Effects of dietary astaxanthin on growth performance, muscle composition, non-specific immunity, gene expression, and ammonia resistance of juvenile ivory shell (Babylonia areolate).

Astaxanthin is one of the important immunopotentators in aquaculture. However, little is known about the physiological changes and stress resistance effects of astaxanthin in marine gastropods. In this study, the effects of different astaxanthin concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg) on the growth, muscle composition, immune function, and resistance to ammonia stress in Babylonia areolata were investigated after three months of rearing. With the increase in astaxanthin content, the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate (SR) of B. areolata showed an increasing trend. The 75-100 mg/kg group was significantly higher than the control group (0 mg/kg). There was no significant difference in the flesh shell ratio (FSR), viscerosomatic index (VSI), and soft tissue index (STI) of the experimental groups. Astaxanthin (75 mg/kg) significantly increased muscle crude protein content and increased hepatopancreas alkaline phosphatase (AKP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity. Astaxanthin (75-100 mg/kg) significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and acid phosphatase (ACP) of the hepatopancreas and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of B. areolata. Astaxanthin significantly induced the expression levels of functional genes, such as SOD, Cu/ZnSOD, ferritin, ACP, and CYC in hepatopancreas and increased the survival rate of B. areolata under ammonia stress. The addition of 75-100 mg/kg astaxanthin to the feed improved the growth performance, muscle composition, immune function, and resistance to ammonia stress of B. areolata.

Association of empathy with clinical symptoms and cognitive function in chronic schizophrenia patients with and without suicide attempts.

Cognitive impairment is recognized as a risk factor for suicide in schizophrenia (SZ) patients. Despite empathy being an important aspect of social cognition, the association between suicidal behavior and empathy has received little attention. We aimed to compare empathy and neurocognition in SZ patients with and without suicide attempts (SAs), and to explore the relationship between empathy, neurocognition, and clinical symptoms in SZ patients with and without SAs. Data on SAs and socio-demographic characteristics were collected from 628 chronic SZ patients. The patients' symptomatology was measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Empathy and neurocognition were assessed with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), respectively. Patients with SAs performed better on all IRI domains (except for Perspective Taking) and total scores. Regression results showed that negative symptoms, positive symptoms, and duration of illness were independently associated with IRI total score in patients without SAs (adjusted R2 = 0.048). In patients without SAs, negative symptoms, general psychopathology, education, age, and sex were independently associated with RBANS total score (adjusted R2 = 0.265), while in patients with SAs, education, PANSS total score, and age at onset were independently associated with RBANS total score (adjusted R2 = 0.456). Our results show that SZ patients with SAs may have better empathic performance than patients without SAs. In chronic SZ patients, negative and positive symptoms may have different effects on cognition in the SAs and non-SAs groups.

Childhood abuse and craving in methamphetamine-dependent individuals: the mediating role of alexithymia.

Individuals with a history of childhood abuse (CA, including neglect and abuse by caregivers before the age of 18 years) have more severe substance dependence problems than those without a history of childhood abuse. However, whether a history of CA exacerbates craving and the mechanism of this effect remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the role of alexithymia in the effects of CA on craving in a large sample of methamphetamine-dependent individuals based on latent vulnerability theory. A total of 324 methamphetamine-dependent individuals who met DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder were recruited. CA, alexithymia, and craving data were collected from the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and the Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale, respectively. t tests and ANCOVA were conducted to compare variables between the CA and non-CA groups, while partial correlation and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the potential mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship between CA and craving. Abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals reported higher levels of craving and higher levels of alexithymia than those of non-abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals. Alexithymia partially mediated the link between CA and craving, especially the effect of CA on craving frequency was fully mediated by alexithymia. Our findings reveal that a history of childhood abuse has a lasting effect on craving in stimulant-dependent individuals, and alexithymia contributes to some extent to the severity of substance abuse problems in abused methamphetamine-dependent individuals.

Three new flavonoids from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis.

Three new flavonoids including two isoflavanones sophortones A and B (1 and 2), and one chalcone sophortone C (3) were isolated from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis. Their structures were established by UV, IR, HRESIMS, and NMR data. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations.

[A new cucurbitane glycoside from Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora].

Chemical constituents from the ethanol extract of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora were isolated and purified by column chromatography. Their structures were identified by HR-MS, 1D and 2D-NMR, and their cytotoxicity was assessed by CCK-8 assay. Four compounds were isolated and identified as follows: 2ß-D-glucosyloxy-3ß,16α,20ß-trihydroxy-9-methyl-19-norlanosterol-5,25-diene-22-one(1), 2ß-D-glucosyloxy-3ß,16α,20ß-trihydroxy-9-methyl-19-norlanosta-5,24-diene-22-one(2), 25-acetoxy-2ß-glucosyloxy-3ß,16α,20ß-trihydroxy-9-methyl-19-norlanosta-5-ene-22-one(3) and 25-acetoxy-2ß-glucosyloxy-3ß,16α,20ß-trihydroxy-9-methyl-19-norlanosta-5,23-(E)-diene-22-one(4). Compound 1 represents a new cucurbitane glycoside. The half inhibitory concentrations of the 4 compounds exceeded 100 µmol·L~(-1) against four tumor cell lines, indicating no significant cytotoxicity.

Clinical characteristic, common sites, and geographical distribution of pediatric tuberculosis patients in Southwest China.

Background: The data report of a large sample, dynamic epidemiology, and characteristic analysis of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) in Southwest China is not clear. Herein, we conducted descriptive dynamic epidemiology, characteristic analysis and geographical distribution study of pediatric TB inpatients in Southwest China for more than 20 years. Methods: Patients with pediatric TB were recruited from October 2002 to September 2022 in Southwest of China based on etiology or clinical confirmation. Extract hospitalization medical record information for each patient. The geographical distribution chart of cases is used to display the trend of case flow segmented every 5 years. Results: Among 3,024 pediatric TB patients with an average age of 9.11 ± 4.39, 17.49% (529) had pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), 9.06% (274) had extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), and 73.45% (2,221) had combined TB. The most common form of EPTB is disseminated TB (28.98%), followed by TB lymphadenitis (20.56%), pleural TB (19.72%), and TB meningitis (19.68%). Children aged 0-4 years had a high risk of TB meningitis and a severe symptoms, while children in the elderly age group had a high risk of pleural TB. In the past 20 years, hospitalized TB pediatric cases mainly came from Sichuan, Tibet, Qinghai, Yunnan and other places. The number of patients from ethnic minorities, especially Tibetans, showed an upward trend on a yearly basis (χ2 = 401.43, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Public health investment and effective management in pediatric TB should be further strengthened.

The novel HLA-A*24:627 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

The HLA-A*24:627 allele differs from HLA-A*24:02:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 172 in exon 2.

Research perspective in the clinical management of Kawasaki disease.

This study examines research perspective in the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular complications in Kawasaki Disease (KD). Starting with an overview of the disease, it introduces KD's clinical manifestations, etiology, epidemiological features, and its impact on the cardiovascular system. Subsequently, the study discusses in detail the diagnostic methods, pathological mechanisms, and treatment strategies for KD, including foundational and emerging approaches such as high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin and aspirin therapy, biologic therapy, and corticosteroid pulse therapy. Additionally, it outlines strategies for preventing cardiovascular complications, including early risk assessment and long-term management. The study also explores the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with an increase in KD-like symptoms, emphasizing the need for further studies on the association between SARS-CoV-2 and KD. Lastly, it explores future research directions to enhance understanding of KD and improve patient outcomes and quality of life. This study provides valuable insights into the comprehensive treatment and management of KD and highlights avenues for future research.

Predicting biomarkers related to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Robust ranking aggregation analysis and animal experiment verification.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and incurable lung disease characterized by unknown etiology. This study employs robust ranking aggregation to identify consistent differential genes across multiple datasets, aiming to enhance prognostic evaluation and facilitate the development of more effective immunotherapy strategies for IPF. Using the GSE10667, GSE110147, and GSE24206 datasets, the analysis identifies 92 robust differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including SPP1, IGF1, ASPN, and KLHL13, highlighted as potential biomarkers through machine learning and experimental validation. Additionally, significant differences in immune cell types between IPF samples and controls, such as Plasma cells, Macrophages M0, Mast cells resting, T cells CD8, and NK cells resting, inform the construction of diagnostic and survival prediction models, demonstrating good applicability. These findings provide insights into IPF pathophysiology and suggest potential therapeutic targets.

Pericytes in Alzheimer's disease: Key players and therapeutic targets.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive cognitive decline and neuropathological changes. Pericytes, which are vessel mural cells on the basement membrane of capillaries, play a crucial role in regulating cerebrovascular functions and maintaining neurovascular unit integrity. Emerging research substantiates the involvement of pericytes in AD. This review provides a comprehensive overview of pericytes, including their structure, origin, and markers and various functions within the central nervous system. Emphatically, the review explores the intricate mechanisms through which pericytes contribute to AD, including their interactions with amyloid beta and apolipoprotein E, as well as various signaling pathways. The review also highlights potential for targeted pericyte therapy for AD, with a focus on stem cell therapy and drug treatments. Future research directions include the classification of pericyte subtypes, studies related to aging, and the role of pericytes in exosome-related mechanisms in AD pathology. In conclusion, this review consolidates current knowledge on the pivotal roles of pericytes in AD and their potential as therapeutic targets, providing valuable insights for future research and clinical interventions aimed at addressing the impact of AD on patients' lives.

Integration of transcriptome, gut microbiota, and physiology reveals toxic responses of the red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) to imidacloprid.

Imidacloprid enters the water environment through rainfall and causes harm to aquatic crustaceans. However, the potential chronic toxicity mechanism of imidacloprid in crayfish has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) were exposed to 11.76, 35.27, or 88.17 µg/L imidacloprid for 30 days, and changes in the physiology and biochemistry, gut microbiota, and transcriptome of C. quadricarinatus and the interaction between imidacloprid, gut microbiota, and genes were studied. Imidacloprid induced oxidative stress and decreased growth performance in crayfish. Imidacloprid exposure caused hepatopancreas damage and decreased serum immune enzyme activity. Hepatopancreatic and plasma acetylcholine decreased significantly in the 88.17 µg/L group. Imidacloprid reduced the diversity of the intestinal flora, increased the abundance of harmful flora, and disrupted the microbiota function. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the number of up-and-down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) increased significantly with increasing concentrations of imidacloprid. DEG enrichment analyses indicated that imidacloprid inhibits neurotransmitter transduction and immune responses and disrupts energy metabolic processes. Crayfish could alleviate imidacloprid stress by regulating antioxidant and detoxification-related genes. A high correlation was revealed between GST, HSPA1s, and HSP90 and the composition of gut microorganisms in crayfish under imidacloprid stress. This study highlights the negative effects and provides detailed sequencing data from transcriptome and gut microbiota to enhance our understanding of the molecular toxicity of imidacloprid in crustaceans.

First molecular detection and genetic characterization of porcine circovirus 4 in the Gansu Province of China.

Since its initial discovery in the Hunan province of China, genomic DNA of porcine circovirus 4 (PCV4) has been detected in pigs across multiple provinces in China, as well as in South Korea. However, the prevalence of porcine circovirus type 4 in Gansu Province, China, remains unknown. To address this gap, we undertook an extensive study where we gathered 121 clinical samples displaying diverse clinical manifestations from pig farms in Gansu Province between 2022 and 2023. Employing a real-time fluorescence quantification method, we identified the presence of PCV4 genome. Out of the 121 clinical samples analyzed, 13 samples tested positive for PCV4, resulting in a positive rate of 10.74% (13/121). This finding confirms the presence of PCV4 in pig farms within Gansu Province, China. Furthermore, we successfully sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of two distinct PCV4 strains, comparing them with 60 reference sequences archived in the GenBank database. The results revealed a high nucleotide homology (98.2-98.8%) between the strains obtained in this study and the PCV4 reference strains, indicating a relatively low evolutionary rate of the PCV4 genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two strains in this study belong to PCV4a and PCV4c. As far as we know, this study marks the inaugural report on the molecular identification and genomic attributes of PCV4 in Gansu Province, China, offering valuable insights for devising preventive and control strategies against this emerging virus.

Oral arsenic plus imatinib versus imatinib solely for newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia: a randomized phase 3 trial with 5-year outcomes.

PURPOSE: The synergistic effects of combining arsenic compounds with imatinib against chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have been established using in vitro data. We conducted a clinical trial to compare the efficacy of the arsenic realgar-indigo naturalis formula (RIF) plus imatinib with that of imatinib monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed chronic phase CML (CP-CML). METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial, 191 outpatients with newly diagnosed CP-CML were randomly assigned to receive oral RIF plus imatinib (n = 96) or placebo plus imatinib (n = 95). The primary end point was the major molecular response (MMR) at 6 months. Secondary end points include molecular response 4 (MR4), molecular response 4.5 (MR4.5), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 51 months. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the recruitment to this study had to be terminated early, on May 28, 2020. The rates of MMR had no significant statistical difference between combination and imatinib arms at 6 months and any other time during the trial. MR4 rates were similar in both arms. However, the 12-month cumulative rates of MR4.5 in the combination and imatinib arms were 20.8% and 10.5%, respectively (p = 0.043). In core treatment since the 2-year analysis, the frequency of MR4.5 was 55.6% in the combination arm and 38.6% in the imatinib arm (p = 0.063). PFS and OS were similar at five years. The safety profiles were similar and serious adverse events were uncommon in both groups. CONCLUSION: The results of imatinib plus RIF as a first-line treatment of CP-CML compared with imatinib might be more effective for achieving a deeper molecular response (Chinadrugtrials number, CTR20170221).

Factor analysis on serum biomarkers in patients with stage Ⅰ silicosis / 中国职业医学

@#Objective ， To investigate the role of serum chemokines and oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers in occupational （ silicosis） Methods silicosis hereinafter referred to as . A total of 58 patients with stage Ⅰ silicosis were selected as the - （ ）， research subjects using convenient sampling method. The serum levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 Nrf2 -（ - ） - （ - - ） - heme oxygenase 1 HO 1 and 8 isoprstaglandin F2α 8 iso PGF2α were determined by enzyme linked immunesorbent assay. （ ） （ - ） The serum levels of lipid peroxide LPO and total antioxidant capacity TAOC were determined by chemistry colorimetric method. - - （ - ）， Luminex flow fluorescence technology was used to detect the serum levels of interferon γ inducible protein10 IP10 macrophage （ ）- ， - - （ ） inflammatory protein MIP 1α MIP1β and macrophagederived chemokine MDC . The above indicators were analyzed by factor Results - analysis. The information extraction rate of the original indicators of the nine biomarkers was 58.5%96.5%. Four common ， ， （ ） ， factors were extracted including Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway helper T cell Th 1 dominant chemotaxis the total ， ， ， ， ， oxidation/antioxidant balance and Th2 dominant chemotaxis whose variance contribution rates were 32.2% 19.1% 16.4% ， ， Conclusion - and 11.8% respectively and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 79.5%. Both the oxidant antioxidant ， disturbance and the dominance chemotaxis are involved in the occurrence and development of silicosis and the Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway plays the most critical role.