Collagen is crucial target protein for scleral remodeling and biomechanical change in myopia progression and control.

In recent decades, the prevalence of myopia has been on the rise globally, attributed to changes in living environments and lifestyles. This increase in myopia has become a significant public health concern. High myopia can result in thinning of the sclera and localized ectasia of the posterior sclera, which is the primary risk factor for various eye diseases and significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to explore effective prevention strategies and programs for individuals with myopia. Collagen serves as the principal molecule in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of scleral tissue, consisting of irregular collagen fibrils. Collagen plays a crucial role in myopia progression and control. During the development of myopia, the sclera undergoes a thinning process which is primarily influenced by collagen expression decreased and remodeled, thus leading to a decrease in its biomechanical properties. Improving collagen expression and promoting collagen crosslinking can slow down the progression of myopia. In light of the above, improving collagen expression or enhancing the mechanical properties of collagen fibers via medication or surgery represents a promising approach to control myopia.

A tough and piezoelectric poly(acrylamide/N,N-dimethylacrylamide) hydrogel-based flexible wearable sensor.

A flexible, tough, highly transparent and piezoelectric polyacrylamide hydrogel was fabricated induced by blue light photocuring, with camphorquinone/diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (CQ/DPI) as the blue light initiator, acrylamide (AM) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) as monomers, polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) as the crosslinker, lecithin as the dispersant, and BaTiO3 as the piezoelectric material. Various performance tests were carried out on the hydrogel, and the results showed that lecithin enhances the dispersion of BaTiO3 within the system and improves the tensile properties (>100% strain) of the hydrogel, and the addition of PEGDA not only improves the photopolymerization performance of the hydrogel, but also significantly improves its fracture strength (∼0.3 MPa). In addition, BaTiO3 enables the resultant hydrogels to show excellent conductivity (>1.5) and stable response to strain. The assembled hydrogel sensor shows a sensitive response to human joint activities, which is expected to be applied in self-powered sensors and energy collection.

Grazing period management affects the accumulation of plant functional groups, and soil nutrient pools and regulates stoichiometry in the desert steppe of Northwest China.

To understand how nutrient cycling and sequestration are influenced by different grazing periods, the C:N:P stoichiometry features of the plant-soil interface in the desert steppe were measured and evaluated. The 5-year seasonal grazing experiment employed four grazing period treatments: traditional time of grazing (TG), early termination of grazing (EG), delayed start of grazing (DG), and delayed start and early termination of grazing (DEG). Additionally, fenced off desert steppe served as the control. The grazing periods each had a differing impact on the C:N:P stoichiometry in both plant functional group and soil depth comparisons. Compared to the EG, DG, and DEG treatments, the TG treatment had a more significant impact on the C, N, and P pools of grass, as well as the C:P and N:P ratios of forbs, but had a reduced effect on the C:P and N:P ratios of legumes. In contrast to plants, the DG treatment exhibited greater advantages in increasing C pools within the 0-40 cm soil layer. Furthermore, in the 10-20 cm soil layer, the C:P and N:P ratios under the EG treatment were significantly higher, ranging from 8.88% to 53.41% and 72.34%-121.79%, respectively, compared to the other treatments (TG, DG, and DGE). The primary drivers of the C, N, and P pools during different grazing periods were above-ground biomass (AGB) and litter biomass (LB). Both lowering the plant C:P and N:P ratios and considerably raising the plant P pool during different grazing periods greatly weakened the P limitation of the desert steppe environment. It is predicted that delayed start grazing might be a management strategy for long-term ecosystem sustainability, as it regulates above-ground nutrient allocation and has a positive effect on soil C and N pools.

Quantification of morpho-hemodynamic changes in unruptured intracranial aneurysms with irregular pulsation during the cardiac cycle using 4D-CTA.

Background and purpose: Previous studies predicting the rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) have predominantly utilized static imaging data, overlooking the dynamic blood flow and biomechanical properties of the aneurysm wall. Irregular pulsation detected by 4D-CTA is a potential predictor of aneurysm rupture, albeit with uncertain clinical significance. This study aimed to analyze the changes in morpho-hemodynamic characteristics of IAs during the cardiac cycle to elucidate the dynamic changes and the associated hemodynamic mechanisms. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on the 4D-CTA data of IA patients between January 2017 and September 2019. R-R intervals were segmented into 20-time phases, reconstructing 20 CT datasets to identify irregular pulsation and extract 3D aneurysm models. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations analyzed hemodynamic parameters such as oscillatory shear index (OSI) and relative residence time (RRT). Changes in morpho-hemodynamic characteristics were quantified in terms of the absolute change (parameter*) and relative change rate (parameter%). Rupture risk was assessed using the rupture resemblance model (RRS). Results: Eleven UIAs from 10 patients were finally included, with five aneurysms showing irregular pulsation (45.45%). No significant differences in morpho-hemodynamic characteristics were observed between aneurysms with or without irregular pulsation. More remarkable changes in aneurysm size (size*: 0.59 ± 0.14 mm vs. 0.32 ± 0.12 mm, p = 0.010; size%: 10.49% ± 1.43% vs. 3.95% ± 1.79%, p < 0.001), volume (volume%: 13.72% vs. 6.39%, p = 0.009), OSI (OSI*: 0.02 ± 0.01 vs. 0.004 ± 0.005, p = 0.004; OSI%: 200% vs. 12.50%, p = 0.004) and RRT (RRT%: 97.14% vs. 43.95, p = 0.052) over the cardiac cycle were significantly linked to irregular pulsation. Aneurysms with irregular pulsation demonstrated a more unfavorable hemodynamic environment during the cardiac cycle, irrespective of the predicted rupture risk. Furthermore, irregular pulsation at the aneurysm dome exhibited higher hemodynamic instability than at the sidewall. Conclusion: Irregular pulsation may indicate hemodynamic instability within the aneurysm, leading to an increased rupture risk in the area where irregular pulsation occurs. This proof-of-concept study could enhance understanding of dynamic changes in UIAs during the cardiac cycle and the underlying hemodynamic mechanisms.

Intensive Surveillance of Porcine-Rhesus Kidney Xenotransplant Using Different Ultrasound Techniques.

BACKGROUND: Significant progress has been made in kidney xenotransplantation in the past few years, and this field is accelerating towards clinical translation. Therefore, surveillance of the xenograft with appropriate tools is of great importance. Ultrasonography has been widely used in kidney allotransplantation and served as an economical and non-invasive method to monitor the allograft. However, questions remain whether the ultrasonographic criteria established for human kidney allograft could also be applied in xenotransplantation. METHODS: In the current study, we established a porcine-rhesus life sustaining kidney xenotransplantation model. The xenograft underwent intensive surveillance using gray-scale, colorful Doppler ultrasound as well as 2D shear wave elastography. The kidney growth, blood perfusion, and cortical stiffness were measured twice a day. These parameters were compared with the clinical data including urine output, chemistry, and pathological findings. RESULTS: The observation continued for 16 days after transplantation. Decline of urine output and elevated serum creatinine were observed on POD9 and biopsy proven antibody-mediated rejection was seen on the same day. The xenograft underwent substantial growth, with the long axis length increased by 32% and the volume increased by threefold at the end of observation. The resistive index of the xenograft arteries elevated in response to rejection, together with impaired cortical perfusion, while the peak systolic velocity (PSV) was not compromised. The cortical stiffness also increased along with rejection. CONCLUSION: In summary, the ultrasound findings of kidney xenograft shared similarities with those in allograft but possessed some unique features. A modified criteria needs to be established for further application of ultrasound in kidney xenotransplantation.

Plant species diversity and functional diversity relations in the degradation process of desert steppe in an arid area of northwest China.

Species and functional diversity play a major role in the stability and sustainability of grassland ecosystems. However, changes in species and functional diversity during grassland degradation in arid areas as well as the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we surveyed the vegetation and soil properties of arid regions across a degradation gradient to explore the shifts in species and functional diversity in plant communities, their relationships and key determinants during desert steppe degradation. Our results found significant variability in species diversity and functional diversity across degradation stages. Species diversity (Shannon-Wiener index (H), and Pielou index) and functional diversity (functional evenness (FEve) index, and Rao's quadratic entropy (RaoQ) index) tended to increase initially and then decrease with increasing grassland degradation. The Patrick index, Simpson index, functional richness (FRic) index, functional divergence (FDiv) index, and functional dispersion (FDis) index declined as grassland degradation increased. The relationships between species diversity and functional diversity indices at different stages of degradation in the desert steppe were inconsistent. From no to heavy degradation grasslands, the correlation between species diversity and functional diversity gradually weakened. Specifically, there was a significant correlation between Patrick (R) and FRic indices (R2 > 0.7) on both non-degraded and light degraded grasslands, but there was no significant correlation between R and FRic indices in moderately and heavily degraded grasslands (R2 < 0.7), and R2 gradually decreased. Redundancy analysis and partial least squares path modeling showed that grassland degradation has a significant direct effect on the species diversity and functional diversity. In addition grassland degradation has direct and indirect effects on the species diversity through soil available nitrogen, organic matter and total nitrogen. Functional diversity is directly or indirectly affected by species diversity, soil available nitrogen, organic matter and total nitrogen, soil moisture content, soil bulk density, and pH value. In summary, the relationship between species and functional diversity indices gradually weakened from areas with no degradation to heavy degradation in arid desert grasslands. Our study reveals the patterns and relationships between species diversity and functional diversity throughout the process of grassland degradation, demonstrating a gradual decrease in ecosystem stability and sustainability as degradation advances. Our results have significant implications for the restoration of grassland degradation and the management of ecosystem services in arid steppe regions.

Extending grazing time during the warm season can reduce P limitation and increase the N cycling rate in arid desert steppes.

Ecological stoichiometry serves as a valuable tool for comprehending biogeochemical cycles within grassland ecosystems. The impact of grazing time on the concentration and stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in desert steppe ecosystems remains ambiguous. This research was carried out in a desert grassland utilizing a completely randomized experimental design. Four distinct grazing time treatments were implemented: fenced grassland (FG, control), delay to start and early to end grazing grassland (DEG), delay to start grazing grassland (DG), and traditional grazing grassland (TG). The patterns of C, N, and P concentrations and their stoichiometry in various components of the ecosystem, as well as their driving factors under different grazing times were examined. The results showed that grazing time positively influenced C and N concentrations in leaves, while negatively affecting N concentrations in roots. TG had a significant positive effect on soil P concentrations but a negative effect on soil C:P and N:P ratios. Plant C:N, C:P, and N: P ratios were mainly influenced by N and P. The soil C:N ratio was primarily influenced by soil N, the soil C:P ratio was affected by both soil C and P, and the soil N:P ratio was influenced by both soil N and P. The growth of plants in desert steppes is mainly limited by P; however, as grazing time increased, P limitation gradually decreased and the N cycling rate increased. C-N, C-P, and N-P in various plant organs and soils demonstrated significant anisotropic growth relationships at different grazing times. Soil organic carbon, pH, and soil total phosphorus were the main driving factors that affected changes in ecological C:N:P stoichiometry. These results will help improve grassland management and anticipate the response of grassland systems to external disturbances with greater accuracy.

Distribution of pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial sensitivity of eye infections in Suzhou.

AIM: To investigate the types of bacteria in patients with eye infections in Suzhou and their drug resistance to commonly used antibacterial drugs. METHODS: The clinical data of 155 patients were retrospectively collected in this study, and the pathogenic bacteria species and drug resistance of each pathogenic bacteria were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 155 patients (age from 12 to 87 years old, with an average age of 57, 99 males and 56 females) with eye infections (160 eyes: 74 in the left eye, 76 in the right eye and 5 in both eyes, all of which were exogenous), 71 (45.81%) strains were gram-positive bacteria, 23 (14.84%) strains were gram-negative bacteria and 61 (39.35%) strains were fungi. Gram-positive bacteria were highly resistant to penicillin and erythromycin (78.87% and 46.48% respectively), but least resistant to vancomycin at 0. Gram-negative bacteria were highly resistant to cefoxitin and compound sulfamethoxazole (100% and 95.65% respectively), but least resistant to meropenem at 0. Comparison of the resistance of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria to some drugs revealed statistically significant differences (P<0.05) in the resistance of both to cefoxitin, cotrimoxazole, levofloxacin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone and ceftazidime, and both had higher rates of resistance to gram-negative bacteria than to gram-positive bacteria. The distribution of bacterial infection strains showed that Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common strain in the conjunctiva, cornea, aqueous humor or vitreous body and other eye parts. Besides, Fusarium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were also among the most common strains of conjunctival and corneal infections. CONCLUSION: Gram-positive bacteria are the dominant bacteria in eye infections, followed by gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Considering the resistance of gram-negative bacteria to multiple drugs, monitoring of bacteria should be strengthened in eye bacterial infections for effective prevention and control to reduce complications caused by eye infections.

Bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification of TIGD1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a prevalent respiratory system tumor. Triggered transposable element derivative 1 (TIGD1) exhibits significant overexpression in various tumor cells and tissues, suggesting its involvement in cancer progression. Methods: Clinical data and gene expression profiles of lung adenocarcinoma were collected from TCGA, UCSC XENA, and GEO databases. Computational techniques and empirical studies were employed to analyze the role of TIGD1 in NSCLC. Cellular experiments were conducted using the H1299 cell line, including RNA interference, cell viability assays, quantitative PCR, wound-healing assays, western blotting, and plate clone formation assays. Results: Bioinformatics analysis revealed TIGD1's potential as a biomarker for diagnosing and predicting lung cancer. It also indicated promise as a target for immune-related therapy and targeted drug therapy. Cellular studies confirmed TIGD1's involvement in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Furthermore, an association between TIGD1 and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was suggested. Discussion: The findings suggest that TIGD1 plays a vital role in NSCLC progression, making it a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. The association with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway provides insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. Integrating computational analysis with empirical studies enhances our understanding of TIGD1's significance in NSCLC and opens avenues for further research into targeted therapies.

Effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on male reproductive function in Chinese men with obesity: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a widely recognized global public health issue, and bariatric surgery has emerged as an effective intervention for alleviating obesity associated health complications. However, the impact of bariatric surgery on male reproductive function remains inconclusive in the literature. The current understanding of the impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on male reproductive function remains ambiguous, despite its status as the most commonly performed bariatric surgery. This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the impact of LSG on erectile function and semen quality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 34 obese patients were enrolled in this study and underwent LSG. Prior to the operation and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperation, all participants were required to complete the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire and undergo a nocturnal erectile function test and semen quality analysis. RESULTS: Within 12 months postoperation, BMI, blood lipids, and insulin resistance showed significant improvement. The IIEF-5 score increased significantly (18.88±5.97 vs. 23.78±3.19, P <0.05), and the frequency and duration of erections significantly improved compared to baseline. Sperm concentration, total motility, survival rate, and sperm morphology parameters exhibited a significant decline at 3 months but demonstrated a significant improvement at 6 and 12 months postoperation. At 12 months, sperm concentration was shown to be correlated with changes in zinc (r=0.25, P =0.033) as well as changes in testosterone (r=0.43, P =0.013). CONCLUSIONS: LSG has beneficial effects on erectile function, despite a transient decline in semen quality at 3 months postoperatively, followed by a significant improvement at 12 months.

Upregulation of HLA-II related to LAG-3+CD4+ T cell infiltration is associated with patient outcome in human glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant diffuse glioma of the brain. Although immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death protein (PD)-1/PD ligand-1 inhibitors, has revolutionized the treatment of several cancers, the clinical benefit in GBM patients has been limited. Lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) binding to human leukocyte antigen-II (HLA-II) plays an essential role in triggering CD4+ T cell exhaustion and could interfere with the efficiency of anti-PD-1 treatment; however, the value of LAG-3-HLA-II interactions in ICI immunotherapy for GBM patients has not yet been analyzed. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression and regulation of HLA-II in human GBM samples and the correlation with LAG-3+CD4+ T cell infiltration. Human leukocyte antigen-II was highly expressed in GBM and correlated with increased LAG-3+CD4+ T cell infiltration in the stroma. Additionally, HLA-IIHighLAG-3High was associated with worse patient survival. Increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression was observed in GBM, which was correlated with high levels of HLA-II and LAG-3+ T cell infiltration in stroma. HLA-IIHighIL-10High GBM associated with LAG-3+ T cells infiltration synergistically showed shorter overall survival in patients. Combined anti-LAG-3 and anti-IL-10 treatment inhibited tumor growth in a mouse brain GL261 tumor model. In vitro, CD68+ macrophages upregulated HLA-II expression in GBM cells through tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Blocking TNF-α-dependent inflammation inhibited tumor growth in a mouse GBM model. In summary, T cell-tumor cell interactions, such as LAG-3-HLA-II, could confer an immunosuppressive environment in human GBM, leading to poor prognosis in patients. Therefore, targeting the LAG-3-HLA-II interaction could be beneficial in ICI immunotherapy to improve the clinical outcome of GBM patients.

ITGB4 upregulation is associated with progression of lower grade glioma.

Gliomas originating in the neuroepithelium account for about 80% of brain malignancies and are the most common cancer of the central nervous system. Clinical management of gliomas remains challenging despite significant advances in comprehensive therapies, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. The ITGB4 (Integrin subunit beta 4) gene encodes a receptor for laminins and its upregulation in tumor tissues is associated with poor prognosis. However, its role in glioma is not well understood. First, we performed a pan cancer analysis of ITGB4 expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Survival analysis was done on Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and TCGA. Immunohistochemistry was then used to validate the expression and role of ITGB4 in glioma. We finally analyzed the possible mechanism by immune infiltration and single-cell sequencing analysis. Here, we found that ITGB4 is upregulated in glioma and accurately predicts the prognosis of lower grade glioma (LGG). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that ITGB4 is a risk factor for LGG. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that ITGB4 accurately predicts LGG prognosis. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) cluster analysis showed that ITGB4 was closely related to immune related genes. Immune cell infiltration and single cell sequencing analyses indicated that ITGB4 may be closely related to the microenvironment of gliomas, especially tumor-associated fibroblasts. ITGB4 is a promising diagnostic and therapeutic factor in LGG patients.

Prevalence of depression and its influencing factors among middle school students in Liaoning Province / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence of depression of middle school students in Liaoning Province in 2019 and analyze its influencing factors, to provide corresponding strategies and measures for depression prevention and control.@*Methods@#By using the method of multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling, the 32 909 students of grade 1-3 of junior middle school, senior high school and vocational high school were selected from 14 cities in Liaoning province, and were investigated with Center for Epidermiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) psychological scale.@*Results@#The depression score of middle school students in Liaoning Province was (12.66±9.53), and the incidence of depression was 19.5%. Analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis showed that the main factors influencing the occurrence of depression were grade, bullying on campus, internet addiction, being beaten and scolded by parents, drinking, gender, Leave of absence from school, smoking, serious injury and economic classification (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#Depression of middle school students in Liaoning Province is not optimistic. Effective prevention and control measures should be developed and implemented to the occurrence of adverse factors, so as to reduce the occurrence of depression symptoms.