Characterization of Early Gonadal Differentiation and Induction of Sex Reversal in the Rock Bream Oplegnathus fasciatus.

Rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) is a typical fish that has a unique multiple sex chromosome system (♀X1X1X2X2/♂X1X2Y). We examined the early gonadal development in rock bream via continuous histological observations of the gonads at 40-120 days post hatching (dph). The fish was identified as a typical gonochorist, and female gonads were found to differentiate earlier than male gonads. The ovarian cavity of the female was initially observed at 80 dph, whereas the efferent duct of the male was not observed until 100 dph. Immunofluorescence with the vasa-antibody revealed that germ cells were predominantly distributed around the ovarian cavity in females and on the edge of the gonad in males during the early stages of sex differentiation. Sex reversal was induced via the oral administration of letrozole (LTZ), 17α-methyltestosterone (MT), and 17ß-estradiol (E2), respectively, during the labile period of gonadal development. LTZ and MT induced 100% masculinization of genotype-females, whereas E2 induced only 50-60% feminization of genotype-males. Such findings suggest that the fish retained high sexual plasticity despite the existence of the neo-Y chromosome. MT and E2 had negative effect on fish growth, whereas LTZ did not exert such side effect. LTZ and MT could accelerate gonadal development in sex-reversed genotype-males, whereas E2 inhibited gonadal development in genotype-females of rock bream. These findings provide a basis for further research on the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in fishes with X1X2Y sex chromosome system and provide a sex reversal protocol for rock bream.

The effect of China's birth policy changes on birth defects-A large hospital-based cross-sectional study.

A retrospective analysis of birth data hospital-based obtained from 14 monitoring areas in the Huaihe River Basin from 2009 to 2019 was conducted. Trend in the total prevalence of birth defects (BDs) and subgroups were analyzed using the Joinpoint Regression model. The incidence of BDs increased gradually from 118.87 per 10,000 in 2009 to 241.18 per 10,000 in 2019 (AAPC = 5.91, P < 0.001). Congenital heart diseases were the most common subtype of BDs. The proportion of maternal age younger than 25 decreased but the age 25-40 years increased significantly (AAPC<20=-5.58; AAPC20-24=-6.38; AAPC25-29 = 5.15; AAPC30-35 = 7.07; AAPC35-40 = 8.27; All P < 0.05). Compared with the one-child policy period, the risk of BDs was greater for groups among maternal age younger than 40 years during the partial and universal two-child policy period (P < 0.001). The incidence of BDs and the proportion of women with advanced maternal age in Huaihe River Basin is increasing. There was an interaction between changes in birth policy and the mother's age on the risk of BDs.

Preoperative prognostic nutrition index can independently predict the 6-month prognosis of elderly patients undergoing neurosurgical clipping for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The number of elderly patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is increasing annually. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is used as a novel and valuable prognostic marker for various neoplastic diseases and other critical illnesses. This study aimed to identify the short-term prognostic value of preoperative PNI in elderly patients who underwent neurosurgical clipping for aSAH. This retrospective study included elderly patients with aSAH who underwent neurosurgical clipping from January 2018 to December 2020. Clinical variables and 6-month outcomes were collected and compared. Epidemiological data and effect factors of prognosis were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses were used to evaluate the predictive value of preoperative PNI. Multiple logistic regression was performed to establish a nomogram. A total of 124 elderly patients were enrolled. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative PNI (odds ratio (OR), 0.779; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.689-0.881; P < 0.001), Hunt-Hess grade (OR, 3.291; 95%CI, 1.816-5.966; P < 0.001), and hydrocephalus (OR, 9.423; 95%CI, 2.696-32.935; P < 0.001) were significant predictors. The area under the ROC curve of PNI was 0.829 (95% CI, 0.755-0.903; P < 0.001) with a sensitivity and specificity of 68.4% and 83.3%, respectively, and the cutoff value was 46.36. Patients with preoperative PNI of < 46.36 had a significantly unfavorable 6-months prognosis (F = 40.768, P < 0.001). Preoperative PNI is independently correlated with the 6-month prognosis in elderly patients who undergo neurosurgical clipping for aSAH.

Dual rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positivity affects the manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: Rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) are used in the diagnosis and prognostication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We wanted to determine the specific contributions of RF and ACPA to the biological nature of RA and whether they act synergistically. Methods: We identified 731 patients from our prospective multi-ethnic RA cohort and categorised them into four groups: ACPA-positive, RF-positive, doubly positive and doubly negative. We compared the demographics, Disease Activity Score-28, Health Assessment Questionnaire score, quality of life using Short Form 36 and the use of prednisolone and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) of these patient groups. Results: Four hundred and ninety-one patients (67.2%) were ACPA+RF+, 54 (7.4%) were ACPA+RF-, 82 (11.2%) were ACPA-RF+ and 104 (14.2%) were ACPA-RF-. Mean disease duration before the study entry was not different in the four groups. Patients with older age of onset were less likely to be positive for RF and ACPA. Fewer ACPA+RF+ patients were in remission compared to those in the other groups (P < 0.05). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was higher at study entry in the ACPA+RF+ group (40.4 mm/h vs. 30.6-30.9 mm/h, P < 0.05). Prednisolone and number of DMARDs used were higher in the ACPA+RF+ group compared to the doubly negative group. There were no differences in the functional status and quality of life. Conclusions: RA patients who were positive for both ACPA and RF had lower remission rate, higher baseline ESR and required more corticosteroid and DMARD treatment compared to those who were singly positive or doubly negative. Being doubly positive confers a worse outcome to RA patients.

RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis of Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. leaf epidermis defines tissue-specific transcriptional response to salinity treatment.

Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. is a typical mangrove plant. Its epidermis contains salt glands, which can secrete excess salts onto the leaf surfaces, improving the salt tolerance of the plants. However, knowledge on the epidermis-specific transcriptional responses of A. marina to salinity treatment is lacking. Thus, physiological and transcriptomic techniques were applied to unravel the salt tolerance mechanism of A. marina. Our results showed that 400 mM NaCl significantly reduced the plant height, leaf area, leaf biomass and photosynthesis of A. marina. In addition, 1565 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 634 and 931 were up- and down-regulated. Based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes metabolic pathway enrichment analysis, we demonstrated that decreased gene expression, especially that of OEE1, PQL2, FDX3, ATPC, GAPDH, PRK, FBP and RPE, could explain the inhibited photosynthesis caused by salt treatment. Furthermore, the ability of A. marina to cope with 400 mM NaCl treatment was dependent on appropriate hormone signalling and potential sulfur-containing metabolites, such as hydrogen sulfide and cysteine biosynthesis. Overall, the present study provides a theoretical basis for the adaption of A. marina to saline habitats and a reference for studying the salt tolerance mechanism of other mangrove plants.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Patients in North China: Seasonality and the Association between Vitamin D Status and Glycosylated Hemoglobin Levels.

Background and Aims: Previous studies have reported a correlation between vitamin D levels and seasonality in healthy populations. However, there are few studies on the seasonal variation in vitamin D levels and its relationship with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objective of this study was to investigate seasonal changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and the associations between these vitamin D concentrations and HbA1c levels in T2DM patients in Hebei, China. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1,074 individuals with T2DM was conducted from May 2018 to September 2021. Levels of 25(OH)D in these patients were assessed based on both sex and season, and relevant clinical or laboratory variables that could impact vitamin D status were also considered. Results: In the T2DM patient cohort, the mean blood 25(OH)D levels were 17.05 ng/mL. A total of 698 patients (65.0%) had insufficient serum 25(OH)D levels. The vitamin D deficiency rates were significantly higher in the winter and spring compared to the autumn (P < 0.05), indicating that seasonal fluctuations can have a significant impact on 25(OH)D levels. The levels of vitamin D inadequacy were highest in the winter (74%), and females were more likely than males to be deficient (73.4% vs. 59.5%, P < 0.001). In comparison to the winter and spring, both males and females showed higher 25(OH)D levels in the summer (P < 0.001). HbA1c levels were 8.9% higher in those with vitamin D deficiencies than in nondeficient patients (P < 0.001). HbA1c and vitamin D levels were negatively correlated (r = -0.119, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiencies are particularly prevalent among T2DM patients in Hebei, China, with exceptionally high rates in the winter and spring. Female T2DM patients were at an elevated risk of vitamin D deficiency, and vitamin D levels were negatively correlated with HbA1c.

Photosynthesis Product Allocation and Yield in Sweet Potato in Response to Different Late-Season Irrigation Levels.

Soil water deficit is an important factor affecting the source-sink balance of sweet potato during its late-season growth, but water regulation during this period has not been well studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the appropriate irrigation level in late-season sweet potato, and the effect of irrigation level on accumulation and allocation of photosynthetic products. In this study, two yield-based field trials (2021-2022) were conducted in which five late-season irrigation levels set according to the crop evapotranspiration rate were tested (T0: non-irrigation, T1: 33% ETc, T2: 75% ETc, T3: 100% ETc, T4: 125% ETc). The effects of the different irrigation levels on photosynthetic physiological indexes, 13C transfer allocation, water use efficiency (WUE), water productivity (WP), and the yield and economic benefit of sweet potato were studied. The results showed that late-season irrigation significantly increased the total chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate of functional leaves, in addition to promoting the accumulation of above-ground-source organic biomass (p < 0.05). The rate of 13C allocation, maximum accumulation rate (Vmax), and average accumulation rate (Vmean) of dry matter in storage root were significantly higher under T2 irrigation than under the other treatments (p < 0.05). This suggests that both non-irrigation (T0) and over-irrigation (T4) were not conducive to the transfer and allocation of photosynthetic products to storage roots in late-season sweet potato. However, moderate irrigation (T2) effectively promoted the source-sink balance, enhanced the source photosynthetic rate and stimulated the sink activity, such that more photosynthate was allocated to the storage sink. The results also showed that T2 irrigation treatments significantly increased yield, WUE and WP compared to T0 and T4 (p < 0.05), suggesting that moderate irrigation (T2) can significantly promote the potential of storage root production and field productivity. There was a close relationship between economic benefit and marketable sweet potato yield, and both were highest under T2 (p < 0.05), increasing by 36.1% and 59.9% compared with T0 over the two-year study period. In conclusion, irrigation of late-season sweet potato with 75% evapotranspiration (T2) can improve both the yield and production potential. Together, these results support the use of late-season water management in the production of sweet potato.

Copper and temperature shaped abundant and rare community assembly respectively in the Yellow River.

Untangling assembly and microbial interaction of abundant and rare microbiota in aquatic ecosystem is pivotal for understanding how community assembly respond to environmental variables and co-occurrence patterns. Here, we explored the assembly mechanisms, their drivers, and species co-occurrence of abundant and rare microbiomes in the Yellow River using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in Lanzhou, China. Here, abundant community was ubiquitous across all sites, whereas rare community was uneven distributed. The richness and community dissimilarity of rare taxa were significantly greater than those of abundant ones. Stochastic processes structured the rare community assembly in spring and winter, while deterministic processes shaped the abundant and rare community assembly in other seasons and all sites. Copper and water temperature mediated the balance between deterministic and stochastic processes of abundant and rare community, respectively. A few abundant taxa with closer relationships frequently occupied central positions and had a great effect on other co-occurrences in the network, while the majority of keystone microbiota were rare microbiome and played a considerable part in maintaining the network structure. Our study provides some ecological proposals for water quality management and ecological stability of the Yellow River. KEY POINTS: • Deterministic process dominated abundant and rare community assembly. • Cu and TW mediated the balance of abundant and rare community assembly respectively. • Abundant taxa had a greater effect on other co-occurrences in the network.

Investigation into the current status of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of da Vinci surgical instruments-a cross-sectional survey.

Background: In recent years, the use of robotic-assisted surgery has developed rapidly in China and is now widely used in many clinical fields. However, da Vinci robotic surgical instruments are more precise, expensive, and complex than ordinary laparoscopes, have less instrument configuration, involve restrictions on the duration of use, and have cleanliness requirements for supporting instruments. The purpose of this study was to analyze and summarize the current status of cleaning, disinfection, and maintenance of da Vinci robotic surgical instruments in China to improve the management of these devices. Methods: A questionnaire survey on the use of da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery at medical institutions in China was designed, distributed, and analyzed. The survey included items regarding general information, management of instrument handling personnel, instrument handling techniques, guidelines, and references for instrument handling. The results and conclusions were formed from the data generated by the analysis system and the answers of respondents to the open-ended questions. Results: (I) All surgical instruments used in domestic surgery practice were imported. There were 25 hospitals that conduct more than 500 da Vinci robotic-assisted surgeries every year. (II) In a relatively high proportion of medical institutions, nurses continued to be responsible for the processes of cleaning (46%), disinfection (66%), and low-temperature sterilization (50%). (III) A total of 62% of the surveyed institutions used fully manual methods for cleaning instruments, and 30% of the ultrasonic cleaning equipment in surveyed institutions did not comply with the standard. (IV) A total of 28% of surveyed institutions used only visual inspection to evaluate cleaning efficacy. Only 16-32% of surveyed institutions regularly used adenosine triphosphate (ATP), residual protein, and other methods to detect sterilization of cavities in instruments. (V) In 60% of the surveyed institutions, robotic surgical instruments have been damaged. Conclusions: Cleaning efficacy detection methods of robotic surgical instruments were not uniform and standardized. The management of device protection operations should be further regulated. In addition, further study of relevant guidelines and specifications as well as the training of operators is warranted.

Why do family firms dismiss their family CEOs? A perspective on kinship ties.

Existing studies have suggested that nonfamily CEOs are more likely to be fired from family firms, while we focus on why family CEOs are also fired from family firms. Using data from 455 listed Chinese family firms, we find that family CEOs with affinity ties are more likely to be dismissed as they are not genetically related to the family. The difference becomes greater when firm performance is poor or family ownership is high. These findings elaborate that business-owing family is not a group with aligned interests, that is, family members with different family identities are treated differently within family. Besides, existing studies have emphasized that the preservation of socioemotional wealth in family firms can affect firms' operations, while this study further proposes that the preservation of socioemotional wealth can also have an impact on the business-owning families themselves.

Mechanism underlying the acceleration of pitting corrosion of B30 copper-nickel alloy by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Despite its excellent corrosion resistance, B30 copper-nickel alloy is prone to pitting, particularly when exposed to microorganisms. The mechanism underlying the acceleration of pitting in this alloy is not fully understood. In this study, the acceleration of pitting corrosion in B30 copper-nickel alloy caused by a marine microorganism named Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) was investigated using surface analysis and electrochemical techniques. P. aeruginosa significantly accelerated the pitting in B30 copper-nickel alloy, with a maximum pitting depth of 1.9 times that of the abiotic control and a significant increase in pitting density. This can be attributed to extracellular electron transfer and copper-ammonia complex production by P. aeruginosa, accelerating the breakdown of the passivation film.

Protective effect of L-pipecolic acid on constipation in C57BL/6 mice based on gut microbiome and serum metabolomic.

BACKGROUND: Functional constipation (FC) in children affects their growth, development and quality of life. L-pipecolic acid (L-PA) was decreased in FC children based on gut microbiome and serum metabolomic. In this study, loperamide-induced constipation in mice was used to evaluate the effects of L-PA on constipated mice. METHOD: 26 FC and 28 healthy children were recruited. Stool samples and serum samples were subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) approach, respectively. A loperamide-induced mouse constipation model was developed, and all mice were randomly divided into control (Con), loperamide (Lop) and L-PA (Lop + L-PA) treatment groups (6 mice per group). The mice in the Lop + L-PA group were given L-PA (250 mg/kg, once a day) and loperamide; the Lop group was given loperamide for 1 week, and the Con group was given saline. The fecal parameters and intestinal motility of mice in each group were detected. serum 5-HT levels and colon 5-HT expression were detected by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively; qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of AQP3 and 5-HT4R mRNA in each group. RESULTS: 45 differential metabolites and 18 significantly different microbiota were found in FC children. The α and ß diversity of gut microbiota in FC children was significantly reduced. Importantly, serum L-PA was significantly reduced in FC children. The KEGG pathway enrichment were mainly enriched in fatty acid biosynthesis, lysine degradation, and choline metabolism. L-PA was negatively associated with Ochrobactrum, and N6, N6, N6-trimethyl-l-lysine was positively associated with Phascolarcrobacterium. In addition, L-PA improved the fecal water content, intestinal transit rate, and increased the serum 5-HT levels in constipated mice. Moreover, L-PA increased the expression of 5-HT4R, reduced AQP3, and regulated constipation-associated genes. CONCLUSIONS: Gut microbiota and serum metabolites were significantly altered in children with FC. The abundance of Phascolarctobacterium and Ochrobactrum and serum L-PA content were decreased in FC children. L-PA was found to alleviate the fecal water content, increase intestinal transit rate and the first black stool defecation time. L-PA improved constipation by increasing 5-HT and 5-HT4R expression while down-regulating AQP3 expression.

Radiotherapy upregulated immune checkpoints contribute to the development of second primary OSCC.

OBJECTIVES: Radiation injury is common after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Radiotherapy can reshape the immune microenvironment and cause immunosuppression, including dysregulation of immune checkpoints (ICs). However, the relationship between oral ICs expression after radiation and the development of second primary tumors is unclear. METHODS: Clinical specimens of second primary oral squamous cell carcinoma after radiotherapy (s-OSCC) and primary OSCC (p-OSCC) were collected. The expression and prognostic value of PD-1, VISTA, and TIM-3 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. To further clarify the relationship between radiation and ICs alteration, a rat model was constructed to explore the spatiotemporal changes of ICs in the oral mucosa after radiation. RESULTS: In carcinoma tissue, the expression of TIM-3 was higher in s-OSCC than in p-OSCC, while the expression of PD-1 and VISTA was similar between the groups. In para-carcinoma tissue, the expression of PD-1, VISTA, and TIM-3 was higher in s-OSCC. High ICs expression was associated with poor survival. In the rat model, ICs were locally upregulated in the irradiated tongue. Moreover, there was a bystander effect, in which the ICs were also upregulated in the unirradiated site. CONCLUSION: Radiation may upregulate ICs expression in oral mucosa and contribute to the development of s-OSCC.

SZT2 variants associated with partial epilepsy or epileptic encephalopathy and the genotype-phenotype correlation.

Background: Recessive SZT2 variants are reported to be associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 18 (DEE-18) and occasionally neurodevelopment abnormalities (NDD) without seizures. This study aims to explore the phenotypic spectrum of SZT2 and the genotype-phenotype correlation. Methods: Trios-based whole-exome sequencing was performed in patients with epilepsy. Previously reported SZT2 mutations were systematically reviewed to analyze the genotype-phenotype correlations. Results: SZT2 variants were identified in six unrelated cases with heterogeneous epilepsy, including one de novo null variant and five pairs of biallelic variants. These variants had no or low frequencies in controls. All missense variants were predicted to alter the hydrogen bonds with surrounding residues and/or protein stability. The three patients with null variants exhibited DEE. The patients with biallelic null mutations presented severe DEE featured by frequent spasms/tonic seizures and diffuse cortical dysplasia/periventricular nodular heterotopia. The three patients with biallelic missense variants presented mild partial epilepsy with favorable outcomes. Analysis of previously reported cases revealed that patients with biallelic null mutations presented significantly higher frequency of refractory seizures and earlier onset age of seizure than those with biallelic non-null mutations or with biallelic mutations containing one null variant. Significance: This study suggested that SZT2 variants were potentially associated with partial epilepsy with favorable outcomes without NDD, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of SZT2. The genotype-phenotype correlation helps in understanding the underlying mechanism of phenotypic variation.

Enhanced methane production from the co-digestion of food waste and thermally hydrolyzed sludge filtrate.

Although many technologies can be applied to sewage sludge (SS) and food waste (FW) treatment, high investment and operational costs, high land occupation, and the "not-in-my-backyard" effect pose many challenges in practice. Thus, it is important to develop and utilize low-carbon or negative-carbon technologies to tackle the carbon problem. This paper proposes a method of anaerobic co-digestion of FW and SS, thermally hydrolyzed sludge (THS), or THS filtrate (THF) to enhance their methane potential. Compared to the co-digestion of SS with FW, the methane yield of the co-digestion of THS and FW was 9.7-69.7% higher, and that of the co-digestion of THF and FW was 11.1-101.1% higher. The synergistic effect was weakened with the addition of THS but enhanced with the addition of THF, potentially owing to the change in humic substances. Filtration removed most humic acids (HAs) from THS but retained fulvic acids (FAs) in THF. Moreover, THF produced 71.4% of the methane yield of THS, although only 25% of the organic matter permeated from THS to THF. This indicated that hardly biodegradable substances remained in the dewatering cake and were removed from anaerobic digestion systems. The results indicate that the co-digestion of THF and FW is an effective way to enhance methane production.

Efficacy of prolonged intravenous lidocaine infusion for postoperative movement-evoked pain following hepatectomy: a double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The analgesic effect of intravenous lidocaine varies with the duration of lidocaine infusion and surgery type. We tested the hypothesis that prolonged lidocaine infusion alleviates postoperative pain in patients recovering from hepatectomy over the first 3 postoperative days. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective hepatectomy were randomly assigned to receive prolonged i.v. lidocaine treatment or placebo. The primary outcome was incidence of moderate-to-severe movement-evoked pain at 24 h postoperatively. The secondary outcomes included incidence of moderate-to-severe pain during movement and at rest throughout the first 3 postoperative days, postoperative opioid consumption, and pulmonary complications. Plasma lidocaine concentration was also monitored. RESULTS: We enrolled 260 subjects. Intravenous lidocaine lowered the incidence of moderate-to-severe movement-evoked pain at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively (47.7% vs 67.7%, P=0.001; 38.5% vs 58.5%, P=0.001) and reduced movement-evoked pain scores (3.7 [1.7] vs 4.2 [1.6]; mean difference 0.5 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.1-0.9]; P=0.018) and morphine equivalent consumption (47.2 [16.7] mg vs 52.6 [19.2] mg; mean difference 5.4 mg [95% CI: 1.0-9.8]; P=0.016) at 24 h postoperatively. Lidocaine also lowered the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (23.1% vs 38.5%; P=0.007). Median plasma lidocaine concentrations were 1.5, 1.9, and 1.1 µg ml-1 (inter-quartile ranges: 1.1-2.1, 1.4-2.6, and 0.8-1.6, respectively) after bolus injection, at the end of the surgery, and 24 h postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged intravenous lidocaine infusion reduced the incidence of moderate-to-severe movement-evoked pain for 48 h after hepatectomy. However, the reduction in pain scores and opioid consumption by lidocaine was below the minimal clinically important difference. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04295330.

Role of neuronavigation in the surgical management of brainstem gliomas.

Objective: NeuroNavigation (NN) is a widely used intraoperative imaging guidance technique in neurosurgical operations; however, its value in brainstem glioma (BSG) surgery is inadequately reported and lacks objective proof. This study aims to investigate the applicational value of NN in BSG surgery. Method: A retrospective analysis was performed on 155 patients with brainstem gliomas who received craniotomy from May 2019 to January 2022 at Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Eighty-four (54.2%) patients received surgery with NN. Preoperative and postoperative cranial nerve dysfunctions, muscle strength, and Karnofsky (KPS) were evaluated. Patients' radiological features, tumor volume, and extent of resection (EOR) were obtained from conventional MRI data. Patients' follow-up data were also collected. Comparative analyses on these variables were made between the NN group and the non-NN group. Result: The usage of NN is independently related to a higher EOR in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) (p=0.005) and non-DIPG group (p<0.001). It was observed that fewer patients in the NN group suffered from deterioration of KPS (p=0.032) and cranial nerve function (p=0.017) in non-DIPG group, and deterioration of muscle strength (p=0.040) and cranial nerve function (p=0.038) in DIPG group. Moreover, the usage of NN is an independent protective factor for the deterioration of KPS (p=0.04) and cranial nerve function (p=0.026) in non-DIPG patients and the deterioration of muscle strength (p=0.009) in DIPG patients. Furthermore, higher EOR subgroups were found to be independently related to better prognoses in DIPG patients (p=0.008). Conclusion: NN has significant value in BSG surgery. With the assistance of NN, BSG surgery achieved higher EOR without deteriorating patients' functions. In addition, DIPG patients may benefit from the appropriate increase of EOR.

Associations of Whole Blood Zinc Levels with Coronary Artery Calcification and Future Cardiovascular Events in CKD Patients.

This study was conducted to compare the differences of the whole blood zinc concentration in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as compared to healthy controls, and to explore the correlations of the whole blood zinc level with coronary artery calcification (CAC) and cardiovascular event (CVE) in CKD patients. A total of 170 CKD patients and 62 healthy controls were recruited. The whole blood zinc concentration was determined in using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method. The degrees of CAC were evaluated by Agatston score based on computed tomography (CT). Regular follow-up visits were performed to record the incidence of CVE, and risk factors were analyzed by COX proportional hazard model and Kaplan-Meier survival curve. There were statistically significant lower zinc levels in CKD patients than in healthy population. The prevalence of CAC was 58.82% in CKD patients. Correlation analysis showed that dialysis duration, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), total cholesterol (TC), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) were positively correlated with CAC, while albumin (ALB), hemoglobin (Hb), and zinc levels were negatively associated with CAC. Further COX proportional hazard model demonstrated that moderate to severe CAC, NLR, phosphate, 25(OH)D3, iPTH, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were associated with an increased risk for CVE, while zinc levels, Hb, and ALB were inversely associated with a reduced risk for CVE. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that low zinc (zinc < 86.62 µmol/L) patients and moderate to severe CAC patients had lower survival respectively. Our study found the lower levels of zinc and higher prevalence of CAC in CKD patients; the low zinc is involved in the high incidence rate of moderate to severe CAC and CVE in CKD patients.

Network pharmacology and bioinformatics to identify molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of Ruyi Jinhuang Powder in the treatment of monkeypox.

Monkeypox outbreaks across the globe has aroused widespread concern. Ruyi Jinhuang Powder (RJP), a common formula in Chinese medicine, is used to treat pox-like illnesses. This study aimed to identify the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of RJP for the treatment of monkeypox using network pharmacology and bioinformatics techniques. The bioactive substances and potential targets of each component of RJP were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) were identified from the GSE24125 by GEO2R. Key signaling pathways, bioactive components, and potential targets were obtained by bioinformatics analysis, including gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), disease ontology (DO), and protein-protein interactions (PPI) analyses. Finally, molecular docking was used to predict the interaction between active compounds and core targets. A total of 158 active ingredients and 17 drug-disease-shared targets of RJP were screened. Bioinformatics indicated that wogonin and quercetin might be potential drug candidates. Potential therapeutic targets were identified. Immune-related mechanisms that exerted antiviral effects included signaling pathways like TNF, age-rage, and c-type lectin receptor pathways. Our results illustrated the good therapeutic effect of RJP on monkeypox in terms of biological activity, potential targets, and molecular mechanism. This also offered a promising strategy to reveal the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanism of herbal formulas used to treat the disease.

Deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 2 (DLEU2): a possible biomarker that holds promise for future diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The mechanism of deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 2 (DLEU2)-long non-coding RNA in tumors has become a major point of interest in recent research related to the occurrence and development of a variety of tumors. Recent studies have shown that the long non-coding RNA DLEU2 (lncRNA-DLEU2) can cause abnormal gene or protein expression by acting on downstream targets in cancers. At present, most lncRNA-DLEU2 play the role of oncogenes in different tumors, which are mostly associated with tumor characteristics, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The data thus far show that because lncRNA-DLEU2 plays an important role in most tumors, targeting abnormal lncRNA-DLEU2 may be an effective treatment strategy for early diagnosis and improving the prognosis of patients. In this review, we integrated lncRNA-DLEU2 expression in tumors, its biological functions, molecular mechanisms, and the utility of DLEU2 as an effective diagnostic and prognostic marker of tumors. This study aimed to provide a potential direction for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of tumors using lncRNA-DLEU2 as a biomarker and therapeutic target.