Biogeography and diversity patterns of functional genes associated with C, N, P, S cycling processes across China classical sea sediments.

Microbial activities influence the ecological functions of marine ecosystems and play an essential role in biogeochemical cycling. However, there are more studies on microbial diversity and community structure, and few reports have explored nutrient cycling processes by microbial functional gene abundance and diversity. Given these limitations, in order to investigate the variability of nutrient cycling among different sea areas and its influencing factors, the sediments of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea were used in this study. The number of average copies of each functional gene was obtained by the quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) smart chip. A total of 65 functional genes related to C, N, P and S cycling were identified, and the results showed that all functional genes decreased in the order of magnitude from the Bohai Sea to the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea, and the abundance of functional genes was significantly higher at the sampling sites near the land side, which related to human activities. Additionally, NH4+, organic carbon, total carbon and geographical factor were the main driving factors of functional gene composition changes (p < 0.05), and all functional genes were significantly correlated with total carbon and geographical distance (p < 0.01). These findings further expand the understanding of marine ecosystems and provide robust support for global biogeochemical cycles.

Identification of novel 3-aryl-1-aminoisoquinolines-based KRASG12C inhibitors: Rational drug design and expedient construction by CH functionalization/annulation.

Developing a synthetic methodology to expediently construct a specific drug scaffold with the desired biological activity remains challenging. Herein, we describe a work on rational application of a synthetic methodology in the synthesis of KRASG12C inhibitors. Novel KRASG12C inhibitors were initially designed with 1-amino-3-aryl isoquinoline scaffold using structure-based drug design strategy. A ruthenium-catalyzed direct monoCH functionalization/annulation cascade reaction of amidines and sulfoxonium ylides was then developed with high versatility of substrates and good tolerance for polar functional groups. By using this reaction, the target compounds 1-amino-3-aryl isoquinolines were facilely prepared. Further in vitro tests led to identification of two novel lead compounds with KRASG12C inhibitory activity.

Geldanaycin-encapsulated magnetic nanoparticle for isolation of myosin in proteomics.

The grafting of a drug molecule, i.e., geldanamycin (GA) onto polyethyleneimine (PEI)-coated magnetic nanoparticle produces a novel composite, GA@Fe3O4-NH2. The composite is confirmed by characterizations with FT-IR, Raman, SEM, EDS, VSM and TEM. Due to the high binding-affinity of GA with myosin heavy chain (MYH), GA@Fe3O4-NH2 exhibits excellent adsorption performance towards myosin. Consequently, a solid-phase extraction procedure is established for highly efficient and selective separation of myosin from pig heart extract. At pH 6.0, an adsorption efficiency of 97.1 % is achieved for treating 100 µg mL-1 myosin (0.1 mL) with 0.1 mg GA@Fe3O4-NH2 as adsorbent. The adsorption behavior of myosin onto GA@Fe3O4-NH2 fits Langmuir model, corresponding to a theoretical adsorption capacity of 518.1 mg g-1. The adsorbed myosin can be readily recycled by the SDS solution (1 %, m/m) with an elution efficiency of 91.8 %. According to circular dichroism spectroscopy, the conformational changes of myosin during adsorption and elution are reversible. For practical application, myosin is successfully isolated from the pig left ventricular protein extract with GA@Fe3O4-NH2, and SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS showed that myosin had high purity and a total of 716 proteins could be identified. Significantly, Geldamycin-encapsulated magnetic nanoparticle for the separation of myosin well exploits the potential of the nanomaterials modified by drug molecules in the separation and purification of target proteins.

Daqu and environmental microbiota regulate fatty acid biosynthesis via driving the core microbiota in soy sauce aroma type liquor fermentation.

Fatty acids are considered as important compounds for the aroma and taste of Chinese liquor. Revealing the core microbiota related with fatty acid biosynthesis and how they are influenced are essential to control fatty acids in spontaneous Chinese liquor fermentation. Herein, we identified the core microbiota related with fatty acid biosynthesis based on their microbial abundance, abundance and expression level of genes related with fatty acid biosynthesis, using high-throughput amplicon sequencing, metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis, respectively. Acetilactobacillus, Kroppenstedtia, Saccharomyces, Paecilomyces and Pichia were identified as the core microbiota (the criteria for identifying core microbiota: average relative abundance ≥1 %, average abundance of related genes >400 fragments per kilobase of transcript per million fragments mapped [FPKM], and expression level of related genes >1000 FPKM) related with fatty acid biosynthesis. SourceTracker analysis showed that Daqu mainly provided Kroppenstedtia (34.01 %) and Acetilactobacillus (3.31 %). Ground mainly provided Pichia (47.47 %), Saccharomyces (16.17 %) and Paecilomyces (8.55 %). Structural equation model revealed that Daqu and environmental microbiota drove the core microbiota (P < 0.05), and the core microbiota drove the biosynthesis of fatty acids (P < 0.05). This work revealed the important role of Daqu and environmental microbiota in fatty acid biosynthesis in liquor fermentation. It would benefit controlling fatty acids in liquor fermentation, and improving the liquor quality.

Zinc finger protein 831 promotes apoptosis and enhances chemosensitivity in breast cancer by acting as a novel transcriptional repressor targeting the STAT3/Bcl2 signaling pathway.

Emerging evidence suggested that zinc finger protein 831 (ZNF831) was associated with immune activity and stem cell regulation in breast cancer. Whereas, the roles and molecular mechanisms of ZNF831 in oncogenesis remain unclear. ZNF831 expression was significantly diminished in breast cancer which was associated with promoter CpG methylation but not mutation. Ectopic over-expression of ZNF831 suppressed breast cancer cell proliferation and colony formation and promoted apoptosis in vitro, while knockdown of ZNF831 resulted in an opposite phenotype. Anti-proliferation effect of ZNF831 was verified in vivo. Bioinformatic analysis of public databases and transcriptome sequencing both showed that ZNF831 could enhance apoptosis through transcriptional regulation of the JAK/STAT pathway. ChIP and luciferase report assays demonstrated that ZNF831 could directly bind to one specific region of STAT3 promoter and induce the transcriptional inhibition of STAT3. As a result, the attenuation of STAT3 led to a restraint of the transcription of Bcl2 and thus accelerated the apoptotic progression. Augmentation of STAT3 diminished the apoptosis-promoting effect of ZNF831 in breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, ZNF831 could ameliorate the anti-proliferation effect of capecitabine and gemcitabine in breast cancer cell lines. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that ZNF831 is a novel transcriptional suppressor through inhibiting the expression of STAT3/Bcl2 and promoting the apoptosis process in breast cancer, suggesting ZNF831 as a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for breast cancer patients.

Rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial: The effect of intensive lipid-lowering therapy with PCSK9 inhibitor on endothelial-coverage of stent strut after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS): Optical coherence tomography (OCT) study (PIECES-OCT study).

Background: For the patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for at least 1 year is recommended in the guidelines to minimize the risk of stent thrombosis. Persistently uncovered stent strut means delayed neointima formation and extend the window of time in which the stent is prone to thrombosis. Previous studies showed that statins could improve post-stenting strut endothelial coverage for patients undergoing PCI. However, there are lack of evidences on whether early initiation of proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 monoclonal antibody (PCSK9mAb) after PCI in ACS patients can further improve the rate of stent strut coverage on the background of oral lipid-lowering therapy (LLT). Methods: This is a single-center, randomized trial to enroll 36 patients undergoing PCI with a clinical diagnosis of non-ST-segment elevation ACS. The baseline level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of these patients are between 1.4 mmol/L and 3.4 mmol/L. Patients will be assigned to intensive lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) with PCSK9mAb group and conventional LLT without PCSK9mAb group for 12 weeks in a clinical follow-up setting according to 1: 1 randomization. the rate of stent strut endothelial coverage by optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination at 12 weeks after enrollment between the groups will be compared. Conclusion: This will be the first study to investigate changes in the rate of stent strut endothelial coverage under intensive LLT with PCSK9mAb by OCT examination in ACS patients undergoing PCI. The finding of this study will provide clinical evidence for future research about the hypothesis of a novel strategy of "intensive LLT (PCSK9mAb + statin ± ezetimibe) combined with shortened DAPT duration" for ACS patients undergoing PCI.Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: ChiCTR2200063395.

Intestinal SURF4 is essential for apolipoprotein transport and lipoprotein secretion.

Lipoprotein assembly and secretion in the intestine are critical for dietary fat absorption, involving multiple processes and numerous molecules. Surfeit locus protein 4 (SURF4) serves as a cargo receptor crucial for hepatic lipoprotein secretion. In this study, we investigated the role of SURF4 in intestinal lipid absorption. Using intestine-specific Surf4 knockout mice (IKO), we unveiled that SURF4 is indispensable for apolipoprotein transport and lipoprotein secretion. IKO mice exhibited ectopic lipid deposition in the intestine, hypolipidemia, and neonatal death. Deletion of SURF4 impeded the transport of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), proline-rich acidic protein 1 (PRAP1), and apolipoprotein B48 (ApoB48) and hindered the assembly and secretion of chylomicrons and high-density lipoproteins. Thus, SURF4 emerges as a pivotal regulator of intestinal lipid absorption.

Systematic characterization of the chemical constituents in vitro and in vivo of Qianghuo by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS.

The Chinese herb Qianghuo is an antiphlogistic herb with many effects and complex components. In this study, the chemical composition of Qianghuo and its components in rat plasma after oral administration were investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The extracts, blank plasma, and plasma containing the drug were analyzed by mass spectrometry, and data collected in both positive and negative ion modes were analyzed using Masslynx software, and the structures were confirmed by combining the compound fragment ions and mass spectrometry cleavage pathways. A total of 62 in vitro chemical components were identified, including 27 coumarins, 18 organic acids, 5 amino acids, 5 glycosides, 2 flavonoids, 4 nucleotides, and 1 ester, which were summarized from the obtained compounds in terms of their possible cleavage patterns. Among the identified 31 compounds in rat plasma, 21 were prototypes, mostly coumarins, organic acids, and flavonoids, and 10 were metabolites, which were mainly generated via hydroxylation and methylation pathways. Based on these, this study provides a theoretical foundation for quality control and basic research on Qianghuo medicinal substances.

Outcomes of fertility preservation treatments in patients with endometrial cancer with different molecular classifications based on an NGS panel.

Background: The molecular classification of endometrial cancer has previously been shown to be associated with clinical outcomes. However, there are insufficient data to support the routine use of molecular classification for the treatment of patients seeking fertility preservation. Methods: Here, we retrospectively investigated 90 patients received fertility-sparing treatment. We used a next generation sequencing (NGS) panel to classify these patients into four subtypes. All patients received hormonal therapy combined with hysteroscopy. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by hysteroscopy every three months during the treatment. Results: Patients with POLE mutations had the highest disease progression rate (50.0%, P=0.013), while the microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) group had the highest recurrence rate (50.0%, P=0.042). PIK3CA mutation (hazard ratio (HR): 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37-0.99; P=0.046), overweight (HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.32-0.96; P=0.033) and obesity (HR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20-0.95; P=0.036) were associated with a significantly lower cumulative complete response (CR) rate. The combination of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-a) and letrozole (HR: 3.43; 95% CI: 1.81-6.52; P< 0.001) was associated with a significantly higher cumulative CR rate. KRAS mutation was significantly associated with disease progression (P=0.002). In wild-type TP53 patients, PTEN and PIK3CA mutations significantly prolonged the duration of treatment to achieve CR (log rank P=0.034; P=0.018). Conclusion: The implementation of molecular classification for EC patients undergoing fertility-sparing treatment is promising and can facilitate the selection of appropriate medical regimes to achieve better outcomes in patients with EC who require fertility preservation treatment.

Anxiety and depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients: prevalence, risk factors and consistency between the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale/Depression Scale.

Objectives: The aim was to explore the prevalence and independent risk factors for anxiety and depression in RA patients and to assess the consistency between the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and Zung's self-rating anxiety scale/depression scale (SAS/SDS). Methods: In total, 160 RA patients and 60 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled consecutively, and HADS and SAS/SDS were completed. Results: The HADS-defined anxiety rate, HADS-defined depression rate, SAS-defined anxiety rate and SDS-defined depression rate were 36.9, 36.3, 29.4 and 29.4%, respectively, in RA patients, all of which were much higher in RA patients than in HCs (all P < 0.001). A relatively high consistency was observed between HADS-defined anxiety and SAS-defined anxiety (κ = 0.551, P < 0.001) and between HADS-defined depression and SDS-defined depression (κ = 0.563, P < 0.001) in RA patients. Interestingly, screened by multivariate logistic regression analyses, single/divorced/widowed marital status, swollen joint count, disease duration, ESR, physician's global assessment (PhGA) and DAS28 were independently correlated with HADS-defined or SAS-defined anxiety risk in RA patients; meanwhile, female biological sex, single/divorced/widowed marital status, rural location, disease duration, PhGA and DAS28 were independently associated with HADS-defined or SDS-defined depression risk in RA patients. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in RA patients and are independently correlated with single/divorced/widowed marital status and higher disease activity. In addition, the HADS presents a high consistency with the SAS/SDS with many fewer questions, which might be more suitable for long-term assessment of RA.

Managing depression with complementary and alternative medicine therapies: a scientometric analysis and visualization of research activities.

Background: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) interventions may prove to be an attractive option for the treatment of depression. The aim of this scientometric analysis is to determine the global scientific output of research regarding managing depression with CAM and identify the hotspots and frontiers within this theme. Methods: Publications regarding the utilization of CAM for treating depression were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1993 to 2022, and analyzed and visualized by Bibliometrix R-package, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Results: A total of 1,710 publications were acquired. The number of annual publications showed an overall rapid upward trend, with the figure peaking at 179 in 2021. The USA was the leading research center. Totally 2,323 distinct institutions involving 7,638 scholars contributed to the research theme. However, most of the cooperation was limited to within the same country, institution or research team. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine was the most productive periodical. The CAM therapies of most interest to researchers were acupuncture and body-mind techniques, such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Systematic review and meta-analysis are commonly used methods. "Inflammation," "rating scale" and "psychological stress" were identified as the most studied trend topics recently. Conclusion: Managing depression with evidence-based CAM treatment is gaining attention globally. Body-mind techniques and acupuncture are growing research hotspots or emerging trending topics. Future studies are predicted to potentially investigate the possible mechanisms of action underlying CAM treatments in reducing depression in terms of modulation of psychological stress and inflammation levels. Cross-countries/institutes/team research collaborations should be encouraged and further enhanced.

Collagen-Based Hydrogels for Cartilage Regeneration.

Cartilage regeneration remains difficult due to a lack of blood vessels. Degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) causes cartilage defects, and the ECM provides the natural environment and nutrition for cartilage regeneration. Until now, collagen hydrogels are considered to be excellent material for cartilage regeneration due to the similar structure to ECM and good biocompatibility. However, collagen hydrogels also have several drawbacks, such as low mechanical strength, limited ability to induce stem cell differentiation, and rapid degradation. Thus, there is a demanding need to optimize collagen hydrogels for cartilage regeneration. In this review, we will first briefly introduce the structure of articular cartilage and cartilage defect classification and collagen, then provide an overview of the progress made in research on collagen hydrogels with chondrocytes or stem cells, comprehensively expound the research progress and clinical applications of collagen-based hydrogels that integrate inorganic or organic materials, and finally present challenges for further clinical translation.

Prolonged Red Persistent Luminescence in Bi3+ Single-Doped LiGa5O8: Regulating Traps by Site Selective Occupation.

Persistent luminescence (PersL) materials with impressive superiorities in optical performance have shown tremendous potential for information encryption application. Herein, a Bi3+-doped LiGa5O8 PersL material is facilely synthesized by a simple solid-state reaction. Site selective and preferential occupation of Bi3+ ions at distinct Ga3+ and Li+ polyhedra sites in LiGa5O8 endows it with a bimodal emission at 511 and 718 nm upon UV excitation at 254 nm. After removing the light source, an intense red afterglow was observed due to the generation of more and deeper traps classified as the oxygen vacancy defect (VO••) and the impurity defect (BiLi••). It is rarely reported in inorganic phosphors to achieve the Bi3+ single doping-activated red PersL. The LiGa5O8:x% Bi3+ (with x = 0.5-5.0) samples also exhibit tunable PL and time-dependent PersL properties. Combined with the Morse Code, a multiple information encryption model based on the abnormal optical properties of LiGa5O8:x% Bi3+ (x = 0, 0.5, and 5.0) samples was designed for high-level dynamic anticounterfeiting. These achievements further validate the use of the Bi3+ single doping strategy to explore excellent PersL materials and expand their multifunctional optical applications.

Both people living in the COVID-19 epicenter and those who have recently left are at a higher risk of loneliness.

There is little empirical data on the heightened risk of loneliness among individuals residing in the COVID-19 epicenter or those who have recently left. This study compared the risk of loneliness in individuals residing in Wuhan, the COVID-19 epicenter in China, and those who had recently left during the initial outbreak period to those living in non-epicenter regions. During the COVID-19 outbreak in China in 2020, three samples were obtained using snowball sampling. The samples included 2882 epicenter residents, 1028 left residents, and 2963 non-epicenter residents. Loneliness was assessed using the six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, with a score of two or more indicating the presence of loneliness. 53.5% and 55.2% of epicenter and recently left residents, respectively, experienced loneliness, which was significantly higher than the 43.9% observed in non-epicenter residents. After adjusting for covariates, the risk of loneliness remained statistically significant for both epicenter and left residents (OR = 1.35, P < 0.001 and OR = 1.20, P = 0.017, respectively), when compared to non-epicenter residents. Individuals residing in the COVID-19 epicenter, as well as those who have recently left, are at a heightened risk of loneliness during the outbreak. These individuals need psychosocial support to mitigate their risk of loneliness and promote their psychological wellbeing.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 alleviates OVA-sensitized food allergy through modulating gut microbiota and its metabolism.

Over the past few decades, food allergy has continued to rise, significantly affecting our health, economy, and quality of life. However, current therapeutic strategies have limited efficacy and need to be improved. One alternative to prevent or reduce allergies is to modulate immunity and microbiota. Human milk (HM) could be considered a protective factor against food allergy, but how probiotics in human milk impact the susceptibility to food allergy remains unknown. Therefore, we studied the preventive impact of human milk Lactobacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 on food allergy in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice. We studied the effects of oral administration of Probio-M9 on allergic signatures, immune response, gut microbiota, and metabolism. Oral therapeutic administration of live Probio-M9, but not heat-killed Probio-M9, significantly reduces OVA-specific IgE (OVA-sIgE), histamine, and mMCP-1 (mouse mast cell protease-1) levels in OVA-sensitized mice. Moreover, Probio-M9 supplementation reduced allergic inflammation and changes in the Th2/Th1 balance toward a dampened Th2 response. 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed an increased ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) and the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing Clostridia in the feces after Probio-M9 intake. Simultaneously, Probio-M9 significantly increased the levels of SCFAs and promoted the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), thereby inducing the expression of the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) Reg3b and Reg3g. Our findings suggest that the use of Probio-M9 can be a potent strategy in food allergy prevention.

Constructing Two Cu-Modified Organophosphomolybdates from a Nanocluster to a One-Dimensional Chain for Boosted Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Production.

Photocatalytic decomposition of water to produce hydrogen H2 is an ideal way to solve energy and environmental problems, and the development of highly efficient polyoxometalate catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production has attracted wide attention. Herein, two Cu-modified Strandberg-type organophosphomolybdates were successfully synthesized, [Cu(C8H7N3)(H2O)2]2[(C6H5PO3)2Mo5O15]·4H2O (1) and [Cu(phen)(H2O)][Cu(phen)(H2O)2][(C6H5PO3)2Mo5O15]·2H2O (2) ([(C6H5P)2Mo5O21]Cu2) (C8H7N3 = 2-(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). Two Strandberg-type organophosphomolybdates can be used for visible-light-driven hydrogen production. Also, compound 2 exhibits an H2 production rate of 6399 µmol g-1 h-1 after 8 h light exposure in the presence of photosensitization agent [Ir(dtbbpy)(ppy)2][PF6] and TEOA. In addition, cyclic tests showed that compound 2 could be recycled four times without a significant reduction in catalytic performance. This work offers fresh insight into the development of novel polyoxometalates for efficient hydrogen evolution.

Corrosion-assisted in situ growth of NiCoFe-layered double hydroxides on Fe foam for sensitive non-enzymatic glucose detection.

Because of their remarkable qualities including changeable chemical composition, good redox characteristics, and ease of manufacture, non-enzymatic glucose sensors based on metallic hydroxides have attracted much interest. However, enhancement of their peroxidase-like catalytic activity is challenging due to their poor substrate affinity and low electrical conductivity, affecting electron transfer. Herein, a three-dimensional hierarchical architecture of Ni/Co-decorated-Fe layered double hydroxide (NiCoFe-LDH) was straightforwardly constructed on Fe foam (FF) via a feasible corrosion strategy, and the non-enzymatic glucose sensing properties of the NiCoFe-LDH/FF electrode were investigated. In the linear detection range of 0.010-0.1 mM, the electrode exhibits an extreme sensitivity of 5717 µA mM-1 cm-2 with a low threshold for glucose determination of 2.61 µM (S/N = 3) and a short reaction time (∼2 s), which is ascribed to its specific intertwined nanosheet-like morphology with rich electron transfer passages that enhance conductivity and improve the accessibility to more active catalytic sites for glucose oxidation. Moreover, the electrode shows excellent selectivity, good stability, and promising practicality for glucose detection in actual serum samples. These results indicate that the feasible corrosion approach towards the simple synthesis of trimetallic layered double hydroxide electrodes results in improved affinity and stability, holding new prospects for achieving reliable, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly non-enzymatic glucose detection.

Short-term effects of ambient PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 on internal metal/metalloid profiles in older adults: A distributed lag analysis in China.

There is limited evidence linking exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) with internal doses of metals and metalloids (metal(loid)s). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of short-term exposure to ambient PM on urine metal(loid)s among Chinese older adults. Biological monitoring data of 15 urine metal(loid)s collected in 3, 970 community-dwelling older adults in Fuyang city, Anhui Province, China, from July to September 2018, were utilized. PMs with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 1 µm (PM1), ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and ≤ 10 µm (PM10) up to eight days before urine collection were estimated by space-time extremely randomized trees (STET) model. Residential greenness was reflected by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). We used generalized additive model (GAM) combined with distributed lag linear/non-linear models (DLMs/DLNMs) to estimate the associations between short-term PM exposure and urine metal(loid)s. The results suggested that the cumulative exposures to PM1, PM2.5, or PM10 over two days (lag0-1 days) before urine collection were associated with elevated urine metal(loid)s in DLMs, while exhibited linear or "inverted U-shaped" relationships with seven urine metal(loid)s in DLNMs, including Gallium (Ga), Arsenic (As), Aluminum (Al), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Uranium (U), and Barium (Ba). Aforementioned results indicated robust rather than spurious associations between PMs and these seven metal(loid)s. After standardizations for three PMs, PM1 was the greatest contributor to U, PM2.5 made the greatest contributions to Ga, As, Al, and Ba, and PM10 contributed the most to Mg and Ca. Furthermore, the effects of three PMs on urine Ga, As, Al, Mg, Ca, and Ba were reduced when exposed to higher levels of NDVI. Overall, short-term exposures to ambient PMs contribute to elevated urinary metal(loid) levels in older adults, and three PMs exhibit various contributions to different urine metal(loid)s. Moreover, residential greenness may attenuate the effects of PMs on urine metal(loid)s.

Abundance, characteristics and risk assessment of microplastics in aquatic sediments: A comparative study in the Yellow River and Yellow Sea.

The occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems has become an increasingly serious threat to public health. Marine sediments are considered the final recipients of all microplastic pollution from inland rivers, however, whether and how the MPs differ in these two ecosystems remains poorly known due to the divergent MPs detection methods employed in previous studies. Here, we investigated the abundance, size, and types of MPs in sediment samples from the Yellow River and Yellow Sea using laser direct infrared (LDIR), and assessed their ecological risks. The abundance of MPs in the Yellow Sea is 2.9 times higher than that in the Yellow River, with an average abundance of 54813.2 ± 19355.9 and 18780.2 ± 9951.8 particles·kg-1 (dry sediment), respectively. Notably, the predominant polymer types in both sediment environments were silicone, fluororubber, and polypropylene (PP). MPs with sizes < 100 µm accounted for > 90 % of the total MPs number. Risk assessment demonstrated all the sediment environments exhibited high ecological risks. The dominance of small MPs highlighted the importance of using a method with high resolution to delineate the truthful status of MP pollution.

Fingerprint of Circulating Immunocytes as Biomarkers for the Prognosis of Brain Inflammation and Neuronal Injury after Cardiac Arrest.

Cardiac arrest is one of the most dangerous health problems in the world. Outcome prognosis is largely based on cerebral performance categories determined by neurological evaluations. Few systemic tests are currently available to predict survival to hospital discharge. Here, we present the results from the preclinical studies of cardiac arrest and resuscitation (CAR) in mice to identify signatures of circulating immune cells as blood-derived biomarkers to predict outcomes after CAR. Two flow cytometry panels for circulating blood lymphocytes and myeloid-derived cells, respectively, were designed to correlate with neuroinflammation and neuronal and dendritic losses in the selectively vulnerable regions of bilateral hippocampi. We found that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, CD11b+CD11c- and CD11b+Ly6C+Ly6G+ myeloid-derived cells, and cells positive for the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 in the blood were correlated with activation of microglia and astrocytosis, and CD4+CD25+ T cells are additionally correlated with neuronal and dendritic losses. A fingerprint pattern of blood T cells and monocytes is devised as a diagnostic tool to predict CAR outcomes. Blood tests aimed at identifying these immunocyte patterns in cardiac arrest patients will guide future clinical trials to establish better prognostication tools to avoid unnecessary early withdrawal from life-sustaining treatment.