Seminal plasma S100A8/A9 as a potential biomarker of genital tract inflammation.

ABSTRACT: Infections and inflammatory reactions in the male genital tract are the leading causes of male infertility with a prevalence of 6%-10%, primarily affecting testicular and epididymal function and ultimately compromising sperm quality. However, most infertile patients with genital infection/inflammation are asymptomatic and easily overlooked. Traditional indicators, including white blood cells, elastase, and other components in semen, can reflect inflammation of the genital tract, but there is still a lack of a uniform standard method of detection. Therefore, it is necessary to explore reliable markers in semen that reflect the inflammatory status of the genital tract. Using the experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) model to simulate noninfectious chronic orchitis, we successfully collected ejaculated seminal fluid from EAO rats using optimized electrical stimulation devices. Proteomic analysis was performed using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Compared to the control group, 55 upregulated and 105 downregulated proteins were identified in seminal plasma samples from the EAO group. In a preliminary screening, the inflammation-related protein S100A8/A9 was upregulated. We further verified that S100A8/A9 was increased in seminal plasma and highly expressed in testicular macrophages of the EAO model. In patients with oligoasthenospermia and genital tract infections, we also found that S100A8/A9 levels were remarkably increased in seminal plasma and testicular macrophages. S100A8/A9 in semen may be a potential biomarker for chronic genital inflammation. Our study provides a new potential biomarker for early diagnosis and further understanding of male infertility caused by genital inflammation.

Chromatin Modifier EP400 Regulates Oocyte Quality and Zygotic Genome Activation in Mice.

Epigenetic modifiers that accumulate in oocytes, play a crucial role in steering the developmental program of cleavage embryos and initiating life. However, the identification of key maternal epigenetic regulators remains elusive. In the findings, the essential role of maternal Ep400, a chaperone for H3.3, in oocyte quality and early embryo development in mice is highlighted. Depletion of Ep400 in oocytes resulted in a decline in oocyte quality and abnormalities in fertilization. Preimplantation embryos lacking maternal Ep400 exhibited reduced major zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and experienced developmental arrest at the 2-to-4-cell stage. The study shows that EP400 forms protein complex with NFYA, occupies promoters of major ZGA genes, modulates H3.3 distribution between euchromatin and heterochromatin, promotes transcription elongation, activates the expression of genes regulating mitochondrial functions, and facilitates the expression of rate-limiting enzymes of the TCA cycle. This intricate process driven by Ep400 ensures the proper execution of the developmental program, emphasizing its critical role in maternal-to-embryonic transition.

Reforestation of Cunninghamia lanceolata changes the relative abundances of important prokaryotic families in soil.

Over the past decades, many forests have been converted to monoculture plantations, which might affect the soil microbial communities that are responsible for governing the soil biogeochemical processes. Understanding how reforestation efforts alter soil prokaryotic microbial communities will therefore inform forest management. In this study, the prokaryotic communities were comparatively investigated in a secondary Chinese fir forest (original) and a reforested Chinese fir plantation (reforested from a secondary Chinese fir forest) in Southern China. The results showed that reforestation changed the structure of the prokaryotic community: the relative abundances of important prokaryotic families in soil. This might be caused by the altered soil pH and organic matter content after reforestation. Soil profile layer depth was an important factor as the upper layers had a higher diversity of prokaryotes than the lower ones (p < 0.05). The composition of the prokaryotic community presented a seasonality characteristic. In addition, the results showed that the dominant phylum was Acidobacteria (58.86%) with Koribacteraceae (15.38%) as the dominant family in the secondary Chinese fir forest and the reforested plantation. Furthermore, soil organic matter, total N, hydrolyzable N, and NH4+-N were positively correlated with prokaryotic diversity (p < 0.05). Also, organic matter and NO3--N were positively correlated to prokaryotic abundance (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that re-forest transformation altered soil properties, which lead to the changes in microbial composition. The changes in microbial community might in turn influence biogeochemical processes and the environmental variables. The study could contribute to forest management and policy-making.

Intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: an evidence mapping and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment for COVID-19 remain controversial. This study aimed to map the current status and gaps of available evidence, and conduct a meta-analysis to further investigate the benefit of IVIg in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SR/MAs), primary studies with control groups, reporting on the use of IVIg in patients with COVID-19. A random-effects meta-analysis with subgroup analyses regarding study design and patient disease severity was performed. Our outcomes of interest determined by the evidence mapping, were mortality, length of hospitalization (days), length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay (days), number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation, and adverse events. RESULTS: We included 34 studies (12 SR/MAs, 8 prospective and 14 retrospective studies). A total of 5571 hospitalized patients were involved in 22 primary studies. Random-effects meta-analyses of very low to moderate evidence showed that there was little or no difference between IVIg and standard care or placebo in reducing mortality (relative risk [RR] 0.91; 95% CI 0.78-1.06; risk difference [RD] 3.3% fewer), length of hospital (mean difference [MD] 0.37; 95% CI - 2.56, 3.31) and ICU (MD 0.36; 95% CI - 0.81, 1.53) stays, mechanical ventilation use (RR 0.92; 95% CI 0.68-1.24; RD 2.8% fewer), and adverse events (RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.84-1.14; RD 0.5% fewer) of patients with COVID-19. Sensitivity analysis using a fixed-effects model indicated that IVIg may reduce mortality (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.60-0.97), and increase length of hospital stay (MD 0.68; 95% CI 0.09-1.28). CONCLUSION: Very low to moderate certainty of evidence indicated IVIg may not improve the clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Given the discrepancy between the random- and fixed-effects model results, further large-scale and well-designed RCTs are warranted.

Mechanism of hyperproteinemia-induced damage to female reproduction in a genetic silkworm model.

Hyperproteinemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormally elevated plasma protein concentrations (PPC) in humans and animals. Here, a genetic silkworm model with high PPC was employed to investigate the effect of elevated PPC on female reproduction. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that high PPC induces downregulation of the ovarian development-related genes and disrupts ovarian sugar metabolism. Biochemical and endocrinal analyses revealed that high PPC increases trehalose and glucose levels in hemolymph and glycogen content in the fat body through activation of the gluconeogenic pathway and inhibition of the Insulin/Insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway-the serine/threonine kinase (IIS-AKT) pathway, thus disrupting characteristic metabolic homeostasis of sugar in the ovary. These resulted in ovarian developmental delay as well as reduced number and poor quality of eggs. Insulin supplementation effectively increased egg numbers by lowering blood sugar. These collective results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which high PPC negatively affects female reproduction and support the potential therapeutic effects of insulin.

Comparison analysis of full-spectrum metabolomics revealed on the variation of potential metabolites of unscented, Chloranthus spicatus scented, and Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. scented Congou black teas.

Introduction: In recent years, scented black tea has attracted much attention due to its pleasant floral aroma and mellow flavor, but little research has been carried out on its flavor metabolic profile. Methods: In this study, the flavor metabolic profiles of unscented, Chloranthus spicatus scented, and Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. scented Congou black teas were investigated using full-spectrum metabolomics analysis method, the first time that the flavor profiles of scented black tea were characterized in detail. Results and Discussion: The results revealed that a total of 3,128 metabolites were detected in the three teas. Based on the criteria of variable importance in the project >1 and fold change ≥2 or ≤ 0.5, 761 non-volatile metabolites and 509 volatile metabolites were filtered as differential metabolites. Many differential non-volatile metabolites belonged to flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids. Floral, fruity and herbaceous volatile metabolites were significantly up-regulated in Chloranthus spicatus scented Congou black tea while sweet and fruity volatile metabolites were significantly down-regulated in Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour. scented Congou black tea. The results contribute to a better understanding of the scenting techniques on the flavor quality of scented black teas and provide some information on the flavor chemistry theory of scented black teas.

Comprehensive analysis of prognostic value and immunotherapy prospect of brain cytoplasmic RNA1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The expression of brain cytoplasmic RNA1 (BCYRN1) is linked to the clinicopathology and prognosis of several types of cancers, among which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent types of cancer worldwide. AIM: To explore the prognostic value and immunotherapeutic potential of BCYRN1 in HCC by bioinformatics and meta-analysis. METHODS: Information was obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. First, the correlation between BCYRN1 expression and prognosis and clinicopathologic characteristics of HCC patients was explored. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between BCYRN1 and HCC prognosis. Secondly, potential functions and pathways were explored by means of enrichment analysis of differentially-expressed genes. The relationships between BCYRN1 expression and tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint, drug sensitivity and immunotherapy effect were also investigated. Finally, three major databases were searched and used to conduct a meta-analysis on the relationship between BCYRN1 expression and patient prognosis. RESULTS: BCYRN1 expression was significantly higher in HCC compared to normal tissues and was linked to a poor prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics. Enrichment analysis showed that BCYRN1 regulates the extracellular matrix and transmission of signaling molecules, participates in the metabolism of nutrients, such as proteins, and participates in tumor-related pathways. BCYRN1 expression was linked to the tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, drug sensitivity and the efficacy of immunotherapy. Furthermore, the meta-analysis in this study showed that BCYRN1 overexpression was related to a worse outcome in HCC patients. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of BCYRN1 relates to poor prognosis and may be a potential prognostic factor and immunotherapeutic target in HCC.

Impact of fermented Broussonetia papyrifera on laying performance, egg quality, lipid metabolism, and follicular development of laying hens.

Hybrid Broussonetia papyrifera (BP) has been widely planted and commonly used as ruminant forage source after fermentation in China. Very less information is available to know the impact of fermented BP on laying hens, thus, we have investigated effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented B. papyrifera (LfBP) on laying performance, egg quality, serum biochemical parameters, lipid metabolism, and follicular development of laying hens. A total of 288 HY-Line Brown hens (age, 23 wk) were randomly assigned into 3 treatment groups: control group (Con, a basal diet), LfBP1 and LfBP5 group (a basal diet supplemented with 1% or 5% LfBP). Each group has 8 replicates of twelve birds each. The results demonstrated that dietary supplementation of LfBP increased average daily feed intake (linear, P < 0.05), feed conversion ratio (linear, P < 0.05), and average egg weight (linear, P < 0.05) during the entire experimental period. In addition, dietary inclusion of LfBP enhanced the egg yolk color (linear, P < 0.01) but decreased the eggshell weight (quadratic, P < 0.05) and eggshell thickness (linear, P < 0.01). In serum, the LfBP supplementation linearly decreased the content of total triglyceride (linear, P < 0.01) but increased the content of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (linear, P < 0.05). The gene expression related to hepatic lipid metabolism including acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARα) was down-regulated whereas liver X receptor was up-regulated in LfBP1 group. Moreover, LfBP1 supplementation remarkably reduced the F1 follicle number and ovarian gene expression of reproductive hormone receptors including estrogen receptor, follicle stimulating hormone receptor, luteinizing hormone receptor, progesterone receptor, prolactin receptor, and B cell lymphoma-2. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of LfBP could improve feed intake, egg yolk color, and lipid metabolism, but may cause a decline in eggshell quality with higher inclusion level, herein, 1% is suggested.

Dynamic changes and correlation between symptoms and quality of life in patients with breast cancer during chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Standardized chemotherapy for breast cancer can improve the survival of patients, but during the process, it is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To explore the dynamic changes of symptoms and quality of life in breast cancer patients at different time points during chemotherapy, and to explore the correlation with quality of life. METHOD: A prospective study method was used to collect 120 breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy as the research objects. The general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom inventory (MDASI-C), and the European Organization for Cancer Research and Treatment (EORTC) Quality of Life questionnaire were used in the first week (T1), first month (T2), three month (T3) and 6 months after chemotherapy (T4) to conduct dynamic investigation. RESULTS: The symptoms of breast cancer patients at four time points during chemotherapy period were: psychological symptoms, pain-related symptoms, perimenopausal symptoms, impaired self-image, and neurological related symptoms etc. At T1, it exhibited 2 symptoms, however as moving along the chemotherapy process, the symptoms are increasing. The severity is (F= 76.32, P< 0.001), life of quality (F= 117.64, P< 0.001) vary. At T3, there were 5 symptoms, and at T4 symptom number increased to 6 with worsening quality of life. It exhibited positive correlation with scores in multiple domains of quality of life (P< 0.05), and the above symptoms showed positive correlation with multiple domains of QLQ-C30 (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: After T1-T3 of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, the symptoms become more serious and the quality of life reduced. Therefore, medical staff should pay attention to the occurrence and development of patient's symptoms, create a reasonable plan from the perspective of symptom management and carry out personalized interventions to improve patient's quality of life.

Sub-satisfactory recanalization of severe middle cerebral artery stenoses can significantly improve hemodynamics.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of sub-satisfactory stent recanalization on hemodynamic stresses for severe stenoses of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) M 1 segment. Materials and methods: Patients with severe stenoses of the MCA M1 segment treated with endovascular stent angioplasty were retrospectively enrolled. Three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography before and after stenting was performed; the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of hemodynamic stresses at the stenosis and normal segments proximal and distal to the stenoses was analyzed. Results: Fifty-one patients with severe stenosis at the MCA M1 segment were enrolled, with the stenosis length ranging from 5.1 to 12.8 mm (mean 9 ± 3.3 mm). Stent angioplasty was successful in all (100%) the patients. The angiography immediately after stenting demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in MCA stenosis after comparison with before stenting (31.4 ±12.5% vs. 87.5 ± 9.6%), with residual stenosis of 15-30% (mean 22.4 ± 3.5%). Before stenting, the total pressure was significantly higher (P < 0.0001), while the WSS, velocity, and vorticity were all significantly decreased (P < 0.0001) at the normal arterial segment proximal to the stenosis, and the total pressure, WSS, velocity, and vorticity were all significantly decreased (P < 0.0001) at the normal arterial segment distal to the stenosis compared with those at the stenosis. After sub-satisfactory stenting recanalization, all the hemodynamic stresses proximal or distal to the stenosis and at the perforator root were improved compared with those before stenting and were similar to those after virtual stenosis removal. Conclusion: Sub-satisfactory recanalization of severe MCA stenoses can significantly improve the hemodynamic status for cerebral perfusion at the stenoses.

Comparison between laparoscopic uncut Roux-en-Y and Billroth II with Braun anastomosis after distal gastrectomy: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Conventional Billroth II (BII) anastomosis after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) for gastric cancer (GC) is associated with bile reflux gastritis, and Roux-en-Y anastomosis is associated with Roux-Y stasis syndrome (RSS). The uncut Roux-en-Y (URY) gastrojejunostomy reduces these complications by blocking the entry of bile and pancreatic juice into the residual stomach and preserving the impulse originating from the duodenum, while BII with Braun (BB) anastomosis reduces the postoperative biliary reflux without RSS. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic URY with BB anastomosis in patients with GC who underwent radical distal gastrectomy. AIM: To evaluate the value of URY in patients with GC. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Database, and VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP) were used to search relevant studies published from January 1994 to August 18, 2021. The following databases were also used in our search: Clinicaltrials.gov, Data Archiving and Networked Services, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal (https://www.who.int/clinical-trials-registry-platform/the-ictrp-search-portal), the reference lists of articles and relevant conference proceedings in August 2021. In addition, we conducted a relevant search by Reference Citation Analysis (RCA) (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com). We cited high-quality references using its results analysis functionality. The methodological quality of the eligible randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and the non-RCTs were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager (Version 5.4). RESULTS: Eight studies involving 704 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The incidence of reflux gastritis [odds ratio = 0.07, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03-0.19, P < 0.00001] was significantly lower in the URY group than in the BB group. The pH of the postoperative gastric fluid was lower in the URY group than in the BB group at 1 d [mean difference (MD) = -2.03, 95%CI: (-2.73)-(-1.32), P < 0.00001] and 3 d [MD = -2.03, 95%CI: (-2.57)-(-2.03), P < 0.00001] after the operation. However, no significant difference in all the intraoperative outcomes was found between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This work suggests that URY is superior to BB in gastrointestinal reconstruction after LDG when considering postoperative outcomes.

Mechanism of hyperproteinemia-induced blood cell homeostasis imbalance in an animal model.

Hyperproteinemia is a metabolic disorder associated with increased plasma protein concentration (PPC) and is often clinically complicated by malignant diseases or severe infections. At present, however, research on the molecular mechanism underlying high PPC (HPPC) is scant. Here, an animal model of primary hyperproteinemia was constructed in an invertebrate ( Bombyx mori) to investigate the effects of HPPC on circulating blood cells. Results showed that HPPC affected blood cell homeostasis, leading to increased reactive oxygen species levels, and induced programmed cell death dependent on the endoplasmic reticulum-calcium ion signaling pathway. HPPC induced the proliferation of blood cells, mainly granulocytes, by activating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. Supplementation with the endocrine hormone active substance 20E significantly reduced the impact of HPPC on blood cell homeostasis. Thus, we identified a novel signaling pathway by which HPPC affects blood cell homeostasis, which differs from hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hypercholesterolemia. In addition, we showed that down-regulation of gene expression of the hematopoietic factor Gcm could be used as a potential early detection indicator for hyperproteinemia.

Differentiation of histopathological growth patterns of colorectal liver metastases by MRI features.

BACKGROUND: It is necessary to develop an accurate non-invasive method to determine the histopathological growth pattern (HGP) of colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) before surgery. The present study aimed to identify various HGPs of CRLM by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features. METHODS: This retrospective study included 53 chemo-naïve patients with CRLM between December 2013 and September 2019. The HGPs of CRLM were assessed according to the international consensus guidelines, and were classified as either replacement HGP (rHGP) or non-rHGP. The MRI features of CRLM were retrospectively reviewed in consensus by two radiologists. The differences of MRI features between rHGP and non-rHGP tumors were compared by using Chi-square test and Student's t-test. The Spearman or Pearson correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation between different MRI features. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic ability. RESULTS: Of the 53 chemo-naïve patients (mean age, 60.11±9.85 years; age range, 38-86 years), 12 were diagnosed as rHGP, while 41 were diagnosed as non-rHGP. Rim enhancement were more common in rHGP than in non-rHGP (P<0.001). Besides, the diameter difference (ΔD) between the precontrast and postcontrast images of rHGP was significantly larger than that of the non-rHGP (P=0.001). The rim width was correlated with ΔD, but not correlated with tumor size. The non-rHGP colorectal liver metastases were prone to be washed out in the delayed phases (P=0.043). The area under the curve (AUC) for the differentiation of rHGP and non-rHGP by using rim enhancement and ΔD was 0.828 (95% CI: 0.708-0.949). CONCLUSIONS: The MRI features of CRLM are characteristic and could help to differentiate rHGP and non-rHGP.

Pretreatment with Methylene Blue Protects Against Acute Seizure and Oxidative Stress in a Kainic Acid-Induced Status Epilepticus Model.

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential anticonvulsant effect of methylene blue (MB) in a kainic acid (KA)-induced status epilepticus (SE) model. The effects of MB on levels of oxidative stress and glutamate (Glu) also were explored. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 5 equal-sized groups: (1) controls; (2) KA; (3) MB 0.5 mg/kg+KA; (4) MB 1 mg/kg+KA; and (5) vehicle+KA. The SE model was established by intra-amygdala microinjection of KA. Behavioral observations and simultaneous electroencephalographic records of the seizures in different groups were analyzed to determine the potential anticonvulsant effect of MB. The influences of MB on oxidative stress markers and glutamate were also detected to explore the possible mechanism. RESULTS MB afforded clear protection against KA-induced acute seizure, as measured by the delayed latency of onset of generalized seizures and SE, decreased percentage of SE, and increased survival rate in mice with acute epilepsy. MB markedly increased the latency to first onset of epileptiform activity and decreased the average duration of epileptiform events, as well as the percentage of time during which the epileptiform activity occurred. Administration of MB prevented KA-induced deterioration of oxidative stress markers and Glu. CONCLUSIONS MB is protective against acute seizure in SE. This beneficial effect may be at least partially related to its potent antioxidant ability and influence on Glu level.

Case Report: Double Micro-Guidewire Technique for Emergent Rescue of Proximal Stent Collapse During Recanalization of Nonacute Occlusion of Vertebral Artery.

Cerebral arteries are usually tortuous, and in the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases with stenting, a stent deployed may be collapsed at one end, leading to reduced blood flow and subsequent stent occlusion. Immediate rescuing measures should be implemented to prevent severe ischemic events. In this case report, we present a case with V4 segment occlusion of the right vertebral artery treated with endovascular stent angioplasty. An Enterprise stent deployed at the occlusion segment was collapsed at the proximal end after withdrawal of the delivery system. Immediate rescuing measures were taken by navigating a micro-guidewire through the lateral stent mesh at the proximal end into the stent lumen followed by advancing a second micro-guidewire right through the reopened proximal stent end into the stent lumen for deployment of a supporting balloon-expandable Apollo stent to prevent stent collapse. Follow-up digital subtraction angiography 6 months later demonstrated patent stents and unobstructed blood flow.

Chromium accumulation in soil, water and forage samples in automobile emission area.

Environmental contamination caused by various pollutants due to automobile emissions is an alarming issue. One important type of the pollutants are heavy metals, including chromium (Cr) added by the exhaust of toxic smoke of vehicles. These pollutants are added to forage crops cultivated near roadsides, soil and irrigation water. However, rare studies have been conducted to infer Cr accumulation near heavy automobile emission areas. This study was conducted to determine Cr concentration in irrigation water, soil and forage. Water, forage and soil samples were collected from area impacted by heavy traffic. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to appraise Cr values in the collected samples. Chromium values ranged from 0.50 to 1.14 mg/kg in water samples and from 0.04 to 2.23 mg/kg in soil samples. It was highest in Zea mays grown soil, whereas minimum in Brassica campestris soil. The Cr values in forages ranged from 0.09 to 1.06 mg/kg. Z. mays observed the highest Cr accumulation, whereas the lowest Cr accrual was noted for B. campestris. The pollution load index (PLI) was the highest for Trifolium alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. Bio-concentration factor (BCF) ranged from 0.14 to 8.63. The highest BCF was noted for T. alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. The highest and the lowest daily intake of metal (DIM) was noted for Z. mays at different sites. Health risk index (HRI) was highest for Z. mays and lowest for B. campestris. The results add valuable information on heavy metal accumulation in water, soil and forage samples near to automobile emission area.

Factors affecting in-stent restenosis after angioplasty with the Enterprise stent for intracranial atherosclerotic diseases.

This study investigated factors affecting the safety and in-stent restenosis after intracranial stent angioplasty using the Enterprise stent for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Between January 2017 and March 2019, patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis treated with Enterprise stent angioplasty were enrolled, including 400 patients in the modeling group and 89 patients in the validation group. The clinical factors affecting in-stent restenosis after Enterprise stent angioplasty in the modeling group were analyzed, and a logistic regression model of these factors was established and validated in the validation group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were analyzed. In the modeling group with 400 patients, there were 410 lesions, including 360 stenotic lesions and 50 occluded lesions, with 176 (42.9%) lesions in the anterior circulation and 234 (57.1%) in the posterior circulation. Successful stenting was performed in 398 patients (99.5%). Stenosis was significantly (P < 0.05) improved after stenting compared with before stenting (27.7% ± 2.9% vs. 77.9% ± 8.0%). Periprocedural complications included ischemic stroke (3.25%), hemorrhagic stroke (0.75%), and death (0.50%), with a total periprocedural complication rate of 4.0%. The first follow-up angiography was performed in 348 (87.0%) patients with 359 lesions 3.5-14 months (mean 5.7 months) after stenting. In-stent restenosis occurred in 62 (17.3%) lesions, while the other 295 (82.7%) had no restenosis. Lesion location, calcification degree, balloon expansion pressure, residual stenosis, intraprocedural dissection, and cerebral blood flow TICI grade were significant (P < 0.05) risk factors for in-stent restenosis. The in-stent restenosis prediction model was established as follows: P = 1/[1 + e-(-6.070-1.391 location + 2.745 calcification + 4.117 balloon inflation pressure + 2.195 intraprocedural dissection + 1.163 residual stenosis + 1.174 flow TC grade)]. In the validation group, the AUC in the ROC curve analysis was 0.902 (95% CI: 0.836-0.969), and when the cutoff value was 0.50, the sensitivity and specificity of this model were shown to be 76.92% and 80.26%, respectively, in predicting in-stent restenosis at angiographic follow-up, with a total coincidence rate of 79.78%. In conclusion, in-stent restenosis after intracranial Enterprise stenting is affected by stenosis location, calcification, balloon inflation pressure, intraprocedural arterial dissection, residual stenosis, and cerebral flow grade, and establishment of a logistic model with these factors can effectively predict in-stent restenosis.

VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/iNOS Signaling in Osteosarcoma MG63 Cells Mediates Stimulatory Effects on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell Proliferation.

Objective To assess the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) signaling on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells and the subsequent impact on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). MethodsMG63 cells were treated with VEGF-C alone (VEGF-C group), VEGF-C + iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG; AG group), and VEGF-C + VEGFR-3 inhibitor MAZ51 (MAZ51 group); untreated MG63 cells were used as controls. NO production was evaluated by a colorimetric method involving nitrate reductase. Meanwhile, mRNA and protein levels of iNOS were examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. To explore the effect of VEGF-C/VEGFR-3/iNOS signaling of MG63 cells on proliferation of HUVECs, we set up six groups: HUVECs, HUVECs+MG63, HUVECs+VEGF-C, HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C, HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C+AG, and HUVECs+MG63+VEGF-C+MAZ51 groups. The proliferation of HUVEC cells was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression quantitation. ResultsVEGF-C treatment enhanced iNOS expression at both gene and protein levels (mRNA: LSD-t=4.152, P<0.01; protein: LSD-t=3.486, P<0.01) and increased NO release of MG63 cells (LSD-t=3.774, P<0.01); treatment with either AG or MAZ51 decreased these effects (mRNA: LSD-t=9.183, P<0.001; LSD-t=8.639, P<0.001; protein: LSD-t=5.170, P<0.001; LSD-t=7.255, P<0.001; NO production:LSD-t=10.326, P<0.001; LSD-t=10.540, P<0.001). Interestingly, co-incubation of HUVECs with MG63 cells and/or VEGF-C significantly promoted HUVEC proliferation (EdU: LSD-t=5.374, P<0.001; LSD-t=2.984, P<0.05; LSD-t=8.526, P<0.001; PCNA: LSD-t=9.267, P<0.001; LSD-t=5.515, P<0.001; LSD-t=14.873, P<0.001).The proliferation effects of HUVEC induced by MG63 cells and VEGF-C attenuated by the treatment of AG (EdU: LSD-t=10.770, P<0.001; PCNA: LSD-t=19.940, P<0.001) or MAZ51 (EdU: LSD-t=6.950, P<0.001; PCNA: LSD-t=14.001, P<0.001). ConclusionIn human osteosarcoma MG63 cells, activation of VEGFR-3 by VEGF-C promotes iNOS expression and NO production, which subsequently induces HUVEC proliferation.

Efficiency of different types of biochars to mitigate Cd stress and growth of sunflower (Helianthus; L.) in wastewater irrigated agricultural soil.

Cadmium contamination in croplands is recognized one of the major threat, seriously affecting soil health and sustainable agriculture around the globe. Cd mobility in wastewater irrigated soils can be curtailed through eco-friendly and cost effective organic soil amendments (biochars) that eventually minimizes its translocation from soil to plant. This study explored the possible effects of various types of plants straw biochar as soil amendments on cadmium (Cd) phytoavailability in wastewater degraded soil and its subsequent accumulation in sunflower tissues. The studied biochars including rice straw (RS), wheat straw (WS), acacia (AC) and sugarcane bagasse (SB) to wastewater irrigated soil containing Cd. Sunflower plant was grown as a test plant and Cd accumulation was recorded in its tissues, antioxidant enzymatic activity chlorophyll contents, plant biomass, yield and soil properties (pH, NPK, OM and Soluble Cd) were also examined. Results revealed that addition of biochar significantly minimized Cd mobility in soil by 53.4%, 44%, 41% and 36% when RS, WS, AC and SB were added at 2% over control. Comparing the control soil, biochar amended soil effectively reduced Cd uptake via plants shoots by 71.7%, 60.6%, 59% and 36.6%, when RS, WS, AC and SB. Among all the biochar, rice husk induced biochar significantly reduced oxidative stress and reduced SOD, POD and CAT activity by 49%, 40.5% and 46.5% respectively over control. In addition, NPK were significantly increased among all the added biochars in soil-plant system as well as improved chlorophyll contents relative to non-bioachar amended soil. Thus, among all the amendments, rice husk and wheat straw biochar performed well and might be considered the suitable approach for sunflower growth in polluted soil.

Influence of Hyperproteinemia on Insect Innate Immune Function of the Circulatory System in Bombyx mori.

Metabolic disorders of the circulatory system of animals (e.g., hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia) can significantly affect immune function; however, since there is currently no reliable animal model for hyperproteinemia, its effects on immunity remain unclear. In this study, we established an animal model for hyperproteinemia in an invertebrate silkworm model, with a controllable plasma protein concentration (PPC) and no primary disease effects. We evaluated the influence of hyperproteinemia on innate immunity. The results showed that high PPC enhanced hemolymph phagocytosis via inducing a rapid increase in granulocytes. Moreover, while oenocytoids increased, the plasmacytes quickly dwindled. High PPC inhibited hemolymph melanization due to decreased phenoloxidase (PO) activity in the hemolymph via inhibiting the expression of the prophenoloxidase-encoding genes, PPO1 and PPO2. High PPC upregulated the gene expression of antimicrobial peptides via differential activation of the Toll and Imd signaling pathways associated with NF-κB signaling, followed by an induction of inconsistent antibacterial activity towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in an animal model of high PPC. Therefore, high PPC has multiple significant effects on the innate immune function of the silkworm circulatory system.