Thriving at work as a mediator of the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of clinical nurses.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work, and work performance among nurses, as well as analyse the mediating role of thriving at work in the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of nurses. The findings are intended to serve as a reference for nursing managers to design tailored work performance intervention programs. METHOD: Using convenience sampling, 308 clinical nurses were selected from a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China, from February to April 2023. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Thriving at Work Scale, and the Work Performance Scale were employed for the questionnaire survey. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work and work performance. The SPSS 26.0 software's 'Process' plugin was utilised for mediation effect analysis. RESULTS: Significantly positive correlations were found between psychological resilience and thriving at work (r = 0.806, P < 0.01), thriving at work and work performance (r = 0.571, P < 0.01) as well as psychological resilience and work performance (r = 0.572, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted work performance positively (ß = 0.558, t = 11.165, P < 0.01), and this prediction remained significant when thriving at work (the mediating variable), was introduced (ß = 0.371, t = 4.772, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted thriving at work positively (ß = 0.731, t = 20.779, P < 0.01), and thriving at work significantly predicted work performance positively (ß = 0.256, t = 3.105, P < 0.05). The mediating effect size of thriving at work between psychological resilience and work performance was 33.49% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Thriving at work plays a partial mediating role between psychological resilience and work performance. The level of work performance among clinical nurses was relatively high. Nursing managers can enhance thriving at work by fostering psychological resilience among clinical nurses, thereby further improving their work performance to ensure high-quality and efficient nursing care.

Néel Spin Currents in Antiferromagnets.

Ferromagnets are known to support spin-polarized currents that control various spin-dependent transport phenomena useful for spintronics. On the contrary, fully compensated antiferromagnets are expected to support only globally spin-neutral currents. Here, we demonstrate that these globally spin-neutral currents can represent the Néel spin currents, i.e., staggered spin currents flowing through different magnetic sublattices. The Néel spin currents emerge in antiferromagnets with strong intrasublattice coupling (hopping) and drive the spin-dependent transport phenomena such as tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and spin-transfer torque (STT) in antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs). Using RuO_{2} and Fe_{4}GeTe_{2} as representative antiferromagnets, we predict that the Néel spin currents with a strong staggered spin polarization produce a sizable fieldlike STT capable of the deterministic switching of the Néel vector in the associated AFMTJs. Our work uncovers the previously unexplored potential of fully compensated antiferromagnets and paves a new route to realize the efficient writing and reading of information for antiferromagnetic spintronics.

[Forkhead Box M1 Regulates the Proliferation,Invasion,and Drug Resistance of Gastric Cancer Cells via circ_NOTCH1].

Objective To investigate the impacts of forkhead box M1(FOXM1)on the proliferation,invasion,and drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by regulating the circular RNA circ_NOTCH1.Methods Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR were performed to determine the expression of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1,respectively,in the gastric cancer tissue,para-carcinoma tissue,human normal gastric mucosa epithelial cell line GES-1 and gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803,HGC-27,and BGC-823.BGC-823 cells were classified into the following groups:control,short hairpin RNA FOXM1(sh-FOXM1)and negative control(sh-NC),small interfering RNA circ_NOTCH1(si-circ_NOTCH1)and negative control(si-NC),and sh-FOXM1+circ_NOTCH1 overexpression plasmid(sh-FOXM1+pcDNA-circ_NOTCH1)and sh-FOXM1+negative control(sh-FOXM1+pcDNA).CCK-8 assay and clone formation assay were employed to measure the cell proliferation,and Transwell assay to measure cell invasion.After treatment with 1.0 mg/L adriamycin for 48 h,the cell resistance in each group was analyzed.Western blotting was employed to determine the expression levels of FOXM1,proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Bax,multi-drug resistance-associated protein 1(MRP1),and multi-drug resistance gene 1(MDR1).RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation were employed to examine the binding of circ_NOTCH1 to FOXM1 protein.Results Compared with those in the para-carcinoma tissue,the expression levels of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1 in the gastric cancer tissue were up-regulated(all P<0.001).Compared with GES-1 cells,MGC-803,HGC-27,and BGC-823 cells showed up-regulated expression levels of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1(all P<0.001).Compared with the control group and sh-NC group,the sh-FOXM1 group with down-regulated expression of FOXM1 protein and circ_NOTCH1 showed decreased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,down-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and up-regulated expression of Bax protein in BGC-823 cells(all P<0.001).Compared with the control group and the si-NC group,the si-circ_NOTCH1 group with down-regulated expression of circ_NOTCH1 showed decreased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,down-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and up-regulated expression of Bax protein in BGC-823 cells(all P<0.001).Compared with sh-FOXM1 group and sh-FOXM1+pcDNA group,the sh-FOXM1+pcDNA-circ_NOTCH1 group with up-regulated expression of circ_NOTCH1 showed increased optical density value,clone formation rate,cell invasion number,and cell viability,up-regulated expression of PCNA,MRP1,and MDR1,and down-regulated expression of Bax protein(all P<0.001).FOXM1 protein was able to interact with circ_NOTCH1.Conclusion Interference with FOXM1 may inhibit the proliferation,invasion,and drug resistance of gastric cancer cells by silencing circ_NOTCH1 expression.

Lipid Droplets in Lung Cancers Are Crucial for the Cell Growth and Starvation Survival.

For rapid and unlimited cell growth and proliferation, cancer cells require large quantities of nutrients. Many metabolic pathways and nutrient uptake systems are frequently reprogrammed and upregulated to meet the demand from cancer cells, including the demand for lipids. The lipids for most adult normal cells are mainly acquired from the circulatory system. Whether different cancer cells adopt identical mechanisms to ensure sufficient lipid supply, and whether the lipid demand and supply meet each other, remains unclear, and was investigated in lung cancer cells. Results showed that, despite frequent upregulation in de novo lipogenesis and the lipid transporter system, different lung cancer cells adopt different proteins to acquire sufficient lipids, and the lipid supply frequently exceeds the demand, as significant amounts of lipids stored in the lipid droplets could be found within lung cancer cells. Lipid droplet surface protein, PLIN3, was found frequently overexpressed since the early stage in lung cancer tissues. Although the expression is not significantly associated with a specific gender, age, histology type, disease stage, and smoking habit, the frequently elevated expression of PLIN3 protein indicates the importance of lipid droplets for lung cancer. These lipid droplets are not only for nutrient storage, but are also crucial for tumor growth and proliferation, as well as survival in starvation. These results suggest that manipulation of lipid droplet formation or TG storage in lung cancer cells could potentially decrease the progression of lung cancer. Further exploration of lipid biology in lung cancer could help design novel treatment strategies.

[One new phenylethanoid glycoside from Forsythiae Fructus].

One new phenylethanoid glycoside was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the 75% EtOH extract of Forsythiae Fructus by various column chromatographies(HP20, silica gel, ODS) and preparative HPLC.Its structure was identified as forsythiayanoside E(1) by physicochemical properties and extensive spectroscopic analysis(HR-ESI-MS, 1 D and 2 D NMR).Compound 1 was evaluated for cytotoxic activities by MTT assay and showed weak cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and A-375 cell lines with inhibition rates of 39.85% and 43.38% at 40 µmol·L~(-1), and no cytotoxic activity against PC-3 and HepG2 cell lines at 100 µmol·L~(-1).

Two new selariscinins from Selaginella tamariscina (Beauv.) Spring.

Two new selariscinins named selariscinin F (1) and selariscinin G (2), along with one known selariscinin D (3) were isolated from Selaginella tamariscina. The structures of 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR analyses and HRESIMS.

A Novel Ternary Vector System United with Morphogenic Genes Enhances CRISPR/Cas Delivery in Maize.

The lack of efficient delivery methods is a major barrier to clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas)-mediated genome editing in many plant species. Combinations of morphogenic regulator (MR) genes and ternary vector systems are promising solutions to this problem. In this study, we first demonstrated that MR vectors greatly enhance maize (Zea mays) transformation. We then tested a CRISPR/Cas9 MR vector in maize and found that the MR and CRISPR/Cas9 modules have no negative influence on each other. Finally, we developed a novel ternary vector system to integrate the MR and CRISPR/Cas modules. Our ternary vector system is composed of new pGreen-like binary vectors, here named pGreen3, and a pVS1-based virulence helper plasmid, which also functions as a replication helper for the pGreen3 vectors in Agrobacterium tumefaciens The pGreen3 vectors were derived from the plasmid pRK2 and display advantages over pGreen2 vectors regarding both compatibility and stability. We demonstrated that the union of our ternary vector system with MR gene modules has additive effects in enhancing maize transformation and that this enhancement is especially evident in the transformation of recalcitrant maize inbred lines. Collectively, our ternary vector system-based tools provide a user-friendly solution to the low efficiency of CRISPR/Cas delivery in maize and represent a basic platform for developing efficient delivery tools to use in other plant species recalcitrant to transformation.

Cystic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A distinctive subgroup with indolent biological behavior? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The clinicopathological features and biological behaviors of cystic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are unclear and controversial. Here we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the unique characteristics of cystic pNETs, to determine whether they represent a distinct clinical entity. METHODS: We selected comparative studies published since January 2000 that explore the differences between clinicopathological features of cystic and solid pNETs. Demographic information, pathological characteristics, and survival information were analyzed. RESULT: The 12 selected studies comprised 355 and 1530 patients diagnosed with cystic and solid pNETs, respectively. Compared with solid pNETs, cystic pNETs were less likely to be functional (odds ratio, OR = 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19-0.50, p < 0.00001), more likely to affect males (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.22-2.00, p = 0.0005), and significantly associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (OR = 2.71). Cystic pNETs were more likely to present with G1 and G2 rather than G3 (OR = 1.66). Cystic pNETs were associated with less frequent distant organs and lymph node metastasis, microvascular invasion, perineural invasion, and a low Ki-67 index and mitotic count. There were no significant differences between 5- and 10-year overall survival. However, the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and 10-year DFS rate of patients with cystic pNETs was significantly higher compared with those with solid pNETs (94.6% vs 83.5%, OR = 3.00; 92.7% vs 63.6%, OR = 5.92, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Cystic pNETs represent a distinct subgroup of pNETs that present with an indolent biological behavior, and patients experience better DFS. Observation and surveillance should be considered in some selected cases.

Complete and Rapid Conversion of Hydrazine Monohydrate to Hydrogen over Supported Ni-Pt Nanoparticles on Mesoporous Ceria for Chemical Hydrogen Storage.

The development of active, selective, and robust catalysts is a key issue in promoting the practical application of hydrazine monohydrate (N2 H4 ⋅H2 O) as a viable hydrogen carrier. Herein, the synthesis of a supported Ni-Pt bimetallic nanocatalyst on mesoporous ceria by a one-pot evaporation-induced self-assembly method is reported. The catalyst exhibits exceptionally high catalytic activity, 100 % selectivity, and satisfactory stability in promoting H2 generation from an alkaline solution of N2 H4 ⋅H2 O at moderate temperatures. For example, the Ni60 Pt40 /CeO2 catalyst enabled complete decomposition of N2 H4 ⋅H2 O to generate H2 at a rate of 293 h(-1) at 30 °C in the presence of 2 M NaOH, which compares favorably with the reported N2 H4 ⋅H2 O decomposition catalysts. Phase/structural analysis by XRD, TEM, and Auger electron spectroscopy was conducted to gain insight into the excellent catalytic performance of the Ni-Pt/CeO2 catalyst.

Enhancing proliferation and ECM expression of human ACL fibroblasts by sonic vibration.

Effects of mechanical vibration on cell activity and behavior remain controversial: There has been evidence on both positive and negative effects. Furthermore, research on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has as yet been limited and the frequency-related effects remain unknown, even though ACL injury is common and an injured ACL hardly spontaneously recovers. The object of this work was to address the influence of mechanical vibration on ACL fibroblasts, to determine the effects of frequencies, and to further study this effect at the cellular level. We found that sonic vibration affected ACL fibroblasts' proliferation and metabolism in a frequency-dependent manner, and 20 Hz gave rise to the most ACL cell activity and comprehensively increased extracellular matrix (ECM) contents, including collagen type I, collagen type III, fibronectin, elastin, tenascin, glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and the cytoskeleton protein vimentin. Thus, our results indicate that sonic vibration possesses frequency-dependent effects on proliferation and productivity of ACL fibroblast with an optimal frequency of 20 Hz under the present stimulation conditions, providing further information for future research in how vibrational stimulation manipulates ACL cellular behavior.

[Dynamic changes of polysaccharides content in Salvia miltiorrhiza root from different provenances].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the content of polysaccharides in the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza collected from different provenances, and to discover the dynamic change rules of polysaccharides at various growing stages. METHODS: Polysaccharides were extracted by hot water extraction method, and the content of polysaccharides was measured by phenol-sulfuric acid. RESULTS: The content of polysaccharides changed at different growing stages. The variation trend of different provenances were different, and the polysaccharides content of different provenances were different at the same growing stage. At different growing periods, the distribution of polysaccharides in the xylem and cortex of roots were different. The content of polysacchrides in the root was minimum at maturity. At harvest time, the content of polysaccharides in the root was the highest in Beijing, the second was in Jiangsu, and the lowest was in Henan. CONCLUSION: The experiment provides theoretical basis for the selection of Salvia miltiorrhiza with the highest content of polysaccharides and the development and utilization of the polysaccharides.

Chemical Synthesis of a Branched Nonasaccharide Fragment from Helicobacter pylori Lipopolysaccharide.

A chemical synthesis of a unique nanosaccharide fragment from Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide was achieved via a convergent glycosylation method. Challenges involved in the synthesis include the highly stereoselective construction of ß-3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) and two 1,2-cis-glycosidic linkages, as well as the formation of a branched 2,7-disubstituted heptose subunit. Hydrogen-bond mediated aglycone delivery strategy and benzoyl-directing remote participation effect were employed, respectively, for the efficient generation of the desired ß-Kdo glycoside and 1,2-cis-α-l-fucoside/d-glucoside. Moreover, the key branched framework was successfully established through a [(7 + 1) + 1] assembly approach involving the stepwise glycosylation of the heptasaccharide alcohol with two monosaccharide donors. The synthesized 1 containing a propylamine linker at the reducing end can be covalently bound to a carrier protein for further immunological studies.

Direct and Inverse Spin Splitting Effects in Altermagnetic RuO2.

Recently, the altermagnetic materials with spin splitting effect (SSE), have drawn significant attention due to their potential to the flexible control of the spin polarization by the Néel vector. Here, the direct and inverse altermagnetic SSE (ASSE) in the (101)-oriented RuO2 film with the tilted Néel vector are reported. First, the spin torque along the x-, y-, and z-axis is detected from the spin torque-induced ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR), and the z-spin torque emerges when the electric current is along the [010] direction, showing the anisotropic spin splitting of RuO2. Further, the current-induced modulation of damping is used to quantify the damping-like torque efficiency (ξDL) in RuO2/Py, and an anisotropic ξDL is obtained and maximized for the current along the [010] direction, which increases with the reduction of the temperature, indicating the present of ASSE. Next, by way of spin pumping measurement, the inverse altermagnetic spin splitting effect (IASSE) is studied, which also shows a crystal direction-dependent anisotropic behavior and temperature-dependent behavior. This work gives a comprehensive study of the direct and inverse ASSE effects in the altermagnetic RuO2, inspiring future altermagnetic materials and devices with flexible control of spin polarization.

Mental health status among children and adolescents in one-child and multichild families: a meta-analysis of comparative studies.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Controversy remains about the difference in mental health status among children and adolescents between one-child and multichild families in China. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing mental health status between both groups and explored their potential moderating factors. RECENT FINDINGS: Totally, 113 eligible studies encompassing 237 899 participants (one-child families: 83 125; multichild families: 154 774) were included. The pooled SMD of SCL-90 total score was -0.115 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): -0.152; -0.078; I2  = 86.9%]. Specifically, children and adolescents from one-child families exhibited lower scores in terms of somatization (SMD = -0.056; 95% CI: -0.087; -0.026), obsessive-compulsive symptoms (SMD = -0.116; 95% CI: -0.154; -0.079), interpersonal sensitivity (SMD = -0.140; 95% CI: -0.171; -0.109), depression (SMD = -0.123; 95% CI: -0.159; -0.088); anxiety (SMD = -0.121; 95% CI: -0.151; -0.092); phobic anxiety (SMD = -0.124; 95% CI: -0.166; -0.081); paranoid ideation (SMD = -0.040; 95% CI: -0.070; -0.009); and psychoticism (SMD = -0.119; 95% CI: -0.148; -0.089). Study publication year was significantly associated with differences in mental health status between both groups ( P  = 0.015). SUMMARY: Children and adolescents from one-child families had better mental health status compared to those from multichild families in China. Future studies should investigate the underlying factors contributing to such mental health differences, and the potential interventions that could address these mental health problems.

An optimized ligation-mediated PCR method for chromosome walking and fusion gene chromosomal breakpoints identification.

Molecular techniques that recover unknown sequences next to a known sequence region have been widely applied in various molecular studies, such as chromosome walking, identification of the insertion site of transposon mutagenesis, fusion gene partner, and chromosomal breakpoints, as well as targeted sequencing library preparation. Although various techniques have been introduced for efficiency enhancement, searching for relevant single molecular event present in a large-sized genome remains challenging. Here, the optimized ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed and successfully identified chromosomal breakpoints far away from the exon of the new exon junction without the need for nested PCR. In addition to recovering unknown sequences next to a known sequence region, the high efficiency of the method could also improve the performance of targeted  next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Is unilateral uterine adnexa absence a congenital developmental abnormality or posteriority? Summary of 39 cases and literature review.

PURPOSE: Unilateral uterine adnexa absence with a normal uterus is extremely rare but meaningful in clinical. To date, this rare malformation is still not well understood. Here, we present a new case and systematically summarize 38 historical cases to make this rare anomaly be understood better by clinicians. METHOD: The Chinese and English language medical literature were searched for all cases reported to date, and 39 were identified. All 39 cases were assessed for age, menstrual history, reproductive history, pelvic adhesions, other organ abnormalities, and mode of diagnosis. RESULTS: Patient age ranged from 6 days to 46 years. Menstrual history included normal (n = 27), irregular (n = 4), or unknown (n = 7). Childbearing history included pregnancy (n = 21), no history of pregnancy (n = 3), and primary infertility (n = 7). The absence of uterine adnexa involved either the left (n = 17) or right (n = 22) structures, showing a right adnexa preferential bias (22/39). CONCLUSIONS: The unilateral absence of uterine adnexa may be a congenital anomaly of reproductive organs; it does not significantly affect fertility or childbearing and is usually not diagnosed until adulthood.

Increased arterial stiffness in subjects with pre-diabetes among middle aged population in Beijing, China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and pre-diabetes when assessed by the new glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 5.7%-6.4% criterion or by impaired fasting glucose in middle aged Chinese. METHODS: 1122 adults aged 55 years or younger in the health examination centers for physical check-ups were enrolled in the two large-sized Tertiary Comprehensive Hospitals in Beijing from June 2011 to June 2012 after excluding those who previously had been diagnosed or treated as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Subjects with a diagnosis of pre-diabetes according to impaired fasting glucose (IFG) (fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L), HbA1c levels at 5.7%-6.4%, or both, were classified into four groups for observation: (1) Normoglycaemia (HbA1c<5.7% and FPG <5.6 mmol/L); (2) IFG alone (FPG levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L and HbA1c<5.7% ); (3) HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% alone (HbA1c levels at 5.7%-6.4% and FPG <5.6 mmol/L); and (4) both HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% and IFG (HbA1c levels at 5.7%-6.4% and FPG levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L). All subjects were measured for weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). RESULTS: The mean values of baPWV were 1282±8, 1311±10, 1398±30, and 1418±27 cm/s (Mean±SE) in Normoglycaemia, HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% alone, IFG alone and the both HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% and IFG groups, respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, blood pressure, BMI and triglyceride, baPWV was significantly higher in subjects with both HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% and IFG compared among the subjects with Normoglycaemia (1350±14 vs. 1301±6 cm/s, P=0.002) and HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% alone (1350±14 vs. 1309±8 cm/s, P=0.013). CONCLUSION: Subjects with pre-diabetes exhibited a greater arterial stiffness.

p38-NF-κB-promoted mitochondria-associated apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in norcantharidin-treated HeLa cells.

Previous study proved that norcantharidin (NCTD) could exert its anticancer activity in a variety of malignant cell lines, including human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells. In this study, we found that NCTD-activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK)-nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway induced mitochondrial apoptotic pathway activation and G2/M cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells. NCTD-induced mitochondria-associated apoptosis was concomitant with the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ(m)), translocation of Bax, down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression, and release of cytochrome c. NCTD-led G2/M cell-cycle arrest was associated with the up-regulated p21 and p-cdc25c expression and the down-regulated cyclin B and cdc2 expression. Treatment of the cells with p38 inhibitor SB203580 and NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) showed that p38 functioned upstream of NF-κB, while augmented apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were induced in response to NCTD with NF-κB activation. Intriguingly, NF-κB had a negative feedback regulatory effect on p38 activation. Moreover, NCTD-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were significantly blocked by SB203580 and PDTC but not by pifithrin-α (p53 inhibitor). Therefore, p38-NF-κB induced mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and G2/M cell cycle arrest in NCTD-treated HeLa cells.

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and motion sickness susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: A functional vestibular system is a prerequisite for motion sickness (MS) to occur. The otolithic organs (saccule and utricle) are currently considered to be important in the pathogenesis of MS. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) test is an objective evaluation of utricular function. To date, there is no functional guide that can serve as a diagnostic tool for individual susceptibility to MS. Therefore, we investigated the link between oVEMP and MS susceptibility. METHOD: The oVEMP test was performed on 31 MS susceptible and 23 nonsusceptible individuals. MS susceptibility was determined by self-declaration and by using the MS susceptibility questionnaire (MSSQ) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS). RESULTS: Bilateral oVEMP responses were obtained in all subjects. HAS and MSSQ scores between the susceptible and nonsusceptible group were 18.27 +/- 5.23 vs. 2.34 +/- 1.21 and 28.12 +/- 6.53 vs. 2.34 +/- 1.45, respectively. Statistically significant differences in MSSQ and HAS scores were found between the MS susceptible and nonsusceptible groups. No differences were found between MS susceptible and nonsusceptible subjects in N10 and P15 wave latencies, N10-P15 interval, or peak-to-peak N10-P15 amplitude. However, there was a trend toward greater asymmetry ratio in the MS susceptible group than in the MS nonsusceptible group (18.55 +/- 10.24% vs. 13.25 +/- 9.47%), although statistical significance was not reached. DISCUSSION: It appears that no relation exists between oVEMP results and MS susceptibility. Nevertheless, the differences in the asymmetry ratios of oVEMP interpeak amplitude between the two groups revealed a trend toward marginal statistical significance.

Identification of Ferroptosis-Related Hub Genes and Their Association with Immune Infiltration in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Bioinformatics Analysis.

Purpose: Ferroptosis and immune infiltration are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aim to identify ferroptosis-related hub genes and analyze their association with immune infiltration in COPD through bioinformatics methods. Materials and Methods: The mRNA microarray data of GSE38974 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs were intersected with ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) from FerrDb to obtain differentially expressed FRGs. GO and KEGG enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses of differentially expressed FRGs were conducted in R software and STRING database. The key module and hub genes were screened by Cytoscape software. MiRNAs, transcription factors and signal molecules were predicted in miRNet and NetworkAnalyst. The disease correlation in the Comparative Toxicomics Database (CTD) and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of hub genes were analyzed. Immune infiltration was evaluated by CIBERSORT algorithm. Spearman correlation analyses were conducted between hub genes and differentially infiltrated immune cells. Results: Fifteen differentially expressed FRGs were identified, which were enriched in some terms involving airway inflammatory responses and structural remodeling. Five hub genes were selected including HIF1A, IL6, PTGS2, CDKN1A and ATM. Inference scores in CTD indicated their association with COPD. Two miRNAs, five transcription factors and one signal molecule were predicted. The combination of hub genes could be a fine diagnostic indicator of COPD (AUC: 0.981, CI: 0.940-1.000). Immune infiltration evaluation showed that monocytes and M0 macrophages were upregulated in COPD lung tissues, while CD8 T cells, activated NK cells, M2 macrophages, resting dendritic cells and resting mast cells were downregulated. The hub genes were significantly associated with differentially infiltrated immune cells. Conclusion: We identified five ferroptosis-related hub genes (HIF1A, IL6, PTGS2, CDKN1A and ATM) in COPD, and found that they may influence the pathogenesis of COPD by regulating ferroptosis and thus affecting infiltrating immune cells.