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Abstract Background Cervical and breast cancers are among the top 4 leading causes of cancer-related mortality in women. This study aimed to examine age-specific temporal trends in mortality for cervical and breast cancers in urban and rural areas of China from 2009 to 2021. Methods Age-specific mortality data for cervical and breast cancers among Chinese women aged 20–84 years were obtained from China’s National Disease Surveillance Points system spanning the years 2009 to 2021. Negative binomial regression models were utilized to assess urban–rural differences in mortality rate ratios, while Joinpoint models with estimated average annual percent changes (AAPC) and slopes were employed to compare temporal trends and the acceleration of mortality rates within different age groups. Results From 2009 to 2021, there was a relative increase in age-specific mortality associated with the two cancers observed in rural areas compared with urban areas. A rising trend in the screening age of 35–64 [AAPC: 4.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5–7.6%, P = 0.026] for cervical cancer was noted in rural areas, while a stable trend (AAPC: − 0.7%, 95% CI − 5.8 to 4.6%, P = 0.78) was observed in urban areas. As for breast cancer, a stable trend (AAPC: 0.3%, 95% CI − 0.3 to 0.9%, P = 0.28) was observed in rural areas compared to a decreasing trend (AAPC: − 2.7%, 95% CI − 4.6 to − 0.7%, P = 0.007) in urban areas. Urban–rural differences in mortality rates increased over time for cervical cancer but decreased for breast cancer. Mortality trends for both cervical and breast cancers showed an increase with age across 4 segments, with the most significant surge in mortality observed among the 35–54 age group across urban and rural areas, periods, and regions in China. Conclusions Special attention should be given to women aged 35–54 years due to mortality trends and rural–urban disparities. Focusing on vulnerable age groups and addressing rural–urban differences in the delivery of cancer control programs can enhance resource efficiency and promote health equity.

Abstract This study aimed to explore the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α), a known inhibitor of ferroptosis, in Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) and its related mechanisms. In vivo and in vitro MIRI models were established. Our results showed that activation of PPAR-α decreased the size of the myocardial infarct, maintained cardiac function, and decreased the serum contents of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and Fe2+ in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-treated mice. Additionally, the results of H&E staining, DHE staining, TUNEL staining, and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that activation of PPAR-α inhibited MIRI-induced heart tissue and mitochondrial damage. It was also found that activation of PPAR-α attenuated MIRI-induced ferroptosis as shown by a reduction in malondialdehyde, total iron, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In vitro experiments showed that intracellular contents of malondialdehyde, total iron, LDH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid ROS, oxidized glutathione disulphide (GSSG), and Fe2+ were reduced by the activation of PPAR-α in H9c2 cells treated with anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R), while the cell viability and GSH were increased after PPAR-α activation. Additionally, changes in protein levels of the ferroptosis marker further confirmed the beneficial effects of PPAR-α activation on MIRI-induced ferroptosis. Moreover, the results of immunofluorescence and dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that PPAR-α achieved its activity via binding to the 14-3-3η promoter, promoting its expression level. Moreover, the cardioprotective effects of PPAR-α could be canceled by pAd/14-3-3η-shRNA or Compound C11 (14-3-3η inhibitor). In conclusion, our results indicated that ferroptosis plays a key role in aggravating MIRI, and PPAR-α/14-3-3η pathway-mediated ferroptosis and mitochondrial injury might be an effective therapeutic target against MIRI.

Melasma, a prevalent pigmentary disorder, is characterized by its complex etiology, propensity for recurrence, and resistance to treatment. However, there is currently no research on melasma through bibliometrics and visualisation. This study analyses the hotspots and trends in the field based on 2,709 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). We carried out bibliometric analyses using Citespace software for different countries/regions, institutions, authors, and keywords. References were also analysed using VoSviewer. The results indicate that overall, there has been an increase in publications related to melasma since 2014. According to the analysis of the collaborative network diagram, the United States, Egyptian Knowledge Bank, and Benjakul Soottawat are the most contributing countries, institutions, and authors, respectively. Reference and keyword analyses have identified the pathogenesis and treatment of melasma as a prevalent topic in recent years. And how to find new treatment options and more effective therapeutic drugs is a future research trend. This is the first bibliometric and visual analysis of melasma-related literature to explore research hotspots and trends.

Background: Colchicine is a common therapeutic agent for inflammatory conditions such as gout, yet its narrow therapeutic range frequently results in cases of overdose and subsequent poisoning. Acute colchicine poisoning can be difficult to identify due to its nonspecific clinical manifestations, posing a diagnostic challenge for emergency physicians without a clear history of colchicine ingestion. Case presentation: This report describes a tragic case of acute colchicine poisoning that resulted in three familial homicides. The patients presented with fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, which rapidly escalated to shock during their emergency department visits. Laboratory tests revealed a marked leukocytosis, mild elevation in procalcitonin (PCT), significantly elevated creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB levels, and liver function abnormalities. Despite treatment with carbapenem antibiotics and aggressive fluid resuscitation, the patients' condition deteriorated, marked by a progressive decline in leukocytes and neutrophils. Initially misdiagnosed as septic shock, the ineffectiveness of the standard treatment protocols led to a fatal outcome for all three individuals. Conclusion: Emergency physicians should consider acute colchicine poisoning as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with shock and the following clinical indicators: (1) pronounced increase in peripheral leukocytes with a disproportionate rise in neutrophils; (2) discordance between the level of serum procalcitonin and the severity of presumed septic shock; (3) early increase in serum creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB; (4) poor response to antibiotics and resuscitative efforts, accompanied by a continuous decrease in white blood cells and neutrophils. This case underscores the critical need for awareness of colchicine toxicity in the emergency setting, particularly when the clinical presentation mimics septic shock but fails to respond to standard treatments.

Abstract Background Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). This study aims to investigate the involvement of lncRNA THRIL and HOTAIR gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their expression levels in PTB susceptibility. Methods A total of 456 PTB patients and 464 healthy controls participated in our study. we genotyped six SNPs of THRIL and HOTAIR genes using an improved multiple ligase detection reaction (iMLDR). Additionally, real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was employed to detect the expression levels of THRIL and HOTAIR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 78 PTB patients and 84 healthy controls. Results No significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies were observed for THRIL rs1055472, rs11058000, and HOTAIR rs12427129, rs1899663, rs4759314, and rs7958904 polymorphisms between PTB patients and healthy controls (all P > 0.05). Moreover, genotype frequencies of all SNPs did not show any association with PTB susceptibility in the dominant–recessive model. However, the frequencies of rs7958904 CC genotype and C allele in the HOTAIR gene were significantly correlated with leukopenia in PTB patients. Furthermore, the expression levels of the HOTAIR gene were significantly elevated in PTB patients compared to controls. Conclusions Our study indicates that THRIL and HOTAIR gene SNPs might not contribute to PTB susceptibility, while the level of HOTAIR was increased in PTB patients.

Insurance against climate risk is essential for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. However, theoretical consensus regarding climate risk insurance remains elusive, and the implementation of climate insurance policies varies markedly between countries owing to various challenges. This study conducted bibliometric analysis of 1082 relevant publications (1975–2022) to determine the theoretical basis, evolution of research hotspots, and methodologies associated with climate risk insurance. Climate insurance publications are growing at an average annual rate of 8.9%, with more than 2333 authors from 1103 organizations in 78 countries publishing on the subject. On the basis of milestones of global climate change assessment, i.e., the publication of the Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate insurance research can be divided into three major phases. In the start-up phase (1975–2007), research schemes examined the feasibilities and potentials of the National Flood Insurance Program in the United States, and the socioeconomic implications of transferring climate risk through reinsurance. The methodologies used in these studies were relatively simple owing to lack of comprehensive data. Research on flood insurance increased rapidly during the development phase (2008–2014), with increasing emphasis on the possibility of developing a flood insurance market in the Netherlands. Studies utilized catastrophe modeling and probabilistic approaches to estimate natural disaster losses and financial impacts. The boom phase (2015–2022) involved more research on the affordability of climate risk insurance given income inequality. The topic of climate insurance and the scope of its impact have developed global and interdisciplinary characteristics in terms of journal, sector, and disciplinary base. In the future, a trend might develop whereby big data will be combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning to design and implement index insurance.

Narrow-linewidth lasers mainly depend on the development of advanced laser linewidth measurement methods for related technological progress as key devices in satellite laser communications, precision measurements, ultra-high-speed optical communications, and other fields. This manuscript provides a theoretical analysis of linewidth characterization methods based on the beat frequency power spectrum and laser phase noise calculations, and elaborates on existing research of measurement technologies. In addition, to address the technical challenges of complex measurement systems that commonly rely on long optical fibers and significant phase noise jitter in the existing research, a short-delay self-heterodyne method based on coherent envelope spectrum demodulation was discussed in depth to reduce the phase jitter caused by 1/f noise. We assessed the performance parameters and testing conditions of different lasers, as well as the corresponding linewidth characterization methods, and analyzed the measurement accuracy and error sources of various methods.

Fine and dispersed Mg–Ti–oxide inclusions, which act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for intragranular ferrite, have been acknowledged as an effective method for grain refinement. In this paper, the nucleation and growth mechanisms of ferrite on Mg–Ti-oxides surface were investigated through first-principles calculations and solid-state pressure bonding experiments. The calculated results show that the formation of cation vacancies is the limiting step for Mn solute atom absorption by Mg–Ti-oxides. As determined by the lower covalency and ionicity of the Mg–O bond compared to the Ti–O bond in Mg–Ti-oxides, Mn atoms will be efficiently absorbed by occupying the Mg vacancies. The experimental results demonstrate that MgTiO3 with the maximum Mn-depleted zone (MDZ) width is the most effective for ferrite nucleation, which is consistent with the calculation results. As a representative, the Fe(110)/MgTiO3(001) interface with the lowest planar disregistry (3.16%) was selected to analyze growth behaviors. Due to charge accumulation and variation, Fe atoms are more likely to gather on the Mg–O terminal MgTiO3(001) surface and form [(Mg–O)–Fe]-1 interfaces. Its adhesion work and interface energy are 1.74 and 2.46 J/m2, respectively. The present study illustrates the nucleation and growth mechanisms of ferrite on Mg–Ti-oxides, providing theoretical support for the application of Mg–Ti-oxide inclusions in oxide metallurgy.

Abstract Background Patients with a 5‐year recurrence‐free survival post liver resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) are considered to be potentially cured. However, there is a deficit of data on long‐term follow‐up and the recurrence status among these patients in the Chinese population. We analyzed real‐world follow‐up data of patients with CRLM who underwent hepatectomy, explored the recurrence patterns, and established a prediction model for a potential cure scenario. Methods Patients who underwent radical hepatic resection for CRLM during 2000–2016, with actual follow‐up data for at least 5 years, were enrolled. The observed survival rate was calculated and compared among the groups with different recurrence patterns. The predictive factors for 5‐year non‐recurrence were determined using logistic regression analysis; a recurrence‐free survival model was developed to predict long‐term survival. Results A total of 433 patients were included, of whom 113 patients were found non‐recurrence after 5 years follow‐up, with a potential cure rate of 26.1%. Patients with late recurrence (>5 months) and lung relapse showed significantly superior survival. Repeated localized treatment significantly improved the long‐term survival of patients with intrahepatic or extrahepatic recurrences. Multivariate analysis showed that RAS wild‐type CRC, preoperative CEA

There is an urgent need to explore and validate novel biomarkers relevant to patients with myocardial infarction (MI), which is the leading cause of death in the world. Dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) based on two Gene Expression Omnibus microarrays were analyzed using bioinformatics technology and experiments. KEGG and GO enrichment analyses were performed to explore potential mechanisms of myocardial infarction progression. Immune infiltration analysis was used to assess the relationship between the immune microenvironment and myocardial infarction. The DOX-induced myocardial injury model was used to simulate myocardial infarction. qRT-PCR was performed to validate the expression of hub genes. 5 downregulated miRNAs and 14 upregulated mRNAs were identified in total. Functional analysis revealed that some immune-related pathways were significantly enriched. T cells CD8+ were mainly enriched in the normal tissues compared to the myocardial infarction tissues. Meanwhile, the T cells CD4+ memory resting were highly enriched in the myocardial infarction tissues compared to the normal tissues. Experimental validation of miRNAs and mRNAs contributed to the identification of 4 miRNAs and 12 mRNAs that may play a crucial role in the DOX-induced myocardial infarction cell model. Our study successfully identified several genes that may be related to myocardial infarction progression.

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and to elucidate the clinical characteristics of medial group retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs) based on multi-modal imaging. Also, we intended to explore the feasibility of optimizing the CTV60 boundary based on the characteristics of medial group RLNs.MethodsA total of 549 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), DWI, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) to detect and evaluate clinical characteristics of medial group RLNs. [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography was utilized to identify fluorodeoxyglucose uptaking and contrast-enhanced CT to ensure the reliability of CTV optimization during radiotherapy. The DESdC (Drinking, Eating, Swallowing Difficulties, and Coughing while Eating or Drinking) score was utilized to evaluate swallowing disability.ResultsFourteen of 549 patients had medial group RLNs with a transverse diameter of 2.0–19.0 mm, which distributed between the upper margin of 1st cervical vertebra (C1) and the upper one-third of C3. Lasso regression and Pearson chi-square test suggested that its occurrence was associated with stage N, bilateral cervical lymph node metastases, especially when the transverse diameter of cervical lymph nodes was > 3 cm. The sensitivity of DWI, T2 STIR, and contrast-enhanced CT was 100%, 57.1%, and 21.4%, respectively. We optimized CTV60 of medial group RLNs from the base of skull to the upper edge of C2 excluding specific cases. For patients with CTV60 optimization, radiation dose and volume of swallowing structures decreased obviously. Based on our radiotherapy strategy on CTV60, acute toxicities of enrolled patients were well tolerated. Ninety-six of 549 patients had scores with DESdC score. Eighty-three patients scored 1, seven patients scored 2, one patient scored 3, and three patients scored 4. The median interval from the onset of symptoms was 72 (4–114) months. The 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, local recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were 87%, 80%, 93%, and 85%, respectively. None of the patients with regional recurrence happened in the optimized region.ConclusionDWI possesses superiorities in displaying lymph nodes. Based on the low incidence of the medial RLNs, CTV60 of medial group RLNs from the base of skull to the upper edge of C2 is feasible and has dosimetric advantages for protecting swallowing structures.

Purpose: The incidence of early-onset CRC is increasing. However, the effect of age of onset on the long-term outcome of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the age of onset and the oncological outcome of CRLM patients and to investigate whether the prognostic role of RAS mutation is altered with age. Methods: We retrospectively investigated consecutive patients at our institution who underwent initial liver resection between 2006 and 2020. The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to balance the confounders among early- (≤45 years; EOCRLM), intermediate- (46–70 years; IOCRLM), and late-onset (>70 years; LOCRLM) groups. The prognostic role of RAS was assessed based on age group. Results: A total of 1189 patients were enrolled: 162 in the EOCRLM group, 930 in the IOCRLM group, and 97 in the LOCRLM group. No difference in disease-free survival (DFS) was found between the three groups. However, EOCRLM were more likely to develop extrahepatic and extrapulmonary metastasis and had significantly lower five-year OS rates than IOCRLM. After IPTW, EOCRLM remained a negative prognostic predictor. RAS mutations were significantly associated with worse survival than wild-type RAS in EOCRLM and IOCRLM. However, RAS mutation did not predict the prognosis of patients with LOCRLM. Conclusions: Patients with EOCRLM had a significantly lower OS than IOCRLM patients and age influences the prognostic power of RAS status. These findings may be helpful for doctors to guide the clinical treatments and develop follow-up strategies.

AIM: To investigate the anxiety, depression and sleep status of patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma(PACG)and primary open angle glaucoma(POAG).METHODS: Retrospective clinical study. The Anxiety Self-Rating Scale(SAS), Depression Self-Rating Scale(SDS)and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)were used to evaluate 60 patients with primary glaucoma(30 PACG, 30 POAG)diagnosed in the department of ophthalmology in our hospital during the period from June 2019 to December 2020 and 30 healthy adults from the physical examination department of our hospital as a control group. The scores of anxiety, depression and sleep quality in the three groups were compared.RESULTS: The scores of SAS, SDS and PSQI in PACG and POAG groups(48.40±9.302, 53.40±8.625, 9.57±2.861; 42.57±9.684, 48.80±10.320, 7.23±2.223)were significantly higher than those in control group(37.03±6.805, 38.63±7.881, 4.87±2.688)(P7, the positive rates of anxiety, depression and insomnia in the PACG group(77%, 73%, 70%)were higher than those in the POAG group(43%, 40%, 37%)and the control group(13%, 10%, 20%)(P

Background. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public transport was restricted in many countries because of the transmission risk. According to the risk compensation theory, travellers post-COVID-19 vaccination may encounter higher risks; however, no real-world studies provide such evidence. Therefore, we conducted a survey to assess whether risk compensation would occur among travellers’ health-related behaviours after COVID-19 vaccination, potentially aggravating the transmission of the virus. Materials and Methods. A self-administered online survey was designed and distributed over WeChat to identify the difference in health behaviours before and after COVID-19 vaccination among travellers at a train station in Taizhou, China, from 13 February to 26 April 2022. Results. A total of 602 individuals completed the questionnaire. The results revealed no statistical difference between the health behaviours reported by the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Participants who received the first dose of the vaccine earlier showed no statistical difference in harmful health behaviours (hand washing frequency decreased by 4.1% P=0.145) and the duration of public transport travel increased by 3.4% P=0.437)), but showed better protective health behaviours (mask-wearing duration increased by 24.7% P=0.014)). Compared to those vaccinated less than three times, participants vaccinated against COVID-19 three times showed no statistical differences in harmful health behaviours mask-wearing duration decreased by 7.0% P=0.927), their hand washing frequency decreased by 4.8% P=0.905), and the duration of public transport travel increased by 2.5% P=0.287). After vaccination, when compared to themselves before vaccination, participants exhibited better health behaviours (increased hand washing frequency and mask-wearing duration, and decreased duration of public transport travel) to some extent. Conclusion. In conclusion, this study found no evidence of risk compensation among travellers. After being vaccinated, health behaviours partly improved among travellers.

AIM: To investigate whether anti-placental growth factor (PGF) can inhibit subretinal fibrosis and whether this effect is mediated by the inhibitory effect of PGF on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. METHODS: Subretinal fibrosis model was established in laser induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) mice on day 21 after laser photocoagulation. Immunofluorescence staining (IFS) of cryosections and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the expression of PGF. IFS of whole choroidal flat-mounts was used to detect the degree of subretinal fibrosis. IFS of cryosections and ELISA were used to detect the expression of EMT related indicators in subretinal fibrosis lesions. RESULTS: The expression of PGF protein in subretinal fibrosis lesions was significantly up-regulated (P

The distribution of temperature and temperature-health association varied largely across different regions in China, a region-specific definition for heatwave was therefore needed. We collected the data on daily mortality, meteorological factors and air pollution in 84 Chinese cities during 2013–2016, which was divided into seven regions. Based on the association between daily maximum temperature and mortality in each city in a threshold distributed lag non-linear model, where the threshold was defined as the temperature corresponding to the lowest mortality risk, we calculated the number of deaths that could be avoided for 1 °C decrease in maximum temperature under different thresholds, then a random-effect meta-analysis was used to generate regional results, in which the temperature with the highest avoidable mortality number for 1 °C decrease was considered as the most appropriate heatwave definition. We observed an immediate detrimental effect of high temperature within three lag days. Our analysis suggested to use 29.5 °C, 31.5 °C, 29.0 °C, 31.5 °C, 30.0 °C, and 28.5 °C as the heatwave standard for east, north, northeast, central, south, and southwest region, with the avoidable mortality number of 1.54 (95 % Confidence interval (CI): 0.88, 2.19), 0.55 (95 % CI: 0.16, 0.94), 0.59 (95 % CI: 0.32, 0.86), 1.14 (95 % CI: 0.68, 1.59), 1.22 (95 % CI: 0.54, 1.90), and 0.78 (95 % CI: 0.01, 1.55), respectively, while the estimated number 0.19 (95 % CI: −0.02, 0.40) in northwest region was not statistically significant. The concept of ‘avoidable mortality for 1 °C decrease’ was proposed to define the heatwave event, and varied maximum temperature between 28.5 and 31.5 °C was suggested for region-specific heatwave definition in China.

Saliva is a noninvasive biofluid that contains the metabolic signature of severe periodontitis (SP, Stage IV and Grade C). Conductive polymer spray ionization mass spectrometry (CPSI-MS) was used to record a wide range of metabolites within a few seconds, making this technique a promising point-of-care method for the early detection of SP (Stage IV and Grade C). Saliva samples from 31 volunteers, consisting of 16 healthy controls (HC) and 15 patients with SP (Stage IV and Grade C), were collected to identify dysregulated metabolites. Twenty metabolites were screened out, including seven amino acids. Moreover, the results showed that amino acid metabolism is closely related to the development of periodontitis. The present study further confirmed that salivary metabolites in the oral cavity were significantly altered after plaque removal. These results suggest that the combination of CPSI-MS is a feasible tool for preclinical screening of SP (Stage IV and Grade C).

ObjectiveThe m6A methylation was involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), and our study aimed to reveal the potential association of m6A demethylase (ALKBH5, FTO) genes variation, expression levels and PTB.MethodsEight SNPs (ALKBH5 gene rs8400, rs9913266, rs12936694, rs4925144 and FTO gene rs6499640, rs8047395, rs1121980, rs9939609) were selected for genotyping by SNPscan technique in 449 PTB patients and 463 healthy controls.ResultsThe mRNA expression levels of ALKBH5, FTO were detected by qRT-PCR. There were no significant differences in genotype, allele distributions of all SNPs between PTB patients and healthy controls. Haplotype analysis demonstrated that the frequency of FTO gene GAAA haplotype was significantly reduced in PTB patients when compared to controls. ALKBH5 rs8400 AA genotype, A allele frequencies were associated with the decreased risk of sputum smear-positive, while AA genotype frequency was related to the increased risk of hypoproteinemia in PTB patients. In addition, rs9913266 variant was linked to the occurrence of drug-induced liver injury, sputum smear-positive, and rs4925144 variant was associated with leukopenia among PTB patients. In FTO gene, rs8047395 GG genotype and G allele frequencies were significantly higher in the PTB patients with drug resistance than that in the PTB patients without drug resistance. The ALKBH5, FTO expression levels were significantly decreased in PTB patients in comparison to controls. Moreover, ALKBH5 level was increased in PTB patients with drug resistance, and FTO level was decreased in PTB patients with sputum smear-positive.ConclusionFTO gene polymorphisms might be associated with PTB susceptibility, and ALKBH5, FTO levels were decreased in PTB patients, suggesting that these m6A demethylase played important roles in PTB.

ObjectiveThe aim of the current study was to investigate the contributing role of gene variation and transcription levels among the m6A methyltransferases METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).MethodsA case-control study including 461 PTB patients and 467 normal controls was designed for genotyping. Three SNPs in METTL3 (rs1061027, rs1139130, rs1061026), three SNPs in METTL14 (rs62328061, rs4834698, rs1064034), and two SNPs in WTAP (rs1853259, rs11752345) were genotyped via the SNPscan™ technique. METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP transcription levels were determined in 78 PTB patients and 86 controls via quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR.ResultsFrequencies of the METTL14 rs62328061 GG genotype, WTAP rs11752345 CT genotype, and T allele were significantly increased in PTB patients compared to controls. An increased risk of rs62328061 was detected in a recessive model, and a decreased risk of rs11752345 was detected in a dominant model in the PTB group. METTL3 gene variation was not associated with PTB risk. The METTL3 rs1139130 GG genotype was significantly increased with drug resistance, and the G allele was significantly decreased with drug-induced liver injury in PTB patients. A reduced frequency of the METTL14 rs62328061 G allele was associated with leukopenia, a reduced frequency of the WTAP rs11752345 T allele was associated with sputum smear positivity, and a higher frequency of the METTL14 rs4834698 TC genotype was evident in PTB patients with hypoproteinemia. Compared to controls, METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP transcription levels in PTB patients were significantly decreased, and the level of WTAP was increased in PTB patients with drug resistance. METTL3 level was negatively associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and aspartate aminotransferase, and METTL14 level was negatively correlated with alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase.ConclusionMETTL14 rs62328061 and WTAP rs11752345 variants were associated with the genetic background of PTB, and METTL3, METTL14, and WTAP levels were abnormally decreased, suggesting that these m6A methyltransferases may play important roles in PTB.

A lack of confidence on the vaccination drive hinders the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the antibody response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among hospitalized patients in China. This case-control study was based on SARS-CoV-2 sero-surveillance during hospitalization. From April to June 2021, hospitalized patients without documented COVID-19 infection from the Department of Urology were routinely assayed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination history of each participant was obtained from their vaccination records. Of the 405 participants, there were 37 seropositive participants (case group) and 368 seronegative participants (control group); 68 participants (16.8%) had received the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, including 54 who received the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine and 14 received the Sinopharm vaccine. All seropositive participants who had received one or two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were assessed for at least 16 days, while 31 (8.4%) of 368 seronegative controls who had received the vaccine were tested for 1–94 days. The overall seroconversion rate was 54.4% (37/68) in the vaccinated participants who received the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) for seropositivity was 6.20 (95% CI: 2.05–18.71) in those received full vaccination with two doses versus those partially vaccinated participants with one dose after adjusting for sex and age. These findings imply that the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine could have a protective antibody response.

A community-based prostate cancer screening program was conducted to assess the morbidity and associated factors for prostate cancer among the subpopulation of men aged ≥50 years in Taizhou, China. Taizhou Integrated Prostate Screening (TIPS) is a large, observational, population-based study of prostate cancer screening data based on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations. A pilot census of all male residents aged 50 years or older was conducted in Luqiao District, one of the field sites of the TIPS cohort in the city of Taizhou, Zhejiang. The interviewer-administered questionnaire evaluated demographic characteristics and environmental exposure factors. A total of 1,806 out of 3,516 participants completed the questionnaire. The overall prevalence of PSA ≥4 ng/mL was 11.5%, and included participants at low risk (9.2%), moderate risk (1.7%), and high risk (0.6%). Participants aged 60–69, 70–79, and ≥80 years had a 2.7-fold, 4.2-fold, and 6.5-fold higher risk of elevated PSA, respectively, in comparison with those aged 50 to 59 years ( p < .001). Eighteen patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer, of whom 11 (61.1%) underwent radical surgery. This community-based PSA screening program indicated the results for early detection of prostate cancer among men aged ≥50 years. Early screening and appropriate clinical therapy for the management of prostate cancer are essential in this subpopulation.

Th17 cells play a key role in immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), and this study aimed to explore the association of Th17 pathway gene polymorphisms with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) susceptibility in a Chinese population. A total of 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms in Th17 pathway genes (IL-17A gene rs2275913, rs3748067, rs8193036, rs3819024, IL-17F gene rs7741835, rs763780, IL-21 gene rs907715, rs2055979, IL-23R gene rs11805303, and rs7518660) were genotyped in 456 PTB patients and 466 controls using SNPscan technique. The IL-23R rs11805303 CC genotype, C allele frequencies were significantly lower in PTB patients than in controls, and the rs11805303 variant was significantly associated with the reduced risk of PTB in a recessive model. There were no significant associations between IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-21 gene variations and PTB risk. In IL-17A gene, rs2275913, rs3748067, and rs3819024 variants were associated with drug resistance in PTB patients. In IL-17F gene, rs7741835 variant affected drug resistance, and rs763780 variant was associated with hypoproteinemia in PTB patients. In addition, the lower frequencies of the TT genotype, T allele of rs2055979 were found in PTB patients with drug-induced liver injury. Haplotype analysis showed that IL-23R CG haplotype frequency was significantly lower in PTB patients than in controls, while the TG haplotype frequency was higher. In conclusion, IL-23R rs11805303 polymorphism may contribute to the genetic underpinnings of PTB in the Chinese population, and the IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-21 genetic variations are associated with several clinical manifestations of PTB patients.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to verify whether the prognostic value of primary tumor location (PTL) for patients undergoing resection for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) is affected by tumor burden.MethodsPatients who underwent a first curative-intent surgery for CRLM from 2006 to 2017 were enrolled. The imaging tumor burden score (TBS) was calculated as TBS2 = (maximum tumor diameter in cm)2 + (number of lesions)2. Then, the prognostic role of PTL was assessed in different TBS zones.ResultsThe patient population consisted of 524 left-sided (LS) and 118 right-sided (RS) primary tumors. The distribution of TBS in the patient cohort was: Zone1: TBS

ObjectiveIncreasing evidence suggested that gaseous pollutants were associated with the development of autoimmune diseases, while there were few studies on the association between gaseous pollutants and Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). This study sought to assess the relationship between exposure to several gaseous pollutants and the hospitalizations for SS.MethodsThe data regarding SS hospitalizations, gaseous pollutants, and meteorological factors in Hefei from 2016 to 2021 were collected. A distributed lag non-linear model combined with a generalized linear model were adopted to analyze the association between gaseous pollutants and SS hospitalizations, and stratified analyses were also conducted.ResultsWe detected significant associations between gaseous pollutants (NO2, SO2, O3, CO) and SS hospitalizations. Exposure to NO2 was linked with the elevated risk of hospitalizations for SS (RR=1.026, lag1 day). A positive correlation between CO exposure and hospitalizations for SS was found (RR=1.144, lag2 day). In contrast, exposure to SO2, O3 was respectively related to the decreased risk of hospitalizations for SS (SO2: RR=0.897, lag14 day; O3: RR=0.992, lag9 day). Stratified analyses found that female patients were more vulnerable to these gaseous pollutants. SS patients ≥ 65 years were more susceptible to NO2, CO exposure, and younger patients were more vulnerable to O3 exposure. In addition, exposure to O3, CO in cold season were more likely to affect hospitalizations for SS.ConclusionOur results demonstrated a significant association between exposure to NO2, CO and elevated risk of hospitalizations for SS, and SO2, O3 exposure might be linked to reduced risk of SS hospitalizations.

The aim of this study was to assess the association of vitamin B12 level and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vitamin B12 metabolic genes with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Chinese Han population. The plasma vitamin B12 expression level was detected using ELISA. Ten SNPs in six key genes (TCN1, TCN2, CUBN, MMACHC, FUT6, and MUT) of vitamin B12 metabolic pathway were included for genotyping by the SNPscan technique among 454 PTB patients and 467 controls. Our results found that vitamin B12 level was significantly reduced in PTB patients when compared with controls. There was no significant association between TCN1 rs526934, TCN2 rs1801198, CUBN rs7906242, rs10904861, rs1801222, MMACHC rs10789465, FUT6 rs3760776, rs3760775, MUT rs9473555, rs9381784 variants, and PTB susceptibility. TCN2 rs1801198 CC genotype, C allele was significantly associated with hypoproteinemia in PTB patients. In CUBN, rs7906242 GG genotype, G allele, rs10904861 TT genotype, and T allele were significantly related to the decreased frequency of sputum smear-positive, and rs10904861 variant affected the occurrence of drug resistance in PTB patients. In addition, the increased frequency of CUBN rs1801222 AA genotype was significantly associated with leukopenia. The decreased frequency of MUT rs9473555 CC genotype was found in the PTB patients with hypoproteinemia. However, vitamin B12 expression was not associated with the genotype distribution of above SNPs. In conclusion, vitamin B12 level was significantly decreased in PTB patients and genetic variants in vitamin B12 metabolic genes were not contributed to PTB susceptibility. Several SNPs in TCN2, CUBN, and MUT gene might associate with multiple clinical manifestations in PTB.

Abstract. Background:. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth cause of cancer death in China. We aimed to provide national and subnational estimates and changes of CRC premature mortality burden during 2005–2020. Methods:. Data from multi-source on the basis of the national surveillance mortality system were used to estimate mortality and years of life lost (YLL) of CRC in the Chinese population during 2005–2020. Estimates were generated and compared for 31 provincial-level administrative divisions in China. Results:. Estimated CRC deaths increased from 111.41 thousand in 2005 to 178.02 thousand in 2020; age-standardized mortality rate decreased from 10.01 per 100,000 in 2005 to 9.68 per 100,000 in 2020. Substantial reduction in CRC premature mortality burden, as measured by age-standardized YLL rate, was observed with a reduction of 10.20% nationwide. Marked differences were observed in the geographical patterns of provincial units, and they appeared to be obvious in areas with higher economic development. Population aging was the dominant driver which contributed to the increase in CRC deaths, followed by population growth and age-specific mortality change. Conclusions:. Substantial discrepancies were observed in the premature mortality burden of CRC across China. Targeted considerations were needed to promote a healthy lifestyle, expand cost-effective CRC early screening and diagnosis, and improve medical treatment to reduce CRC mortality among high-risk populations and regions with inadequate healthcare resources.

Fish morphological colouration is essential for their survival and reproduction success; however, it is vulnerable to environmental factors, such as pollutants. Triphenyltin (TPT) is widespread in aquatic ecosystems, and its impacts on fish have been problematic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of TPT at environment-related concentrations (0, 1, 10 and 100 ng Sn/L) on morphological colouration in male guppies (Poecilia reticulata). The results showed that TPT exposure affected both orange/red and dark morphological colouration in guppies. The faded orange/red colouration might be related to the decrease of coloured pteridine and Pts (6-Pyruvoyltetrahydropterin Synthase) expression. In addition, TPT exposure induced melanogenesis, however, much melanin was distributed diffusely in the skin and did not seem to form a spot pattern, giving the fish a dull appearance. According to the skin transcriptional profiles, the changes of dark morphological colouration might be related to the changes in genes related to the functions of melanosome components (Gpnmb, Slc45a2 and Tyr), construction (Ap3d1, Fig4, Hps3, Hps5, Lyst, Rabggta, Txndc5 and Vps33a), and transport (Rab27a). Additionally, genes related to the regulation of melanogenesis (Atrn and Pomc) and system effects (Atox1, Atp6ap2, Atp6v1f, Atp6v1h, Rpl24, Rps19 and Rps20) might also be involved in the molecular mechanisms of abnormal morphological colouration induced by TPT. The present study provides crucial data on the molecular basis of abnormal morphological colouration in fish exposed to TPT and underscores the importance of toxicological studies of the effects of pollutants in aquatic environments on fish morphological colouration.

IntroductionJuxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (JRAAAs) are challenging to cure by traditional endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). Due to the inherent disadvantages of the customized fenestrated and/or branched aortic endografts (such as delayed cycles with a risk of aneurysm rupture, unavailable in emergency or confine operations), several off-the-shelf devices have been developed for the treatment of JRAAA. However, these devices being used in clinical trials have been proven to have a non-negligible risk of reintervention and inadequate anatomic applicability. We have developed a new off-the-shelf aortic endograft system (WeFlow-JAAA) with a mixed design of inner branches and modified fenestrations. The purpose of this cohort study is to assess the safety and effectiveness of the innovative aortic endograft system.Methods and analysisThis is a prospective, multicenter, single-armed clinical trial cohort study. The enrolment will take place in 29 centers in China, and 106 adult patients with JRAAA will be enrolled in total. Clinical information and CT angiography (CTA) images will be collected and recorded. Patients will be followed up for 5 years. The primary safety endpoint is the rate of no major adverse event within 30 days after index EVAR. The primary efficacy endpoint is the rate of immediate technical success and no JRAAA-related reintervention within 12 months after the procedure.

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is associated with many biological processes and the development of multiple diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of m6A readers' genes variation, as well as their expression levels, with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). A total of 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in m6A readers' genes (i.e., YTHDF1 rs6122103, rs6011668, YTHDF2 rs602345, rs3738067, YTHDF3 rs7464, rs12549833, YTHDC1 rs3813832, rs17592288, rs2293596, and YTHDC2 rs6594732, and rs2416282) were genotyped by SNPscan™ technique in 457 patients with PTB and 466 normal controls. The m6A readers' genes expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 78 patients with PTB and 86 normal controls were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). There was no significant association between all SNPs in YTHDF1, YTHDF2, YTHDF3, YTHDC1, and YTHDC2 genes and PTB susceptibility. The increased frequencies of YTHDF2 rs3738067 GG genotype and YTHDC1 rs3813832 CC genotype, C allele, were, respectively, found in PTB patients with hypoproteinemia and fever. YTHDC2 rs6594732 variant was significantly associated with drug-induced liver damage and sputum smear-positive, and the rs2416282 variant was significantly associated with fever in patients with PTB. Compared with controls, the YTHDF1, YTHDF2, YTHDF3, YTHDC1, and YTHDC2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in PTB. Moreover, YTHDF1 level was negatively associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and YTHDF3 and YTHDC1 levels were negatively related to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in patients with PTB. Our results demonstrated that YTHDF1, YTHDF2, YTHDF3, YTHDC1, and YTHDC2 genes SNPs did not contribute to PTB susceptibility, while their decreased levels in patients with PTB suggested that these m6A readers might play significant roles in PTB.

Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is a cardiac dysfunction caused by severe sepsis and septic shock that increases the risk of heart failure and death and its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Ferroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, has been reported to be present in the heart tissue of patients with sepsis, which demonstrated that ferroptosis may be a potential mechanism of myocardial injury in SCM. Therefore, we explored the role of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in SCM and aimed to identify pivotal ferroptosis-related targets in SCM and potential therapeutic targets involved in the pathological process of SCM. To explore the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis in SCM, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SCM and FRGs by bioinformatics analysis, and further identified hub genes. And the crucial microRNAs (miRNAs)-FRGs regulatory network was subsequently constructed. Finally, several candidate drugs associated with the hub genes were predicted, and Real-time quantitative reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis were performed to confirm the abnormal expression of hub genes. In this study, we identified several FRGs that may be involved in the pathogenesis of SCM, which helps us further clarify the role of ferroptosis in SCM and deeply understand the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of SCM.

AIM:To establish the hypoxia induced endothelial-mesenchymal transition(EndoMT)model of endothelial cells, and to investigate the effect and mechanism of Pirfenidone(PFD)on inhibiting the subretinal fibrosis progression.METHODS: Primary cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC), 4-7 passages were used for experiments after cell identification. CoCl2 induced hypoxia to establish the transformation model of endothelial cells into fibroblasts. CCK-8 was performed to detect cell proliferation rate and chose the optimal drug concentration. All cells were divided into 4 groups: control group(FBS-free), CoCl2(200μmol/L)group, CoCl2+0.3mg/mL PFD group, CoCl2+0.6mg/mL PFD group. The protein expression of CD31, VE-cadherin, α-SMA, FSP1, p-p38 and p38 were detected by Western blot. Double immunofluorescence labeling method was used to observe the CD31/α-SMA expression. Wound healing assay detected the cell migration. The q-PCR was applied to detect the mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and SNAI1.RESULTS: Compared with CoCl2 group, PFD increased cell proliferation rate and inhibited cell migration significantly under hypoxia(P0.05). PFD down-regulated significantly the high protein expression of p-p38, and high mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and SNAI1 compared with control group(P

Monitoring pest populations in paddy fields is important to effectively implement integrated pest management. Light traps are widely used to monitor field pests all over the world. Most conventional light traps still involve manual identification of target pests from lots of trapped insects, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive and error-prone, especially in pest peak periods. In this paper, we developed an automatic monitoring system for rice light-trap pests based on machine vision. This system is composed of an intelligent light trap, a computer or mobile phone client platform and a cloud server. The light trap firstly traps, kills and disperses insects, then collects images of trapped insects and sends each image to the cloud server. Five target pests in images are automatically identified and counted by pest identification models loaded in the server. To avoid light-trap insects piling up, a vibration plate and a moving rotation conveyor belt are adopted to disperse these trapped insects. There was a close correlation (r=0.92) between our automatic and manual identification methods based on the daily pest number of one-year images from one light trap. Field experiments demonstrated the effectiveness and accuracy of our automatic light trap monitoring system.

Accelerated random vibration test is now the important dynamic performance and safety evaluation technique for transport packaging system during transportation. The current widely used time scale of accelerated random vibration test in engineering test and some standards is “Inverse power law,” which is based on Basquin (power function) fatigue damage model and σ − N curve, but is not completely suitable for transport packaging system. In author’s previous research, the general theory of accelerated random vibration test based on acceleration PSD and G rms − T curve was developed which is applied for any fatigue damage model besides Basquin type. The study in this paper is the further and extensive research of previous research. The definite expression between response von Mises equivalent stress ( σ eq , rms ) of the products and tri-axial acceleration Root-Mean-Square (RMS) was developed, based on which σ − N curve was transformed to G rms − T curve to describe the product damage. Time scale of accelerated random vibration was obtained. The proposed method was verified by finite element analysis. In addition, the effects of excitation spectrum shape and system damping on the response vibration of products were discussed. This study is valuable in engineering for safety assessment and random vibration analysis of transport packaging system.

"AIM: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering efficacy and safety of tafluprost 0.0015% eye drops [benzalkonium chloride (BAK) 0.1 mg/mL] compared with that of latanoprost 0.005% eye drops (BAK 0.2 mg/mL) for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT). METHODS: All the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about treating POAG and OHT comparing tafluprost and latanoprost were collected by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI and VIP. The outcomes of interest to evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse effects included IOP and patient-related drop discomfort. RESULTS: Five RCTs involving 888 glaucoma patients were included. The results showed that, 1) at the end of the study, no statistically significant differences were observed in IOP reduction [standard mean difference (SMD) =0.48, 95%CI 0.07 to 0.88, P=0.085] between tafluprost and latanoprost; 2) No statistically significant differences were observed in adverse events of foreign-body sensation [relative risk (RR) =0.62, 95%CI 0.26 to 1.46, P=0.269], eye irritation (RR=1.16, 95%CI 0.49 to 2.75, P=0.744), eye pain (RR=2.000, 95%CI 0.949 to 4.216, P=0.07), iris hyper-pigmentation (RR=0.741, 95%CI 0.235 to 2.334, P=0.61), dry eye (RR=1.154, 95%CI 0.409 to 3.256, P=0.79) and eye pruritus (RR=1.600, 95%CI 0.536 to 4.774, P=0.4) between tafluprost and latanoprost. However, tafluprost showed more reported incidence of conjunctival hyperaemia than latanoprost (RR=2.11, 95%CI 1.24 to 3.59, P=0.006). CONCLUSION: Tafluprost 0.0015% eye drops (BAK 0.1 mg/mL) and latanoprost 0.005% eye drops (BAK 0.2 mg/mL) are comparable in lowering IOP for open angle glaucoma (OAG) and OHT. It does not differ in the incidence of foreign-body sensation, eye irritation, eye pain, iris hyper-pigmentation, dry eye and eye pruritus, but tafluprost shows less ocular tolerability because of more incidence of conjunctival hyperaemia."

Abstract Background The present study aimed to compare the perioperative safety and long-term survival of patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases undergoing sequential resection (SeR), delayed resection (DeR) and simultaneous resection (SiR). Methods From January 2007 to December 2016, data from patients undergoing surgery at Peking University Cancer Hospital for synchronous colorectal liver metastases were retrospectively collected. The above three different surgical strategies were compared. Results A total of 233 cases were included, with 49 in the SeR group, 98 in the DeR group and 86 in the SiR group. The incidence of severe complications was 26.7% in the SiR group, higher than that in the DeR group (11.2%, P = 0.007) and the SeR group (16.3%, P = 0.166). The overall survival at 1 and 3 years in the SeR group (93.9 and 50.1%) was lower than that in the DeR group (94.9 and 64.8%, P = 0.019), but not significantly different from that in the SiR group (93.0 and 55.2%, P = 0.378). Recurrence-free survival at 1 and 3 years in the SeR group (22.4 and 18.4%) was lower than that in the DeR group (43.9 and 24.2%, P = 0.033) but not significantly different from that in the SiR group (31.4 and 19.6%, P = 0.275). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that T4, lymph node-positive primary tumour, liver metastases > 30 mm and SiR (compared with DeR) were correlated with poor prognosis. Conclusion Simultaneous resection has a relatively higher incidence of severe complications, and with a staged resection strategy, the prognosis of delayed resection was better than that of sequential resection.

Abstract In this paper, an anomalous spectral data of distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) emitting around 7.6 μm is presented. The two-section DBR lasers, consisting of a gain section and an unpumped Bragg reflector, display an output power above 0.6 W in continuous wave (CW) mode at room temperature. The anomalous spectral data is defined as a longitudinal mode which moves toward shorter wavelengths with increasing temperature or injection current, which is unexpected. Although the longer wavelength modes are expected to start lasing when raising device temperature or injection current, occasional mode hops to a shorter wavelength are seen. These anomalous mode transitions are explained by means of modal analysis. The thermal-induced change of the refractive index implied by an increase in the temperature or injection current yields nearly periodic transitions between cavity modes.

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri is the main vector of the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which is the causal agent of citrus Huanglongbing disease. Feeding by both ACP nymphs and adults on host plants allows them to obtain nutrition. Therefore, the nutritional content within the plant phloem is of much importance for the development and reproduction of ACP. The infection by pathogenic microbiomes may affect the amino acid contents of their host plants and then indirectly affect the biology of sap-feeding insects. In this study, we investigated the amino acid contents and their proportions in both CLas-infected and CLas-free citrus plants, ACP adults, and also in honeydew produced by ACP nymphs. Results showed that infection by CLas had a large impact on the amino acid species and proportion in all the tested target plants, ACP adults, and in the honeydew of ACP nymphs. The content of total amino acids in CLas-infected citrus was much higher than that of CLas-free citrus. However, CLas infection significantly reduced the proportion of essential amino acids (EAAs) in these plants. When feeding on CLas-infected citrus plants, ACP adults absorbed less total amino acids than those adults feeding on healthy plants, but the proportion of EAAs was significantly higher when they fed on CLas-infected citrus plants. The proportion of EAAs also significantly increased in the honeydew secreted by ACP nymphs that fed on CLas-infected citrus plants. However, EAA detection in the honeydew of ACP nymphs indicated that the utilization rate of EAAs by CLas positive ACP nymphs was reduced. Our study has revealed that CLas infection significantly affects the contents, proportion, and utilization efficiency of different amino acids in citrus plants, ACP adults, and nymphs, leading to a developmental pattern of ACP that is more conducive to CLas transmission.

Quercetin is reported to be beneficial to or pose hazards to the health of animals, the inconsistence remains to be recognized and debated. This work was conducted to understand the neuroprotective or neurotoxic properties of quercetin, and investigate the different action mechanisms between low- and high-level quercetin. Therefore, we evaluated brain oxidative stress and monoamine neurotransmitters in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) after exposure to 1 and 1000 μg/L quercetin. In addition, the brain transcriptional profiles were analyzed to identify genes and pathways that were differentially regulated in the brains. The results of oxidative stress and neurotransmitters suggest that low-level quercetin might be beneficial to nervous system, while high-level quercetin might exert detrimental effects. Furthermore, transcriptional profiles also suggested different toxic mechanisms occurred between low- and high-level quercetin. At 1 μg/L quercetin, enrichment analysis of differently expressed genes (DEGs) revealed that the fanconi anemia pathway might be an important mechanism in neuroprotective effects. At 1000 μg/L quercetin, the up-regulated DEGs were enriched in many Gene Ontology (GO) terms related to neuronal synapses, indicating potential neuroprotective effects; however, enrichment of up-regulated DEGs in GO terms of response to stimulus and the MAPK signaling pathway was also found, which indicated increases of stress. Notably, at 1000 μg/L quercetin, the down-regulated DEGs were enriched in several GO terms related to the proteostasis and the proteasome pathway, indicating impairment of proteasome functions which was involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, several hub genes involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases were identified by Protein-protein interaction analysis at 1000 μg/L quercetin. Thus, high-level quercetin might pose potential risk inducing neurodegenerative diseases, which should receive more attention in the future. Additionally, our findings may provide awareness to society and researchers about toxicity possibilities of phytochemicals on wildlife and human.

We demonstrate a narrow-linewidth, high side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) semiconductor laser based on the external optical feedback injection locking technology of a femtosecond-apodized (Fs-apodized) fiber Bragg grating (FBG). A single frequency output is achieved by coupling and integrating a wide-gain quantum dot (QD) gain chip with a Fs-apodized FBG in a 1-μm band. We propose this low-cost and high-integration scheme for the preparation of a series of single-frequency seed sources in this wavelength range by characterizing the performance of 1030 nm and 1080 nm lasers. The lasers have a maximum SMSR of 66.3 dB and maximum output power of 134.6 mW. Additionally, the lasers have minimum Lorentzian linewidths that are measured to be 260.5 kHz; however, a minimum integral linewidth less than 180.4 kHz is observed by testing and analyzing the power spectra of the frequency noise values of the lasers.

The processing of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus has attracted interest due to its health benefits. In this work, an emerging blanching technology, called hot-air flow rolling dry-blanching (HMRDB), was employed to treat A. sessiliflorus before drying. The effects of varied blanching times (2–8 min) on enzyme inactivation, drying characteristics, bioactive compound retention, and microstructure were examined. The results demonstrated that blanching for 8 min rendered polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase nearly inactive. The blanching process reduced the drying time of samples by up to 57.89% compared to an unblanched sample. The Logarithmic model showed good fitting performance for the drying curves. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of the dried product increased as blanching time increased. The total anthocyanin content of the samples blanched for 6 min was 3.9 times higher than that of the unblanched samples, and 8 min of blanching produced the greatest DPPH• and ABTS• scavenging capabilities. The retention of active compounds in a dried product is a result of the inactivation of enzymes and a reduced drying period. Changes in the porous structure of the blanched samples would be responsible for the accelerated drying rate, according to microstructural analysis. These results indicate that HMRDB enhances the drying process and improves drying quality when applied to A. sessiliflorus before drying.

Abstract Heat stress is a serious and widespread threat to the quality and yield of many crop species, including grape (Vitis vinifera L.), which is cultivated worldwide. Here, we conducted phosphoproteomic and acetylproteomic analyses of leaves of grape plants cultivated under four distinct temperature regimes. The phosphorylation or acetylation of a total of 1011 phosphoproteins with 1828 phosphosites and 96 acetyl proteins with 148 acetyl sites changed when plants were grown at 35 °C, 40 °C, and 45 °C in comparison with the proteome profiles of plants grown at 25 °C. The greatest number of changes was observed at the relatively high temperatures. Functional classification and enrichment analysis indicated that phosphorylation, rather than acetylation, of serine/arginine-rich splicing factors was involved in the response to high temperatures. This finding is congruent with previous observations by which alternative splicing events occurred more frequently in grapevine under high temperature. Changes in acetylation patterns were more common than changes in phosphorylation patterns in photosynthesis-related proteins at high temperatures, while heat-shock proteins were associated more with modifications involving phosphorylation than with those involving acetylation. Nineteen proteins were identified with changes associated with both phosphorylation and acetylation, which is consistent with crosstalk between these posttranslational modification types.

PCR amplification indicated the minimum infection rate of Rickettsia spp. was 0.66% in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks collected from Shandong Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the rrs, gltA, ompA, and ompB genes indicated that the ticks carried R. japonica, Candidatus Rickettsia longicornii, and a novel Rickettsia species related to R. canadensis.

Abstract High-power, low-threshold stable single-mode operation buried distributed feedback quantum cascade laser by incorporating sampled grating emitting at λ ~ 4.87 μm is demonstrated. The high continuous wave (CW) output power of 948 mW and 649 mW for a 6-mm and 4-mm cavity length is obtained at 20 °C, respectively, which benefits from the optimized optical field distribution of sampled grating. The single-mode yields of the devices are obviously enhanced by controlling cleaved positions of the two end facets precisely. As a result, stable single-mode emission and mode tuning linearly without any mode hopping of devices are obtained under the different heat sink temperatures or high injection currents.

A novel thermal-optical phase modulation structure based on polymer/silica hybrid waveguide is proposed. Patterned graphene strip is introduced as electric nanoheater in the structure. Finite element method simulation is performed on both thermal and optical field analysis. Results show that response speed is improved by a factor of three and power consumption is reduced by half, in comparison with conventional state-of-art polymer-based phase shifter. This proposed structure is compatible with current complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor power supply standard and has very large design robustness. It shows great application potential on low-power optical switch, modulator and polymer thermal-optical phase arrays.

High-power single-longitudinal-mode regrowth-free gain-coupled distributed feedback laser diode based on ridge waveguide with periodic current injection is achieved at 990 nm. Our device is fabricated only by standard i-line lithography with micron-scale precision, obtains an excellent performance at high injection current. A continuous-wave power of over 0.681 W is achieved at 3 A. The maximum continuous-wave power at single-longitudinal-mode operation is up to 0.303 W at 1.4 A. Narrow linewidth emission has been reached with a 3 dB spectrum width less than 1.41 pm. The high side mode suppression ratio is over 35 dB. The lateral far field divergence angle is only 15.05°, the beam quality factor M2 is 1.245, achieving a laterally near-diffraction-limit emission. It is more beneficial for single-mode fiber coupling as pumping sources and other applications which require high beam quality at high power with easy fabrication technique.

High power semiconductor disk lasers (SDLs) were demonstrated based on the thermal management using pre-metalized diamond heat-spreader. The processing of pre-metallization using Cu-Sn alloy was developed. The resultant and influence of pre-metallization on the thermal performance of SDLs were investigated. It was found that the pre-metalized diamond heat-spreader was able to improve effectively not only the thermal resistance but also the bonding quality. 38% decrease on the thermal resistance of SDL was realized. The CW power exceeding 27 W, limited by the available pump power, was demonstrated.

Maize growth and development is affected by low temperature (LT) especially at the early stages of development. To describe the response of different varieties to LT stress and determine an effective method to cope with LT stress, maize hybrids Zhengdan 958 (ZD 958) and Danyu 39 (DY 39) were planted and grown at 10 and 25°C, respectively. Effects of the chemicals potassium chloride (KCl), gibberellin (GA3), 2-diethylaminoethyl-3,4-dichlorophenylether (DCPTA), and all three combined chemicals (KGD) on coping with LT stress were tested by seed priming. The varieties performed significantly different at 10°C. Compared to leaf, root growth was more severely affected by LT stress. Root/leaf ratio is likely a more reliable parameter to evaluate cold tolerance based on its close correlation with leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content (R=−0.8). GA3 advanced seed germination by about 2 days compared with control treatment of water. GA3 and DCPTA both resulted in lower leaf MDA content and higher leaf and root area, and root/leaf ratio. KCl resulted in the highest evenness of plant height. KGD performed the best in increasing cold tolerance of maize morphologically and physiologically. Strategies to increase maize tolerance of cold stress, such as variety breeding or chemical selection, would increase maize yield especially at high-latitude regions and have great implications for food security.

Abstract Background Benign breast papilloma is currently managed with conservative management with close observation. In contrast, papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions warrants surgical excision. The purpose of our study was to investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of breast papilloma and to identify imaging diagnostic indicators for papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions. Methods MRI features of 175 surgically confirmed papillomas on 158 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The 175 cases included 132 cases of benign papilloma and 43 cases of papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions. The MRI features of these lesions were classified into three types: mass, non-mass enhancement (NME), and occult lesion. The occult lesion was defined as the presence of only ductal dilation without any enhanced lesions on MRI. For a mass lesion, the mixed mass-NME lesion was considered if linear, segmental or regional enhanced lesion was found adjacent to the mass. Clinical and MRI features were compared by univariate and multivariate analysis between the benign papilloma and the papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that clinical characteristics including being or older than 50 years (odds ratio [OR] = 4.506), having bloody nipple discharge (OR = 4.499), and concurrent breast cancer (OR = 5.083) were significant indicators for papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions. On MRI, most papillomas presented as mass (n = 135, 77.1%), and fewer as NME (n = 37, 21.1%) and occult lesion (n = 3, 1.7%). For the mass lesion, the logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a mass size exceeding 10 mm (OR = 2.956) and mixed mass-NME lesion (OR = 4.143) were independent risk indicators for a papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions. For the NME lesion, the segmental or regional distribution was more commonly observed in the papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions (61.5%) than the benign papilloma (12.5%) (P = 0.006). All the cases of occult lesions were benign papillomas. Conclusions MRI features including a mass size exceeding 10 mm, mixed mass-NME lesion, and NMEs with segmental or regional distribution indicate a papilloma with high-risk or malignant lesions.

Abstract Background Radiation therapy is the standard radical treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) but also causes transient as well as long-term complications. Patients who develop severe radiation-induced brainstem injuries have a poor prognosis due to the lack of effective medical therapies. However, the relationship between brainstem injury and radiation volume dose is unknown. In this study, we found that radiation-induced brainstem injury was significantly associated with brainstem dose per unit volume. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on a consecutive cohort of 327 patients with NPC receiving IMRT from May 2005 to December 2014. Dose-volume data and long-term outcome were analyzed. Results The median follow-up duration was 56 months (range, 3–141 months), and six with T4 and two with T3 patients had radiation-induced brainstem injuries. The 3-year and 5-year incidences were 2.2% and 2.8%, respectively. The latency period of brainstem injury ranged from 9 to 58 months, with a median period of 21 months. The Cox regression analysis showed that brainstem radiation toxicity was associated with the T4 stage, D2% of gross tumor volume of nasopharyngeal primary lesions and their direct extensions (GTVnx), Dmax (the maximum point dose), D1%, D0.1cc (the top dose delivered to a 0.1-ml volume), and D1cc (the top dose delivered to a 1-ml volume) of the brainstem (p

Abstract Background Liver resection is the first-line treatment for patients with resectable colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM), while radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be used for small unresectable CRLM because of disease extent, poor anatomical location, or comorbidities. However, the long-term outcomes are unclear for RFA treatment in resectable CRLM. This study aimed to compare the recurrence rates and prognosis between resectable CRLM patients receiving either liver resection or RFA. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent RFA or hepatic resection from November 2010 to December 2015 were assigned in this retrospective study. Propensity score analysis was used to eliminate baseline differences between groups. Survival and recurrence rates were compared between patients receiving liver resection and RFA. Results With 1:2 ratio of propensity scoring, 46 patients in the RFA group and 92 in the resection group were successfully matched. Overall survival was similar between the two groups, but the resection group had a higher disease-free survival (median, 22 months vs. 14 months). Whereas among patients with a tumor size of ≤ 3 cm, disease-free survival was similar in the two groups (median, 24 months vs. 21 months). Compared to the resection group, the RFA group had a higher rate of intrahepatic recurrence (34.8% vs. 12.0%) and a shorter recurrence free period. The local and systemic recurrence rate and recurrence-free period for the same were insignificant in the two groups. Poor disease-free survival was associated with RFA, T4, tumor diameter > 3 cm, and lymph node positivity. Conclusion Among patients with technically resectable CRLM, resection provided greater disease-free survival, although both treatment modalities provided similar overall survival.