L-AP Alleviates Liver Injury in Septic Mice by Inhibiting Macrophage Activation via Suppressing NF-κB and NLRP3 Inflammasome/Caspase-1 Signal Pathways.

Liver injury and progressive liver failure are severe life-threatening complications in sepsis, further worsening the disease and leading to death. Macrophages and their mediated inflammatory cytokine storm are critical regulators in the occurrence and progression of liver injury in sepsis, for which effective treatments are still lacking. l-Ascorbic acid 6-palmitate (L-AP), a food additive, can inhibit neuroinflammation by modulating the phenotype of the microglia, but its pharmacological action in septic liver damage has not been fully explored. We aimed to investigate L-AP's antisepticemia action and the possible pharmacological mechanisms in attenuating septic liver damage by modulating macrophage function. We observed that L-AP treatment significantly increased survival in cecal ligation and puncture-induced WT mice and attenuated hepatic inflammatory injury, including the histopathology of the liver tissues, hepatocyte apoptosis, and the liver enzyme levels in plasma, which were comparable to NLRP3-deficiency in septic mice. L-AP supplementation significantly attenuated the excessive inflammatory response in hepatic tissues of septic mice in vivo and in cultured macrophages challenged by both LPS and ATP in vitro, by reducing the levels of NLRP3, pro-IL-1ß, and pro-IL-18 mRNA expression, as well as the levels of proteins for p-I-κB-α, p-NF-κB-p65, NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18. Additionally, it impaired the inflammasome ASC spot activation and reduced the inflammatory factor contents, including IL-1ß and IL-18 in plasma/cultured superannuants. It also prevented the infiltration/migration of macrophages and their M1-like inflammatory polarization while improving their M2-like polarization. Overall, our findings revealed that L-AP protected against sepsis by reducing macrophage activation and inflammatory cytokine production by suppressing their activation in NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome signal pathways in septic liver.

A Streptococcus suis Strain Δcps/ssna-msly (P353L)-SC19 Provides Cross-Protection against Serotypes 2 and 9 Strain Challenges in a Mouse Model.

Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that mainly causes meningitis, septicemia, and arthritis. Due to the limited cross-protection between numerous serotypes, the existing inactive vaccines in clinical use fail to offer sufficient protection. In this study, a gene deletion-attenuated strain Δcps/ssna-msly (P353L)-SC-19 was constructed by deleting cps and ssna genes from the epidemic strain SC-19 with a mutation of SLY (P353L). The safety of Δcps/ssna-msly (P353L)-SC-19 was confirmed in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. We further demonstrated that immunization with Δcps/ssna-msly (P353L)-SC-19 induced significant cellular immunity and humoral immunity in mice and protected against infections caused by type 2 strain SC-19 (100% protection) and type 9 strain S29 (50% protection), while also preventing meningitis induced by S29. This study highlights the potential of using CPS-deficient strains to achieve cross-protection against different Streptococcus suis serotypes and develop a promising universal live vaccine.

Effects of chemical oxygen demand and chloramphenicol on attached microalgae growth: Physicochemical properties and microscopic mass transfer in biofilm.

During the wastewater treatment and resource recovery process by attached microalgae, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) can cause biotic contamination in algal culture systems, which can be mitigated by adding an appropriate dosage of antibiotics. The transport of COD and additive antibiotic (chloramphenicol, CAP) in algal biofilms and their influence on algal physiology were studied. The results showed that COD (60 mg/L) affected key metabolic pathways, such as photosystem II and oxidative phosphorylation, improved biofilm autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolic intensities, increased nutrient demand, and promoted biomass accumulation by 55.9 %, which was the most suitable COD concentration for attached microalgae. CAP (5-10 mg/L) effectively stimulated photosynthetic pigment accumulation and nutrient utilization in pelagic microalgal cells. In conclusion, controlling the COD concentration (approximately 60 mg/L) in the medium and adding the appropriate CAP concentration (5-10 mg/L) are conducive to improving attached microalgal biomass production and resource recovery potential from wastewater.

Multitask deep learning for prediction of microvascular invasion and recurrence-free survival in hepatocellular carcinoma based on MRI images.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Accurate preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) is vital for personalised hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management. We developed a multitask deep learning model to predict MVI and RFS using preoperative MRI scans. METHODS: Utilising a retrospective dataset of 725 HCC patients from seven institutions, we developed and validated a multitask deep learning model focused on predicting MVI and RFS. The model employs a transformer architecture to extract critical features from preoperative MRI scans. It was trained on a set of 234 patients and internally validated on a set of 58 patients. External validation was performed using three independent sets (n = 212, 111, 110). RESULTS: The multitask deep learning model yielded high MVI prediction accuracy, with AUC values of 0.918 for the training set and 0.800 for the internal test set. In external test sets, AUC values were 0.837, 0.815 and 0.800. Radiologists' sensitivity and inter-rater agreement for MVI prediction improved significantly when integrated with the model. For RFS, the model achieved C-index values of 0.763 in the training set and ranged between 0.628 and 0.728 in external test sets. Notably, PA-TACE improved RFS only in patients predicted to have high MVI risk and low survival scores (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our deep learning model allows accurate MVI and survival prediction in HCC patients. Prospective studies are warranted to assess the clinical utility of this model in guiding personalised treatment in conjunction with clinical criteria.

Long-term toxicity assessment of antibiotics against Vibrio fischeri: Test method optimization and mixture toxicity prediction.

The current luminescent bacteria test for acute toxicity with short contact time was invalid for antibiotics, and the non-uniformed contact times reported in the literature for long-term toxicity assessment led to incomparable results. Herein, a representative long-term toxicity assessment method was established which unified the contact time of antibiotics and Vibrio fischeri within the bioluminescence increasing period (i.e. 10-100% maximum luminescence) of control samples. The effects of excitation and detoxification of antibiotics such as ß-lactams were discovered. Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of toxic antibiotics (0.00069-0.061 mmol/L) obtained by this method was 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than acute test, quantifying the underestimated toxicity. As antibiotics exist in natural water as mixtures, an equivalent concentration addition (ECA) model was built to predict mixture toxicity based on physical mechanism rather than mathematical method, which showed great fitting results (R2 = 0.94). Furthermore, interaction among antibiotics was investigated. Antibiotics acting during bacterial breeding period had strong synergistic inhibition (IC50 relative deviation from 0.1 to 0.6) such as macrolides and quinolones. Some antibiotics produced increasing synergistic inhibition during concentration accumulation, such as macrolides. The discharge of antibiotics with severe long-term toxicity and strong synergistic inhibition effect should be seriously restricted.

Comparative analysis of characteristics of antibiotic resistomes between Arctic soils and representative contaminated samples using metagenomic approaches.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most concerned global health issues. However, comprehensive profiles of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in various environmental settings are still needed to address modern antibiotic resistome. Here, Arctic soils and representative contaminated samples from ARG pollution sources were analyzed using metagenomic approaches. The diversity and abundance of ARGs in Arctic soils were significantly lower than those in contaminated samples (p < 0.01). ARG profiles in Arctic soils were featured with the dominance of vanF, ceoB, and bacA related to multidrug and bacitracin, whereas those from ARG pollution sources were characterized by prevalent resistance to anthropogenic antibiotics such as sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and beta-lactams. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were found in all samples, and their abundance and relatedness to ARGs were both lower in Arctic soils than in polluted samples. Significant relationships between bacterial communities and ARGs were observed (p < 0.01). Cultural bacteria in Arctic soils had clinically-concerned resistance to erythromycin, vancomycin, ampicillin, etc., but ARGs relevant to those antibiotics were undetectable in their genomes. Our results suggested that Arctic environment could be an important reservoir of novel ARGs, and antibiotic stresses could cause ARG pollution via horizontal gene transfer and enrichment of resistant bacteria.

Re-evaluating a historic cohort of sinonasal and skull base mucoepidermoid carcinoma: an institutional experience.

AIMS: Primary mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs) of the sinonasal tract and nasopharynx are rare entities that represent a diagnostic challenge, especially in biopsy samples. Herein, we present a case series of MECs of the sinonasal and skull base and its mimics to evaluate the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics in order to avoid misdiagnosis. METHODS: We reviewed the pathology records of patients diagnosed from 2014 to 2022. Thirty MECs were consecutively diagnosed during that period. RESULTS: Based on morphological and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses, 30 tumors originally diagnosed as MECs were separated into MAML2 fusion-positive (7 cases) and MAML2 fusion-negative groups (23 cases), in which 14 tumors were positive for the EWSR1::ATF1 fusion; these tumors were reclassified to have hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma (HCCC). The remaining nine MAML2 FISH negative cases were reconfirmed as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 3 cases) which showed keratinization and high Ki-67 expression; DEK::AFF2 carcinomas (2 cases), in which DEK gene rearrangement was detected by FISH; and MECs as previously described (4 cases) with typical morphological features. Including 7 MAML2 rearrangements tumors, 11 MEC cases had a male-to-female ratio of 4.5:1, and 6 tumors arose from the nasopharyngeal region, while 5 tumors arose from the sinonasal region. The prognosis of this series of salivary gland-type MECs was favorable. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that HCCC runs the risk of being misdiagnosed as MEC in the sinonasal tract and nasopharynx, particularly with biopsy specimens. Careful histological evaluation with supporting molecular testing can facilitate pathological diagnoses.

Identification of Flo11-like Adhesin in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the Mechanism of Small-Molecule Compounds Mediating Biofilm Formation in Yeasts.

Fungal infection is initiated by the adhesion of pathogens to biotic and abiotic surfaces, with various manifestations including biofilm formation and invasive growth, etc. A previous report, though devoid of functional data, speculated that the Schizosaccharomyces pombe glycoprotein SPBPJ4664.02 could be the homology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Flo11. Here, our studies with S. pombe substantiated the previously proposed speculation by (1) the deletion of SPBPJ4664.02 attenuated biofilm formation and invasive growth in S. pombe; (2) the S. pombe's lack of SPBPJ4664.02 could be complemented by expressing S. cerevisiae flo11. Furthermore, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and dodecanol were examined in S. pombe for their respective effects on biofilm formation. IAA and dodecanol at high concentrations could inhibit biofilm formation, whereas opposing effects were observed with low concentrations of these molecules. Mechanism studies with the SPBPJ4664.02Δ and SPBPJ4664.02Δ/flo11OE versus the wild type have demonstrated that IAA or dodecanol might exert regulatory effects downstream of SPBPJ4664.02 in the signaling pathway for biofilm formation. Moreover, our research extrapolated to Candida albicans has pinpointed that IAA inhibited biofilm formation at high concentrations, consistent with the transcriptional downregulation of the biofilm-related genes. Dodecanol suppressed C. albicans biofilm formation at all the concentrations tested, in accord with the downregulation of biofilm-related transcripts.

Pathogenic Somatic Mutation of DICER1 and Clinicopathological Features in Nasal Chondromesenchymal Hamartomas: A Series of Nine Cases.

Nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma (NCMH) is a rare benign polypoid mesenchymal tumor arising in the nasal cavity and/or paranasal sinuses. Recognizing these sporadic, rare lesions is crucial, as surgical complete removal of the mass is the common treatment approach. This retrospective study analyzed the demographics, symptoms, and imaging data of 9 patients diagnosed with NCMH between January 2017 and June 2023, possibly representing the largest single-center adult case cohort to date. Diagnostic techniques included nasal endoscopy, CT/MRI scan, immunohistological studies, and morphologic comparisons. Pathologic specimens were subjected to Sanger sequencing of exons 24 and 25 of DICER1. The average age of 9 cases was 24.4 years, and the oldest was 55 years. Four of the patients were children, ranging from 1 year old to 11 years old, with an average of 4.5 years. Nasal congestion is the most common registered symptom. Endoscopic findings showed that most patients had smooth pink neoplasms or polypoid masses in the nasal meatus. Radiologic scanning revealed soft-tissue density masses that occupied the nasal cavity. Histologically, the characteristic structure of NCMHs is immature cellular cartilage nodules and mature cartilage nodules distributed in a loose mucoid matrix. Five of the 9 patients had somatic DICER1 missense mutations. Four of the patients with DICER1-mutated NCMH exhibited a p.E1813 missense hotspot mutation. We also report a case of a rare p.P1836H missense mutation. The detected DICER1 somatic mutations provide compelling evidence of an association with the DICER1 tumor family. We emphasize the importance of pathologic consultation and the need for pathologists to accumulate experience in NCMH diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis.

Elucidating Multimodal Imaging Patterns in Accelerated Brain Aging: Heterogeneity through a Discriminant Analysis Approach Using the UK Biobank Dataset.

Accelerated brain aging (ABA) intricately links with age-associated neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, emphasizing the critical need for a nuanced exploration of heterogeneous ABA patterns. This investigation leveraged data from the UK Biobank (UKB) for a comprehensive analysis, utilizing structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI), and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) from 31,621 participants. Pre-processing employed tools from the FMRIB Software Library (FSL, version 5.0.10), FreeSurfer, DTIFIT, and MELODIC, seamlessly integrated into the UKB imaging processing pipeline. The Lasso algorithm was employed for brain-age prediction, utilizing derived phenotypes obtained from brain imaging data. Subpopulations of accelerated brain aging (ABA) and resilient brain aging (RBA) were delineated based on the error between actual age and predicted brain age. The ABA subgroup comprised 1949 subjects (experimental group), while the RBA subgroup comprised 3203 subjects (control group). Semi-supervised heterogeneity through discriminant analysis (HYDRA) refined and characterized the ABA subgroups based on distinctive neuroimaging features. HYDRA systematically stratified ABA subjects into three subtypes: SubGroup 2 exhibited extensive gray-matter atrophy, distinctive white-matter patterns, and unique connectivity features, displaying lower cognitive performance; SubGroup 3 demonstrated minimal atrophy, superior cognitive performance, and higher physical activity; and SubGroup 1 occupied an intermediate position. This investigation underscores pronounced structural and functional heterogeneity in ABA, revealing three subtypes and paving the way for personalized neuroprotective treatments for age-related neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Dynamic and Asymmetrical Ion Concentration Polarization in Dual Nanopipettes.

Dual nanopipettes with two channels have been receiving great attention due to the convenient experimental setup and multiple measuring channels in sensing applications at nanoscale, while the involved dynamic and asymmetrical ion transport processes have not been fully elucidated. In this paper, both experimental and simulation methods are used to investigate the dynamic mass transport processes inside dual nanopipettes with two well-separated channels. The results present that the ion transport resistance through the two channels (R12) is always the add-up of the individual ones (R13 + R23) with respect to the bulk solutions, at various ionic strengths and scan rates. A constant zero-current potential is obtained when loading an asymmetrical electrolyte concentration in the two channels, and the zero-potential current displays a good linear relationship with the bulk concentration outside the pipet. Besides revealing the dynamic and asymmetrical concentration polarization in the dual nanopipettes, these results would also further promote the better usage of dual nanopipettes in electrochemical sensing and imaging applications.

NADPH oxidase-dependent H2 O2 production mediates salicylic acid-induced salt tolerance in mangrove plant Kandelia obovata by regulating Na+ /K+ and redox homeostasis.

Salicylic acid (SA) is known to enhance salt tolerance in plants. However, the mechanism of SA-mediated response to high salinity in halophyte remains unclear. Using electrophysiological and molecular biological methods, we investigated the role of SA in response to high salinity in mangrove species, Kandelia obovata, a typical halophyte. Exposure of K. obovata roots to high salinity resulted in a rapid increase in endogenous SA produced by phenylalanine ammonia lyase pathway. The application of exogenous SA improved the salt tolerance of K. obovata, which depended on the NADPH oxidase-mediated H2 O2 . Exogenous SA and H2 O2 increased Na+ efflux and reduced K+ loss by regulating the transcription levels of Na+ and K+ transport-related genes, thus reducing the Na+ /K+ ratio in the salt-treated K. obovata roots. In addition, exogenous SA-enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and its transcripts, and the expressions of four genes related to AsA-GSH cycle as well, then alleviated oxidative damages in the salt-treated K. obovata roots. However, the above effects of SA could be reversed by diphenyleneiodonium chloride (the NADPH oxidase inhibitor) and paclobutrazol (a SA biosynthesis inhibitor). Collectively, our results demonstrated that SA-induced salt tolerance of K. obovata depends on NADPH oxidase-generated H2 O2 that affects Na+ /K+ and redox homeostasis in response to high salinity.

Biotemplated fabrication of N/O co-doped porous carbon confined spinel NiFe2O4 heterostructured mimetics for triple-mode sensing of antioxidants and ameliorating packaging properties.

In this work, shrimp shell-derived magnetic NiFe2O4/N, O co-doped porous carbon nanozyme with superior oxidase (OXD)-like activity was prepared and used for colorimetric/photothermal/smartphone dual-signal triple-mode detection of antioxidants in fruits and beverages. The magnetic NiFe2O4/N, O co-doped porous carbon (MNPC) material was triumphantly fabricated using a combined in-situ surface chelation and pyrolysis method. The resultant MNPC composite exhibits a superior OXD-like activity, which can effectively oxidize 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for yielding colorimetric/temperature dual-signal (CTDS) in absence of H2O2. This CTDS output sensor was successfully used for the determination of ascorbic acid and tannic acid. The proposed CTDS sensor with good specificity and high sensitivity can satisfy different on-site analysis requirements. Interestingly, the MNPC as a sustainable filler was further used for improving packaging properties of polyvinyl alcohol film. In short, this work offers a large-scale and cheap method to fabricate magnetic carbon-based nanozyme for monitoring antioxidants and ameliorating packaging properties.

Irisin attenuates vascular remodeling in hypertensive mice induced by Ang II by suppressing Ca2+-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress in VSMCs.

Vascular remodeling plays a vital role in hypertensive diseases and is an important target for hypertension treatment. Irisin, a newly discovered myokine and adipokine, has been found to have beneficial effects on various cardiovascular diseases. However, the pharmacological effect of irisin in antagonizing hypertension-induced vascular remodeling is not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the protection and mechanisms of irisin against hypertension and vascular remodeling induced by angiotensin II (Ang II). Adult male mice of wild-type, FNDC5 (irisin-precursor) knockout, and FNDC5 overexpression were used to develop hypertension by challenging them with Ang II subcutaneously in the back using a microosmotic pump for 4 weeks. Similar to the attenuation of irisin on Ang II-induced VSMCs remodeling, endogenous FNDC5 ablation exacerbated, and exogenous FNDC5 overexpression alleviated Ang II-induced hypertension and vascular remodeling. Aortic RNA sequencing showed that irisin deficiency exacerbated intracellular calcium imbalance and increased vasoconstriction, which was parallel to the deterioration in both ER calcium dysmetabolism and ER stress. FNDC5 overexpression/exogenous irisin supplementation protected VSMCs from Ang II-induced remodeling by improving endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. This improvement includes inhibiting Ca2+ release from the ER and promoting the re-absorption of Ca2+ into the ER, thus relieving Ca2+-dependent ER stress. Furthermore, irisin was confirmed to bind to its receptors, αV/ß5 integrins, to further activate the AMPK pathway and inhibit the p38 pathway, leading to vasoprotection in Ang II-insulted VSMCs. These results indicate that irisin protects against hypertension and vascular remodeling in Ang II-challenged mice by restoring calcium homeostasis and attenuating ER stress in VSMCs via activating AMPK and suppressing p38 signaling.

Identical clinical outcomes between neutral and classic targeted alignments after high tibial osteotomy in medial meniscus posterior root tear: a prospective randomized study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes and arthroscopic findings after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) between neutral and classic targeted coronal alignments in patients with medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRTs). METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with MMPRT were prospectively enrolled in the final cohort and randomized into two groups. Fifty-two patients with the targeted alignment through the Fujisawa point (60-62.5% of the entire tibial plateau width measured from the medial side) during HTO were included in group A, whereas 46 patients with the targeted alignment through the point at 50-55% of the tibial plateau width were included in group B. The clinical and radiographic outcomes and second-look arthroscopic findings were statistically compared for comprehensive assessments. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 37.1 months, we found no significant differences between the two groups regarding the final Lysholm (p = 0.205) and Hospital for Special Surgery scores (p = 0.084). However, we only observed significant differences between the two groups in terms of the final hip-knee-ankle angle, weight-bearing line ratio, and medial proximal tibial angle (p < 0.001). Second-look arthroscopy did not reveal a significant difference in meniscal healing rate (p = 0.786). CONCLUSIONS: Performing HTO with the aim to achieve neutral alignment leads to similar clinical outcomes in patients with MMPRT compared to classic alignment. Although subsequent research is required, the current study provides clinical evidence for the safety and efficacy of the new targeted alignment during HTO, which may avoid long-term complications associated with overcorrection when using the traditional technique.

Brassinosteroid enhances salt tolerance via S-nitrosoglutathione reductase and nitric oxide signaling pathway in mangrove Kandelia obovata.

Brassinosteroid (BR) has been shown to modulate plant tolerance to various stresses. S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) is involved in the plant response to environment stress by fine-turning the level of nitric oxide (NO). However, whether GSNOR is involved in BR-regulated Na+ /K+ homeostasis to improve the salt tolerance in halophyte is unknown. Here, we firstly reported that high salinity increases the expression of BR-biosynthesis genes and the endogenous levels of BR in mangrove Kandelia obovata. Then, salt-induced BR triggers the activities and gene expressions of GSNOR and antioxidant enzymes, thereafter decrease the levels of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide. Subsequently, BR-mediated GSNOR negatively regulates NO contributions to the reduction of reactive oxygen species generation and induction of the gene expression related to Na+ and K+ transport, leading to the decrease of Na+ /K+ ratio in the roots of K. obovata. Finally, the applications of exogenous BR, NO scavenger, BR biosynthetic inhibitor and GSNOR inhibitor further confirm the function of BR. Taken together, our result provides insight into the mechanism of BR in the response of mangrove K. obovata to high salinity via GSNOR and NO signaling pathway by reducing oxidative damage and modulating Na+ /K+ homeostasis.

A review of neuroimaging-based data-driven approach for Alzheimer's disease heterogeneity analysis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex form of dementia and due to its high phenotypic variability, its diagnosis and monitoring can be quite challenging. Biomarkers play a crucial role in AD diagnosis and monitoring, but interpreting these biomarkers can be problematic due to their spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Therefore, researchers are increasingly turning to imaging-based biomarkers that employ data-driven computational approaches to examine the heterogeneity of AD. In this comprehensive review article, we aim to provide health professionals with a comprehensive view of past applications of data-driven computational approaches in studying AD heterogeneity and planning future research directions. We first define and offer basic insights into different categories of heterogeneity analysis, including spatial heterogeneity, temporal heterogeneity, and spatial-temporal heterogeneity. Then, we scrutinize 22 articles relating to spatial heterogeneity, 14 articles relating to temporal heterogeneity, and five articles relating to spatial-temporal heterogeneity, highlighting the strengths and limitations of these strategies. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of understanding spatial heterogeneity in AD subtypes and their clinical manifestations, biomarkers for abnormal orderings and AD stages, the recent advancements in spatial-temporal heterogeneity analysis for AD, and the emerging role of omics data integration in advancing personalized diagnosis and treatment for AD patients. By emphasizing the significance of understanding AD heterogeneity, we hope to stimulate further research in this field to facilitate the development of personalized interventions for AD patients.

Relationship between exposure to metalworking fluids and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between metalworking fluids (MWFs) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been previously explored. We aim to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to MWFs and the prevalence of NAFLD and to determine the cumulative exposure threshold per day. METHODS: In 2020, 2079 employees were selected randomly from one computer numerical control machining factory in Wuxi for a questionnaire survey, and occupational health examinations were conducted at the affiliated branch of Wuxi Eighth People's Hospital. MWF samples were collected within the factory using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 5524 method. NAFLD was defined as having a hepatic steatosis index (HSI) ≥ 36 without significant alcohol consumption. The relationship between NAFLD and MWFs was analyzed using logistic regression, and the daily exposure threshold was calculated using R software. RESULTS: MWF exposure was found to be a risk factor for NAFLD in exposed workers compared to the non-exposed group. The OR for NAFLD in workers exposed to MWFs compared to controls was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.04-1.95). An increased risk of NAFLD was shown to be associated with an increasing dose. The daily exposure dose threshold to MWFs was found to be 6.54 mg/m3 (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.24-3.52). CONCLUSION: An association between occupational exposure to MWFs and NAFLD was found. As the concentration of exposure rose, the prevalence of NAFLD was also escalated.

Association between occupational noise and obesity: a retrospective cohort study in China.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between occupational noise, and obesity and body mass index (BMI) changes. METHODS: Baseline data were collected from participants (n = 1264) who were followed for 6 years in a retrospective study. The noise exposure level (LAeq,8h) was determined by equivalent continuous weighted sound pressure levels using the fixed-point surveillance method for noise monitoring. The cumulative noise exposure (CNE) level was determined using the equal energy formula, which is based on exposure history and level. RESULTS: The incidence of obesity at low (RR = 2.364, 95% CI 1.123-4.739]), medium (RR = 3.921, 95% CI 1.946-7.347]), high (RR = 5.242, 95% CI 2.642-9.208]), and severe noise levels (RR = 9.322, 95% CI 5.341-14.428]) was higher risk than the LAeq,8h control level. The risk of obesity among participants exposed to low (RR = 2.957, 95% CI 1.441-6.068]) and high cumulative noise levels (RR = 7.226, 95% CI 3.623-14.415]) was greater than the CNE control level. For every 1 dB(A) increase in LAeq,8h, the BMI increased by 0.063 kg/m2 (95% CI 0.055-0.071], SE = 0.004). For every 1 dB(A) increase in the CNE, the BMI increased by 0.102 kg/m2 (95% CI 0.090-0.113], SE = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Occupational noise is related to the incidence of obesity. The occupational noise level and occupational noise cumulative level were shown to be positively correlated with an increase in BMI.