Trends in the mobility of primary healthcare human resources in underdeveloped regions of western China from 2000 to 2021: Evidence from Nanning.

OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to identify the fundamental and geographic characteristics of the primary healthcare personnel mobility in Nanning from 2000 to 2021 and clarify the determinants that affect their transition to non-primary healthcare institutions. METHODS: Through utilizing the Primary Healthcare Personnel Database (PHPD) for 2000-2021, the study conducts descriptive statistical analysis on demographic, economic, and professional aspects of healthcare personnel mobility across healthcare reform phases. Geographic Information Systems (QGIS) were used to map mobility patterns, and R software was employed to calculate spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I). Logistic regression identified factors that influenced the transition to non-primary institutions. RESULTS: Primary healthcare personnel mobility is divided into four phases: initial (2000-2008), turning point (2009-2011), rapid development (2012-2020), and decline (2021). The rapid development stage saw increased mobility with no spatial clustering in inflow and outflow. From 2016 to 2020, primary healthcare worker mobility reached its peak, in which the most significant movement occurred between township health centers and other institutions. Aside from their transition to primary medical institutions, the primary movement of grassroots health personnel predominantly directs towards secondary general hospitals, tertiary general hospitals, and secondary specialized hospitals. Since 2012, the number and mobility distance of primary healthcare workers have become noticeably larger and remained at a higher level from 2016 to 2020. The main migration of primary healthcare personnel occurred in their districts (counties). Key transition factors include gender, education, ethnicity, professional category, general practice registration, and administrative division. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of the features of primary healthcare personnel mobility in the less developed western regions of China, in which Nanning was taken as a case study. It uncovers the factors that impact the flow of primary healthcare personnel to non-primary healthcare institutions. These findings are helpful to policy refinement and support the retention of primary healthcare workers.

Regulatory role of the miR-142-3p/CDC25C axis in modulating autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: With its diverse genetic foundation and heterogeneous nature, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) needs a better comprehension of prognostic evaluation and efficient treatment targeting. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was performed of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-NSCLC and GSE68571 dataset. Overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were used for functional enrichment analysis and constructing the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In addition, key prognostic genes were identified through prognostic risk models, and their expression levels were verified. The phenotypic effects of cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) regulation on NSCLC cell lines were assessed by in vitro experiments using various techniques such as flow cytometry, Transwell, and colony formation. Protein levels related to autophagy and apoptosis were assessed, specifically examining the impact of autophagy inhibition [3-methyladenine (3-MA)] and the miR-142-3p/CDC25C axis on this regulatory system. Results: CDC25C was identified as a key prognostic marker in NSCLC, showing high expression in tumor samples. In vitro experiments showed that CDC25C knockdown markedly reduced the capacity of cells to proliferate, migrate, invade, trigger apoptosis, and initiate cell cycle arrest. CDC25C and miR-142-3p displayed a reciprocal regulatory relationship. CDC25C reversed the inhibitory impacts of miR-142-3p on NSCLC cell cycle proliferation and progression. The synergy of miR-142-3p inhibition, CDC25C silencing, and 3-MA treatment was shown to regulate NSCLC cell processes including proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. Conclusions: MiR-142-3p emerged as a key player in governing autophagy and apoptosis by directly targeting CDC25C expression. This emphasizes the pivotal role of the miR-142-3p/CDC25C axis as a critical regulatory pathway in NSCLC.

Suppression of long noncoding RNA SNHG6 alleviates cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation by modulating NF-κB signaling.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a widespread inflammatory disease with a high mortality rate. Long noncoding RNAs play important roles in pulmonary diseases and are potential targets for inflammation intervention. METHODS: The expression of small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 (SNHG6) in mouse lung epithelial cell line MLE12 with or without cigarette smoke extract (CSE) treatment was first detected using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. ELISA was used to evaluate the release of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6). The binding site of miR-182-5p with SNHG6 was predicted by using miRanda, which was verified by double luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: Here, we revealed that SNHG6 was upregulated in CS-exposed MLE12 alveolar epithelial cells and lungs from COPD-model mice. SNHG6 silencing weakened CS-induced inflammation in MLE12 cells and mouse lungs. Mechanistic investigations revealed that SNHG6 could upregulate IκBα kinase through sponging the microRNA miR-182-5p, followed by activated NF-κB signaling. The suppressive effects of SNHG6 silencing on CS-induced inflammation were blocked by an miR-182-5p inhibitor. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings suggested that SNHG6 regulates CS-induced inflammation in COPD by activating NF-κB signaling, thereby offering a novel potential target for COPD treatment.

Robustness optimization for rapid prototyping of functional artifacts based on visualized computing digital twins.

This study presents a robustness optimization method for rapid prototyping (RP) of functional artifacts based on visualized computing digital twins (VCDT). A generalized multiobjective robustness optimization model for RP of scheme design prototype was first built, where thermal, structural, and multidisciplinary knowledge could be integrated for visualization. To implement visualized computing, the membership function of fuzzy decision-making was optimized using a genetic algorithm. Transient thermodynamic, structural statics, and flow field analyses were conducted, especially for glass fiber composite materials, which have the characteristics of high strength, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, dimensional stability, and electrical insulation. An electrothermal experiment was performed by measuring the temperature and changes in temperature during RP. Infrared thermographs were obtained using thermal field measurements to determine the temperature distribution. A numerical analysis of a lightweight ribbed ergonomic artifact is presented to illustrate the VCDT. Moreover, manufacturability was verified based on a thermal-solid coupled finite element analysis. The physical experiment and practice proved that the proposed VCDT provided a robust design paradigm for a layered RP between the steady balance of electrothermal regulation and manufacturing efficacy under hybrid uncertainties.

Circ_0000520 interacts with miR-512-5p to upregulate KIAA0100 to promote malignant behaviors in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: CircRNAs function as pivotal molecules to regulate the malignant development of lung cancer. This study was designed to research the functional role and how it acted in lung cancer progression. METHODS: Circ_0000520, microRNA-512-5p (miR-512-5p) and Breast cancer-overexpressed gene 1 (KIAA0100) levels were measured through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and EdU assay were used to examine cell proliferation. Cell cycle and apoptosis were evaluated via flow cytometry. The protein levels were determined using western blot. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by wound healing assay and transwell assay. The circ_0000520 function in vivo was explored by tumor xenograft assay. The molecular interaction was analyzed via Dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: Circ_0000520 was obviously upregulated in lung cancer tissues and cells. Silence of circ_0000520 inhibited proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, invasion and angiogenesis but promoted cell apoptosis. Circ_0000520 downregulation reduced tumor growth of lung cancer in vivo. Circ_0000520 served as a miR-512-5p sponge. The oncogenic function of circ_0000520 was partly achieved by sponging miR-512-5p in lung cancer. KIAA0100 was a target of miR-512-5p and miR-512-5p inhibited the malignant behaviors of lung cancer cells via downregulating KIAA0100. Circ_0000520 targeted miR-512-5p to regulate the level of KIAA0100. CONCLUSION: All these data demonstrated that circ_0000520 was able to drive the progression of lung cancer via the mediation of miR-512-5p/KIAA0100 axis. Circ_0000520 might be a potential biomarker for lung cancer.

Boltzmann- and Non-Boltzmann-Based Thermometers in the First, Second and Third Biological Windows for the SrF2:Yb3+, Ho3+ Nanocrystals Under 980, 940 and 915 nm Excitations.

Spectrally determination of temperature based on the lanthanide-doped nanocrystals (NCs) is a vital strategy to noninvasively measure the temperature in practical applications. Here, we synthesized a series of SrF2:Yb3+/Ho3+ NCs and simultaneously observed the efficient visible upconversion luminescence (UCL) and near-infrared (NIR) downconversion luminescence (DCL) under 980, 940 and 915 nm excitations. Subsequently, these NCs were further utilized for thermometers based on the Boltzmann (thermally coupled levels, TCLs) and non-Boltzmann (non-thermally coupled levels, NTCLs) of Ho3+ ions in the first (~ 650 nm), second (~ 1012 nm) and third (~ 2020 nm) biological windows (BW-I, BW-II and BW-III) under tri-wavelength excitations. The thermometric parameters including the relative sensitivity ([Formula: see text]) and temperature uncertainty ([Formula: see text]) are quantitatively determined on the I648/I541 (BW-I), I1186/I1012 (BW-II), and I1950/I2020 (BW-III) transitions of Ho3+ ions in the temperature range of 303-573 K. Comparative experimental results demonstrated that the thermometer has superior performances.

Simultaneous Observation of Visible Upconversion and Near-Infrared Downconversion in SrF2:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ Nanocrystals and Their Application for Detecting Metal Ions under Dual-Wavelength Excitation.

In this work, a sequence of Nd3+, Yb3+, and Er3+ tridoped SrF2 nanocrystals (NCs) is synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Both the efficient near-infrared downconversion luminescence (DCL) and visible upconversion luminescence (UCL) of the Er3+ and Nd3+ ions are simultaneously observed and systematically demonstrated under dual-wavelength excitation (808 and 980 nm continuous-wave lasers). Subsequently, the SrF2:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ (15/4/0.2 mol %) NCs with the strongest luminescence were utilized for detecting the metal ion concentrations under 808 nm excitation. The results reveal that both the UCL and DCL gradually decrease as the metal ion concentrations increase, and high sensitivity is obtained for Cu2+ ions with a detection limit of 0.22 nM (∼650 nm) and 0.63 nM (∼976 nm). In addition, these SrF2:Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ NCs are further demonstrated to achieve a solid-state display under 980 nm excitation, exhibiting obvious "red" and "green" patterns by varying the doping rare earth ion concentrations.

Excitation-Power-Dependent Upconversion Luminescence Competition in Single ß-NaYbF4:Er Microcrystal Pumped at 808 nm.

Controlling the upconversion luminescence (UCL) intensity ratio, especially pumped at 808 nm, is of fundamental importance in biological applications due to the water molecules exhibiting low absorption at this excitation wavelength. In this work, a series of ß-NaYbF4:Er microrods were synthesized by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method and their intense green (545 nm) and red (650 nm) UCL were experimentally investigated based on the single-particle level under the excitation of 808 nm continuous-wave (CW) laser. Interestingly, the competition between the green and red UCL can be observed in highly Yb3+-doped microcrystals as the excitation intensity gradually increases, which leads to the UCL color changing from green to orange. However, the microcrystals doped with low Yb3+ concentration keep green color which is independent of the excitation power. Further investigations demonstrate that the cross-relaxation (CR) processes between Yb3+ and Er3+ ions result in the UCL competition.

Knockdown of long noncoding RNA MIAT attenuates cigarette smoke-induced airway remodeling by downregulating miR-29c-3p-HIF3A axis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global public health issue and is defined as persistent airflow limitation. COPD is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs are involved in the course of pulmonary diseases. Here, we revealed that a long noncoding RNA called myocardial-infarction-associated transcript (MIAT) is upregulated in lung tissues of cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice. Knockdown of MIAT attenuated CS or CS-extract-induced inflammatory processes, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and collagen deposition. Moreover, according to bioinformatic analyses and luciferase reporter assays, MIAT binds to microRNA-29c-3p (miR-29c-3p) and upregulates hypoxia-inducible factor 3 alpha (HIF3A), a target gene of miR-29c-3p. When the MIAT-specific short hairpin RNA and an miR-29c-3p inhibitor were cotransfected into cells, the inhibitor reversed the effects of MIAT knockdown on cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, EMT, and collagen deposition. Overall, these results indicate that MIAT participates in CS-induced EMT and airway remodeling in COPD by upregulating miR-29c-3p-HIF3A axis output, thereby offering a novel promising biomarker for the assessment of COPD exacerbation induced by CS exposure.

Value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum epo levels in evaluating the condition and prognosis of COPD in the elderly.

To investigate the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum EPO levels in evaluating the condition and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the elderly. 120 elderly patients with acute exacerbation of COPD admitted to our hospital from May 2016 to April 2019 were selected. Pulmonary function tests and CT scans were performed on all patients. According to Gold's guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, patients with different degrees of illness were divided into mild group, moderate group and severe group. The levels of EPO and ESR were measured in the morning after admission and the differences of EPO and ESR between the three groups were compared. The correlation between EPO, ESR and FEV1% of lung function index was analyzed by linear correlation analysis. There was no significant difference in age, sex, BMI index and course of disease among the three groups (P>0.05); ESR and EPO increased in turn among mild, moderate and severe groups, while FEV1% decreased in turn, with significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Negative correlation (r values were - 0.33, - 0.49, P<0.05). ESR and serum EPO levels can reflect the severity of COPD in elderly patients to some extent, and are negatively correlated with FEV1% of lung function indicators, which can provide some clues to the condition and prognosis of COPD in elderly patients.