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The flavonoid compound chinonin is one of the main active components of Rhizoma anemarrhena with multiple activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, protection of mitochondrial function and regulation of immunity. In this paper, we reviewed recent research progress on the protective effect of chinonin on brain injury in neurological diseases. "Chinonin" OR "Mangiferin" AND "Nervous system diseases" OR "Neuroprotection" was used as the terms for search in PumMed. After discarding duplicated and irrelevant articles, a total of 23 articles relevant to chinonin published between 2012 and 2023 were identified in our study.

To clarify the relationship between GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) crustal deformation and the preparation of strong earthquakes in the western Chinese Mainland, a series of methods including velocity field, strain rate field, and strain parameter time series are adopted based on the GNSS observation data from the CMONOC (Crustal Movement Observation Network of China). The abnormal characteristics of crustal deformation movement before the M ≥ 5 earthquakes in the area since 1999 are studied. The corresponding variety of the crustal movement before earthquakes is discussed in combination with the seismogenic structure of earthquakes. The abnormalities of the GNSS velocity field, strain field, and strain parameter time series before earthquakes with different magnitudes are proposed. Finally, the anomaly criterion before medium-strong-large earthquakes in the western Chinese Mainland is proposed according to the GNSS and its combination with the characteristics of geological structure. The results can provide a basis for the forecasting of the trend and location of medium-strong-large earthquakes in the western Chinese Mainland., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Stomata are channels through which plants exchange H 2 O and CO 2 with the external environment. The regulation of stomatal movement has significant impacts on plant growth, development and stress adaptation. Here, we present a maize R2R 3 - MYB transcription factor, ZmMYB56, which regulates high CO 2 -induced stomatal closure in maize seedlings. ZmMYB56 is highly expressed in stomatal guard cells and is negatively regulated by CO 2 and HCO 3 - . Loss of ZmMYB56 function leads to insensitivity to high CO 2 . As a transcription factor, ZmMYB56 binds to a cis-acting element in the ZmHLT1 promoter and regulates its expression. ZmHLT1 plays a key role in CO 2 - induced maize stomatal movement, and its absence causes a severe weakening of maize's response to ambient CO 2 . ZmHLT1 expression is negatively regulated by bicarbonate, which does not occur in Zmmyb56 mutants, highlighting the significance of this regulatory relationship in plant responses to CO 2 and HCO 3 - . Taken together, these results show that ZmMYB56-regulated ZmHLT1 expression is important for high CO 2 -induced stomatal closure in maize. Our findings provide insight into genetic pathways that could be manipulated to improve maize growth and stress tolerance, especially under increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentrations., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (LEL-ICC) is a rare liver tumor that appears as a hepatic nodule on imaging with a specific pathological pattern, and the definitive diagnosis relies on its pathological histomorphology, immunophenotype, and Epstein-Barr encoding region test. Radical surgical resection is the primary treatment modality, and immunotherapy is expected to be a new adjuvant treatment option. LEL-ICC with massive multinucleated giant cell infiltration has not been reported so far. In this article, we report a patient with LEL-ICC showing massive multinucleated giant cell infiltration, review the relevant literature, and analyze its clinicopathological features and prognosis to accumulate experience for the accurate diagnosis of LEL-ICC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: CaIMR is proposed as a novel angiographic index designed to assess microcirculation without the need for pressure wires or hyperemic agents. We aimed to investigate the impact of caIMR on predicting clinical outcomes in STEMI patients., Methods: One hundred and forty patients with STEMI who received PCI in Putuo Hospital of Shanghai from October 2021 to September 2022 were categorized into CMD and non-CMD groups according to the caIMR value. The baseline information, patient-related examinations, and the occurrence of MACE at the 12-month follow-up were collected to investigate risk factors in patients with STEMI., Results: We divided 140 patients with STEMI enrolled into two groups according to caIMR results, including 61 patients diagnosed with CMD and 79 patients diagnosed with non-CMD. A total of 21 MACE occurred during the 1 year of follow-up. Compared with non-CMD group, patients with CMD showed a significantly higher risk of MACE. A multivariate Cox regression model was conducted for the patients, and it was found thatcaIMR was a significant predictor of prognosis in STEMI patients (HR: 8.921). Patients with CMD were divided into culprit vascular CMD and non-culprit vascular CMD, and the result found that culprit vascular CMD was associated with the incidence of MACE (OR: 4.75) and heart failure (OR: 7.50)., Conclusion: CaIMR is a strong predictor of clinical outcomes and can provide an objective risk stratification for patients with STEMI. There is a strong correlation among leukocyte index, the use of furosemide, Killips classification, and clinical outcomes., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC.)

We admitted a 60-year-old male patient diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma who had a shrinking lung cancer mass after radiotherapy and 6 cycles of chemotherapy, but developed facial inflammation 2 weeks after the end of the final chemotherapy treatment, and was admitted to the hospital with anemia and thrombocytopenia, and diagnosed with Evans syndrome, and brain metastasis of lung cancer was found in the course of the consultation, which suggested disease progression. Evans syndrome was seen as a paraneoplastic syndrome., 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 Authors.)

BACKGROUND The correlation between serum creatinine levels and the long-term prognosis of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not yet been systematically investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the association between long-term prognosis and serum creatinine levels in patients after PCI. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was an observational cohort study of 2533 patients who received PCI and completed serum creatinine and other tests in China. The study's primary prognostic indicators were the frequency of clinical adverse events, all-cause death, cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. All-cause death referred to death from all causes during the follow-up period, whereas cardiac death was death due to cardiac injury resulting in severe cardiac dysfunction or failure. Clinical events included death, ischemia, and stroke. Yao et al completed the entire study and uploaded the data to the DATADRYAD website. We used only this data for secondary analysis. RESULTS The study involved 2533 participants, with a mean age of 59.9±11.1 years and a median follow-up of 29.8 months. The analysis, controlling for confounding factors, revealed a positive correlation between serum creatinine and all-cause death (OR: 2.178, 95% CI: 1.317-3.603, P<0.05), which was confirmed by the results of sensitivity analysis (P for trend <0.05). However, no direct linear correlation was found between serum creatinine and acute myocardial infarction, cardiac death, or stroke. CONCLUSIONS There was a linear correlation between serum creatinine and all-cause death in the long-term prognosis of patients after PCI, independent of acute myocardial infarction, cardiac death, and stroke.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop a multimodal model based on artificial intelligence to assist clinical doctors in the early diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns., Methods: This study is a retrospective study that collected the initial laboratory test results and abdominal x-ray image data of newborns (non-NEC, NEC) admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024.A multimodal model was developed to differentiate multimodal data, trained on the training dataset, and evaluated on the validation dataset. The interpretability was enhanced by incorporating the Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (GradCAM) analysis to analyze the attention mechanism of the multimodal model, and finally compared and evaluated with clinical doctors on external datasets., Results: The dataset constructed in this study included 11,016 laboratory examination data from 408 children and 408 image data. When applied to the validation dataset, the area under the curve was 0.91, and the accuracy was 0.94. The GradCAM analysis shows that the model's attention is focused on the fixed dilatation of the intestinal folds, intestinal wall edema, interintestinal gas, and portal venous gas. External validation demonstrated that the multimodal model had comparable accuracy to pediatric doctors with ten years of clinical experience in identification., Conclusion: The multimodal model we developed can assist doctors in early and accurate diagnosis of NEC, providing a new approach for assisting diagnosis in underdeveloped medical areas., 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., (© 2024 Cui, Changrong, Maomin, Hui and Xiuxiang.)

Background: While the Ohkuma questionnaire is a simple, reliable, and easy-to-use tool to assess dysphagia, none of its versions can be used by the Chinese population., Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency, reliability and clinical validity of a newly made Chinese version of the Ohkuma questionnaire, and to provide some objective basis for its application in screening dysphagia., Materials and Methods: From September 21 to June 2022, 96 patients with dysphagia and 89 asymptomatic subjects were recruited from three hospitals in China to form an observation and a control group, respectively. All subjects completed the Ohkuma questionnaire, Eating Assessment Tool-10, and a Video Fluoroscopy Study of Swallowing., Results: The Cronbach's α coefficient measured in the questionnaire was 0.867, indicating acceptable internal reliability. The analysis of variance generated four main factors to be assessed, showing a good aggregation effectiveness of the questionnaire. The AVE square root values of three factors were greater than the maximum absolute value of the correlation coefficients between factors, indicating good differentiation effectiveness. The sensitivity and specificity scores, together with the positive and negative likelihood as well as diagnostic odds ratios indicate a good reactivity of the questionnaire. Lastly, after adjusting for age and sex, the results of the stepwise linear regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the Ohkuma questionnaire and the penetration aspiration scale., Conclusions: The Chinese version of the Ohkuma questionnaire has good reliability and validity, and can be used as a rapid and effective screening tool for dysphagia., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Belgian Neurological Society.)

In this study, the effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on metal uptake and its ability to attenuate metal toxicity in kenaf plants under Pb stress were investigated. The experiment was conducted with five different MeJA concentrations (0, 40, 80, 160, and 320 μM) as a foilar application to kenaf plants exposed to 200 μM Pb stress. The results revealed that pretreatmen of MeJA significantly increased plant dry weight, plant height, and root architecture at all concentrations tested, with the most significant increase at 320 μM. Foliar application of MeJA at 160 μM and 320 μM increased the Pb concentrations in leaves and stems as well as the translocation factor (TF) from root to leaf. However, the bioaccumulation factor in the shoot initially decreased and then increased with increasing MeJA concentration. By increasing enzymatic (SOD, POD, and CAT) and non-enzymatic (AsA and non-protein thiols) antioxidants, MeJA pretreatment decreased lipid peroxidation, O 2 - and H 2 O 2 accumulation and recovered photosynthetic pigment content under Pb stress. Increased osmolytes (proline, sugar, and starch) and protein content after MeJA pretreatment under Pb stress restore cellular homeostasis and improved kenaf tolerance. Our results suggest that MeJA pretreatment modifies the antioxidant machinery of kenaf and inhibits stress-related processes that cause lipid peroxidation, hence enhancing plant tolerance to Pb stress., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In Monte Carlo particle transport simulations, point flux tallying is a variance reduction technique that performs well with small detectors and finds broad application in source-detector problems and local point dose calculations. However, its use in large-scale point flux tallying computation adds substantial computational time. To address this issue, we propose a CPU-GPU-coupled acceleration method, which separates the complex logic and computationally intensive parts of particle transport calculation and assigns them to the CPU and GPU, respectively. This proposed method greatly enhances the efficiency of large-scale point flux tallies, providing significant convenience for subsequent dose calculations and other related steps. We validated our method by comparing the performance of a pure CPU program with our CPU-GPU accelerated program using the NUREG/CR-6115 PWR benchmark problem. The results indicate identical outcomes for photon point flux estimation, with the accelerated program being ~50 times faster., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The treatment of ovarian cancer remains a medical challenge and its malignant progression is connected with obvious changes in both tissue and cell stiffness. However, the accurate mechanical-responsive molecules and mechanism remains unclear in ovarian cancer. Based on our previous results combined with the crucial regulatory role of STAT3 in the malignant progression of various cancer types, we want to investigate the relationship between STAT3 and matrix stiffness in ovarian cancer and further explore the potential mechanisms. Collagen-coated polyacrylamide gels (1, 6, and 60 kPa) were prepared to mimic soft or hard matrix stiffness. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, IHC, EdU assays, and TEM were used to evaluate the effect of STAT3 in vitro under different matrix stiffnesses. Furthermore, a BALB/c nude mouse model was established to assess the relationship in vivo. Our results confirmed the differential expression of STAT3/p-STAT3 not only in normal and malignant ovarian tissues but also under different matrix stiffnesses. Furthermore, we verified that STAT3 was a mechanically responsive gene both in vitro and in vivo, and the mechanical response was carried out by altering the migration-related molecules (TNFAIP1) and adhesion-related molecules (LPXN, CNN3). The novel findings suggest that STAT3, a potential therapeutic target for clinical diagnosis and treatment, is a mechanically responsive gene that responds to matrix stiffness, particularly regulation in migration and adhesion in the progression of ovarian cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To explore the effect of interdisciplinary collaboration in emergency nursing using the strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) model on patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Methods: Eighty AMI patients undergoing rescue treatment at Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University from October 2020 to June 2022 were selected and randomly divided into the SWOT group and the control group. The patients in the control group received routine emergency nursing intervention, while those in the SWOT group were given interdisciplinary collaboration using the SWOT model. The emergency-related time, cardiac function indicators, incidence of adverse events, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups., Results: The waiting time, triage assessment time, electrocardiogram examination time, emergency treatment time, PCI duration and ICU stay time in SWOT group were significantly shorter than those in control group. The left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESd), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the SWOT group were all superior to those in the control group. The SWOT group had a significantly lower incidence rate of adverse events than the control group. The quality of life scores of SWOT group were higher than those of control group. The nursing satisfaction in the SWOT group was higher than that in the control group., Conclusion: Interdisciplinary collaboration using the SWOT model for AMI patients can effectively shorten the rescue time, ameliorate cardiac function indicators, reduce the risk of adverse events, improve patients' quality of life, and enhance nursing satisfaction.

An intercomparison of neutron personal dose equivalent measured by the Harshaw thermoluminescence neutron dosimeters (TLDs) between the National Institute of Metrology of China (NIM) and the Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology of Vietnam (INST) was performed. Three sets of TLDs (each set consisting of five TLDs) were prepared for each laboratory. Each set was then irradiated to the corresponding same nominal standard value of neutron personal dose equivalent, H p (10) n-std i , of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mSv, respectively at these two laboratories. The irradiated TLDs were then read-out at the INST using the Harshaw 4500-type TLD reader to obtain neutron personal dose equivalents at the NIM, H p (10) n-NIM i and at the INST, H p (10) n-INST i , which are corresponding to different values of H p (10) n-std i . The TLDs' responses to different scattered components of neutrons in these two fields are also discussed. Comparisons between the corresponding pair values of H p (10) n-NIM i and H p (10) n-INST i show good agreements within 10% with the standard uncertainty of 12.5% (k = 1). The measured values of H p (10) n-NIM i and H p (10) n-INST i are satisfied the Trumpet curve criteria. This implies that the TLDs can be used for safety assessment of occupational neutron personal dose equivalents. This intercomparison result also confirms the capabilities of these two laboratories (i.e., NIM, INST) on deliveries of neutron personal dose equivalent standard values for calibrations., 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.)

Aim: To evaluate the anti-pancreatic cancer effect of novel Tubeimoside I multifunctional liposomes combined with gemcitabine. Methods: Liposomes were prepared through the thin film hydration method, with evaluations conducted on parameters including encapsulation efficiency (EE%), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), storage stability, and release over a 7-day period. The cellular uptake rate, therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo and the role of immune microenvironment modulation were evaluated. Results: The novel Tubeimoside I multifunctional liposomal exhibited good stability, significant anti-cancer activity, and immune microenvironment remodeling effects. Furthermore, it showed a safety profile. Conclusion: This study underscores the potential of Novel Tubeimoside I multifunctional liposomal as a promising treatment option for pancreatic cancer.

Background and Aims: Direct elimination of cccDNA remains a formidable obstacle due to the persistent and stable presence of cccDNA in hepatocyte nuclei. The silencing of cccDNA transcription enduringly is one of alternative strategies in the treatment of hepatitis B. Protein binding to cccDNA plays an important role in its transcriptional regulation; thus, the identification of key factors involved in this process is of great importance., Approaches and Results: In the present study, high mobility group nucleosome binding domain 1 (HMGN1) was screened out based on our biotin-avidin enrichment system. First, chromatin immunoprecipitation and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays confirmed the binding of HMGN1 with cccDNA in the nucleus. Second, functional experiments in HBV-infected cells showed that the promoting effect of HMGN1 on HBV transcription and replication depended on the functional region of the nucleosomal binding domain, while transfection of the HMGN1 mutant showed no influence on HBV compared with the vector. Third, further mechanistic exploration revealed that the silencing of HMGN1 increased the level of phosphorylase CLK2 and promoted H3 phosphorylation causing the reduced accessibility of cccDNA. Moreover, silenced HMGN1 was mimicked in HBV (r) cccDNA mouse model of HBV infection in vivo. The results showed that silencing HMGN1 inhibited HBV replication in vivo., Conclusions: In summary, our study identified that a host protein can bind to cccDNA and promote its transcription, providing a candidate strategy for anti-HBV targeting to interfere with the transcriptional activity of cccDNA microchromosomes., 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.)

Current drugs do not provide an absolute cure or modify the course of asthma. Hyssopus cuspidatus Boriss extract (SXCF) has been used as Uyghur medicine for several years to treat bronchial asthma. However, very limited research has been conducted on the therapeutic mechanisms of SXCF. Disruptions in the metabolic network of lipid mediators (LMs) are closely linked to the development of asthma. Here, we explored the therapeutic mechanism of SXCF in asthma based on the metabolic network of LMs, aiming to contribute to the understanding of SXCF in asthma treatment at the molecular level. The UHPLC-MRM strategy was used for the quantitative detection of LMs in the lung tissue and in the peripheral circulatory system (serum). ELISA was used to detect IgE in serum and cytokines in BALF. The lung tissue sections were stained with H&E to observe the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and behavioural changes in mice were observed and recorded throughout the animal experiment. In contrast to the asthma group, the opposite result was observed in the SXCF groups, where the perturbed LMs metabolic network was partly restored in a dose-dependent manner with a significant elevation of anti-inflammatory metabolites, while pro-inflammatory lipids were decreased. As significant downregulation of IgE and pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed, IgE and cytokines analysis also supported the anti-inflammatory effects of SXCF. It was also noticed that SXCF treatment reduced the number of coughs and decreased the inflammatory cell infiltration around the bronchus in mice. These results suggested that SXCF has a significant ameliorative effect on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma. The modulation of LMs is a possible underlying mechanism of the SXCF effects., 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 © 2023 Ling-Fei, Xiao-Juan, Pan, Tuo, Xiao-Hui, Yu-Tong, Bo, Wen-Ling, Tian-Le and Cai.)

In order to expound on the present situation and potential risk of road dust heavy metals in major cities, a total of 114 literatures mainly over the past two decades, involving more than 5000 sampling sites in 61 cities of 21 countries, were screened through the collection and analysis of research papers. The concentration, sources, distribution, health risk, sample collection, and analytical methods of heavy metal research on road dust in cities around the world are summarized. The results show that Cd, Zn, and Cu in many urban road dusts in the world are higher than the grade II of the Chinese maximum allowable concentration of potentially toxic elements in the soil. Geo-accumulation index values show that Pb > Cd > Zn > Cu had the highest contamination levels. Hazard index assessment indicates Pb and Cr had the highest potential health risk, especially for children in which ingestion was found as the main exposure pathway. Moreover, through comparative analysis, it is found that some pollutants are higher in developed and industrialized cities and transport (53%) followed by industrial emissions (35%) provide the major contributions to the sources of heavy metals., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: To investigate the association between sarcopenia and overactive bladder (OAB) in a United States adult population from 2011 to 2018, and whether sarcopenia can predict the risk of OAB., Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from the 2011-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in a cross-sectional study(NHANES) of 8746 participants, of whom 1213 were diagnosed with OAB, we analyzed correlations by sex, age, race, education level, marital status, household income-to-poverty ratio, hypertension, diabetes, strenuous work activity, moderate work activity, strenuous recreational activity, moderate recreational activity, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid levels using restricted cubic spline plots of dose-response curves, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression. Models based on sex, age, education, household income to poverty ratio, hypertension, diabetes, sarcopenia index, and cotinine were developed and evaluated using Nomogram, calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, and clinical decision curves., Results: Of the 1213 OAB patients, 388 (32.0%) were male and 825 (68.0%) were female. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia index was negatively correlated with the prevalence of OAB (OR=0.084, 95% CI, 0.056 - 0.130, P <0.001;OR=0.456, 95%CI, 0.215-0.968, P= 0.0041). Dose curve analysis of the sarcopenia index and prevalence of OAB showed that the prevalence of OAB decreased significantly with increasing sarcopenia index. Sarcopenia was positively correlated with OAB (OR=2.400, 95%CI, 2.000 - 2.800, P <0.001;OR=1.46, 95%CI, 1.096 -1.953, P = 0.010). In addition, our model shows that sarcopenia can predict the prevalence of OAB (AUC = 0.750) and has some clinical decision-making implications., Conclusion: Sarcopenia is positively associated with the risk of OAB in United States adults and can be used as a predictor of OAB prevalence., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss and seroconversion are considered as an end point of a functional cure. Therefore, it is crucial to find new agents which could efficiently decrease HBsAg. Traditional herbal plants have been considered as an important source of new hepatitis B drugs development for their extensive use in antimicrobial and anti-inflammation. In this study, Peristrophe japonica, which could remarkably reduce HBsAg in the supernatant of HepG2.2.15 cells, was screened out for further extraction. Here, an active ethyl acetate fraction of Peristrophe japonica containing 34 sub-fractions was extracted. Subsequently, the monomeric compound Ciliatoside A was isolated and identified as a potential antiviral reagent with low cytotoxicity from Fraction 30. Ciliatoside A exhibited strong inhibition on intracellular and circulating HBsAg and HBV RNAs in HBV-infected cells and an HBV recombinant-cccDNA mouse model. The mechanistic study revealed that Ciliatoside A exhibited a potent anti-HBV effect through inducing autophagy-lysosomal pathway to autophagic degradation of HBc by activating AMPK-ULK1 axis and inhibiting mTOR activation. In summary, we have identified a novel antiviral compound Ciliatoside A isolated from Peristrophe japonica. This study may provide important direction and new ideas for the discovery of hepatitis B cure drugs., Competing Interests: Declaration of 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., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To study the effect and underlying mechanisms of Chinese medicine Yanghe decoction on pain relief in a rat model of bone metastasis of breast cancer induced by michigan cancer foundation-7 (MCF-7)., Methods: Bone pain was induced in the tibia of rats injected with MCF-7 cells. The Chinese herbal remedy was used to decoct Yanghe decoction for the treatment of bone pain rats. The behavior study was carried out to evaluate the paw mechanical withdraw threshold and thermal withdraw latency. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were performed for analysis., Results: Yanghe decoction could improve the defensive behavior similar to the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) inhibitor. In morphology study, Yanghe decoction could attenuate the cellular growth as well as inflammatory infiltration in the metastasis group. Furthermore, Yanghe decoction downregulated the TRPA1 expression on the dorsal root ganglion from the metastatic rats at both transcriptional and protein level. Yanghe decoction alleviated the inflammation in metastatic tissues by hematoxylin-eosin and IHC analysis, and Yanghe decoction also reduced the inflammatory cytokines production in the serum including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, interleukin-1 beta by ELISA. As the cytochromec oxidase subunit II/prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is required for cancer development, Yanghe decoction reduced the expression of PGE2 in the tissue and serum., Conclusion: Taken together, Yanghe decoction protected the rats from breast cancer bone metastasis through TRPA1 signaling mediated neuropathic pain and additional immune modulation in tumor microenvironment.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and a key element in the exacerbation of NAFLD. Since there are currently no drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat this disease, the search for treatments that can be translated into clinical use is urgent. Butyrolactone I (BLI), isolated from Aspergillus terreus, is an active compound possessing multiple biological activities. However, the effects of BLI on NASH have never been reported. In this study, RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were applied to study the anti-inflammatory effect and the underlying mechanisms of BLI in vitro. Following this, mice fed with high-fat and -fructose diet (HFFD) were used to explore the alleviation of NASH by BLIin vivo. We found that BLI attenuated inflammation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and downregulating the expression of iNOS and COX-2. Moreover, results of experiments in vivo demonstrated that BLI reduced serum transaminase levels, decreased hepatic fat accumulation, inhibited inflammation, suppressed oxidative stress, and ameliorated liver fibrosis. For the first time, we investigated the role of BLI in the treatment of murine NASH. We found that BLI alleviates NASH partly by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway of signaling. Given its hepatoprotective effects and non-toxic properties, BLI can be a novel and effective drug for NASH patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the context of social exclusion and pro-social or pro-environmental behaviors, past research has yielded inconclusive results. This study extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by including green self-identity (GSI) as a boundary condition to check the impact of social exclusion on green product consumption intentions through TPB's components. This study collected data from 476 respondents through online questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was applied to test the proposed model. Green product attitudes, subjective norms about green products, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) were significantly predicted by social exclusion. Our results also reveal that TPB's components play an interceding role between social exclusion and green product consumption intentions. Moreover, regarding boundary conditions of GSI, the interaction between social exclusion and GSI was significant for green product attitudes and subjective norms about green products; however, it was not significant for PBC. Furthermore, the results of moderated mediation revealed that green self-identity moderated the indirect effects of social exclusion on green product consumption intentions through green product attitude and social norms about green products. Moreover, these effects were not significant in the case of PBC. This study has several implications for organizations and policymakers in the context of social exclusion and green product consumption., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Influenza occasionally causes central nervous system disorders. Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is one of the most severe influenza-associated complications, predominantly affecting infants and young children under 5 years of age. We present this case as it involves a very rare complication of influenza infection that is known to have a high rate of mortality. A 5-year-old girl presented with a high fever and convulsions. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she died within 24 h. Autopsy revealed extensive brain edema, multifocal perivascular hemorrhage, and necrosis of neurons without inflammatory cell infiltration in the pons and bilateral thalamus. Tests for influenza virus A and antibodies to it were positive. The girl's death was attributed to ANE associated with influenza A infection based on the clinical presentation, the postmortem neuropathology, and identification of the virus. The goal of this report is to draw attention to the potentially serious complications of influenza A infection. We hope that the lethal outcome of this disease will be fully recognized by medical personnel., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim of the Study: The research group proposed that the mechanism of "Feature Identification based Quality Assessment" (FIQA) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be explained according to the relationship between the "Feature" of TCM and the Pharmacodynamic Components representing the holistic effect of TCM. Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR) was selected as the research object to reveal the close relationship between "Feature" and the quality of TCM., Materials and Methods: In this study, the "Feature" such as "Shape", "Color", "Odour" and "Taste" of GR are quantified by the electronic nose, electronic tongue, and other instruments. Then, the Pharmacodynamic Components Group (PCG) of GR was determined which could reflect the holistic effect of GR by spectrum effect relationship analysis. By analyzing the correlation between the "Feature" and the content of PCG, the mechanism of FIQA of GR was determined., Results: The quantitative results of "Shape", "Color", "Odour" and "Taste" of GR from different sources were significantly different. Six components were selected as the PCG, which can represent the holistic effect of GR in the aspect of the neuroprotective effect. There was a good correlation between the components in the PCG and "Feature"., Conclusions: The quality of GR can be determined quantitatively according to its "Shape", "Color", "Odour" and "Taste". The mechanism of FIQA of TCM can be explained according to the relationship between the Shape of TCM and the Pharmacodynamic Components representing the quality of TCM. The revelation of this mechanism reflects the holistic characteristics of the multi-component synergistic effect of TCM. This study provides a reference research method for revealing the mechanism of FIQA of TCM., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Numerous drugs are used during caesarean sections to provide regional and general anaesthesia. Dexmedetomidine has been used in some recent obstetric trials, but there are concerns about postpartum changes in uterine contractions. This study evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on oxytocin-induced uterine contractions in women undergoing caesarean section. Sixty women undergoing caesarean section in Lianyungang Second People's Hospital were randomly assigned to dexmedetomidine (group D, n = 30) or saline (group C, n = 30) groups. Equal volumes of saline or dexmedetomidine were administered intravenously (IV). During the intraoperative delivery of the foetus and placenta, oxytocin was administered to promote contractions. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were compared. The Ramsay scale was used to assess sedation, while the Tsai and Chu methods assessed shivering. Adverse intraoperative events were observed. All variables fluctuated significantly after anaesthesia onset in both groups but were most pronounced in group D. The VAS, Ramsay and shivering scores were significantly lower in group D compared to group C. During rapid IV infusion of oxytocin after foetal delivery, the incidence of nausea, vomiting, chest tightness and hypotension was significantly lower in group D than in group C., (© 2022 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Aims: The quality of EGD is a prerequisite for a high detection rate of upper GI lesions, especially early gastric cancer. Our previous study showed that an artificial intelligence system, named intelligent detection endoscopic assistant (IDEA), could help to monitor blind spots and provide an operation score during EGD. Here, we verified the effectiveness of IDEA to help evaluate the quality of EGD in a large-scale multicenter trial., Methods: Patients undergoing EGD in 12 hospitals were consecutively enrolled. All hospitals were equipped with IDEA developed using deep convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory. Patients were examined by EGD, and the results were recorded by IDEA. The primary outcome was the detection rate of upper GI cancer. Secondary outcomes were part scores, total scores, and endoscopic procedure time, which were analyzed by IDEA., Results: A total of 17,787 patients were recruited. The total detection rate of cancer-positive cases was 1.50%, ranging from .60% to 3.94% in each hospital. The total detection rate of early cancer-positive cases was .36%, ranging from .00% to 1.58% in each hospital. The average total score analyzed by IDEA ranged from 64.87 ± 16.87 to 83.50 ± 9.57 in each hospital. The cancer detection rate in each hospital was positively correlated with total score (r = .775, P = .003). Similarly, the early cancer detection rate was positively correlated with total score (r = .756, P = .004)., Conclusions: This multicenter trial confirmed that the quality of the EGD result is positively correlated with the detection rate of cancer, which can be monitored by IDEA. (Clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR2000029001.)., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Fuzzy planar cell polarity gene (FUZ) is regarded as a planar cell polarity effector that controls multiple cellular processes during vertebrate development. The role of FUZ in glucose metabolism, invasion, and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between FUZ and glucose metabolism and its mechanism of action. Materials and methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to detect FUZ expression in A549 and H1299 cells. Additionally, qRT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of related glucose metabolism indicators, and lactate and 18 Fluorine fludeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) uptake assays used to detect changes in glucose metabolites. Further, cell invasion and migration behavior were evaluated by transwell and wound healing assays. In vivo tumor growth assay was conducted to assess the effect of FUZ. Results: We found that FUZ was significantly upregulated in the NSCLC cell lines compared to that in the normal HBE cells. FUZ was found to promote energy metabolism through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway, and overexpression of FUZ increased both lactic acid and 18 F-FDG uptake. Moreover, FUZ knockdown significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. In vivo, FUZ knockdown can significantly inhibit tumor proliferation in the xenograft model, which was well identified by Micro-PET scan. Conclusion: The present finding in vitro and vivo show that FUZ is involved in NSCLC cell energy metabolism, invasion and migration via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, suggesting that FUZ can be a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

The objective of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of traditional vaginal surgery and transvaginal mesh (TVM) surgery on severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP). We performed a retrospective chart review study of 258 severe POP patients who underwent surgery between November 2010 and September 2016. One hundred forty patients underwent traditional vaginal surgery and 118 TVM surgery. The Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitation (POP-Q) staging was used for objective evaluation. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20), Pelvic Floor Disease Life Impact Questionnaire Simplified Version-7 (PFIQ-7), and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire (PISQ-12) were used for subjective evaluation. Their complications were also recorded. All the data were collected in the outpatient department through the follow-up at 3 months, 1, 3, and 5 years after the operation. Forty patients in the traditional vaginal surgery group and 25 in the TVM group were lost to follow-up. There was no difference in the POP-Q score between the groups ( P = 0.346). The recurrence rate increased with follow-up time, reaching nearly 20% in the two groups by 5 years. The TVM group has higher PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 scores and lower PISQ-12 scores than the traditional vaginal surgery group at six months, 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively ( P < 0.001). Mesh exposure has occurred in the TVM group. Both surgeries showed similar objective satisfaction and recurrence rate. However, traditional vaginal surgery has higher subjective satisfaction than TVM in our study and does not risk exposure to prosthetic material., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None., (© 2022 Ying-an Zhang et al., published by De Gruyter.)

The emergence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) constitute a major global health problem. The environment plays an important role in the dissemination of CRE, but large-scale studies on CRE in groundwater environments in animal breeding areas are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate CRE occurrence and environmental transmission of carbapenem resistance genes in large animal breeding areas in northern China. In total, 280 well water and 102 animal feces samples in large animal breeding areas in six counties from the two provinces Inner Mongolia and Shandong in China, were screened for CRE. A total of 39 CRE were isolated and characterized with next-generation sequencing. 5.3% of well water samples were contaminated with CRE. The well water in chicken farms had the highest number of detections of CRE (15.9%). More than half of the isolates carried closely related, conjugative IncX3 plasmids with bla NDM -genes from multiple geographic areas, indicating that this kind of plasmid plays an important role in dissemination of carbapenem resistance determinants. The clonal expansion of various CRE isolates in well water and animal feces were demonstrated; clonally related CRE were isolated from different wells within the same county, from different counties in the same province, and even from different provinces. In addition to harboring various ARGs, two closely related K. pneumoniae belonging to ST11 isolated from well water carried genetic hypervirulence determinants on a virulence plasmid, highlighting the potential health risk posed by further dissemination of this strain. These findings suggest that groundwater may be an underappreciated reservoir and source of dissemination of CRE, from which resistance genes may disseminate among different bacterial strains and over large geographic distances. Further research and multi-sectorial monitoring, with a "One health" perspective, is urgently needed to investigate the need for interventions aimed at preventing CRE dissemination., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Based on attribution theory and regulatory focus theory, this paper discusses the influence mechanism of cause-related marketing on customers' extra-role behavior and the moderating effects of customer promotion focus and customer prevention focus. The results show that egoistic cause-related marketing (ECRM) has a negative impact on customer extra-role behavior, while altruistic cause-related marketing has a positive impact on customer extra-role behavior. Customer promotion focus has a significant positive moderating effect on the negative impact of ECRM on customer extra-role behavior; customer promotion focus also has a significant positive moderating effect on the positive effect of altruistic cause-related marketing on customer extra-role behavior. There is a significant negative moderating effect of customer prevention focus on the negative impact of ECRM on customer extra-role behavior, while there is a significant positive moderating effect of customer prevention focus on the positive impact of altruistic cause-related marketing on customer extra-role behavior., 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 Hui and Wenan.)

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) partner services are an essential component of comprehensive HIV prevention and care. We examined factors associated with partner notification, HIV testing, and HIV positivity among partners of HIV-diagnosed persons (index persons) contacted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded state and local health departments., Methods: We analyzed partner service data submitted to the CDC by 61 state and local health departments from 2013 to 2017. Using multivariate Poisson regression-adjusted for clustering effects among partners reported by a common index person-we assessed associations between 3 outcomes of interest (partner notification, HIV testing, and HIV positivity) and the demographic characteristics, risk behaviors, geographic region, and service year of index persons and their partners., Results: A total of 51,368 sexual and/or needle-sharing partners were matched with 33,524 index persons. Of notifiable partners, 97.2% were notified of their potential HIV exposure, and 52.3% were tested for HIV. Among 21,842 notified and tested partners, 23.8% were newly diagnosed with an HIV infection. Partner notification, HIV testing, and HIV positivity were associated with both partner and index person characteristics (individually and interactively), geographic region, and year of service., Conclusions: Partner service programs provided through CDC-funded health departments were effective in both partner notification and identification of undiagnosed HIV infection among partners. However, HIV testing rate among notified partners remained low. Implementing strategies to address gaps in HIV testing can contribute toward ending the HIV epidemic in the United States., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest and Sources of Funding: The authors have no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2021 American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to explore the effects of ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (UMP) combined with ShuoTong ureteroscopy on the stress response, inflammation indicators and urokinase levels in patients with polycystic kidney disease and kidney stones. In this study, 42 patients with polycystic kidney disease and kidney stones diagnosed and treated in our hospital from February 2018 to February 2021 were selected as the research objects. They were randomly divided into the control group and the study group, with 21 cases in each group, and the control group adopted Ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy treatment; the study group was combined with ShuoTong ureteroscopy on the basis of the control group, and compared and analyzed the stress response, inflammation indexes, urokinase level, renal function, complications and stone clearance rate of the two groups of patients. After treatment, the average operation time, channel establishment time, hemoglobin decline, number of puncture channels, and hospital stay in the study group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05); after treatment, the reduction in CRP and PCT in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group The increase of Ang I and Ang II in the control group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05); the improvement of PGE2, NO, and LPO levels in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group after treatment (P<0.05); the study group TH, Cys- The levels of C and β2-MG were significantly lower than those of the control group; the UK levels of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05); the complication rate of 14.29% in the study group after treatment was significantly lower than that of the control group 33.33%; the study group The stone clearance rate of 95.24% was significantly higher than that of the control group 80.95% (P<0.05). In general, UMP combined with ShuoTong ureteroscopy is used to treat polycystic kidney with kidney stones, accurately determine the tip position of the needle sheath, ensure that the needle sheath enters the collection system to adjust its position, reduce patient stress and inflammation, improve safety and feasibility, and is worthy of clinical practice Promote applications.

IRE1 is an important central regulator of unfolded protein response (UPR) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) because of its ability to regulate cell fate as a function of stress sensing. When misfolded proteins accumulated in chondrocytes ER, IRE1 disintegrates with BIP/GRP78 and undergoes dimer/oligomerization and transautophosphorylation. These two processes are mediated through an enzyme activity of IRE1 to activate endoribonuclease and generates XBP1 by unconventional splicing of XBP1 messenger RNA. Thereby promoting the transcription of UPR target genes and apoptosis. The deficiency of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) in chondrocytes downregulates prosurvival factors XBP1S and Bcl-2, which enhances the apoptosis of chondrocytes through increasing proapoptotic factors caspase-3, p-JNK, and CHOP. Meanwhile, the activation of IRE1α increases chondrocyte viability and reduces cell apoptosis. However, the understanding of IRE1 responses and cell death fate remains controversial. This review provides updated data about the role IRE1 plays in chondrocytes and new insights about the potential efficacy of IRE1 regulation in cartilage repair and osteoarthritis treatment., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (CP-AKI) is a severe complication in patients receiving CP chemotherapy. However, effective therapies for CP-AKI are currently lacking. Curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenol, is extracted from the rhizome of turmeric and has been reported to have nephroprotective activity. However, the role of CUR in CP-AKI remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of CUR in CP-AKI by combining a network pharmacology approach with experimental validations. The analysis revealed 176 potential targets of CUR based on the HERB database and 1,286 related targets of CP-AKI from the GeneCards, DrugBank, and OMIM databases. Further, 106 common targets of CUR against CP-AKI were obtained, and these common targets constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In addition, the core targets were screened from the PPI network using Cytoscape. Molecular docking revealed that CUR displayed the best binding to AKT1. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the primary biological processes of CUR against CP-AKI included cellular response to chemical stress and apoptotic regulation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was most significantly enriched in CUR against CP-AKI. Western blotting and flow cytometry showed that CUR inhibited apoptosis induced by CP by activating the Akt signaling pathway in human kidney tubular epithelial cells (HK-2). Altogether, our findings demonstrated that CUR alleviated apoptosis by activating the Akt signaling pathway in CP-AKI in vitro . These data provide a scientific basis for future investigations into the clinical application of CUR against CP-AKI.

In a social context, customer participation in the innovation process is often accompanied by social exclusion situations, which are generally believed to have a negative impact on individuals. However, research results and marketing practices show that social exclusion can also exert a positive influence on creativity, product selection, perceived risk, and so on. Through two experimental studies, this research explores the relationship between social exclusion and customer participation in innovation. It finds that social exclusion has a positive influence on customer participation in innovation and that customer-company identification mediates this relationship., 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 © 2021 Hui, Yupeng, Chenglong, Haiqin and Daomeng.)

As an important organizational strategy and action that affects employee perception and attitude, corporate social responsibility is essential for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to reduce turnover rate and achieve sustainable growth. This paper integrates social identity theory and social exchange theory to construct an external reputation mechanism and internal trust mechanism to explore the influence mechanism of corporate social responsibility on employee turnover intention and the intermediate transmission mechanism of psychological contract. The research results show that corporate social responsibility has a significant negative impact on employee turnover intention. Compared with external corporate social responsibility, internal corporate social responsibility has a stronger negative impact on employee turnover intention; corporate social responsibility has a significant negative impact on employee transactional psychological contract, while corporate social responsibility has a significant positive impact on employee relational psychological contracts; transactional psychological contract has a significant positive effect on employee turnover intention, while relational psychological contract has a significant negative effect on employee turnover intention; psychological contract has a significant and complete mediating effect on the relationship between external corporate social responsibility and employee turnover intention, and the psychological contract plays a significant part of the intermediary role between the internal corporate social responsibility and the employee turnover intention. The conclusions enriches the complex relationship between corporate social responsibility and employee turnover intentions, and provides a reference for SMEs to effectively perform internal and external social responsibilities and reduce employee turnover rates., Competing Interests: The author declares 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 © 2021 Hui.)

To improve the remediation efficiency of plants on low concentration uranium-bearing wastewater and clarify its strengthening mechanism, Syngonium podophyllum-Peperomia tetraphylla co-planting system was established, the enhanced effects of plants interaction on uranium removal were investigated, the chemical forms, valence states, and subcellular distribution of uranium in plants were confirmed, and the mechanisms of alleviating uranium stress by plants interaction were revealed. In Syngonium podophyllum-Peperomia tetraphylla co-planting system, the total amount of ethanol-extracted uranium and deionized water-extracted uranium with higher toxicity in their roots were reduced by 10.30% and 7.17%, respectively, which reduced the toxicity of uranium to plants. Plants interaction can inhibit the reduction of U(VI) in the root of Peperomia tetraphylla, which is conducive to the transport of uranium from roots to shoots. In addition, uranium in plants mainly existed in the cell wall (54.44%-66.52%) and the soluble fraction (23.85%-32.89%). These results indicated that Syngonium podophyllum and Peperomia tetraphylla co-planting can enhance their effects of uranium removal by alleviating uranium stress with the cell wall immobilization and vacuole compartmentation, improving biomass of plants, increasing bioaccumulation factor and translocation factor of uranium., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Backgrounds: Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, seriously threatening human health and life expectancy. We aimed to analyze the cancer incidence and mortality rates during 2016 in Zhejiang Province, Southeast China., Methods: Data were collected from 14 population-based cancer registries across Zhejiang Province of China. Cancer incidence and mortality rates stratified by sex and region were analyzed. The crude rate, age-standardized rate, age-specific and region-specific rate, and cumulative rate were calculated. The proportions of 10 common cancers in different groups and the incidence and mortality rates of the top five cancers in different age groups were also calculated. The Chinese national census of 2000 and the world Segi population was used for calculating the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates., Results: The 14 cancer registries covered a population of 14,250,844 individuals, accounting for 29.13% of the population of Zhejiang Province. The total reported cancer cases and deaths were 55,835 and 27,013, respectively. The proportion of morphological verification (MV%) was 78.95% of the population, and percentage of incident cases identified through death certificates only (DCO%) was 1.23% with a mortality-to-incidence ratio (M/I ratio) of 0.48. The crude incidence rate in Zhejiang cancer registration areas was 391.80/105; the age-standardized incidence rate of the Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and the age-standardized incidence rate of the world standard population (ASIRW) were 229.76/105 and 220.96/105, respectively. The incidence rate in men was higher than that in women. The incidence rate increased rapidly after 45 years of age and peaked in individuals aged 80 to 84 years. The top 10 incidence rates of cancers were lung cancer, female breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer (from highest to lowest). The crude mortality rate in Zhejiang cancer registration areas was 189.55/105; the age-standardized mortality rate of the Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and the age-standardized mortality rate of the world standard population (ASMRW) were 94.46/105 and 93.42/105, respectively. The mortality rate in men was higher than that in women, and the male population in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas. The cancer mortality rate increased rapidly after 50 years of age and peaked in individuals aged 85+ years. The top 10 mortality rates of cancers were lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, female breast cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia (from highest to lowest)., Conclusions: Lung cancer, female breast cancer, thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer were the most common cancers in Zhejiang Province. Effective prevention and control measures should be established after considering the different characteristics of cancers in urban and rural areas., (Copyright © 2021 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.)

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway in spine surgery is increasingly popular which can reduce the length of hospital stay (LOS). However, there are few studies on the safety and effectiveness of ERAS pathway in the treatment of single-level lumbar disc herniation (LDH) by percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether ERAS can reduce LOS of patients with single segment LDH treated by PETD., Methods: We reviewed the outcomes of all LDH patients (L4/5) who had been treated with PETD at our institution. Quasi-experimental study was adopted between patients treated in an ERAS after PETD with those rehabilitated on a traditional pathway. The two groups were analyzed for LOS, operation time, complications, visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Dysfunction Index (ODI), hospitalization expenses (HE), and improved MacNab efficacy assessment criteria (MacNab)., Results: A total of 120 single segment LDH patients (ERAS pathway 60 cases, traditional care pathway 60 cases) who were selected from January 2019 to January 2021 met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant difference in mean LOS postoperative VAS scores and ODI on the 3rd day after surgery between the two groups (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications and HE were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). The mean LOS decreased from 3.47 ± 1.14 days to 5.65 ± 1.39 days after application of ERAS pathway (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The ERAS pathway reduced LOS without resulting in additional complications after PETD. These findings support the application of the perioperative ERAS pathway in the treatment of single-level LDH with PETD., Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Wnt-catenin signaling antagonists sclerostin and dickkopf-related protein-1 (Dkk-1) inhibit bone formation and are involved in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PO). However, the association between sclerostin and Dkk-1 and bone mineral density (BMD) in women with PO remains unclear., Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between sclerostin and Dkk-1 and BMD, bone microarchitecture, and bone strength in PO., Methods: Trabecular bone specimens were obtained from the femoral heads of 76 Chinese women with PO who underwent hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures. Micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) was used to assess the BMD and bone microarchitecture of the trabecular bone. Subsequently, a mechanical test was performed. Finally, sclerostin and Dkk-1 in the bone were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (Elisa) assay. Serum ionized serum ionised calcium, propeptide of type 1 collagen, C-terminal β-telopeptide of type-1 collagen, sclerostin, and Dkk-1 were also detected., Results: Bone sclerostin was positively correlated with serum ionised calcium, serum sclerostin, BMD, bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), maximum compressive force, and yield strength (r = 0.32, 0.906, 0.355, 0.401, 0.329, 0.355, and 0.293, respectively, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with age and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) (r = - 0.755 and - 0.503, respectively, P < 0.05). Bone Dkk-1 was positively correlated with serum ionised calcium, serum Dkk-1, BMD, BV/TV, trabecular thickness, Tb.N, maximum compressive force, yield strength, and Young's modulus (r = 0.38, 0.809, 0.293, 0.293, 0.228, 0.318, 0.352, 0.315, and 0.266, respectively, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with age and Tb.Sp (r = - 0.56 and - 0.38, respectively, P < 0.05). Serum levels of sclerostin and Dkk-1 reflected the levels of sclerostin and Dkk-1 in the bone., Conclusion: Bone sclerostin and Dkk-1 were positively correlated with BMD in women with PO, and higher levels of bone sclerostin and Dkk-1 might predict better BMD, bone microarchitecture, and bone strength. The potential molecular mechanisms still require further study.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a common and severe complication in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Increased amount of circulatory small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) particles is known to be a sign of dyslipidemia and can result in atherosclerosis. However, the association between serum sdLDL-C levels and CHD in T2DM patients remains unclear., Methods: A total of 3684 T2DM patients who received selective coronary angiography (CAG) were selected. For analyzing the association between sdLDL-C and CHD severity in T2DM, the patients with CHD were further divided into four subgroups according to the quartiles of sdLDL-C. A multivariate logistic regression was used for analyzing the risks and severity of CHD. A total of 3427 patients with continuous stable CHD were recruited and followed up for 5 years., Results: Serum sdLDL-C levels in the CHD group were significantly increased compared with those in the non-CHD group [0.80 (0.49) mmol/L vs. 0.70 (0.30) mmol/L, p < 0.001]. The results from CHD subgroup analysis indicated that the sdLDL-C levels in patients with multiple-vessel disease and high Gensini score (GS) were significantly increased. By adjusting the confounding factors and analyzing with multiple logistic regression, we found that sdLDL-C independently correlated with the presence and severity of CHD (CHD: OR = 2.257; multiple-vessel disease: OR = 3.288; high GS: OR = 2.554). A total of 484 major cardiovascular events (MACEs) were documented. After Kaplan-Meier analysis and chi-squared analysis, the incidence of MACEs in the high sdLDL-C group was higher than that in the low sdLDL-C group (16.04% vs. 12.25%, p = 0.002)., Conclusion: In T2DM patients, elevated serum sdLDL-C may increase the severity of CHD and predict cardiovascular events in the future. Therefore, serum sdLDL-C may be a potential biomarker for the surveillance of CHD in T2DM patients., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Juan Huang et al.)

Background: Transgender persons are at high risk for HIV infection. Testing is a key component of the national effort to end the HIV epidemic in the United States., Setting: Sixty-one local and state health departments and 150 community-based organizations funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct HIV testing programs., Methods: We analyzed HIV testing data submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by funded health departments and community-based organizations during 2012-2017. Descriptive analysis examined patterns of HIV testing and key outcomes (diagnosis of HIV infection, linkage to HIV medical care, and interview for partner services) among transgender persons. Multivariate robust Poisson regression was used to assess associations between HIV testing outcomes and demographic characteristics, census region, and test setting., Results: A total of 82,818 HIV tests were provided to transgender persons. Of these, 2280 (2.8%) transgender persons were diagnosed with HIV infection; 1556 (1.9%) received a new and 724 (0.9%) a previous diagnosis with HIV infection. The highest percentage of new HIV diagnosis was found among persons tested in correctional settings (4.6%), non-Hispanic Blacks (3.5%) and transgender women (2.4%). Among newly diagnosed persons, 85.0% were linked to HIV medical care ≤90 days after diagnosis and 63.5% were interviewed for partner services., Conclusions: HIV positivity was high, and the delivery of partner services was low, among transgender persons. HIV testing outcomes among transgender persons varied significantly by demographic characteristics and test setting. HIV prevention programs that are responsive to the needs of transgender persons may address gender-related disparities in HIV testing outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ningmitai (NMT) capsules in patients with chronic epididymitis., Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial included 112 patients diagnosed with chronic epididymitis. The patients were randomized (1 : 1 : 1) to receive levofloxacin (LVX), NMT, or NMT combined with LVX for 4 weeks. The patients were followed up at 2 and 4 weeks after initiation of treatment and were evaluated in terms of Chronic Epididymitis Symptom Index (CESI) scores, epididymal nodules, and safety parameters. The primary endpoints were the CESI scores at the end of 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints included the mean epididymal nodule diameter and the clinical efficacy rate. Safety was evaluated by hepatorenal function tests and adverse event reports during the trial., Results: After 2 weeks of treatment, the CESI score of the NMT group was significantly lower than that of the LVX group ( P < 0.05). In addition, the clinical efficacy rate of the NMT group was significantly higher than that of the LVX group (55% vs. 8.33%, P < 0.0001), indicating that NMT has a rapid effect on chronic epididymitis. After 4 weeks of treatment, there was no significant difference in CESI scores or clinical efficacy rates between the two monotherapy regimens ( P > 0.05); however, the mean diameter of epididymal nodules was significantly smaller in the NMT group than in the LVX group ( P < 0.0001). Moreover, after 4 weeks of treatment, the patients in the LVX + NMT group, which had a clinical efficacy rate of 97.22%, had lower CESI scores (both P < 0.01) and a smaller epididymal nodule diameter (vs. LVX, P < 0.0001; vs. NMT, P < 0.05) than those in the other two groups. No adverse events or abnormal hepatorenal function were found during the study., Conclusion: NMT significantly improved CESI scores and epididymal nodule diameter in patients with chronic epididymitis. The combination of NMT and LVX provides a much better effect than monotherapy, and this treatment regimen was well tolerated., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhang Jing et al.)

Kidney stones are a common threat to the health of elderly patients with a high incidence of disease. However, the specific molecular mechanism of the formation of kidney stones has not been elucidated. Here, we combined signalling molecules with signalling pathways in a double positive circulation regulation model. In addition, we found that LCN2 plays a role in promoting kidney stones through regulation of the ERK signalling pathway and expression of other kidney stone-related genes. LCN2 expression was upregulated upon oxalate stimulation. P-ERK1/2 inhibition by U0126 in kidney epithelial cells resulted in decreased expression of LCN2. Furthermore, the upregulation of LCN2 not only depended on the activation of the ERK signalling pathway but also regulated the activation of the ERK signalling pathway. Importantly, upregulation of LCN2 not only caused kidney epithelial cell damage but also promoted the expression of other kidney stone-related genes. Our findings improved the understanding of LCN2 and might lead to the development of new therapeutic and prognostic markers for kidney stones.

Aim: The aim of the current study is to introduce a new therapeutic strategy for simultaneous correction of complex foot deformities (CFD) and the associated lower limb deformities (LLD) by using Ilizarov technique with osteotomy and soft tissue procedure and to report its early clinical results., Methods: A retrospective review of CFD associated with LLD simultaneous correction utilizing the Ilizarov procedure together with osteotomy and soft tissue balance from 2015 to 2019 was conducted., Results: Thirty-two patients were followed for an average of 42.8 months. The mean external fixation time (EFT) was 6.5 months. The mean healing index (HI) was 1.7 months/cm. At the time of fixator removal, plantigrade feet were achieved in all patient and lower limb deformities were corrected. No recurrence of the deformities occurred. The mean LLRS AIM score was improved from 7.5 to 0.3. At the final follow-up, the ASAMI-Paley score was graded as excellent in all limbs in the aspect of bone results, and functional results were defined as excellent in 29 (90.6%) limbs and good in 3 (9.4%) limbs. The mean modified Dimeglio score was significantly improved from 7.2 to 1.3. No deep infection of the osteotomy site or nonunion was noted in the current study., Conclusion: The therapeutic strategy by using the Ilizarov procedure together with osteotomy and soft tissue balance is a safe and effective way to simultaneously correct CFD and LLD., Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.

For more effective using of HHP (high hydrostatic pressure) in starch processing, in this study, molecular dynamics simulation was used to explore the effects of pressure on amylose molecular conformation at the atomic level. The results shown that, firstly, high pressure decreased the intramolecular hydrogen bonds and increased the amylose-solvent hydrogen bonds, which is consistent with the process of high pressure starch gelatinization. Secondly, high pressure made amylose polymers more "stout". Meanwhile, high pressure decreased the angle of α-1,4 glycosidic linkage and increased the dihedral angles of α-1,4 glycosidic linkage, which indicates that pressure has obvious effects on amylose molecular conformation. Thirdly, high pressure made amylose polymers more stable. Moreover, in view of the results of energies, HHP may have an opposite gelatinization mechanism to heating. The results may be complementary to the existing experimental phenomena and provide theoretical guidance value for the using of HHP in starch processing., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Carbon-nanotube-based composites are highly desirable for addressing the difficulties relevant to the quality of electromagnetic wave absorbers. The introduction of lightweight nanocomposites for constructing new structures has been widely studied due to the transformation in impedance matching and attenuation. In this paper, a novel carbon nanotube-graphene oxide-zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (CNT/RGO/ZIF-8) ternary hybrid structure was successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal process. The ZIF-8 was entangled initially by carbon nanotubes via the π-π interaction between organic ligands and benzene ring structure in CNT. Then, the CNT/ZIF-8 composite was immobilized on the surface of RGO by interacting with the active functional group of RGO. The structure and performance for CNT, CNT/ZIF-8, and CNT/RGO/ZIF-8 were compared to investigate the interaction mechanisms between components, and CNT/ZIF-8 exhibited a distinct improvement for microwave absorption performance. Furthermore, the introduction of RGO can accelerate the amelioration of absorption characteristics. The interfacial bonding between CNT, RGO, and ZIF-8 exerts a great influence on the absorbing quality. The mechanism of absorption of electromagnetic waves was explained by the synergistic effects of conduction loss, polarization behaviors, and eddy current. The unique structure could offer new insights to exploit advanced microwave-absorption materials.