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The Ulva prolifera bloom is considered one of the most serious ecological disasters in the Yellow Sea in the past decade, forming a carbon sink in its source area within a short period but becoming a carbon source at its destination. To explore the effects of different environmental changes on seawater dissolved carbon pools faced by living U. prolifera in its originating area, U. prolifera were cultured in three sets with different light intensity (54, 108, and 162 μmol m -2  s -1 ), temperature (12, 20, and 28 °C) and nitrate concentration gradients (25, 50, and 100 μmol L -1 ). The results showed that moderate light (108 μmol m -2  s -1 ), temperature (20 °C), and continuous addition of exogenous nitrate significantly enhanced the absorption of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in seawater by U. prolifera and most promoted its growth. Under the most suitable environment, the changes in the seawater carbonate system were mainly dominated by biological production and denitrification, with less influence from aerobic respiration. Facing different environmental changes, U. prolifera continuously changed its carbon fixation mode according to tissue δ 13 C results, with the changes in the concentrations of various components of DIC in seawater, especially the fluctuation of HCO 3 - and CO 2 concentrations. Enhanced light intensity of 108 μmol m -2  s -1 could shift the carbon fixation pathway of U. prolifera towards the C 4 pathway compared to temperature and nitrate stimulation. Environmental conditions at the origin determined the amount of dissolved carbon fixed by U. prolifera. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the changes in marine environmental conditions at the origin of U. prolifera, providing a basis for scientific management of U. prolifera., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is widely used to screen patients with hepatic diseases. However, the current reference ranges (< 50 U/L) were developed by laboratories and have not been validated in populations with a large number of healthy individuals., Methods: This study collected venous blood and anthropometric data from a total of 13,287 healthy children aged 3 months to 18 years who underwent routine physical examinations in the Department of Pediatric Healthcare. We applied the least mean square algorithm to establish age- and sex-related reference percentiles of serum levels of transaminases. For validation, we recruited 4276 children and adolescents with obesity/overweight who underwent evaluation and metabolic tests in the hospital. Using receiver operating characteristic curves, we determined age- and sex-specific upper limit percentiles of liver enzymes for fatty liver diseases., Results: This study revealed a significant correlation between serum transaminase levels and age and sex (P < 0.01). These transaminase levels exhibited age- and sex-specific patterns. Among individuals in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cohort, elevated ALT levels displayed a positive association with clinical markers of disease severity, including homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, waist-hip ratio, and serum uric acid levels (P < 0.01). According to the receiver operating characteristic curves, ALT levels at the 92.58th percentile for boys and the 92.07th percentile for girls yielded the highest accuracy and specificity., Conclusions: This study provides age- and sex-specific reference ranges for ALT, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltransferase in Chinese children and adolescents, making it the largest population study to date. Furthermore, the study establishes a precise upper limit for ALT levels, facilitating their use in NAFLD screening. Video Abstract., (© 2024. Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.)

Nitrogen oxides (NO x  = NO + NO 2 ) have essential impacts on global climate and the environment, making it essential to study the contribution of wetland-generated NO x to environmental problems. With exogenous nitrogen input from anthropogenic activities, wetland sediments become active emission hotspots for NO x . In this study, we conducted field experiments in a typical salt marsh wetland to measure nitric oxide (NO, the primary component of NO x from sediments) exchange fluxes in both mudflat and vegetated sediments. We found that NO fluxes in vegetated sediments (0.40 ± 0.15 × 10 -12  kg N m -2  s -1 ) were relatively higher than in mudflat sediments (-1.31 ± 1.39 × 10 -12  kg N m -2  s -1 ), with this difference occurring only during the vegetation-dying season (autumn). Correlations between sediment NO fluxes and environmental parameters revealed that NO flux variation during the observation period was primarily influenced by sediment respiration, temperature, water content, and substrate availability. However, the influence of these factors on NO fluxes differed between mudflat and vegetated sediments. In-situ data analysis also suggested that tidal horizontal migration, which affects sediment substrate and salinity, may regulate sediment NO emissions. Furthermore, in-situ incubations with nitrogen addition (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) were conducted to study the response of sediment NO emissions to exogenous nitrogen. We observed that nitrogen addition caused a 259.7 % increase in NO emissions from vegetated sediments compared to the control during the effective period of nitrogen addition (days 1-3). However, although nitrogen addition markedly stimulated sediment NO emissions, the overall NO production capacity constrained the extent of this increase., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study compares how a modified distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and yellow color filter (Y-CF) increase the color purity, viewing angle, and brightness of the quantum dot color conversion layer (QDCC) for micro-LED displays. We designed and built a 53-layer high-performance modified DBR with almost total blue leakage filtering (T %: 0.16 %) and very high G/R band transmittance (T %: 96.97 %) for comparison. We also use a Y-CF that filters blue light (T %: 0.84 %) and has good G/R band transmittance (T %: 94.83 %). Due to DBR's angle dependency effect, the modified DBR/QDCC structure offers a remarkable color gamut (117.41 % NTSC) at the forward viewing angle, but this rapidly diminishes beyond 30°. The Y-CF/QDCC structure retains 116 % NTSC color at all viewing angles. Because of its consistent color performance at all viewing angles, sufficient brightness, and outstanding color gamut, the Y-CF/QDCC structure is the best option for contemporary QDCC-based micro-LED displays., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: The efficacy of adjuvant sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in correcting structural problems in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) caused by mite who have undergone septomeatoplasty (SMP) has not been studied., Methods: This non-randomized controlled study recruited patients with AR (caused by mite) and concurrent septal deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy, at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan. SMP was performed on all patients as a surgical intervention. The patients were then divided into two groups: the control group, which underwent surgery only, and the experimental group, which received SLIT as an adjuvant treatment. Demographic data and rhinitis control assessment test (RCAT) results were analyzed., Results: A total of 96 patients were enrolled in the study (SMP + SLIT group, n = 52; SMP only group, n = 44). No significant differences were observed in any of the variables between the two groups before and one month after surgery. However, during evaluations at the third and sixth month, the SMP + SLIT group showed significant improvement in the total RCAT scores compared to the SMP only group (28.6 ± 1.56 vs. 24.5 ± 3.66, p < 0.001; 27.1 ± 2.87 vs. 19.9 ± 5.56, p < 0.001). In addition, significantly better control of all RCAT sub-categories was observed in the SMP + SLIT group at the third and sixth month evaluations., Conclusions: SLIT may serve as an ideal adjuvant therapy after SMP in patients with AR., Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:3073-3079, 2024., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

The carbonate chemistry in river-dominated marginal seas is highly heterogeneous, and there is ongoing debate regarding the definition of atmospheric CO 2 source or sink. On this basis, we investigated the carbonate chemistry and air-sea CO 2 fluxes in a hotspot estuarine area: the Changjiang Estuary during winter and summer. The spatial characteristics of the carbonate system were influenced by water mixing of three end-members in winter, including the Changjiang freshwater with low total alkalinity (TA) concentration, the less saline Yellow Sea Surface Water with high TA, and the saline East China Sea (ECS) offshore water with moderate TA. While in summer with increased river discharge, the carbonate system was regulated by simplified two end-member mixing between the Changjiang freshwater and the ECS offshore water. By performing the end-member mixing model on DIC variations in the river plume region, significant biological addition of DIC was found in winter with an estimation of -120 ± 113 μmol kg -1 caused by wintertime organic matter remineralization from terrestrial source. While this biological addition of DIC shifted to DIC removal due to biological production in summer supported by the increased nutrient loading from Changjiang River. The pCO 2 dynamics in the river plume and the ECS offshore were both subjected to physical mixing of freshwater and seawater, whether in winter and summer. In the inner estuary without horizontal mixing, the pCO 2 dynamics were mainly influenced by biological uptake in winter and temperature in summer. The inner estuary, the river plume, and the ECS offshore were sources of atmospheric CO 2 , with their contributions varying seasonally. The Changjiang runoff enhanced the inner estuary's role as a CO 2 source in summer, while intensive biological uptake reduced the river plume's contribution., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) reduces the health-related quality of life and subsequently causes a tremendous socio-economic impact. Although many studies have been conducted, few have identified a relationship between bacteriological characteristics and different phenotypes or endotypes. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the recent trends in bacterial cultures from different types of CRS in the Asian population., Methods: This retrospective case-control study recruited patients diagnosed with CRS who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan. The patients were classified into those with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP)/chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (eCRS)/non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (NECRS), and central compartment atopic disease (CCAD)/lateral-dominant nasal polyp (LDNP) groups. The demographic data and bacteriological characteristics of the groups were analyzed., Results: We included 503 patients, identifying no significant difference between CRSwNP and CRSsNP for several common bacteria in CRS. The number of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates in culture was significantly higher in the NECRS group (50.46% vs. 32.56%, p = 0.0003) than that in the eCRS group. The number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; 8.51% vs. 2.35%, p = 0.0221) positive isolates was significantly higher in the CCAD group than that in the LDNP group., Conclusions: This was the first study in Asia to analyze the relationship between bacteriological characteristics and CCAD. MRSA is significantly higher in the CCAD group than that in the LDNP group. Recognizing the unique microbiology of CRSwNP, eCRS, and CCAD is crucial when selecting antimicrobial therapy to lessen the socio-economic impact., Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:1071-1076, 2024., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Intertidal wetland sediments are an important source of atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NO x ), but their contribution to the global NO x budget remains unclear. In this work, we conducted year-round and diurnal observations in the intertidal wetland of Jiaozhou Bay to explore their regional source-sink patterns and influence factors on NO x emissions (initially in the form of nitric oxide) and used a dynamic soil reactor to further extend the mechanisms underlying the tidal pulse of nitric oxide (NO) observed in our investigations. The annual fluxes of NO x in the vegetated wetland were significantly higher than those in the wetland without vegetation. Their annual variations could be attributed to changes in temperature and the amount of organic carbon in the sediment, which was derived from vegetated plants and promoted the carbon-nitrogen cycle. Anaerobic denitrifiers had advantages in the intertidal wetland sediment and accounted for the major NO production (63.8 %) but were still limited by nitrite and nitrate concentrations in the sediment. Moreover, the tidal pulse was likely a primary driver of NO x emissions from intertidal wetlands over short periods, which was not considered in previous investigations. The annual NO exchange flux considering the tide pulse contribution (8.93 ± 1.72 × 10 -2  kg N ha -1 yr -1 ) was significantly higher than that of the non-pulse period (4.14 ± 1.13 × 10 -2  kg N ha -1 yr -1 ) in our modeling result for the fluxes over the last decade. Therefore, the current measurement of NO x fluxes underestimated the actual gas emission without considering the tidal pulse., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the control mechanisms of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in intertidal wetland sediments is beneficial for the concern of global carbon biogeochemistry and climate change. Nevertheless, multiple controls on CO 2 emissions from intertidal wetland sediments to the atmosphere still need to be clarified. This study investigated the effect of tidal action on CO 2 emissions from salt marsh sediments covered by Spartina alterniflora in the Jiaozhou Bay wetland using the static chamber method combined with an infrared CO 2 detector. The results showed that the CO 2 emission fluxes from the sediment during ebb tides were higher than those during flood tides. The whole wetland sediment acted as a weak source of atmospheric CO 2 (average flux: 24.44 ± 16.80 mg C m -2  h -1 ) compared to terrestrial soils and was affected by the cycle of seawater inundation and exposure. The tidal influence on vertical dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) transport in the sediment was also quantitated using a two-end member mixing model. The surface sediment layer (5-15 cm) with maximum DIC concentration during ebb tides became the one with minimum DIC concentration during flood tides, indicating the DIC transport from the surface sediment to seawater. Furthermore, aerobic respiration by microorganisms was the primary process of CO 2 production in the sediment according to 16 S rDNA sequencing analysis. This study revealed the strong impact of tidal action on CO 2 emissions from the wetland sediment and provided insights into the source-sink pattern of CO 2 and DIC at the land-ocean interface., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) has increased in Taiwan with a higher recurrence rate of nasal polyps after surgery. Therefore, we aimed to formulate the pre-operative diagnostic criteria for patients with ECRS in Taiwan., Methods: This case-control study included patients diagnosed with CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan. The patients were classified into ECRS and non-eosinophilic CRS (NECRS) groups based on their histopathology. Demographic data, symptom severity scores, and computed tomography findings of the two groups were analyzed. We utilized receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis to evaluate parameters that could predict the diagnosis of ECRS., Results: Total 408 CRSwNP patients were enrolled (ECRS group: 163; NECRS group: 245). ECRS group was strongly associated with asthma (6.1% vs. 2.0%, p  = .03), higher blood eosinophil counts (4.3% vs. 2.7%, p  < .01), higher serum IgE (285.3 vs. 50.2 IU/mL, p  = .02), and higher 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) score (40.5 vs. 36.7, p  = .03). The ECRS criteria based on ROC curve included the SNOT-22 (>45, 2 points), serum eosinophil count percentage (>4%, 4 points), asthma (4 points), total serum IgE (>140 IU/mL, 4 points), Lund-Mackay score (>9.5, 4 points), and ethmoid-to-maxillary opacification ratio on CT (>1.5, 5 points). The cutoff score was 14 points (sensitivity, 70.2%; specificity, 93.3%)., Conclusions: Clinical-feature-based criteria may predict the diagnosis of ECRS before FESS in Taiwan., Level of Evidence: Level 3., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this report., (© 2023 The Authors. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Triological Society.)

A coupling system of ultrasonic composite iron-carbon activated persulfate (US/PS/Fe-C) was built to treat a triphenylmethane derivative, crystal violet (CV). The results revealed that US/PS/Fe-C ternary system had a good coupling effect. The structure and surface morphology of commercial Fe-C and self-made Fe-C catalysts were analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. Finally, commercial Fe-C was used to study the effects of different factors on the CV of US/PS/Fe-C ternary coupling degradation, and the optimum conditions were as follows:PDS concentration 2 mmol·L -1 , iron-carbon catalyst 1 g·L -1 , pH without adjustment, and the removal rate of 15 mg·L -1 CV reached 90% after 30 min. To explore the effects of anions and cations on the system, it was observed that Mg 2+ and NO 3 - had almost no effect on the treatment of the system, and Mn 2+ , Cl - , and CO 3 2- had a certain effect on the treatment of the system, whereas Fe 2+ could promote the reaction at low concentration and inhibit the reaction at high concentration. By adding different quenchants, it was concluded that there were four types of active substances: 1 O 2 , SO 4 - ·,·O 2 - , and·OH.

Although most of the current evidence on myocardial infarction focuses on obesity, there is growing evidence that patients who are underweight have unfavorable prognosis. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of this population at risk. Embase and Medline were searched for studies reporting outcomes in populations who were underweight with myocardial infarction. Underweight and normal weight were defined according to the World Health Organization criteria. A single-arm meta-analysis of proportions was used to estimate the prevalence of underweight in patients with myocardial infarction, whereas a meta-analysis of proportions was used to estimate the odds ratio of all-cause mortality, medications prescribed, and cardiovascular outcomes. Twenty-one studies involving 6,368,225 patients were included, of whom 47,866 were underweight. The prevalence of underweight in patients with myocardial infarction was 2.96% (95% confidence interval 1.96% to 4.47%). Despite having fewer classical cardiovascular risk factors, patients who were underweight had 66% greater hazard for mortality (hazard ratio 1.66, 95% confidence interval 1.44 to 1.92, p <0.0001). The mortality of patients who were underweight increased from 14.1% at 30 days to 52.6% at 5 years. Nevertheless, they were less likely to receive guideline-directed medical therapy. Relative to subjects with normal weight, Asian populations who were underweight had greater mortality risks than those of their Caucasian counterparts (p = 0.0062). In conclusion, in patients with myocardial infarction, those who were underweight tend to have poorer prognostic outcomes. A lower body mass index is an independent predictor of mortality, which calls for global efforts in addressing this modifiable risk factor in clinical practice guidelines., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr. Brown reports support grant from Novo Nordisk in relation to this submitted work; honoraria from Novo Nordisk, PHE, and Obesity United Kingdom outside the submitted work; and serves on the Medical Advisory Board and is a shareholder of Reset Health Clinics Ltd. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Data availability statement. The data underlying this study are available in the study and in its online supplementary material., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nitric oxide (NO) is an atmospheric pollutant and climate forcer as well as a key intermediary in the marine nitrogen cycle, but the ocean's NO contribution and production mechanisms remain unclear. Here, high-resolution NO observations were conducted simultaneously in the surface ocean and the lower atmosphere of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea; moreover, NO production from photolysis and microbial processes was analyzed. The NO sea-air exchange showed uneven distributions (RSD = 349.1%) with an average flux of 5.3 ± 18.5 × 10 -17 mol cm -2 s -1 . In coastal waters where nitrite photolysis was the predominant source (89.0%), NO concentrations were remarkably higher (84.7%) than the overall average of the study area. The NO from archaeal nitrification accounted for 52.8% of all microbial production (11.0%). We also examined the relationship between gaseous NO and ozone which helped identify sources of atmospheric NO. The sea-to-air flux of NO in coastal waters was narrowed by contaminated air with elevated NO concentrations. These findings indicate that the emissions of NO from coastal waters, mainly controlled by reactive nitrogen inputs, will increase with the reduced terrestrial NO discharge.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the main pathogens that causes acute lower respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in infants. During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, although strict interventions have been implemented, RSV infection has not decreased., Objectives: To study the epidemiological and genetic characteristics of RSV circulating in Hangzhou after the peak of COVID-19., Methods: A total of 1225 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from outpatients with ARTIs from July 2021 to January 2022 in The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine., Results: A total of 267 (21.79%) of the 1225 samples were RSV positive. There was no gender bias. However, an obvious age preference for infection was observed, and children aged 3-6 years were more susceptible, which was very different from previous RSV pandemic seasons. Phylogenetic analysis of 115 sequenced RSV isolates showed that all the RSV-A viruses belong to the ON1 subtype, which could be clustered into three clusters. While all the RSV-B viruses belong to BA9. Further analysis of the mutations highlights the fixation of ten mutations, which should be given extra attention regarding their biological properties., Conclusion: The incidence of RSV infection in preschool children reported in this study is high. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the subtype A ON1 genotype was the dominant strain in Hangzhou from July 2021 to January 2022., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important cause of respiratory tract infections in young children. Early innate immune response to HMPV is focused on induction of antiviral interferons (IFNs) and other pro-inflammatory cytokines that are critical for the formation of adaptive immune responses. To evaluate the predictive value of Th1/Th2 cytokines which include IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, INF-γ and TNF-α in pneumonia caused by HMPV., Methods: A retrospective study was performed among 59 pneumonia pediatric patients with HMPV infection and 33 healthy children as the control cohort, which was detected by the immunofluorescence assay, and the Th1/Th2 cytokines were measured by flow cytometry. 131 children infected with Influenza virus A (IVA) and 41 children infected with influenza virus B (IVB) were detected by RT-PCR assay in throat swabs., Results: When compared with the healthy children, children who were infected with HMPV pneumonia had a significantly lower level of IL-2 (p < 0.001) and higher levels of IL-4 (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p = 0.001), IL-10 (p < 0.001), and IFN-γ (p < 0.001). Compared with patients diagnosed with IVA or IVB infection, HMPV-positive patients had significantly higher levels of IL-4 (p < 0.001 and < 0.001), IFN-γ (p < 0.001 and < 0.001), and TNF-α (p < 0.001 and 0.016). Moreover, compared with IVA patients, HMPV-positive patients had a significantly lower level of IL-6 (p = 0.033). Finally, when comparing cytokine levels among the patients with HMPV pneumonia, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were found to be significantly higher in the severe group than the mild group (p = 0.027 and 0.049). The IL-6 and TNF-α were used to differentiate between mild symptoms and severe symptoms in children diagnosed with HMPV pneumonia with an AUC of 0.678 (95% CI 0.526-0.829) and 0.658 (95% CI 0.506-0.809), respectively., Conclusion: Our study indicated that difference in cytokine trends depending on the virus species. The levels of IL-4, TNF-α and IFN-γ were significantly distinguished in children infected with HMPV versus IVA and IVB. IL-6 and TNF-α may be helpful in assessing the severity and prognosis of HMPV infection., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The characteristics and surgical outcomes of central compartment atopic disease (CCAD) vary by region and race. Therefore, we aimed to identify the risk factors, symptom severity, and prognosis of CCAD in the Asian population., Methods: This case-control study recruited patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan. Patients were classified into CCAD and lateral-dominant nasal polyp (LDNP) groups based on endoscopic and computed tomography imaging findings. The demographic data, symptom severity scores, and surgical outcomes of the 2 groups were analyzed., Results: Our study included 442 patients (CCAD group: n = 51; LDNP group: n = 391). We found that CCAD was strongly related to both asthma (9.8% vs 3.5%, p = 0.04) and allergic rhinitis symptoms (43.3% vs 26.6%, p = 0.01). Higher eosinophil counts were detected in blood serum (5.8% vs 2.8%, p < 0.01) and histopathologic profiles (57.0 vs 17.3, p < 0.01) among patients with CCAD. Improvements in 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) score and mucociliary clearance time (MCT) after surgical intervention revealed that the CCAD group had a better response to FESS (SNOT-22 score: -31.82 vs -22.66, p < 0.01; MCT: -233.06 vs -191.93 seconds, p = 0.03). The revision FESS rate was not different between the 2 groups., Conclusion: Polyps originating from the central compartment were found to be related to asthma and allergic rhinitis in Taiwanese patients. A higher eosinophil count was suggested in both serum and local nasal tissue from patients with CCAD. FESS serves as an effective treatment for symptom relief in patients with CCAD., (© 2022 ARS-AAOA, LLC.)

To explore the spatial and temporal distributions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) affected by Ulva prolifera bloom and the regulation of DOM released by the addition of nitrate (NO 3 -N) nutrients, the variation in DOM was analyzed by three cruises in the coastal waters of the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) off Qingdao during a 2018 U. prolifera bloom. A mesocosm experiment was conducted during the decay of U. prolifera. The U. prolifera bloom resulted in higher concentrations of the bulk DOM except for total dissolved amino acids (TDAA), compared with levels recorded during non-bloom periods. Three different fluorescent substances of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were identified, which were also affected by the bloom. Concentrations of total dissolved carbohydrates (TCHO), monosaccharides (MCHO), and polysaccharides (PCHO) peaked during the late bloom, with average levels of 49.78 ± 9.73, 14.23 ± 3.32, and 35.55 ± 9.19 μmol C L -1 , respectively, accompanied by an increase of DOC, indicating release of DOM with U. prolifera decay. In contrast, the concentrations of CDOM and TDAA declined during the late bloom, with averages of 0.10 ± 0.10 m -1 and 1.16 ± 0.82 μmol L -1 , suggesting that the yields of CDOM and TDAA were regulated by the U. prolifera bloom and other mechanism. These findings were confirmed by the mesocosm experiment. DOM production was obviously improved by NO 3 -N addition except for TDAA and CDOM. The release of protein-like CDOM was primarily regulated by NO 3 -N nutrients, however, it was not obvious with humic-like CDOM. Our findings provide evidence supporting the role of U. prolifera blooms in the coastal DOM pool and its significant effect on the marine carbon cycle., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) are longer than 200 nucleotides and cannot encode proteins but can regulate the expression of genes through epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional modifications. The pathophysiology of smooth muscle cells can lead to many vascular diseases, and studies have shown that lncRNAs can regulate the phenotypic conversion of smooth muscle cells so that smooth muscle cells proliferate, migrate, and undergo apoptosis, thereby affecting the development and prognosis of vascular diseases. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms of lncRNA as a signal, bait, stent, guide, and other functions to regulate the phenotypic conversion of vascular smooth muscle cells, and summarizes the role of lncRNAs in regulating vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis, hypertension, aortic dissection, vascular restenosis, and aneurysms, providing new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lu, Liu, Guo, Zhang, Li, Chen, Lin and Zhao.)

The skull defects are challenging to self-heal, and autologous bone graft repair has numerous drawbacks. The scaffolds for the rapid and effective repair of skull defects have become an important research topic. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/β-tricalcium phosphate(β-TCP) composite scaffolds containing icariin (ICA) were prepared through direct-ink three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. β-TCP in the composite scaffold had osteoconductive capability, and the ICA molecule had osteoinductive capacity. The β-TCP and ICA components in the composite scaffold can enhance the capability to repair skull defects. We show that ICA exhibited a slow-release behaviour within 80 days. This behaviour helped the scaffold to continuously stimulate the formation of new bone. The results of in vitro cell compatibility experiments showed that the addition of ICA molecules contributed to the adhesion and proliferation of MC-3T3-E1 cells. The level of alkaline phosphatase secretion demonstrated that the slow release of ICA can promote the osteogenic differentiation of MC-3T3-E1 cells. The introduction of ICA molecules accelerated the in situ bone regeneration in in vivo. It is concluded that the 3D-printed PVA scaffold with β-TCP and ICA has a wide range of potential applications in the field of skull defect treatment.

A family of oxazaborines, diazaborinones, triazaborines, and triazaborinones was prepared by reaction of polarized ethylenes, such as β-enaminoamides, with 4-methylbenzenediazonium tetraphenylborates. The reaction conditions (stirring in CH 2 Cl 2 at room temperature (Method A) or stirring with CH 3 COONa in CH 2 Cl 2 at room temperature (Method B) or refluxing in the CH 2 Cl 2 /toluene mixture (Method C)) controlled the formation and relative content of these compounds in the reaction mixtures from one to three products. Substituted oxazaborines gradually rearranged into diazaborinones at 250 °C. The prepared compounds were characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, IR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, HRMS, or microanalysis. The structure of individual compounds was confirmed by 11 B NMR, 15 N NMR, 1D NOESY, and X-ray analysis. The mechanism of reaction of enaminoamides with 4-methylbenzenediazonium tetraphenylborate was proposed.

As an environmental nuisance, Ulva prolifera green tides have occurred annually in the southern Yellow Sea since 2007. While it is expected that high levels of biological activity during these blooms can alter seawater carbonate chemistry, there has been little research on the responses of marine carbonate system to green tides. Here, the effects of the bloom on the carbonate system were examined on three cruises in June, July, and September, corresponding to the early-, late-, and after-bloom periods of the U. prolifera bloom in Qingdao coastal waters in 2018. Among these three stages, the pH (National Bureau of Standards scale), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), and partial pressure of CO 2 (pCO 2 ) were all affected by bloom, with the highest pH and lowest DIC and TA concentrations of the surface seawater occurring at the late-bloom stage. While pCO 2 continuously increased from the beginning to the end of the bloom. TA increased by ∼40 μmol kg -1 between the early- and after-bloom periods likely due to the shifts in the carbonate system equilibrium caused by increased CO 3 2- concentrations and the organic matter released by U. prolifera during decomposition. Compared to nearby areas with no U. prolifera bloom, the green tide, along with increasing temperature, reduced the pH and DIC but increased the TA and pCO 2 . This large-scale bloom also turned the coastal waters from being an atmospheric CO 2 sink to a strong source, with the estimation of air-sea CO 2 fluxes about 1.69 ± 1.70, 2.28 ± 1.16, and 7.44 ± 5.84 mmol m -2 d -1 during the early-, late-, and after-bloom periods, respectively. This bloom event also promoted the formation of CaCO 3 and was an important source of low molecular weight organic acids. These new findings provide nuances for the current conversations on the role of biological processes in modulating marine carbonate system and the contribution of organic matter to alkalinity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To analyze the correlations between family care, coping strategies and the subject well-being (SWB) of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: From November 2019 to October 2020, 264 CHD patients who had undergone PCI were enrolled in this questionnaire survey. The research tools applied included General Information Questionnaire, the Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and the General Well-being Schedule. SPSS 24.0 and Amos 23.0 software packages were used for statistical analysis., Results: The mean scores for family care, confrontation, avoidance, acceptance-resignation and SWB, were 7.59 ± 2.24, 20.03 ± 3.78, 16.49 ± 2.70, 10.42 ± 2.01, and 73.31 ± 11.63, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the path coefficient between family care and subjective well-being was higher in males than females. Family care was directly related to coping strategies. The coping strategies were directly related to SWB, while family care showed an indirect association with SWB via coping strategies., Conclusions: Family care can improve CHD patients' SWB post-PCI, and coping strategies are important for the link between family care and SWB. Also, men received more family care than women. Based on a patient's characteristics, healthcare providers can promote patients' positive coping strategies, increase their perceived family care, and improve the patient's SWB., Competing Interests: None known., (© 2022 The authors.)

Objectives/hypothesis: Intracellular entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) depends on the interaction between its spike protein with the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and depends on Furin-mediated spike protein cleavage and spike protein priming by host cell proteases, including transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). As the expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and Furin in the middle and inner ear remain unclear, we analyzed the expression of these proteins in mouse ear tissues., Study Design: Animal Research., Methods: We performed immunohistochemical analysis to examine the distribution of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and Furin in the Eustachian tube, middle ear spaces, and cochlea of mice., Results: ACE2 was present in the nucleus of the epithelium of the middle ear and Eustachian tube, as well as in some nuclei of the hair cells in the organ of Corti, in the stria vascularis, and the spiral ganglion cells. ACE2 was also expressed in the cytoplasm of the stria vascularis. TMPRSS2 was expressed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in the middle spaces, with the expression being stronger in the nucleus in the mucosal epithelium of the middle ear spaces and Eustachian tube. TMPRSS2 was present in the cytoplasm in the organ of Corti and stria vascularis and in the nucleus and cytoplasm in the spiral ganglion. Furin was expressed in the cytoplasm in the middle ear spaces, Eustachian tube, and cochlea., Conclusions: ACE2, TMPRSS2, and Furin are diffusely present in the Eustachian tube, middle ear spaces, and cochlea, suggesting that these tissues are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection., Level of Evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 131:E2013-E2017, 2021., (© 2020 American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society Inc, "The Triological Society" and American Laryngological Association (ALA).)

The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) has become one of the sources and reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). It is essential to explore the fate of ARGs during biological treatment of OFMSW. Therefore, the changes in several types of ARGs and integron genes during anaerobic digestion of the OFMSW were analyzed by quantitative PCR. Furthermore, the effects of different particle sizes of activated carbon on the behaviors of the target genes and the potential microbial mechanisms of ARGs dynamics were investigated. The results showed that the total ARGs in the initial system were reduced after anaerobic digestion with or without the presence of activated carbon. The removal rate of the absolute abundance of total ARGs was 29.95%-63.40%. In the final system of anaerobic digestion of the OFMSW, the abundance of total ARGs in powdered activated carbon (PAC) groups was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P <0.05). The supplementation of PAC inhibited the reduction of ARGs, and the supplementation of granular activated carbon had no significant effect on the change in ARGs. The potential host bacteria of ARGs were mainly Clostridia, Bacteroidia, and Synergistia during anaerobic digestion. The enrichment of host bacteria caused by PAC addition was the main reason for the increase in the target genes. Moreover, Clostridia might have been the main driving factor for the growth and decline of ARGs. These results will help us to understand the dissemination of ARGs and the impacts of activated carbon addition on ARGs during anaerobic digestion of the OFMSW.

Objectives: By using DTI image segmentation algorithm investigate the effect of large plants Rhodiola injection on myocardial injury in patients with acute severe CO poisoning (ACOP), and to explore the clinical and CT delayed encephalopathy after ACOP., Methods: Seventy-two ACOP patients were randomly divided into control and observation group, 36 cases in each group from December 2015 - December 2017. The control group received hyperbaric oxygen, mannitol, dexamethasone, citicoline injection, gangliosides, dracone; observation group were large strain Rhodiola injection treatment group based on the once daily for two weeks of continuous treatment. The head CT, head MRI results were analyzed retrospectively., Results: (1) hsCRP and ET-1 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and VEGF was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). No, NOS, and iNOS were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.01); (2) CT images of 16 cases showed bilateral symmetrical fusion lesions with blurred edges, low density, and oval center around the ventricle; (3) MRI showed that the lesion was located in the cerebral cortex, white matter lateral ventricle and/or basal ganglia in 12 cases., Conclusion: Rhodiola can reduce myocardial vascular endothelial cell injury, improve cardiac function, and protect the damaged myocardium. Meanwhile, after acute CO poisoning delayed encephalopathy early for CT and MRI examination facilitate analysis and prognosis of the disease., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Multiple studies have reported that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has beneficial effects in experimental models of sepsis. However, this finding remains inconclusive. This study was performed to systematically determine the connection between MSC therapy and mortality in sepsis animal models by pooling and analyzing data from newly published studies., Methods: A detailed search of related studies from 2009 to 2019 was conducted in four databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. After browsing and filtering out articles that met the inclusion criteria for statistical analysis, the inverse variance method of the fixed effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Twenty-nine animal studies, including 1266 animals, were identified. None of the studies was judged to have a low risk of bias. The meta-analysis demonstrated that MSC therapy was related to a significantly lower mortality rate (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.22-0.38, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses performed based on the MSC injection dose (< 1.0 × 10 6 cells, OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.20-0.56, P < 0.001; 1.0 × 10 6 cells, OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.16-0.35, P < 0.001) and injection time (< 1 h, OR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.13-0.45, P < 0.001; 1 h, OR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.17-0.46, P < 0.001) demonstrated that treatment with MSCs significantly reduced the mortality rate of animals with sepsis., Conclusion: This up-to-date meta-analysis showed a connection between MSC therapy and lower mortality in sepsis animal models, supporting the potential therapeutic effect of MSC treatment in future clinical trials. The results in this study contradict a previous meta-analysis with regards to the ideal dose of MSC therapy. Thus, further research is required to support these findings.

Topological transitions between considerably different phases typically require harsh conditions to collectively break chemical bonds and overcome the stress caused to the original structure by altering its correlated bond environment. In this work we present a case system that can achieve rapid rearrangement of the whole lattice of a metal-organic framework through a domino alteration of the bond connectivity under mild conditions. The system transforms from a disordered metal-organic framework with low porosity to a highly porous and crystalline isomer within 40 s following activation (solvent exchange and desolvation), resulting in a substantial increase in surface area from 725 to 2,749 m 2  g -1 . Spectroscopic measurements show that this counter-intuitive lattice rearrangement involves a metastable intermediate that results from solvent removal on coordinatively unsaturated metal sites. This disordered-crystalline switch between two topological distinct metal-organic frameworks is shown to be reversible over four cycles through activation and reimmersion in polar solvents.

Aim: To develop and test the psychometric characteristics of the Inpatients' Involvement in Medication Safety Scale., Background: Medication safety is the third biggest challenge threatening patient safety. Patient involvement in medication safety management is essential, and however, few tools have been developed to assess the related process., Methods: The scale was formulated through literature review, semi-structured interviews and Delphi expert consultation. A group of 461 inpatients from a tertiary hospital were selected to examine the reliability and validity of the scale., Results: The scale consisted of three dimensions and 23 items. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.916 for the total scale and was 0.777-0.858 for three subscales; the test-retest reliability was 0.742 for the total scale. The content validity was 0.957, and the item content validity ranged from 0.833 to 1.000. The cumulative variance contribution of three selected factors was 51.19%., Conclusions: The Inpatients' Involvement in Medication Safety Scale has good reliability and validity and can be used to evaluate inpatients' involvement in medication safety., Implications for Nursing Management: The scale provides theoretical reference for clinical nursing safety management, as well as helps nurses to provide targeted medication care for patients and their families., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The lipase from Aspergillus oryzae was modified with a surfactant and then observed to exhibit high catalytic efficiency and enantioselectivity for the kinetic resolution of ( RS )-1-phenylethanol. The influential factors of the modified-lipase preparation were investigated, including the surfactant source, the organic cosolvent, and the buffer pH. The optimum modification conditions were found with a surfactant of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, an organic cosolvent of tetrahydrofuran and a phosphate buffer of pH 7.0. In the transesterification of ( RS )-1-phenylethanol with vinyl acetate, the surfactant-modified lipase showed excellent enantioselectivity for the R -isomer ( E  > 200), giving an enantiomeric excess of higher than 99% for ( R )-1-phenylethyl acetate at 46.8% conversion with the reaction time of 2 h at 30 °C. The enzymatic activity had barely altered after 30 days even at 50 °C when it was saved in a powdered state. The results indicated that the modification strategy was useful and highly efficient, and that modified A. oryzae lipase was a promising biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of ( RS )-1-phenylethanol., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The spread of antimicrobial resistance via landfill leachates jeopardizes millions of people's health, which can be exacerbated due to the unclear quantitative relationships between leachate characteristics and occurrences of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, in parallel with sampling raw leachates from a real landfill, we constructed a lab-scale landfill and collected its leachates for 260 days. All leachate samples were analyzed for the abundance of integrons, sulfonamide resistance (sulR; sul1 and sul2) and beta-lactams resistance (blaR; bla OXA , bla CTX-M , and bla TEM ) genes. The enrichment of sulR subtypes was closely associated with the integrons' prevalence during the landfilling process (0.65-0.75 log 10 (copies/mL)), which can be explained by the multiple linear regression that contained intl1, pH, and nitrogen compounds as variables. The predicted abundance of sulR genes (6.06 ± 0.6 log 10 (copies/mL)) was statistically the same as the observed value in raw leachates (P = 0.73). The abundance of blaR genes decreased from 5.0 to 2.5 log 10 (copies/mL) during the experiment (P < 0.001); and a locally weighted regression of blaR genes with integrons, COD and total nitrogen accurately predicted blaR genes abundance in raw leachate (Bootstrap = 10,000, P = 0.67). The partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM) showed that variations of blaR genes in the lab and raw leachates shared an identical pattern (PLS-PM, Bootstrap = 10,000, P > 0.05), which was influenced by integrons and environmental factors with the coefficients of -0.11 and 0.39, respectively. We believe the validated models are highly useful tools to streamline the strategies for monitoring and prediction of ARGs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aim: Although several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported that supplemental simethicone (SIM) can improve bowel preparation based on polyethylene glycol, there is no consensus as to whether SIM can ultimately increase the adenoma detection rate (ADR) during colonoscopy. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effect of SIM on ADR during colonoscopy., Methods: Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched to find relevant RCTs. RCTs evaluating the effect of pre-procedure SIM on the ADR during colonoscopy were finally included, and fixed effect models were applied., Results: Six trials involving 1855 patients were finally included. The present meta-analysis suggested that the ADR during colonoscopy was significantly increased by supplemental SIM (27.9% vs 23.3%, P = 0.02), with a relative risk of 1.20 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.39). Subgroup analysis suggested that supplemental SIM may be more useful to improve ADR during colonoscopy in endoscopic centers with low baseline ADR., Conclusions: Supplemental SIM for bowel preparation based on polyethylene glycol is useful to improve the ADR during colonoscopy., (© 2018 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Four lithium coordination polymers, [Li₃(BTC)(H₂O)₆] ( 1 ), [Li₃(BTC)(H₂O)₅] ( 2 ), [Li₃(BTC)(μ₂-H₂O)] ( 3 ), and [Li(H₂BTC)(H₂O)] ( 4 ) (H₃BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylatic acid), have been synthesized and characterized. All the structures have been determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Complexes 1 and 2 have two-dimensional (2-D) sheets, whereas complex 3 has three-dimensional (3-D) frameworks and complex 4 has one-dimensional (1-D) tubular chains. The crystal-to-crystal transformation was observed in 1 ⁻ 3 upon removal of water molecules, which accompanied the changes in structures and ligand bridging modes. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of complexes 3 and 4 have been studied to evaluate these compounds as electrode materials in lithium ion batteries with the discharge capacities of 120 and 257 mAhg -1 in the first thirty cycles, respectively.

Elevated iron deposition has been reported in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the route of iron uptake leading to high deposition in the substantia nigra is unresolved. Here, we show a mechanism in enhanced Fe 2+ uptake via S-nitrosylation of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1). While DMT1 could be S-nitrosylated by exogenous nitric oxide donors, in human PD brains, endogenously S-nitrosylated DMT1 was detected in postmortem substantia nigra. Patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings and iron uptake assays confirmed increased Mn 2+ or Fe 2+ uptake through S-nitrosylated DMT1. We identified two major S-nitrosylation sites, C23 and C540, by mass spectrometry, and DMT1 C23A or C540A substitutions abolished nitric oxide (NO)-mediated DMT1 current increase. To evaluate in vivo significance, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was stereotaxically injected into the substantia nigra of female and male mice to induce inflammation and production of NO. The intranigral LPS injection resulted in corresponding increase in Fe 2+ deposition, JNK activation, dopaminergic neuronal loss and deficit in motoric activity, and these were rescued by the NO synthase inhibitor l-NAME or by the DMT1-selective blocker ebselen. Lentiviral knockdown of DMT1 abolished LPS-induced dopaminergic neuron loss. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuroinflammation and high cytoplasmic Fe 2+ levels have been implicated in the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report the unexpected enhancement of the functional activity of transmembrane divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) by S-nitrosylation. We demonstrated that S-nitrosylation increased DMT1-mediated Fe 2+ uptake, and two cysteines were identified by mass spectrometry to be the sites for S-nitrosylation and for enhanced iron uptake. One conceptual advance is that while DMT1 activity could be increased by external acidification because the gating of the DMT1 transporter is proton motive, we discovered that DMT1 activity could also be enhanced by S-nitrosylation. Significantly, lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO)-mediated neuronal death in the substantia nigra could be ameliorated by using l-NAME, a NO synthase inhibitor, or by ebselen, a DMT1-selective blocker., (Copyright © 2018 the authors 0270-6474/18/388365-14$15.00/0.)

With an attempt to economically and efficiently improve the water resistance of defatted soya bean flour (DSF)-based wood adhesives, DSF was subjected to thermal treatment at various temperatures (65°C, 80°C, 95°C, 110°C and 125°C) for 30 min. The effects of thermal treatment temperature onto the chemical structure, crystalline degree, water-insoluble content and acetaldehyde value of the thermally treated DSF (T-DSF) were investigated. The thermal stabilities and bonding properties of soya bean adhesives prepared from T-DSF and cross-linker epichlorohydrin-modified polyamide (EMPA) were also investigated. Test results indicated that both the water-insoluble content and the acetaldehyde value of T-DSF increased after thermal treatment, reaching the highest values of 27.28% and 26.81 mg g -1 , respectively. All plywood bonded with the T-DSF-based adhesive withstood a 28 h boiling-dry-boiling accelerated ageing treatment, while plywood bonded with the DSF-based adhesive delaminated after 4 h of water boiling, demonstrating the significantly improved water resistance of the T-DSF-based adhesives. Related analyses also confirmed that this improvement was due to: (i) the formation of insoluble cross-linked structures of T-DSF resulting from protein-protein self-cross-linking reactions and the protein-carbohydrate Maillard reaction and (ii) increased cross-linking efficiency between T-DSF and cross-linker EMPA owing to more T-DSF-reactive groups being released after thermal treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Objectives/hypothesis: Human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a malignancy that was discovered originally in the epithelial tissue of laryngeal mucosa. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still not clear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms of TSR2 in the LSCC cell apoptosis., Study Design: The expression of TSR2 was first analyzed in LSCC tissues. Then functional effects of TSR2 on Hep-2 and AMC-HN-8 cell lines were performed by overexpression pcDNA3.1-TSR2., Methods: We investigated the expression level of TSR2 in LSCC tissues and cells by performing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The pcDNA3.1-TSR2 was constructed to explore the effect of overexpressing TSR2 in Hep-2 cells and AMC-HN-8 cells. We further investigated the effect of overexpressing TSR2 on cell apoptosis-related protein and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) p65 nuclear translocation through Western blot and terminal dUTP nick end-labeling assays., Results: We found that TSR2 was downregulated in LSSC tissues and cells compared with the controls, and the overexpression of TSR2 in Hep-2 and AMC-HN-8 cells could promote cell apoptosis and related apoptosis proteins. The Western blot/qRT-PCR data further indicated that overexpression of TSR2 in Hep-2 and AMC-HN-8 cells could lead to a block of NF-κB signaling pathway via decreasing nuclear NF-κB p65 and increasing cytoplasm NF-κB p65. Moreover, overexpression of TSR2 significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of IκBα and IKKα/β., Conclusions: The results indicated that TSR2-induced apoptosis was mediated by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway, which may provide an effective target in gene therapy for LSCC., Level of Evidence: NA. Laryngoscope, 128:E130-E134, 2018., (© 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

The adsorption of methyl red (MR) isomers (ortho, meta, and para) on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was investigated by using a fluorescence quenching technique. All three MR isomers were found to quench the fluorescence of MOFs effectively. Nonlinear fluorescence quenching trends were observed in Stern-Volmer plots. A modified nonlinear Stern-Volmer equation with the concepts of multiple adsorption sites, adsorption strength, and quencher accessibility was successfully adopted to fit the fluorescence quenching data. The fitted parameters were correlated with the structural properties of MRs and MOFs. The order of quenching efficiency was found to be m-MR > p-MR > o-MR for all MOFs. This indicates that MR molecules not only adsorb via carboxylate-metal bonding but also adsorb through π-π interactions between the aromatic rings of MR and linker molecules in MOFs. The position of the carboxylate group in MRs and the structure of the linkers in MOFs are the key factors affecting the fluorescence quenching efficiency.

Objective: To determine the etiologies of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) in a Chinese population using a retrospective case series and a systematic analysis of the literatures on OGIB in Chinese patients., Methods: A large enteroscopy database in a tertiary endoscopic center was searched to identify patients with OGIB from 2010 to 2016. The patients' characteristics and diagnostic findings were collected and analyzed. A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out to harvest all relevant studies published from 2004 to 2016., Results: In total, 708 patients were included in the case series. The most common causes of OGIB were inflammatory diseases (36.3%), non-small bowel lesions (10.2%) and neoplasms (10.0%). A systematic analysis of the literatures included 39 studies providing relevant data for 3145 patients with a pooled detection rate of 84.2%. Inflammatory lesions (27.4%), neoplasms (18.5%), vascular lesions (16.1%) and diverticula or intestinal duplication (11.9%) were the most common causes of OGIB., Conclusions: Inflammatory lesions, neoplasms, vascular lesions and diverticula or intestinal duplication are the most common in Chinese OGIB patients, while in pediatric patients diverticula or intestinal duplication, vascular lesions and Crohn's disease are prevalent. Furthermore, the etiologies of OGIB distribute differently across different areas in China., (© 2017 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Exposure to divalent metals such as iron and manganese is thought to increase the risk for Parkinson's disease (PD). Under normal circumstances, cellular iron and manganese uptake is regulated by the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1). Accordingly, alterations in DMT1 levels may underlie the abnormal accumulation of metal ions and thereby disease pathogenesis. Here, we have generated transgenic mice overexpressing DMT1 under the direction of a mouse prion promoter and demonstrated its robust expression in several regions of the brain. When fed with iron-supplemented diet, DMT1-expressing mice exhibit rather selective accumulation of iron in the substantia nigra, which is the principal region affected in human PD cases, but otherwise appear normal. Alongside this, the expression of Parkin is also enhanced, likely as a neuroprotective response, which may explain the lack of phenotype in these mice. When DMT1 is overexpressed against a Parkin null background, the double-mutant mice similarly resisted a disease phenotype even when fed with iron- or manganese-supplemented diet. However, these mice exhibit greater vulnerability toward 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity. Taken together, our results suggest that iron accumulation alone is not sufficient to cause neurodegeneration and that multiple hits are required to promote PD.

Four series of rodlike racemic Schiff base mesogens possessing different alkyl chains and two types of linkages, ester and alkynyl linkages, were synthesized and applied to induce cubic blue phases (BPs) in simple binary mixture systems. The mesophases of these Schiff base mesogens were confirmed by variable-temperature X-ray diffraction and the characteristic texture from polarized optical microscopy (POM). In general, when chiral additive S-(+)-2-octyl 4-(4-hexyloxybenzoyloxy)benzoate (S811; 20-40 wt %) is added into the rodlike racemic salicylaldimine-based mesogens, the cubic BPs could be observed and its temperature range is larger than 20 K. The widest temperature range of the cubic BP (35 K) can be observed in the blending mixture composed of rodlike racemic salicylaldimine-based mesogen OH-TI n possessing alkynyl linkage and 35-40 wt % S811. However, Schiff base mesogens possessing alkynyl linkage show a direct isotropic to chiral nematic transition when equal amount of chiral dopant is added. Notably, the termination temperature of BPs is very close to room temperature (ca. 35 °C) after 40.0 wt % S811 is added into the salicylaldimine-based mesogens possessing terminal alkyl chains and ester linkage. Interestingly, wide BPs (>30 K) can also be induced by adding chiral additive 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-2,5-bis[4-(n-hexyl-1-oxy)benzoic acid]sorbitol (ISO(6OBA) 2 ) with a high helical twisting power into the racemic Schiff base mesogen possessing ester linkage. Cubic BPI and BPII can be confirmed by reflectance spectra and POM. The results of reflectance spectra indicate that the binary mixture composed of salicylaldimine-based mesogens and S811 easily exhibits a supercooling effect and induces BPI. However, only BPII can be observed in all binary mixtures containing Schiff base mesogens. On the basis of our experimental results and molecular modeling, we suppose that the values of biaxiality, polarizability, and the dipole moment of molecular geometry are the main factors that affect BP stabilization.

Aim: To study the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in acute liver failure., Methods: Chinese experimental miniature swine (15 ± 3 kg, 5-8 mo) were obtained from the Laboratory Animal Centre of the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School. Acute liver failure was induced via 85% hepatectomy, and animals were treated by MSC transplantation combined with IL-1Ra injection. Blood samples were collected for hepatic function analysis, and the living conditions and survival time were recorded. Liver injury was histologically analyzed. Hepatic cell regeneration and apoptosis were studied by Ki67 immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, respectively. The levels of protein kinase B and nuclear factor-κB expression were analyzed by Western blotting., Results: MSCs were infected with a lentivirus for expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) for subsequent identification; 97.3% of the MSCs were positive for GFP as assessed by flow cytometry. Additional flow cytometric analysis of cell surface marker expression demonstrated that > 90% of GFP-expressing MSCs were also positive for CD29, CD44, and CD90, indicating that most of these cells expressed typical markers of MSCs, and the population of MSCs was almost pure. Transplantation of MSCs in combination with 2 mg/kg IL-1Ra therapy significantly improved survival time compared to the acute liver failure model group (35.3 ± 6.7 d vs 17.3 ± 5.5 d, P < 0.05). Combined therapy also promoted improvement in serum inflammatory cytokines and biochemical conditions. The observed hepatic histopathologic score was significantly lower in the group with combined therapy than in the model group (3.50 ± 0.87 vs 8.17 ± 1.26, P < 0.01). In addition, liver cell apoptosis in the combined therapy group was significantly inhibited (18.1 ± 2.1% vs 70.8 ± 3.7%, P < 0.01), and hepatic cell regeneration increased. A significant increase in protein kinase B expression and decrease in nuclear factor-κB expression were observed (P < 0.01), which supports their important roles in liver regeneration., Conclusion: MSCs and IL-1Ra had a synergistic effect in liver regeneration via regulation of inflammation and apoptotic signaling.

Objective: To analyze the incidence of cytomegalovirus infection and related risk factors after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and to develop a rational strategy for the preemptive treatment of CMV infection., Methods: The clinical data of 398 patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation from December 2011 to December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively by using a Kaplan Meier analysis and Logistics model., Results: Out of 398 patients 233 developed post-transplant CMV infection (58.5%). Univariate analysis showed that HLA mismatch, ATG administration, acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD), using prednisone ≥ 1 mg/kg body weight or equivalent were associated with increase of CMV infection. Multivariate analysis showed that HLA mismatch (HR = 2.765, P = 0.000), ATG administration (HR = 3.866, P = 0.000), using prednisone ≥ 1 mg/kg body weight or equivalent (HR = 4.767, P = 0.000) also were associated with increase of CMV infection., Conclusion: HLA mismatch, ATG administration, using prednisone ≥ 1 mg/kg are risk factors for CMV reaction.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, a common complication, remains a major risk factor related with patient death after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) which is crucial to control HCMV infection, can prevent or treat HCMV infection safely and effectively after adoptive infusion. Many studies have been focussed on exploring different methods for preparation of CTL. The method of using antigen presenting cells to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells is simple to operate, easy to conduct large-scale clinical trials. Isolation of CTL from donor-derived PBMC by peptide-tetramer or INF-γ antibody requires a large volume of peripheral blood and high cost for preparation. Third-party CTL can provide an "off-the-shelf" product, but the problem of HLA-mismatch still would be solved. In addition, the clinical efficacy and safety of different methods also vary. This article reviews and compares the current methods to generate CTL and efficacy of the cells after infusions.

Mutations of parkin are a prevalent genetic contributor to familial Parkinson's disease (PD). As a key regulator of protein and mitochondrial homeostasis, parkin plays a pivotal role in maintaining dopaminergic neuronal survival. However, whereas Drosophila parkin null mutants exhibit prominent parkinsonian features, parkin-deficient mice generally lack an overt phenotype. Here, we found that the expression of Hsp70 along with several other members of the chaperone family is elevated in parkin null mice, suggesting a possible compensatory mechanism for the loss of parkin function in these mice that could have masked their phenotype. Supporting this, we demonstrate that the enhancement of chaperone function induced either pharmacologically via 17-AAG treatment or genetically via Hsp70 overexpression can protect cells against proteolytic and mitochondrial stress in a manner that is similar to that brought about by parkin overexpression. Importantly, we further showed that enhanced chaperone activity can ameliorate the pathological phenotypes in Drosophila parkin null mutants, which suggests the ability of chaperones to phenocopy parkin function. Taken together, our results suggest that Hsp members may act as compensatory factors for parkin loss of function and that the exploitation of these factors may be of potential therapeutic value., (© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

We describe a case of a fetus with an ectopic connection of the ductus venosus to a dilated coronary sinus that was diagnosed at ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University. A dilated coronary sinus was initially detected with prenatal echocardiography. Neither a persistent left superior vena cava nor an anomalous pulmonary venous connection was present. After comprehensive examination, we discovered that the ductus venosus had an abnormal course draining into the coronary sinus. The postnatal outcome of this fetus was good. Once a dilated coronary sinus is confirmed, further ultrasound evaluation should be performed to search for a potential cause., (© 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the hematopoietic reconstitution in immunodeficiency NPG(TM) mice after transplantation of G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood CD34(+) hemopoietic stem cells., Methods: CD34(+) cells were isolated from peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS), and then were transplanted into NPG(TM) mice irradiated with sublethal dose of X ray by marrow cavity transplantation. The hemogram of mice after transplantation for 2, 4 weeks was observed; human cell populations (CD45(+), CD19(+)) in the peripheral blood of mice were dynamically analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after transplantation. Until the planned harvest at the 12 week after transplantation, the CD45(+), CD19(+) level in bone marrow, liver, spleen from each mouse were detected by flow cytometry; the expression of human Alu gene in the bone marrow cell of mouse was detected by PCR., Results: The purity of CD34(+) cells accounted for 96.3%; after irradiation, the nucleated cells and megalokaryocytes in the marrow cavity of NPG mice were reduced significantly or were lost, and reached the myeloablative effect. At week 4 after transplantation, components of blood cells in peripheral blood of transplanted mice were recovered to the level before irradiation; all the mice survived, human CD45(+), CD19(+) cells were found by FCM in the peripheral blood of all the surviving mice in transplantation group at week 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 after the transplantation; at the 12th week, the human Alu gene could be detected in the bone marrow of all the mice in transplantation group., Conclusion: The human-mouse chimeric model is successfully established in irradiation-induced NPG mouse by transplantation of CD34(+) HSC from G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood via marrow cavity.

A positive myocardial inotropic effect achieved using HNO/NO(-) , compared with NO⋅, triggered attempts to explore novel nitroxyl donors for use in clinical applications in vascular and myocardial pharmacology. To develop M-NO complexes for nitroxyl chemistry and biology, modulation of direct nitroxyl-transfer reactivity of dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) is investigated in this study using a Fe(III) -porphyrin complex and proteins as a specific probe. Stable dinuclear {Fe(NO)2 }(9) DNIC [Fe(μ-(Me) Pyr)(NO)2 ]2 was discovered as a potent nitroxyl donor for nitroxylation of Fe(III) -heme centers through an associative mechanism. Beyond the efficient nitroxyl transfer, transformation of DNICs into a chemical biology probe for nitroxyl and for pharmaceutical applications demands further efforts using in vitro/in vivo studies., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)