High ambient temperature may increase the risk of anemia in pregnancy: Identifying susceptible exposure windows.

Anemia in pregnancy (AIP) is associated with multiple severe maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes. However, there is a lack of evidence on the association between environmental factors and AIP. Aim to explore the association between ambient temperature and the risk of AIP, and identify susceptible exposure windows, we conducted a matched case-control study from 2013 to 2016 in Xi'an, China, which included 710 women with AIP and 1420 women without AIP. The conditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between ambient temperature and AIP at different gestational weeks and gestational months. The association between extreme temperature and AIP was evaluated using the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). We conducted stratified analyses of age, parity, and season of conception, and estimated the interaction between ambient temperature and air pollutants on AIP. Ambient temperature was significantly positively associated with the risk of AIP, and the susceptible exposure windows were 2-25 gestational weeks and 1-6 gestational months, respectively. The strongest effect was observed in the week 8 and month 2, for each 1 °C increase in weekly and monthly mean temperature, the odds ratio (OR) for AIP was 1.038 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.022, 1.055) and 1.040 (95 % CI: 1.020, 1.060), respectively. Extreme heat may increase the risk of AIP. Stratified analyses showed that there was no significant difference among different age, parity, and season of conception groups. No significant interaction effect of ambient temperature with air pollution on AIP was found. In summary, high ambient temperature may increase the risk of AIP, and the first and second trimesters may be susceptible exposure windows. Understanding the effect of temperature on pregnant women will be beneficial to reduce the occurrence of AIP.

Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells in Allergy.

Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells constitute a distinct subset within the memory T cell population, serving as the vanguard against invading pathogens and antigens in peripheral non-lymphoid tissues, including the respiratory tract, intestines, and skin. Notably, TRM cells adapt to the specific microenvironment of each tissue, predominantly maintaining a sessile state with distinctive phenotypic and functional attributes. Their role is to ensure continuous immunological surveillance and protection. Recent findings have highlighted the pivotal contribution of TRM cells to the modulation of adaptive immune responses in allergic disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and dermatitis. A comprehensive understanding of the involvement of TRM cells in allergic diseases bears profound implications for allergy prevention and treatment. This review comprehensively explores the phenotypic characteristics, developmental mechanisms, and functional roles of TRM cells, focusing on their intricate relationship with allergic diseases.

Synthetic Gene Circuit-Based Assay with Multilevel Switch Enables Background-Free and Absolute Quantification of Circulating Tumor DNA.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection has found widespread applications in tumor diagnostics and treatment, where the key is to obtain accurate quantification of ctDNA. However, this remains challenging due to the issue of background noise associated with existing assays. In this work, we developed a synthetic gene circuit-based assay with multilevel switch (termed CATCH) for background-free and absolute quantification of ctDNA. The multilevel switch combining a small transcription activating RNA and a toehold switch was designed to simultaneously regulate transcription and translation processes in gene circuit to eliminate background noise. Moreover, such a multilevel switch-based gene circuit was integrated with a Cas9 nickase H840A (Cas9n) recognizer and a molecular beacon reporter to form CATCH for ctDNA detection. The CATCH can be implemented in one-pot reaction at 35 °C with virtually no background noise, and achieve robust absolute quantification of ctDNA when integrated with a digital chip (i.e., digital CATCH). Finally, we validated the clinical capability of CATCH by detecting drug-resistant ctDNA mutations from the plasma of 76 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, showing satisfying clinical sensitivity and specificity. We envision that the simple and robust CATCH would be a powerful tool for next-generation ctDNA detection.

Comprehensive analysis of mitophagy-related genes in diagnosis and heterogeneous endothelial cells in chronic rhinosinusitis: based on bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex inflammatory disorder affecting the nasal and paranasal sinuses. Mitophagy, the process of selective mitochondrial degradation via autophagy, is crucial for maintaining cellular balance. However, the role of mitophagy in CRS is not well-studied. This research aims to examine the role of mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) in CRS, with a particular focus on the heterogeneity of endothelial cells (ECs). Methods: We employed both bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing data to investigate the role of MRGs in CRS. We compiled a combined database of 92 CRS samples and 35 healthy control samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and we explored the differential expression of MRGs between them. A logistic regression model was built based on seven key genes identified through Random Forests and Support Vector Machines - Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM-RFE). Consensus cluster analysis was used to categorize CRS patients based on MRG expression patterns and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to find modules of highly correlated genes of the different clusters. Single-cell RNA sequencing data was utilized to analyze MRGs and EC heterogeneity in CRS. Results: Seven hub genes-SQSTM1, SRC, UBA52, MFN2, UBC, RPS27A, and ATG12-showed differential expression between two groups. A diagnostic model based on hub genes showed excellent prognostic accuracy. A strong positive correlation was found between the seven hub MRGs and resting dendritic cells, while a significant negative correlation was observed with mast cells and CD8+ T cells. CRS could be divided into two subclusters based on MRG expression patterns. WGCNA analysis identified modules of highly correlated genes of these two different subclusters. At the single-cell level, two types of venous ECs with different MRG scores were identified, suggesting their varying roles in CRS pathogenesis, especially in the non-eosinophilic CRS subtype. Conclusion: Our comprehensive study of CRS reveals the significant role of MRGs and underscores the heterogeneity of ECs. We highlighted the importance of Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and TGFb pathways in mediating the effects of mitophagy, particularly the MIF. Overall, our findings enhance the understanding of mitophagy in CRS, providing a foundation for future research and potential therapeutic developments.

The association between intermediate-term sulfur dioxide exposure and outpatient visits for Parkinson's disease: a time-series study in southwestern China.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common human neurodegenerative disorder, and the pathogenesis of it remains poorly understood. Limited studies have shown that both long- and short-term exposure to air pollutants may be associated with increased risk of PD while lacking evidence on the effects of intermediate-term exposure. In this study, over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to explore the association between intermediate-term sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure and outpatient visits for PD in Chongqing, China, and further stratified analyses were performed by age and gender. A total of 39,984 PD cases from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019 (2191 days) were included. The association of intermediate-term SO2 exposure with outpatient visits for PD was statistically significant: per 1 µg/m3 increase of SO2 corresponded to 2.34% (95% CI: 0.88%, 3.80%) elevation in monthly PD outpatient visits at lag 0 (the concurrent month). Stratified analyses showed that the associations between SO2 and PD outpatient visits were stronger in younger (≤ 60 years) and female patients. In conclusion, intermediate-term SO2 exposure can be associated with an increased risk of PD outpatient visits. Our results highlight the importance of recognizing the role of intermediate-term SO2 exposure in the development of PD. In addition to focusing on the effects of long-term or short-term air pollutants, it is necessary to pay more attention to the health effects of intermediate-term exposure time windows of air pollutants, which will facilitate policy formulation and public health interventions for health risks.

The transcriptional regulators of virulence for Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Therapeutic opportunity and preventive potential of its clinical infections.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), transcription factors (TFs) are important mediators in the genetic regulation of adaptability and pathogenicity to respond to multiple environmental stresses and host defences. The P. aeruginosa genome harbours 371 putative TFs; of these, about 70 have been shown to regulate virulence-associated phenotypes by binding to the promoters of their target genes. Over the past three decades, several techniques have been applied to identify TF binding sites on the P. aeruginosa genome, and an atlas of TF binding patterns has been mapped. The virulence-associated regulons of TFs show complex crosstalk in P. aeruginosa's regulatory network. In this review, we summarise the recent literature on TF regulatory networks involved in the quorum-sensing system, biofilm formation, pyocyanin synthesis, motility, the type III secretion system, the type VI secretion system, and oxidative stress responses. We discuss future perspectives that could provide insights and targets for preventing clinical infections caused by P. aeruginosa based on the global regulatory network of transcriptional regulators.

Identification of key genes and the pathophysiology associated with allergen-specific immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is a causative treatment in allergic rhinitis (AR), comprising long-term allergen administration and over three years of treatment. This study is carried out for revealing the mechanisms and key genes of AIT in AR. METHODS: The present study utilized online Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray expression profiling dataset GSE37157 and GSE29521 to analyze the hub genes changes related to AIT in AR. Based on limma package, differential expression analysis for the two groups (samples of allergic patients prior to AIT and samples of allergic patients undergoing AIT) was performed to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of DEGs were conducted using DAVID database. A Protein-Protein Interaction network (PPI) was built and a significant network module was acquired by using Cytoscape software (Cytoscape, 3.7.2). Utilizing the miRWalk database, we identified potential gene biomarkers, constructed interaction networks of target genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) using Cytoscape software, and explore the cell type-specific expression patterns of these genes in peripheral blood using publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing data (GSE200107). Finally, we are using PCR to detect changes in the hub genes that are screened using the above method in peripheral blood before and after AIT treatment. RESULTS: GSE37157 and GSE29521 included 28 and 13 samples, respectively. A total of 119 significantly co-upregulated DEGs and 33 co-downregulated DEGs were obtained from two datasets. The GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that protein transport, positive regulation of apoptotic process, Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, T cell receptor signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, B cell receptor signaling pathway and Apoptosis may be potential candidate therapeutic targets for AIT of AR. From the PPI network, 20 hub genes were obtained. Among them, the PPI sub-networks of CASP3, FOXO3, PIK3R1, PIK3R3, ATF4, and POLD3 screened out from our study have been identified as reliable predictors of AIT in AR, especially the PIK3R1. CONCLUSION: Our analysis has identified novel gene signatures, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying AIT in the treatment of AR.

CD32 Expression by CD4+ T and CD8+ T Lymphocytes Is Increased in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

FcγR is expressed by many immune cells and plays an important role in the immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. CD32 belongs to the FcγR family. This study aimed to observe changes in CD32 expression by CD4+ T and CD8+ T lymphocytes in chronic HBV infection patients and evaluate the clinical utility of CD4+ T and CD8+ T CD32 expression to assess the severity of liver injury in chronic HBV-infected patients. A total of 68 chronic HBV patients and 40 healthy individuals were recruited, and the median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD32 expression on CD4+ T, CD8+ T lymphocytes was measured using flow cytometry and the CD4+ T, CD8+ T CD32 index was calculated. The reactivity of the healthy individual lymphocytes to mixed patients' plasma containing HBV was observed. Finally, the correlation between CD4+ T, CD8+ T lymphocytes CD32 MFI and liver function indicator levels was analyzed. The CD4+ T, CD8+ T CD32 MFI and index were significantly elevated in HBV patient groups than in normal control group (p < 0.001, for all). Furthermore, the CD32 MFI of healthy persons' CD4+ T and CD8+ T lymphocytes were remarkably increased when stimulated with mixed patients' plasma containing high HBV copies (p < 0.001; P < 0.001). More importantly, in HBV patients, there was a significant positive correlation between CD4+ T, CD8+ T CD32 MFI and the level of serum aspartate aminotransferase (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the increased expression of CD32 on CD4+ T and CD8+ T lymphocytes might be potential promising biomarkers for the severity of liver function impairment in chronic HBV patients.

Terahertz spectra of proteinuria and non-proteinuria.

In clinical practice, proteinuria detection is of great significance in the diagnosis of kidney diseases. Dipstick analysis is used in most outpatient settings to semi-quantitatively measure the urine protein concentration. However, this method has limitations for protein detection, and alkaline urine or hematuria will cause false positive results. Recently, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) with strong hydrogen bonding sensitivity has been proven to be able to distinguish different types of biological solutions, which means that protein molecules in urine may have different THz spectral characteristics. In this study, we performed a preliminary clinical study investigating the terahertz spectra of 20 fresh urine samples (non-proteinuria and proteinuria). The results showed that the concentration of urine protein was positively correlated with the absorption of THz spectra at 0.5-1.2 THz. At 1.0 THz, the pH values (6, 7, 8, and 9) had no significant effect on the THz absorption spectra of urine proteins. The terahertz absorption of proteins with a high molecular weight (albumin) was greater than that of proteins with a low molecular weight (ß2-microglobulin) at the same concentration. Overall, THz-TDS spectroscopy for the qualitative detection of proteinuria is not affected by pH and has the potential to discriminate between albumin and ß2-microglobulin in urine.

Unexpected association between ambient ozone and adult insomnia outpatient visits: A large-scale hospital-based study.

Growing evidence indicates that short-term ozone (O3) exposure has substantial health consequences, but the relationship between short-term ambient O3 and insomnia, a common sleep disorder, is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of ambient O3 exposure on outpatient visits for adult insomnia and to explore the potential modifiers. A large-scale multihospital-based study was carried out in Chongqing, the largest city in Southwest China. Daily data on outpatient visits for adult insomnia, average concentrations of ambient air pollutants and meteorological factors were collected. We conducted quasi-Poisson regression with generalized additive model to assess the association between ambient O3 and outpatient visits for adult insomnia in varied windows of exposure. Subgroup analyses were applied to identify its modifiers. Totally, 140,159 adult insomnia outpatient visits were identified. The daily maximum 8-h average concentration of O3 was 69 µg/m3 during the study period, which greatly below the updated Chinese and WHO recommended limits (daily maximum 8-h average, O3: 100 µg/m3). Short-term O3 exposure was significantly negatively associated with outpatient visits for adult insomnia in different lag periods and the greatest decrease of outpatient visits for adult insomnia was found at lag 02 [0.93% (95% CI: 0.48%, 1.38%)]. Additionally, stronger links between O3 and adult insomnia outpatient visits were presented in cool seasons, and we did not observe any significant modified effects of gender and age. Moreover, the negative O3-insomnia association remained robust after controlling for other common air pollutants and comorbidities. In summary, short-term exposure to lower level of ambient O3, was associated with reduced daily outpatient visits for adult insomnia and such association showed to be more obvious in cool seasons.

Point-of-Care HIV Test for a Promising Simple and Rapid Clinical HIV Definite Diagnosis Process.

BACKGROUND: This study compared and evaluated the performance of a commercially available HIV POC rapid test with assays commonly used in clinical laboratories, including enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). METHODS: 500 patients' samples were detected by the POC rapid test and clinically common tests (WB, ELISA, and RT-PCR) to compare detection performance, test time, and test cost. RESULTS: Taking the WB results as the gold standard, the results of RT-PCR were completely consistent with WB. The concordance of ELISA and POC with WB was 82.00% and 93.80%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that rapid HIV POC assays are superior to ELISA and that WB and RT-PCR have equal detection performance in detecting HIV. As a result, a rapid and costeffective HIV definition process based on the POC assays can be proposed.

The role of extreme high humidex in depression in chongqing, China: A time series-analysis.

As global climate change intensifies, people are paying increasing attention to the impact of temperature changes on adverse mental health outcomes, especially depression. While increasing attention has been paid to the effect of temperature, there is little research on the effect of humidity. We aimed to investigate the association between humidex, an index combining temperature and humidity to reflect perceived temperature, and outpatient visits for depression from 2014 to 2019 in Chongqing, the largest and one of the most hot and humid cities of China. We also aimed to further identify susceptible subgroups. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to explore the concentration-response relationship between humidex and depression outpatient visits. Hierarchical analysis was carried out by age and gender. A total of 155,436 visits for depression were collected from 2014 to 2019 (2191 days). We found that depression outpatient visits were significantly associated with extremely high humidex (≥40). The significant positive single-lag day effect existed at lag 0 (RR = 1.029, 95%CI: 1.000-1.059) to lag 2 (RR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.004-1.028), and lag 12 (RR = 1.013, 95%CI: 1.002-1.024). The significant cumulative adverse effects lasted from lag 01 to lag 014. Hierarchical analyses showed that females and the elderly (≥60 years) appeared to be more susceptible to extremely high humidex. The attributable numbers (AN) and fraction (AF) of extremely high humidex on depression outpatients were 1709 and 1.10%, respectively. Extremely high humidex can potentially increase the risk of depression, especially in females and the elderly. More protective measures should be taken in vulnerable populations.

The role of MAPK/NF-κB-associated microglial activation in T-2 toxin-induced mouse learning and memory impairment.

T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin with multiple toxic effects and has emerged as an important food pollutant. Microglia play a significant role in the toxicity of various neurotoxins. However, whether they participate in the neurotoxicity of T-2 toxin has not been reported. To clarify this point, an in vivo mouse model of T-2 toxin (4 mg/kg) poisoning was established. The results of Morris water maze and open-field showed that T-2 toxin induced learning and memory impairment and locomotor inhibition. Meanwhile, T-2 toxin induced microglial activation, while inhibiting microglia activation by minocycline (50 mg/kg) suppressed the toxic effect of the T-2 toxin. To further unveil the potential mechanisms involved in T-2 toxin-induced microglial activation, an in vitro model of T-2 toxin (0, 2.5, 5, 10 ng/mL) poisoning was established using BV-2 cells. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed lots of differentially expressed genes related to MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Western blotting results further confirmed that T-2 toxin (5 ng/mL) induced the activation of MAPKs and their downstream NF-κB. Moreover, the addition of inhibitors of NF-κB and MAPKs reversed the microglial activation induced by T-2 toxin. Overall, microglial activation may contribute a considerable role in T-2 toxin-induced behavioral abnormalities, which could be MAPK/NF-κB pathway dependent.

Sustained intra-articular reactive oxygen species scavenging and alleviation of osteoarthritis by biocompatible amino-modified tantalum nanoparticles.

Recent studies highlight the vital role of oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Attenuating oxidative stress and reducing reactive oxygen species generation in joints represent reasonable strategies for the treatment of osteoarthritis. To address the potential question for clinical translation, and improve the biocompatibility and long-term performance of current antioxidants, the present study provided high biocompatible small positively charged tantalum nanoparticles (Ta-NH2 NPs) with sustained intra-articular catalase activity and first applied to osteoarthritis intervention. Our in vitro results showed that Ta-NH2 NPs were stable with good biocompatibility, and protected viability and hyaline-like phenotype in H2O2-challenged chondrocytes. In addition, the in vivo biodistribution data demonstrated a sustained retention of Ta-NH2 NPs in the joint cavity, particularly in articular cartilage without organ toxicity and abnormality in hemogram or blood biochemistry indexes. Finally, compared with catalase (CAT), Ta-NH2 NPs exhibited long-term therapeutic effect in monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) induced osteoarthritis model. This study preliminarily explored the potential of simply modified metal nanoparticles as effective reactive oxygen species scavenging agent for osteoarthritis intervention, and offered a novel strategy to achieve sustained reactive oxygen species suppression using biocompatible Ta-based nano-medicine in oxidative stress related diseases.

Lipopolysaccharide induces inflammatory microglial activation through CD147-mediated matrix metalloproteinase expression.

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation plays a vital role in the pathophysiological processes of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an environmental poison that can induce inflammatory microglial activation. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are vital factors regulating microglial activation, and CD147 is a key MMP inducer, which can induce inflammation by inducing MMPs. However, whether it is involved in the regulation of microglial activation has not been reported. In this study, the role of CD147 in LPS-induced microglial inflammatory activation was investigated by establishing in vivo and in vitro models. The results suggested that LPS-induced microglial activation was accompanied by the induction of CD147 expression while the inhibition of CD147 expression could inhibit LPS-induced microglial inflammatory activation. In addition, the results also indicated that the role of CD147 in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory activation of microglia was related to its downstream MMP-3, MMP-8, and autophagy. Furthermore, the inhibition of MMP-3, MMP-8, and autophagy attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory activation of microglia. At the same time, there was a certain interaction between MMPs and autophagy, which is shown that inhibiting the expression of MMPs could inhibit autophagy, whereas inhibiting autophagy could inhibit the expression of MMPs. Taken together, we provided the first evidence that CD147/MMPs can be involved in LPS-induced inflammatory activation of microglia through an autophagy-dependent manner.

Association between maternal short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the risk of fetal distress: A matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution has been linked to gestational complications. However, the evidence on the relationship between air pollution and fetal distress is limited. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between maternal short-term air pollution exposure and fetal distress, and to identify a potential susceptible population. METHODS: This matched case-control study, involving 313 pregnancy women with fetal distress was conducted in Xi'an, the largest city in Northwest China from 2013 to 2016. Each woman with fetal distress was randomly matched with four women without fetal distress of the same age, same gestational week, and registration in the same period (n = 1252). Inverse distance-weighted (IDW) interpolation was applied to estimate maternal air pollution exposure based on the residential addresses. We employed conditional logistic regression model to evaluate the relationship between air pollutants and fetal distress. Distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was performed to examine the exposure-response relationship between air pollutants and fetal distress. RESULTS: Maternal short-term exposure to PM10, PM2.5-10 (PMc), SO2, NO2, and CO was associated with increased risk of fetal distress. Each 10 µg/m3 increment in PM10, PMc, SO2 at lag 014, and NO2 at lag 010, the odds ratio (ORs) of fetal distress were 1.027 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.004, 1.050), 1.058 (95 % CI: 1.014, 1.105), 1.140 (95 % CI: 1.029, 1.264), and 1.158 (95 % CI: 1.046, 1.283), respectively. Similarly, with a 0.1 mg/m3 increment in CO at lag 014, the OR of fetal distress was 1.029 (95 % CI: 1.002, 1.058). Stratified analyses showed that the estimate associations of PM10, PM2.5 and CO appeared to be stronger, although not statistically significantly, among women with gestational complications. CONCLUSION: Maternal short-term exposure to ambient air pollution may increase the risk of fetal distress. Understanding the detrimental role of air pollution in fetal distress can help us better develop preventative methods in reducing its' impact on maternal and fetal health.

Virulence-related regulatory network of Pseudomonas syringae.

Transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in regulating multiple biological processes by binding to promoter regions and regulating the global gene transcription levels. Pseudomonas syringae is a Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacterium harbouring 301 putative TFs in its genome, approximately 50 of which are responsible for virulence-related gene and pathway regulation. Over the past decades, RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, high-throughput systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, and other technologies have been applied to identify the functions of master regulators and their interactions in virulence-related pathways. This review summarises the recent advances in the regulatory networks of TFs involved in the type III secretion system (T3SS) and non-T3SS virulence-associated pathways, including motility, biofilm formation, quorum sensing, nucleotide-based secondary messengers, phytotoxins, siderophore production, and oxidative stress. Moreover, this review discusses the future perspectives in terms of TF-mediated pathogenesis mechanisms and provides novel insights that will help combat P. syringae infections based on the regulatory networks of TFs.

Association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide and type 2 diabetes outpatient visits: A large hospital-based study.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) as a non-communicable disease imposes heavy disease burdens on society. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the effects of short-term air pollution exposure on T2DM, especially in Asian regions. Our research aimed to determine the association between short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and outpatient visits for T2DM in Chongqing, the largest city in western China, based on the data collected from November 28, 2013 to December 31, 2019. A generalized additive model (GAM) was applied, and stratified analyses were performed to investigate the potential modifying effects by age, gender, and season. Meanwhile, the disease burden was revealed from attributable risk. Positive associations between short-term NO2 and daily T2DM outpatient visits were observed. The strongest association was observed at lag 04, with per 10 µg/m3 increase of NO2 corresponded to increased T2DM outpatient visits at 1.57% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48%, 2.65%]. Stronger associations were presented in middle-aged group (35-64 years old), male group, and cool seasons (October to March). Moreover, there were 1.553% (8664.535 cases) of T2DM outpatient visits attributable to NO2. Middle-aged adults, males, and patients who visited in cool seasons suffered heavier burdens. Conclusively, short-term exposure to NO2 was associated with increased outpatient visits for T2DM. Attention should be paid to the impact of NO2 on the burden of T2DM, especially for those vulnerable groups.

Similar color analysis based on deep learning (SCAD) for multiplex digital PCR via a single fluorescent channel.

Digital PCR (dPCR) has recently attracted great interest due to its high sensitivity and accuracy. However, the existing dPCR depends on multicolor fluorescent dyes and multiple fluorescent channels to achieve multiplex detection, resulting in increased detection cost and limited detection throughput. Here, we developed a deep learning-based similar color analysis method, namely SCAD, to achieve multiplex dPCR in a single fluorescent channel. As a demonstration, we designed a microwell chip-based diplex dPCR system for detecting two genes (blaNDM and blaVIM) with two kinds of green fluorescent probes, whose emission colors are difficult to discriminate by traditional fluorescence intensity-based methods. To verify the possibility of deep learning algorithms to distinguish the similar colors, we first applied t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (tSNE) to make a clustering map for the microwells with similar fluorescence. Then, we trained a Vision Transformer (ViT) model on 10 000 microwells with two similar colors and tested it with 262 202 microwells. Lastly, the trained model was proven to have highly accurate classification ability (>98% for both the training set and the test set) and precise quantification ability on both blaNDM and blaVIM (ratio difference <0.10). We envision that the developed SCAD method would significantly expand the detection throughput of dPCR without the need for other auxiliary equipment.

Role of p53 methylation in manganese-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression in BV2 microglial cells.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential cofactor for many enzymes and plays an important role in normal growth and development. However, excess exposure to manganese (Mn) may be an important environmental factor leading to neurodegeneration. The overexpression of microglial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a key role in neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. The existing data suggest that Mn can induce neuroinflammation by up-regulating COX-2 expression. However, the mechanisms involved in Mn-induced microglial COX-2 up-regulation remain to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of p53 in Mn-induced COX-2 expression in microglial cells. The results showed that Mn exposure induced the up-regulation of COX-2 and inhibited the expression of p53 in BV2 microglial cells. The addition of p53 activator and the over-expression of p53 blocked the expression of COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a COX-2 downstream effector, induced by Mn. Further, Mn increased the methylation of p53 DNA in microglia, while the addition of demethylation reagent 5-Aza-dC enhanced the expression of p53 but decreased the expression of COX-2. These results suggested that Mn may inhibit p53 expression through induction of DNA methylation, which can further induce the expression of COX-2 in microglial cells.