CircPAPPA2 plays a role in preeclampsia pathogenesis via regulation of the miR-942/miR-5006-3p.

CircRNAs are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs implicated in the pathogenesis of many pregnancy related diseases, one of which is pre-eclampsia (PE). This study aims to investigate the role of CircPAPPA2 (circbase ID: hsa_circ_0015382) in regulating the migration and invasion of trophoblast cells. RNA sequencing was used to identify the differentially expressed circRNAs in placenta of PE and normal pregnant women. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the expression of circPAPPA2 and two miRNAs (miR-942-5p, 5006-3p) in placenta of PE and normal pregnant women. CCK8 and transwell experiments were performed to assess the function of circPAPPA2 in PE development.The interaction between circPAPPA2 and miR-942-5p/miR-5006-3p was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, bioinformatics analyzed with gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of the target genes. The results showed that the expression of circPAPPA2 was increased in placenta of PE pregnant women. Also, circPAPPA2 impedes trophoblasts cell proliferation and invasion. Moreover, the expression of circPAPPA2 was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and urine protein. In addition, circPAPPA2 serves as a sponge of miR-942-5p and miR-5006-3p. In conclusion, CircPAPPA2 regulates trophoblasts cell proliferation and invasion by mediating the miR-942/miR-5006-3p.

Micro-flow cell washing technique combined with single-cell Raman spectroscopy for rapid and automatic antimicrobial susceptibility test of pathogen in urine.

Facing the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance, methods based on single-cell Raman spectroscopy have proven their advances in reducing the turn-around time (TAT) of antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST). However, the Raman-based methods are still hindered by the prolonged centrifugal cell washing procedure, which may require complex labor operation and induce high mechanical stress, resulting in a pretreatment time of over 1 h as well as a high cell-loss probability. In this study, we developed a micro-flow cell washing device and corresponding Raman-compatible washing chips, which were able to automatically remove the impurities in the samples, retain the bacterial cell and perform Raman spectra acquisition in situ. Results of washing the 5- and 10-µm polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres showed that the novel technique achieved a successful removal of 99 % impurity and an 80 % particle retention rate after 6 to 10 cycles of washing. The micro-flow cell washing technique could complete the pretreatment for urine samples in a 96-well plate within 10 min, only taking 15 % of the handling time required by centrifugation. The AST profiles of urine sample spiked with E. coli 25922, E. faecalis 29212, and S. aureus 29213 obtained by the proposed Raman-based approach were found to be 100 % consistent with the results from broth micro-dilution while reducing the TAT to 3 h from several days which is required by the latter. Our study has demonstrated the micro-flow cell washing technique is a reliable, fast and compatible approach to replace centrifuge washing for sample pretreatment of Raman-AST and could be readily applied in clinical scenarios.

Cleavage-independent activation of ancient eukaryotic gasdermins and structural mechanisms.

Gasdermins (GSDMs) are pore-forming proteins that execute pyroptosis for immune defense. GSDMs are two-domain proteins activated by proteolytic removal of the inhibitory domain. In this work, we report two types of cleavage-independent GSDM activation. First, TrichoGSDM, a pore-forming domain-only protein from the basal metazoan Trichoplax adhaerens, is a disulfides-linked autoinhibited dimer activated by reduction of the disulfides. The cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure illustrates the assembly mechanism for the 44-mer TrichoGSDM pore. Second, RCD-1-1 and RCD-1-2, encoded by the polymorphic regulator of cell death-1 (rcd-1) gene in filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, are also pore-forming domain-only GSDMs. RCD-1-1 and RCD-1-2, when encountering each other, form pores and cause pyroptosis, underlying allorecognition in Neurospora. The cryo-EM structure reveals a pore of 11 RCD-1-1/RCD-1-2 heterodimers and a heterodimerization-triggered pore assembly mechanism. This study shows mechanistic diversities in GSDM activation and indicates versatile functions of GSDMs.

Development of a Reliable GADSAH Model for Differentiating AFP-negative Hepatic Benign and Malignant Occupying Lesions.

Purpose: Developing a high-value, convenient, and validated differential diagnosis model to differentiate alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) negative hepatic occupying lesions and assist clinicians in early identification and intervention. Patients and Methods: A total of 340 patients with AFP-negative hepatic occupying lesions who were admitted to the Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital between August 2021 and April 2023 were included in the final retrospective analysis. The data were randomly divided into training and validation sets in a 7:3 ratio after performing multiple interpolations. In the training set, laboratory variables and models were screened using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis, comparison of five machine learning algorithms, and univariate, as well as multivariate logistic regression analysis. A diagnostic prediction nomogram model was developed. We evaluated and validated the model using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: We identified six significant predictive factors from the results of multivariate logistic analysis in the training set and incorporated them into the nomogram model for diagnosing AFP-negative hepatic malignant occupying lesions (HMOL). The diagnostic nomogram, including gender, age, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), serum ferritin (SF), AFP, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), achieved an area under the curve of 0.905 discriminated patients with HMOL from those with benign occupying lesions. Additionally, calibration curves demonstrated the close alignment between the nomogram predictions and the ideal curve, along with the consistency between predictions and actual results. Moreover, the DCA curves illustrated indicated benefit for all patients. These finding were confirmed by the validation set. Conclusion: The GADSAH model specifically targets the discrimination of malignant and benign liver lesions in AFP-negative patients. It offers a noninvasive, cost-effective, and efficient approach for diagnosing such cases.

Unleashing the Power of Osmotic Energy: Metal Hydroxide-Organic Framework Membranes for Efficient Conversion.

Osmotic energy, as a renewable clean energy with huge energy density and stable yield, has received widespread attention over the past decades. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) based on ion-exchange membranes is an important method of obtaining osmotic energy from salinity gradients. The preparation of ion-exchange membranes with both high ion selectivity and ion permeability is in constant exploration. In this work, metal hydroxide-organic framework (MHOF) membranes are successfully prepared onto porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes by a facile hydrothermal method to form Ni2(OH)2@AAO composite membranes, used for osmotic energy conversion. The surface is negatively charged with cation selectivity, and the asymmetric structure and extreme hydrophilicity enhance the ionic flux for effective capture of osmotic energy. The maximum output power density of 5.65 W m-2 at a 50-fold KCl concentration gradient is achieved, which exceeds the commercial benchmark of 5 W m-2. Meanwhile, the composite membrane can also show good performance in different electrolyte solutions and acid-base environments. This work provides a new avenue for the construction and application of MHOF membranes in efficient osmotic energy conversion.

Cadmium Exposure Induces Apoptosis and Necrosis of Thyroid Cells via the Regulation of miR-494-3p/PTEN Axis.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure is a persistent pollution problem, necessitating caution in using cadmium-expelling complexing agents. Currently, there is no targeted therapy to treat Cd poisoning. The thyroid gland is a major endocrine organ that directly regulates thyroid hormones involved in various physiological processes and is a target organ for Cd accumulation. Herein, the effects of Cd exposure on swine thyroid glands were investigated. Six-week-old male pigs were randomly divided into the Cd and control groups. The control group was fed a normal diet containing 0 mg Cd/kg, while the Cd group was fed a diet containing 20 mg Cd/kg (CdCl2) for 40 days. The regulation mechanism of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) microRNA-494-3p (miR-494-3p) was evaluated to determine the toxic effects of Cd exposure on free radicals' cleaner. Notably, heat shock proteins (HSPs) were triggered as defense agents against Cd. Cd exposure increased the enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase1(SOD1) and SOD2, catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH), and the endoplasmic reticulum stress in thyroid cells. Histopathological staining, RT-qPCR, and Western Blot assays were further employed to detect possible apoptosis and necroptosis of thyroid cells induced by Cd exposure. The assays revealed increased thyroid inflammatory injury, fibrosis, and apoptosis caused by Cd exposure. This study demonstrates the role of microRNAs in regulating Cd toxicity in pig thyroid tissue and provides evidence of Cd's negative effects. It further provides an assessment of the toxicological impact of Cd as an environmental endocrine disruptor (ED) that threatens public health and safety, which forms a basis for the development of Cd poisoning treatment therapies.

Food safety-related practices among residents aged 18-75 years during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Good food safety practices are essential to minimizing foodborne diseases. The present study explored the food safety-related practices of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China and identified the impacting factors. METHODS: Residents aged 18-75 years from Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing, China, were included in our study. The convenience sampling method was used to select participants, and face-to-face surveys were conducted in households and communities to collect data. Descriptive statistics including sociodemographic characteristics of respondents and weighted percentages were obtained and the log-binomial regression was used to evaluate the influencing factors associated with food safety-related practices. RESULTS: Overall, 7,848 respondents were involved, with 97.5% efficacy. Disparities in food safety-related practices were observed between males and females, with the former performing poorer practices than the latter (70.5% vs. 68.0%, respectively). Notably, paying attention to nutrition labels when shopping for prepackaged foods was the worst practice. Age, ethnicity, region, occupation, education level, and income were identified as significant determinants of food safety-related practices. Moreover, in comparison to males, females were more likely to acquire pertinent knowledge from diverse sources, including social media, family members/ friends, books/ newspapers/ magazines, experts, and food sales staff (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Males performed inferior food safety-related practices than females during the COVID-19 pandemic in Southwest China. It is suggested that future food safety education programs should incorporate diverse targeted approaches, with emphasis on males. The role of mainstream media in promoting food safety practices should be expanded and prioritized in the forthcoming initiatives.

In Situ Growth of MOF-303 Membranes onto Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Substrates for Harvesting Salinity-Gradient Energy.

As an emerging metal-organic framework (MOF) material in recent years, the MOF-303 membrane has shown great potential applications in seawater desalination, dehydration, and atmospheric water harvesting. Herein, we report on a dense and uniform MOF-303 membrane fabricated by a facile in situ hydrothermal synthesis approach in the presence of an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) channel membrane acting as the only Al source and substrate. Interestingly, the MOF-303 isomer can be obtained due to an insufficient amount of organic ligand caused by the less hydrophilic and larger pore size of the AAO substrate. The MOF-based composite membranes possessed surface-charge-governed ionic transport behavior. Moreover, the MOF-303/AAO membrane yielded an output power density of 1.87 W/m2 under a 50-fold KCl concentration gradient. Under a 50-fold gradient of artificial seawater and river water, a maximum power density of 1.46 W/m2 can be obtained. After 30 days of stability testing, the composite membrane still maintained the power output, and the power density was higher than 1.20 W/m2. This work provides a facile and effective strategy for constructing Al-based MOF composite membranes and boosts their applications in harvesting salinity-gradient energy.

Distal radial access for neuroangiography and neurointerventions: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via distal radial access (DRA) are safe and effective. Safety and efficacy of neuroangiography and neurointerventions via DRA are unknown. PURPOSE: Search the literatures on neuroangiography and neurointerventions via DRA and conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane were searched from inception to November 10, 2022. After literature screening, data extraction and assessment of literature quality, random effects model was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 236 literatures were retrieved, and 17 literatures including 1163 patients were finally included for meta-analysis.The pooled access success rate was 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.94-0.98), and the heterogeneity was obvious (I2 = 55.5%). The pooled access-related complications incidence rate was 0.03 (95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.05), and the heterogeneity was not obvious (I2 = 15.8%). CONCLUSION: Neuroangiography and neurointerventions via DRA may be safe and effective. DRA is an alternative access for neuroangiography and neurointerventions.

The enhancement effect of small molecule Lyb24 reveals AzoR as a novel target of polymyxin B.

Given the important role of polymyxin B (PB) in the treatment of drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections, the emergence of PB resistance poses a serious threat to public health. Adjuvant development is a supplementary strategy that can compensate for the lack of novel antibiotics by protecting PB. In this study, we found a small molecule named Lyb24 that showed weak antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥ 10 µg/ml) but potentiated and revitalized the efficacy of PB against Gram-negative pathogens, including mcr-1- and mgrB-deletion-mediated PB-resistant strains. Our results showed that Lyb24 inhibits the translational levels of genes associated with the modification of lipid A. In addition, Lyb24 increases the permeability, disrupts the integrity and induces the depolarization of the membrane. We further found that both Lyb24 and PB could directly bind to AzoR and inhibit its activity. Structural analysis showed that Lyb24 binds to the isoalloxazine ring of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) through pi-pi stacking and loop η4 of AzoR. A pneumonia model was used to confirm that the activity against clinical PB-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae was enhanced due to Lyb24 on PB. In conclusion, we provide a potential therapeutic regimen by combining Lyb24 and PB to treat Gram-negative-resistant bacterial infections. Our findings not only explain the synergistic effect of Lyb24, but also expand our knowledge on the mechanism of action of PB.

Recognition and maturation of IL-18 by caspase-4 noncanonical inflammasome.

The canonical (caspase-1) and noncanonical (comprising caspases 4, 5 and 11; hereafter, caspase-4/5/11) inflammasomes both cleave gasdermin D (GSDMD) to induce pyroptosis1,2. Whereas caspase-1 processes IL-1ß and IL-18 for maturation3-6, no cytokine target has been firmly established for lipopolysaccharide-activated caspase-4/5/117-9. Here we show that activated human caspase-4, but not mouse caspase-11, directly and efficiently processes IL-18 in vitro and during bacterial infections. Caspase-4 cleaves the same tetrapeptide site in pro-IL-18 as caspase-1. The crystal structure of the caspase-4-pro-IL-18 complex reveals a two-site (binary) substrate-recognition mechanism; the catalytic pocket engages the tetrapeptide, and a unique exosite that critically recognizes GSDMD10 similarly binds to a specific structure formed jointly by the propeptide and post-cleavage-site sequences in pro-IL-18. This binary recognition is also used by caspase-5 as well as caspase-1 to process pro-IL-18. In caspase-11, a structural deviation around the exosite underlies its inability to target pro-IL-18, which is restored by rationally designed mutations. The structure of pro-IL-18 features autoinhibitory interactions between the propeptide and the post-cleavage-site region, preventing recognition by the IL-18Rα receptor. Cleavage by caspase-1, -4 or -5 induces substantial conformational changes of IL-18 to generate two critical receptor-binding sites. Our study establishes IL-18 as a target of lipopolysaccharide-activated caspase-4/5. The finding is paradigm shifting in the understanding of noncanonical-inflammasome-mediated defences and also the function of IL-18 in immunity and disease.

Drynaria Naringin alleviated mechanical stress deficiency-caused bone loss deterioration via Rspo1/Lgr4-mediated Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic condition distinguished by the degradation of bone microstructure and mechanical characteristics. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been employed in China for the treatment of various illnesses. Naringin, an ingredient found in Drynariae TCM, is known to have a significant impact on bone metabolism. For this research, we studied the precise potential effect of Drynaria Naringin on protecting against bone loss caused by stress deficiency. In this study, a tail-suspension (TS) test was performed to establish a mouse model with hind leg bone loss. Some mice received subcutaneous injections of Drynaria Naringin for 30 d. Trabecular bone microarchitecture was evaluated using micro-computed tomography analysis and bone histological analysis. Bone formation and resorption markers were quantified in blood samples from mice or in the supernatant of MC3T3-E1 cells by ELISA analysis, Western blotting, and PCR. Immunofluorescence was utilized to visualize the location of ß-catenin. Additionally, siRNA was employed to knockdown-specific genes in the cells. Our findings highlight the efficacy of Drynaria Naringin in protecting against the deterioration of bone loss and promoting bone formation and Rspo1 expression in a mouse model following the TS test. Specifically, in vitro experiments also indicated that Drynaria Naringin may promote osteogenesis through the Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway. Moreover, our results suggest that Drynaria Naringin upregulates the expression of Rspo1/Lgr4, leading to the promotion of osteogenesis via the Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway. Therefore, Drynaria Naringin holds potential as a therapeutic medication for osteoporosis. Drynaria Naringin alleviates bone loss deterioration caused by mechanical stress deficiency through the Rspo1/Lgr4-mediated Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway.

Bioavailability and health risk assessment of Zn and Cd in edible tissues of two typical shellfish species using in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.

Dynamic extraction of edible tissues of Jinjiang oyster (Crassostrea rivularis) and Flower clam (Paphia undulata) was conducted using a fully biomimetic digestion (in vitro) method. The impact of different cooking methods on the bioavailability of Zn and Cd in the edible shellfish tissues was analyzed, and the human health risk of Zn and Cd was evaluated. The results show that the gastric biomimetic extractions of Zn and Cd in unheated samples of C. rivularis and P. undulata were higher than those in the intestinal biomimetic extraction. The extraction patterns of cooked samples were consistent with those of raw samples. The bioavailability of Zn and Cd in cooked samples of C. rivularis was 94.9% and 82.5%, respectively, indicating increased Zn bioavailability but decreased Cd bioavailability compared to the raw samples. The bioavailability of Zn and Cd in cooked samples of P. undulata was 85.1% and 83.0%, respectively, both of which decreased compared to the raw samples. Consumption of C. rivularis can provide 21.0% to 34.2% of the daily required Zn intake, while consumption of P. undulata can provide 3.8% to 6.4%. The intake of Cd from both shellfish species is below the monthly tolerable intake recommended by FAO/WHO. Consuming cooked C. rivularis can increase the intake of Zn and decrease the intake of Cd.

Nomogram for the prediction of crescent formation in IgA nephropathy patients: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The 2017 Oxford classification of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) recently reported that crescents could predict a worse renal outcome. Early prediction of crescent formation can help physicians determine the appropriate intervention, and thus, improve the outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to establish a nomogram model for the prediction of crescent formation in IgA nephropathy patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 200 cases of biopsy-proven IgAN patients. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) regression and multivariate logistic regression was applied to screen for influencing factors of crescent formation in IgAN patients. The performance of the proposed nomogram was evaluated based on Harrell's concordance index (C-index), calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic analysis showed that urinary protein ≥ 1 g (OR = 3.129, 95%CI = 1.454-6.732), urinary red blood cell (URBC) counts ≥ 30/ul (OR = 3.190, 95%CI = 1.590-6.402), mALBU ≥ 1500 mg/L(OR = 2.330, 95%CI = 1.008-5.386), eGFR < 60ml/min/1.73m2(OR = 2.295, 95%CI = 1.016-5.187), Serum IgA/C3 ratio ≥ 2.59 (OR = 2.505, 95%CI = 1.241-5.057), were independent risk factors for crescent formation. Incorporating these factors, our model achieved well-fitted calibration curves and a good C-index of 0.776 (95%CI [0.711-0.840]) in predicting crescent formation. CONCLUSIONS: Our nomogram showed good calibration and was effective in predicting crescent formation risk in IgAN patients.

Mitral valve prolapse and physical performance in Asian military males: The CHIEF Heart study.

The impact of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and mitral regurgitation (MR) on physical performance has not been examined. Of 1,808 physically fit Asian military males, we compared the physical fitness between 62 subjects with MVP (MVP(+)) and 1,311 age- and anthropometrics-matched controls from the 1,746 participants without MVP (MVP(-)). MVP and MR grade were defined based on the American Society of Echocardiography criteria. Aerobic endurance capacity was evaluated by a 3000-m run and muscular endurance capacity was separately evaluated by 2-min sit-ups and 2-min push-ups. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the difference between groups. As compared to the MVP(-), the MVP(+) completed the 3000-m run test faster (839.2 ± 65.3 sec vs. 866.6 ± 86.8 sec, p = 0.019), but did fewer push-ups (41.3 ± 3.92 vs. 48.0 ± 10.1, p = 0.02) and similar sit-ups within 2 min. Of the MVP(+), those with any MR (trivial, mild or moderate) completed the 3000-m run test faster than those without MR (830.6 ± 61.7 sec vs. 877.2 ± 61.7 sec, p = 0.02). Our findings suggest that in physically active Asian military males, the MVP(+) may have greater aerobic endurance capacity but lower muscular endurance capacity than the MVP(-). The presence of MR may play a role for the MVP(+) to have greater aerobic endurance capacity.

Predictive Value of Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Quantitative Flow Ratio for Vessel-Oriented Composite Endpoint.

At present, there is a lack of indicators, which can accurately predict the post-percutaneous coronary intervention (post-PCI) vessel-oriented composite endpoint (VOCE). Recent studies showed that the post-PCI quantitative flow ratio (QFR) can predict post-PCI VOCE. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched from inception to March 27, 2022, and the cohort studies about that the post-PCI QFR predicts post-PCI VOCE were screened. Meta-analysis was performed, including 6 studies involving 4518 target vessels. The results of the studies included in this meta-analysis all showed that low post-PCI QFR was an independent risk factor for post-PCI VOCE after adjusting for other factors, HR (95% CI) ranging from 2.718 (1.347-5.486) to 6.53 (2.70-15.8). Our meta-analysis showed that the risk of post-PCI VOCE was significantly higher in the lower post-PCI QFR group than in the higher post-PCI QFR group (HR: 4.14, 95% CI: 3.00-5.70, P < 0.001, I2 = 27.9%). Post-PCI QFR has a good predictive value for post-PCI VOCE. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with CRD42022322001.

Catechol-Modified and MnO2-Nanozyme-Reinforced Hydrogel with Improved Antioxidant and Antibacterial Capacity for Periodontitis Treatment.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by tooth loss and alveolar bone resorption. Bacteria are the original cause of periodontitis, and excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) encourage and intensify inflammation. In this study, a mussel-inspired and MnO2 NPs-reinforced adhesive hydrogel capable of alleviating periodontitis with improved antibacterial and antioxidant abilities was developed. The hydrogel was created by combining polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 3,4-dihydroxy-d-phenylalanine (DOPA), and MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) (named PDMO hydrogel). The hydrogel was demonstrated to be able to scavenge various free radicals (including total ROS─O2•- and OH•) and relieve the hypoxia in an inflammatory microenvironment by scavenging excess ROS and generating O2 due to its superoxide dismutase (SOD)/catalase (CAT)-like activity. Besides, under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light, the photothermal performance of the PDMO hydrogel displayed favorable antibacterial and antibiofilm effects toward Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Porphyromonas gingivalis (up to nearly 100% antibacterial rate). Furthermore, the PDMO hydrogel exhibited favorable therapeutic efficacy in alleviating gingivitis in Sprague-Dawley rats, even comparable to or better than the commercial PERIO. In addition, in the periodontitis models, the PDMO2 group showed the height of the residual alveolar bone and the smallest shadow area of low density among other groups, indicating the positive role of the PDMO2 hydrogel in bone regeneration. Finally, the biosafety of the PDMO hydrogel was comprehensively investigated, and the hydrogel was demonstrated to have good biocompatibility. Therefore, the developed PDMO hydrogel provided an effective solution to resolve biofilm recolonization and oxidative stress in periodontitis and could be a superior candidate for local drug delivery system in the clinical management of periodontitis with great potential for future clinical translation.

Rare earth elements in sediments from a representative Chinese mariculture bay: Characterization, DGT-based bioaccessibility, and probabilistic ecological risk.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are emerging contaminants due to their worldwide exploitation in the high-technology sector. Aquaculture systems, particularly those located within coastal areas, are fragile ecosystems due to anthropogenic impacts regarding urban and aquaculture activities. However, to date, there are no reports on the combined toxicity of rare earth element (REE) mixtures on aquatic biota in sediments from coastal aquaculture systems. In this study, the combined toxicity of REE mixtures based on probabilistic risk assessment indicated that the surface sediments of Zhelin Bay had a 1.86% probability of toxic effects on aquatic biota. The average value of total REEs (TREEs) was 297.37 µg/g, with light REEs representing the major part. A factor analysis (FA)-geographic information system (GIS)-based approach coupled with correlation analysis (CA) revealed that the REEs are derived from anthropogenic sources through fluvial processes.

Exploring health literacy in patients with chronic diseases in Chongqing, China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Personal health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Health literacy levels remain low, despite the many measures that have been taken to improve it. In addition, the number of patients with chronic diseases is increasing. Our study aimed to explore the different aspects and factors influencing health literacy among patients with chronic diseases in Chongqing, China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PATIENTS: This study was conducted in Chongqing using the 2018 National Questionnaire on Health Literacy of Residents administered to 27 336 patients with chronic diseases. OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence and factors of health literacy in patients with chronic diseases. RESULTS: Among the patients who participated in the study (n=27 336), 51.3% were males. Only 21.6% of the patients with chronic diseases had adequate health literacy (questionnaire score was equal to or exceeded 80% of the total questionnaire score). Patients with chronic diseases aged 25-34 years (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.36) and 35-44 years (OR=1.18, 95 % CI 1.03 to 1.35) had higher health literacy than patients aged 65-69 years. Patients from rural areas had higher health literacy levels than those from urban areas (OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.00). Furthermore, married patients had lower health literacy than unmarried patients (OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.97). Patients who were illiterate or slightly literate (OR=0.10, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.12) had lower health literacy than patients who were in junior college or had a bachelor's degree or above. In addition, non-farmers had higher health literacy levels than farmers (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.28). In terms of inadequate health literacy, patients who self-rated themselves as healthy had higher health literacy than those who self-rated as unhealthy (OR=1.80, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.43). CONCLUSIONS: The health literacy of patients with chronic conditions remains at a low level and varies significantly with their demographic and social characteristics. These findings indicate that targeted interventions may be useful to improve health literacy in patients with chronic conditions in China.

Bioenrichment preference and human risk assessment of arsenic and metals in wild marine organisms from Dapeng (Mirs) Bay, South China Sea.

Bioenrichment preference of arsenic and metals in wild marine organisms has been scarcely considered. Twenty species including fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and bivalve mollusks were collected from Dapeng (Mis) Bay and analyzed for arsenic and metals. Through this study, we had obtained the following four main conclusions: (1) average concentrations of arsenic and metals (µg/kg, wet weight) in the aquatic organism samples were 48.7 for Cr, 1762.0 for Mn, 20,632.8 for Fe, 33.0 for Co, 119.5 for Ni, 3184.7 for Cu, 12,040.5 for Zn, 389.0 for As, 189.1 for Se, 144.4 for Cd, 15.0 for Hg, and 55.3 for Pb; (2) factor analysis (FA) revealed that the studied twenty species exhibited three types of arsenic and metal bioenrichment preference;(3) non-carcinogenic health risk assessment indicated insignificant health effects from marine organism consumption; (4) carcinogenic health risk assessment revealed an unacceptable risk from consumption of nine species, seven of which were crustaceans.