Longitudinal observation of tRNA-derived fragments profiles in gestational diabetes mellitus and its diagnostic value.

BACKGROUND: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) poses significant risks to maternal and fetal health. Current diagnostic methods based on glucose tolerance tests have limitations for early detection. tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) have emerged as potential molecular regulators in various diseases, including metabolic disorders. However, the diagnostic value of tsRNAs in plasma for early GDM or postpartum remains unclear. METHODS: This longitudinal study profiled the expression of tsRNAs across different gestational stages and postpartum in women with GDM (n = 40) and healthy control gestational women (HCs, n = 40). High-throughput small RNA sequencing identified candidate tsRNAs, which were then validated and correlated with clinical biochemical markers such as fasting blood glucose (FBG), HOMA-IR, and GHbA1c. RESULTS: tRF-1:32-Val-AAC-1-M6, tRF-1:31-Glu-CTC-1-M2, and tRF-1:30-Gly-CCC-1-M4 were consistently upregulated in the GDM group compared to HCs during the second trimester (p < 0.05). Only tRF-1:31-Glu-CTC-1-M2 was highly expressed during the first trimester, and tRF-1:30-Gly-CCC-1-M4 increased during postpartum. tRF-1:31-Glu-CTC-1-M2 showed a significant correlation with FBG levels in the first trimester (R = 0.317, p = 0.047). The expression of tRF-1:30-Gly-CCC-1-M4 was significantly correlated with HOMA-IR (r = 0.65, p < 0.001) and GHBA1c (r = 0.33, p = 0.037) during postpartum. A joint diagnostic model incorporating tsRNAs expression and clinical markers demonstrated enhanced predictive power for GDM (ROC AUC = 0.768). CONCLUSION: Our results revealed distinct expression patterns of specific tsRNAs in GDM, showcasing their correlation with key metabolic parameters. This underscores their promising role as biomarkers for early prediction and diagnosis of GDM. The integration of tRFs into a composite biomarker panel holds the potential to improve clinical outcomes by enabling personalized risk assessment and targeted interventions.

Summary of Outpatient Visits for Characteristic Nursing in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The aim of this study was to investigate the practical outcomes of traditional Chinese medicine specialty nursing clinics in the clinical setting. Outpatient services have become increasingly popular for seeking medical care. Establishing traditional Chinese medicine specialty nursing clinics can meet the medical needs of the general public, and provide patients with convenient and efficient medical services. This study employed a retrospective cross-sectional observational design to analyze the medical service status of all patients who attended the clinic since its opening. Five qualified traditional Chinese medicine nursing experts identified and implemented 5 categories of traditional Chinese medicine characteristic nursing techniques, including cupping, moxibustion, needle acupuncture, and massage. Nurses and patients evaluated the treatment outcomes for various diseases. Since the establishment of the nursing outpatient department 2 years ago, there have been over 7046 visits, with a satisfaction rate of 97.1%. Currently, 5 nursing experts are nurturing a total of 11 graduate students, conducting 5 free clinics in the nursing outpatient department, and organizing 3 visits by overseas experts. The traditional Chinese medicine specialty nursing outpatient service effectively meets the diverse medical needs of patients, alleviates the outpatient pressure on hospitals, enhances the specialized development of nurses, increases the prominence of traditional Chinese medicine specialty nursing techniques, and promotes traditional Chinese medicine culture.

Cannabidiol and its application in the treatment of oral diseases: therapeutic potentials, routes of administration and prospects.

Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the most important active ingredients in cannabis, has been reported to have some pharmacological effects such as antibacterial and analgesic effects, and to have therapeutic potential in the treatment of oral diseases such as oral cancer, gingivitis and periodontal diseases. However, there is a lack of relevant systematic research and reviews. Therefore, based on the etiology and clinical symptoms of several common oral diseases, this paper focuses on the therapeutic potential of CBD in periodontal diseases, pulp diseases, oral mucosal diseases, oral cancer and temporomandibular joint diseases. The pharmacological effects of CBD and the distribution and function of its receptors in the oral cavity are also summarized. In order to provide reference for future research and further clinical application of CBD, we also summarize several possible routes of administration and corresponding characteristics. Finally, the challenges faced while applying CBD clinically and possible solutions are discussed, and we also look to the future.

Genetic Causal Relationship Between Alanine Aminotransferase Levels and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Mendelian Randomization Analysis Based on Two Samples.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a frequent complication of pregnancy. The specific mechanisms underlying GDM have not yet been fully elucidated. Contemporary research indicates a potential association between liver enzyme irregularities and an increased risk of metabolic disorders, including diabetes. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level is recognized as a sensitive marker of liver injury. An increase in ALT levels is hypothesized to be linked to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and diabetes. Nonetheless, the definitive causal link between ALT levels and GDM still needs to be determined. This investigation utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the genetic causation between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and GDM. We acquired alanine aminotransferase (ALT)-related GWAS summary data from the UK Biobank, Million Veteran Program, Rotterdam Study, and Lifeline Study. Gestational diabetes data were obtained from the FinnGen Consortium. We employed various MR analysis techniques, including inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, weighted median, simple, and weighted weighting. In addition to MR-Egger intercepts, Cochrane's Q test was also used to assess heterogeneity in the MR data, and the MR-PRESSO test was used to assess horizontal pleiotropy. To assess the association's sensitivity, a leave-one-out approach was employed. The IVW results confirmed the independent risk factor for GDM development, as indicated by the ALT level (p = .011). As shown by leave-one-out analysis, horizontal pleiotrophy did not significantly skew the causative link (p > .05). Our dual-sample MR analysis provides substantiated evidence of a genetic causal relationship between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and gestational diabetes.

Modeling the Health Impact and Cost-Effectiveness of a Combined Schoolgirl HPV Vaccination and Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Guangdong Province, China.

Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake is a key barrier to cervical cancer elimination. We aimed to evaluate the health impact and cost-effectiveness of introducing different HPV vaccines into immunization programs and scaling up the screening program in Guangdong. We used a dynamic compartmental model to estimate the impact of intervention strategies during 2023-2100. We implemented the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in costs per averted disability-adjusted life year (DALY) as an indicator to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. We used an age-standardized incidence of 4 cases per 100,000 women as the threshold for the elimination of cervical cancer. Compared with the status quo, scaling up cervical cancer screening coverage alone would prevent 215,000 (95% CI: 205,000 to 227,000) cervical cancer cases and 49,000 (95% CI: 48,000 to 52,000) deaths during 2023-2100. If the coverage of vaccination reached 90%, domestic two-dose 2vHPV vaccination would be more cost-effective than single-dose and two-dose 9vHPV vaccination. If Guangdong introduced domestic two-dose 2vHPV vaccination at 90% coverage for schoolgirls from 2023 and increased the screening coverage, cervical cancer would be eliminated by 2049 (95% CI 2047 to 2051). Introducing two doses of domestic 2vHPV vaccination for schoolgirls and expanding cervical cancer screening is estimated to be highly cost-effective to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer in Guangdong.

The Effects of Injectable Platelet-Rich Fibrin and Advanced-Platelet Rich Fibrin on Gingival Fibroblast Cell Vitality, Proliferation, Differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Injectable Platelet Rich Fibrin (I-PRF) and Advanced-Platelet Rich Fibrin (A-PRF) are autologous materials derived from patients' blood and employed in periodontal regenerative surgery. Although I-PRF and A-PRF have different characteristics, their biological effects on gingival tissue fibroblasts remain unclear. This research aims to compare the in vitro capacity in inducing gene expression and proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts between A-PRF and I-PRF. METHODS: Human donors undergoing dental implant surgery were sampled for normal human gingival fibroblasts (NHGFCs), followed by preparing A-PRF and I-PRF membranes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was used to assess the release of platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF- ß1), and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) at different periods. Cell viability and proliferation of A-PRF and I-PRF were compared using CCK-8 assay. The impacts of platelet concentration on human gingival fibroblast cells (HGFCs) were evaluated by quantifying the level or amount of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (p-ERK), and Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-1 and MMP-3. The effects of PRF on aged human gingival fibroblast cells were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: Overall, A-PRF demonstrated a higher release of TGF-B1 and PDGF-AA, while I-PRF reflected higher levels of IGF-1. A significantly higher level of cell proliferation was induced by higher cell proliferation by A-PRF and I-PRF. Additionally, in comparison to I-PRF, the expression of ERK phosphorylation and MMP-1 &MMP-3 in HGFCs was demonstrated by I-PRF and A-PRF. The increase in A-PRF was time-dependent (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both I-PRF and A-PRF induced a stimulatory biological impact on the proliferation of human gingiva fibroblasts, with the latter demonstrating better capacity in facilitating the release of different growth factors. A-PRF also induced higher gene expression of p-ERK, MMP-1 &MMP-3, and the proliferation of fibroblasts.

Cell electrospinning and its application in wound healing: principles, techniques and prospects.

Currently, clinical strategies for the treatment of wounds are limited, especially in terms of achieving rapid wound healing. In recent years, based on the technique of electrospinning (ES), cell electrospinning (C-ES) has been developed to better repair related tissues or organs (such as skin, fat and muscle) by encapsulating living cells in a microfiber or nanofiber environment and constructing 3D living fiber scaffolds. Therefore, C-ES has promising prospects for promoting wound healing. In this article, C-ES technology and its advantages, the differences between C-ES and traditional ES, the parameters suitable for maintaining cytoactivity, and material selection and design issues are summarized. In addition, we review the application of C-ES in the fields of biomaterials and cells. Finally, the limitations and improved methods of C-ES are discussed. In conclusion, the potential advantages, limitations and prospects of C-ES application in wound healing are presented.

Genome-wide identification of glutamate receptor genes in adzuki bean and the roles of these genes in light and rust fungal response.

Plant glutamate receptor proteins (GLRs) are involved in plant development, biotic stress, and light-signal transduction. Vigna angularis is a traditional crop with important economic value in China, and the identification of functional genes can facilitate the breeding of stress resistant varieties. Here, we identified the members of the GLR gene family in the adzuki bean genome and investigated gene expression under light and rust fungal (Uromyces vignae) stimuli. Sixteen GLR genes were identified in V. angularis (VaGLRs), and these genes clustered in a single clade (clade III) with two groups. Evolutionary analysis showed that three VaGLRs result from tandem duplications and four result from whole genome/segmental duplications. To understand the regulation of expression of VaGLRs, cis-acting elements were analyzed in the promoter regions of the VaGLRs including cis-acting elements associated with light and stress responsiveness. Expression analysis by qRT-PCR revealed transcripts of eight and 10 VaGLRs in response to light stimuli and rust infection, respectively. For light responsiveness, the expression levels of XP_017430569.1 and XP_017425299.1 were higher under light condition than in darkness, while the expression levels of XP_017406996.1, XP_017425763.1, and XP_017423557.1 gradually recovered during dark treatment. Additionally, the relative expression levels of XP_017413816.1, XP_017436268.1, and XP_017425299.1 were significantly elevated during U. vignae infection in a resistant cultivar compared to the expression levels in a susceptible cultivar. XP_017425299.1 expression was induced both by light and rust infection, suggesting this gene may link light and disease resistance signaling pathways. Our results provide insight into how the VaGLRs contribute to adzuki bean response to light stimulus and pathogen attack. These identified VaGLRs also provide important reference to improve adzuki bean germplasm resources.

Construction and application of dynamic online nomogram for prognosis prediction of patients with advanced (Stage III/IV) tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: The prognosis of patients with advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma (ATSCC) is poor, and their overall survival (OS) is relatively short. Currently, the TNM stage system is often used clinically to assess the prognosis of patients, but the evaluation index of the TNM stage system is relatively single and does not specifically demonstrate relevant prognostic data. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to construct a dynamic online nomogram for predicting the prognosis of patients with ATSCC and to provide some reference for personalized clinical treatment of patients. METHODS: Clinical and prognostic information on patients with pathologically confirmed ATSCC from 2000 to 2018 was extracted from the SEER database and randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort in a 7:3 ratio. Multifactorial and univariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify prognostic risk factors. Dynamic online nomogram were constructed using R software. Area under the curve (AUC), C-index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) with time-dependent ROC curves were used to assess the clinical utility of the nomogram. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare the prognosis of different patient categories. RESULTS: A total of 3828 patients with ATSCC were screened in the SEER database.Age,race, primary site, AJCC T,N and M stage, lymph nodes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and marital status were independent influences on OS(P < 0.05). In the training cohort, the C-index of the OS-related line plot was 0.733 and the AUC for predicting 3-year OS was 0.867. In the validation cohort, the C-index was 0.738 and the AUC for 3-year OS was 0.899. Calibration plots and DCA curves showed good predictive performance of the model in both the training and validation cohorts. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that chemotherapy, lymph nodes surgery,married,primary site(tongue base) and radiotherapy had better OS than the non-chemotherapy, non-surgery, single, primary site(tongue anterior), and non-radiotherapy groups, respectively (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The established dynamic online nomogram has good predictive performance, which helps to personalize and combine the actual clinical patients to comprehensively predict the prognosis of ATSCC patients and may have better clinical application than the TNM stage system.

A nomogram for predicting survival in Patients with oral tongue keratinized squamous cell carcinoma: A SEER-based study.

OBJECTIVE: Oral tongue keratinized squamous cell carcinoma (OTKSCC), a relatively rare form of tongue cancer (TC) in clinical practice, accompanied by features of cell keratosis, is an uncommon histological subtype. However, its specific clinicopathological features and prognosis have not been adequately described. In this study, we aimed to create a nomogram using R language software to predict overall survival (OS) of patients with OTKSCC to assess the prognosis of OTKSCC patients. METHODS: We extracted clinical and related prognostic data of OTKSCC patients from 1975 to 2019 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Independent prognostic factors were selected using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, and a nomogram was constructed using R software. The C-index, area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the clinical utility of the nomogram. Finally, OS was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 2450 OTKSCC patients were included in the study. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify age, T stage, N stage, surgery, and radiation therapy as independent risk factors (p<0.05). In the training cohort, the calibration index of the nomogram was 0.725, while the AUC values for nomogram, age, T stage, N stage, surgery and radiation therapy were 0.878, 0.639, 0.781, 0.661, 0.724 and 0.354, respectively. At the same time, in the verification queue, the calibration index of the nomogram was 0.726, while the AUC values for nomogram, age, T stage, N stage, surgery and radiation therapy were 0.859,0.612,0.826,0.675,0.758 and 0.303, respectively. Ideal uniformity of the models from the training and validation cohorts was demonstrated in the calibration and DCA curves. Univariate survival analysis showed that age, T stage, N stage, surgery, and radiotherapy were statistically significant for prognosis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Age, T stage, N stage, surgery, and radiation therapy are independently associated with the OS, and the established nomogram is an effective visualization tool for predicting the OS of OTKSCC patients.

Injectable platelet-rich fibrin positively regulates osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from implant hole via the ERK1/2 pathway.

Bone regeneration in dentistry is a dynamic approach for treating critical size bone defects that are unlikely to self-heal. Human bone marrow stem cell (hBMSCs) therapies are being tested clinically for various disorders and have remarkable clinical advancements in bone regeneration. Injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF), which is obtained from autologous blood centrifuged at 700 rpm (60 G) for 3 min can promote osteogenic differentiation of this cell, but the mechanism remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to explore the contents of i-PRF further and investigate its effect on the cell behavior of hBMSCs and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results showed that i-PRF contained 41 cytokines, including macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and ß-nerve growth factor (ß-NGF), which had not been reported before. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and wound healing assay showed that 10% and 20% i-PRF improved the proliferation rate and the migration capacity of hBMSCs without toxicity to cells. Besides, the expression of osteogenic markers and the capacity to form mineralized nodules of hBMSCs were promoted by 20% i-PRF. Furthermore, i-PRF activated the ERK pathway, and the ERK inhibitor attenuated its effects. In summary, i-PRF promotes hBMSCs proliferation and migration and facilitates cell osteogenesis through the ERK pathway, which has promising potential in bone regeneration.

What is the context? Bone defects caused by trauma or tumor is a great challenge in clinical practice. However, there is the good news that the bone defect in the oral can self-regenerate, the bone remodeling may take several months to several years and shows apparent individual differences.Different strategies, surgical techniques, and materials have been employed to induce an optimal outcome in guided bone regeneration.Blood products have been widely used in dentistry due to their excellent biocompatibility, growth factor content, ease of collection, and ability to be produced by the human body.Limited data suggest that Injectable platelet-rich fibrin positively regulates osteogenic differentiation of stem cells, but further evidence is needed to quantify this effect.What is new? It is unclear how many growth factors i-PRF contains in previous studies, so we detected 41 kinds of growth factors, more than has been previously appreciated, and found that all growth factors were measured in the samples, and the difference was in the amount of expression.In our research, we explored the role of i-PRF in the osteogenesis of hBMSCs through the effects of different concentrations of i-PRF on the proliferation, migration, and osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs.Currently, most current research focuses on observing phenomena, and we wondered by what mechanism the i-PRF regulates stem cell function. We found that i-PRF can regulate the molecular mechanism of the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs in vitro by activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.What is the impact?I-PRF promotes hBMSCs proliferation and migration and facilitates cell osteogenesis through the ERK pathway. The favorable cytobiological effects of i-PRF on hBMSCs might be the basis for i-PRF applications in bone regenerative.

A natriuretic peptide molecule from Vigna angularis, VaEG45, confers rust resistance by inhibiting fungal development.

KEY MESSAGE: Novel function and mechanism of a PNP molecule VaEG45 from adzuki bean involved in plant immunity. Plant natriuretic peptides (PNPs) can affect a broad spectrum of physiological responses in plants acting as peptidic signaling molecules. However, PNPs may play additional roles in plant immunity. Our previous transcriptome data of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) in response to Uromyces vignae infection revealed association of PNP-encoding gene VaEG45 with U. vignae resistance. To determine the function of VaEG45 in disease resistance, we cloned the 589 bp nucleotide sequence of VaEG45 containing 2 introns, encoding a putative 13.68 kDa protein that is 131 amino acids in length. We analyzed expression in different resistant cultivars of V. angularis and found significant induction of VaEG45 expression after U. vignae infection. Transient expression of VaEG45 improved tobacco resistance against Botrytis cinerea. We next analyzed the mechanism by which VaEG45 protects plants from fungal infection by determination of the biological activity of the prokaryotic expressed VaEG45. The results showed that the fusion protein VaEG45 can significantly inhibit urediospores germination of U. vignae, mycelial growth, and the infection of tobacco by B. cinerea. Further analysis revealed that VaEG45 exhibits ß-1, 3-glucanase activity. These findings uncover the function of a novel PNP molecule VaEG45 and provide new evidence about the mechanism of PNPs in plant immunity.

Agreement of anterior segment measurements between LenStar LS 900 optical biometer and OPD Scan III wavefront aberrometer devices in eyes with cataract.

PURPOSE: To compare the inter-device agreement of anterior eye segment measurements between LenStar LS 900 optical biometer and OPD Scan III wavefront aberrometer. METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving 59 patients (78 eyes) with cataract. Their angle Alpha, angle Kappa, pupil size and white-to-white (WTW) distance were measured by LenStar LS 900 optical biometer and OPD Scan III wavefront aberrometer, respectively, and pairwise agreement comparisons were performed between them. RESULTS: The most agreement of various parameters was occurred, with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of WTW = 0.930; angle Alpha = 0.853; angle Kappa = 0.898; and pupil size = 0,976 in bright environment. Furthermore, in dark environment, the ICC of WTW, angle Alpha, angle Kappa, and pupil size were 0.927, 0.791, 0.915, and 0.990, respectively. Bland-Altman plot showed similar excellent agreement in the outcomes of the two devices for these measurements testing. CONCLUSIONS: There was an excellent agreement between the LenStar LS 900 optical biometer and OPD Scan III wavefront aberrometer for WTW, angle Alpha, angle Kappa, and pupil size measurements. In clinical practice, these measurements obtained by LenStar LS 900 optical biometer and OPD Scan III wavefront aberrometer can be used interchangeably.

Immediate implant placement with simultaneous bone augmentation versus delayed implant placement following alveolar ridge preservation: A clinical and radiographic study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of immediate implant placement (IIP) with guided bone regeneration (GBR) as compared to delayed implant placement (DIP) following alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) and to identify the potential risk factors influencing these outcomes. METHODOLOGY: A total of 56 patients (IIP = 28 vs. DIP = 28) with class I or II bony defects received 56 implants were included. GBR procedure using Bio-Oss® bone substitute mixed with advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) and covered by Bio-Gide® membrane and additional A-PRF membrane was performed either simultaneously with the IIP or earlier at the time of ARP in DIP. Clinical and 3-D radiographic analyses of bone level, thickness, and density were performed at three-time intervals (T1, immediately; T2, 6-7 months; and T3, 1.5 to 2 years post-implantation), corresponding to the neck, coronal, middle, and apex of implants. RESULTS: The survival rate was 100% in both groups. IIP showed significant favorable outcomes regarding distal marginal bone level (anterior maxilla, T1-T3) and neck and coronal horizontal facial bone thickness (HFBT) (posterior maxilla, T1; and anterior maxilla, T1-T3, respectively) compared to DIP. However, DIP showed significant facial bone density at the neck and coronal parts in the anterior maxilla (T1) and the coronal part in the posterior maxilla (T3). The facial marginal bone level change was positively correlated with HFBT change (P = 0.007), which is negatively correlated with the secondary implant stability (P = 0.019). The implant region (anterior or posterior maxilla) was the only factor affecting on Implant stability quotient value (ISQ) and change in HFBT (P Ë‚ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Overall, the IIP combined with GBR in the post-extraction sites with pre-implant class I or II bony defects had some favorable outcomes compared to DIP after ARP. However, the clinical outcomes, ISQ value, and changes in bone level, thickness, and density from T1-T3 were comparable.

Exposure-response relationship between temperature, relative humidity, and varicella: a multicity study in South China.

Varicella is a rising public health issue. Several studies have tried to quantify the relationships between meteorological factors and varicella incidence but with inconsistent results. We aim to investigate the impact of temperature and relative humidity on varicella, and to further explore the effect modification of these relationships. In this study, the data of varicella and meteorological factors from 2011 to 2019 in 21 cities of Guangdong Province, China were collected. Distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) were constructed to explore the relationship between meteorological factors (temperature and relative humidity) and varicella in each city, controlling in school terms, holidays, seasonality, long-term trends, and day of week. Multivariate meta-analysis was applied to pool the city-specific estimations. And the meta-regression was used to explore the effect modification for the spatial heterogeneity of city-specific meteorological factors and social factors (such as disposable income per capita, vaccination coverage, and so on) on varicella. The results indicated that the relationship between temperature and varicella in 21 cities appeared nonlinear with an inverted S-shaped. The relative risk peaked at 20.8 ℃ (RR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.65). The relative humidity-varicella relationship was approximately L-shaped, with a peaking risk at 69.5% relative humidity (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.50). The spatial heterogeneity of temperature-varicella relationships may be caused by income or varicella vaccination coverage. And varicella vaccination coverage may contribute to the spatial heterogeneity of the relative humidity-varicella relationship. The findings can help us deepen the understanding of the meteorological factors-varicella association and provide evidence for developing prevention strategy for varicella epidemic.

Injectable enzyme-catalyzed crosslinking hydrogels as BMSCs-laden tunable scaffold for osteogenic differentiation.

Bone defects caused by trauma or tumor are a significant challenge in clinical practice. Hydrogel-based tissue engineering has been considered an effective strategy. This study successfully formed a series of injectable hydrogels by enzyme-catalyzed crosslinking hyaluronic acid-tyramine (HA-TA) and sodium alginate-tyramine (ALG-TA) under physiological conditions in the presence of both horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide. The morphology, mechanical properties, swelling properties, and biodegradation properties of hydrogels were investigated. The results showed that the mechanical properties, swelling properties and biodegradation of HA/ALG hydrogels varied with the precursor solution concentration. Furthermore, the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs within the HA/ALG hydrogels were evaluated in vitro. The results illustrated that the hydrogels could offer an excellent microenvironment for BMSCs growth and promote osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, the injectable hydrogels can be used as an effective 3 D scaffold for bone repair and regeneration.

Spatial-temporal clustering of an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Delta VOC in Guangzhou, China in 2021.

Background: In May 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant led to the first local outbreak in China in Guangzhou City. We explored the epidemiological characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering of this outbreak. Methods: Based on the 153 cases in the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant outbreak, the Knox test was used to analyze the spatial-temporal clustering of the outbreak. We further explored the spatial-temporal clustering by gender and age groups, as well as compared the changes of clustering strength (S) value between the two outbreaks in Guangzhou. Results: The result of the Knox analysis showed that the areas at short distances and brief periods presented a relatively high risk. The strength of clustering of male-male pairs was higher. Age groups showed that clustering was concentrated in cases aged ≤ 18 years matched to 18-59 years and cases aged 60+ years. The strength of clustering of the outbreak declined after the implementation of public health measures. The change of strength of clustering at time intervals of 1-5 days decreased greater in 2021 (S = 129.19, change rate 38.87%) than that in 2020 (S = 83.81, change rate 30.02%). Conclusions: The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Delta VOC in Guangzhou has obvious spatial-temporal clustering. The timely intervention measures are essential role to contain this outbreak of high transmission.

Long-Term Trend Analysis of Major Human Helminth Infections - Guangdong Province, China, 1988-2021.

Introduction: Although helminth infections threaten millions of people worldwide, the spatiotemporal characteristics remain unclear across China. This study systematically describes the spatiotemporal changes of major human helminth infections and their epidemiological characteristics from 1988 to 2021 in Guangdong Province, China. Methods: The survey data in Guangdong Province were primarily obtained from 3 national surveys implemented during 1988-1992, 2001-2004, and 2014-2016, respectively, and from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention during 2019-2021. A modified Kato-Katz technique was used to detect parasite eggs in collected fecal samples. Results: The overall standardized infection rates (SIRs) of any soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and Clonorchis sinensis decreased from 65.27% during 1988-1992 to 4.23% during 2019-2021. In particular, the SIRs of STH had even more of a decrease, from 64.41% during 1988-1992 to 0.31% during 2019-2021. The SIRs of Clonorchis sinensis in the 4 surveys were 2.40%, 12.17%, 5.20%, and 3.93%, respectively. This study observed different permutations of gender, age, occupation, and education level on the SIRs of helminths. Conclusions: The infection rate of STH has substantially decreased. However, the infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis has had fewer changes, and it has become the dominant helminth.

Histological and molecular responses of Vigna angularis to Uromyces vignae infection.

BACKGROUND: To advance the understanding of adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) resistance to infection with the rust-causing fungus Uromyces vignae (Uv), we comprehensively analyzed histological events and the transcriptome of Uv-infected adzuki bean. RESULTS: Compared with the susceptible cv. Baoqinghong (BQH), the resistant cv. QH1 showed inhibition of uredospore germination and substomatal vesicle development, intense autofluorescence of cells around the infection site, and cell wall deposit formation in response to Uv infection. In cv. QH1, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed enrichment of chitin catabolic processes and responses to biotic stimuli at 24 h post-inoculation (hpi) and cell wall modification and structural constituent of cytoskeleton at 48 hpi. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated enrichment of WRKY transcription factors (TFs), the calcium binding protein cml, and hydroquinone glucosyltransferase at both 24 and 48 hpi. In total, 1992 and 557 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at 24 and 48 hpi, respectively. Cell surface pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), WRKY TFs, defense-associated pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, and lignin and antimicrobial phenolic compound biosynthesis were significantly induced. Finally, we detected the chitinase (CHI) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity were higher in QH1 and increased much earlier than in BQH. CONCLUSION: In cv. QH1, cell-surface PRRs rapidly recognize Uv invasion and activate the corresponding TFs to increase the transcription of defense-related genes and corresponding enzymatic activities to prevent fungal development and spread in host tissues.

Quenching and Electrical Current Poling Effect on Improved Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Properties in BiFeO3-Based High-Temperature Piezoceramics.

The effects of quenching on the structural, electrical, dielectric, ferroelectric (FE), and piezoelectric properties are investigated systematically in the 0.85BiFe1-xCrxO3-0.15BaTi1-xMnxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) ceramics. Optimal piezoelectricity and FE Curie temperature are obtained through optimized quenching rate and temperature. Quenching effect on piezoelectricity is especially significant for the samples near morphotropic phase boundaries (MPB), which can be ascribed to quenching-induced changes in phase ratio (rhombohedral and tetragonal phase) and domain structure/defect dipole orientation. Moreover, a new poling method, that is, cooling the sample at a constant dc current across FE TC, is established to improve the piezoelectricity. This work not only reveals the possible mechanism of quenching effect on the improved piezoelectricity in the BFO-based piezoceramics (especially near the MPB) but also suggests an electric current poling strategy for improving piezoelectricity by suppressing the defect dipole effects in BFO-based and even other piezoelectrics.