Case report: Ovarian mucinous tumor with a mural nodule of liposarcoma: a rare case.

Background: Ovarian mucinous tumor with a mural nodule is a rare and special type of ovarian surface epithelial-stromal tumor. Mural nodules are morphologically classified into three types: sarcoma-like, anaplastic carcinomatous, and true sarcomatous nodules. Ovarian mucinous tumors with true sarcomatous mural nodules are rare and challenging to diagnose, with only 10 cases reported worldwide. Currently, liposarcoma mural nodules remain unreported. Case presentation: A 91-year-old woman was hospitalized for postmenopausal vaginal bleeding for 3 weeks. Imaging revealed a large cystic mass (20.0 cm × 17.7 cm × 12.8 cm) on the right ovary. The mass was multilocular cystic, with a mural nodule (1.4 cm × 1.2 cm × 1.0 cm) in the focal cyst wall. Based on histological morphology, immunohistochemical staining, and MDM2/CDK4 fluorescence in situ hybridization testing, the diagnosis was ovarian mucinous cystadenoma with a mural nodule of well-differentiated liposarcoma. To the best of our knowledge, this has never been reported before. High-throughput sequencing identified KRAS mutations in the ovarian mucinous cystadenoma. However, the liposarcoma mural nodule did not exhibit KRAS mutations but displayed copy number amplifications of CDK4 and DDR2, as well as a frameshift mutation in exon 13 of ASXL1 (p. A627Gfs*8). Conclusions: This case broadens the morphological spectrum of mural nodules in ovarian mucinous tumors, deepening our knowledge of this rare morphology. Meanwhile, through high-throughput sequencing, we found no overlapping genetic evidence between the liposarcoma mural nodule and associated ovarian mucinous cystadenoma.

SARS-CoV-2 reinfection broadens the antibody responses and promotes the phenotypic differentiation of virus-specific memory T cells in adolescents.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron subvariants raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of immunity acquired from previous Omicron subvariants breakthrough infections (BTIs) or reinfections (RIs) against the current circulating Omicron subvariants. In this study, we prospectively investigate the dynamic changes of virus-specific antibody and T cell responses among 77 adolescents following Omicron BA.2.3 BTI with or without subsequent Omicron BA.5 RI. Notably, the neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) titers against various detected SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially the emerging Omicron CH.1.1, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, EG.5.1, and JN.1 subvariants, exhibited a significant decrease along the time. A lower level of IgG and NAbs titers post-BTI was found to be closely associated with subsequent RI. Elevated NAbs levels and shortened antigenic distances were observed following Omicron BA.5 RI. Robust T cell responses against both Omicron BA.2- and CH.1.1-spike peptides were observed at each point visited. The exposure to Omicron BA.5 promoted phenotypic differentiation of virus-specific memory T cells, even among the non-seroconversion adolescents. Therefore, updated vaccines are needed to provide effective protection against newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants among adolescents.

Predicting tumor invasion depth in gastric cancer: developing and validating multivariate models incorporating preoperative IVIM-DWI parameters and MRI morphological characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: Accurate assessment of the depth of tumor invasion in gastric cancer (GC) is vital for the selection of suitable patients for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Current problem is that preoperative differentiation between T1-2 and T3-4 stage cases in GC is always highly challenging for radiologists. METHODS: A total of 129 GC patients were divided into training (91 cases) and validation (38 cases) cohorts. Pathology from surgical specimens categorized patients into T1-2 and T3-4 stages. IVIM-DWI and MRI morphological characteristics were evaluated, and a multimodal nomogram was developed. The MRI morphological model, IVIM-DWI model, and combined model were constructed using logistic regression. Their effectiveness was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curves (CIC). RESULTS: The combined nomogram, integrating preoperative IVIM-DWI parameters (D value) and MRI morphological characteristics (maximum tumor thickness, extra-serosal invasion), achieved the highest area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.901 and 0.883 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the AUCs of the IVIM-DWI and MRI morphological models in either cohort (training: 0.796 vs. 0.835, p = 0.593; validation: 0.794 vs. 0.766, p = 0.79). CONCLUSION: The multimodal nomogram, combining IVIM-DWI parameters and MRI morphological characteristics, emerges as a promising tool for assessing tumor invasion depth in GC, potentially guiding the selection of suitable candidates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) treatment.

Corrigendum: Paclitaxel-incorporated nanoparticles improve functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.957433.].

Risk and related factors of elbow musculoskeletal diseases: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in China.

OBJECTIVES: Although studies have shown that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common and continue to be a major source of disability and work time loss, there are few reports about elbow WMSDs. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence and associated factors of elbow WMSDs. METHODS: The valid questionnaires of 57501 workers from 15 different industries nationwide were collected and the c2 test and logistic regression analysis were applied to reveal the prevalence and risk factors of elbow WMSDs. RESULTS: The findings indicated that the overall prevalence of elbow WMSDs among workers was 7.3%. However, the prevalence of elbow WMSDs in toy manufacturing was 21.3%, which was significantly higher than that in other industries (P < .05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age 40 and above, married, very poor health, left-handedness, lifting weights (more than 20 kg each time), work requiring upper limb or hand force, work in an uncomfortable position, repetitive operations within 1 minute, using vibrating tools, work involving cold, cool draughts, or temperature changes, work being completed in the same workshop, work being done outdoors, frequent dealings with customers, 2 shifts, often working overtime, staff shortage, and often working for colleagues were risk factors for elbow WMSDs. A higer education level, monthly income, and enough rest time were protective factors for elbow WMSDs. CONCLUSIONS: Toy manufacturing is a high-risk industry for elbow WMSDs. Promotion of education about ergonomics should be strengthened, and workers' ergonomics awareness should be improved to reduce the impact of WMSDs.

GRP78/IRE1 and cGAS/STING pathway crosstalk through CHOP facilitates iodoacetic acid-mediated testosterone decline.

Iodoacetic acid (IAA) is an emerging unregulated iodinated disinfection byproduct with high toxicity and widespread exposure. IAA has potential reproductive toxicity and could damage male reproduction. However, the underlying mechanisms and toxicological targets of IAA on male reproductive impairment are still unclear, and thus Sprague-Dawley rats and Leydig cells were used in this work to decode these pending concerns. Results showed that after IAA exposure, the histomorphology and ultrastructure of rat testes were abnormally changed, numbers of Leydig cells were reduced, the hypothalamic-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis was disordered, and testosterone biosynthesis was inhibited. Proteomics analyses displayed that oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and steroid hormone biosynthesis were involved in IAA-caused reproductive injury. Antioxidant enzymes were depleted, while levels of ROS, MDA, 8-OHdG, and γ-H2A.X were increased by IAA. IAA triggered oxidative stress and DNA damage, and then activated the GRP78/IRE1/XBP1s and cGAS/STING/NF-κB pathways in Leydig cells. The two signaling pathways constructed an interactive network by synergistically regulating the downstream transcription factor CHOP, which in turn directly bound to and negatively modulated steroidogenic StAR, finally refraining testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells. Collectively, IAA as a reproductive toxicant has anti-androgenic effects, and the GRP78/IRE1 and cGAS/STING pathway crosstalk through CHOP facilitates IAA-mediated testosterone decline.

Exposure to ambient ozone and sperm quality among adult men in China.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists regarding the association between ozone exposure and adverse sperm quality. We aimed to assess the association between ozone exposure and sperm quality, and identify susceptible exposure windows. METHODS: We recruited 32,541 men aged between 22 and 65 years old attending an infertility clinic in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China from 2014 to 2020. Ozone data were obtained from a satellite-based spatiotemporal model. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the association between ozone exposure and sperm quality parameters, including sperm concentration, sperm count, sperm total motility, and sperm progressive motility during the entire stage of sperm development (0-90 days before ejaculation) and three crucial stages (0-9 days, 10-14 days and 70-90 days before ejaculation). Stratified analyses were performed to evaluate whether associations varied by age, body mass index, and education levels. RESULTS: The final analysis included 27,854 adult men. A 10 µg/m3 increase in ozone concentrations during the entire stage of sperm development was associated with a -4.17 % (95 % CI: -4.78 %, -3.57 %) decrease in sperm concentration, -6.54 % (95 % CI: -8.03 %, -5.60 %) decrease in sperm count, -0.50 % (95 % CI: -0.66 %, -0.34 %) decrease in sperm total motility, and -0.07 % (95 % CI: -0.22 %, 0.09 %) decrease in sperm progressive motility. The associations were stronger during 70-90 days before ejaculation and among men with middle school and lower education for sperm concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Ozone exposure was associated with decreased sperm quality among Chinese adult men attending an infertility clinic. These results suggest that ozone may be a risk factor contributing to decreased sperm quality in Chinese men.

Clinical and pathological analyses of 14 cases of angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma.

Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) is a soft tissue tumor of uncertain differentiation. Although its prognosis is good, its diagnosis and differential diagnosis remain a challenge, particularly for tumors with an atypical morphology. We evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics of 14 AFH cases and examined the key factors in its diagnosis or differential diagnosis. The cohort comprised 6 men and 8 women aged 9-65 years (average age: 31.2 years). Most of the tumors (11/14, 79%) were located in soft tissues, whereas 3/14 (21%) were located in the lung (1 case) and brain (2 cases). Tumor cells were spindle-shaped to epithelioid, with a visible fibrous capsule (9/14, 64%), hemorrhagic gap (9/14, 64%), lymphocyte sleeve (7/14, 50%), necrosis (3/14, 21%), and infiltrative boundary (4/14, 29%). The tumors expressed desmin (10/14, 71%) and exhibited low levels of Ki-67. 13 cases (93%) displayed ESWSR1 gene rearrangement. At follow-up, 1 case (7%) experienced local tumor recurrence. AFH is a rare intermediate tumor. Its pathological diagnosis requires a comprehensive analysis of histological, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features to avoid misdiagnosis. Our study has further enriched the histological features of AFH, emphasizing the importance of differential diagnosis and providing a reference for clinical practice.

Multi-parameter MRI radiomic features may contribute to predict progression-free survival in patients with WHO grade II meningiomas.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the potential value of radiomic features from multi-parameter MRI in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with WHO grade II meningiomas. Methods: Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used for survival analysis of clinical features. A total of 851 radiomic features were extracted based on tumor region segmentation from each sequence, and Max-Relevance and Min-Redundancy (mRMR) algorithm was applied to filter and select radiomic features. Bagged AdaBoost, Stochastic Gradient Boosting, Random Forest, and Neural Network models were built based on selected features. Discriminative abilities of models were evaluated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC). Results: Our study enrolled 164 patients with WHO grade II meningiomas. Female gender (p=0.023), gross total resection (GTR) (p<0.001), age <68 years old (p=0.023), and edema index <2.3 (p=0.006) are protective factors for PFS in these patients. Both the Bagged AdaBoost model and the Neural Network model achieved the best performance on test set with an AUC of 0.927 (95% CI, Bagged AdaBoost: 0.834-1.000; Neural Network: 0.836-1.000). Conclusion: The Bagged AdaBoost model and the Neural Network model based on radiomic features demonstrated decent predictive ability for PFS in patients with WHO grade II meningiomas who underwent operation using preoperative multi-parameter MR images, thus bringing benefit for patient prognosis prediction in clinical practice. Our study emphasizes the importance of utilizing advanced imaging techniques such as radiomics to improve personalized treatment strategies for meningiomas by providing more accurate prognostic information that can guide clinicians toward better decision-making processes when treating their patients' conditions effectively while minimizing risks associated with unnecessary interventions or treatments that may not be beneficial.

Screening of potential hub genes involved in Kidney Wilms tumor via bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.

BACKGROUND: Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common pediatric embryonal tumor. Improving patient outcomes requires advances in understanding and targeting the multiple genes and cellular control pathways, but its pathogenesis is currently not well-researched. We aimed to identify the potential molecular biological mechanism of WT and develop new prognostic markers and molecular targets by comparing gene expression profiles of Wilms tumors and fetal normal kidneys. METHODS: Differential gene expression analysis was performed on Wilms tumor transcriptomic data from the GEO and TARGET databases. For biological functional analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were utilized. Out of 24 hub genes identified, nine were found to be prognostic-related through univariate Cox regression analysis. These nine genes underwent LASSO regression analysis to enhance the predictive capability of the model. The key hub genes were validated in the GSE73209 datasets, and cell function experiments were conducted to identify the genes' functions in WiT-49 cells. RESULTS: The enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were significantly involved in the regulation of angiogenesis and regulation of cell differentiation. 24 DEGs were identified through PPI networks and the MCODE algorithm, and 9 of 24 genes were related to WT patients' prognosis. EMCN and CCNA1 were identified as key hub genes, and related to the progression of WT. Functionally, over-expression of EMCN and CCNA1 knockdown inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of Wilms tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: EMCN and CCNA1 were identified as key prognostic markers in Wilms tumor, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets. Differential gene expression and enrichment analyses indicate significant roles in angiogenesis and cell differentiation.

CS/PVP Hydrogel-Based Nanocapillary for Monitoring Bacterial Growth and Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing.

Infection with drug-resistant bacteria poses a significant threat to human health. Judicious use of antibiotics could reduce the likelihood of bacterial resistance, which can be evaluated through antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). This paper focuses on the application of a needle-like nanocapillary tip filled with chitosan (CS)/polyethylene pyrrolidone (PVP) hydrogel based on its specific pH-sensitive properties. The gel-filled nanocapillary has the potential to be used for electrical pH detection with a sensitivity of 3.06 nA/pH and a linear range from 7.3 to 4.3. Such sensitivity for pH measurement could be extended for monitoring of bacterial (such as Escherichia coli and Streptococcus salivarius) growth because of the relationship between pH and bacterial growth. Bacterial growth curves obtained using the hydrogel-filled nanocapillary showed good agreement with the OD600 method. Moreover, this device could be applied for rapid AST for tetracycline and norfloxacin on E. coli with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2 and 0.125 µg/mL, respectively. This study expands the application of the hydrogel-based nanocapillary for bacterial research by monitoring changes in pH values.

Correlation Between NLR Combined with PLR Score and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation.

Background: This investigation evaluated the prognostic significance of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and introduced a combined NLR-PLR score to evaluate the correlation between NLR-PLR score and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. Material/Methods: We enrolled 110 patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) for HCC. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were assessed, and appropriate cut-off values were established. The NLR-PLR score ranged from 0 to 2 as follows: score of 2, high NLR (≥3.37) and high PLR (≥105.96); score of 1, either high NLR or high PLR; score of 0, neither high NLR nor high PLR. Results: The median overall survival (OS) of patients with NLR-PLR score of 0, 1 and 2 was 27, 26.5, and 6 months, respectively. The median OS of patients with NLR-PLR score of 2 was shorter than those with 0 (P < 0.001) and 1 (P < 0.001). The median disease-free survival (DFS) time of patients with NLR-PLR score of 0, 1 and 2 was 24.5, 24, and 6 months, The median DFS of patients with NLR-PLR score of 2 was shorter than those with 0 (P = 0.001) and 1 (P = 0.015). Multivariate analysis showed that NLR-PLR score was an independent risk factor for prognosis and survival. Conclusion: NLR, PLR and NLR-PLR score can predict the long-term survival of patients, and NLR-PLR score, having more predictive value than NLR and PLR alone is an independent risk factor for patient survival. more predictive value than NLR and PLR alone.

A comprehensive approach to lifestyle intervention based on a calorie-restricted diet ameliorates liver fat in overweight/obese patients with NAFLD: a multicenter randomized controlled trial in China.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a globally increasing health epidemic. Lifestyle intervention is recommended as the main therapy for NAFLD. However, the optimal approach is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a comprehensive approach of intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) concerning enhanced control of calorie-restricted diet (CRD), exercise, and personalized nutrition counseling on liver steatosis and extrahepatic metabolic status in Chinese overweight and obese patients with NAFLD. METHODS: This study was a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted across seven hospitals in China. It involved 226 participants with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. These participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the ILI group, which followed a low carbohydrate, high protein CRD combined with exercise and intensive counseling from a dietitian, and a control group, which adhered to a balanced CRD along with exercise and standard counseling. The main measure of the study was the change in the fat attenuation parameter (FAP) from the start of the study to week 12, analyzed within the per-protocol set. Secondary measures included changes in BMI, liver stiffness measurement (LSM), and the improvement of various metabolic indexes. Additionally, predetermined subgroup analyses of the FAP were conducted based on variables like gender, age, BMI, ethnicity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 167 participants completed the whole study. Compared to the control group, ILI participants achieved a significant reduction in FAP (LS mean difference, 16.07 [95% CI: 8.90-23.25] dB/m) and BMI (LS mean difference, 1.46 [95% CI: 1.09-1.82] kg/m2) but not in LSM improvement (LS mean difference, 0.20 [95% CI: -0.19-0.59] kPa). The ILI also substantially improved other secondary outcomes (including ALT, AST, GGT, body fat mass, muscle mass and skeletal muscle mass, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, HOMA-ß, blood pressure, and homocysteine). Further subgroup analyses showed that ILI, rather than control intervention, led to more significant FAP reduction, especially in patients with concurrent hypertension (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this RCT, a 12-week intensive lifestyle intervention program led to significant improvements in liver steatosis and other metabolic indicators in overweight and obese Chinese patients suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Further research is required to confirm the long-term advantages and practicality of this approach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT03972631) in June 2019.

A Proactive Intervention Study in Metabolic Syndrome High-Risk Populations Using Phenome-Based Actionable P4 Medicine Strategy.

The integration of predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory (P4) healthcare advocates proactive intervention, including dietary supplements and lifestyle interventions for chronic disease. Personal profiles include deep phenotypic data and genetic information, which are associated with chronic diseases, can guide proactive intervention. However, little is known about how to design an appropriate intervention mode to precisely intervene with personalized phenome-based data. Here, we report the results of a 3-month study on 350 individuals with metabolic syndrome high-risk that we named the Pioneer 350 Wellness project (P350). We examined: (1) longitudinal (two times) phenotypes covering blood lipids, blood glucose, homocysteine (HCY), and vitamin D3 (VD3), and (2) polymorphism of genes related to folic acid metabolism. Based on personalized data and questionnaires including demographics, diet and exercise habits information, coaches identified 'actionable possibilities', which combined exercise, diet, and dietary supplements. After a 3-month proactive intervention, two-thirds of the phenotypic markers were significantly improved in the P350 cohort. Specifically, we found that dietary supplements and lifestyle interventions have different effects on phenotypic improvement. For example, dietary supplements can result in a rapid recovery of abnormal HCY and VD3 levels, while lifestyle interventions are more suitable for those with high body mass index (BMI), but almost do not help the recovery of HCY. Furthermore, although people who implemented only one of the exercise or diet interventions also benefited, the effect was not as good as the combined exercise and diet interventions. In a subgroup of 226 people, we examined the association between the polymorphism of genes related to folic acid metabolism and the benefits of folate supplementation to restore a normal HCY level. We found people with folic acid metabolism deficiency genes are more likely to benefit from folate supplementation to restore a normal HCY level. Overall, these results suggest: (1) phenome-based data can guide the formulation of more precise and comprehensive interventions, and (2) genetic polymorphism impacts clinical responses to interventions. Notably, we provide a proactive intervention example that is operable in daily life, allowing people with different phenome-based data to design the appropriate intervention protocol including dietary supplements and lifestyle interventions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43657-023-00115-z.

Epidemiological characteristics and antibody kinetics of elderly population with booster vaccination following both Omicron BA.5 and XBB waves in China.

After the termination of zero-COVID-19 policy, the populace in China has experienced both Omicron BA.5 and XBB waves. Considering the poor antibody responses and severe outcomes observed among the elderly following infection, we conducted a longitudinal investigation to examine the epidemiological characteristics and antibody kinetics among 107 boosted elderly participants following the Omicron BA.5 and XBB waves. We observed that 96 participants (89.7%) were infected with Omicron BA.5, while 59 (55.1%) participants were infected with Omicron XBB. Notably, 52 participants (48.6%) experienced dual infections of both Omicron BA.5 and XBB. The proportion of symptomatic cases appeared to decrease following the XBB wave (18.6%) compared to that after the BA.5 wave (59.3%). Omicron BA.5 breakthrough infection induced lower neutralizing antibody titers against XBB.1.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1, while reinfection with Omicron XBB broadened the antibody responses against all measured Omicron subvariants and may alleviate the wild type-vaccination induced immune imprinting. Boosted vaccination type and comorbidities were the significant factors associated with antibody responses. Updated vaccines based on emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants are needed to control the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic in the elderly.

Associations between exposure to phthalates and liver function among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

Phthalates can induce hepatotoxicity in animal studies. We aimed to assess the associations of individual and mixture of urinary phthalate metabolites with serum liver function indicators among 764 women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). In linear models, we observed inverse correlations between urinary mono-benzyl phthalate and serum total protein (TP) as well as globulin (ß=-0.27 and -0.23, respectively, P<0.05). Additionally, negative associations were identified between mono-isobutyl phthalate and mono-butyl phthalate (MBP) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine transaminase ratio (AST/ALT) (P<0.05). MBP and the sum of all phthalate metabolites (∑all.phth.m) were positively associated with bilirubin, with ß ranging from 0.14 to 0.47. Most phthalate metabolites were also positively related to gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (all P<0.05). In Bayesian kernel machine regression models, phthalate mixture was positively associated with bilirubin and GGT, whereas inversely associated with AST/ALT and TP. Our results suggest that phthalate exposure may impair liver function among women undergoing ART.

Environmental exposure and child health in China.

Chinese children are exposed to broad environmental risks ranging from well-known hazards, such as pesticides and heavy metals, to emerging threats including many new man-made chemicals. Although anecdotal evidence suggests that the exposure levels in Chinese children are substantially higher than those of children in developed countries, a systematic assessment is lacking. Further, while these exposures have been linked to a variety of childhood diseases, such as respiratory, endocrine, neurological, behavioral, and malignant disorders, the magnitude of the associations is often unclear. This review provides a current epidemiologic overview of commonly reported environmental contaminants and their potential impact on children's health in China. We found that despite a large volume of studies on various topics, there is a need for more high-quality research and better-coordinated regional and national data collection. Moreover, prevention of such diseases will depend not only on training of environmental health professionals and enhanced research programs, but also on public education, legislation, and networking.

Diabetes and aortic dissection: unraveling the role of 3-hydroxybutyrate through mendelian randomization.

BACKGROUND: In observational and experimental studies, diabetes has been reported as a protective factor for aortic dissection. 3-Hydroxybutyrate, a key constituent of ketone bodies, has been found to favor improvements in cardiovascular disease. However, whether the protective effect of diabetes on aortic dissection is mediated by 3-hydroxybutyrate is unclear. We aimed to investigate the causal effects of diabetes on the risk of aortic dissection and the mediating role of 3-hydroxybutyrate in them through two-step Mendelian randomization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a two-step Mendelian randomization to investigate the causal connections between diabetes, 3-hydroxybutyrate, and aortic dissection and calculate the mediating effect of 3-hydroxybutyrate. Publicly accessible data for Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, dissection of aorta and 3-hydroxybutyrate were obtained from genome-wide association studies. The association between Type 1 diabetes and dissection of aorta, the association between Type 2 diabetes and dissection of aorta, and mediation effect of 3-hydroxybutyrate were carried out separately. RESULTS: The IVW method showed that Type 1 diabetes was negatively associated with the risk of aortic dissection (OR 0.912, 95% CI 0.836-0.995), The weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode method showed consistent results. The mediated proportion of 3-hydroxybutyrate on the relationship between Type 1 diabetes and dissection of aorta was 24.80% (95% CI 5.12-44.47%). The IVW method showed that Type 2 diabetes was negatively associated with the risk of aortic dissection (OR 0.763, 95% CI 0.607-0.960), The weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode method showed consistent results. 3-Hydroxybutyrate does not have causal mediation effect on the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and dissection of aorta. CONCLUSION: Mendelian randomization study revealed diabetes as a protective factor for dissection of aorta. The protective effect of type 1 diabetes on aortic dissection was partially mediated by 3-hydroxybutyrate, but type 2 diabetes was not 3-hydroxybutyrate mediated.

Analysis of network expression and immune infiltration of disulfidptosis-related genes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a globally prevalent respiratory disease, and programmed cell death plays a pivotal role in the development of COPD. Disulfidptosis is a newly discovered type of cell death that may be associated with the progression of COPD. However, the expression and role of disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) in COPD remain unclear. METHODS: The expression of DRGs was identified by analyzing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data in COPD. Further, COPD patients were classified into two subtypes by unsupervised cluster analysis to reveal their differences in gene expression and immune infiltration. Meanwhile, hub genes associated with disulfidptosis were screened by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Subsequently, the hub genes were validated experimentally in cells and animals. In addition, we screened potential therapeutic drugs through the hub genes. RESULTS: We identified two distinct molecular clusters and observed significant differences in immune cell populations between them. In addition, we screened nine hub genes, and experimental validation showed that CDC71, DOHH, PDAP1, and SLC25A39 were significantly upregulated in cigarette smoke-induced COPD mouse lung tissues and bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) treated with cigarette smoke extract. Finally, we predicted 10 potential small molecule drugs such as Atovaquone, Taurocholic acid, Latamoxef, and Methotrexate. CONCLUSION: We highlighted the strong association between COPD and disulfidptosis, with DRGs demonstrating a discriminative capacity for COPD. Additionally, the expression of certain novel genes, including CDC71, DOHH, PDAP1, and SLC25A39, is linked to COPD and may aid in the diagnosis and assessment of this condition.

Sensitive electrochemical flow injection analysis of H2O2 released from cells with a pass-through mode.

Conventional plate electrodes were commonly used in electrochemical flow injection analysis and only part of molecules diffused to the plane of electrodes could be detected, which would limit the performance of electrochemical detection. In this study, a low-cost native stainless steel wire mesh (SSWM) electrode was integrated into a 3D-printed device for electrochemical flow injection analysis with a pass-through mode, which is different compared with previous flow-through mode. This strategy was applied for sensitive analysis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) released from cells. Under the optimal conditions (the applied potentials, the flow rate and the sample volume), the device exhibits high sensitivity toward H2O2. Linear relationships could be achieved between electrochemical responses and the concentration of H2O2 ranging from 1 nM to 1 mM. The excellent analytical performance of the SSWM-based device could be attributed to the pass-through mode based on the mesh microstructure and intrinsic catalytic properties for H2O2 by stainless steel. This approach could be further successfully extended for screening of H2O2 released from HeLa cells with electrochemical responses linear to the number of cells in a range of 3 - 1.35 × 104 cells with an injection volume of 30 µL. This study revealed the potential of mesh electrodes in electrochemical flow injection analysis for cellular function and pathology and its possible extension in cell counting and on-line analysis.