Synergistic optimization of baffles and aeration to improve the Light/Dark cycle of microalgae photobioreactor for enhanced nitrogen removal performance: Computational fluid dynamics and experimental verification.

Microalgae photobioreactor (PBR) is a kind of efficient wastewater treatment system for nitrogen removal. However, there is still an urgent need for process optimization of PBR. Especially, the synergistic effect and optimization of light and flow state poses a challenge. In this study, the computational fluid dynamics is employed for simulating the optimization of the number and length of the internal baffles, as well as the aeration rate of PBR, which in turn leads to the optimal growth of microalgae and efficient nitrogen removal. After optimization, the Light/Dark cycle of the reactor B is shortened by 51.6 %, and the biomass increases from 0.06 g/L to 3.94 g/L. In addition, the removal rate of NH4+-N increased by 106.0 % to 1.56 mg L-1 h-1. This work provides a feasible method for optimizing the design and operational parameters of PBR aiming the engineering application.

Association between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and In-Hospital Mortality among Congestive Heart Failure Patients with Diabetes among Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Elevated red blood cell distribution width (RDW) levels are strongly associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Additionally, heart failure has been closely linked to diabetes. Nevertheless, the relationship between RDW and in-hospital mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU) among patients with both congestive heart failure (CHF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective study utilized data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database, a comprehensive critical care repository. RDW was assessed as both continuous and categorical variables. The primary outcome of the study was in-hospital mortality at the time of hospital discharge. We examined the association between RDW on ICU admission and in-hospital mortality using multivariable logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline analysis, and subgroup analysis. Results: The cohort consisted of 7,063 patients with both DM and CHF (3,135 females and 3,928 males). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found an association between a 9% increase in mortality rate and a 1 g/L increase in RDW level (OR = 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05∼1.13), which was associated with 11 and 58% increases in mortality rates in Q2 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.87∼1.43) and Q3 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22∼2.04), respectively, compared with that in Q1. Moreover, we observed a significant linear association between RDW and in-hospital mortality, along with strong stratified analyses to support the findings. Conclusions: Our findings establish a positive association between RDW and in-hospital mortality in patients with DM and CHF.

Identification and validation of a prognostic model based on four genes related to satellite nodules in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Satellite nodules is a key clinical characteristic which has prognostic value of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, there is no gene-level predictive model for Satellite nodules in liver cancer. For the 377 HCC cases collected from the dataset of Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), their original pathological data were analyzed to extract information regarding satellite nodules status as well as other relevant pathological data. Then, this study employed statistical modeling for prognostic model establishment in TCGA, and validation in International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohorts and GSE76427. Through rigorous statistical analyses, 253 differential satellite nodules-related genes (SNRGs) were identified, and four key genes related to satellite nodules and prognosis were selected to construct a prognostic model. The high-risk group predicted by our model exhibited an unfavorable overall survival (OS) outlook and demonstrated an association with adverse worse clinical characteristics such as larger tumor size, higher alpha-fetoprotein, microvascular invasion and advanced stage. Moreover, the validation of the model's prognostic value in the ICGC and GSE76427 cohorts mirrored that of the TCGA cohort. Besides, the high-risk group also showed higher levels of resting Dendritic cells, M0 macrophages infiltration, alongside decreased levels of CD8+ T cells and γδT cells infiltration. The prognostic model based on SNRGs can reliability predict the OS of HCC and is likely to have predictive value of immunotherapy for HCC.

U-shaped association between serum calcium and in-hospital mortality in diabetes patients with congestive heart failure: a cohort study.

Previous studies have reported that the significant association between serum calcium and mortality substantially in patients, especially among those with intensive care unit (ICU). And In diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure (CHF) is a significant comorbidity. We aim to evaluate the association between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality among patients with diabetes and congestive heart failure. The participants in this study were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. To scrutinize potential associations between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality, a comprehensive analysis encompassing multivariate logistic regression, cubic spline function model, threshold effect analysis, and subgroup analysis was performed. This retrospective cohort study encompassed 7063 patients, among whom the in-hospital mortality stood at 12.2%. In the multivariate logistic regression, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were contrasted with the reference category Q6 (8.8-9.1 mg/dL) for serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality. The adjusted ORs for Q1 (≤ 7.7 mg/dL), Q2 (7.7-8 mg/dL), and Q7 (≥ 9.1 mg/dL) were 1.69 (95% CI 1.17-2.44, p = 0.005), 1.62 (95% CI 1.11-2.36, p = 0.013), and 1.57 (95% CI 1.1-2.24, p = 0.012) respectively. The dose-response analysis uncovered a U-shaped relationship between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality in diabetic patients with heart failure. Subgroup analyses confirmed result stability notwithstanding the influence of diverse factors. Our investigation revealed a U-shaped correlation between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality in diabetes patients with congestive heart failure, pinpointing a significant inflection point at 9.05 mg/dL.

Charting facial growth and development for Bantu Africans: Central tendencies, variational properties and sexual dimorphisms.

Current studies on facial growth and development have been largely based on European populations. Less studied are African populations, who because of their distinct genetic makeup and environmental conditions, provide deeper insights into patterns of facial development. Patterns of facial shape development in African populations remain largely uncharacterised. Our study aimed to establish facial growth and development trajectories based on a cohort of 2874 Bantu Africans from Tanzania aged 6-18 years, with particular focus on identifying morphogenetic processes that lead to observed developmental shape changes. Procrustes ANCOVA suggested sexually dimorphic patterns of facial shape development (p = 0.0036). The forehead was relatively contracted during development in both sexes. The glabella region was more anteriorly displaced in females due to expansion in the region laterosuperior to the eyes. Nasal protrusion increased with development, which was found to arise from local expansion in the nasal alae and columella. Local expansion in the upper and lower labial regions resulted in forward displaced lips in both sexes, with the effect more pronounced in males. The mentum was displaced more anteriorly in females due to comparatively more expanded mental regions with development. The lateral facial region corresponding to the underlying body of the mandible were developmentally expanded but were posteriorly positioned due to protrusive growth of surrounding structures. Generalised additive modelling of Procrustes variance suggested that facial variation decreased non-linearly with age (p < 0.05). Relative principal component analysis suggested that variations in facial outline shape were developmentally constrained, whereas nasolabial and mental regions, where developmental changes were significant, became morphologically diversified with development. In contrast to simple descriptive illustration of facial shape development, we gained transformative insights into patterns of facial shape development by analysing morphogenetic processes and variational properties. Our analytical framework is broadly applicable to morphometric studies on ontogenetic shape changes.

Process of mercury accumulation in urban strip river artificial wetland ecosystems: a case study of Changchun, a typical industrial city in Northeast China.

Mercury (Hg), as a global pollutant, is persistent, migratory, insidious, highly biotoxic and highly enriched, and is widely distributed in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. Wetland ecosystems, as active mercury reservoirs, have become the most important sources and sinks of heavy metal mercury. Distinguished from natural wetlands, artificial wetlands located in urban sections of rivers face problems such as diverse urban pollution sources and complex spatial and temporal changes. Therefore, in this study, five intermittently distributed artificial wetlands were selected from the upstream to the downstream of the Changchun section of the Yitong River, a tributary of the Songhua River basin in the old industrial base of Northeast China. The mercury levels in the water bodies, sediments and plants of the artificial wetlands were collected and tested in four quarters from April 2023 to analyse the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of total mercury. The results showed that the mercury levels in the water bodies, sediments and plants of the five wetlands showed a fluctuating trend with the river flow direction and had certain spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. This phenomenon was attributed to the sinking of external mercury pollution sources. In general, the wetland ecosystems showed a decreasing trend in the total Hg output of the downstream watershed. This may be due to the retention of particulate matter by aquatic plants in artificial wetlands to regular salvage of dead aquatic plants. At the same time urbanization and industrialization affect mercury levels in aquatic environments, so the risk of residential exposure needs to be looked at.

Antigenic Characterization of Circulating and Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants in the U.S. throughout the Delta to Omicron Waves.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved into numerous lineages with unique spike mutations and caused multiple epidemics domestically and globally. Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, new variants with the capacity for immune evasion continue to emerge. To understand and characterize the evolution of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance (NS3) program and has received thousands of SARS-CoV-2 clinical specimens from across the nation as part of a genotype to phenotype characterization process. Focus reduction neutralization with various antisera was used to antigenically characterize 143 SARS-CoV-2 Delta, Mu and Omicron subvariants from selected clinical specimens received between May 2021 and February 2023, representing a total of 59 unique spike protein sequences. BA.4/5 subvariants BU.1, BQ.1.1, CR.1.1, CQ.2 and BA.4/5 + D420N + K444T; BA.2.75 subvariants BM.4.1.1, BA.2.75.2, CV.1; and recombinant Omicron variants XBF, XBB.1, XBB.1.5 showed the greatest escape from neutralizing antibodies when analyzed against post third-dose original monovalent vaccinee sera. Post fourth-dose bivalent vaccinee sera provided better protection against those subvariants, but substantial reductions in neutralization titers were still observed, especially among BA.4/5 subvariants with both an N-terminal domain (NTD) deletion and receptor binding domain (RBD) substitutions K444M + N460K and recombinant Omicron variants. This analysis demonstrated a framework for long-term systematic genotype to antigenic characterization of circulating and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the U.S., which is critical to assessing their potential impact on the effectiveness of current vaccines and antigen recommendations for future updates.

Immune Responses in Discharged COVID-19 Patients With and Without Long COVID Symptoms.

The immune mechanisms of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) are not yet fully understood. We aimed to investigate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific memory immune responses in discharged COVID-19 patients with and without long COVID symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, we included 1041 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with the original virus strain in Wuhan (China) 12 months after initial infection. We simultaneously conducted a questionnaire survey and collected peripheral blood samples from the participants. Based on the presence or absence of long COVID symptoms during the follow-up period, we divided the patients into 2 groups: a long COVID group comprising 480 individuals and a convalescent group comprising 561 individuals. Both groups underwent virus-specific immunological analyses, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, interferon-γ-enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot, and intracellular cytokine staining. At 12 months after infection, 98.5% (1026/1041) of the patients were found to be seropositive and 93.3% (70/75) had detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific memory T cells. The long COVID group had significantly higher levels of receptor binding domain (RBD)-immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, presented as OD450 values, than the convalescent controls (0.40 ± 0.22 vs 0.37 ± 0.20; P = .022). The magnitude of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses did not differ significantly between groups, nor did the secretion function of the memory T cells. We did not observe a significant correlation between SARS-CoV-2-IgG and magnitude of memory T cells. This study revealed that long COVID patients had significantly higher levels of RBD-IgG antibodies when compared with convalescent controls. Nevertheless, we did not observe coordinated SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular immunity. As there may be multiple potential causes of long COVID, it is imperative to avoid adopting a "one-size-fits-all" approach to future treatment modalities.

Influencing factors, gender differences and the decomposition of inequalities in cognitive function in Chinese older adults: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence remains limited and inconsistent for assessing cognitive function in Chinese older adults (CFCOA) and inequalities in cognitive function in Chinese older adults (ICFCOA) and exploring their influencing factors and gender differences. This study aimed to identify influencing factors and inequality in CFCOA to empirically explore the existence and sources of gender differences in such inequality and analyse their heterogeneous effects. METHODS: Based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) for three periods from 2011 to 2015, recentered influence function unconditional quantile regression (RIF-UQR) and recentered influence function ordinary least squares (RIF-OLS) regression were applied to assess influencing factors of CFCOA, while grouped treatment effect estimation, Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, and propensity score matching (PSM) methods were conducted to identify gender differences in ICFCOA and influencing factors, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed heterogeneous effects of gender, age, low BMI, subjective health, smoking, education, social interactions, physical activity, and household registration on CFCOA. Additionally, on average, ICFCOA was about 19.2-36.0% higher among elderly females than among elderly males, mainly due to differences in characteristic effects and coefficient effects of factors such as marital status and education. CONCLUSIONS: Different factors have heterogeneous and gender-differenced effects on CFCOA and ICFCOA, while the formation and exacerbation of ICFCOA were allied to marital status and education. Considering the severe ageing and the increasing incidence of cognitive decline, there is an urgent need for the government and society to adopt a comprehensive approach to practically work for promoting CFCOA and reducing ICFCOA.

A novel frameshift mutation in RHAG leads to Rhnull phenotype in a Chinese individual.

BACKGROUND: We recently encountered a Rhnull phenotype proband within one family in the Chinese population. Rhnull is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the absence of the Rh antigens on the erythrocyte membrane, resulting in chronic hemolytic anemia. This study described the serological and molecular analysis of a Chinese Rhnull proband and his immediate family. METHODS: Red blood cells antigen phenotyping and antibody screening/identification were conducted. RHD, RHCE, and RHAG were analyzed using genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis. RESULTS: Serologic tests showed a D-C-E-c-e- phenotype in the proband associated with the suspicion of anti-Rh29 (titer 16). Molecular analyses showed a new mutation (c.406dupA) in exon 3 of RHAG. This duplication introduced a reading frameshift (p.Thr136AsnfsTer21). The RHAG mutation was found in the homozygous state for the proband and heterozygous state for his parents. CONCLUSION: We identified a novel RHAG mutation resulting in the Rhnull phenotype of the regulator type. Inheritance of the novel allele was shown by family study.

Newly graphene/polypyrrole (rGO/PPy) modified carbon felt as bio-cathode in bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) achieving complete denitrification.

Nitrate reduction in bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) has attracted wide attention due to its low sludge yields and cost-efficiency advantages. However, the high resistance of traditional electrodes is considered to limit the denitrification performance of BESs. Herein, a new graphene/polypyrrole (rGO/PPy) modified electrode is fabricated via one-step electrodeposition and used as cathode in BES for improving nitrate removal from wastewater. The formation and morphological results support the successful formation of rGO/PPy nanohybrids and confirm the part covalent bonding of Py into GO honeycomb lattices to form a three-dimensional cross-linked spatial structure. The electrochemical tests indicate that the rGO/PPy electrode outperforms the unmodified electrode due to the 3.9-fold increase in electrochemical active surface area and 6.9-fold decrease in the charge transfer resistance (Rct). Batch denitrification activity tests demonstrate that the BES equipped with modified rGO/PPy biocathode could not only achieve the full denitrification efficiency of 100% with energy recovery (15.9 × 10-2 ± 0.14 A/m2), but also favor microbial attach and growth with improved biocompatible surface. This work provides a feasible electrochemical route to fabricate and design a high-performance bioelectrode to enhance denitrification in BESs.

Association between dietary folate intake and severe abdominal aorta calcification in adults: A cross-sectional analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have established a connection between folate intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has been introduced as a good predictor of CVD events, but no previous study has investigated the relationship between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. Therefore, the study aims to explore the association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC in the United States (US) middle-aged and elderly population. METHODS: This study employed cross-sectional data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. Two 24-h dietary recall interviews were conducted to assess dietary folate intake and its sources, while a DXA scan was used to determine the AAC score. To analyze the association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC, a multivariable logistic regression model was applied, and a subgroup analysis was performed. RESULTS: Our analysis utilized data from 2640 participants aged 40 years and above, including 288 individuals diagnosed with severe AAC. After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed an inverted L-shaped association between folate intake and severe AAC. Upon further adjustment for specific confounding factors and covariates, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of folate intake, using the first quartile as the reference, were as follows: 1.24 (0.86-1.79), 0.86 (0.58-1.27), and 0.63 (0.41-0.97), respectively. Subgroup analysis results were consistent with the logistic regression models, indicating concordant findings. Moreover, no significant interaction was observed in the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest an inverted L-shaped association between dietary folate intake and severe AAC. However, additional prospective investigations are necessary to explore the impact of dietary folate intake on severe AAC in patients.

Association of Monocyte Count With Lung Function and Exercise Capacity Among Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors: A 2-Year Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal changes of monocytes have been observed in acute COVID-19, whereas associations of monocyte count with long COVID were not sufficiently elucidated. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted among COVID-19 survivors discharged from hospital. The primary outcomes were core symptoms of long COVID, distance walked in 6 min, and lung function, and the secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and healthcare use after discharge. Latent variable mixture modeling was used to classify individuals into groups with similar trajectory of monocyte count from discharge to 2-year after symptom onset. Multivariable adjusted generalized linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations of monocyte count trajectories and monocyte count at discharge with outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 1389 study participants were included in this study. Two monocyte count trajectories including high to normal high and normal trajectory were identified. After multivariable adjustment, participants in high to normal high trajectory group had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.52 (95% CI, 1.44-4.42) for smell disorder, 2.27 (1.27-4.04) for 6-min walking distance less than lower limit of normal range, 2.45 (1.08-5.57) for total lung capacity (TLC) < 80% of predicted, 3.37 (1.16-9.76) for personal care problem, and 1.70 (1.12-2.58) for rehospitalization after discharge at 2-year follow-up compared with those in normal trajectory group. Monocyte count at discharge showed similar results, which was associated with smell disorder, TLC < 80% of predicted, diffusion impairment, and rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Monocyte count may serve as an easily accessible marker for long-term management of people recovering from COVID-19.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus of clade 2.3.4.4b isolated from a human case in Chile causes fatal disease and transmits between co-housed ferrets.

Clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses have caused large outbreaks within avian populations on five continents, with concurrent spillover into a variety of mammalian species. Mutations associated with mammalian adaptation have been sporadically identified in avian isolates, and more frequently among mammalian isolates following infection. Reports of human infection with A(H5N1) viruses following contact with infected wildlife have been reported on multiple continents, highlighting the need for pandemic risk assessment of these viruses. In this study, the pathogenicity and transmissibility of A/Chile/25945/2023 HPAI A(H5N1) virus, a novel reassortant with four gene segments (PB1, PB2, NP, MP) from North American lineage, isolated from a severe human case in Chile, was evaluated in vitro and using the ferret model. This virus possessed a high capacity to cause fatal disease, characterized by high morbidity and extrapulmonary spread in virus-inoculated ferrets. The virus was capable of transmission to naïve contacts in a direct contact setting, with contact animals similarly exhibiting severe disease, but did not exhibit productive transmission in respiratory droplet or fomite transmission models. Our results indicate that the virus would need to acquire an airborne transmissible phenotype in mammals to potentially cause a pandemic. Nonetheless, this work warrants continuous monitoring of mammalian adaptations in avian viruses, especially in strains isolated from humans, to aid pandemic preparedness efforts.

Effect of Corticosteroids on Long-Term Humoral and Memory T-Cell Responses in Follow-Up Visit of Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids have beneficial effects in improving outcomes in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 by suppressing excessive immune responses. However, the effect of corticosteroids on the humoral and T-cell responses of survivors of COVID-19 1 year after infection remains uncertain, as it relates to the extent of immediate, antigen-specific defense provided by protective memory. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the effect of corticosteroids on long-term humoral and T-cell immune responses? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study conducted at a single center, we analyzed data from a cohort who had survived COVID-19 to compare the 1-year seropositivity and titer changes in neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. Additionally, we evaluated the magnitude and rate of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell response in individuals who received corticosteroids during hospitalization and those who did not. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that corticosteroids do not statistically influence the kinetics or seropositive rate of NAbs against the Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 from 6 months to 1 year. However, subgroup analysis revealed a numerical increase of NAbs titers, from 20.0 to 28.2, in categories where long-term (> 15 days) and high-dose (> 560 mg) corticosteroids were administered. Similarly, corticosteroids showed no significant effect on nucleoprotein and receptor-binding domain IgG at 1 year, except for spike protein IgG (ß, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.04-0.12), which demonstrated a delayed decline of titers. Regarding T-cell immunity, corticosteroids did not affect the rate or magnitude of T-cell responses significantly. However, functional assessment of memory T cells revealed higher interferon-γ responses in CD4 (ß, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.10-1.12) and CD8 (ß, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.11-1.15) memory T cells in the corticosteroids group at 1 year. INTERPRETATION: Based on our findings, short-term and low-dose corticosteroid therapy during hospitalization does not appear to have a significant effect on long-term humoral kinetics or the magnitude and rate of memory T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 antigens. However, the potential harmful effects of long-term and high-dose corticosteroid use on memory immune responses require further investigation.

Isobavachalcone, a natural sirtuin 2 inhibitor, exhibits anti-triple-negative breast cancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and lethal clinical subtype and lacks effective targeted therapies at present. Isobavachalcone (IBC), the main active component of Psoralea corylifolia L., has potential anticancer effects. Herein, we identified IBC as a natural sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) inhibitor and characterized the potential mechanisms underlying the inhibition of TNBC. Molecular dynamics analysis, enzyme activity assay, and cellular thermal shift assay were performed to evaluate the combination of IBC and SIRT2. The therapeutic effects, mechanism, and safety of IBC were analyzed in vitro and in vivo using cellular and xenograft models. IBC effectively inhibited SIRT2 enzyme activity with an IC50 value of 0.84 ± 0.22 µM by forming hydrogen bonds with VAL233 and ALA135 within its catalytic domain. In the cellular environment, IBC bound to and stabilized SIRT2, consequently inhibiting cellular proliferation and migration, and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by disrupting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction and inhibiting the downstream Snail/MMP and STAT3/c-Myc pathways. In the in vivo model, 30 mg/kg IBC markedly inhibited tumor growth by targeting the SIRT2/α-tubulin interaction. Furthermore, IBC exerted its effects by inducing apoptosis in tumor tissues and was well-tolerated. IBC alleviated TNBC by targeting SIRT2 and triggering the reactive oxygen species ROS/ß-catenin/CDK2 axis. It is a promising natural lead compound for future development of SIRT2-targeting drugs.

Facial growth and development trajectories based on three-dimensional images: geometric morphometrics with a deformation perspective.

Developmental changes of facial shape are commonly investigated through geometric morphometrics. A limitation with this approach is the inability to investigate patterns of morphological changes at local scale. This could be addressed through quantifying the deformation required to deform one shape to another. This study aimed to investigate changes in mean, rate and variance of facial shape at local scale using geometric morphometrics through deformation perspective. A total of 2112 Europeans 3 to 40 years old from the three-dimensional Facial Norms project were included. Shape and rate trajectories from partial least-squares regressions revealed that the developmentally protrusive nasal bridge was due to local expansion in surrounding tissues as opposed to shape changes in nasal bridge per se. Local expansion of the supraorbital region, in particular the medial part in males, resulted in the sloping forehead and deep-situated eyes with development. Facial shape variation increased nonlinearly with age (p < 0.05), with features having larger rate of change becoming more developmentally diversified. In summary, our deformation perspective facilitates unravelling morphogenetic processes underlying shape changes. Our extended analytical scope inspires novel measures worthy of consideration while establishing facial growth charts. The analytical framework in this study is broadly applicable for analysis of shape changes in general.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00491 accelerates head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignancy of the head and neck epidermis. Accumulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to be involved in the occurrence and development of HNSCC. LncRNA long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 491 (LINC00491) has been confirmed to regulate the progression of some cancers. In our study, we aimed to explore the potential biological function of LINC00491 and expound the regulatory mechanism by which LINC00491 affects the progression of HNSCC. RT-qPCR was utilized to analyze the expression of LINC00491 in HNSCC cell lines and the normal cell line. Functionally, we carried out a series of assays to measure cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, such as EdU assay, colony formation, wound healing and western blot assays. Also, mechanism assays including RNA pull down and RIP were also implemented to investigate the interaction of LINC00491 and RNAs. As a result, we discovered that LINC00491 was highly expressed in HNSCC cells. In addition, LINC00491 depletion suppressed cell proliferation, migration and EMT process. Furthermore, we discovered that LINC00491 could bind to miR-508-3p. MiR-508-3p overexpression can restrain HNSCC cell growth. Importantly, miR-508-3p can target SATB homeobox 1 (SATB1) in HNSCC cells. Further, Wnt signaling pathway was proved to be activated by LINC00491 through SATB1 in HNSCC cells. In a word, LINC00491 accelerated HNSCC progression through regulating miR-508-3p/SATB1 axis and activating Wnt signaling pathway.

Value of rifampicin-resistant real-time fluorescence quantitative nucleic acid amplification detection technology in the fast diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To evaluate the value and significance of rifampicin-resistant real-time fluorescence quantitative nucleic acid amplification detection technology (GeneXpert MTB/RIF) in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. 　　Methods　The clinical data of 228 patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, who admitted to Hebei Chest Hospital from January 2018 to December 2019, were analyzed retrospectively. The sputum was collected for GeneXpert MTB/RIF, sandwich cup liquid-based bacterial acid-fast staining smear microscopy (referred to as “sandwich cup method”) and Loop-Mediated isothermal amplification (referred to as “LAMP method”) and the results were statistically analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software. Results　Among the 228 patients with suspected cases, 200 cases were clinically diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis and 28 were non-tuberculosis. The positive detection rate of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (81.0%, 162/200) was significantly higher than that of sandwich cup method (62.5%, 125/200) and LAMP method (72.5%,145/200) (χ2=16.885, 4.049, P<0.05). Taking clinical diagnosis as gold standard, the sensitivity of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (80.00%,160/200) was significantly higher than that of sandwich cup method (60.00%, 120/200) and LAMP method (70.50%, 141/200) (χ2=19.048, 4.846, P<0.05). The diagnostic consistency of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (K=0.73) was higher than that of sandwich cup method (K=0.39) and LAMP method (K=0.56). Conclusions The GeneXpert MTB/RIF detection method is rapid and simple, and can diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis rapidly and simultaneously detect rifampicin resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with high sensitivity. It has high clinical value for early diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and guidance of treatment in general and specialized hospitals.