Development of graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots-based oxygen self-sufficient platforms for enhanced corneal crosslinking.

Keratoconus, a disorder characterized by corneal thinning and weakening, results in vision loss. Corneal crosslinking (CXL) can halt the progression of keratoconus. The development of accelerated corneal crosslinking (A-CXL) protocols to shorten the treatment time has been hampered by the rapid depletion of stromal oxygen when higher UVA intensities are used, resulting in a reduced cross-linking effect. It is therefore imperative to develop better methods to increase the oxygen concentration within the corneal stroma during the A-CXL process. Photocatalytic oxygen-generating nanomaterials are promising candidates to solve the hypoxia problem during A-CXL. Biocompatible graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) quantum dots (QDs)-based oxygen self-sufficient platforms including g-C3N4 QDs and riboflavin/g-C3N4 QDs composites (RF@g-C3N4 QDs) have been developed in this study. Both display excellent photocatalytic oxygen generation ability, high reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield, and excellent biosafety. More importantly, the A-CXL effect of the g-C3N4 QDs or RF@g-C3N4 QDs composite on male New Zealand white rabbits is better than that of the riboflavin 5'-phosphate sodium (RF) A-CXL protocol under the same conditions, indicating excellent strengthening of the cornea after A-CXL treatments. These lead us to suggest the potential application of g-C3N4 QDs in A-CXL for corneal ectasias and other corneal diseases.

Insight into the regulatory mechanism of ß-arrestin2 and its emerging role in diseases.

ß-arrestin2, a member of the arrestin family, mediates the desensitization and internalization of most G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and functions as a scaffold protein in signalling pathways. Previous studies have demonstrated that ß-arrestin2 expression is dysregulated in malignant tumours, fibrotic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases, suggesting its pathological roles. Transcription and post-transcriptional modifications can affect the expression of ß-arrestin2. Furthermore, post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation and S-nitrosylation affect the cellular localization of ß-arrestin2 and its interaction with downstream signalling molecules, which further regulate the activity of ß-arrestin2. This review summarizes the structure and function of ß-arrestin2 and reveals the mechanisms involved in the regulation of ß-arrestin2 at multiple levels. Additionally, recent studies on the role of ß-arrestin2 in some major diseases and its therapeutic prospects have been discussed to provide a reference for the development of drugs targeting ß-arrestin2.

Disentangling the relational approach to organizational justice: Meta-analytic and field tests of distinct roles of social exchange and social identity.

Social exchange- and social identity-based mechanisms have been commonly juxtaposed as two pivotal proxies of the relational approach for studying organizational justice. Despite their distinct theoretical roots, less is known about whether and how these two proximal mechanisms complement one another in accounting for justice effects on key outcomes. Tracing back to their disparate fundamental premises-"reciprocity" underpinning social exchanges and "oneness" underpinning identity construction-we attempt to disentangle the relative mediating effects of these two mechanisms. Our empirical testing hinges on one meta-analytic study with 105 independent samples (N = 29,868), coupled with one preregistered experience-sampling study with 1,941 cross-day observations over 3 weeks from 147 subordinate-supervisor pairs. Overall, we find that exchange-based mechanisms account for more of the indirect effect of justice on task performance, whereas identity-based mechanisms (particularly interdependent identity) account for more of the indirect effect of justice on counterproductive work behavior. Regarding the indirect effect on organizational citizenship behavior, identity-based mechanisms (particularly positive self-evaluations) and exchange-based mechanisms respectively present great utility between the two studies. By providing nuanced insight into the complementary yet distinct nature of these two prominent mechanisms, our research encourages a more granular theoretical approach for studying organizational justice effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Case report: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma demonstrating rapid growth on follow-up CT.

Background: The tumor growth rate and tumor volume doubling time are crucial parameters in diagnosing and managing lung lesions. Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a unique and highly malignant subtype of lung cancer, with limited documentation on its growth feature. This article aims to address the gap in knowledge regarding a PSC's growth patterns by describing the characteristics of a confirmed case using computed tomography, thereby enhancing the understanding of this rare disease. Case presentation: A 79-year-old man was transferred to our center presenting with a mild cough, blood-tinged sputum, and a malignant nodule in the left upper lobe. Chest CT revealed a solid nodule in the left upper lobe. A follow-up CT ten days later showed a significant increase in the size of the nodule, accompanied by ground-glass opacity in the surrounding lung. The rapid preoperative growth of the nodule suggested a non-neoplastic lesion, and intraoperative frozen pathology also considered the possibility of tuberculosis. Subsequently, a left upper apical-posterior segment (S1 + 2) resection was performed. Postoperative tumor pathology confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma with extensive giant cell carcinoma and necrosis. Immunohistochemistry indicated approximately 60% PD-L1 positive and genetic testing revealed a MET mutation. The patient was discharged with oral crizotinib targeted therapy, and his condition remained stable postoperatively. The patient is currently undergoing regular follow-up at our hospital, with no evidence of distant metastasis or recurrence. Conclusion: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma can exhibit rapid tumor growth on imaging, and PSC should be considered in the differential diagnosis for lesions that present with a fast growth rate. Timely and appropriate treatment for PSC may lead to a good prognosis.

Interactive Effects of Arabinoxylan Oligosaccharides and Green Tea Polyphenols on Obesity Management and Gut Microbiota Modulation in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice.

Dietary fiber and polyphenols have been shown to possess antiobesity properties. However, their combined effects need further investigation. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (AXOS) from rice bran and green tea polyphenols (GTP) in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. We found that the combination of AXOS and GTP (A + G) significantly reduced overall fat mass and improved lipid profiles, although the effects were not synergistic. AXOS and GTP regulated lipid metabolism in different tissues and exhibited counteractive effects on gut microbiota. AXOS decreased α diversity and promoted Bifidobacterium, with GTP counteracting these effects. In vitro fermentation confirmed that GTP counteracted AXOS-induced microbiota changes in a dose-dependent manner. This study highlights the potential of tailored combinations of dietary fiber and polyphenols to treat obesity while considering their complex microbial interplay.

Hypoxia-enhanced YAP1-EIF4A3 interaction drives circ_0007386 circularization by competing with CRIM1 pre-mRNA linear splicing and promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: The progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is significantly influenced by circular RNAs (circRNAs), especially in tumor hypoxia microenvironment. However, the precise functions and underlying mechanisms of dysregulated circRNAs in NSCLC remain largely unexplored. METHODS: Differentially expressed circRNAs in NSCLC tissues were identified through high-throughput RNA sequencing. The characteristics of circ_0007386 were rigorously confirmed via Sanger sequencing, RNase R treatment and actinomycin D treatment. The effects of circ_0007386 on proliferation and apoptosis were investigated using CCK8, cloning formation assays, TUNEL staining, and flow cytometry assays in vitro. In vivo, xenograft tumor models were used to evaluate its impact on proliferation. Mechanistically, the regulatory relationships of circ_0007386, miR-383-5p and CIRBP were examined through dual luciferase reporter assays and rescue experiments. Additionally, we detected the binding of EIF4A3 to CRIM1 pre-mRNA by RNA immunoprecipitation and the interaction between YAP1 and EIF4A3 under hypoxic conditions by co-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Our investigation revealed a novel circRNA, designated as circ_0007386, that was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0007386 modulated proliferation and apoptosis in NSCLC both in vitro and in vivo. Functionally, circ_0007386 acted as a sponge for miR-383-5p, targeting CIRBP, which influenced NSCLC cell proliferation and apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, under hypoxic conditions, the interaction between YAP1 and EIF4A3 was enhanced, leading to the displacement of EIF4A4 from binding to CRIM1 pre-mRNA. This facilitated the back-splicing of CRIM1 pre-mRNA, increasing the formation of circ_0007386. The circ_0007386/miR-383-5p/CIRBP axis was significantly associated with the clinical features and prognosis of NSCLC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Circ_0007386, regulated by YAP1-EIF4A3 interaction under hypoxia conditions, plays an oncogenic role in NSCLC progression via the miR-383-5p/CIRBP axis.

Promoting the Photoelectrochemical Properties of BiVO4 Photoanode via Dual Modification with CdS Nanoparticles and NiFe-LDH Nanosheets.

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) has long been considered a promising photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Despite its potential, significant challenges such as slow surface water evolution reaction (OER) kinetics, poor carrier mobility, and rapid charge recombination limit its application. To address these issues, a triadic photoanode has been fabricated by sequentially depositing CdS nanoparticles and NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) nanosheets onto BiVO4, creating a NiFe-LDH/CdS/BiVO4 composite. This newly engineered photoanode demonstrates a photocurrent density of 3.1 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M KOH under AM 1.5 G illumination, outperforming the singular BiVO4 photoanode by a factor of 5.8 and the binary CdS/BiVO4 and NiFe-LDH/BiVO4 photoanodes by factors of 4.9 and 4.3, respectively. Furthermore, it exhibits significantly higher applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) and incident photon-to-current efficiency (ICPE) compared to pristine BiVO4 and its binary counterparts. This enhancement in PEC performance is ascribed to the formation of a CdS/BiVO4 heterojunction and the presence of a NiFe-LDH OER co-catalyst, which synergistically facilitate charge separation and transfer efficiencies. The findings suggest that dual modification of BiVO4 with CdS and NiFe-LDH is a promising approach to enhance the efficiency of photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

Fluorescence-enhanced supra-amphiphiles based on pillar[5]arene: construction, controllable self-assembly and application in cell imaging.

Fluorescence-enhanced supra-amphiphiles based on (WP5)2⊃ENDTn were constructed successfully. When n = 9, they can self-assemble into uniform micelles with an average diameter of about 90 nm and be further applied in cell imaging.

Clinical implications of serum miR-34a in breast cancer and its predictive value for the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the implications of serum miR-34a in breast cancer (BC) and its predictive value for the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 102 female BC patients (research group) admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between January 2016 to March 2018 and 102 concurrent female health controls who underwent physical examinations (control group). Serum samples from both groups were subjected to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to measure miR-34a expression. The correlation of miR-34a with BC patients' clinical parameters was analyzed, and the implications of miR-34a for diagnosing BC and predicting NACT efficacy were assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine whether miR-34a independently influenced treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes. RESULTS: The data showed significantly lower miR-34a levels in the research group than in the control group (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of miR-34a for differentiating BC was 0.888. In BC patients, miR-34a was strongly correlated with tumor staging and differentiation degree. Following NACT, BC patients showed an evident rise in miR-34a expression, with higher levels in patients with effective treatment compared to those with treatment failure (P<0.05). The AUC values of serum miR-34a in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy from FD to SD and from SD to TD were 0.880 and 0.861, respectively (P<0.001). Furthermore, patients with favorable prognosis exhibited markedly higher serum miR-34a expression than those with poor prognosis (P<0.05). The AUC of miR-34a expression for predicting adverse prognosis was 0.825. Decreased miR-34a was identified as an independent risk factor for treatment failure and poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, serum miR-34a is downregulated in BC and can predict the clinical progression of BC patients and the therapeutic efficacy of NACT.

Circulating inflammatory proteins and abdominal aortic aneurysm: A two-sample Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses.

OBJECTIVES: Inflammatory proteins are implicated in the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA); however, it remains debated whether they are causal or consequential. This study aimed to assess the influence of circulating inflammatory proteins on AAA via two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and colocalization analysis. METHODS: Summary data on 91 circulating inflammatory protein levels were extracted from a comprehensive protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) study involving 14,824 individuals. Genetic associations with AAA were derived from the FinnGen study (3,869 cases and 381,977 controls). MR analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between proteins and AAA risk. Colocalization analysis was employed to explore potential shared causal variants between identified proteins and AAA. RESULTS: Using a two-sample bidirectional MR study, our findings suggested that genetically predicted elevated levels of TGFB1 (OR = 1.21, P = 0.003), SIRT2 (OR = 1.196, P = 0.031) and TNFSF14 (OR = 1.129, P = 0.034) were linked to an increased risk of AAA. Conversely, genetically predicted higher levels of CD40 (OR = 0.912, P = 0.049), IL2RB (OR = 0.839, P = 0.028) and KITLG (OR = 0.827, P = 0.008) were associated with a decreased risk of AAA. Colocalization analyses supported the association of TGFB1 and SIRT2 levels with AAA risk. CONCLUSIONS: The proteome-wide MR and colocalization study identified TGFB1 and SIRT2 as being associated with the risk of AAA, warranting further investigation as potential therapeutic targets.

Dehydroevodiamine inhibits PEDV through regulateing ERK1/2 MAPK pathway in Vero cells.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) results in severe economic losses to the swine industry due to its widespread prevalence and high mortality. Currently, there is no effective treatment against PEDV. New antiviral therapies are urgently needed to control this highly contagious pathogen. In this research, the anti-PEDV activity and mechanism of Dehydroevodiamine (DHED) were investigated in vitro. Our results showed that DHED exerted satisfactory anti-PEDV activity by ameliorating cytopathic effects (CPEs), reducing virus titer, and inhibiting PEDV N protein expression and gene transcription dose-dependently. The antiviral mechanism of DHED is related to its inhibition of the entry, replication, and assembly stages of PEDV life cycle. In addition, DHED can regulate the MAPK signaling pathway, and suppress phosphorylated ERK1/2 activation, thus exerting antiviral effects. In conclusion, our research confirmed the anti-PEDV activity and mechanism of DHED, preliminarily providing a new strategy for anti-PEDV drug development.

Global motion filtered nonlinear mutual information analysis: Enhancing dynamic portfolio strategies.

The complex financial networks, with their nonlinear nature, often exhibit considerable noises, inhibiting the analysis of the market dynamics and portfolio optimization. Existing studies mainly focus on the application of the global motion filtering on the linear matrix to reduce the noise interference. To minimize the noise in complex financial networks and enhance timing strategies, we introduce an advanced methodology employing global motion filtering on nonlinear dynamic networks derived from mutual information. Subsequently, we construct investment portfolios, focusing on peripheral stocks in both the Chinese and American markets. We utilize the growth and decline patterns of the eigenvalue associated with the global motion to identify trends in collective market movement, revealing the distinctive portfolio performance during periods of reinforced and weakened collective movements and further enhancing the strategy performance. Notably, this is the first instance of applying global motion filtering to mutual information networks to construct an investment portfolio focused on peripheral stocks. The comparative analysis demonstrates that portfolios comprising peripheral stocks within global-motion-filtered mutual information networks exhibit higher Sharpe and Sortino ratios compared to those derived from global-motion-filtered Pearson correlation networks, as well as from full mutual information and Pearson correlation matrices. Moreover, the performance of our strategies proves robust across bearish markets, bullish markets, and turbulent market conditions. Beyond enhancing the portfolio optimization, our results provide significant potential implications for diverse research fields such as biological, atmospheric, and neural sciences.

Doughnut-shaped bimetallic Cu-Zn-MOF with peroxidase-like activity for colorimetric detection of glucose and antibacterial applications.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), especially bimetallic MOFs, have attracted widespread attention for simulating the structure and function of natural enzymes. In this study, different morphologies of bimetallic Cu-Zn-MOF with different peroxidase (POD)-like activities were prepared by simply controlling the molar ratio of Cu2+ and Zn2+. Among them, the doughnut-shaped Cu9-Zn1-MOF exhibited the largest POD-like activity. Cu9-Zn1-MOF was combined with glucose oxidase to construct a sensitive and selective glucose colorimetric biosensor with a linear detection range of 10-300 µM and a detection limit of 7.1 µm. Furthermore, Cu9-Zn1-MOF can efficiently convert hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into hydroxyl radicals that effectively kill both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria at low H2O2 level. The results of this study may promote the synthesis of bimetallic MOFs and broaden their applications in the biomedical field.

Optimization of Hospital Drug Management Model under the Supervision of Internet Plus Medical Health.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) among inpatients in a hospital and analyze the rationality of their use. Methods: We analyzed the medication records of 1986 inpatients from January 2023 to June 2023, focusing on patients using PPIs under the "Internet + medical service" model. Additionally, we compared and analyzed the drug use patterns, including dosage form, dosage, medication frequency, average daily cost, and sales amount, between two groups: those treated before and after the implementation of the "Internet + medical service" model. The control group comprised 1962 inpatients treated with PPIs from July 2022 to December 2022. We also compared drug inventory time, account coincidence rate, error rate, and nursing satisfaction between the two periods. Results: Among the hospitalized patients using PPIs, 892 cases were male (44.91%) and 1094 cases were female (55.09%). Regarding age distribution, 456 cases were aged 18-45 (22.96%), 845 cases were aged 46-65 (42.55%), and 685 cases were over 65 years old (34.49%). The top 10 departments with the highest frequency of PPI use included gastroenterology (8.36%), oncology, hematology, trauma orthopedics (6.95% each), cardiovascular medicine, neurology (6.39% each), general surgery (6.29%), respiratory, critical care (5.84%), renal rheumatology, immunology (5.79%), and spine surgery (5.59%). Omeprazole enteric-coated capsules accounted for the highest proportion (25.08%), followed by rabeprazole enteric-coated tablets (22.96%) and pantoprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets (20.04%). After implementing the "Internet + medical service" model, there was a reduction in irrational PPI use, medication error rates, and inventory time. Moreover, the account coincidence rate and satisfaction rate increased significantly (P < .05). Conclusion: The utilization of PPIs in hospitals is notably high. Implementing the "Internet + medical service" model can effectively improve the rationality of PPI use. Clinicians should adhere to relevant indications when prescribing PPIs and conduct drug interventions to prevent overuse.

Thermal Decomposition Mechanism of P(DAC-AM) with Serial Cationicity and Intrinsic Viscosity.

The thermal decomposition of the thermodynamic, kinetic and mechanisms of copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples with serial cationicity and intrinsic viscosity ([η]), and the control samples of homopolymer PAM and PDAC, were studied and analyzed using TG, DSC, FTIR. The results of the thermal decomposition thermodynamics confirmed that the thermal decomposition processes of the serial P(DAC-AM) samples and the two control samples could be divided into two stages. It was found that the processes of the copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples were not a simple superposition of those of homopolymers, whose monomers had composed the unit structures of the copolymer, but there were interactions between the two suspension groups. The results of thermal decomposition kinetics showed that the apparent activation energy (E) of the thermal decomposition process of all polymer samples had different varying trends in the terms of weight-loss rate (α). The reaction order (n) of the thermal decomposition of P(DAC-AM) in Stage I and II was close to 1, but in the former and the latter it tended to be 2 and 0.5, respectively. Finally, the thermal decomposition mechanism of copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples was discussed. The above research could not only fill in the knowledge vacancy of the thermal decomposition of the thermodynamic, kinetic and mechanisms of P(DAC-AM), but could also lay a foundation for the study of thermal decomposition mechanisms of the other types of polymers, including cationic polymers.

Effect analysis of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with fluoxetine in the treatment of first-episode adolescent depression.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with fluoxetine in enhancing the early antidepressant response in first-episode adolescent depression cases, providing insights for patient diagnosis and treatment. Methods: One hundred and thirty-five adolescents experiencing their first depressive episode were randomly assigned to either a sham group treated with fluoxetine or to low or high repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) groups receiving both rTMS and fluoxetine. Therapeutic effects were assessed by comparing changes in Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) scores, cognitive function scores from the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Clinical Global Impression-improvement (CGI-I) scores, along with recording adverse reactions. Results: The total effectiveness rate in the rTMS groups (Low, 95.56%; High, 97.78%) was significantly higher than in the Sham rTMS group (80%) (F = 11.15, P<0.0001). Post-treatment, not only the Low but also the High rTMS group exhibited more significant reductions in HAMD-17 (Low, 21.05; High, 21.45) and CGI-I scores (Low, 3.44; High, 3.60) compared to the Sham rTMS group (HAMD-17, 16.05; CGI-I, 2.57) (two weeks: F = 7.889, P = 0.0006; four weeks: F = 15.900, P<0.0001). Additionally, the two rTMS groups exhibited fewer erroneous responses and persistent errors in the WCST and completed more WCST categorizations than the Sham rTMS group. There was no significant difference in adverse reaction rates between the groups (F=4.421, P=0.0794). Conclusions: The combination of fluoxetine with rTMS demonstrates enhanced therapeutic effectiveness in treating adolescent depression, effectively controlling disease progression, reducing depressive symptoms, and improving cognitive function, making it a valuable clinical approach.

BmHSP19.9 targeting P6.9 and VLF-1 to mediate the formation of defective progeny viruses in the silkworm antiviral variety 871C.

The 871C silkworm strain exhibits a high level of resistance to Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), making it a valuable variety for the sericulture industry. Understanding the underlying mechanism of its resistance holds great biological significance and economic value in addressing viral disease risks in sericulture. Initially, we infected the resistant strain 871C and its control strain 871 with BmNPV and conducted secondary infection experiments using the progeny occlusion bodies (OBs). As a result, a significant decrease in pathogenicity was observed. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that 871C produces progeny virions with defective DNA packaging, reducing virulence following BmNPV infection. Blood proteomic identification of the silkworm variety 871C and control 871 after BmNPV infection demonstrated the crucial role of the viral proteins P6.9 and VLF-1 in the production of defective viruses by impeding the proper encapsulation of viral DNA. Additionally, we discovered that BmHSP19.9 interacts with P6.9 and VLF-1 and that its expression is significantly upregulated after BmNPV infection. BmHSP19.9 exhibits strong antiviral activity, in part by preventing the entry of the proteins P6.9 and VLF-1 into the nucleus, thereby hindering viral nucleocapsid and viral DNA assembly. Our findings indicate that the antiviral silkworm strain 871C inhibits BmNPV proliferation by upregulating Bmhsp19.9 and impeding the nuclear localization of the viral proteins P6.9 and VLF-1, leading to the production of defective viral particles. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the antiviral mechanism in silkworms from a viral perspective, providing a crucial theoretical foundation for future antiviral research and the breeding of resistant silkworm strains.

Extrusion treatment of rice bran insoluble fiber generates specific niches favorable for Bacteroides during in vitro fermentation.

To investigate the morphological changes of insoluble fiber and their effects on microbiota modulation, particularly Bacteroides, rice bran insoluble fibers were extruded at different feed moisture levels (E20, E40, and E60). The physicochemical properties and SEM revealed that E20 exhibited the highest water holding capacity and displayed the most fragmented edges. E40 had the highest swelling holding capacity and displayed the most lamellar gaps. E60 showed minimal change in physicochemical properties but had a rough surface. After 48h fermentation, E40 showed the highest levels of Bacteroides and SCFAs. E20 and E60 resulted in a modest increase in Bacteroides abundance. SEM showed that bacteria were attached to fragmented edges, loosened lamellar gaps, and rough surfaces of the extruded insoluble fibers. The results suggested that Bacteroides gained a competitive advantage within the extrusion treatment created structural changes. Extrusion treatment can be used to generate specific niches favorable for Bacteroides.

Correlation between environmental nickel exposure and the development of arthritis: A large-sample cross-sectional investigation.

BACKGROUND: Nickel is a common metallic element in orthopedic implanted devices and living environment exposures. It is associated with varieties of diseases. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the correlation between nickel exposure and the prevalence of arthritis. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2017 to 2018. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to analyze the relationship between urinary nickel levels and arthritis. In addition, hierarchical modeling further explored the interactions and trends between urinary nickel levels and arthritis. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to reduce the effect of confounders. Additionally, restricted cubic spline curve (RCS) was used to assess the possible nonlinear association between urinary nickel and arthritis. RESULTS: The investigation was comprised of 139 arthritis patients and 547 healthy participants. After correction by PSM, there was a positive correlation between arthritis and Nickel exposure levels. The risk of developing arthritis was significantly increased when nickel exposure levels were in the Q4 interval (OR=2.25, 95 % CI=1.03-5.02). When stratified by age and sex, nickel exposure was significantly and positively associated with arthritis in the subgroup aged over 65 years. (OR=2.78,95 %CI=1.20-6.46). Also, the difference between nickel exposure and arthritis was significant in the different gender subgroups (interaction P<0.05). Restricted cubic spline (RCS) results showed a significant linear association between nickel exposure levels and arthritis. In addition, there was a non-linear association between nickel exposure and arthritis across gender and age subgroups. CONCLUSION: A significant positive association between nickel exposure levels and arthritis was showed by the experimental data. Controlling the use of nickel-containing medical prostheses and reducing exposure to nickel-containing daily necessity could help to slow the onset of arthritis.

Mechanism of neutrophil extracellular traps in the pathogenesis of gout.

Gout is a self-limited inflammatory disease caused by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in joints and surrounding tissues due to abnormal purine metabolism. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are formed by neutrophils in response to pathogen attack. During gout, NETs induced by MSU crystals exacerbate inflammation, and aggregated NETs (aggNETs) promote the resolution of gout-associated inflammation by encapsulating MSU crystals, degrading cytokines and chemokines, and blocking the recruitment and activation of neutrophils. With disease progression, NETs participate in the formation of tophi. Therefore, aggNETs are a possible mechanism of spontaneous gout regression. Studying the specific mechanism by which NETs affect inflammatory bursts and spontaneous regression in gout patients is important. This review summarises the role of NETs in different stages of gout and the specific pathogenesis of NETs in gout to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of gout.