Association between oxidative balance score and rheumatoid arthritis in female: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Although oxidative stress is a recognized factor of inflammation, the correlation between oxidative balance score (OBS), a biomarker indicating the balance of oxidation and antioxidant, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an immune system disease that tends to occur in women, remains unexplored. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between OBS and RA in women. METHODS: Observational surveys were performed by employing information extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the period 2007-2018. Various statistical techniques were employed to investigate the association between OBS and RA, encompassing multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analyses, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis. RESULTS: The study included 8219 female participants, including 597 patients with RA. The results showed that higher Total OBS (TOBS) significantly correlated with lower RA prevalence in the entirely modified model [odd ratio (OR) = 0.968; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.952 to 0.984; P = 0.0001]. Dietary OBS (DOBS) and lifestyle OBS (LOBS) also negatively correlated with RA. This association was remarkably consistent across TOBS subgroups by age, race, education level, family poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), hypertension and diabetes. Smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis also revealed the linear relationship between OBS and RA. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, OBS was negatively associated with RA in female. This study suggested that an antioxidant diet and lifestyle may be promising measures to prevent RA in female.

Evaluation of neurotoxicity and the role of oxidative stress of cobalt nanoparticles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and multiwall carbon nanotubes in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The widespread use of nanomaterials in daily life has led to increased concern about their potential neurotoxicity. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish a simple and reproducible assessment system. Representative nanomaterials, including cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), were compared in terms of their neurotoxicity and underlying mechanisms. In 0, 25, 50, and 75 µg/ml of these nanomaterials, the survival, locomotion behaviors, acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, reactive oxygen species production, and glutathione-S transferase 4 (Gst-4) activation in wildtype and transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were evaluated. All nanomaterials induced an imbalance in oxidative stress, decreased the ratio of survival, impaired locomotion behaviors, as well as reduced the activity of AchE in C. elegans. Interestingly, CoNPs and MWCNTs activated Gst-4, but not TiO2-NPs. The reactive oxygen species scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, alleviated oxidative stress and Gst-4 upregulation upon exposure to CoNPs and MWCNTs, and rescued the locomotion behaviors. MWCNTs caused the most severe damage, followed by CoNPs and TiO2-NPs. Furthermore, oxidative stress and subsequent activation of Gst-4 were involved in nanomaterials-induced neurotoxicity. Our study provides a comprehensive comparison of the neurotoxicity and mechanisms of typical nanomaterials, which could serve as a model for hazard assessment of environmental pollutants using C. elegans as an experimental model system.

A Comparison of Radiographic Outcomes after Total Hip Arthroplasty between the Direct Lateral Approach and Posterior Lateral Approach with EOS 2D/3D X-Ray Imaging System.

OBJECTIVE: The classical approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA) are the direct lateral approach (DLA) and posterior lateral approach (PLA). There are few studies comparing implant orientation with these two approaches, and the impact of surgical approaches on implant orientation remains controversial. With the rise of the EOS imaging system, we aimed to use it to identify the differences between and factors associated with implant orientation after THA using DLA and PLA. METHODS: In our department from January 2019 to December 2021, 321 primary unilateral THAs that used PLA and DLA were enrolled. A total of 201 patients who received PLA and 120 patients who received DLA were included in this study. Two blinded observers measured each case using EOS imaging data. Postoperative imaging metrics and other relevant influencing factors of the two surgical approaches were compared. Postoperative imaging metrics, including the anteversion and inclination of the cup, anteversion of the stem, and combined anteversion were measured based on EOS. Other relevant influencing factors included age, approach, gender, laterality, BMI, anterior pelvic plane inclination, femoral head diameter, femoral offset, lateral pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, pelvis axial rotation, sacral slope, sagittal pelvic tilt, and surgery time. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of acceptability for each imaging data point. RESULTS: No dislocation was found in the 321 patients who underwent primary THA during this period. The mean anteversion and combined anteversion of the cups using the DLA were 21.33° ± 17.31° (-51.7°-60.8°) and 33.71° ± 20.85° (-38.8°-77.6°) and PLA were 25.34° ± 12.76° (-5.5°-57.0°) and 42.37° ± 18.85° (-8.7°-84.7°), respectively. The DLA group had smaller anteversion (p = 0.038) and combined anteversion (p < 0.001). We found that surgical approach (p < 0.05), anterior pelvic plane inclination (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and femoral head diameter (p < 0.001) were important factors affecting acetabular cup anteversion (R2 = 0.375) and combined anteversion (R2 = 0.525). CONCLUSIONS: In total hip arthroplasty, different prosthesis installation directions should be made according to different surgical approaches. Compared with the direct lateral approach, the acetabular anteversion can be intentionally enlarged when using the posterolateral approach. Surgical approach, anterior pelvic plane inclination (APPI), gender, and femoral head diameter were significant predictors of prosthesis orientation. The anterior pelvic plane inclination may be a useful standard for assessing the position of the prosthesis using EOS.

A transfer learning approach for staging diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament injury on a new modified MR dual precision positioning of thin-slice oblique sagittal FS-PDWI sequence.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the transfer learning approach for grading diagnosis of ACL injury on a new modified dual precision positioning of thin-slice oblique sagittal FS-PDWI (DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI) sequence. And compare the prediction performances between artificial intelligence (AI) and radiologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with both DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI sequence and arthroscopic results were included. We performed a transfer learning approach using the pre-trained EfficientNet-B0 model, including whole image and regions of interest (ROI) image inputs, and reset its parameters to achieve an automatic hierarchical diagnosis of ACL. RESULTS: A total of 235 patients (145 men and 90 women, 37.91 ± 14.77 years) with 665 images were analyzed. The consistencies of AI and arthroscopy (Kappa value > 0.94), radiologists and arthroscopy (Kappa value > 0.83, p = 0.000) were almost perfect. No statistical difference exists between the whole image and radiologists in the diagnosis of normal ACL (p = 0.063) and grade 3 injury (p = 1.000), while the whole image was better than radiologists in grade 1 (p = 0.012) and grade 2 injury (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The transfer learning approach exhibits its feasibility in the diagnosis of ACL injury based on the new modified MR DPP-TSO-Sag-FS-PDWI sequence, suggesting that it can help radiologists hierarchical diagnose ACL injuries, especially grade 2 injury.

Intestinal bacterial community composition of juvenile Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis under different feeding times in lab conditions.

Feeding time is an important factor affecting the physiological activity and feeding rhythm of crustaceans. However, little is known about the factors and mechanisms contributing to variations in feeding time in aquatic species or their impacts. Moreover, the gut microbiome largely affects host physiology and is associated with diet. To investigate the effects of different feeding times on the composition of intestinal bacterial communities, high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing was used to monitor the gut bacteria of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis over a 10-day period under different feeding times: 06:00 h, 12:00 h, 18:00 h, and 24:00 h. Weight gain of the day-fed groups was significantly higher than that of the night-fed groups. Two probiotics, Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, were detected in the intestines of crabs in the 12:00 group. In addition, the diversity and richness of the flora in the 12:00 group were slightly higher than those in the other treatment groups. These results collectively indicate that different feeding times change the intestinal flora composition of Chinese mitten crabs, and further identified specific feeding times associated with a more significant weight gain effect. Our findings provide important insights into improving farming strategies for Chinese mitten crabs.

Apolipoprotein E knockout may affect cognitive function in D-galactose-induced aging mice through the gut microbiota-brain axis.

The gut microbiota plays an important role in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) can affect the composition of the gut microbiota and is closely related to the CNS. However, the mechanism by which ApoE affects cognitive dysfunction through the gut microbiota-brain axis has thus far not been investigated. In this study, we used wild-type mice and ApoE knockout (ApoE-/-) mice to replicate the aging model and examined the effects of ApoE deletion on cognitive function, hippocampal ultrastructure, synaptophysin (SYP) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95) in aging mice. We also explored whether ApoE deletion affects the gut microbiota and the metabolite profile of the hippocampus in aging mice and finally examined the effect of ApoE deletion on lipids and oxidative stress in aging mice. The results showed that the deletion of ApoE aggravated cognitive dysfunction, hippocampal synaptic ultrastructural damage and dysregulation of SYP and PSD-95 expression in aging mice. Furthermore, ApoE deletion reduced gut microbial makeup in aging mice. Further studies showed that ApoE deletion altered the hippocampal metabolic profile and aggravated dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in aging mice. In brief, our findings suggest that loss of ApoE alters the composition of the gut microbiota, which in turn may affect cognitive function in aging mice through the gut microbiota-brain axis.

Effects of Nano-Aerators on Microbial Communities and Functions in the Water, Sediment, and Shrimp Intestine in Litopenaeus vannamei Aquaculture Ponds.

Nanobubble technology has promising development and application prospects in the fields of sewage treatment, soil and groundwater remediation, animal and plant growth, and biomedicine. However, few studies have investigated its effect on shrimp aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effect of nano-aerators on microbial communities of the water, sediment, and shrimp gut in a Litopenaeus vannamei aquaculture pond using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results indicated that the nano-aerator significantly increased the microbial community diversity and species abundance in the pond, and the microbial community diversity of the pond sediment increased under short-term aeration conditions. Compared to that with ordinary aerators, nano-aerators increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria, such as Exiguobacterium and Acinetobacter, in the water and sediment microbial communities. Moreover, the proportions of beneficial bacteria in the gut, including Rhodobacter, Oscillospira, and Faecalibacterium, were all increased by using the nano-aerator. Therefore, our findings suggest that nano-aerators could promote the activity of beneficial bacteria in aquaculture ecosystems, thereby regulating water quality, reducing disease incidence, and improving aquaculture efficiency and benefits. Our findings provide new insights into the effects of nano-aerators on microbes in crustacean culture ponds.

Liuwei Dihuang Decoction Alleviates Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice With D-Galactose-Induced Aging by Regulating Lipid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress via the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

Background: Aging is an important cause of cognitive dysfunction. Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW), a commonly applied Chinese medicine formula, is widely used for the treatment of aging-related diseases in China. Previously, LW was confirmed to be effective in prolonging life span and reducing oxidative stress in aged mice. Unfortunately, the underlying mechanism of LW remains unclear. The aim of this study was to interpret the mechanism by which LW alleviates cognitive dysfunction related to aging from the perspective of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Method: All C57BL/6 mice (n = 60) were randomly divided into five groups: the control, model, vitamin E (positive control group), low-dose LW and high-dose LW groups (n = 12 in each group). Except for those in the control group, D-galactose was subcutaneously injected into mice in the other groups to induce the aging model. The antiaging effect of LW was evaluated by the water maze test, electron microscopy, 16S rRNA sequencing, combined LC-MS and GC-MS metabolomics, and ELISA. Results: Liuwei Dihuang decoction ameliorated cognitive dysfunction and hippocampal synaptic ultrastructure damage in aging mice. Moreover, LW decreased Proteobacteria abundance and increased gut microbiota diversity in aging mice. Metabolomic analysis showed that LW treatment was associated with the significantly differential abundance of 14 metabolites, which were mainly enriched in apelin signaling, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid and other metabolic pathways. Additionally, LW affected lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in aging mice. Finally, we also found that LW-regulated microbial species such as Proteobacteria and Fibrobacterota had potential relationships with lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and hippocampal metabolites. Conclusion: In brief, LW improved cognitive function in aging mice by regulating lipid metabolism and oxidative stress through restoration of the homeostasis of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the impact of the daily rhythm on the hemolymph of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

The daily rhythm affects a series of physiological functions in crustaceans. To study its effect on the physiological function in Eriocheir sinensis, a crustacean species of high economic value, we analyzed the hemolymph transcriptome during the daily rhythm by high-throughput sequencing. We sampled the hemolymph from crabs at four time points in a single day (06:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 24:00 h) and identified 3,01,661 and 1,03,998 transcripts and unigenes, respectively; some of the unigenes were annotated as core clock genes. Moreover, 15,564 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were divided into nine different clusters. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs indicated that the molting, metabolism, and immunity processes in E. sinensis were impacted by its daily rhythm. In addition, we mapped the DEGs involved in the daily entrainment pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comparative transcriptome analysis of crustacean hemolymph during the day-night cycle, and provides multi-level information for unraveling the finer regulatory effects of the daily cycle in crustaceans.

Impact of Dietary Protein Content on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities in a Rice-Crab Co-culture System.

Although co-culture of paddy fields with aquatic animals is lucrative, the ecological impacts of high-protein content entering the agricultural soil via animal pellet feed and feces have not been well studied. Moreover, the effects of dietary protein on soils and soil microbes remain unclear. To elucidate this, we examined soil bacterial and fungal community composition and temporal changes in paddy fields subjected to different protein-content diets via 16S/18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis with a high-throughput next-generation sequencer. MiSeq sequencing revealed that protein content significantly impacted fungal community structure. High-protein diets reduced bacterial community diversity and relative abundance in both July and October. The phylum-level bacterial taxonomic composition was not affected by diet treatment, while in fungi, a major phylum-level shift was evident. Hierarchically clustered analysis showed that high-protein diets significantly reduced the relative abundance of Brevundimonas in both July and October. Saprotrophic macrofungal diversity was negatively related to dietary protein content. Considering microbial community structure and environmental factors, ca. 15% protein content is appropriate for the rice-crab co-culture system that we studied.

Inhibition of Long Non-coding RNA CTD-2574D22.4 Alleviates LPS-induced Apoptosis and Inflammatory Injury of Chondrocytes.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease characterized by cartilage degeneration. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been associated with inflammatory diseases, including OA. Here, we investigated the potential molecular role of lncRNAs in OA pathogenesis. METHODS: ATDC5 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and qPCR was used to identify and determine expression of potential lncRNAs involved in LPS-induced chondrocyte injury. Cell viability, apoptosis, and expression of cartilage-related genes and inflammatory cytokines were assessed after CTD-2574D22.4 knockdown. RESULTS: After LPS stimulation, CTD-2574D22.4 was found to be the second highest up-regulated gene, and the enhanced expression was validated in OA chondrocytes. Moreover, CTD-2574D22.4 inhibition significantly rescued cell viability, suppressed by LPS stress, and markedly attenuated LPS-induced apoptosis. The expression of cartilage-degrading enzymes MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5 were increased, while type II collagen was reduced after LPS treatment. This trend was largely reversed by CTD-2574D22.4 knockdown. Additionally, mRNA and protein levels of key inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-1ß) were significantly elevated in the LPS group and partially relieved upon CTD-2574D22.4 knockdown. CONCLUSION: CTD2574D22.4 knockdown ameliorates LPS-induced cartilage injury by protecting chondrocytes from apoptosis via anti-inflammation and anti- cartilage-degrading pathways. Thus, CTD2574D22.4 might be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for OA.

High Expression of PQBP1 and Low Expression of PCK2 are Associated with Metastasis and Recurrence of Osteosarcoma and Unfavorable Survival Outcomes of the Patients.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone malignancy, predominately affecting children and adolescents. Due to the introduction of chemotherapy, the 5-year survival rate of OS patients has dramatically improved to 60-70%. Unfortunately, OS patients with recurrence or metastatic disease have less than a 20% chance of long-term survival, despite aggressive therapies. In this study, we aimed to identify gene expression patterns associated with metastasis and recurrence in order to identify potential biomarkers with prognostic power. We found that high expression of polyglutamine tract-binding protein 1 (PQBP1) and low expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2) were related to a high probability of recurrence and metastasis in OS patients and also predicted shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) after adjustment for other clinical variables. Prediction models based on the combination of PQBP1 and PCK2 expression had good and robust predictive power for recurrence and metastasis. A PQBP1 and PCK2-centered protein interaction network was built, and the hypothetical regulatory path between them was identified and termed the PQBP1-SF3A2-UBA52-PCK2 axis. Gene enrichment analysis indicated that aberrations of metabolism might play an important role in recurrence and metastasis in OS patients. Accordingly, PQBP1 and PCK2 are crucial for recurrence and metastasis in OS, and these findings provide a molecular basis for the exploitation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for overcoming recurrence and metastasis in OS.

High Expression Levels of AGGF1 and MFAP4 Predict Primary Platinum-Based Chemoresistance and are Associated with Adverse Prognosis in Patients with Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Primary platinum-based chemoresistance occurs in approximately one-third of patients with serous ovarian cancer (SOC); however, traditional clinical indicators are poor predictors of chemoresistance. So we aimed to identify novel genes as predictors of primary platinum-based chemoresistance. Gene expression microarray analyses were performed to identify the genes related to primary platinum resistance in SOC on two discovery datasets (GSE51373, GSE63885) and one validation dataset (TCGA). Univariate and multivariate analyses with logistic regression were performed to evaluate the predictive values of the genes for platinum resistance. Machine learning algorithms (linear kernel support vector machine and artificial neural network) were applied to build prediction models. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox proportional hazards regression and log-rank tests were used to assess the effects of these gene signatures for platinum resistance on prognosis in two independent datasets (GSE9891, GSE32062). AGGF1 and MFAP4 were found highly expressed in patients with platinum-resistant SOC and independently predicted platinum resistance. Platinum resistance prediction models based on these targets had robust predictive power (highest AUC: 0.8056, 95% CI: 0.6338-0.9773; lowest AUC: 0.7245, 95% CI: 0.6052-0.8438). An AGGF1- and MFAP4-centered protein interaction network was built, and hypothetical regulatory pathways were identified. Enrichment analysis indicated that aberrations of extracellular matrix may play important roles in platinum resistance in SOC. High AGGF1 and MFAP4 expression levels were also related to shorter recurrence-free and overall survival in patients with SOC after adjustment for other clinical variables. Therefore, AGGF1 and MFAP4 are potential predictive biomarkers for response to platinum-based chemotherapy and survival outcomes in SOC.

Prognostic Values of CCNE1 Amplification and Overexpression in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

A number of studies revealed that CCNE1 copy number amplification and overexpression (on mRNA or protein expression level) were associated with prognosis of diverse cancers, however, the results were inconsistent among studies. So we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic values of CCNE1 amplification and overexpression in cancer patients. PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, CNKI and WanFang database (last update by February 15, 2018) were searched for literatures. A total of 20 studies were included and 5 survival assessment parameters were measured in this study, which included overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), recurrence free survival (RFS), cancer specific survival (CSS) and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS). Pooled analyses showed that CCNE1 amplification might predict poor OS (HR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.05-2.40, p=0.027) rather than PFS (HR=1.49, 95% CI: 0.83-2.67, p=0.177) and RFS (HR=0.982, 95% CI: 0.2376-4.059, p=0.9801) in various cancers; CCNE1 overexpression significantly correlated with poor OS (HR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.05-2.20, p=0.027), PFS (HR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.07-1.34, p=0.001) and DMFS (HR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.09-2.40, p=0.017) rather than RFS (HR=1.68, 95% CI: 0.81-3.50, p=0.164) and CSS (HR=1.54, 95% CI: 0.74-3.18, p=0.246). On the whole, these results indicated CCNE1 amplification and overexpression were associated with poor survival of patients with cancer, suggesting that CCNE1 might be an effective prognostic signature for cancer patients.

Elevated expression of microRNA-30b in osteoarthritis and its role in ERG regulation of chondrocyte.

ERG (ETS-related gene) belongs to the ETS family of transcription factors, and has been recently reported to contribute to homeostatic balance in skeleton cell plasticity. MicroRNA-30 (miR-30) family is also demonstrated to play a role in controlling chondrocyte differentiation. The current study investigated the miR-30b and ERG expression in articular cartilage of osteoarthritis (OA) patients. A total of 20 subjects, with 10 OA patients and 10 healthy participants, were included in this study. Human chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 was used to explore the relationship of miR-30b and ERG in vitro. In OA patients, a significant increase of miR-30b and a decrease of ERG were observed in articular cartilage compared with Normal ones. MiR-30b mimic down-regulated the ERG mRNA and protein expression levels, while miR-30b inhibitor up-regulated ERG expression. In addition, miR-30b mimic also decreased the mRNA expression of COL2a and aggrecan, while miR-30b inhibitor had the opposite effect. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-30b targeted ERG. In conclusion, miR-30b was involved in the process of OA, and it probably functioned through its target gene ERG.

MicroRNA-16-5p Controls Development of Osteoarthritis by Targeting SMAD3 in Chondrocytes.

MicroRNAs (miRNA), small noncoding RNA molecules, are endogenous regulators of gene expression that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as cancer and arthritis. The aim of this study was to explore the biological function of microRNA-16-5p (miR-16-5p) and the molecular mechanism in osteoarthritis (OA). MiRNA targets were identified using bioinformatics. Using real-time PCR, the expression of miR-16-5p and SMAD3 in cartilage specimens was determined in 10 patients with knee OA and in 10 traumatic amputees (control). Functional analysis of miR-16-5p in chondrocytes was performed at both mRNA and protein levels after miRNA transfection. A luciferase reporter assay was used to verify interaction between miRNA and target mRNA. Expression of miR-16-5p was significantly higher in OA cartilages than in healthy cartilages. The data from the reporter assay and western blots indicated that miR-16- 5p regulated SMAD3 expression. Functional analysis showed that miR-16-5p could reduce expression of type IIcollagen and aggrecan while inducing expression of matrix metalloproteinases and ADAMTS; however, miR-16-5p inhibition could reverse these effects. Our results indicate that miR-16-5p is an important regulator of SMAD3 expression in human chondrocytes and may contribute to the development of OA.