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Several screening tools have been developed to facilitate early diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA); however, their performance varied greatly across different studies. In this study, we validated and compared the performance of four screening tools in detecting undiagnosed PsA Chinese patients with psoriasis, and determined the key questions and their weights. The four screening tools were the Early Arthritis for Psoriatic Patients (EARP) questionnaire, Psoriatic Arthritis Screening and Evaluation (PASE) questionnaire, Psoriasis and Arthritis Screening Questionnaire (PASQ), and Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST). The receiver-operator curve (ROC) with area under curve (AUC) was used to determine sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and logistic regression were utilized to retrieve key questions, and a nomogram was utilized to visualize their weights. Of 482 psoriasis patients from dermatology clinics, 77 were newly diagnosed with PsA. Another 68 patients with newly diagnosed PsA from rheumatology clinics were incorporated in the analysis. ROC analysis indicated that the optimal cut-off values for EARP, PASE, PASQ, and PEST were 3, 40, 7, and 3, with corresponding sensitivities of 91.4%, 88.6%, 86.2%, and 88.5%, and specificities of 88.6%, 75.2%, 80.2%, and 83.6%, respectively. The AUC of EARP (0.925) was higher than those of PASE (0.885), PASQ (0.905), and PEST (0.827). However, none of them were sufficiently sensitive to identify pure axial PsA (sensitivities of EARP, PASQ, and PASE were 25.0%, 36.8%, and 42.1%, respectively). Twelve key questions were retrieved from these four tools to establish a nomogram with a high discrimination (C-index = 0.993) and a good calibration (mean absolute error = 0.014). In conclusion, to screen undiagnosed PsA, EARP has slightly better balanced sensitivity and specificity, and higher accuracy. The retrieval of key questions and nomogram signify the necessity of attributing different scores to differently weighted questions when developing a new screening tool to make it function more efficiently.

Background :This experiment aims to elucidate the effect of HRD on ameliorating diabetes by maintaining islet β cell identity through GLP-1/GLP-1R signaling pathway in both islet and intestine. Methods: After confirming the hypo-glycemic effect of HRD on T2DM mice, the proliferation, apoptosis and transdifferentiation of islet cell were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Then, the mechanism of HRD improving islet cell identity was verified by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and PCR. Results: HRD reduced the weight and blood glucose of the db/db mice, and improved insulin sensitivity at the same time. Moreover, it also increased the number of islet β cell and decreased islet α cell mass. This process is closely related to the transcription factor MafA, PDX1 of the GLP-1/GLP-1R signaling pathway, rather than being produced by proliferation and apoptosis.In further studies, it was found that HRD activated GLP-1/GLP-1R signaling pathway in both islet and intestine. Namely, the levels of GLP-1, GLP-1R, PC1/3, PC2 and other molecules increased significantly. Conclusion: HRD can maintain the normal function and identity of islet β cell, and the underlying mechanism is related to the activation of islet/intestine GLP-1/GLP-1R signal pathway.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of SIRT3 and inflammatory factors in bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy (PN). This prospective observational cohort study included a total of 159 patients of multiple myeloma patients during June 2016 to June 2019. All patients received the strategy of bortezomib and dexamethasone and were further divided into the PN group and the non-PN group. Serum SIRT3, CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). During the study period, 76 (47.8%) patients developed PN. The inflammatory factors all gradually decreased and SIRT3 levels were gradually increased after treatment by bortezomib combined with dexamethasone compared with the baseline. The levels of all inflammatory factors were markedly higher, while SIRT3 levels were lower in PN patients compared with the non-PN patients at the same time point after treatment. In PN grade III patients, the serum levels of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher, while serum levels of SIRT3 were markedly lower than the grade I-II patients. SIRT3 was negatively correlated with CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α. After nursing treatment and reduction of bortezomib dose, the levels of SIRT3 significantly increased, while levels of inflammatory decreased in PN patients with grade III. SIRT3 and inflammatory factors showed the potential for diagnosis of bortezomib-induced PN. Besides, SIRT3, IL-6 and TNF-α were the independent risk factors for MM patients developing PN after treatment of bortezomib. Higher inflammatory factors and lower SIRT3 might be associated with the development of bortezomib-induced PN in multiple myeloma patients, which might be reversed by decreased bortezomib dose and proper nursing treatment.

The transcription factor MYC is deregulated in almost all human cancers, especially in aggressive lymphomas, through chromosomal translocation, amplification, and transcription hyperactivation. Here, we report that high expression of tribbles homologue 3 (TRIB3) positively correlates with elevated MYC expression in lymphoma specimens; TRIB3 deletion attenuates the initiation and progression of MYC-driven lymphoma by reducing MYC expression. Mechanistically, TRIB3 interacts with MYC to suppress E3 ubiquitin ligase UBE3B-mediated MYC ubiquitination and degradation, which enhances MYC transcriptional activity, causing high proliferation and self-renewal of lymphoma cells. Use of a peptide to disturb the TRIB3-MYC interaction together with doxorubicin reduces the tumor burden in MycEμ mice and patient-derived xenografts. The pathophysiological relevance of UBE3B, TRIB3 and MYC is further demonstrated in human lymphoma. Our study highlights a key mechanism for controlling MYC expression and a potential therapeutic option for treating lymphomas with high TRIB3-MYC expression., c-MYC is often deregulated in human cancers including lymphomas. Here, the authors show that a member of the pseudokinase family, tribbles homologue 3 (TRIB3), interacts with c-MYC to suppress c-MYC ubiquitination and degradation, leading to increased proliferation and self-renewal of lymphoma cells.

Background and purpose Disordered lipid metabolism and disturbed mitochondrial bioenergetics play pivotal roles in the initiation and development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Berberine is a plant alkaloid, used in Chinese herbal medicine. It has multiple therapeutic actions on diabetes mellitus and its complications, including regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, improvement of insulin sensitivity, and alleviation of oxidative damage. Here, we investigated the reno-protective effects of berberine. Experimental approach We used samples from DKD patients and experiments with models of DKD (db/db mice) and cultured podocytes, to characterize energy metabolism profiles using metabolomics. Molecular targets and mechanisms involved in the regulation of mitochondrial function and bioenergetics by berberine were investigated, along with its effects on metabolic alterations in DKD mice. Key results Metabolomic analysis suggested altered mitochondrial fuel usage and generalized mitochondrial dysfunction in patients with DKD. In db/db mice, berberine treatment reversed the disordered metabolism, podocyte damage and glomerulosclerosis. Lipid accumulation, excessive generation of mitochondrial ROS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and deficient fatty acid oxidation in DKD mouse models and in cultured podocytes were suppressed by berberine. These protective effects of berberine were accompanied by activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) signalling pathway, which promoted mitochondrial energy homeostasis and fatty acid oxidation in podocytes. Conclusion and implications PGC-1α-mediated mitochondrial bioenergetics could play a key role in lipid disorder-induced podocyte damage and development of DKD in mice. Restoration of PGC-1α activity and the energy homeostasis by berberine might be a potential therapeutic strategy against DKD.

BackgroundEosinophils are now being recognized for more varied functions such as antiviral and bactericidal effects. This study aimed to explore the association between increased blood eosinophils and frequent pathogens due to the infections in children. Methods A total of 2353 children with acute infections admitted to Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from February 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020 were enrolled in the study. 277 children without infections were comprised the control group. Children’s age, peripheral blood parameters including white blood cells, eosinophils, C-reactive protein (CRP) were recorded. In addition, infection stage and departments the patients admitted to were investigated. The study protocol was approved by the institutional ethics committee of the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center (NO.2020110819342581).Results Blood eosinophil numbers negatively correlated with the age of children, whereas had no relation to disease stage. The means of eosinophil for neonates (1year with acute infections were 0.67±0.40, 0.40±0.68, 0.15±0.25 *109/L compared with control group matched for age(0.44±0.20, 0.45±0.27, 0.24±0.19*109/L, P 0.99). Conclusion Increased peripheral blood eosinophils may indicate acute infections among neonates. Eosinophil combined with CRP can contribute to evaluating this population.

Rationale, aims, and objectives Hospital‐acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) prolong hospital stays and are an important health problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of and risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU)‐acquired pressure injuries (IAPI) on the sacrum in critically ill patients in China. Methods We performed a multicenter, cross‐sectional survey of IAPI on the sacrum in 23 adult ICUs in 19 hospitals in China. Data for 421 critically ill patients were collected on December 13, 2019, and January 13, 2020, including patient characteristics, physiological, and clinical information. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for IAPI on the sacrum in the ICU. Results Forty‐one patients presented sacrum pressure injuries in the ICU, with a frequency of 9.74%. Risk factors that significantly increased the risk of IAPI on the sacrum were lower body mass index (BMI, odds ratio [OR] = 1.115, confidence interval [CI]: 1.011‐1.229, P = .029), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, OR = 3.183, CI: 1.261‐8.037, P = .014), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS, OR = 2.670, CI: 1.031‐6.903, P = .043), and a lower Braden risk score (OR = 1.409, CI: 1.197‐1.659, P

Plenty of biomass resources like wheat straw (WS) have been burnt in farmland, resulting in severe resource waste and environment pollution. It is still a big challenge to directly convert crop straws into clean products by thermoplastic processing methods due to their none thermal meltability. Herein, clean and sustainable WS-based biocomposites (SWTPs) with fascinating thermal meltability, mechanical property, and dimensional stability after water absorption have been for the first time prepared by novel supramolecular interactions induced thermoplasticization technique under solvent-free condition, wherein supramolecular interactions stands for that the initial hydrogen bondings of WS have been effectively replaced by new interactions between chlorine atoms of the developed supramolecular inducer and hydroxyl groups of WS. Microstructure, thermoplastic behavior, thermal stability, morphology, and related thermoplascitization mechanism of the SWTPs have been extensively assessed. Relevant results reveal that the initial intense hydrogen bondings of WS can be significantly reduced resulting from the newly formed supramolecular interactions between WS powders and the used supramolecular inducers. The obtained SWTPs show outstanding thermal meltability in the temperature range of 130–180 °C and excellent thermal stability in the temperature range of 25–240 °C. Industrialization value and economy value of the produced biocomposites have been briefly discussed. The developed SWTP productions show large potential application in replacing unsustainable and eco-unfriendly petroleum based polymers.

Dyslipidemia is a global health problem and a high risk factor for atherosclerosis, which can lead to serious cardiovascular disease (CVD). Existing studies have shown inconsistent effects of turmeric and curcuminoids on blood lipids in adults. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of turmeric and curcuminoids on blood triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. We searched the English databases of the Web of Science, PubMed, Ovid (including EMBASE and MEDLINE), Scopus, and the Cochrane Library and 2 Chinese databases, Wanfang Data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that studied the effects of turmeric and curcuminoids on blood TG, TC, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol in subjects with metabolic diseases. With random-effects models, separate meta-analyses were conducted by using inverse-variance. The results are presented as the mean difference with 95% CIs. Evidence from 12 RCTs for TG, 14 RCTs for TC, 13 RCTs for LDL cholesterol, and 16 RCTs for HDL cholesterol showed that turmeric and curcuminoids could lower blood TG by −19.1 mg/dL (95% CI: −31.7, −6.46 mg/dL; P = 0.003), TC by −11.4 mg/dL (95% CI: −17.1, −5.74 mg/dL; P 50%). There is a need for further RCTs in future.

Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) is widely used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. We aimed to investigate the mechanism by which HRD regulates the glucose level. Forty 7-8-week-old db/db (BSK) mice were randomly assigned to the following four groups: model, low dose HRD (LHRD), high dose HRD (HHRD), and saxagliptin (SAX). Additionally, 10 db/m mice were assigned to control group. The experimental mice were administered 3.03g/kg/d and 6.06g/kg/d of HRD in the LHRD and HHRD groups, respectively, and 10mg/kg/d saxagliptin in the SAX group for 8 weeks. The control and model groups were supplied with distilled water. After the intervention, the pancreas and blood were collected and tested. Compared with that of model group, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) was significantly decreased in all intervention groups (p < 0.05 or 0.01), whereas fasting serum insulin (FINS) was increased significantly in both HHRD and SAX groups. The immunofluorescence images showed that the mass of insulin+ cells was increased and that of glucagon+ cells was reduced obviously in experimental groups compared to those of the model group. In addition, the coexpression of insulin, glucagon, and PDX1 was decreased in HHRD group, and the level of caspase 12 in islet was decreased significantly in all intervention groups. However, little difference was found in the number and morphology of islet, and the expression of ki67, bcl2, bax, caspase 3, and cleaved-caspase 3 in the pancreas among groups. Interestingly, the cleaved-Notch1 level was increased and the Ngn3 level in islet was decreased significantly in HHRD group. The HRD showed dose-dependent effects on glucose metabolism improvement through maintenance of β cell identity via a mechanism that might involve the Notch1/Ngn3 signal pathway in db/db mice.

Ban-xia-xie-xin-tang (BXXXT) has been applied in treating metabolic diseases, such as nonalcohol fatty liver disease, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of BXXXT in treating diabetes mellitus is unknown.To clarify the underlying molecular mechanism of BXXXT in alleviating hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice.After 12 weeks of HFD treatment, mice were administered BXXXT for 4 weeks. The main chemical components of BXXXT were identified by UPLC-TQ-MS/MS. Indicators associated with insulin resistance and lipid metabolism were detected. The effect of improving glucose and lipid metabolism between BXXXT and the different components was compared. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by hepatic transcriptomics. Key DEGs and proteins were further detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining. LDs and mitochondria were detected by transmission electron microscopy.First of all, our data demonstrated that the capacity to improve glucose and lipid metabolism for BXXXT was significantly superior to different components of BXXXT. BXXXT was found to improve HFD-induced insulin resistance. Moreover, BXXXT decreased weight, serum/hepatic triglycerides, total cholesterol, and FFAs to alleviate HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. According to the results of the hepatic transcription, Cidea and Cidec were identified as critical DEGs for promoting LD fusion and reducing FFAs β-oxidation in mitochondria and peroxisome resulting in hepatic steatosis, which was reversed by BXXXT.BXXXT ameliorates HFD-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance by increasing Cidea and Cidec-mediated mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation, which may provide a potential strategy for therapy of NAFLD and T2DM.

Background Low free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels are related to a poor prognosis deterioration in patients with COVID-19 presenting with non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTI). This study was designed to explore whether free thyroxin (FT4) or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels affected the mortality of patients with COVID-19 presenting with NTI. Methods Patients with COVID-19 complicated with NTI who were treated at our hospital were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into low TSH and normal TSH groups, as well as low and normal-high FT4 group, according to the reference range of TSH or FT4 levels. The 90-day mortality and critical illness rates were compared among patients with low and normal TSH levels, as well as among patients with low FT4 levels and normal-high FT4 levels; in addition, differences in demographic and laboratory data were compared. A Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations of TSH and FT4 levels with mortality. Results One hundred fifty patients with low FT3 levels and without a history of thyroid disease were included, 68% of whom had normal FT4 and TSH levels. Critical illness rates (74.07% VS 37.40%, P = 0.001) and mortality rates (51.85% VS 22.76%, P = 0.002) were significantly higher in the low TSH group than in the normal TSH group. Although no significant difference in the critical illness rate was found (P = 0.296), the mortality rate was significantly higher in the low FT4 group (P = 0.038). Low TSH levels were independently related to 90-day mortality (hazard ratio = 2.78, 95% CI:1.42–5.552, P = 0.003). Conclusions Low FT4 and TSH concentrations were associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 presenting with NTI; moreover, low TSH levels were an independent risk factor for mortality in these patients.

Most basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs) are triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), which have the worst prognosis and distant metastasis-free survival among breast cancer subtypes. Now, no targeted therapies are available for patients with BLBC due to the lack of reliable and effective molecular targets. Here, we performed the BLBC tissue microarray-based immunohistochemical analysis and showed that Faciogenital Dysplasia 5 (FGD5) abundance is associated with poor prognosis in BLBCs. FGD5 deletion decreased the proliferation, invasion, and tumorsphere formation capacity of BLBC cells. Furthermore, genetic inhibition of Fgd5 in mouse mammary epithelial cells attenuated BLBC initiation and progression by reducing the self-renewal ability of tumor-initiating cells. In addition, FGD5 abundance was positively correlated with the abundance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in BLBCs. FGD5 ablation decreased EGFR abundance by reducing EGFR stability in TNBC cells in 2D and 3D culture conditions. Mechanistically, FGD5 binds to EGFR and interferes with basal EGFR ubiquitination and degradation induced by the E3 ligase ITCH. Impaired EGFR degradation caused BLBC cell proliferation and promoted invasive properties and self-renewal. To verify the role of the FGD5-EGFR interaction in the regulation of EGFR stability, we screened a cell-penetrating α-helical peptide PER3 binding with FGD5 to disrupt the interaction. Treatment of BLBC patient-derived xenograft-bearing mice with the peptide PER3 disrupting the FGD5-EGFR interaction either with or without chemotherapy reduced BLBC progression. Our study identified FGD5 as a positive modulator of tumor-initiating cells and suggests a potential therapeutic option for the BLBC subtype of breast cancer.

Summary Positive nucleic acid (NA) results have been found in recovered and discharged COVID-19 patients, but the proportion is unclear. This study was designed to analyze the recurrent positive rate of NA results after consecutively negative results, and the relationship between the specific antibody production and positive NA rate. According to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines, data of inpatients in Sino-French New City Branch of Tongji Hospital between Jan. 28 and Mar. 6, 2020 were collected. A total of 564 COVID-19 patients over 14 years old who received the examinations of NA and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were included. Days of viral shedding and specific antibodies were recorded and assessed. Among NA tests in respiratory samples (throat swabs, nasopharyngeal swabs, sputum and flushing fluid in alveoli), the patients with all-negative NA results accounted for 17.20%, those with single-positive results for 46.63%, and those with multiple-positive results for 36.17% respectively. Besides, the recurrent positive NA results after consecutively negative results appeared in 66 patients (11.70%). For multiple-positive patients, median viral shedding duration was 20 days (range: 1 to 57 days). Of the 205 patients who received 2 or more antibody tests, 141 (68.78%) had decreased IgG and IgM concentrations. IgM decreased to normal range in 24 patients, with a median of 44 days from symptom onset. Viral shedding duration was not significantly correlated with gender, age, disease severity, changes in pulmonary imaging, and antibody concentration. It is concluded that antibody level and antibody change had no significant correlation with the positive rate of NA tests and the conversion rate after continuous negative NA tests. In order to reduce the recurrent positive proportion after discharge, 3 or more consecutive negative NA test results with test interval more than 24 h every time are suggested for the discharge or release from quarantine.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and outcome of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in southwest Hubei, China. METHODS: According to the Montreux definition of neonatal ARDS, a retrospective clinical epidemiological investigation was performed on the medical data of neonates with ARDS who were admitted to Department of Neonatology/Pediatrics in 17 level 2 or level 3 hospitals in southwest Hubei from January to December, 2017. RESULTS: A total of 7 150 neonates were admitted to the 17 hospitals in southwest Hubei during 2017 and 66 (0.92%) were diagnosed with ARDS. Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 23 (35%) had mild ARDS, 28 (42%) had moderate ARDS, and 15 (23%) had severe ARDS. The main primary diseases for neonatal ARDS were perinatal asphyxia in 23 neonates (35%), pneumonia in 18 neonates (27%), sepsis in 12 neonates (18%), and meconium aspiration syndrome in 10 neonates (15%). Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 10 neonates (15%) were born to the mothers with an age of ≥ 35 years, 30 neonates (45%) suffered from intrauterine distress, 32 neonates (49%) had a 1-minute Apgar score of 0 to 7 points, 24 neonates (36%) had abnormal fetal heart monitoring results, and 21 neonates (32%) experienced meconium staining of amniotic fluid. Intraventricular hemorrhage was the most common comorbidity (12 neonates), followed by neonatal shock (9 neonates) and patent ductus arteriosus (8 neonates). All 66 neonates with ARDS were treated with mechanical ventilation in addition to the treatment for primary diseases. Among the 66 neonates with ARDS, 10 died, with a mortality rate of 15% (10/66), and 56 neonates were improved or cured, with a survival rate of 85% (56/66). CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal ARDS in southwest Hubei is mostly mild or moderate. Perinatal asphyxia and infection may be the main causes of neonatal ARDS in this area. Intraventricular hemorrhage is the most common comorbidity. Neonates with ARDS tend to have a high survival rate after multimodality treatment.

Antibiotics have drawn much attention as their wide usage in humans and animals may result in microbial resistance, which is a huge threat to humans' health. Studies on the occurrence and removals of antibiotics in wastewater treatment plants have been widely performed, but very few covered their main acetylated metabolites. This study developed an effective analytical method for the trace determination of four sulfonamides and three acetylated metabolites in municipal wastewaters, which was validated by linearity (R2 > 0.995), sensitivity (limit of quantification, LOQ

Elevated levels of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) and disturbed mitochondrial dynamics play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the mechanisms by which FFA leads to mitochondrial damage in glomerular podocytes of DKD and the effects of Berberine (BBR) on podocytes are not fully understood. Methods: Using the db/db diabetic mice model and cultured mouse podocytes, we investigated the molecular mechanism of FFA-induced disturbance of mitochondrial dynamics in podocytes and testified the effects of BBR on regulating mitochondrial dysfunction, podocyte apoptosis and glomerulopathy in the progression of DKD. Results: Intragastric administration of BBR for 8 weeks in db/db mice significantly reversed glucose and lipid metabolism disorders, podocyte damage, basement membrane thickening, mesangial expansion and glomerulosclerosis. BBR strongly inhibited podocyte apoptosis, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, BBR could stabilize mitochondrial morphology in podocytes via abolishing palmitic acid (PA)-induced activation of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated for the first time that BBR may have a previously unrecognized role in protecting glomerulus and podocytes via positively regulating Drp1-mediated mitochondrial dynamics. It might serve as a novel therapeutic drug for the treatment of DKD.

To evaluate the effect of Dexmedetomidine (Dex) on the inflammatory response and the integrity of blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCIRI).To investigate the role of Dex in spinal cord I/R, particularly in the high mobility group box 1-toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor κB (HMGB1-TLR4-NF-κB) pathway and the integrity of BSCB.High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a key mediator for the inflammatory response after spinal cord injury. Toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor κB (TLR4-NF-κB) signaling pathway is the downstream of HMGB1. Dex preconditioning could protect the spinal cord from I/R injury by inhibiting HMGB1 and stabilizing the integrity of BSCB. But its underlying mechanism is not fully understood.Forty-eight male Japanese white rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups (16 rabbits/group): sham, I/R, and Dex + I/R. The hind-limb motor function was assessed at 12 hours intervals for 48 hours after reperfusion using the modified Tarlov scale score. The expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. The permeability of BSCB was examined via Evans blue (EB) extravasation.Compared with sham group, spinal cord I/R increased the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α as well as the permeability of BSCB (P 0.05). Spinal cord I/R induced the decline of the score of hind-limb motor function (P 0.01). Preconditioning with Dex attenuated the up-regulation of the express of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α, and stabilized the permeability of BSCB (P 0.05). Dex preconditioning also improved the hiatopathological outcome and the motor function (P 0.01).Dex preconditioning may inhibit the inflammatory response and stabilize the integrity of BSCB at least partially by inhibiting the HMGB1-TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway to protect spinal cord from ischemia/reperfusion injury.2.

Insulated polymer host and lithium salt need to be separately dissolved into organic solvents prior to assembly of lithium batteries, implying a large usage of organic solvents and the consequent disadvantages of poor thermal stability, flammability, and explosibility of the end products. Herein, a new generation of thermotropic ionic liquid crystalline lithium salt (LiBIB) with potential bilayer fast ion-conductive tunnels, having functionalities of both lithium salt and polymer host or electrolyte, is successfully synthesized. Molecular structure, thermal stability, ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, and ion-conductive mechanism of the LiBIB are extensively assessed. The obtained LiBIB shows typical behaviors of both ionic liquid and liquid crystal. Melt point at 43 °C, much lower than that of traditional lithium salts like LiClO4 and LiPF6, and clear point of the LiBIB at 83 °C are both detected. Solid LiBIB salt shows better ionic conductivity (3 × 10−3 S cm−1) and electrochemical stability at room temperature in comparison with those of traditional lithium salts. Time-resolved and perturbation-correlation moving window 2D-COR FTIR results indicate that the high ionic conductivity of the LiBIB is mainly originated from the formation of fast ion-conductive tunnels, implying a promising application in solvent-free Li-ion batteries.

Silicon oxide films were deposited on glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by means of radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and the effects of the RF power on the microstructure, morphology, composition and wetting property of the films were investigated and compared. It was found that the films on PET have more voids and fissures than those on glass, especially those deposited with a RF power lower than 200 W, while the films on glass are all compact. All films possess the columnar structure and columns in the films on PET are coarser. These differences are supposed to result from the slower nucleation and faster diffusion on PET. Higher RF power provides particles with higher kinetic energy and produces films with denser structure and coarser columns. The silicon oxide films on both kinds of substrate have comparable thicknesses and compositions with an O/Si atomic ratio of 1.5. The surface roughness of the films is contributed from the roughness of substrate and the true roughness of films and the true roughness of films on both kinds of substrates reaches minimum at 200 W. The contact angle of water on the films shows a similar tendency, while the contact angle on PET is found lower than that on glass. The mechanism which explains the void formation of the film on PET can rationalize the difference.

Although occupants play a critical role in a building’s energy consumption, their air-conditioning use behaviour is often ignored, with it usually approximated as being a continuous operation. This in turn leads to a large difference between the actual and expected levels of energy consumption, raising the need to study air-conditioning use behaviour of building occupants. In this survey, 3083 questionnaires dealing with air-conditioning use behaviour were received from 34 cities distributed throughout China. The results show occupancy rates of 20% to 75% in residences and around 80% in office buildings during the period of 8:00–18:00. Air-conditioning use behaviour only meets a liveable requirement in residences and reaches a comfortable level in office buildings. This leads to daily air-conditioning operation times of between 0.85 and 4.31 hours in residences, and between 1.67 and 7.22 hours in office buildings, indicating most air-conditioning systems do not run continuously but intermittently, and that the assumption of continuous operation is far removed from reality. Based on these survey results, the large differences between the realistic (intermittent) and assumed (continuous) use of air-conditioning are employed to reveal the weaknesses in the present standards and to examine the optimization of building energy efficiency.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complicated neurodevelopmental disorder with high heritability. This study explores the association of PIK3CG gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1129293, rs12536620, rs12667819, rs17847825, rs2230460) with ADHD in children and the relation of interaction between SNPs and environmental factors, including blood lead levels (BLLs) and feeding style. A case-control study was conducted with children aged 6–18 years old, consisting of 389 children newly diagnosed with ADHD via the DSM-IV at the Wuhan Women and Children Medical Care Center, and 393 control participants were healthy children for physical examination during the same period. All participants were tested using the Chinese Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ). Furthermore, a self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the general situation and related environmental factors, and the BLLs were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The genotyping was performed using Sequenom MassArray. In our study, PIK3CG gene rs12667819 was consistently shown to be associated with ADHD risk in dominant model (OR = 1.656, 95% CI = 1.229–2.232), ADHD-I type (OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.666–4.632), and symptom scores. Moreover, rs12536620 has been observed to be related to ADHD-C type and symptom scores. Intriguingly, gene-environmental interactions analysis consistently revealed the potential interactions of rs12667819 collaborating with blood lead (Pmul = 0.045) and feeding style (Pmul = 0.041) to modify ADHD risk. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis suggested that rs12667819 may mediate PIK3CG gene expression. Therefore, our results suggest that selected PIK3CG gene variants may have a significant effect on ADHD risk.

A fast and reliable method was developed for simultaneous trace determination of nine odorous and estrogenic chloro- and bromo-phenolic compounds (CPs and BPs) in water samples using solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For sample preparation, the extraction efficiencies of two widely applied cartridges Oasis HLB and Sep-Pak C18 were compared, and the Oasis HLB cartridge showed much better extraction performance; pH of water sample also plays important role on extraction, and pH = 2–3 was found to be most appropriate. For separation of the target compounds, small addition of ammonium hydroxide can obviously improve the detection sensitivity, and the optimized addition concentration was determined as 0.2%. The developed efficient method was validated and showed excellent linearity (R 2 > 0.995), low limit of detection (LOD, 1.9–6.2 ng/L), and good recovery efficiencies of 57–95% in surface and tap water with low relative standard deviation (RSD, 1.3–17.4%). The developed method was finally applied to one tap and one surface water samples and most of these nine targets were detected, but all of them were below their odor thresholds, and their estrogen equivalent (EEQ) were also very low.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an early onset childhood neurodevelopmental disorder with an estimated heritability of approximately 76%. We conducted a case-control study to explore the role of the SLC6A1 gene in ADHD. The genotypes of eight variants were determined using Sequenom MassARRAY technology. The participants in the study were 302 children with ADHD and 411 controls. ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire. In our study, rs2944366 was consistently shown to be associated with the ADHD risk in the dominant model (odds ratio [OR] = 0.554, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.404–0.760), and nominally associated with Hyperactive index score ( P = 0.027). In addition, rs1170695 has been found to be associated with the ADHD risk in the addictive model (OR = 1.457, 95%CI = 1.173–1.809), while rs9990174 was associated with the Hyperactive index score ( P = 0.010). Intriguingly, gene-environmental interactions analysis consistently revealed the potential interactions of rs1170695 with blood lead ( P mul = 0.044) to modify the ADHD risk. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis suggested that these positive single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may mediate SLC6A1 gene expression. Therefore, our results suggest that selected SLC6A1 gene variants may have a significant effect on the ADHD risk.

Solar Concentrating Photovoltaic/ Thermal (CPV/T) system combined with cooling device has attracted attention as highly photoelectric conversion efficiency, but uneven distribution of irradiation on the PV cell surface would lead to the uneven distribution of cell surface temperature, which would result in drop of power generation. In this paper, three different simulation modules are established based on the analysis results of Fresnel lens optical simulation, the electric equivalent model of solar cell and the simulation analysis results of jet cooling in a CPV/T system. Through the simulation of 100 groups of cell components connected in series, the following conclusions are obtained: solar irradiance, temperature and circulating water mass flow rate are the main factors that affect the performance of the CPV/T system based on jet cooling. The increase of irradiation intensity is beneficial to maintain higher output of PV power. The temperature inhomogeneity of the CPV/T system with the existence of jet cooling decrease, which is beneficial to improve the system performance. Finally, the increase of mass flow rate improves the stability of the overall system, but it is recommended to set the optimal mass flow rate between 0.08kg/s and 0.1kg/s after comprehensive consideration.

Backgrounds Inflammation is recognized as the key pathological mechanism of type 2 diabetes. The hypoglyceamic effects of berberine (BBR) are related to the inhibition of the inflammatory response, but the mechanism is not completely clear. Methods The inflammatory polarization of Raw264.7 cells and primary peritoneal macrophages were induced by LPS, and then effects and underlying mechanisms of BBR were explored. An inflammatory model was established by LPS treatment at different concentrations for different treatment time. An ELISA assay was used to detect the secretions of TNF-α. RT-PCR was applied to detect M1 inflammatory factors. The F4/80+ ratio and CD11c+ ratio of primary peritoneal macrophages were determined by flow cytometry. The expressions of p-AMPK and TLR4 were detected by Western blot. The cytoplasmic and nuclear distributions of NFκB p65 were observed by confocal microscopy. The binding of TLR4 to MyD88 was tested by CoIP, and the affinity of BBR for TLR4 was assessed by molecular docking. Results Upon exposure to LPS, the secretion of TNF-α and transcription of inflammatory factors in macrophages increased, cell morphology changed and protrusions appeared gradually, the proportion of F4/80+CD11c+ M1 macrophages increased, and the nuclear distribution of NFκB p65 increased. BBR pretreatment partially inhibited the changes mentioned above. However, the expression of TLR4 and p-AMPK did not change significantly after LPS intervention for 3 h. Meanwhile, CoIP showed that the interaction between TLR4 and MyD88 increased, and BBR inhibited the binding. Molecular docking suggested that BBR might interact with TLR4. Conclusions Inflammatory changes were induced in macrophages after LPS stimulation for 3 h, and BBR pretreatment inhibited inflammatory polarization. BBR might interact with TLR4 and disturb TLR4/MyD88/NFκB signalling pathway, and it might be the mechanism by which BBR attenuated inflammation in the early phase.

Rationale Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) is a common sensory, motor, and reflex disorder. Numbness, a common subjective symptom of CSR, lacks objective quantitative indicators and recognized effective treatments, but is also difficult to recover from. We present a case report describing a traditional acupuncture treatment for CSR, utilizing a special acupuncture method and point, namely the Yunmen point. Patient concerns A 40-year-old woman presented with unilateral arm numbness caused by CSR. Diagnoses A diagnosis of CSR was made in the orthopedic department of a local hospital. Interventions We attempted acupuncture at the Yunmen (LU 2) acupoint combined with neck-seven-acupoint under computed tomographic guidance. Outcomes After 10 times treatment sessions, the patient no longer experienced weakness, coldness, or numbness in the affected upper limb. In addition, the stiffness in the neck and shoulders was reduced. On physical examination, the patient's left brachial plexus traction test was negative; reassessment of the CSR-20-point score scale showed a perfect score, and the visual analog scale score was 0. Lessons Our report indicates that acupuncture at the LU 2 acupoint combined with neck-seven-acupoint is effective in treating numbness and coldness of the arm, and other neurological symptoms caused by cervical spondylosis. Moreover, with the appropriate acupuncture technique, the risk of acupuncture at the LU 2 acupoint can be minimized.