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Rui Wang,1– 4 Wei Zhang,1– 3 Yuanyuan Li,1– 3 Yuting Jiang,1– 3 Hongqi Feng,1– 3 Yang Du,1– 3 Zhe Jiao,1– 3 Li Lan,4 Xiaona Liu,1– 3 Bingyun Li,1– 3 Chang Liu,1– 3 Xingbo Gu,5 Fang Chu,1– 3 Yuncheng Shen,1– 3 Chenpeng Zhu,1– 3 Xinhua Shao,1– 3 Simeng Tong,1– 3 Dianjun Sun1– 3 1Center for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, People’s Republic of China; 2National Health Commission & Education Bureau of Heilongjiang Province, Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University (23618504), Harbin, 150081, People’s Republic of China; 3Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Human Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, People’s Republic of China; 4Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, 150056, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dianjun Sun, Center for Endemic Disease Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Medical University, Baojian Road 157, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150081, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13313685318, Fax +86 45186612695, Email hrbmusdj@163.comPurpose: To investigate the environmental, immune, and inflammatory factors associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals.Patients and Methods: A community-based case–control study was conducted among 471 patients with COPD and 485 controls. The information on COPD of the participants was collected through face-to-face interviews, and serum samples were measured at the laboratory. The main risk factors for COPD were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and logistic regression.Results: Nine hundred and fifty-six respondents were included in the analysis. The results of the PCA-logistic regression analysis showed significant differences in the environmental factors, medical history, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels between patients and controls. COPD was markedly more usual in those with smoking index > 200 (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.28– 1.57); exposure to outdoor straw burning (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.47– 1.83); use of coal, wood, and straw indoors (OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.92– 2.78); history of respiratory disease and coronary heart disease (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 3.12– 4.10), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09– 1.38), and cerebrovascular disease (OR, 1.15; 95% CI,1.02– 1.31); and higher serum level of CRP (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.11– 1.30). Compared to the logistic regression analysis, PCA logistic regression analysis identified more important risk factors for COPD.Conclusion: PCA-logistic regression analysis was first utilized to explore the influencing factors among rural residents in Northeast China Environmental aged 40 years and above, it was found that environmental factors, medical history, and serum CRP levels mainly affected the prevalence of COPD.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, collinearity, principal component, logistic regression

Ruoyao Xu,1 Jie Wang,1 Huimin Nie,1 Danyi Zeng,1 Chengyu Yin,1 Yuanyuan Li,1 Huina Wei,1 Boyu Liu,1 Yan Tai,2 Qimiao Hu,1 Xiaomei Shao,1 Jianqiao Fang,1 Boyi Liu1 1Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China; 2Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Boyi Liu; Jianqiao Fang, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China, Email boyi.liu@foxmail.com; fangjianqiao7532@163.comBackground: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is common among patients receiving major surgeries. CPSP produces suffering in patients, both physically and mentally. However, the mechanisms underlying CPSP remain elusive. Here, a genome-wide expression profiling of ipsilateral spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) was performed to identify potential genes related with CPSP.Methods: A rat skin/muscle incision and retraction (SMIR) model was established to induce CPSP. Immunostaining was used to study glial cell and neuron activation in ipsilateral SCDH of SMIR model rats. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), combined with bioinformatics analysis, was undertaken to explore gene expression profiles. qPCR was applied to validate the expression of some representative genes.Results: The SMIR model rats developed persistent mechanical allodynia in ipsilateral hindpaw for up to 14 days. Ipsilateral SCDH of SMIR rats showed remarkable glial cell and neuron activation. A number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in ipsilateral SCDH of SMIR rats by RNA-Seq. qPCR confirmed expression of some representative DEGs. Bioinformatics indicated that chemical synaptic transmission, sensory perception of pain and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction were predominant functions. We compared our dataset with human pain-related genes and found that several genes exclusively participate in pain modulation and mechanisms.Conclusion: Our study provided novel understandings of the molecular mechanisms possibly contributing to CPSP. These findings may offer new targets for future treatment of CPSP.Keywords: postsurgical pain, spinal cord dorsal horn, RNA-Seq, microglia, genome

Hua Xiao,1,2 Xiaofei Shao,3 Peichun Gao,4 Hequn Zou,5 Xinzhou Zhang1 1Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, People’s Republic of China; 2Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518055, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510630, People’s Republic of China; 4Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Nephrology, South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518116, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xinzhou Zhang, Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 0755-25533018-3500, Fax +86 0755-25533497, Email xin.zhou2@qq.com Hequn Zou, Department of Nephrology, South China Hospital, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518116, People’s Republic of China, Tel +860755-21583803, Email hequnzou@hotmail.comPurpose: To investigate the correlation between metabolic syndrome components and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among a community population aged 40 years and older in Southern China.Patients and Methods: From December 2017 to March 2018, 1969 participants (male n = 715, female n = 1254) aged 40 years and older were recruited in Southern China for a cross-sectional survey. A logistic regression model was established to analyze the correlation between metabolic syndrome components and CKD.Results: Among the 1969 subjects, 407 (20.7%) were CKD patients, including 152 males (prevalence rate 21.3%) and 255 females (prevalence rate 20.3%). Anthropometric data (waist circumference, age, systolic and diastolic blood pressure), serum/plasma data (serum creatinine, serum uric acid, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, serum triglyceride), urinary and other findings (body mass index, waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) were significantly higher in patients with than without CKD (P < 0.05). Metabolic syndrome and at least some of its components were statistically significant risk factors for CKD in models with and without adjustment for diabetes, obesity and hypertension.Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome and its single or combined components are independently associated with CKD in community populations aged 40 years and older. The correlation between some components and CKD remained significant in both non-diabetic and non-obese subjects. Correlations between components of metabolic syndrome and CKD show that it is feasible and necessary to carry out targeted screening and intervention tests in people aged 40 and over.Keywords: metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, risk factors, epidemiological cross-sectional study

Xianhong Yang,1 Rui Qiao,1 Nana Ni,1 Qian Zhang,2 Ke Zhang,2 Xuebao Shao,1 Wei Cheng,1 Jianfang Sun,1 Yiqun Jiang1 1Department of Dermatopathology, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Surgery, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, 210042, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yiqun Jiang; Jianfang Sun, Email yiqunjiang@qq.com; sunjf57@163.comBackground: Nevus sebaceous (NS) is a benign hamartoma of the skin, characterized by hyperplasia of the epidermis, in addition to immature hair follicles. The exact mechanisms of folliculo-sebaceous-apocrine defects and adnexal tumorigenesis are unknown in NS, but benign and malignant neoplasms are often due to a complex etiology in NS. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in various important biological processes and regulate inflammatory diseases and tumors. However, the role of lncRNAs in nevus sebaceous is unclear.Objective: To identify NS-associated mRNA and lncRNA profiles and predict their potential roles in the development of the folliculo-sebaceous-apocrine unit and adnexal tumorigenesis.Methods: RNA-seq was used to identify NS-associated genes and lncRNAs. Analysis software Illumina NovaSeq 6000 was used to analyze the sequences, and real-time PCR and Western blot were used to validate the differentially expressed genes. Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) networks were constructed by prediction software TargetScan & miRanda.Results: Many mRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between nevus sebaceous and adjacent normal scalp tissues. Among them, 72 were upregulated and 18 were downregulated. KEGG pathway analysis further revealed that 32 functional pathways were associated with the upregulated mRNAs, while only 1 pathway was associated with the downregulated mRNAs. Verification by real-time PCR and Western blot indicated that CDKN2AIP gene was downregulated consistently in NS tissue compared to normal scalp skin. Additionally, 7 upregulated and 10 downregulated significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected between NS and adjacent normal scalp tissues. Three downregulated lncRNAs including AL355607.2, RP5-1024G6.8 and AC007780.1 were predicted to consistently associate with CDKN2AIP expression by competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNA) construction.Conclusion: Both mRNA and lncRNA profiles were altered in NS scalp tissues. We identified a downregulated gene, CDKN2AIP, as a target of differentially expressed mRNA and predicted a ceRNA network of CDKN2AIP with differentially expressed lncRNA.Keywords: nevus sebaceous, long noncoding RNA, ceRNA network, CDKN2AIP, wnt/β-catenin pathway

Huidan Zhang,1– 3,&ast; Jing Xu,1,2,4,&ast; Qingrui Wu,3,&ast; Heng Fang,1,2,4 Xin Shao,1,2 Xin Ouyang,1 Zhimei He,2 Yiyu Deng,2– 4 Chunbo Chen1,3,4 1Department of Intensive Care Unit of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Critical Care Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China; 4The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yiyu Deng; Chunbo Chen, Tel +86-20-83827812 ext. 61526, Fax +86-20-83827712, Email yiyudeng666@163.com; gghccm@163.comPurpose: Neuroinflammation plays an important part in the pathophysiology of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Gut microbiota and gut brain axis are considered as important mediators in the development of neurological diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of intestinal microbiota in sepsis-related brain injury and to explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Mouse model of SAE was established using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Based on the mouse mortality and the associated time of death, light SAE (LSAE) and severe SAE (SSAE) were classified. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed to verify the role of intestinal microbiota. Feces of mice in the two groups which collected before operation were sequenced for 16S and targeted short chain fatty acids.Results: Intestinal microbiota from SSAE and LSAE mice displayed diverse functions. Interestingly, LSAE mice produced more butyric acid compared with SSAE mice. In the in vivo experiments, sodium butyrate (NaB) reduced the high oxidative stress levels in mice hippocampus and conferred a marked survival superiority to sepsis mice. In addition, NaB prevented the increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inducible nitric-oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated primary microglia. The GPR109A/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway was found to be involved in the activation of antioxidant response of primary microglia induced by sodium butyrate.Conclusion: Our findings indicate a crucial role of gut microbiota in the susceptibility to SAE. Butyrate, a metabolite of intestinal microbiota, may have a neuroprotective effect in the process of sepsis by GPR109A/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.Keywords: gut microbiome, butyrate, sepsis-related brain injury, primary microglia, oxidative stress

This study investigated the effect of a mixed obstacle layout on the deflagration mechanism of propane--air premixed gases. Most previous studies focused on a single type of obstacle, changing the shape and number of the obstacles to observe the effect on the flame deflagration characteristics. However, in real explosion accident sites, obstacles are often a mixture of different types. Little literature exists on the deflagration characteristics of hybrid barriers in semiconfined spaces. In this paper, the deflagration characteristics of propane-air premixed gas with a mixed structure of hurdles and square obstacles was studied. First, the effectiveness of numerical simulations was demonstrated by comparing experimental and large eddy simulation (LES) results for the flame dynamics with a single flat plate obstacle. Based on this, the flame behavior for different layouts of square obstacles in a mixed obstacle configuration was further simulated using the large eddy simulation method, focusing on the flame behavior, overpressure characteristics, and flow field structure in the vicinity of the obstacle. The results showed that a mixed obstacle promoted flame evolution more than a single obstacle when the square obstacle was within a critical distance from the ignition source location at the same moment in time. When the flame front crossed the first hurdle-type obstacle, the flame pattern spread in a "cat's paw" pattern to the unburned portion of the tube. In addition, the increased distance of the square obstacle from the ignition source did not allow the peak overpressure and the peak rate of overpressure rise to show a positive feedback mechanism. Finally, the strength of the vorticity in the flow field was positively correlated with the distance of the square obstacle from the ignition source. The results of study provide theoretical for the prevention of explosions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]