Influence of the number of washings for embryos on non-invasive preimplantation chromosome screening results.

Objective: To explore the effect of varying numbers of embryo washings prior to blastocyst formation in non-invasive preimplantation chromosome screening (NICS) on the accuracy of NICS results. Methods: In this study, 68 blastocysts from preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)-assisted pregnancy were collected at our institution. On the fourth day of embryo culture, the embryos were transferred to a new medium for blastocyst culture and were washed either three times (NICS1 group) or ten times (NICS2 group). A trophectoderm (TE) biopsy was performed on the blastocysts, and the corresponding embryo culture media were collected for whole genome amplification (WGA) and high-throughput sequencing. Results: The success rate of WGA was 100% (TE biopsy), 76.7% (NICS1 group), and 89.5% (NICS2 group). The success rate of WGA in embryo medium on days 5 and 6 of culture was 75.0% (33/44) and 100% (24/24), respectively. Using TE as the gold standard, the karyotype concordance rate between the results of the NICS1 and NICS2 groups' embryo culture medium samples and TE results was 43.5% (10/23) and 73.5% (25/34), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting chromosomal abnormalities were higher in the NICS2 group than in the NICS1 group when TE was used (83.3% vs 60.0%; 62.5% vs 30.8%, respectively). The false-positive rate and false-negative rate (i.e., misdiagnosis rate and missed diagnosis rate, respectively) were lower in the NICS2 group than in the NICS1 group (37.5% vs 69.2%; 16.7% vs 40.0%, respectively). Conclusion: The NICS yielded favorable results after ten washings of the embryos. These findings provide a novel method for lowering the amount of cell-free DNA contamination from non-embryonic sources in the medium used for embryo development, optimizing the sampling procedure and improving the accuracy of the NICS test.

Impact of Alcian blue and periodic acid Schiff expression on the prognosis of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The Alcian blue (AB) and periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stains are representative mucus markers in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). They are low-cost special staining methods used to detect acidic mucus and neutral mucus, respectively. However, the clinical importance of the special combined AB and PAS stain is unclear. AIM: To investigate AB expression, PAS expression and the AB-to-PAS (A/P) ratio in gastric SRCC patients and to assess patient prognosis. METHODS: Paraffin-embedded sections from 83 patients with gastric SRCC were stained with AB and PAS, and signet ring cell positivity was assessed quantitatively. Immunohistochemical staining for Ki67, protein 53 (P53) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) was performed simultaneously. The cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate was estimated via Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used for univariate and multivariate survival analyses. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the 3-year CSS rate was significantly greater in the high-PAS-expression subgroup than in the low-PAS-expression subgroup (P < 0.001). The 3-year CSS rate in the A/P ≤ 0.5 group was significantly greater than that in the A/P > 0.5 group (P = 0.042). Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the factors affecting prognosis included tumor diameter, lymph node metastasis, vessel carcinoma embolus, tumor stage, the A/P ratio and the expression of Ki67, P53 and the PAS. Cox multivariate regression analysis confirmed that low PAS expression [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.809, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.563-9.283, P = 0.003] and large tumor diameter (HR = 2.761, 95%CI: 1.086-7.020, P = 0.033) were independent risk factors for poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: A/P > 0.5 is potentially a risk factor for prognosis, and low PAS expression is an independent risk factor in the prognosis of gastric SRCC. PAS expression and the A/P ratio could help in predicting the clinical prognosis of patients with SRCC.

Treating waste with waste: Lignin acting as both an effective bactericide and passivator to prevent acid mine drainage formation at the source.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) induced by pyrite oxidation is a notorious and serious environmental problem, but the management of AMD in an economical and environmentally friendly way remains challenging. Here, lignin, a natural polymer and abundant waste, was employed as both a bactericide and passivator to prevent AMD formation. The addition of lignin to a mimic AMD formation system inoculated with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at a lignin-to-pyrite weight ratio of 2.5: 10 reduced the combined abiotic and biotic oxidation of pyrite by 68.4 % (based on released SO42-). Morphological characterization of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans revealed that lignin could act on the cell surface and impair the cell integrity, disrupting its normal growth and preventing biotic oxidation of pyrite accordingly. Moreover, lignin can be used alone as a passivator to form a coating on the pyrite surface, reducing abiotic oxidation by 71.7 % (based on released SO42-). Through multiple technique analysis, it was proposed that the functional groups on lignin may coordinate with iron ions on pyrite, promoting its deposition on the surface. In addition, the inherent antioxidant activity of lignin may also be actively involved in the abatement of pyrite oxidation via the reduction of iron. Overall, this study offered a "treating waste with waste" strategy for preventing AMD formation at the source and opened a new avenue for the management of AMD.

Functional types of long trichoid sensilla responding to sex pheromone components in Plutella xylostella.

Sex pheromones, which consist of multiple components in specific ratios promote intraspecific sexual communications of insects. Plutella xylostella (L.) is a worldwide pest of cruciferous vegetables, the mating behavior of which is highly dependent on its olfactory system. Long trichoid sensilla on male antennae are the main olfactory sensilla that can sense sex pheromones. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, 3 sex pheromone components from sex pheromone gland secretions of P. xylostella female adults were identified as Z11-16:Ald, Z11-16:Ac, and Z11-16:OH in a ratio of 9.4 : 100 : 17 using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection. Electrophysiological responses of 581 and 385 long trichoid sensilla of male adults and female adults, respectively, to the 3 components were measured by single sensillum recording. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that the long trichoid sensilla were of 6 different types. In the male antennae, 52.32%, 5.51%, and 1.89% of the sensilla responded to Z11-16:Ald, Z11-16:Ac, and Z11-16:OH, which are named as A type, B type, and C type sensilla, respectively; 2.93% named as D type sensilla responded to both Z11-16:Ald and Z11-16:Ac, and 0.34% named as E type sensilla were sensitive to both Z11-16:Ald and Z11-16:OH. In the female antennae, only 7.53% of long trichoid sensilla responded to the sex pheromone components, A type sensilla were 3.64%, B type and C type sensilla were both 0.52%, D type sensilla were 1.30%, and 1.56% of the sensilla responded to all 3 components, which were named as F type sensilla. The responding long trichoid sensilla were located from the base to the terminal of the male antennae and from the base to the middle of the female antennae. The pheromone mixture (Z11-16:Ald : Z11-16:Ac : Z11-16:OH = 9.4 : 100 : 17) had a weakly repellent effect on female adults of P. xylostella. Our results lay the foundation for further studies on sex pheromone communications in P. xylostella.

Long-term remission and survival in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after treatment with LCAR-B38M CAR T cells: 5-year follow-up of the LEGEND-2 trial.

BACKGROUND: The autologous anti-B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy LCAR-B38M has been approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in many countries across the world under the name ciltacabtagene autoleucel. LEGEND-2 was the first-in-human trial of LCAR-B38M and yielded deep and durable therapeutic responses. Here, we reported the outcomes in LEGEND-2 after a minimal 5-year follow-up. METHODS: Participants received an average dose of 0.5 × 106 cells/kg LCAR-B38M in split or single unfractionated infusions after cyclophosphamide-based lymphodepletion therapy. Investigator-assessed response, survival, safety and pharmacokinetics were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-four participants enrolled and had a median follow-up of 65.4 months. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 21.0% and 49.1%, with progressive flattening of the survival curves over time. Patients with complete response (CR) had longer PFS and OS, with 5-year rates of 28.4% and 65.7%, respectively. Twelve patients (16.2%) remained relapse-free irrespective of baseline high-risk cytogenetic abnormality and all had normal humoral immunity reconstituted. An ongoing CR closely correlated with several prognostic baseline indices including favorable performance status, immunoglobulin G subtype, and absence of extramedullary disease, as well as a combination cyclophosphamide and fludarabine preconditioning strategy. Sixty-two (83.8%) suffered progressive disease (PD) and/or death; however, 61.1% of PD patients could well respond to subsequent therapies, among which, the proteasome inhibitor-based regimens benefited the most. Concerning the safety, hematologic and hepatic function recovery were not significantly different between non-PD and PD/Death groups. A low rate of second primary malignancy (5.4%) and no severe virus infection were observed. The patients who tested positive for COVID-19 merely presented self-limiting symptoms. In addition, a sustainable CAR T population of one case with persistent remission was delineated, which was enriched with indolently proliferative and lowly cytotoxic CD4/CD8 double-negative functional T lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These data, representing the longest follow-up of BCMA-redirected CAR T-cell therapy to date, demonstrate long-term remission and survival with LCAR-B38M for advanced myeloma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: LEGEND-2 was registered under the trial numbers NCT03090659, ChiCTRONH-17012285.

An electrochemical aptasensor based on silver-thiolated graphene for highly sensitive detection of Pb2.

The presence of lead ions (Pb2+) in the environment not only leads to environmental contamination but also poses a significant risk to public health through their migration into food and drinking water. Therefore, the development of rapid and effective techniques for detection of trace amounts of Pb2+ is crucial for safeguarding both the environment and biosafety. In this study, an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor was developed for specific detection of Pb2+ by modifying a polylysine (PLL) coated silver-thiolated graphene (Ag-SH-G) nanocomposite (PLL/Ag-SH-G) on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode, which was further modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for attachment of aptamers (Apt) that specifically recognized Pb2+. The Ag-SH-G particles were synthesized using a one-step in situ method, resulting in significantly enhanced electrochemical properties upon incorporating Ag nanoparticles into the PLL/Ag-SH-G composite. Coating of the covalently or no-covalently bonded Ag-SH-G particles with PLL provides an excellent supporting matrix, facilitating the assembly of AuNPs and a thiol-modified aptamer for Pb2+. Under optimized conditions, Apt/AuNPs/PLL/Ag-SH-G/GCE exhibited excellent sensing performance for Pb2+ with a wide linear response range (10-1000 nM), a low detection limit (0.047 nM) and extraordinary selectivity. The sensor was employed and satisfactory results were obtained in river water, soil and vegetable samples for the detection of Pb2+.

Characterization of a Straboviridae phage vB_AbaM-SHI and its inhibition effect on biofilms of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a popular clinical pathogen worldwide. Biofilm-associated antibiotic-resistant A. baumannii infection poses a great threat to human health. Bacteria in biofilms are highly resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants. Furthermore, inhibition or eradication of biofilms in husbandry, the food industry and clinics are almost impossible. Phages can move across the biofilm matrix and promote antibiotic penetration. In the present study, a lytic A. baumannii phage vB_AbaM-SHI, belonging to family Straboviridae, was isolated from sauce chop factory drain outlet in Wuxi, China. The DNA genome consists of 44,180 bp which contain 93 open reading frames, and genes encoding products morphogenesis are located at the end of the genome. The amino acid sequence of vB_AbaM-SHI endolysin is different from those of previously reported A. baumannii phages in NCBI. Phage vB_AbaM-SHI endolysin has two additional ß strands due to the replacement of a lysine (K) (in KU510289.1, NC_041857.1, JX976549.1 and MH853786.1) with an arginine (R) (SHI) at position 21 of A. baumannii phage endolysin. Spot test showed that phage vB_AbaM-SHI is able to lyse some antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as A. baumannii (SL, SL1, and SG strains) and E. coli BL21 strain. Additionally, phage vB_AbaM-SHI independently killed bacteria and inhibited bacterial biofilm formation, and synergistically exerted strong antibacterial effects with antibiotics. This study provided a new perspective into the potential application value of phage vB_AbaM-SHI as an antimicrobial agent.

The obesity challenge in joint replacement: a multifaceted analysis of self-reported health status and exercise capacity using NHANES data - a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Joint replacement is successful for end-stage osteopathy, with obesity linked to evaluated risk. But the impact of obesity on self-reported health and exercise capacity among joint replacement patients remains complex and requires investigation. METHODS: This study utilizes data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between obesity severity, demographic factors, medical comorbidities, and self-reported health status. The relationship between general health status and BMI was analyzed using multivariable regression, and further illustrated using a restricted cubic spline. Additionally, a bibliometric analysis and systemic review was done to frame the research within the broader context of existing knowledge and demographic specifics. RESULTS: Analysis of NHANES data involving 327 joint replacement patients yielded intriguing insights. The difference in self-reported health between BMI groups did not achieve conventional statistical significance (P=0.06), and multivariable analysis showed that even severely obese patients did not exhibit significantly elevated risk of poor/fair self-reported health compared to normal weight subjects. Among severely obese individuals (BMI>40), 40.63% still rated their health positively. However, stratified analyses indicated that obesity correlated with negative health reports across gender, age, and education strata. Notably, physical functioning emerged as a robust predictor of self-reported health, with those reporting no walking difficulties having significantly lower odds of poor/fair health (Odds Ratio=0.37, P=0.01). CONCLUSION: The study highlights the need for healthcare providers to consider individual physical abilities and comorbidities alongside obesity severity when discussing treatment options with joint replacement patients. It supports tailored interventions and informed shared decision-making. Future research could explore effective weight management strategies for obese individuals undergoing joint replacement.

Advances in the study of S100A9 in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of diseases that primarily affect the heart or blood vessels, with high disability and mortality rates, posing a serious threat to human health. The causative factors, pathogenesis, and characteristics of common CVD differ, but they all involve common pathological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. S100A9 belongs to the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins, which are mainly secreted by myeloid cells and bind to the Toll-like receptor 4 and receptor for advanced glycation end products and is involved in regulating pathological processes such as inflammatory response, fibrosis, vascular calcification, and endothelial barrier function in CVD. The latest research has found that S100A9 is a key biomarker for diagnosing and predicting various CVD. Therefore, this article reviews the latest research progress on the diagnostic and predictive, and therapeutic value of S100A9 in inflammatory-related CVD such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and arterial aneurysm and summarizes its molecular mechanisms in the progression of CVD, aiming to explore new predictive methods and to identify potential intervention targets for CVD in clinical practice.

Predictive model for the risk of hemorrhagic transformation after rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the risk prediction model of Hemorrhages Transformation (HT) after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS). METHODS: Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, CNKI, CBM, WanFang, and VIP were searched from inception to February 25, 2023 for literature related to the risk prediction model for HT after thrombolysis in AIS. RESULTS: A total of 17 included studies contained 26 prediction models, and the AUC of all models at the time of modeling ranged from 0.662 to 0.9854, 16 models had AUC>0.8, indicating that the models had good predictive performance. However, most of the included studies were at risk of bias. the results of the Meta-analysis showed that atrial fibrillation (OR=2.72, 95% CI:1.98-3.73), NIHSS score (OR=1.09, 95% CI:1.07-1.11), glucose (OR=1.12, 95% CI:1.06-1.18), moderate to severe leukoaraiosis (OR=3.47, 95% CI:1.61-7.52), hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (OR=2.35, 95% CI:1.10-4.98), large cerebral infarction (OR=7.57, 95% CI:2.09-27.43), and early signs of infarction (OR=4.80, 95% CI:1.74-13.25) were effective predictors of HT after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with AIS. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of the models for HT after thrombolysis in patients with AIS in the Chinese population is good, but there is some risk of bias. Future post-intravenous HT conversion prediction models for AIS patients in the Chinese population should focus on predictors such as atrial fibrillation, NIHSS score, glucose, moderate to severe leukoaraiosis, hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign, massive cerebral infarction, and early signs of infarction.

Fracture resistance of CAD/CAM endocrowns made from different materials in maxillary premolar interproximal defects.

OBJECTIVES: This in vitro study aims to compare the fracture resistance of three CAD/CAM materials used in endocrown restoration of interproximal defects in maxillary premolars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 maxillary premolars extracted as part of orthodontic treatment were included. Following standardized root canal treatment, all teeth were prepared into Mesial-Occlusal (MO) cavity types. The samples were then randomly divided into three groups: LD [repaired with lithium disilicate glass ceramics (IPS e.max CAD)], VE [treated with polymer-infiltrated ceramics (Vita Enamic)], and LU [repaired with resin-based nanoceramics (Lava Ultimate)]. Axial static loading was applied using a universal testing machine at 1 mm/min until fracture, and fracture resistance and failure modes were recorded. RESULTS: Regarding Fracture Resistance Values (FRVs), the LD group exhibited significantly higher values than the other two groups, VE (P = 0.028) and LU (P = 0.005), which showed no significant difference (P = 0.778). On the other hand, regarding failure modes, the LD group had a higher prevalence of irreparable fractures compared to the other two groups, VE (P < 0.001) and LU (P < 0.001), which showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Although lithium disilicate glass ceramics exhibited higher FRVs, they had a lower repair probability. In contrast, polymer-infiltrated ceramics and resin-based nanoceramics contributed to tooth structure preservation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For maxillary premolars with interproximal defects following root canal treatment, resin ceramic composites are recommended for restoration to enhance abutment teeth protection.

Which way forward? Comparing radiological outcomes using three different surgical approaches in robotic assisted total hip arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the accuracy and precision of acetabular component placement in robot-assisted surgery total hip arthroplasty (RAS-THA) using three different approaches. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis from a multicenter, randomized controlled trial comparing the Trex RS Hip 1.0 robot navigation system across different surgical approaches. It involved 145 patients treated at three Chinese medical centers from June 2021 to July 2022. Patients with end-stage joint disease were randomly assigned to either the RAS or control group. Acetabular component positioning was evaluated radiographically, and registration accuracy was measured using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). RESULTS: The overall RMSE was 0.72 mm (SD = 0.24 mm), indicating consistent accuracy regardless of surgical approach. Significant variations in anteversion were noted across groups (p = 0.001). Lateral RAS-THA showed enhanced precision. The RAS Direct Anterior Approach (DAA) group had the least deviation in the rotation center's horizontal distance (0.89 ± 1.14 mm, p = 0.0014) and minimal leg length discrepancy (2.41 ± 1.17 mm). The RAS DAA approach also produced more consistent results. CONCLUSION: Robotic assistance in THA, especially via the DAA approach, enhances the accuracy and precision of acetabular component positioning. Consistent registration accuracy across various surgical approaches confirms the reliability of these methods for THA. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier is ChiCTR2100044124.

Identification and functional characterization of chemosensory genes in olfactory and taste organs of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive polyphagous crop pests. Olfaction and taste play a crucial role in its host plant selection and sexual communication, but the expression profile of chemosensory genes remains unclear. In this study, we identified 185 chemosensory genes from 7 organs in S. litura by transcriptome sequencing, of which 72 genes were published for the first time, including 27 odorant receptors (ORs), 26 gustatory receptors (GRs), 1 ionotropic receptor (IR), 16 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), and 2 chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ORs, IRs, OBPs, and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) were mainly expressed in antennae and sequence-conserved among Noctuidae species. The most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sexes were ORs and OBPs, and no DEGs were found in GRs. GR transcripts were enriched in proboscis, and the expression of sugar receptors was the highest. Carbon dioxide receptors, sugar receptor-SliuGR6, and bitter GRs-SlituGR43 and SlituGR66 had higher sequence identities between Noctuidae species. CSPs were broadly expressed in various organs, and SlituCSP13 was a DEG in adult antennae. The functional analysis in the Drosophila OR67d expression system found that SlituOR50, a receptor highly expressed in female antennae, is selectively tuned to farnesyl acetate. The results provide a solid foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which chemosensory genes operate to elicit behavioral responses in polyphagous insects.

Healthcare facilities management: A novel data-driven model for predictive maintenance of computed tomography equipment.

BACKGROUND: The breakdown of healthcare facilities is a huge challenge for hospitals. Medical images obtained by Computed Tomography (CT) provide information about the patients' physical conditions and play a critical role in diagnosis of disease. To deliver high-quality medical images on time, it is essential to minimize the occurrence frequencies of anomalies and failures of the equipment. METHODS: We extracted the real-time CT equipment status time series data such as oil temperature, of three equipment, between May 19, 2020, and May 19, 2021. Tube arcing is treated as the classification label. We propose a dictionary-based data-driven model SAX-HCBOP, where the two methods, Histogram-based Information Gain Binning (HIGB) and Coefficient improved Bag of Pattern (CoBOP), are implemented to transform the data into the bag-of-words paradigm. We compare our model to the existing predictive maintenance models based on statistical and time series classification algorithms. RESULTS: The results show that the Accuracy, Recall, Precision and F1-score of the proposed model achieve 0.904, 0.747, 0.417, 0.535, respectively. The oil temperature is identified as the most important feature. The proposed model is superior to other models in predicting CT equipment anomalies. In addition, experiments on the public dataset also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. CONCLUSIONS: The two proposed methods can improve the performance of the dictionary-based time series classification methods in predictive maintenance. In addition, based on the proposed real-time anomaly prediction system, the model assists hospitals in making accurate healthcare facilities maintenance decisions.

The impact of age and number of mutations on the size of clonal hematopoiesis.

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) represents the clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cells and their progeny driven by somatic mutations. Accurate risk assessment of CH is critical for disease prevention and clinical decision-making. The size of CH has been showed to associate with higher disease risk, yet, factors influencing the size of CH are unknown. In addition, the characteristics of CH in long-lived individuals are not well documented. Here, we report an in-depth analysis of CH in longevous (≥90 y old) and common (60~89 y old) elderly groups. Utilizing targeted deep sequencing, we found that the development of CH is closely related to age and the expression of aging biomarkers. The longevous elderly group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of CH and significantly higher frequency of TET2 and ASXL1 mutations, suggesting that certain CH could be beneficial to prolong life. Intriguingly, the size of CH neither correlates significantly to age, in the range of 60 to 110 y old, nor to the expression of aging biomarkers. Instead, we identified a strong correlation between large CH size and the number of mutations per individual. These findings provide a risk assessment biomarker for CH and also suggest that the evolution of the CH is influenced by factor(s) in addition to age.

The associations of two novel inflammation indexes, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and system inflammation response index (SIRI), with periodontitis: evidence from NHANES 2009-2014.

OBJECTIVES: The research's goal is to look for any potential relationships between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and the system inflammation response index (SIRI), along with inflammation indicators and the likelihood of periodontitis. METHODS: Ten thousand two hundred eighty-two individuals in sum were determined to be eligible for this cross-sectional study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2014. Multiple logistic regression, generalized additive model, smooth curve fitting, subgroup analysis, and interaction tests were done for analyzing the association between periodontitis and SII, SIRI, and other inflammatory indicators. RESULTS: The analysis, adjusted for population weighting, revealed that individuals with moderate/severe periodontitis had SII levels of 545.46 (95% CI (529.10, 561.82), P = 0.0044) and SIRI levels of 1.33 (95% CI (1.29, 1.37), P < 0.0001). In a fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression model, SII was not sensibly associated with moderate/severe periodontitis among the continuous and quartile Q1-Q4 groups (OR = 0.97, 95% CI (0.91, 1.02)). The continuous variable of SIRI (OR = 1.11, 95% CI (1.06, 1.17)) and the quartile Q4 group (OR = 1.58, 95% CI (1.28, 1.94)) had a deemed significant positive association with moderate to severe periodontitis. In addition, other inflammatory indicators, especially NLR, PPN, PLR, MLR, PC, NC, and MC were observed to be notably involved moderate/severe periodontist in this research. CONCLUSION: We explored the association between periodontitis and two novel comprehensive markers of inflammation (SII and SIRI). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These inflammatory markers are expected to serve as tools to assist clinicians in diagnosing periodontitis.

Cellular hierarchy insights reveal leukemic stem-like cells and early death risk in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) represents a paradigm for targeted differentiation therapy, with a minority of patients experiencing treatment failure and even early death. We here report a comprehensive single-cell analysis of 16 APL patients, uncovering cellular compositions and their impact on all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) response in vivo and early death. We unveil a cellular differentiation hierarchy within APL blasts, rooted in leukemic stem-like cells. The oncogenic PML/RARα fusion protein exerts branch-specific regulation in the APL trajectory, including stem-like cells. APL cohort analysis establishes an association of leukemic stemness with elevated white blood cell counts and FLT3-ITD mutations. Furthermore, we construct an APL-specific stemness score, which proves effective in assessing early death risk. Finally, we show that ATRA induces differentiation of primitive blasts and patients with early death exhibit distinct stemness-associated transcriptional programs. Our work provides a thorough survey of APL cellular hierarchies, offering insights into cellular dynamics during targeted therapy.

In vitro SELEX and application of an African swine fever virus (ASFV) p30 protein specific aptamer.

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has caused severe economic losses in the pig industry. To monitor ASFV spread, the p30 protein has been identified as an ideal infection marker due to its early and long-term expression during the ASFV infection period. Timely monitoring of ASFV p30 enables the detection of ASFV infection and assessment of disease progression. Aptamers are an outstanding substitute for antibodies to develop an efficient tool for ASFV p30 protein detection. In this study, a series of aptamer candidates were screened by in vitro magnetic bead-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (MB-SELEX). An aptamer (Atc-20) finally showed high specificity and affinity (Kd = 140 ± 10 pM) against ASFV p30 protein after truncation and affinity assessment. Furthermore, an aptamer/antibody heterogeneous sandwich detection assay was designed based on Atc20, achieving a linear detection of ASFV p30 ranging from 8 to 125 ng/ml and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.61 ng/ml. This assay showed good analytical performances and effectively detected p30 protein in diluted serum samples, presenting promising potential for the development of ASFV biosensors.

Mapping and assessing natural soundscape quality: An indicator-based model for landscape planning.

Natural soundscape quality (NSQ) has been recognized as an essential cultural ecosystem service that contributes significantly to human health and well-being. It also stands as an indispensable component of environmental quality, especially for landscape aesthetic quality. However, an assessment tool for NSQ in landscape planning and environmental impact assessments is still absent. Therefore, this paper aims to address this gap by proposing an indicator-based model for assessing and quantifying NSQ in the Geographic Information System. The model characterizes NSQ based on Calmness and Vibrancy, and employs several indicators, sub-indicators, and respective metrics as proxies to quantify and map them spatially. The evaluation criteria of the model correspond to the general public's preferences for soundscape features. The case study results in Springe municipality, Germany, show that the relative values of NSQ are high in green spaces, including forests, grasslands, and shrublands, whereas they are low in open farmlands. The multiple natural sounds yield higher NSQ scores than the individual ones. The same soundscape compositions in forests and in urban parks exhibit higher NSQ scores than in other land cover types. In addition, the shares of relative values show similar distribution patterns among Calmness, Vibrancy, and NSQ according to land cover types and soundscape compositions. The evaluation results align with public values and preferences for soundscape features. Unlike subjectivist approaches, our user-independent methodology is easily transferable and reproducible. The results are comparable and communicable among the assessed areas. These endow the indicator-based model with the potential to be applied at various planning and management scales. The findings can help to incorporate soundscape evaluation into landscape planning and management systems, supporting sustainable landscape development, and providing valuable information for policy-, plan- and decision-making.

Inhibiting neddylation with MLN4924 potentiates hypoxia-induced apoptosis of mouse type B spermatogonia GC-2 cells.

Hypoxia, an inadequate supply of tissue oxygen tension, has been reported to induce apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and is associated with male infertility. Neddylation, a post-translational modification similar to ubiquitination, has been shown to be involved in the hypoxia stress response. However, the functions of neddylation in hypoxia-induced apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and its association with male infertility remain largely unexplored. In this study, aiming to explore the role of neddylation in male infertility, we used the specific neddylation inhibitor MLN4924 for treatment in mouse type B spermatogonia GC-2 cells. Our results showed that MLN4924 had no apparent effect on GC-2 cell apoptosis under normoxia, but significantly increased apoptotic cells under hypoxia. Transcriptomic analysis and qPCR assay confirmed that MLN4924 could suppress the expression of hypoxia target genes in GC-2 cells under hypoxia. In addition, MLN4924 could enhance the induction of intracellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) under hypoxia. These results indicate that the neddylation inhibitor MLN4924 potentiates hypoxia-induced apoptosis of mouse type B spermatogonia GC-2 cells, and neddylation may play an important role in promoting spermatogenic cells to adapt to hypoxia stress.