[Association of metal/metalloids exposure with abnormal liver function among occupational population in a mining area of Hunan Province:a prospective study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of metals/metalloids exposure with risk of liver disfunction among occupational population in Hunan Province, and to explore the potential dose-response relationship. METHODS: In 2017, a mining area in Hunan Province was chosen as the research site, and eligible workers were recruited as study subjects. General demographic characteristics, levels of 23 metals/metalloids in plasma and urine, and liver function index(total bilirubin(TBIL), alanine amino transferase(ALT), globulin(GLB) and γ-glutamyl transferase(GGT)) were obtained by questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory tests. Participants were followed up in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively. Cox proportional risk model was used to evaluate the relationship between metal/metalloids exposure and risk of liver disfunction, and dose-response relationship curves were plotted by using the restricted cubic spline function. RESULTS: A total of 891 employees were recruited in the study, 576(65.0%)were aged ≤45 years, 832(93.4%) were male and 530(59.5%) worked as smelters. After adjusting various factors such as age, gender, BMI, type of work, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, stress, medical history, exercise and tea consumption, positive correlations were found between plasma tungsten(HR=4.90, 95%CI 1.17-20.48) and urinary barium(HR=1.07, 95%CI 1.02-1.12) levels with abnormally elevated TBIL levels. Additionally, a significant association was observed between plasma thallium and the risk of elevated ALT levels(HR=11.15, 95%CI 1.97-63.29). CONCLUSION: Plasma tungsten and thallium, along with barium found in urine, are risk factors for the development of abnormally elevated liver function indices in occupational groups.

Association between socioeconomic status and post-stroke depression in middle-aged and older adults: results from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common neuropsychiatric complication that affects approximately one-third of stroke patients. The treatment and prognosis of this disease are poor. Socioeconomic status (SES) is closely related to health outcomes; however, only a few previous studies have focused on the association between SES and PSD. Given the substantial population of stroke patients in China, it is crucial to examine the potential risk factors associated with PSD. Conducting studies on this population and investigating the influence of economic conditions can provide valuable guiding theoretical insights into PSD prevention and management. METHODS: We used data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and selected appropriate samples for analysis. Depression was estimated using the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10, a validated tool for assessing depression in the general population. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between SES and PSD and to evaluate any urban-rural differences. RESULTS: Of the 749 respondents, 370 (49.4%) had depression. Stroke patients with a middle school education demonstrated a greater risk of developing depression than those with a primary school education or below after adjusting for all control variables (odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-2.51, P = 0.036). However, stroke patients with a high school education or above had a lower risk of developing depression than those with a primary school education or below (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28-0.88, P = 0.016). In rural areas, stroke patients with a high school or above education level had lower rates of depression than those with a primary school education or below (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.21-0.91, P = 0.027). This difference was not significant in urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: SES significantly influences the occurrence of PSD, which is reflected by education attainment and annual household expenditures. Education attainment was an independent influence on PSD, with a more pronounced effect in rural versus urban areas. We hope to reduce the prevalence of PSD and enhance the comprehensive management of this disease by modifying the influencing factors. Sex, self-reported health status, activities of daily living, night-time sleep duration, and life satisfaction also influenced the occurrence of PSD.

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.

Molecular basis underlying default mode network functional abnormalities in postpartum depression with and without anxiety.

Although Postpartum depression (PPD) and PPD with anxiety (PPD-A) have been well characterized as functional disruptions within or between multiple brain systems, however, how to quantitatively delineate brain functional system irregularity and the molecular basis of functional abnormalities in PPD and PPD-A remains unclear. Here, brain sample entropy (SampEn), resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), transcriptomic and neurotransmitter density data were used to investigate brain functional system irregularity, functional connectivity abnormalities and associated molecular basis for PPD and PPD-A. PPD-A exhibited higher SampEn in medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PPC) than healthy postnatal women (HPW) and PPD while PPD showed lower SampEn in PPC compared to HPW and PPD-A. The functional connectivity analysis with MPFC and PPC as seed areas revealed decreased functional couplings between PCC and paracentral lobule and between MPFC and angular gyrus in PPD compared to both PPD-A and HPW. Moreover, abnormal SampEn and functional connectivity were associated with estrogenic level and clinical symptoms load. Importantly, spatial association analyses between functional changes and transcriptome and neurotransmitter density maps revealed that these functional changes were primarily associated with synaptic signaling, neuron projection, neurotransmitter level regulation, amino acid metabolism, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathways, and neurotransmitters of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine, glutamate, dopamine and so on. These results reveal abnormal brain entropy and functional connectivities primarily in default mode network (DMN) and link these changes to transcriptome and neurotransmitters to establish the molecular basis for PPD and PPD-A for the first time. Our findings highlight the important role of DMN in neuropathology of PPD and PPD-A.

The antibacterial and hemostatic curdlan hydrogel-loading epigallocatechin gallate for facilitating the infected wound healing.

The infected wounds pose one of the major threats to human health today. To address this issue, it is necessary to develop innovative wound dressings with superior antibacterial activity and other properties. Due to its potent antibacterial, antioxidant, and immune-boosting properties, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been widely utilized. In this study, a multifunctional curdlan hydrogel loading EGCG (Cur-EGCGH3) was designed. Cur-EGCGH3 exhibited excellent physicochemical properties, good biocompatibility, hemostatic, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. Also, ELISA data showed that Cur-EGCGH3 stimulated macrophages to secrete pro-inflammatory and pro-regenerative cytokines. Cell scratch results indicated that Cur-EGCGH3 promoted the migration of NIH3T3 and HUVECs. In vivo experiments confirmed that Cur-EGCGH3 could inhibit bacterial infection of the infected wounds, accelerate hemostasis, and promote epithelial regeneration and collagen deposition. These results demonstrated that Cur-EGCGH3 holds promise for promoting healing of the infected wounds.

Clinical Efficacy of Chlorhexidine Gargle Combined with Recombinant Bovine Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Gel in the Treatment of Recurrent Oral Ulcers and Its Effects on Inflammatory Factors, Immune Function, and Recurrence Rate.

PURPOSE: To examine the clinical efficacy of a chlorhexidine gargle combined with recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor (rb-bFGF) gel in the treatment of recurrent oral ulcers and its effects on inflammatory factors, immune function, and recurrence rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-six patients with recurrent oral ulcers were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (treatment with chlorhexidine gargle plus rb-bFGF gel) and control (treatment with chlorhexidine gargle alone) (n = 48 cases). The therapeutic efficacy, clinical improvement of symptoms, and recurrence rate within 3 months were compared between the two groups. Serum inflammatory factor and immune factor levels of patients in the two groups were measured before and after treatment. RESULTS: A statistically significantly higher total effective rate was found in patients of the experimental group (95.83%) versus the control group (81.25%) (p < 0.05). The time to onset of pain relief was shortened, the duration of pain relief was prolonged, and VAS scores for pain level were lower in the experimental than the control group (p < 0.05). Among patients in the experimental group, the number of oral ulcers and ulcer area decreased, and faster onset of pain relief and time until normal eating improved in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05). Reduced levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were observed in the experimental vs the control group (p < 0.05). Elevated levels of CD3+, CD4+, and NKT and reduced levels of CD8+ were found in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The ulcer recurrence rate of patients in the experimental group (8.33%) was notably lower in comparison to the control group (29.17%). CONCLUSION: Chlorhexidine gargle plus rb-bFGF gel can improve the clinical outcome of patients with recurrent oral ulcers. It can reduce the levels of inflammatory factors, improve immune function, and reduce the recurrence rate.

Persistent Fatigue in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiation therapy has attracted much attention in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the association between radiotherapy-related fatigue and HCC has been examined in only a few studies. PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the change over time in fatigue in patients with HCC treated with radiotherapy and related factors. METHODS: One hundred patients were enrolled in this prospective longitudinal study using convenience sampling at a medical center in northern Taiwan. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue scale, the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, and the psychological subscale of Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form were used to assess the symptoms at five time points: before radiotherapy (T0), during treatment (T1), and at 1 month (T2), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T4) after radiotherapy. The generalized estimating equations method was used to determine the changes in fatigue and the influencing factors. RESULTS: Fatigue levels at T1, T2, T3, and T4 were significantly higher than that at T0. Higher fatigue was significantly associated with lower income and poorer functional status. Having worse pain levels and psychological symptoms were both associated with higher fatigue. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results indicate fatigue does not recover to the baseline (pretherapy) level by 6 months after radiotherapy. Thus, fatigue in patients with HCC receiving radiotherapy should be regularly and effectively assessed, and patients experiencing pain and psychological symptoms should be given greater attention from clinicians.

Pt,P-codoped carbon nitride nanoenzymes for fluorescence and colorimetric dual-mode detection of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is an important lipid compound found in a variety of foods, and its level in human blood is closely related to human health. Therefore, development of rapid and accurate POCT (point-of-care testing) methods for cholesterol detection is crucial for assessing food quality and early diagnosis of diseases, in particular, in a resource-limited environment. In this study, a smartphone-assisted colorimetric biosensor is constructed based on platinum,phosphorus-codoped carbon nitride (PtCNP2) for the rapid detection of cholesterol. Phosphorus-doped carbon nitride is prepared by thermal annealing of urea and NH4PF6, into which platinum is atomically dispersed by thermal refluxing. The obtained PtCNP2 exhibits an excellent peroxidase-like activity under physiological pH, whereby colorless o-phenylenediamine (OPD) is oxidized to colored 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which can be produced during the oxidation of cholesterol by cholesterol oxidase. A smartphone-assisted visual sensing system is then constructed based on the color recognition software, and rapid on-site detection of cholesterol is achieved by reading the RGB values. Meanwhile, the generated DAP shows an apparent fluorescence signal and can realize highly sensitive detection of cholesterol by the change of the fluorescence signal intensity. Such a cholesterol sensor exhibits a wide linear detection range of 0.5-600 µg mL-1 and a low detection limit of 59 ng mL-1. The practicality of the sensor is successfully demonstrated in the rapid detection of cholesterol in serum and food.

Efficacy of TNF-α Inhibitors in the Treatment of nr-axSpA: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials.

INTRODUCTION: A growing number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated the effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors in treating non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TNF-α inhibitors in the treatment of nr-axSpA. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for relevant RCTs using specific keywords up to June 2023. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who achieved Assessment in SpondyloArthritis international Society 40% (ASAS40). Secondary outcomes included ASAS20, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index 50% (BASDAI50), ASAS partial remission, and ASAS5/6. RESULTS: A total of eight RCTs involving 1,376 patients were included. Patients receiving anti-TNF therapy exhibited a higher rate of ASAS40 (pooled RR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.63-3.42; p < 0.001). In addition, the TNF-α inhibitor group showed higher BASDAI50 rates (pooled RR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.48-2.89), ASAS20 rates (pooled RR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.31-1.67), ASAS partial remission rates (pooled RR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.58-3.43), and ASAS5/6 rates (RR = 3.46; 95% CI: 2.05-5.83) than the placebo group. CONCLUSION: The TNF-α inhibitors were effective in treating nr-axSpA.

Efficient orange and red thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials based on 1,8-naphthalimide derivatives.

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules have emerged as a promising class of third-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) emitters that can achieve 100% internal quantum efficiency without the use of noble metals. However, the design of high-efficiency red TADF materials has been challenging due to limitations imposed by the energy-gap law. To overcome this challenge, two new TADF emitters, namely, 6-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-2-phenyl-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione (NI-TPA) and 6-(10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)-2-phenyl-1H-benzo[de]-isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione (NI-Pz), have been synthesized and characterized. These compounds exhibit strong TADF characteristics with a small energy gap (ΔEST) between the lowest excited singlet and triplet states, short delayed fluorescence lifetimes, high thermal stability, and high photoluminescence quantum yields. The OLED devices fabricated using NI-TPA and NI-Pz as emitters show orange and red electroluminescence with emission peaks at 593 nm and 665 nm, respectively, and maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 11.3% and 7.6%, respectively. Furthermore, applying NI-TPA to cell imaging yielded excellent imaging results, indicating the potential of red TADF materials in the field of biological imaging.

Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator-Based Prediction of the Binding Constant of p-Sulfonatocalix[6]/[8]arenes with Alkaloids.

p-Sulfonatocalix[n]arenes (SCnA) have demonstrated great potential for drug encapsulation through host-guest complexation to improve solubility, stability, and bioavailability. In this study, the solubilization effect of SCnA (n = 4, 6, 8) on 95 active compounds derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was investigated. Based on the significant solubilization effect on alkaloids, SC6A/SC8A and 76 alkaloids were selected as the host and guest, respectively, to determine the binding constant by competitive fluorescence titration. LASSO regression was adopted to investigate the mechanism of the complex of SCnA with alkaloids. The binding constant of alkaloids-SC6A and alkaloids-SC8A was related to the alkaloid alkalinity. Also, the electronegativity, polarization, first ionization potential, hydrogen bond potential, the molecular size, and shape of alkaloids are critical properties to determine alkaloids-SC6A binding constant as well as electronegativity, polarization, hydrophobicity, and the molecular size and shape of alkaloids play an important role for the alkaloids-SC8A binding constant.

Centrosomal protein of 192 kDa (Cep192) fragment possesses bactericidal and parasiticidal activities in Larimichthys crocea.

A novel AMP Lc1773, derived from centrosomal protein of 192 kDa (Cep192), was isolated from Larimichthys crocea using a Bacillus subtilis system. After cDNA libraries construction, repeating selection of B. subtilis system, extraction of extracellular protein, and expression of recombinant protein, we found that B. subtilis 1773, extracellular protein, and rLc1773 had a strong potential to kill Vibrio. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. Further analysis of the antibacterial mechanism revealed that rLc1773 not only disrupted the integrity of bacterial membrane (as confirmed by SEM, TEM, and confocal microscopy observation, and flow cytometry assays), resulting in bacterial cell membrane pore conformation, bacterial rupture, and leakage of cellular contents, but also targeted to block protein synthesis rather than damage nucleic acids (as confirmed by SDS-PAGE, enzyme expression, and gel retardation assays). In addition, rLc1773 had the ability to kill parasite Scuticociliatida in a high rate and low concentration. Critically, the antibacterial activity of rLc1773 had good thermal stability and UV radiation tolerance, but it was affected by pH 9-11 and diverse enzyme to some extent. Lc1773 had neither hemolysis on fish, shrimp, and rabbit erythrocytes，nor significant cytotoxicity. To our knowledge, Cep192 fragment was first demonstrated to possess bactericidal and parasiticidal activities.

Pre-hospital symptom clusters and symptom network analysis in decompensated cirrhotic patients: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To generate pre-hospital symptom networks, explore core, bridge and sentinel symptoms, identify pre-hospital symptom clusters and analyse relationship between influencing factors and symptom clusters in decompensated cirrhosis patients. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist. METHODS: Demographical, physiological, psychological and sociological characteristics and the pre-hospital symptoms of 292 decompensated cirrhotic patients were collected from October 2021 to March 2023 in China. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, independent samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, exploratory factor analysis, multiple stepwise regression analysis and network analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: 'I don't look like myself' and itching were core and bridge symptoms, while bloating and lack of energy were sentinel symptoms in decompensated cirrhotic patients. Monthly family income, anxiety, depression, social support and disease duration influenced the neuropsychological symptom cluster, with worrying as the strongest predictor symptom. Influential factors for cirrhosis-specific symptom cluster included Child-Pugh class, monthly family income, disease duration, anxiety and depression, with itching being the strongest predictor symptom. Monthly family income, disease duration and depression were influential factors for gastrointestinal symptom cluster, with loss of appetite as the strongest predictor symptom. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychological, cirrhosis-specific and gastrointestinal symptom clusters were formed in decompensated cirrhotic patients. Through network analysis, direct connections between symptoms, symptom clusters and their influencing factors were revealed, thereby offering clinicians a foundation for effectively managing patients' pre-hospital symptoms. IMPACT: Decompensated cirrhosis patients commonly have multiple symptoms, while the management of pre-hospital symptoms is often suboptimal. This study identified neuropsychological, cirrhosis-specific, gastrointestinal symptom clusters and recognized core, bridge and sentinel symptoms in these patients. It also revealed the most prominent symptoms within each cluster. This provides insight into the hierarchy of symptoms, improving symptom management in decompensated cirrhosis. PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: There was no patient or public involvement.

Transcription factor CsMYB77 negatively regulates fruit ripening and fruit size in citrus.

MYB family transcription factors (TFs) play essential roles in various biological processes, yet their involvement in regulating fruit ripening and fruit size in citrus remains poorly understood. In this study, we have established that the R2R3-MYB TF, CsMYB77, exerts a negative regulatory influence on fruit ripening in both citrus and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), while also playing a role in modulating fruit size in citrus. The overexpression of CsMYB77 in tomato and Hongkong kumquat (Fortunella hindsii) led to notably delayed fruit ripening phenotypes. Moreover, the fruit size of Hongkong kumquat transgenic lines was largely reduced. Based on DNA affinity purification sequencing and verified interaction assays, SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA4 (SINAT4) and PIN-FORMED PROTEIN5 (PIN5) were identified as downstream target genes of CsMYB77. CsMYB77 inhibited the expression of SINAT4 to modulate abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, which delayed fruit ripening in transgenic tomato and Hongkong kumquat lines. The expression of PIN5 was activated by CsMYB77, which promoted free indole-3-acetic acid decline and modulated auxin signaling in the fruits of transgenic Hongkong kumquat lines. Taken together, our findings revealed a fruit development and ripening regulation module (MYB77-SINAT4/PIN5-ABA/auxin) in citrus, which enriches the understanding of the molecular regulatory network underlying fruit ripening and size.

Effect of cesarean section on the risk of autism spectrum disorders/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in offspring: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between cesarean section (CS) offspring and autism spectrum disorders (ASD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Searching of the databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library) for studies on the relationship between mode of delivery and ASD/ADHD until August 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of ASD/ADHD in the offspring. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 35 studies (12 cohort studies and 23 case-control studies). Statistical results showed a higher risk of ASD (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, P < 0.001) and ADHD (OR = 1.11, P < 0.001) in CS offspring compared to the VD group. Partial subgroup analysis showed no difference in ASD risk between CS and VD offspring in sibling-matched groups (OR = 0.98, P = 0.625). The risk of ASD was higher in females (OR = 1.66, P = 0.003) than in males (OR = 1.17, P = 0.004) in the CS offspring compared with the VD group. There was no difference in the risk of ASD between CS under regional anesthesia group and VD group (OR = 1.07, P = 0.173). However, the risk of ASD was higher in the CS offspring under general anesthesia than in the VD offspring (OR = 1.62, P < 0.001). CS offspring developed autism (OR = 1.38, P = 0.011) and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (OR = 1.46, P = 0.004) had a higher risk than VD offspring, but there was no difference in Asperger syndrome (OR = 1.19, P = 0.115). Offspring born via CS had a higher incidence of ADHD in different subgroup analyses (sibling-matched, type of CS, and study design). CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, CS was a risk factor for ASD/ADHD in offspring compared with VD.

Highly dispersed Ir/Fe nanoparticles anchored at nitrogen-doped activated pyrolytic carbon black as a high-performance OER catalyst for lead recovery.

The use of a methanesulfonic acid (MSA) electrolytic system is recommended as a green method for hydrometallurgical recovery of metallic Pb from waste lead-acid batteries (LABs), contributing to the sustainable protection of the ecosystem. Nevertheless, the system's high energy consumption is a current issue due to the substantial overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and competitive anodic oxidation of Pb2+. Herein, we propose an IrFe/nitrogen-doped pyrolytic carbon black (IrFe/NCBp) composite as a novel OER catalyst for the MSA electrolytic system, which demonstrates advanced OER catalytic efficiency and selectivity for H2O oxidation. This can be ascribed to the catalyst's thoughtful design, which enhances the number and uniformity of Ir and Fe species via increasing the specific surface area and employing NCBp as a sustainable substrate. The optimized IrFe/NCBp composite exhibits superior OER performance, with a low 252 mV@10 mA cm-2 overpotential and a 62 mV dec-1 Tafel slope, and excellent durability in a 1 M MSA electrolyte for 30 h operation compared to commercial Ir/C. In contrast to carbon paper (CP) and commercial Ir/C anodes, the anodic reaction of IrFe/NCBp is primarily OER-driven (97%) in 1 M MSA and 0.2 M Pb2+ electrolyte for Pb recovery. This effectively circumvents the high potential oxidation of Pb2+ into PbO2, reducing the electrolytic voltage to 488 kWh for the recovery of 1 ton Pb metal. This work provides a green, low-carbon footprint solution for the MSA electrolytic system, thereby promoting the commercialization of the hydrometallurgical Pb recovery.

A prototype galectin-1 (also known as galecin-2) from large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea): Molecular and function study.

Galectin-1 (also known as galecin-2), one member of galectins family, has multiple functions as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) in innate immune defense system. In the present study, LcGal-1, a prototype galectin, was identified and function investigated in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). LcGal-1 consists of one carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD), which contains two carbohydrate binding motifs HFNPR and WG-E-R. LcGal-1 had a ubiquitous tissues profile with the highest and lowest expression in spleen and muscle, respectively. Moreover, it was in cytoplasm and nucleus of head-kidney cells in large yellow croaker. RT-qRCR showed that P. plecoglossicida induced LcGal-1 up-regulated expression in liver and gills, and the results were validated by immunohistochemistry analysis. Additionally, the recombinant LcGal-1 (rLcGal-1) showed agglutinate activity on erythrocytes, and the histidine (His) in the HFNPR motif was a key locus to the activity. The agglutination effect of rLcGal-1 on erythrocytes could be inhibited by LPS, α-lactase and d-galactose. The rLcGal-1 was able to bind and agglutinate Gram+ and Gram-bacteria, and damage bacterial membrane as confirmed by PI staining and SEM observation. Transcriptome analysis showed that the overexpressed LcGal-1 in HEK 293T cells could induce 176 DGEs, including 172 boosting genes and 4 falling genes. Collectively, LcGal-1 was a key immune gene involved in the recognition, conjunction, and elimination of pathogens in L. crocea, as well as multiple physiological and pathological regulatory processes.

Caffeic acid attenuates tissue damage and inflammatory response in Klebsiella pneumonia by modulating AhR-Src-STAT3-IL-10 signaling pathway.

CA is a plant derivative with antibacterial and antiviral pharmacological effects, however, the therapeutic effect of CA on Klebsiella pneumonia and its mechanism study is still unclear. A rat KP model was established in vitro, a pneumonia cell model was established in vivo, the histopathological changes in the lungs were observed by HE staining after CA treatment, the expression of relevant inflammatory factors was detected by ELISA, the changes in the expression of proteins related to the AhR-Src-STAT3-IL-10 signaling pathway were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence in the lungs, and the interactions between the proteins were verified by COIP relationship. The results showed that CA was able to attenuate the injury and inflammatory response of lung tissues, and molecular docking showed that there were binding sites between CA and AhR, and COIP demonstrated that AhR interacted with both STAT3 and Ser. In addition, CA was able to up-regulate the expression levels of pathway-related proteins of AhR, IL-10, p-Src, and p-STAT3, and AhR knockdown was able to reduce LPS-induced inflammatory responses and up-regulate pathway-related proteins, whereas CA treatment of AhR-knockdown-treated A549 cells did not show any statistically significant difference compared with the AhR knockdown group, demonstrating that CA exerts its pharmacological effects. These findings elucidated the mechanism of CA in the treatment of KP and demonstrated that CA is a potential therapeutic agent for KP.

Diagnostic performance of wide-field optical coherence tomography angiography in detecting open-angle glaucoma in high myopia.

PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performance of the capillary density (CD) of the central 1-6 mm and peripheral 6-12 mm annular regions in detecting open-angle glaucoma in high myopia (HM) using 15 × 12 mm wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (WF SS-OCTA). METHODS: The study enrolled 206 and 103 eyes with HM and highly myopic open-angle glaucoma (HM-OAG), respectively. WF SS-OCTA images centred on the fovea were obtained to analyse the changes in the CD in the 1-3 mm, 3-6 mm, 6-9 mm, and 9-12 mm annular regions. CD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) was measured with the built-in software. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of each region was compared. RESULTS: The diagnostic performance of the SCP CD in the central 1-6 mm annular region (AUROC = 0.849) was better than that in the peripheral 6-12 mm annular region (AUROC = 0.756, p = 0.001). The annular AUROCs of SCP CD peaked in the 3-6 mm annular region (AUROC = 0.858) and gradually decreased with increasing diameter and were lower than the corresponding AUROCs of the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). SCP CD of the inferior quadrant in the 3-6 mm annular region had the best diagnostic performance (AUROC = 0.859). CONCLUSION: The SCP CD in the central 1-6 mm annular region exhibited better diagnostic performance for the detection of HM-OAG in HM. The assessment of more peripheral regions has no added value in detecting glaucoma in HM.

Associations of serum gamma-linolenic acid levels with erythema severity and anxiety/depression status in patients with rosacea.

BACKGROUND: The development of rosacea is suggested to be closely associated with lipid metabolism, inflammation, and anxiety/depression. Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) is a key factor participating in lipid metabolism, which is also confirmed to regulate the inflammatory response. However, the associations of serum GLA levels with rosacea severity and psychological status still remain unclear. OBJECTIVE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY: The present study aimed to investigate the associations of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a key factor participating in lipid metabolism and the inflammatory response, with rosacea severity and psychological status. The present study still had some limitations. First, this study is a cross-sectional study and does not provide longitudinal evidence about the relationship between GLA and rosacea; Second, the cohort in this study is also relatively small, and a larger cohort is needed in further investigation to reveal the potential role of lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of rosacea. METHODS: A total of 62 rosacea patients were consecutively recruited. Patient's Self-Assessment (PSA) scale and Clinician Erythema Assessment (CEA) as well as 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were conducted to evaluate the degree of erythema severity and anxiety/depression, respectively. Serum GLA levels were determined by gas chromatography mass. RESULTS: Lower levels of serum GLA in rosacea patients were observed (p<0.001), and subgroup analysis revealed that patients with higher-level GLA had lower scores of PSA, CEA, GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis uncovered that serum GLA levels were negatively associated with PSA, CEA, GAD-7 as well and PHQ-9 scores, respectively. Linear regression model found that serum GLA levels at baseline were a predictive factor for prognosis of clinical outcomes after 1-month conventional treatment. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that lower levels of serum GLA in rosacea patients are negatively associated with the degree of erythema and anxiety/depression status.