Impacts of longitudinal water curtain cooling system on transcriptome-related immunity in ducks.

BACKGROUND: The closed poultry houses integrated with a longitudinal water curtain cooling system (LWCCS) are widely used in modern poultry production. This study showed the variations in environmental conditions in closed houses integrated with a longitudinal water curtain cooling system. We evaluated the influence of different environmental conditions on duck growth performance and the transcriptome changes of immune organs, including the bursa of Fabricius and the spleen. RESULT: This study investigated the slaughter indicators and immune organ transcriptomes of 52-day-old Cherry Valley ducks by analyzing the LWCC at different locations (water curtain end, middle position, and fan cooling end). The results showed that the cooling effect of the LWCCS was more evident from 10:00 a.m. -14:00. And from the water curtain end to the fan cooling end, the hourly average temperature differently decreased by 0.310℃, 0.450℃, 0.480℃, 0.520℃, and 0.410℃, respectively (P < 0.05). The daily and hourly average relative humidity decreased from the water curtain end to the fan cooling end, dropping by 7.500% and 8.200%, respectively (P < 0.01). We also observed differences in production performance, such as dressing weight, half-eviscerated weight, skin fat rate, and percentage of abdominal fat (P < 0.01), which may have been caused by environmental conditions. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed 211 and 279 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ducks' bursa of Fabricius and spleen compared between the water curtain end and fan cooling end, respectively. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of the two organs showed the DEGs were mainly enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, integral component of membrane, Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs) signaling pathway, etc. Our results implied that full-closed poultry houses integrated with LWCCS could potentially alter micro-environments (water curtain vs. fan cooling), resulting in ducks experiencing various stressful situations that eventually affect their immunity and production performance. CONCLUSION: In this study, our results indicated that uneven distributions of longitudinal environmental factors caused by LWCCS would affect the dressed weight, breast muscle weight, skin fat rate, and other product performance. Moreover, the expression of immune-related genes in the spleen and bursa of ducks could be affected by the LWCCS. This provides a new reference to optimize the use of LWCCS in conjunction with close duck houses in practical production.

A ratiometric upconversion nanoprobe enables super-resolution imaging sensing of biothiols in living cells.

We have developed an upconversion luminescent ratiometric nanoprobe, specifically designed for detection of biothiols with high sensitivity (∼25 nM) at the single-particle level. Using a single-particle localization and rendering method, this nanoprobe enables super-resolution imaging sensing of biothiols within a confined 22 nm space in living cells.

Differences in COVID-19 Vaccination and Experiences among Patients with Hypertension in Colombia and Jamaica during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination and shielding targeted hypertensive patients in low and middle income countries. We describe the COVID-19 experiences of hypertensive patients in Colombia and Jamaica and discuss factors associated with vaccine acceptance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and February 2022 in 4 randomly selected primary care clinics in Colombia and 10 primary care clinics in Jamaica. Participants in Colombia were randomly selected from an electronic medical record. In Jamaica consecutive participants were selected on clinic days for non-communicable diseases. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were conducted by telephone. Results: 576 participants were recruited (50% Jamaica; 68.5% female). Jamaica's participants were younger (36% vs 23% <60 years) and had a lower proportion of persons with "more than high school" education (17.2% vs 30.3%, p=0.011). Colombia's participants more commonly tested positive for COVID-19 (24.2% vs 6.3%, p<0.001), had a family member or close friend test positive for COVID-19 (54.5% vs, 21.6%; p<0.001), experienced loss of a family member or friend due to COVID-19 (21.5% vs 7.8%, p<0.001) and had vaccination against COVID-19 (90.6% vs 46.7%, p<0.001). Fear of COVID-19 (AOR 2.71, 95% CI 1.20-6.13) and residence in Colombia (AOR 5.88 (95% CI 2.38-14.56) were associated with COVID-19 vaccination. Disruption in health services affecting prescription of medication or access to doctors was low (<10%) for both countries. Conclusion: Health services disruption was low but COVID-19 experiences such as fear of COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance differed significantly between Colombia and Jamaica. Addressing reasons for these differences are important for future pandemic responses.

Association between computed tomography-quantified respiratory muscles and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the association between chest muscles and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the relationship between chest muscle areas and acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). METHODS: There were 168 subjects in the non-COPD group and 101 patients in the COPD group. The respiratory and accessory respiratory muscle areas were obtained using 3D Slicer software to analysis the imaging of  computed tomography (CT). Univariate and multivariate Poisson regressions were used to analyze the number of AECOPD cases during the preceding year. The cutoff value was obtained using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: We scanned 6342 subjects records, 269 of which were included in this study. We then measured the following muscle areas (non-COPD group vs. COPD group): pectoralis major (19.06 ± 5.36 cm2 vs. 13.25 ± 3.71 cm2, P < 0.001), pectoralis minor (6.81 ± 2.03 cm2 vs. 5.95 ± 1.81 cm2, P = 0.001), diaphragmatic dome (1.39 ± 0.97 cm2 vs. 0.85 ± 0.72 cm2, P = 0.011), musculus serratus anterior (28.03 ± 14.95 cm2 vs.16.76 ± 12.69 cm2, P < 0.001), intercostal muscle (12.36 ± 6.64 cm2 vs. 7.15 ± 5.6 cm2, P < 0.001), pectoralis subcutaneous fat (25.91 ± 13.23 cm2 vs. 18.79 ± 10.81 cm2, P < 0.001), paravertebral muscle (14.8 ± 4.35 cm2 vs. 13.33 ± 4.27 cm2, P = 0.007), and paravertebral subcutaneous fat (12.57 ± 5.09 cm2 vs. 10.14 ± 6.94 cm2, P = 0.001). The areas under the ROC curve for the pectoralis major, intercostal, and the musculus serratus anterior muscle areas were 81.56%, 73.28%, and 71.56%, respectively. Pectoralis major area was negatively associated with the number of AECOPD during the preceding year after adjustment (relative risk, 0.936; 95% confidence interval, 0.879-0.996; P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The pectoralis major muscle area was negative associated with COPD. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the number of AECOPD during the preceding year and the pectoralis major area.

Migration mechanisms of 90Sr and 137Cs on terraces.

In order to investigate the impact of environmental conditions on the distribution and migration of 90Sr in the Longji terrace environment, the activity concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs were determined. The activity concentration ranges of 90Sr and 137Cs in surface soil were 0.15-1.04 Bq/kg and 2.16-6.94 Bq/kg, respectively. These results showed that there was a similar trend between the activity concentration of 90Sr and 137Cs in the surface soil along the runoff path and their activity concentration were influenced by the slope of the terraced terrain. On the other hand, the activity ranges of 90Sr and 137Cs in soil cores were 0.01-2.74 Bq/kg and 0.43-7.19 Bq/kg, respectively. These results indicate that the migration mechanism of 90Sr is different from that of 137Cs. As compared with 137Cs, 90Sr is significantly influenced by the moisture content. In addition, high span of 137Cs/90Sr activity ratios were found in this study, which were attributed to the characteristics of cultivated land and frequent artificial disturbances that intensified the migration of 90Sr.

The Effect of Perioperative Comprehensive Nursing on Patients Undergoing Ovary Endometriosis Laparoscopic Surgery.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of perioperative nursing interventions in improving outcomes and satisfaction for patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for ovarian endometriosis. Methods: From July 2021 to September 2022, 80 patients with endometriosis underwent laparoscopic surgery at Shijiazhuang Fourth Hospital and were randomly assigned to the conventional (n=40) and experimental (n=40) groups. During the perioperative period, patients in the conventional group received standard nursing interventions, while patients in the experimental group received comprehensive nursing interventions. The two groups were compared in terms of postoperative clinical indicators, self-rated anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rated depression scale (SDS) scores, nursing compliance, complications, and nursing satisfaction. Results: comprehensive nursing resulted in better postoperative clinical indices (time to get out of bed, hospital stay) versus routine nursing (all P < .001). The comprehensive nursing led to significantly lower SAS and SDS scores versus routine nursing. The nursing compliance of the patients in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the patients in the conventional group (P < .001). Comprehensive nursing was associated with a significantly lower incidence of complications versus routine nursing (P < .001). Comprehensive nursing contributed to significantly higher nursing satisfaction versus routine nursing (P < .001). Conclusion: Comprehensive perioperative nursing interventions for patients with ovarian endometriosis undergoing laparoscopic surgery considerably accelerate patient recovery and enhance nursing compliance, as well as minimize patient negative emotions and improve patient satisfaction with nursing.  The comprehensive approach addresses the specific needs of patients during the recovery period, minimizing postoperative complications, accelerating patient recovery, and improving overall quality of life. By integrating psychological support, tailored strategies for pain management, early mobilization, and prompt intervention for complications, this intervention sets a benchmark for holistic care in gynecological surgery.

GINS2 regulates temozolomide chemosensitivity via the EGR1/ECT2 axis in gliomas.

Temozolomide (TMZ), a DNA alkylating agent, has become the primary treatment for glioma, the most common malignancy of the central nervous system. Although TMZ-containing regimens produce significant clinical response rates, some patients inevitably suffer from inferior treatment outcomes or disease relapse, likely because of poor chemosensitivity of glioma cells due to a robust DNA damage response (DDR). GINS2, a subunit of DNA helicase, contributes to maintaining genomic stability and is highly expressed in various cancers, promoting their development. Here, we report that GINS2 was upregulated in TMZ-treated glioma cells and co-localized with γH2AX, indicating its participation in TMZ-induced DDR. Furthermore, GINS2 regulated the malignant phenotype and TMZ sensitivity of glioma cells, mostly by promoting DNA damage repair by affecting the mRNA stability of early growth response factor 1 (EGR1), which in turn regulates the transcription of epithelial cell-transforming sequence 2 (ECT2). We constructed a GINS2-EGR1-ECT2 prognostic model, which accurately predicted patient survival. Further, we screened Palbociclib/BIX-02189 which dampens GINS2 expression and synergistically inhibits glioma cell proliferation with TMZ. These findings delineate a novel mechanism by which GINS2 regulates the TMZ sensitivity of glioma cells and propose a promising combination therapy to treat glioma.

Risk factors for catheter-associated bloodstream infection in hemodialysis patients: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the risk factors contributing to catheter-associated bloodstream infection in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in both English and Chinese databases, which encompassed PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP Database and China Biomedical Literature Database. The search timeframe extended from each database's inception to March 8, 2023. Two independent researchers executed literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using RevMan 5.3 software, facilitating the identification of significant risk factors associated with catheter-related bloodstream infections in hemodialysis patients. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO under the registration number CRD42023406223. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies were incorporated into this meta-analysis, from which 22 risk factors were examined. Through the analysis, 17 risk factors exhibited statistical significance (P < 0.05): age (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [0.49, 4.68]), diabetes (OR = 2.52, 95% CI [1.95, 3.25]), kidney disease (OR = 3.45, 95% CI [1.71, 6.96]), history of catheter-associated infection (OR = 2.79, 95% CI [1.96, 3.98]), hypertension (OR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.08, 1.91]), dialysis duration (OR = 3.06, 95% CI [1.70, 5.50]), catheter placement site (OR = 1.91, 95%CI [1.35, 2.70]), catheter duration (OR = 2.06, 95% CI [1.17, 3.60]), number of catheterizations (OR = 4.22, 95% CI [3.32, 5.37]), catheter types (OR = 3.83, 95% CI [2.13, 6.87]), CD4+ cells (OR = 0.33, 95% CI [0.18, 0.63]), albumin (ALB, OR = 2.12, 95% CI [1.15, 3.91]), C-reactive protein (CRP, OR = 1.73, 95% CI [1.47, 2.03]), hemoglobin (Hb, OR = 1.48, 95% CI [0.54, 4.07]), procalcitonin (PCT, OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.03, 1.06]), inadequate hand hygiene (OR = 5.32, 95% CI [1.07, 26.37]), and APACHE II scores (OR = 2.41, 95% CI [1.33, 4.37]). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that age, diabetes, kidney disease, history of catheter-associated infection, hypertension, dialysis duration, catheter placement site, catheter duration, number of catheterizations, catheter type, CD4+ cells, albumin, C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, procalcitonin, inadequate hand hygiene, and APACHE II scores significantly influence the incidence of catheter-associated bloodstream infection in hemodialysis patients.

Genome-wide association study for bone quality of ducks during the laying period.

The cage-rearing model of the modern poultry industry makes the bones of birds, especially egg-laying birds, more vulnerable to fracture, which poses serious damage to the health of birds. Research confirms that genetic material plays an important role in regulating bone growth, development, and remodeling. However, the genetic architecture underlying bone traits is not well understood. The objectives of this study are to identify valuable genes and genetic markers through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for breeding to improve the duck bone quality. First, we quantified the tibia and femur quality traits of 260 laying ducks. Based on GWAS, a total of 75 SNP loci significantly associated with bone quality traits were identified, and 67 potential candidate genes were annotated. According to gene function analysis, genes P4HA2, WNT3A, and BST1 et al may influence bone quality by regulating bone cell activity, calcium and phosphate metabolism, or bone collagen maturation and cross-linking. Meanwhile, combined with the transcriptome results, we found that HOXB cluster genes are also important in bone growth and development. Therefore, our findings were helpful in further understanding the genetic architecture of the duck bone quality and provided a worthy theoretical basis and technological support to improve duck bone quality by breeding.

Hsa_circ_0000190 Promotes NSCLC Cell Resistance to Cisplatin via the Modulation of the miR-1253/IL-6 Axis.

Background: This study explored the mechanistic basis for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cisplatin (DDP) treatment resistance in an effort to define effective approaches to abrogating the emergence of such chemoresistance. Methods: Analyses of NSCLC expression of hsa_circ_0000190, miR-1253, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were conducted via a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) approach, while the ability of these tumor cells to resist DDP treatment was evaluated with a CCK-8 assay. Interactions between different RNA molecules were assessed using both RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Results: NSCLC cell lines and tissues resistant to DDP were found to express higher levels of hsa_circ_0000190, and knocking down this circRNA in NSCLC cells was associated with greater sensitivity to DDP exposure. Further research identified miR-1253 as a hsa_circ_0000190 target, with the ability of hsa_circ_0000190 knockdown to restore DDP sensitivity being largely attributable to the ability of this circRNA to suppress miR-1253 activity. IL-6 was identified as a major miR-1253 target in this context, with miR-1253 regulating chemoresistance in NSCLC cells in part by preventing IL-6 upregulation. Conclusion: Together, these data suggest that hsa_circ_0000190 can promote DDP chemoresistance in NSCLC cells through its ability to modulate miR-1253/IL-6 axis activity, highlighting a novel pathway that can be targeted in an effort to guide the more effective diagnosis and management of DDP-resistant tumors.

Polyethyleneimine in designed nanocomposite based magnetic halloysite nanotubes for extraction and determination of gallic acid in green tea.

An innovative and simple nanocomposite denoted as MHNTs@PEI was synthesized for gallic acid (GA) analytical sample pretreatment. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized was binded onto magnetic halloysite nanotubes (MHNTs) to inhence adsorption capacity. MHNTs@PEI was obtained only through two steps modification (amination and PEI modification). Characterizations showed that there are layers of synthetic PEI on the tubular structure of the material and magnetic spheres on its surface, both indicating successful synthesis of the nanocomposite. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherms and kinetic modeling showed that the Langmuir model and pseudo-first-order model fit the adsorption data, respectively. MHNTs@PEI achieved an adsorption capacity of 158 mg·g-1. Overall, the abundant adsorption sites significantly improved the adsorption performance of the MHNTs@PEI. Regeneration tests demonstrated that the MHNTs@PEI exhibits effective adsorption, even after undergoing five consecutive cycles. Optimization of key parameters (ratio, volume of elution, elution time and frequency) in the process of adsorption and desorption was also conducted. The limit of detection (LOD) and that of the quantification (LOQ) were 0.19 and 0.63 µg·mL-1, respectively, and the recoveries were 95.67-99.43 %. Finally, the excellent magnetism (43.5 emu·g-1) and the adsorption feature of MHNTs@PEI enabled its successful utilization in analytical sample pretreatment through the extraction of GA from green tea.

Effects of cage vs. net-floor mixed rearing system on goose spleen histomorphology and gene expression profiles.

Due to the demands for both environmental protection and modernization of the goose industry in China, the traditional goose waterside rearing systems have been gradually transitioning to the modern intensive dryland rearing ones, such as the net-floor mixed rearing system (MRS) and cage rearing system (CRS). However, the goose immune responses to different dryland rearing systems remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate and compare the age-dependent effects of MRS and CRS on the splenic histomorphological characteristics and immune-related genes expression profiles among three economically important goose breeds, including Sichuan White goose (SW), Gang goose (GE), and Landes goose (LD). Morphological analysis revealed that the splenic weight and organ index of SW were higher under CRS than under MRS (p < 0.05). Histological observations showed that for SW and LD, the splenic corpuscle diameter and area as well as trabecular artery diameter were larger under MRS than under CRS at 30 or 43 weeks of age (p < 0.05), while the splenic red pulp area of GE was larger under CRS than under MRS at 43 weeks of age (p < 0.05). Besides, at 43 weeks of age, higher mRNA expression levels of NGF, SPI1, and VEGFA in spleens of SW were observed under MRS than under CRS (p < 0.05), while higher levels of HSPA2 and NGF in spleens of LD were observed under MRS than under CRS (p < 0.05). For GE, there were higher mRNA expression levels of MYD88 in spleens under CRS at 30 weeks of age (p < 0.05). Moreover, our correlation analysis showed that there appeared to be more pronounced positive associations between the splenic histological parameters and expression levels of several key immune-related genes under MRS than under CRS. Therefore, it is speculated that the geese reared under MRS might exhibit enhanced immune functions than those under CRS, particularly for SW and LD. Although these phenotypic differences are assumed to be associated with the age-dependent differential expression profiles of HSPA2, MYD88, NGF, SPI1, and VEGFA in the goose spleen, the underlying regulatory mechanisms await further investigations.

Digital PCR for the characterization of reference materials.

Well-characterized reference materials support harmonization and accuracy when conducting nucleic acid-based tests (such as qPCR); digital PCR (dPCR) can measure the absolute concentration of a specific nucleic acid sequence in a background of non-target sequences, making it ideal for the characterization of nucleic acid-based reference materials. National Metrology Institutes are increasingly using dPCR to characterize and certify their reference materials, as it offers several advantages over indirect methods, such as UV-spectroscopy. While dPCR is gaining widespread adoption, it requires optimization and has certain limitations and considerations that users should be aware of when characterizing reference materials. This review highlights the technical considerations of dPCR, as well as its role when developing and characterizing nucleic acid-based reference materials.

Auditory training remodels hippocampus-related memory in adult rats.

Consequences of perceptual training, such as improvements in discriminative ability, are highly stimulus and task specific. Therefore, most studies on auditory training-induced plasticity in adult brain have focused on the sensory aspects, particularly on functional and structural effects in the auditory cortex. Auditory training often involves, other than auditory demands, significant cognitive components. Yet, how auditory training affects cognition-related brain regions, such as the hippocampus, remains unclear. Here, we found in female rats that auditory cue-based go/no-go training significantly improved the memory-guided behaviors associated with hippocampus. The long-term potentiations of the trained rats recorded in vivo in the hippocampus were also enhanced compared with the naïve rats. In parallel, the phosphorylation level of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and the expression of parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the hippocampus were both upregulated. These findings demonstrate that auditory training substantially remodels the processing and function of brain regions beyond the auditory system, which are associated with task demands.

Genome sequencing of drake semen micobiome with correlation with their compositions, sources and potential mechanisms affecting semen quality.

Artificial insemination (AI) technology has greatly promoted the development of the chicken industry. Recently, AI technology has also begun to be used in the duck industry, but there are some problems. Numerous researchers have shown that microbes colonizing in semen can degrade semen quality, and AI can increase the harmful microbial load in hen's reproductive tract. Different from the degraded external genitalia of roosters, drakes have well-developed external genitalia, which may cause drake semen to be more susceptible to microbial contamination. However, information on the compositions, sources, and effects of semen microbes on semen quality remains unknown in drakes. In the current study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect microbial communities in drake semen, environmental swabs, cloacal swabs, and the spermaduct after quantifying the semen quality of drakes to investigate the effects of microbes in the environment, cloaca, and spermaduct on semen microbiota and the relationships between semen microbes and semen quality. Taxonomic analysis showed that the microbes in the semen, environment, cloaca, and spermaduct samples were all classified into 4 phyla and 25 genera. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla. Phyllobacterium only existed in the environment, while Marinococcus did not exist in the cloaca. Of the 24 genera present in semen: Brachybacterium, Brochothrix, Chryseobacterium, Kocuria, Marinococcus, Micrococcus, Rothia, Salinicoccus, and Staphylococcus originated from the environment; Achromobacter, Aerococcus, Corynebacterium, Desemzia, Enterococcus, Jeotgalicoccus, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, and Turicibacter originated from the cloaca; and Agrobacterium, Carnobacterium, Chelativorans, Devosia, Halomonas, and Oceanicaulis originated from the spermaduct. In addition, K-means clustering analysis showed that semen samples could be divided into 2 clusters based on microbial compositions, and compared with cluster 1, the counts of Chelativorans (P < 0.05), Devosia (P < 0.01), Halomonas (P < 0.05), and Oceanicaulis (P < 0.05) were higher in cluster 2, while the sperm viability (P < 0.05), total sperm number (P < 0.01), and semen quality factor (SQF) (P < 0.01) were lower in cluster 2. Furthermore, functional prediction analysis of microbes showed that the activities of starch and sucrose metabolism, phosphotransferase system, ABC transporters, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and quorum sensing pathways between cluster 1 and cluster 2 were significantly different (P < 0.05). Overall, environmental/cloacal microbes resulted in semen contamination, and microbes from the Chelativorans, Devosia, Halomonas, and Oceanicaulis genera may have negative effects on semen quality in drakes by affecting the activities of starch and sucrose metabolism, phosphotransferase system, ABC transporters, and quorum sensing pathways that are associated with carbohydrate metabolism. These data will provide a basis for developing strategies to prevent microbial contamination of drake semen.

Tumor microenvironment(TME) and single-source dual-energy CT(ssDECT) on assessment of inconformity between RECIST1.1 and pathological remission in neoadjuvant immunotherapy of NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: The inconformity (IC) between pathological and imaging remissions after neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC can affect the evaluation of curative effect of neoadjuvant therapy and the decision regarding the chance of surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who achieved disease control(CR/PR/SD) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy from a clinical trial (NCT04326153) and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy during the same period were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent radical resection and systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy after neoadjuvant treatments. The pathological remission, immunohistochemistry (CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, FoxP3, CD68, CD163, CD11b tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or macrophages), and single-source dual-energy computed tomography (ssDECT) scans were assessed. The IC between imaging remission by CT and pathological remission was investigated. The underlying cause of IC, the correlation between IC and DFS, and prognostic biomarkers were explored. RESULTS: After neoadjuvant immunotherapy, enhanced immune killing and reduced immunosuppressive performance were observed. 70 % of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy patients were in high/medium IC level. Massive necrosis and repair around and inside the cancer nest were the main pathological changes observed 30-45 days post-treatment with PD1/PD-L1 antibody and were the main causes of IC between the pathology and imaging responses after neoadjuvant immunotherapy. High IC and preoperative CD8 expression (H score ≥ 3) indicate a high pathological response rate and prolonged DFS. Iodine material density ssDECT images showed that the iodine content in the lesion causes hyperattenuation in post-neoadjuvant lesion in PCR patient. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to chemotherapy and targeted therapy, the efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy was underestimated based on the RECIST criteria due to the unique antitumor therapeutic mechanism. Preoperative CD8+ expression and ssDECT predict this IC and evaluate the residual tumor cells. This is of great significance for screening immune beneficiaries and making more accurate judgments about the timing of surgery.

Solar-driven CO2-to-ethanol conversion enabled by continuous CO2 transport via a superhydrophobic Cu2O nano fence.

The overall photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction presents an eco-friendly approach for generating high-value products, specifically ethanol. However, ethanol production still faces efficiency issues (typically formation rates <605 µmol g-1 h-1). One significant challenge arises from the difficulty of continuously transporting CO2 to the catalyst surface, leading to inadequate gas reactant concentration at reactive sites. Here, we develop a mesoporous superhydrophobic Cu2O hollow structure (O-CHS) for efficient gas transport. O-CHS is designed to float on an aqueous solution and act as a nano fence, effectively impeding water infiltration into its inner space and enabling CO2 accumulation within. As CO2 is consumed at reactive sites, O-CHS serves as a gas transport channel and diffuser, continuously and promptly conveying CO2 from the gas phase to the reactive sites. This ensures a stable high CO2 concentration at reactive sites. Consequently, O-CHS achieves the highest recorded ethanol formation rate (996.18 µmol g-1 h-1) to the best of our knowledge. This strategy combines surface engineering with geometric modulation, providing a promising pathway for multi-carbon production.

Nomogram for predicting prognosis and identifying chemotherapy beneficiaries for completely resected stage I invasive mucinous lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: At present, there is a lack of studies in invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) that combine clinicopathological and imaging features to stratify risk and select optimal treatment regimen. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS) and identifying adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) beneficiaries for completely resected stage I primary IMA. Methods: This retrospective study included 750 patients from three hospitals. Patients from two hospitals were divided into training (n=424) and validating cohort (n=185), and patients from the remaining other one hospital constituted external test cohort (n=141) and preoperative computed tomography (CT) image features of each patient were consecutively evaluated. The nomogram was developed by integrating significant prognostic factors of RFS identified in the multivariate analysis. The risk score (RS) based on nomogram was calculated in the entire cohort and the optimal cut-off point for risk stratification was obtained by X-tile software. The Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and interaction were used to evaluate the difference in RFS and overall survival (OS) between different risk and treatment groups. Results: Visceral pleural invasion (VPI, P<0.001), lymph-vascular invasion (LVI, P<0.001), tumor size (P<0.001), smoking history (P<0.001), lobulation (P<0.001) were identified as independent prognostic factors for RFS. The concordance index (C-index) of the nomogram was higher than that of tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system (validation cohort: 0.73±0.09 vs. 0.62±0.08, P<0.001; external test cohort: 0.74±0.10 vs. 0.70±0.09, P=0.035). The patients with higher RS were associated with worse RFS [hazard ratios (HRs) ≥4.76] and OS (HRs ≥2.55) in all included cohorts. Chemotherapy benefits in terms of RFS and OS were observed for patients in higher RS group in both stage IB (interaction P=0.012 for RFS and P=0.037 for OS) and stage I IMA (interaction P<0.001 for both RFS and OS). Conclusions: The nomogram based on CT image and clinicopathologic features showed superior performance in predicting RFS for stage I IMA and might identify ACT candidates for personalized patient treatment.

Inhalable hybrid nanovaccines with virus-biomimetic structure boost protective immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with different antigenic variants, has posed a significant threat to public health. It is urgent to develop inhalable vaccines, instead of injectable vaccines, to elicit mucosal immunity against respiratory viral infections. METHODS: We reported an inhalable hybrid nanovaccine (NVRBD-MLipo) to boost protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nanovesicles derived from genetically engineered 293T cells expressing RBD (NVRBD) were fused with pulmonary surfactant (PS)-biomimetic liposomes containing MPLA (MLipo) to yield NVRBD-MLipo, which possessed virus-biomimetic structure, inherited RBD expression and versatile properties. RESULTS: In contrast to subcutaneous vaccination, NVRBD-MLipo, via inhalable vaccination, could efficiently enter the alveolar macrophages (AMs) to elicit AMs activation through MPLA-activated TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Moreover, NVRBD-MLipo induced T and B cells activation, and high level of RBD-specific IgG and secretory IgA (sIgA), thus elevating protective mucosal and systemic immune responses, while reducing side effects. NVRBD-MLipo also demonstrated broad-spectrum neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 (WT, Delta, Omicron) pseudovirus, and protected immunized mice against WT pseudovirus infection. CONCLUSIONS: This inhalable NVRBD-MLipo, as an effective and safe nanovaccine, holds huge potential to provoke robust mucosal immunity, and might be a promising vaccine candidate to combat respiratory infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and influenza.