Soil bacterial community characteristics and its effect on organic carbon under different fertilization treatments.

Introduction: By implementing small-scale and efficient fertilization techniques, it is possible to enhance the activity of microorganisms, thereby improving soil carbon sequestration and ecological value in agriculture. Methods: In this study, field experiments were conducted using various types of fertilizers: organic fertilizer, microbial fungal fertilizer, composite fertilizer, and an unfertilized control (CK). Additionally, different dosages of compound fertilizers were applied, including 0.5 times compound fertilizers, constant compound fertilizers, 1.5 times compound fertilizers and CK. Using advanced technologies such as Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing, PICRUSt2 prediction, Anosim analysis, redundancy analysis, canonical correlation analysis, and correlation matrix, soil organic carbon (SOC) content and components, bacterial diversity, metabolic functions, and interaction mechanisms were examined in different fields. Results and Discussion: The results showed pronounced effects of various fertilization modes on SOC and the bacterial community, particularly in the topsoil layer (0-20 cm). Organic fertilizer treatments increased the richness and diversity of bacterial communities in the soil. However, conventional doses and excessive application of compound fertilizers reduced the diversity of soil bacterial communities and SOC content. Additionally, different fertilization treatments led to an increase in easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC) contents. Interestingly, the relationship between SOC components and soil bacteria exhibited inconsistency. EOC was positively correlated with the bacterial diversity index. Additionally, Chloroflexi exhibited a negative correlation with both SOC and its components. The influence of metabolismon primary metabolic functions on the content of SOC components in the soil was more notable. It included seven types of tertiary functional metabolic pathways significantly correlated with SOC components (p < 0.05). Purpose and Significance: These findings enhance the understanding of the relative abundance of bacterial communities, particularly those related to the carbon cycle, by adjusting agricultural fertilization patterns. This adjustment serves as a reference for enhancing carbon sinks and reducing emissions in agricultural soils.

The regulatory role of miRNA and lncRNA on autophagy in diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes that causes glomerular sclerosis and end-stage renal disease, leading to ascending morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Excessive accumulation of aberrantly modified proteins or damaged organelles, such as advanced glycation end-products, dysfunctional mitochondria, and inflammasomes is associated with the pathogenesis of DN. As one of the main degradation pathways, autophagy recycles toxic substances to maintain cellular homeostasis and autophagy dysregulation plays a crucial role in DN progression. MicroRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) are non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules that regulate gene expression and have been implicated in both physiological and pathological conditions. Recent studies have revealed that autophagy-regulating miRNA and lncRNA have been involved in pathological processes of DN, including renal cell injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and renal fibrosis. This review summarizes the role of autophagy in DN and emphasizes the modulation of miRNA and lncRNA on autophagy during disease progression, for the development of promising interventions by targeting these ncRNAs in this disease.

Compressed Sensitivity Encoding Artificial Intelligence Accelerates Brain Metastasis Imaging by Optimizing Image Quality and Reducing Scan Time.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accelerating the image acquisition speed of MR imaging without compromising the image quality is challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced (CE) 3D T1WI and CE 3D-FLAIR sequences reconstructed with compressed sensitivity encoding artificial intelligence (CS-AI) for detecting brain metastases (BM) and explore the optimal acceleration factor (AF) for clinical BM imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with cancer with suspected BM were included. Fifty participants underwent different customized CE 3D-T1WI or CE 3D-FLAIR sequence scans. Compressed SENSE encoding acceleration 6 (CS6), a commercially available standard sequence, was used as the reference standard. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate image quality. The SNR and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated, and qualitative evaluations were independently conducted by 2 neuroradiologists. After exploring the optimal AF, sample images were obtained from 1 patient by using both optimized sequences. RESULTS: Quantitatively, the CNR of the CS-AI protocol for CE 3D-T1WI and CE 3D-FLAIR sequences was superior to that of the CS protocol under the same AF (P < .05). Compared with reference CS6, the CS-AI groups had higher CNR values (all P < .05), with the CS-AI10 scan having the highest value. The SNR of the CS-AI group was better than that of the reference for both CE 3D-T1WI and CE 3D-FLAIR sequences (all P < .05). Qualitatively, the CS-AI protocol produced higher image quality scores than did the CS protocol with the same AF (all P < .05). In contrast to the reference CS6, the CS-AI group showed good image quality scores until an AF of up to 10 (all P < .05). The CS-AI10 scan provided the optimal images, improving the delineation of normal gray-white matter boundaries and lesion areas (P < .05). Compared with the reference, CS-AI10 showed reductions in scan time of 39.25% and 39.93% for CE 3D-T1WI and CE 3D-FLAIR sequences, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CE 3D-T1WI and CE 3D-FLAIR sequences reconstructed with CS-AI for the detection of BM may provide a more effective alternative reconstruction approach than CS. CS-AI10 is suitable for clinical applications, providing optimal image quality and a shortened scan time.

Telodendrimer functionalized hydrogel platform for sustained antibiotics release in infection control.

Wound infection commonly causes delayed healing, especially in the setting of chronic wounds. Local release of antibiotics is considered a viable approach to treat chronic wounds. We have developed a versatile telodendrimer (TD) platform for efficient loading of charged antibiotic molecules via a combination of multivalent and synergistic charge and hydrophobic interactions. The conjugation of TD in biocompatible hydrogel allows for topical application to provide sustained antibiotic release. Notably, a drug loading capacity as high as 20 % of the drug-to-resin dry weight ratio can be achieved. The payload content (PC) and release profile of the various antibiotics can be optimized by fine-tuning TD density and valency in hydrogel based on the charge and hydrophobic features of the drug, e.g., polymyxin B (PMB), gentamycin (GM), and daptomycin (Dap), for effective infection control. We have shown that hydrogel with moderately reduced TD density demonstrates a more favorable release profile than hydrogel with higher TD density. Antibiotics loaded in TD hydrogel have comparable antimicrobial potency and reduced cytotoxicity compared to the free antibiotics due to a prolonged, controlled drug release profile. In a mouse model of skin and soft tissue infection, the subcutaneous administration of PMB-loaded TD hydrogel effectively eliminated the bacterial burden. Overall, these results suggest that engineerable TD hydrogels have great potential as a topical treatment to control infection for wound healing. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Wound infection causes a significant delay in the wound healing process, which results in a significant financial and resource burden to the healthcare system. PEGA-telodendrimer (TD) resin hydrogel is an innovative and versatile platform that can be fine-tuned to efficiently encapsulate different antibiotics by altering charged and hydrophobic structural moieties. Additionally, this platform is advantageous as the TD density in the resin can also be fine-tuned to provide the desired antibiotic payload release profile. Sustained antibiotics release through optimization of TD density provides a prolonged therapeutic window and reduces burst release-induced cytotoxicity compared to conventional antibiotics application. Studies in a preclinical mouse model of bacteria-induced skin and soft tissue infection demonstrated promising therapeutic efficacy as evidenced by effective infection control and prolonged antibacterial efficacy of antibiotics-loaded PEGA-TD resin. In conclusion, the PEGA-TD resin platform provides a highly customizable approach for effective antibiotics release with significant potential for topical application to treat various bacterial wound infections to promote wound healing.

Development and validation of a deep learning model for predicting postoperative survival of patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Deep learning (DL), a specialized form of machine learning (ML), is valuable for forecasting survival in various diseases. Its clinical applicability in real-world patients with gastric cancer (GC) has yet to be extensively validated. METHODS: A combined cohort of 11,414 GC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and 2,846 patients from a Chinese dataset were utilized. The internal validation of different algorithms, including DL model, traditional ML models, and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage model, was conducted by training and testing sets on the SEER database, followed by external validation on the Chinese dataset. The performance of the algorithms was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve. RESULTS: DL model demonstrated superior performance in terms of the area under the curve (AUC) at 1, 3, and, 5 years post-surgery across both datasets, surpassing other ML models and AJCC stage model, with AUCs of 0.77, 0.80, and 0.82 in the SEER dataset and 0.77, 0.76, and 0.75 in the Chinese dataset, respectively. Furthermore, decision curve analysis revealed that the DL model yielded greater net gains at 3 years than other ML models and AJCC stage model, and calibration plots at 3 years indicated a favorable level of consistency between the ML and actual observations during external validation. CONCLUSIONS: DL-based model was established to accurately predict the survival rate of postoperative patients with GC.

Neurological manifestations and risk factors associated with poor prognosis in hospitalized children with Omicron variant infection.

There are increasing reports of neurological manifestation in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the frequency and clinical outcomes of in hospitalized children infected with the Omicron variant are unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics, neurological manifestations, and risk factor associated with poor prognosis of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant. Participants included children older than 28 days and younger than 18 years. Patients were recruited from December 10, 2022 through January 5, 2023. They were followed up for 30 days. A total of 509 pediatric patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant infection were recruited into the study. Among them, 167 (32.81%) patients had neurological manifestations. The most common manifestations were febrile convulsions (n = 90, 53.89%), viral encephalitis (n = 34, 20.36%), epilepsy (n = 23, 13.77%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (n = 9, 5.39%), and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (n = 6, 3.59%). At discharge, 92.81% of patients had a good prognosis according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (scores ≥ 4). However, 7.19% had a poor prognosis. Eight patients died during the follow-up period with a cumulative 30-day mortality rate of 4.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-8.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that albumin (odds ratio 0.711, 95% CI 0.556-0.910) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) levels (odds ratio 1.033, 95% CI 1.004-1.063) were independent risk factors of poor prognosis due to neurological manifestations. The area under the curve for the prediction of poor prognosis with albumin and CK-MB was 0.915 (95%CI 0.799-1.000), indicating that these factors can accurately predict a poor prognosis.          Conclusion: In this study, 32.8% of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant infection experienced neurological manifestations. Baseline albumin and CK-MB levels could accurately predict poor prognosis in this patient population. What is Known: • Neurological injury has been reported in SARS-CoV-2 infection; compared with other strains, the Omicron strain is more likely to cause neurological manifestations in adults. • Neurologic injury in adults such as cerebral hemorrhage and epilepsy has been reported in patients with Omicron variant infection. What is New: • One-third hospitalized children with Omicron infection experience neurological manifestations, including central nervous system manifestations and peripheral nervous system manifestations. • Albumin and CK-MB combined can accurately predict poor prognosis (AUC 0.915), and the 30-day mortality rate of children with Omicron variant infection and neurological manifestations was 4.8%.

A genomic variation map provides insights into peanut diversity in China and associations with 28 agronomic traits.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important allotetraploid oil and food legume crop. China is one of the world's largest peanut producers and consumers. However, genomic variations underlying the migration and divergence of peanuts in China remain unclear. Here we reported a genome-wide variation map based on the resequencing of 390 peanut accessions, suggesting that peanuts might have been introduced into southern and northern China separately, forming two cultivation centers. Selective sweep analysis highlights asymmetric selection between the two subgenomes during peanut improvement. A classical pedigree from South China offers a context for the examination of the impact of artificial selection on peanut genome. Genome-wide association studies identified 22,309 significant associations with 28 agronomic traits, including candidate genes for plant architecture and oil biosynthesis. Our findings shed light on peanut migration and diversity in China and provide valuable genomic resources for peanut improvement.

[Role of macrophage polarization in hypertension and traditional Chinese medicine intervention: a review].

Hypertension is known to be a chronic inflammatory state and a key risk factor for heart failure, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis. Macrophages in the circulatory system are the main cell group that constitutes the immune system and participates in the inflammatory response. Depending on the local microenvironment, macrophages can be polarized into pro-inflammatory(M1) and anti-inflammatory(M2) phenotypes. When blood pressure is elevated, M1 macrophages can release pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines to generate an immune response. However, an excessive immune response can lead to tissue damage, and M2 macrophages release anti-inflammatory cytokines to promote the repair of wounds and tissue damage. It is clear that the dynamic balance between M1 and M2 macrophages resembles the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) theory of Yin and Yang. That is, when Yin and Yang are imbalanced, the human body will exhibit pathological states, e.g., altered blood pressure rhythms. Studies have confirmed that TCM can produce positive therapeutic effects on hypertension by regulating macrophage polarization. Therefore, this study reviews the studies about the TCM regulation of macrophage polarization and summarized the mechanisms of TCM intervention in hypertension, with the aim of providing evidence for clinical treatment and ideas for scientific research design.

Development of novel liver-targeting glucocorticoid prodrugs.

Background: Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of inflammatory liver diseases and sepsis, but GC's various side effects on extrahepatic tissues limit their clinical benefits. Liver-targeting GC therapy may have multiple advantages over systemic GC therapy. The purpose of this study was to develop novel liver-targeting GC prodrugs as improved treatment for inflammatory liver diseases and sepsis. Methods: A hydrophilic linker or an ultra-hydrophilic zwitterionic linker carboxylic betaine (CB) was used to bridge cholic acid (CA) and dexamethasone (DEX) to generate transporter-dependent liver-targeting GC prodrugs CA-DEX and the highly hydrophilic CA-CB-DEX. The efficacy of liver-targeting DEX prodrugs and DEX were determined in primary human hepatocytes (PHH), macrophages, human whole blood, and/or mice with sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture. Results: CA-DEX was moderately water soluble, whereas CA-CB-DEX was highly water soluble. CA-CB-DEX and CA-DEX displayed highly transporter-dependent activities in reporter assays. Data mining found marked dysregulation of many GR-target genes important for lipid catabolism, cytoprotection, and inflammation in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. These key GR-target genes were similarly and rapidly (within 6 h) induced or down-regulated by CA-CB-DEX and DEX in PHH. CA-CB-DEX had much weaker inhibitory effects than DEX on endotoxin-induced cytokines in mouse macrophages and human whole blood. In contrast, CA-CB-DEX exerted more potent anti-inflammatory effects than DEX in livers of septic mice. Conclusions: CA-CB-DEX demonstrated good hepatocyte-selectivity in vitro and better anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. Further test of CA-CB-DEX as a novel liver-targeting GC prodrug for inflammatory liver diseases and sepsis is warranted.

[The correlation between preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and postoperative recurrence of chronic rhinosinusitis].

Objective:Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio （NLR） and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio （PLR） play important roles in the poor prognosis of different inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, but their effects on postoperative recurrence of chronic rhinosinusitis（CRS） are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between preoperative NLR and PLR and the risk of postoperative recurrence in CRS. Methods:Clinical data were collected from patients with CRS who underwent initial functional endoscopic sinus surgery from October 2018 to February 2022 at our institution. Follow-up was until February 2023, and the study endpoint was defined as patient postoperative recurrence or follow-up time up to date. The optimal preoperative NLR and PLR threshold values were obtained based on subject work curve analysis, and they were divided into high and low level subgroups, respectively, and the clinical characteristics and postoperative recurrence rates of patients were compared between groups; patients were divided into non-recurrent CRS and recurrent CRS according to their postoperative recurrence, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves and logistic regression analysis were performed to explore the correlation between NLR and PLR and CRS The correlation between NLR and PLR and postoperative recurrence was investigated by Kaplan-Meier survival curve and logistic regression analysis. Results:A total of 630 patients with CRS were included, including 382 and 140 patients with high NLR and high PLR, respectively. The postoperative recurrence rates of CRS patients in the high NLR and high PLR groups were significantly higher than those in the low NLR and low PLR groups（P<0.05）. The recurrent CRS had higher NLR and PLR levels and higher proportion of high NLR and high PLR than the non-recurrent CRS（P<0.05）, and similarly the duration of recurrent CRS and the rate of allergic rhinitis with recurrence were significantly higher than the non-recurrent CRS（P<0.05）. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that postoperative CRS was significantly higher in the high NLR and high PLR groups compared with the low NLR and low PLR groups. recurrence was significantly higher（P<0.05）. In addition, logistic regression analysis showed that high NLR, high PLR, disease duration, and combined allergic rhinitis were significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative recurrence of CRS（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Both high preoperative NLR and high PLR are independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence of CRS, and they are expected to be new indicators for postoperative prognostic assessment and risk stratification of CRS patients. In addition, disease duration and comorbid allergic rhinitis were significantly associated with the risk of postoperative recurrence of CRS.

Multi-omics landscape to decrypt the distinct flavonoid biosynthesis of Scutellaria baicalensis across multiple tissues.

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, also known as huang-qin in traditional Chinese medicine, is a widely used herbal remedy due to its anticancer, antivirus, and hepatoprotective properties. The S. baicalensis genome was sequenced many years ago; by contrast, the proteome as the executer of most biological processes of S. baicalensis in the aerial parts, as well as the secondary structure of the roots (xylem, phloem, and periderm), is far less comprehensively characterized. Here we attempt to depict the molecular landscape of the non-model plant S. baicalensis through a multi-omics approach, with the goal of constructing a highly informative and valuable reference dataset. Furthermore, we provide an in-depth characterization dissection to explain the two distinct flavonoid biosynthesis pathways that exist in the aerial parts and root, at the protein and phosphorylated protein levels. Our study provides detailed spatial proteomic and phosphoproteomic information in the context of secondary structures, with implications for the molecular profiling of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in non-model medicinal plants.

The dropper stress characteristics under different moving load speeds for a high-speed railway.

Dropper failure seriously threatens the operation safety of a high-speed railway. In this work, for a simple chain suspension catenary, one span with five droppers is performed to establish a model and thus the effects of the moving load speed on dropper stress are investigated. First, the partial differential vibration equation of dropper is obtained through the mechanical analysis and converted into the finite difference equation. Then, we consider contact line as a beam element to obtain its motion equation. Furthermore, the boundary and initial conditions of five droppers are determined. Finally, the stresses of five droppers are numerically calculated and the effects of the moving load speed on dropper stress are investigated by writing a MATLAB code. The results suggest that the dropper location significantly affects its stress. Compared with other droppers, droppers II and IV have much more severe vibration amplitudes. Different moving load speeds could cause different stress change of each dropper. With the increasing speed, dropper experiences longer bending compression stage and the bending amplitude increases. The impact of the moving load speed on dropper stress is significant.

Liquiritin targeting Th17 cells differentiation and abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes alleviates psoriasis via NF-κB and AP-1 pathway.

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease, caused by disturbed interactions between keratinocytes and immune cells. Chinese medicine shows potential clinical application for its treatment. Liquiritin is a flavone compound extracted from licorice and shows potential antitussive, antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects, and therefore may have potential as a psoriasis therapeutic. The aim of this work was to examine the possible roles that liquiritin may have in treating psoriasis. HaCaT cells were stimulated by TNF-α with or without liquiritin, harvested for analysis by western blots and RT-qPCR, and the cellular supernatants were collected and analyzed by ELISA for cytokines. In addition, 4 groups of mice were examined: Normal, Vehicle, LQ-L and LQ-H. The mice were sacrificed after 6 days and analyzed using IHC, ELISA, RT-qPCR and flow cytometry. The results showed that liquiritin could significantly inhibit the progression of psoriasis both in vitro and in vivo. Liquiritin strongly suppressed the proliferation of HaCaT keratinocytes but did not affect cell viability. Moreover, liquiritin alleviated imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation and accumulation of Th17 cells and DCs in vivo. In TNF-α-induced HaCaT keratinocytes, both protein and mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were sharply decreased. In imiquimod-induced mice, the activation of NF-κB and AP-1 was reduced after treatment with liquiritin. Collectively, our results show that liquiritin might act as a pivotal regulator of psoriasis via modulating NF-κB and AP-1 signal pathways.

Efficacy and safety of oral Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of coronary heart disease combined with hyperlipidemia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 78 trials.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of commonly used oral Chinese patent medicines for the treatment of coronary heart disease combined with hyperlipidemia in clinical practice through a network meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, and CNKI databases were searched for all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of coronary heart disease combined with hyperlipidemia using Chinese patent medicines. NoteExpress software was used to screen the literature obtained from the databases according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. A network meta-analysis was performed using R 4.2.1. Subgroup analyses of outcome indicators were made based on conventional treatment (CT) methods. The incidence of adverse events in the included RCTs was statistically analyzed. A funnel plot was drawn using RevMan 5.4.1 software for the assessment of bias in the total clinical effectiveness rate. Finally, the quality of evidence for interventions with statistically significant differences was evaluated using the GRADE system. RESULTS: A total of 78 RCTs were included, involving 7,955 cases and 8 types of Chinese patent medicines, which were Tongxinluo Capsule, Naoxintong Capsule, Compound Danshen Dripping Pill, Shexiangbaoxin Pill, Songling Xuemaikang Capsule, Xuezhikang Capsule, Yindan Xinnaotong Capsule, and Zhibitai Capsule. A total of 24 RCTs reported the incidence of adverse events, but no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse events was found between the experimental and control groups in each study (P > 0.05). There was no obvious publication bias in all studies, but the overall quality of evidence in the included RCTs was low. Comparison of different intervention measures showed that Naoxintong Capsule + CT improved the cardiac index and cardiac output, and lowered the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. Tongxinluo Capsule + CT raised high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and reduced triglyceride levels. Xuezhikang Capsule + CT improved the total clinical effectiveness rate. Subgroup analyses showed that differences in CT did not cause heterogeneity in the results. CONCLUSION: Compared with the use of CT alone, the combined use of Chinese patent medicines with CT can effectively improve the symptoms in patients with both coronary heart disease and hyperlipidemia.

Demographics and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Neurocysticercosis: A Retrospective Study from Dali, China.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a predominant parasitic disease that affects the central nervous system and presents with diverse clinical manifestations, is a major contributor to acquired epilepsy worldwide, particularly in low-, middle-, and upper middle-income nations, such as China. In China, the Yunnan Province bears a significant burden of this disease. Objective: To describe the demographic, clinical, and radiological features as well as serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibodies to cysticercus in patients with NCC from Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who were diagnosed with NCC at The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University between January 2018 and May 2023 and were residing in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Results: A total of 552 patients with NCC were included, of which 33.3% belonged to Bai ethnicity. The clinical presentation of NCC exhibited variability that was influenced by factors such as the number, location, and stage of the parasites. Epilepsy/seizure (49.9%) was the most prevalent symptom, with higher occurrence in the degenerative stage of cysts (P < 0.001). Compared with other locations, cysticerci located in the brain parenchyma are more likely to lead to seizures/epilepsy (OR = 17.45, 95% CI: 7.96-38.25) and headaches (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.23-7.41). Seizures/epilepsy are more likely in patients with cysts in the vesicular (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.12-6.61) and degenerative (OR = 102.38, 95% CI: 28.36-369.60) stages than those in the calcified stage. Seizures was not dependent on the number of lesions. All NCC patients underwent anthelminthic therapy, with the majority receiving albendazole (79.7%). Conclusion: This study provides valuable clinical insights into NCC patients in Dali and underscores the significance of NCC as a leading preventable cause of epilepsy.

Primary lipoblastic nerve sheath tumor in an inguinal lymph node mimicking metastatic tumor: a case report and literature review.

Lipoblastic nerve sheath tumors of soft tissue are characterized as schwannoma tumors that exhibit adipose tissue and lipoblast-like cells with signet-ring morphology. They have been documented to arise in various anatomic locations, including the thigh, groin, shoulder, and retroperitoneum. However, to our knowledge, this tumor has not been previously reported as a lymph node primary. We present herein the first case of a benign primary lipoblastic nerve sheath tumor arising in an inguinal lymph node in a 69-year-old man. Microscopic examination revealed a multinodular tumor comprising fascicles of spindle cells, as well as adipocytic and lipoblast-like signet-ring cell component in the context of schwannoma. Despite the presence of some bizarre cells with nuclear atypia, no obvious mitotic activity or necrosis was observed. Immunohistochemical analysis showed strong and diffuse expression of S-100, SOX10, CD56, and NSE in the spindle cells as well as in the signet-ring lipoblast-like cells and the mature adipocytes. Sequencing analysis of the neoplasm identified six non-synonymous single nucleotide variant genes, specifically NF1, BRAF, ECE1, AMPD3, CRYAB, and NPHS1, as well as four nonsense mutation genes including MRE11A, CEP290, OTOA, and ALOXE3. The patient remained alive and well with no evidence of recurrence over a period of ten-year follow-up.

Angiotensin-(1-7) Improves Islet ß-cell Dedifferentiation by Activating PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Islet ß-cell dedifferentiation may be the main cause of reduced insulin secretion. Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] can attenuate high glucose-induced apoptosis and dedifferentiation of pancreatic ß-cell, but the specific signal transduction pathway and mechanism are not yet clear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Ang-(1-7) on high glucose-induced islet ß-cell dedifferentiation by activating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Protein kinase B/ Forkhead box transcription factor O1 (PI3K/Akt/FoxO1) signaling pathway. METHODS: The mouse islet ß-cell line MIN6 cells were passaged and cultured and randomly divided into five groups: control (Con) group, high glucose (HG) group, HG with Ang-(1-7) group, HG with Ang-(1-7) and specific MasR antagonist A-779 group, and HG with Ang-(1-7) and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 group. After 48 hours, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was detected by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The mRNA and protein expression levels of ß-cell-specific factors (Pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (Pdx1), v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog A(MafA)) and endocrine progenitor cell-specific factors (Octamer binding transcription factor 4(Oct4), Nanog) were measured by Real Time-PCR and Western blot. The factors of protein expression levels of PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway (Akt, p-Akt, Fox- O1, p-FoxO1) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: We observed for the first time that high glucotoxicity can induce dedifferentiation of pancreatic islet ß-cell, causing a decrease in insulin secretion levels and expression of Pdx1, MafA, p-- FoxO1, and p-Akt and an increase in expression of Oct4 and Nanog. After Ang-(1-7) intervention, insulin secretion levels and expression of Pdx1, MafA, p-FoxO1 and p-Akt were increased, and the levels of Oct4 and Nanog were reduced. However, A-779 and LY294002 could reverse this effect. During these processes, the total Akt and total FoxO1 expression did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: Ang-(1-7) may prevent high glucose-induced pathological dedifferentiation of pancreatic ß-cell by activating the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway.

Assessment of aortic to peripheral vascular stiffness and gradient by segmented upper limb PWV in healthy and hypertensive individuals.

Theoretically pulse wave velocity (PWV) is obtained by calculating the distance between two waveform probes divided by the time difference, and PWV ratio is used to assess the arterial stiffness gradient (SG) from proximal to distal. The aim was to investigate segmental upper-limb PWV (ulPWV) differences and the effects of hypertension and or aging on each ulPWV and SG. The study collected multi-waveform signals and conduction distances from 167 healthy individuals and 92 hypertensive patients. The results showed significant differences between ulPWVs (P < 0.001), with increased and then decreased vascular stiffness along the proximal transmission to the distal peripheral artery and then to the finger. Adjusted for age and sex, ulPWVs in hypertension exceeded that of healthy individuals, with significant differences between groups aged ≥ 50 years (P < 0.05). The hrPWV/rfPWV (heart-radial/radial-finger) was reduced in hypertension and differed significantly between the aged ≥ 50 years (P = 0.015); the ratio of baPWV (brachial-ankle) to ulPWV differed significantly between groups (P < 0.05). Hypertension affected the consistency of rfPWV with hfPWV (heart-finger). The findings suggest that segmented ulPWV is instrumental in providing stiffness corresponding to the physiological structure of the vessel. The superimposition of hypertension and or aging exacerbates peripheral arterial stiffness, as well as alteration in stiffness gradient.

The effect of long-term care insurance on healthcare utilization of middle-aged and older adults: evidence from China health and retirement longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: As global ageing continues to increase and many countries face challenges from the growing demand for long-term care. Drawing on the experiences of developed countries, developing countries have explored their own suitable long-term care insurance and have shown strong potential for development and research prospects. However, due to their late start, relevant research is underrepresented in the global research network and still needs to be supplemented. The present study hopes to examine the effect of long-term care insurance on healthcare utilization among the middle-aged and elderly from an empirical perspective, using China as an example. METHODS: Panel data from wave 3 (2015) and wave 4 (2018) of the nationally-representative China health and retirement longitudinal study were selected to obtain a sample of 661 processing participants and 16,065 control participants after matching the policy implementation time in the first pilot cities, and quantitative analysis was conducted using difference-in-differences propensity score matching estimator method to assess the net effect of long-term care insurance on health care utilization among the middle-aged and elderly adults. RESULTS: In the matched frequency-weighted regression difference-in-differences estimator results, long-term care insurance had a negative effect on the number and costs of annual hospitalizations at the 5% significance level (key variable values of - 0.0568101 and - 1236.309, respectively) and a non-significant effect on outpatient service utilization (P > 0.05). Further exploration of the heterogeneous effect of it revealed that implementation had a more significant negative effect on hospitalization utilization for middle-aged and older people in the East and for those with higher levels of education or attended care. CONCLUSION: Long-term care insurance has played a role in controlling hospitalization costs but has not yet achieved the expected effect in controlling outpatient costs. The policy effects in terms of regional distribution and education level and care situation have been variable. The treatment plan of long-term care insurance needs to be improved, the supply of resources for long-term care services should be increased, and the promotion of long-term care insurance and health science should be given attention.