Highly Performing Sodium Metal Batteries Reinforced by a Self-Regulated Dual-Layered Solid Electrolyte Interphase via a Metal-Organic Framework.

Sodium-metal batteries, heralded for high energy density and cost-effectiveness, are compromised by an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and dendrite formation, which hinder practical applications. Herein, a zirconium-based metal-organic framework nanostructure coating (ZMOF-NSC) was constructed in a low-loss, flexible manner. Comprehensive studies show that ZMOF-NSC, with its periodically ordered nanochannels and organized pore structures, enhances ion transport and decreases the Na+ migration energy barrier, thus ensuring uniform ion flux and achieving uniform spherical deposition. Additionally, ZMOF-NSC facilitates partial desolvation, catalyzing the formation of an inorganic-rich, dual-layered SEI that effectively protects the anode and suppresses dendrite formation. Consequently, the ZMOF-NSC@Na symmetric battery exhibits an impressive lifespan of over 2500 h, demonstrating extended operational longevity. The Na3V2(PO4)3∥ZMOF-NSC@Na batteries demonstrate exceptional cycling stability with 81% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 10 C, maintaining stability over 3000 cycles at 20 C. Moreover, the NVP∥ZMOF-NSC@Na battery achieves an energy density of 370 Wh kg-1 and a power density of 10,484 W kg-1, indicating superior durability and performance. This significant finding highlights the significant potential of structured MOFs to induce a dual-layered SEI, advancing the commercialization of durable, dendrite-free sodium metal batteries. The precise design of self-assembled pore structures and surface active sites in MOFs demonstrates significant potential in advancing the commercialization of durable, dendrite-free electrodes of metal-based rechargeable batteries.

[Study on multiple organ injury induced by Haematitum in mice].

Haematitum is a commonly used mineral medicine. It is toxic, as recorded in the second volume of Chinese Materia Medica. Therefore, it should not be taken for a long time. In this study, the effects of Haematitum and calcined Haematitum on multiple organ injuries in mice were investigated, and the mechanism of the toxicity of the related organs was explored by metabolomics. The mice were randomly divided into the control group, Haematitum low-dose group(ZS-L group), Haematitum high-dose group(ZS-H group), and calcined Haematitum high-dose group(DZS-H group), with 12 mice in each group. Haematitum decoction was given by continuous intragastric administration for 10 days. Then the life situation was observed, and samples were taken to detect various indicators. The results showed that the ZS-H group showed obvious toxicity, with different degrees of toxicity damage in the intestinal tract,liver, spleen, and lung. ZS-L group had no toxic reaction. The toxicity of the DZS-H group was significantly reduced, and only the lung was damaged. Metabolomics technology was used to detect the lung tissue of mice in the control group and the ZS-H group, and a total of 15 kinds of significant difference metabolites were detected, mainly involved in choline metabolism in cancer, sphingolipid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Immunohistochemical results showed that the INSIG1 protein expression level in the lung tissue of mice in the ZS-H group was significantly higher than that in the control group. In summary, large doses and long-time use of Haematitum decoction will cause a variety of organ damage, and the same dose of calcined Haematitum is less toxic than Haematitum. In addition, a low dose of Haematitum has no obvious toxic effect. The dysfunction of lipid metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism may be an important factor in Haematitum-induced pulmonary toxicity. This study provides a reference for further research on the mechanism of Haematitum pulmonary toxicity.

High-purity La3-xTe4 Material with Superior Thermoelectric Performance Synthesized via Te-vapor Transport and Solid-State Diffusion.

La3-xTe4 is a very promising high-temperature candidate applied in next-generation Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). Conventional synthesis of such materials is based on the mechanochemical method, which makes the sample difficult to purify due to the high-energy ball milling. In this report, a novel synthetic method is developed, which utilizes Te-vapor transport and solid-phase diffusion to efficiently produce the RE3-xTe4 phases (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd). Notably, this method obviates the requirement for high-energy ball-milling instruments, conventionally indispensable in the mechanochemical syntheses. For as-synthesized La2.74Te4 material, a high figure of merit of 1.5 is achieved at 1073 K, owning to the reduced electronic thermal conductivity with metal impurities well eliminated.

Finite Element Analysis of Densification Process in High Velocity Compaction of Iron-Based Powder.

A finite element model based on elastic-plastic theory was conducted to study the densification process of iron-based powder metallurgy during high velocity compaction (HVC). The densification process of HVC at different heights was simulated using MSC Marc 2020 software with the Shima-Oyane model, and compared with the experimental results. The numerical simulation results were consistent with the experimental results, proving the reliability of the finite element model. Through finite element analysis and theoretical calculation, the high-speed impact molding process of metal powder was analyzed, and the optimal empirical compaction equation for iron-based powder high-speed impact molding was obtained. At the same time, the influence of impact velocity and impact energy on the relative density distribution cloud map and numerical values of the compact was analyzed.

Sex differences in PD-L1-induced analgesia in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy mice depend on TRPV1-based inhibition of CGRP.

AIMS: Paclitaxel (PTX) is extensively utilized in the management of diverse solid tumors, frequently resulting in paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN). The present study aimed to investigate sex differences in the behavioral manifestations and underlying pathogenesis of PIPN and search for clinically efficacious interventions. METHODS: Male and female C57BL/6 mice (5-6 weeks and 12 months, weighing 18-30 g) were intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered paclitaxel diluted in saline (NaCl 0.9%) at a dose of 2 mg/kg every other day for a total of 4 injections. Von Frey and hot plate tests were performed before and after administration to confirm the successful establishment of the PIPN model and also to evaluate the pain of PIPN and the analgesic effect of PD-L1. On day 14 after PTX administration, PD-L1 protein (10 ng/pc) was injected into the PIPN via the intrathecal (i.t.) route. To knock down TRPV1 in the spinal cord, adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-Trpv1-RNAi (5 µL, 1 × 1013 vg/mL) was slowly injected via the i.t. route. Four weeks after AAV9 delivery, the downregulation of TRPV1 expression was verified by immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting. The levels of PD-L1, TRPV1 and CGRP were measured via Western blotting, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence staining. The levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß were measured via RT-PCR. RESULTS: TRPV1 and CGRP protein and mRNA levels were higher in the spinal cords of control female mice than in those of control male mice. PTX-induced nociceptive behaviors in female PIPN mice were greater than those in male PIPN mice, as indicated by increased expression of TRPV1 and CGRP. The analgesic effects of PD-L1 on mechanical hyperalgesia and thermal sensitivity were significantly greater in female mice than in male mice, with calculated relative therapeutic levels increasing by approximately 2.717-fold and 2.303-fold, respectively. PD-L1 and CGRP were partly co-localized with TRPV1 in the dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord. The analgesic effect of PD-L1 in PIPN mice was observed to be mediated through the downregulation of TRPV1 and CGRP expression following AAV9-mediated spinal cord specific decreased TRPV1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: PTX-induced nociceptive behaviors and the analgesic effect of PD-L1 in PIPN mice were sexually dimorphic, highlighting the significance of incorporating sex as a crucial biological factor in forthcoming mechanistic studies of PIPN and providing insights for potential sex-specific therapeutic approaches.

IPF-related new macrophage subpopulations and diagnostic biomarker identification - combine machine learning with single-cell analysis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease of unknown etiology that lacks a specific treatment. In IPF, macrophages play a key regulatory role as a major component of the lung immune system, especially during inflammation and fibrosis. However, our understanding of the cellular heterogeneity and molecular characterization of macrophages in IPF, as well as their relevance in the clinical setting, is relatively limited. In this study, we analyzed in-depth single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from lung tissues of IPF patients, identified macrophage subpopulations in IPF, and probed their molecular characteristics and biological functions. hdWGCNA identified co-expressed gene modules of a subpopulation of IPF-associated macrophages (IPF-MΦ), and probed the IPF-MΦ by a machine-learning approach. hdWGCNA identified a subpopulation of IPF-associated macrophage subpopulations and probed the IPF-MΦ signature gene (IRMG) for its prognostic value, and a prediction model was developed on this basis. In addition, IPF-MΦ was obtained after recluster analysis of macrophages in IPF lung tissues. Coexpressed gene modules of IPF-MΦ were identified by hdWGCNA. Then, a machine learning approach was utilized to reveal the characteristic genes of IPF-MΦ, and a prediction model was built on this basis. In addition, we discovered a type of macrophage unique to IPF lung tissue named ATP5-MΦ. Its characteristic gene encodes a subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase complex, which is closely related to oxidative phosphorylation and proton transmembrane transport, suggesting that ATP5-MΦ may have higher ATP synthesis capacity in IPF lung tissue. This study provides new insights into the pathogenesis of IPF and provides a basis for evaluating disease prognosis and predictive medicine in IPF patients.

A novel artificial intelligence model for measuring fetal intracranial markers during the first trimester based on two-dimensional ultrasound image.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference ranges of fetal intracranial markers during the first trimester and develop the first novel artificial intelligence (AI) model to measure key markers automatically. METHODS: This retrospective study used two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound images from 4233 singleton normal fetuses scanned at 11+0-13+6 weeks of gestation at the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2018 to July 2022. We analyzed 10 key markers in three important planes of the fetal head. Based on these, reference ranges of 10 fetal intracranial markers were established and an AI model was developed for automated marker measurement. AI and manual measurements were compared to evaluate differences, correlations, consistency, and time consumption based on mean error, Pearson correlation analysis, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and average measurement time. RESULTS: The results of AI and manual methods had strong consistency and correlation (all ICC values >0.75, all r values >0.75, and all P values <0.001). The average absolute error of both only ranged from 0.124 to 0.178 mm. AI achieved a 100% detection rate for abnormal cases. Additionally, the average measurement time of AI was only 0.49 s, which was more than 65 times faster than the manual measurement method. CONCLUSION: The present study first established the normal standard reference ranges of fetal intracranial markers based on a large Chinese population data set. Furthermore, the proposed AI model demonstrated its capability to measure multiple fetal intracranial markers automatically, serving as a highly effective tool to streamline sonographer tasks and mitigate manual measurement errors, which can be generalized to first-trimester scanning.

Exposure to O3 and NO2 on the interfacial chemistry of the pulmonary surfactant and the mechanism of lung oxidative damage.

Exposure to ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are related to pulmonary dysfunctions and various lung diseases, but the underlying biochemical mechanisms remain uncertain. Herein, the effect of inhalable oxidizing gas pollutants on the pulmonary surfactant (PS, extracted from porcine lungs), a mixture of active lipids and proteins that plays an important role in maintaining normal respiratory mechanics, is investigated in terms of the interfacial chemistry using in-vitro experiments; and the oxidative stress induced by oxidizing gases in the simulated lung fluid (SLF) supplemented with the PS is explored. The results showed that O3 and NO2 individually increased the surface tension of the PS and reduced its foaming ability; this was accompanied by the surface pressure-area isotherms of the PS monolayers shifting toward lower molecular areas, with O3 exhibiting more severe effects than NO2. Moreover, both O3 and NO2 produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in lipid peroxidation and protein damage to the PS. The formation of superoxide radicals (O2•-) was correlated with the decomposition of O3 and the reactions of O3 and NO2 with antioxidants in the SLF. These radicals, in the presence of antioxidants, led to the formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Additionally, the direct oxidation of unsaturated lipids by O3 and NO2 further caused an increase in the ROS content. This change in the ROS chemistry and increased •OH production tentatively explain how inhalable oxidizing gases lead to oxidative stress and adverse health effects. In summary, our results indicated that inhaled O3 and NO2 exposure can significantly alter the interfacial properties of the PS, oxidize its active ingredients, and induce ROS formation in the SLF. The results of this study provide a basis for the elucidation of the potential hazards of inhaled oxidizing gas pollutants in the human respiratory system.

[Exploring the Spatial and Temporal Trajectories of Land Use Carbon Emissions and Influencing Factors in the Aksu River Basin from 1990 to 2020].

Land use changes lead to changes in the functions of different types of carbon sources and sinks, which are key sources of carbon emissions. The study of carbon emissions and its influencing factors in the Aksu River Basin from the perspective of land use change is of great importance for the promotion of integrated protection and restoration of mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, sand, and ice in the basin and to help achieve the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Based on four periods of land use data and socio-economic data from 1990 to 2020, the total carbon emissions from land use were measured, and the spatial and temporal trajectories of carbon emissions and their influencing factors were explored. The results showed that:① from 1990 to 2020, arable land, forest land, construction land, and unused land showed a general increasing trend, whereas grasslands and water areas showed a decreasing trend. The spatial change in land use types was mainly characterized by the conversion of grasslands and unused land into arable land, and 83.58 % of the arable land conversion areas were concentrated in the southwest of Wensu, Aksu, and the northern part of Awat. ② The total net carbon emissions in the basin showed a continuous growth trend from 1990 to 2020, with a cumulative increase of 14.78×104 t. The increase in arable land was a key factor causing an increase in net carbon emissions in the basin. ③ The spatial distribution pattern of land use carbon emissions in the basin was high in the middle and low in the fourth, with significant changes in net carbon emissions mainly in the southern part of Wensu, Aksu, Awat, and Alaer. ④ Human activities had the strongest driving effect on land use carbon emissions, with their effects gradually increasing from east to west. The contribution of average annual temperature to land use carbon emissions was mainly concentrated in the eastern part of Aksu and the northern part of Awat, whereas average annual rainfall had a strong inhibitory effect on the northern part of Wensu and the western part of Aheqi.

Maize smart-canopy architecture enhances yield at high densities.

Increasing planting density is a key strategy to enhance maize yields1-3. An ideotype for dense planting requires a 'smart canopy' with leaf angles at different canopy layers differentially optimized to maximize light interception and photosynthesis4-6, amongst other features. Here, we identified leaf angle architecture of smart canopy 1 (lac1), a natural mutant possessing upright upper leaves, less erect middle leaves and relatively flat lower leaves. lac1 has improved photosynthetic capacity and weakened shade-avoidance responses under dense planting. lac1 encodes a brassinosteroid C-22 hydroxylase that predominantly regulates upper leaf angle. Phytochrome A photoreceptors accumulate in shade and interact with the transcription factor RAVL1 to promote its degradation via the 26S proteasome, thereby attenuating RAVL1 activation of lac1 and reducing brassinosteroid levels. This ultimately decreases upper leaf angle in dense fields. Large-scale field trials demonstrate lac1 boosts maize yields under high densities. To quickly introduce lac1 into breeding germplasm, we transformed a haploid inducer and recovered homozygous lac1 edits from 20 diverse inbred lines. The tested doubled haploids uniformly acquired smart-canopy-like plant architecture. We provide an important target and an accelerated strategy for developing high-density-tolerant cultivars, with lac1 serving as a genetic chassis for further engineering of a smart canopy in maize.

Iron-Cobalt Nanoparticles Embedded in B,N-Doped Chitosan-Derived Porous Carbon Aerogel for Overall Water Splitting.

Given their intriguing properties, porous carbons have surfaced as promising electrocatalysts for various energy conversion reactions. This study presents a unique approach where iron-cobalt (FeCo) is confined in a boron, nitrogen-doped chitosan-derived porous carbon aerogel (BNPC-FeCo) to serve as an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER). The BNPC-FeCo-900 electrocatalyst demonstrates excellent catalyst activity, with very low overpotentials of 186 and 320 mV at 10 mA cm-2, low Tafel slopes of 82 and 55 mV dec-1, and low charge transfer resistance of 2.68 and 9.25 Ω for HER and OER, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal that the cooperation between the boron, nitrogen codoped porous carbon, and the FeCo nanoparticles reduces intermediates' energy barriers, significantly enhancing the HER and OER performance. In conclusion, this work offers significant and informative perspectives into the potential of porous carbon materials as dual-purpose electrocatalysts for water splitting.

A novel standard-free detection of adulteration method for sildenafil derivatives in dietary supplements.

The rapid and accurate detection of illegal adulteration of chemical drugs into dietary supplements is a big challenge in the food chemistry field. Detection of compounds without a standard reference is even more difficult; however, this is a common situation. Here in this study, a novel "standard-free detection of adulteration" (SFDA) method was proposed and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor derivatives were used as an example to figure out the possibility and reliability of this SFDA method. After analysis by quadrupole coupled time of flight-tandem mass spectrometry detection and multivariable statistics, six common fragment ions were chosen to indicate whether adulteration was present or not, while 20 characteristic fragment ions indicated whether adulteration was by nitrogen-containing heterocycles or by anilines. Furthermore, the quantitative methods were conducted by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In a word, this strategy allows for a quick determination of dietary supplement adulteration without any need for standard materials, improving the efficacy of food safety testing.

Toxicity study of mineral medicine haematitum.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Haematitum, a time-honored mineral-based Chinese medicine, has been used medicinally in China for over 2000 years. It is now included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and used clinically for treating digestive and respiratory diseases. The Chinese Materia Medica records that it is toxic and should not be taken for a long period, but there are few research reports on the toxicity of Haematitum and its potential toxicity mechanisms. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of Haematitum and calcined Haematitum, including organ toxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. Further, it is also necessary to explore the mechanism of Haematitum toxicity and to provide a reference for the safe clinical use of the drug. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The samples of Haematitum and calcined Haematitum decoctions were prepared. KM mice were treated with samples by gavage for 10 days, and lung damage and apoptosis were assessed by HE staining and TUNEL staining of lung tissues respectively. Metabolomics analysis was performed by HPLC-MS. Metallomics analysis was performed by ICP-MS. In addition, C. elegans was used as a model for 48 h exposure to examine the neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity-related indices of Haematitum, including locomotor behaviors, growth and development, reproductive behaviors, AChE activities, sensory behaviors, apoptosis, and ROS levels. RESULTS: The use of large doses of Haematitum decoction caused lung damage in mice. Neither calcined Haematitum decoction nor Haematitum decoction at clinically used doses showed organ damage. Metabolomics results showed that disorders in lipid metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism may be important factors in Haematitum-induced pulmonary toxicity. High doses of Haematitum decoction caused neurological damage to C. elegans, while low doses of Haematitum decoction and calcined Haematitum decoction showed no significant neurotoxicity. Decoction of Haematitum and calcined Haematitum did not show reproductive toxicity to C. elegans. Toxicity was also not observed in the control group of iron (Ⅱ) and iron (Ⅲ) ions in equal amounts with high doses of Haematitum. CONCLUSIONS: Haematitum is relatively safe for routine doses and short-term use. Calcination can significantly reduce Haematitum toxicity, and this study provides a reference for safe clinical use.

GP-Recon: Online Monocular Neural 3D Reconstruction with Geometric Prior.

High-fidelity online 3D scene reconstruction from monocular videos continues to be challenging, especially for coherent and fine-grained geometry reconstruction. The previous learning-based online 3D reconstruction approaches with neural implicit representations have shown a promising ability for coherent scene reconstruction, but often fail to consistently reconstruct fine-grained geometric details during online reconstruction. This paper presents a new on-the-fly monocular 3D reconstruction approach, named GP-Recon, to perform high-fidelity online neural 3D reconstruction with fine-grained geometric details. We incorporate geometric prior (GP) into a scene's neural geometry learning to better capture its geometric details and, more importantly, propose an online volume rendering optimization to reconstruct and maintain geometric details during the online reconstruction task. The extensive comparisons with state-of-the-art approaches show that our GP-Recon consistently generates more accurate and complete reconstruction results with much better fine-grained details, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastases to kidney and renal hilar lymph nodes through epithelial-mesenchymal transition: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer (EC) metastasized to the kidney is extremely rare clinically. Here, we present a case of metachronous renal metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old patient, male, complained of left waist pain for 5 days, 11 months after radical esophagectomy. Laboratory tests revealed haematuria. Both CT and PET-CT scan showed retroperitoneal lymph nodes and left renal masses. Subsequently the patient received a left nephrectomy and lymph nodes resection, and squamous cell carcinoma of kidney and renal hilar lymph nodes was diagnosed, combined with morphology, medical history and immunophenotype, it was presumed to be metastasis of ESCC through the EMT pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The renal metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma should be considered in patients with history of EC, although this is very rare. Histopathological examination combined with immunochemical detection is helpful in differential diagnosis.

Network pharmacology and experimental verification to explore the effect of Hedyotis diffusa on Alzheimer's disease.

This study aimed to explore the active components and the effect of Hedyotis diffusa (HD) against Alzheimer's disease (AD) via network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental evaluations. We conducted a comprehensive screening process using the TCMSP, Swiss Target Prediction, and PharmMapper databases to identify the active components and their related targets in HD. In addition, we collected potential therapeutic targets of AD from the Gene Cards, Drugbank, and OMIM databases. Afterward, we utilized Cytoscape to establish both protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and compound-target (C-T) networks. To gain further insights into the functional aspect, we performed GO and KEGG pathway analyses using the David database. Next, we employed Autodock vina to estimate the binding force between the components and the hub genes. To validate our network pharmacology findings, we conducted relevant experiments on Caenorhabditis elegans, further confirming the reliability of our results. Then a total of six active compounds and 149 therapeutic targets were detected. Through the analysis of the association between active compounds, therapeutic targets, and signaling pathways, it was observed that the therapeutic effect of HD primarily encompassed the inhibition of Aß, suppression of AChE activity, and mitigating oxidative stress. Additionally, our investigation revealed that the key active compounds in HD primarily consisted of iridoids, which exhibited resistance against AD by acting on the Alzheimer's disease pathway and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications.

Fully Automated Localization and Measurement of Levator Hiatus Dimensions Using 3-D Pelvic Floor Ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an algorithm for the automated localization and measurement of levator hiatus (LH) dimensions (AI-LH) using 3-D pelvic floor ultrasound. METHODS: The AI-LH included a 3-D plane regression model and a 2-D segmentation model, which first achieved automated localization of the minimal LH dimension plane (C-plane) and measurement of the hiatal area (HA) on maximum Valsalva on the rendered LH images, but not on the C-plane. The dataset included 600 volumetric data. We compared AI-LH with sonographer difference (ASD) as well as the inter-sonographer differences (IESD) in the testing dataset (n = 240). The assessment encompassed the mean absolute error (MAE) for the angle and center point distance of the C-plane, along with the Dice coefficient, MAE, and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for HA, and included the time consumption. RESULTS: The MAE of the C-plane of ASD was 4.81 ± 2.47° with 1.92 ± 1.54 mm. AI-LH achieved a mean Dice coefficient of 0.93 for LH segmentation. The MAE on HA of ASD (1.44 ± 1.12 mm²) was lower than that of IESD (1.63 ± 1.58 mm²). The ICC on HA of ASD (0.964) was higher than that of IESD (0.949). The average time costs of AI-LH and manual measurement were 2.00 ± 0.22 s and 59.60 ± 2.63 s (t = 18.87, p < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSION: AI-LH is accurate, reliable, and robust in the localization and measurement of LH dimensions, which can shorten the time cost, simplify the operation process, and have good value in clinical applications.

miR-486-5p predicted adverse outcomes of SCAP and regulated K. pneumonia infection via FOXO1.

PURPOSE: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is a common respiratory system disease with rapid development and high mortality. Exploring effective biomarkers for early detection and development prediction of SCAP is of urgent need. The function of miR-486-5p in SCAP diagnosis and prognosis was evaluated to identify a promising biomarker for SCAP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The serum miR-486-5p in 83 patients with SCAP, 52 healthy individuals, and 68 patients with mild CAP (MCAP) patients were analyzed by PCR. ROC analysis estimated miR-486-5p in screening SCAP, and the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses evaluated the predictive value of miR-486-5p. The risk factors for MCAP patients developing SCAP were assessed by logistic analysis. The alveolar epithelial cell was treated with Klebsiella pneumonia to mimic the occurrence of SCAP. The targeting mechanism underlying miR-486-5p was evaluated by luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: Upregulated serum miR-486-5p screened SCAP from healthy individuals and MCAP patients with high sensitivity and specificity. Increasing serum miR-486-5p predicted the poor outcomes of SCAP and served as a risk factor for MCAP developing into SCAP. K. pneumonia induced suppressed proliferation, significant inflammation and oxidative stress in alveolar epithelial cells, and silencing miR-486-5p attenuated it. miR-486-5p negatively regulated FOXO1, and the knockdown of FOXO1 reversed the effect of miR-486-5p in K. pneumonia-treated alveolar epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: miR-486-5p acted as a biomarker for the screening and monitoring of SCAP and predicting the malignancy of MCAP. Silencing miR-486-5p alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress induced by K. pneumonia via negatively modulating FOXO1.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection complicated with cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection complicated with cardiovascular diseases. Methods: A retrospective analysis of general clinical data was conducted on patients with SARS-CoV-2 omicron infection complicated with hypertension, coronary heart disease, and heart failure admitted to one hospital in Guangdong Province from December 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023. Clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, treatment, and clinical outcomes were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection complicated with cardiovascular diseases. ROC curves were drawn to evaluate the predictive value of CRP, D-dimer, and CK-MB in predicting the risk of death. Results: A total of 364 confirmed cases were included, divided into the asymptomatic group, mild to moderate group, and severe to critically ill group based on the symptoms of COVID-19. There were 216 males (59.34%) and 148 females (40.66%), with a median age of 75 years. The differences between the three groups in terms of sex and age were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The top three underlying diseases were hypertension (288 cases, 79.12%), coronary heart disease (100 cases, 27.47%), and diabetes (84 cases, 23.08%). The differences in unvaccinated and triple-vaccinated patients among the three groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The common respiratory symptoms were cough in 237 cases (65.11%) and sputum production in 199 cases (54.67%). In terms of laboratory tests, there were statistically significant differences in neutrophils, lymphocytes, red blood cells, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatinine among the three groups (p < 0.05). In imaging examinations, there were statistically significant differences among the three groups in terms of unilateral pulmonary inflammation, bilateral pulmonary inflammation, and bilateral pleural effusion (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences among the three groups in terms of antibiotic treatment, steroid treatment, oxygen therapy, nasal cannula oxygen inhalation therapy, non-invasive ventilation, and tracheal intubation ventilation (p < 0.05). Regarding clinical outcomes, there were statistically significant differences among the three groups in terms of mortality (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that CRP (OR = 1.012, 95% CI = 1.004-1.019) and D-dimer (OR = 1.117, 95% CI = 1.021-1.224) were independent risk factors for patient mortality. The predictive value of CRP, D-dimer, and CK-MB for the risk of death was assessed. D-dimer had the highest sensitivity (95.8%) in predicting patient mortality risk, while CRP had the highest specificity (84.4%). Conclusion: For patients with COVID-19 and concomitant cardiovascular diseases without contraindications, early administration of COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots can effectively reduce the mortality rate of severe cases. Monitoring biomarkers such as CRP, D-dimer, and CK-MB and promptly providing appropriate care can help mitigate the risk of mortality in patients.

Inhibitory Effect of Puerarin on Lipopolysaccharide-triggered Inflammatory Responses of Bovine Kidney Cells.

Puerarin (Pue), a flavonoid compound, possesses cytoprotective effects and LPS has been reported to induce renal inflammatory injury in bovine. However, whether Pue inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory damage of bovine kidney cells remains unknown. Based on an in vitro model with Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line, it has found that Pue attenuated LPS-induced damage of MDBK cells, as evidenced by cell viability and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release rescued by Pue (P < 0.05). Additionally, the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that LPS elevated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which was reversed by pretreatment of Pue (P < 0.05). Besides, Pue reduced the expression of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa B (p-NF-κB) of LPS-exposed MDBK cells (P < 0.05). Collectively, these results showed that Pue suppresses LPS-evoked inflammatory damage of bovine kidney cells, suggesting Pue a potential compound for intervention of bovine inflammation.