in comparison to the death group, the lactic acid levels of the survival group after treatment were significantly lower (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.79, -0.58). In addition, the creatinine levels of the survival group after treatment were also significantly lower than those of the death group (95% CI: -0.39, -0.14). Furthermore, the troponin levels in the survival group after treatment were lower than those in the death group (95% CI: -0.32, 0.04), and the total bilirubin levels in the survival group after treatment were also lower than those in the death group (95% CI: -0.62, -0.23). CONCLUSIONS: According to the study, total bilirubin, creatinine, and lactic acid levels were lower in the survival group than in the death group when ECMO was used to treat cardiogenic patients, suggesting a better prognosis for patients with cardiogenic shock. Therefore, total bilirubin, creatinine, and lactic acid could be influential factors in the prognosis of survival in patients with cardiogenic shock.

High-risk ARGs (HRA) Chip: A high-throughput qPCR-based array for assessment of high-risk ARGs from the environment.

The global surge in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) presents a serious public health challenge. While methods like metagenomic analysis and qPCR arrays have been instrumental in investigating ARG distributions and dynamics, the vast diversity of ARGs often complicates effective monitoring and risk assessment. Here, we developed a High-Risk ARGs (HRA) chip based on high-capacity quantitative PCR array targeting previously identified high-risk ARGs. These ARGs are known to be prevalent in human-related environments, exhibit gene mobility, and are present in ESKAPE pathogens. The HRA chip include 101 primer sets and the 16S rRNA gene as a reference. These primer sets consist of 34 obtained from previous studies, and 67 newly designed primer sets which were validated in silico and experimentally. Absolute quantification of targeted ARGs is accomplished by generating standard curves for all ARGs with serially ten-fold diluted mixed plasmids containing targeted ARG sequences. The amplification efficiencies of all ARGs exceed 99% via plasmid template dilution tests, suggesting high reliability in quantification. The performance of HRA chip is further evaluated by practical applications in environmental samples from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and soils with various land use types and fertilization regimes. The results indicate the dynamics of high-risk ARGs during wastewater treatment process, and reveal the profiles of soil high-risk ARGs which is distinct from those derived via metagenomic approaches. These findings highlight the potentials of HRA Chip in the evaluation of anthropogenic impacts on the environmental resistome with a more focused spectrum of high-risk ARGs. Overall, the HRA Chip emerges as a powerful and efficient high-throughput tool for rapid detection and quantification of high-risk ARGs, facilitating comprehensive profiling of high-risk resistomes in environmental samples which is essential for human health risk assessment of ARGs.

One-year follow-up of the effectiveness and mediators of cognitive behavioural therapy among adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: secondary outcomes of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in medicated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adults with residual symptoms needs to be verified across multiple dimensions, especially with respect to maladaptive cognitions and psychological quality of life (QoL). An exploration of the mechanisms underlying the additive benefits of CBT on QoL in clinical samples may be helpful for a better understanding of the CBT conceptual model and how CBT works in medicated ADHD. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial including 98 medicated ADHD adults with residual symptoms who were randomly allocated to the CBT combined with medication (CBT + M) group or the medication (M)-only group. Outcomes included ADHD-core symptoms (ADHD Rating Scale), depression symptoms (Self-rating Depression Scale), maladaptive cognitions (Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale), and psychological QoL (World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version-psychological domain). Mixed linear models (MLMs) were used to analyse the long-term effectiveness at one-year follow-up, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to explore the potential mechanisms of CBT on psychological QoL. RESULTS: ADHD patients in the CBT + M group outperformed the M-only group in reduction of ADHD core symptoms (d = 0.491), depression symptoms (d = 0.570), a trend of reduction of maladaptive cognitions (d = 0.387 and 0.395, respectively), and improvement of psychological QoL (d = - 0.433). The changes in above dimensions correlated with each other (r = 0.201 ~ 0.636). The influence of CBT on QoL was mediated through the following four pathways: 1) changes in ADHD core symptoms; 2) changes in depressive symptoms; 3) changes in depressive symptoms and then maladaptive cognitions; and 4) changes firstly in depressive symptoms, maladaptive cognitions, and then ADHD core symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term effectiveness of CBT in medicated ADHD adults with residual symptoms was further confirmed. The CBT conceptual model was verified in clinical samples, which would be helpful for a deeper understanding of how CBT works for a better psychological QoL outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1900021705 (2019-03-05).

Endoplasmic Reticulum-Targeting Self-Assembly Nanosheets Promote Autophagy and Regulate Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment for Efficient Photodynamic Immunotherapy.

The poor efficiency and low immunogenicity of photodynamic therapy (PDT), and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITM) lead to tumor recurrence and metastasis. In this work, TCPP-TER-Zn@RSV nanosheets (TZR NSs) that co-assembled from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeting photosensitizer TCPP-TER-Zn nanosheets (TZ NSs for short) and the autophagy promoting and indoleamine-(2, 3)-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor-like resveratrol (RSV) are fabricated to enhance antitumor PDT. TZR NSs exhibit improved therapeutic efficiency and amplified immunogenic cancer cell death (ICD) by ER targeting PDT and ER autophagy promotion. TZR NSs reversed the ITM with an increase of CD8+ T cells and reduce of immunosuppressive Foxp3 regulatory T cells, which effectively burst antitumor immunity thus clearing residual tumor cells. The ER-targeting TZR NSs developed in this paper presents a simple but valuable reference for high-efficiency tumor photodynamic immunotherapy.

Development of high-concentration labeled colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strips for detecting african swine fever virus p30 protein antibodies.

African Swine Fever (ASF), caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), has inflicted significant economic losses on the pig industry in China. The key to mitigating its impact lies in accurate screening and strict biosecurity measures. In this regard, the development of colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strips (CGITS) has proven to be an effective method for detecting ASFV antibodies. These test strips are based on the ASFV p30 recombinant protein and corresponding monoclonal antibodies. The design of the test strip incorporates a high-concentration colloidal gold-labeled p30 recombinant protein as the detection sensor, utilizing Staphylococcal Protein A (SPA) as the test line (T line), and p30 monoclonal antibody as the control line (C line). The sensitivity and specificity of the test strip were evaluated after optimizing the labeling concentration, pH, and protein dosage. The research findings revealed that the optimal colloidal gold labeling concentration was 0.05 %, the optimal pH was 8.4, and the optimal protein dosage was 10 µg/mL. Under these conditions, the CGITS demonstrated a detection limit of 1:512 dilution of ASFV standard positive serum, without exhibiting cross-reactivity with antibodies against other viral pathogens. Furthermore, the test strips remained stable for up to 20 days when stored at 50 °C and 4 °C. Comparatively, the CGITS outperformed commercial ELISA kits, displaying a sensitivity of 90.9 % and a specificity of 96.2 %. Subsequently, 108 clinical sera were tested to assess its performance. The data showed that the coincidence rate between the CGITS and ELISA was 93.5 %. In conclusion, the rapid colloidal gold test strip provides an efficient and reliable screening tool for on-site clinical detection of ASF in China. Its accuracy, stability, and simplicity make it a valuable asset in combating the spread of ASF and limiting its impact on the pig industry.

Nonreciprocal strong mechanical squeezing based on the Sagnac effect and two-tone driving.

We propose a scheme for generating nonreciprocal strong mechanical squeezing by using two-tone lasers to drive a spinning optomechanical system. For given driving frequencies, strong mechanical squeezing of the breathing mode in the spinning resonator can be achieved in a chosen driving direction but not in the other. The nonreciprocity originates from the Sagnac effect caused by the resonator's spinning. We also find the classical nonreciprocity and the quantum nonreciprocity can be switched by simply changing the angular velocity of the spinning resonator. We show that the scheme is robust to the system's dissipations and the mechanical thermal noise. This work may be meaningful for the study of nonreciprocal device and quantum precision measurement.

Treatment for locally resectable stage IIIC1r cervical cancer: surgery or chemoradiotherapy?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic value and treatment-related complications of radical hysterectomy with those of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally resectable (T1a2-T2a1) stage IIIC1r cervical cancer. METHODS: A total of 213 patients with locally resectable stage IIIC1r cervical cancer who had been treated at Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between January 2013 and December 2021 were included in the study and classified into two groups: surgery (148 patients) and CCRT (65 patients). The disease-free survival (DFS) rate, overall survival (OS) rate, side effects, and economic costs associated with the two groups were compared. RESULTS: 43.9% (65/148) patients in the surgical group had no pelvic lymph node metastasis, and 21of them did not require supplementary treatment after surgery due to a low risk of postoperative pathology. The median follow-up time was 46 months (range: 7-108 months). The five-year DFS and OS rates of the surgery group were slightly higher than those of the CCRT group (80.7% vs. 75.1% and 81.6% vs. 80.6%, respectively; p > 0.05). The incidences of grade III-IV gastrointestinal reactions in the surgery and CCRT groups were 5.5% and 9.2%, respectively (p = 0.332). Grade III-IV myelosuppression was identified in 27.6% of the surgery group and 26.2% of the CCRT group (p = 0.836). The per capita treatment cost was higher for the surgery group than for the CCRT group (RMB 123, 918.6 0 vs. RMB 101, 880.90, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effects and treatment-related complications of hysterectomy and CCRT are equivalent in patients with locally resectable stage IIIC1r cervical cancer, but surgery can provide accurate lymph node information and benefit patients with unnecessary radiation.

Cypermethrin induces Sertoli cell apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial coupling involving IP3R1-GRP75-VDAC1.

A widely used type II pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin (CYP) is one of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with anti-androgenic activity to induce male reproductive toxicology. However, the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study was to explore the effects of CYP on apoptosis of mouse Sertoli cells (TM4) and the roles of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria coupling involving 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type1-glucose-regulated protein 75-voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (IP3R1-GRP75-VDAC1). TM4 were cultured with different concentrations of CYP. Flow cytometry, calcium (Ca2+) fluorescent probe, transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy, and western blot were to examine apoptosis of TM4, mitochondrial Ca2+, ER-mitochondria coupling, and expressions of related proteins. CYP was found to increase apoptotic rates of TM4 significantly. CYP was shown to significantly increase expressions of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+ was increased by CYP treatment significantly. CYP significantly enhanced ER-mitochondria coupling. CYP was shown to increase expressions of IP3R, Grp75 and VDAC1 significantly. We suggest that CYP induces apoptosis in TM4 cells by facilitating mitochondrial Ca2+ overload regulated by ER-mitochondria coupling involving IP3R1-GRP75-VDAC1. This study identifies a novel mechanism of CYP-induced apoptosis in Sertoli cells.

Voluntary running wheel exercise induces cognitive improvement post traumatic brain injury in mouse model through redressing aberrant excitation regulated by voltage-gated sodium channels 1.1, 1.3, and 1.6.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to disturbed brain discharge rhythm, elevated excitability, anxiety-like behaviors, and decreased learning and memory capabilities. Cognitive dysfunctions severely affect the quality of life and prognosis of TBI patients, requiring effective rehabilitation treatment. Evidence indicates that moderate exercise after brain injury decreases TBI-induced cognitive decline. However, the underlying mechanism remains unelucidated. Our results demonstrate that TBI causes cognitive impairment behavior abnormalities and overexpression of Nav1.1, Nav1.3 and Nav1.6 proteins inside the hippocampus of mice models. Three weeks of voluntary running wheel (RW) exercise treatments before or/and post-injury effectively redressed the aberrant changes caused by TBI. Additionally, a 10% exercise-conditioned medium helped recover cell viability, neuronal sodium current and expressions of Nav1.1, Nav1.3 and Nav1.6 proteins across cultured neurons after injury. Therefore, the results validate the neuroprotection induced by voluntary RW exercise treatment before or/and post-TBI. The RW exercise-induced improvement in cognitive behaviors and neuronal excitability could be associated with correcting the Nav1.1, Nav1.3, and Nav1.6 expression levels. The current study proves that voluntary exercise is an effective treatment strategy against TBI. The study also highlights novel potential targets for rehabilitating TBI, including the Navs proteins.

Research progress on the role of cytochrome P450 in plant sesquiterpene biosynthesis / 药学学报

Sesquiterpenes are natural terpenoids with 15 carbon atoms in the basic skeleton, which mainly exist in plant volatile oil and have important physiological and medicinal value. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) is a kind of monooxygenase encoded by supergene family, which is one of the largest gene families in plants. It is involved in the synthesis and metabolism of terpenoids, alkaloids and other secondary metabolites. In the process of terpene biosynthesis, CYP450 participates in the post-modification stage of terpenes by introducing functional groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl, which plays an important role in enriching the diversity of terpenes. The CYP450 enzymes involved in sesquiterpene synthesis and their substrate catalytic specificity mechanisms have been partially investigated. In this paper, the biosynthetic pathway of plant sesquiterpenes, the structure and classification of CYP450 enzymes were briefly introduced, and the CYP450 enzymes involved in sesquiterpene biosynthesis were summarized, in order to provide a reference for intensive study of the role of CYP450 enzymes in the synthesis of sesquiterpenoids.

Study on The Toxicity of Strychnos nux-vomica L. in vivo in Rats：Application of Bagging Algorithm and 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Technology in Toxicology Research / 生物化学与生物物理进展

ObjectiveThe traditional Chinese medicine Strychnos nux-vomica L. (SN) has the clinical effect of reducing swelling and relieving pain; however, SN is toxic due to its alkaloid components. Little is known about the endogenous metabolic changes induced by SN toxicity in rats and their potential effects on the metabolic dysregulation of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, toxicological investigation of SN is of great significance to its safety assessment. In this study, the toxic mechanisms of SN were explored using a combination of metabonomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. MethodsThe toxic dose, intensity, and target organ of SN were determined in rats using acute, cumulative, and subacute toxicity tests. UHPLC-MS was used to analyze the serum, liver, and renal samples of rats after intragastric SN administration. The decision tree and K Nearest Neighbor (KNN) model were established based on the bootstrap aggregation (bagging) algorithm to classify the omics data. After samples were extracted from rat feces, the high-throughput sequencing platform was used to analyze the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region of bacteria. ResultsThe bagging algorithm improved the accuracy of sample classification. Twelve biomarkers were identified, where their metabolic dysregulation may be responsible for SN toxicity in vivo. Several types of bacteria such as Bacteroidetes, Anaerostipes, Oscillospira and Bilophila, were demonstrated to be closely related to physiological indices of renal and liver function, indicating that SN-induced liver and kidney damage may be related to the disturbance of these intestinal bacteria. ConclusionThe toxicity mechanism of SN was revealed in vivo, which provides a scientific basis for the safe and rational clinical use of SN.

ABO blood types may affect transient neurological events after surgical revascularization in patients with moyamoya disease: a retrospective single center study.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular disease with unknown cause. Patients with MMD disease usually experience transient neurological events (TNEs) after revascularization surgery. This retrospective single-center study was aimed to explore the risk factors of postoperative TNEs after surgical revascularization in patients with MMD. METHODS: We selected 324 patients who underwent surgical revascularization between January 2017 and September 2022 in our center. The perioperative characteristics of the patients were recorded and the outcome was TNEs after surgery. An analysis of risk factors contributing to postoperative TNEs by using logistic regression model. RESULTS: Three hundred twelve patients were enrolled, and the incidence of postoperative TNEs was 34% in our study. Males were more likely to suffer from postoperative TNEs (OR = 2.344, p = 0.002). Preoperative ischemic presentation (OR = 1.849, p = 0.048) and intraoperative hypotension (OR = 2.332, p = 0.002) were associated with postoperative TNEs. Compared to patients with blood type O, patients with blood type A (OR = 2.325, p = 0.028), B (OR = 2.239, p = 0.027) and AB (OR = 2.938, p = 0.019) had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative TNEs. A risk prediction model for postoperative TNEs was established, and the established risk prediction area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of the model was 0.741. CONCLUSIONS: Males, preoperative ischemic presentation and intraoperative hypotension were associated with postoperative TNEs. We also found a possible link between postoperative TNEs and ABO blood types after surgical revascularization for moyamoya patients.

Low-Permittivity and Low-Temperature Cofired BaSO4-BaF2 Microwave Dielectric Ceramics for High-Reliability Packaged Electronics.

In developing low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology for high-density packaging or advanced packaged electronics, matching the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) among the packaged components is a critical challenge to improve reliability. The CTEs of solders and organic laminates are usually larger than 16.0 ppm of °C1-, while most low-permittivity (εr) dielectric ceramics have CTEs of less than 10.0 ppm °C1-. Therefore, a good CTE match between organic laminates and dielectric ceramics is required for further LTCC applications. In this paper, we propose a high-CTE BaSO4-BaF2 LTCC as a potential solution for high-reliability packaged electronics. The BaSO4-BaF2 ceramics have the advantages of a wide low-temperature sintering range (650-850 °C), low loss, temperature stability, and Ag compatibility, ensuring excellent performance in LTCC technology. The 95 wt %BaSO4-5 wt %BaF2 ceramic has a εr of 9.1, a Q × f of 40,100 GHz @11.03 GHz (Q = 1/tan δ), a temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency of -11.2 ppm °C1-, a CTE of +21.8 ppm °C1-, and a thermal conductivity of 1.3 W mK-1 when sintered at 750 °C. Furthermore, a dielectric resonant antenna using BaSO4-BaF2 ceramics, a typically packaged component of LTCC and laminate, was designed and used to verify the excellent performance by a gain of 6.0 dBi at a central frequency of 8.97 GHz and a high radiation efficiency of 90% over a bandwidth of 760 MHz. Good match and low thermal stress were found in the packaged components of BaSO4-BaF2 ceramics, organic laminates, and Sn-based solders by finite element analysis, proving the potential of this LTCC for high-reliability packaged electronics.

Contribution of ADD3 and the HLA Genes to Biliary Atresia Risk in Chinese.

Nonsyndromic biliary atresia (BA) is a rare polygenic disease, with autoimmunity, virus infection and inflammation thought to play roles in its pathogenesis. We conducted a genome-wide association study in 336 nonsyndromic BA infants and 8900 controls. Our results validated the association of rs17095355 in ADD3 with BA risk (odds ratio (OR) = 1.70, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.49-1.99; p = 4.07 × 10-11). An eQTL analysis revealed that the risk allele of rs17095355 was associated with increased expression of ADD3. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that ADD3 was moderately expressed in cholangiocytes and weakly expressed in hepatocytes. Immuno-fluorescent staining showed abnormal deposition of ADD3 in the cytoplasm of BA hepatocytes. No ADD3 auto-antibody was observed in the plasma of BA infants. In the HLA gene region, no variants achieved genome-wide significance. HLA-DQB1 residue Ala57 is the most significant residue in the MHC region (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.20-1.74; p = 1.23 × 10-4), and HLA-DQB1 was aberrantly expressed in the bile duct cells. GWAS stratified by cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM status in 87 CMV IgM (+) BA cases versus 141 CMV IgM (-) BA cases did not yield genome-wide significant associations. These findings support the notion that common variants of ADD3 account for BA risk. The HLA genes might have a minimal role in the genetic predisposition of BA due to the weak association signal. CMV IgM (+) BA patients might not have different genetic risk factor profiles compared to CMV IgM (-) subtype.

[Effects of Methionine Restriction on Proliferation, Cell Cycle, and Apoptosis of Human Acute Leukemia Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of methionine restriction on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of human acute leukemia cells. METHODS: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the effect of methionine restriction on HL-60 and Jurkat cells proliferation. The effect of methionine restriction on cell cycle of HL-60 and Jurkat cells was examined by PI staining. Annexin V-FITC / PI double staining was applied to detect apoptosis of HL-60 and Jurkat cells following methionine restriction. The expression of cell cycle-related proteins cyclin B1, CDC2 and apoptosis-related protein Bcl-2 was evaluated by Western blot assay. RESULTS: Methionine restriction significantly inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 and Jurkat cells in a time-dependent manner (HL-60: r =0.7773, Jurkat: r =0.8725), arrested the cells at G2/M phase (P < 0.001), and significantly induced apoptosis of HL-60 and Jurkat cells (HL-60: P < 0.001; Jurkat: P < 0.05). Furthermore, Western blot analysis demonstrated that methionine restriction significantly reduced the proteins expression of Cyclin B1 (P < 0.05), CDC2 (P < 0.01) and Bcl-2 (P < 0.001) in HL-60 and Jurkat cells. CONCLUSION: Acute leukemia cells HL-60 and Jurkat exhibit methionine dependence. Methionine restriction can significantly inhibit the proliferation, promote cell cycle arrest and induce apoptosis of HL-60 and Jurkat cells, which suggests that methionine restriction may be a potential therapeutic strategy for acute leukemia.

Kynureninase knockdown inhibits cisplatin resistance in vivo and in vitro and impacts the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure in cases of cervical adenocarcinoma (ADC), and no effective treatment approach has yet been found. We previously identified the differentially expressed kynureninase (KYNU) mRNA in cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) and cervical adenocarcinoma cisplatin resistance cells (HeLa/DDP) using gene chips. However, the role and potential mechanism of KYNU in the cisplatin resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma remain unclear. METHODS: We verified the expression of KYNU in the cells and tissues of ADC patients and analyzed its correlation with patient prognosis. A stable HeLa/DDP cell line with KYNU mRNA knockdown was constructed. We then used a CCK8 assay to detect cell survival, a transwell assay to evaluate cell migration and proliferation and flow cytometry to measure apoptosis. The effect of KYNU silence on cisplatin sensitivity was evaluated in an orthotopic model of metastatic ADC. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the changes in relevant drug resistance-associated protein expression, aiming to explore the underlying mechanism of KYNU-mediated drug resistance. RESULTS: KYNU is overexpressed in HeLa/DDP cells and tissues and is associated with the poor prognoses of patients with ADC. After KYNU mRNA knockdown, the invasion, migration, and proliferation of HeLa/DDP cells in the cisplatin environment significantly reduced, while the apoptosis rate of HeLa/DDP cells significantly increased. Meanwhile, KYNU knockdown improved the DDP sensitivity of ADC in vivo. Furthermore, silencing KYNU decreased the expressions of CD34 and the drug-resistance related proteins P-gp, MRP1, and GST-π and increased the level of the proapoptotic regulatory protein Bax. CONCLUSION: KYNU deficiency enhanced DDP sensitivity by suppressing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoting apoptosis in DDP-resistant ADC cells in vitro. Furthermore, KYNU knockdown improved the drug sensitivity of ADC in vivo. The results showed that KYNU is involved in the chemotherapy resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma.

Clinical study of extrahepatic biliary adenoma.

BACKGROUND: Biliary adenomas that occur in the extrahepatic biliary tree are rare. It is difficult to distinguish it from cholangiocarcinoma or cholangiolithiasis by various imaging examinations, and it is very easy to be misdiagnosed. AIM: To evaluate the cumulative experiences including clinical characteristics and treatments of nine patients diagnosed with extrahepatic biliary adenoma admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from 2016 to 2022. METHODS: A total of nine patients were included in our study. The laboratory examinations, disease diagnosis, therapy and pathological characteristics, and follow-up of every patient were evaluated. RESULTS: Our cohort consisted of six females and three males with an average diagnosis age of 65.1 years (range 46-87). Six extrahepatic biliary adenomas were located in the common bile ducts and three in the hepatic duct. On initial presentation, all of the patients have symptom of biliary origin, including obstructive jaundice (4/9, 44.4%), abdominal pain (6/9, 66.7%), and fever (3/9, 33.3%). Preoperative imaging examination considered bile duct carcinoma in 6 cases and bile duct calculi in 3 cases. All the patients received surgical treatment and were confirmed by pathology as biliary adenoma. The symptoms improved significantly in all 9 patients after surgery. Seven of nine patients recovered well at follow-up without tumor recurrence. One patient died 2 mo after the surgery due to heart failure. One patient developed jaundice again 8 mo after surgery, underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and biliary stent placement. CONCLUSION: Benign extrahepatic biliary tumors are rare and difficult to diagnosis preoperatively. Intraoperative choledochoscopy and timely biopsy may offer great advantages.