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Abstract Objective The right posterior parietal cortex is the core brain region of emotional processing and executive control network in the human brain, and the function of the right posterior parietal cortex is decreased in patients with major depressive disorder. This study aims to preliminarily investigate whether the excitation of the right posterior parietal cortex by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could improve their clinical symptoms. Methods In this study, 12 patients with major depressive disorder were given tDCS treatment at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The stimulating electrode (anode) was placed on the patients’ right parietal cortex, whereas the reference electrode (cathode) was placed on the patients’ left mastoid. The stimulation intensity was set as 2.0 mA. The patients with depressive disorder were treated for 20 min at a time twice a day for 14 consecutive days. The severity of the clinical symptoms was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale‐17 (HDRS‐17) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) at before and right after treatment. Results The HDRS‐17 scores of patients with depressive disorder decreased significantly following the tDCS treatment compared with those before treatment (p

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV), characterized as a prominent feature of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a primary contributor to visual impairment and severe vision loss globally, while the prevailing treatments are often unsatisfactory. The development of conventional treatment strategies has largely been based on the understanding that the angiogenic switch of endothelial cells is dictated by angiogenic growth factors alone. Even though treatments targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), like Ranibizumab, are widely administered, more than half of the patients still exhibit inadequate or null responses, emphasizing the imperative need for solutions to this problem. Here, aiming to explore therapeutic strategies from a novel perspective of endothelial cell metabolism, a biocompatible nanomedicine delivery system is constructed by loading RGD peptide-modified liposomes with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (RGD@LP-2-DG). RGD@LP-2-DG displayed good targeting performance towards endothelial cells and excellent in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects on neovascularization were demonstrated. Moreover, our mechanistic studies revealed that 2-DG interfered with N-glycosylation, leading to the inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and its downstream signaling. Notably, the remarkable inhibitory effect on neovascularization and biocompatibility of RGD@LP-2-DG render it a highly promising and clinically translatable therapeutic candidate for the treatment of wet AMD and other angiogenic diseases, particularly in patients who are unresponsive to currently available treatments.

Abstract Background There are limited data about the clinical benefits and harm of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) complicated with anemia or thrombocytopenia. Methods This is a multi-center retrospective cohort study involving 5469 AF patients from 15 hospitals in China. Patients were divided into three groups according to hemoglobin and platelet levels: Group 1 (hemoglobin male ≥ 130 g/L; female ≥ 120 g/L and platelet ≥ 100 × 109/L), Group 2 (hemoglobin male

Abstract Aim To provide a systematic review of the qualitative literature on self‐reported barriers to self‐management in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Design Systematic review. Methods This systematic review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute meta‐aggregation approach and was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Qualitative studies on the barriers to self‐management among GDM pregnancy survivors conducted until 17 May 2022, were searched. Results A total of 30 studies were included, of which seven were in Chinese and 23 were in English, and 10 findings resulted in three themes: (a) Knowledge and belief, (b) Skills and abilities and (c) Environment and social support. By summarizing the self‐reported barriers to self‐management in patients with GDM and recommends precise interventions for these barriers, thereby saving health resources and helping to increase their willingness and ability to engage in self‐management.

ObjectiveTo investigate the topical diagnosis, possible etiology and mechanism of spontaneous downbeat nystagmus (sDBN) patients with dizziness/vertigo.MethodsThe clinical features of dizziness/vertigo patients accompanied with DBN were retrospectively reviewed in the Vertigo Center of our hospital from January 2018 to March 2021. The clinical features of dizziness/vertigo patients accompanied with DBN were reviewed. Comprehensive VNG, bithermal caloric testing, video-head-impulse test (vHIT), vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), three-dimensional fluid-attenuated incersion recovery magnetic resonance imaging (3D-FLAIR MRI) in the inner ear, serum immunology and other examinations were to determine the lesion site, and analyze its possible etiology and mechanism.ResultsA total of 54 patients were included. Among them, 70.4% (n = 38) of DBN patients were diagnosed with episodic vestibular syndrome (EVS), 22.2% (n = 12) with chronic vestibular syndrome (CVS), and 7.4% (n = 4) with acute vestibular syndrome (AVS). Among all the patients, 51.9% of DBN patients had clear etiology, with central lesions of 29.6% and peripheral diseases of 22.2%. The most common diseases in DBN patients were cerebellar lesions (13.0%, n = 7) and vestibular migraine (13.0%, n = 7), followed by benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (7.4%, n = 4) and drug-related dizziness/vertigo (5.6%, n = 3). The other 48.1% of the patients had unknown etiology. 53.8% (14/26) of patients with idiopathic DBN had decreased semicircular canal function, with 42.9% (6/14) decreased posterior semicircular canal function. The posterior semicircular canal gain in DBN patients decreased compared to the anterior semicircular canal in the same conjugate plane. Patients with peripheral DBN were more prone to horizontal/torsional nystagmus during positional testing.ConclusionIn our study, DBN patients have a relative decrease in posterior semicircular canal gain, which is possibly a particular result found in a subset of downbeat nystagmus patients. The changes in nystagmus during positional testing may be helpful in distinguishing between peripheral and central causes.

Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is a primary contributor to visual impairment and severe vision loss globally, but the prevailing treatments are often unsatisfactory. The development of conventional treatment strategies has largely been based on the understanding that the angiogenic switch of endothelial cells (ECs) is mainly dictated by angiogenic growth factors. Even though treatments targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), like ranibizumab, are widely administered, more than half of patients still exhibit inadequate or null responses, suggesting the involvement of other pathogenic mechanisms. With advances in research in recent years, it has become well recognized that EC metabolic regulation plays an active rather than merely passive responsive role in angiogenesis. Disturbances of these metabolic pathways may lead to excessive neovascularization in angiogenic diseases such as wet AMD, therefore targeted modulation of EC metabolism represents a promising therapeutic strategy for wet AMD. In this review, we comprehensively discuss the potential applications of EC metabolic regulation in wet AMD treatment from multiple perspectives, including the involvement of ECs in wet AMD pathogenesis, the major endothelial metabolic pathways, and novel therapeutic approaches targeting metabolism for wet AMD.

Due to underlying surface changes (USCs), the changes in the Taojiang River Basin’s flood generation conditions could impact the flooding process in the basin. However, most studies have typically focused on either land-use changes (LUCs) or soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) to assess the impact of the USCs on floods, which may not provide a more comprehensive understanding of the response of floods to the USCs. To investigate how the USCs have altered the floods in the Taojiang River Basin, located upstream of Poyang Lake, China, the HEC-HMS model, which incorporates the influence of the USCs into the parameter calibration, is established in this study to investigate the flood processes on an hourly scale. The flood peak and the maximum 72 h flood volume are selected as two indexes and are applied to analyze the changes in floods caused by the USCs. The 1981–2020 period is divided into three sub-periods (i.e., 1981–1992, 1993–2007, and 2008–2020) based on the conditions of the USCs. It is found that the two indexes have exhibited decreasing trends, mainly due to the USCs during 1981–2020. Benchmarked against the baseline period of 1981–1992, the two indexes decreased by 3.06% (the flood peak) and 4.00% (the maximum 72 h flood volume) during 1993–2007 and by 5.92% and 7.58% during 2008–2020. Moreover, the impacts of the LUCs and SWCMs are separated through parameter adjustments in the model, revealing that the SWCMs played a dominant role in the USCs in the Taojiang River Basin. The quantification and assessment of the impact of the USCs on floods of different magnitudes revealed that the influence decreases with increasing flood magnitude. The results of this study improve our understanding of how USCs affect the flooding process and therefore provide support for flood control management under changing environments.

Background: Abdominoperineal resection (APR) has been advocated for persistent or recurrent disease after failure of chemoradiation (CRT) for anal squamous cell cancer (SCC). Treatment with salvage APR can potentially achieve a cure. This study aimed to analyze oncological outcomes for salvage APR in a recent time period at a comprehensive cancer center. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent APR for biopsy-proven persistent or recurrent anal SCC between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2020 was performed. Patients with stage IV disease at the time of initial diagnosis and patients with missing data were excluded. Univariate analysis was used with a chi-square test for categorical variables, and non-parametric tests were used for continuous variables. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to evaluate disease-specific (DSS), post-APR local recurrence-free (RFS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: A total of 96 patients were included in the analysis: 39 (41%) with persistent disease and 57 (59%) with recurrent SCC after chemoradiation had been completed. The median follow-up was 22 months (IQR 11–47). Forty-nine patients (51%) underwent extended APR and/or pelvic exenteration. Eight (8%) patients developed local recurrence, 30 (31%) developed local and distant recurrences, and 16 (17%) developed distant recurrences alone. The 3-year DSS, post-APR local recurrence-free survival, and disease-free survival were 53.8% (95% CI 43.5–66.5%), 54.5% (95% CI 44.4–66.8%), and 26.8% (95% CI 18.6–38.7%), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, positive microscopic margin (OR 10.0, 95% CI 2.16–46.12, p = 0.003), positive nodes in the surgical specimen (OR 9.19, 95% CI 1.99–42.52, p = 0.005), and lymphovascular invasion (OR 2.61 95% CI 1.05–6.51, p = 0.04) were associated with recurrence of disease. Gender, indication for APR (recurrent vs. persistent disease), HIV status, extent of surgery, or type of reconstruction did not influence survival outcomes. Twenty patients had targeted tumor-sequencing data available. Nine patients had PIK3CA mutations, seven of whom experienced a recurrence. Conclusions: Salvage APR for anal SCC after failed CRT was associated with poor disease-specific survival and low recurrence-free survival. Anal SCC patients undergoing salvage APR should be counseled that microscopic positive margins, positive lymph nodes, or the presence of lymphovascular invasion in the APR specimen are prognosticators for disease relapse. Our results accentuate the necessity for additional treatment strategies for the ongoing treatment challenge of persistent or recurrent anal SCC after failed CRT.

AIM: To compare the thickness of retina in macular area and retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)around optic disc between the eyes of monocular anisometropic amblyopia children and normal eyes.METHODS: A total of 62 children(124 eyes)with monocular anisometropic amblyopia who were treated in Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital from January 2021 to October 2022 were selected as the experimental group, and 60 children(60 eyes; right eye)with normal vision who were treated in the same period were selected as the control group. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)was used to detect the retinal thickness in macular region and the RNFL thickness around optic disc in the two groups, and comparative analysis was performed.RESULTS: The retinal thickness and perioptic RNFL thickness of amblyopic children in experimental group were thicker than those in control group, and most of them had significant differences(P0.05).CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in the retinal thickness of the macula and perioptic RNFL in the amblyopic eye and the contralateral non-amblyopic eye of monocular anisometropic amblyopic children compared with normal eyes, and the contralateral non-amblyopic eye is not completely equal to the normal eye.

Abstract Introduction As a CGM-derived indicator, ‘time in range’ (TIR) is emerging as a key indicator for accurate assessment of glycaemic control. However, there is few report focusing on the correlation of TIR with albumuria and renal fuction. The aim of this work was to investigate whether TIR, as well as nocturnal TIR and hypoglycaemic events is related to the presence and severity of albuminuria and decrease of eGFR in type 2 diabetes. Research design and methods A total of 823 patients were enrolled in this study. All patients received continuous glucose monitoring, TIR indicating the percentage of time that blood glucose was in the range of 3.9–10.0 mmol/L. The Spearman analysis was applied to analyze the relationship between TIR (or nocturnal TIR) and ACR. Logistic regression was used to explore whether TIR (or nocturnal TIR) is an independent risk factor for albuminuria. Results The prevalence of albuminuria decreased with increasing TIR quartiles. Binary logistic regression revealed that TIR as well as nocturnal TIR was obviously related to the presence of albuminuria. Multiple regression analysis found that only nocturnal TIR was obviously related to the severity of albuminuria. In our study, eGFR was significantly associated with the number of hypoglycemic events. Conclusions In T2DM patients, TIR and nocturnal TIR is associated with the presence of albuminuria independent of HbA1c and GV metrics. Nocturnal TIR shows better correlation than TIR. The role of TIR especially nocturnal TIR in the evaluation of diabetes kidney disease should be emphasized.

Abstract During the processes of rice domestication and improvement, a trade-off effect between grain number and grain weight was a major obstacle for increasing yield. Here, we identify a critical gene COG1, encoding the transcription factor OsMADS17, with a 65-bp deletion in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) presented in cultivated rice increasing grain number and grain weight simultaneously through decreasing mRNA translation efficiency. OsMADS17 controls grain yield by regulating multiple genes and that the interaction with one of them, OsAP2-39, has been characterized. Besides, the expression of OsMADS17 is regulated by OsMADS1 directly. It indicates that OsMADS1-OsMADS17-OsAP2-39 participates in the regulatory network controlling grain yield, and downregulation of OsMADS17 or OsAP2-39 expression can further improve grain yield by simultaneously increasing grain number and grain weight. Our findings provide insights into understanding the molecular basis co-regulating rice yield-related traits, and offer a strategy for breeding higher-yielding rice varieties.

Abstract Background Based on the few available studies on the prognostic benefit of using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prognostic differences between patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and those without RFA taking DOACs. Methods This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study enrolling 6137 patients with non-valvular AF (NVAF) at 15 hospitals in China. Patient information was collected through a mean follow-up of 10 months and medical record queries. Clinical outcomes included major bleeding, total bleeding, thrombosis, all-cause death, and a composite endpoint of bleeding, thrombosis, and all-cause death. Results After adjusting for confounders and propensity score matching (PSM), patients with RFA of NVAF had a significantly lower risk of major bleeding [OR 0.278 (95% CI, 0.150-0.515), P

Abstract Retinal degeneration, characterized by the progressive loss of retinal neurons, is the leading cause of incurable visual impairment. Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs)‐based transplantation can facilitate sight restoration, but the clinical efficacy of this process is compromised by the imprecise neurogenic differentiation of RPCs and undermining function of transplanted cells surrounded by severely oxidative retinal lesions. Here, it is shown that ultrathin niobium carbide (Nb2C) MXene enables performance enhancement of RPCs for retinal regeneration. Nb2C MXene with moderate photothermal effect markedly improves retinal neuronal differentiation of RPCs by activating intracellular signaling, in addition to the highly effective RPC protection by scavenging free radicals concurrently, which has been solidly evidenced by the comprehensive biomedical assessments and theoretical calculations. A dramatically increased neuronal differentiation is observed upon subretinal transplantation of MXene‐assisted RPCs into the typical retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mice, thereby contributing to the efficient restoration of retinal architecture and visual function. The dual‐intrinsic function of MXene synergistically aids RPC transplantation, which represents an intriguing paradigm in vision‐restoration research filed, and will broaden the multifunctionality horizon of nanomedicine.

Abstract PRDM16 (PR domain containing protein 16) serves as a dominant activator of brown and beige adipocyte. However, mechanisms underlying the regulation of PRDM16 expression are incompletely understood. A Prdm16 luciferase knockin reporter mouse model is generated, enabling high throughput monitoring of Prdm16 transcription. Single clonal analysis reveals high heterogeneity of Prdm16 expression in the inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) cells. Amongst all transcription factors, androgen receptor (Ar) shows the strongest negative correlation with Prdm16. A sex dimorphism for PRDM16 mRNA expression is present in human WAT, with female individuals exhibiting increased expression than males. Androgen‐AR signaling mobilization suppresses Prdm16 expression, accompanied by attenuated beiging in beige adipocytes, but not in brown adipose tissue. The suppressive effect of androgens on beiging is abolished upon overexpression of Prdm16. Cleavage under targets and tagmentation mapping reveals direct binding of AR within the intronic region of Prdm16 locus, whereas no direct binding is detected on Ucp1 and other browning‐related genes. Adipocyte‐selective deletion of Ar potentiates beige cell biogenesis whereas adipocyte‐specific overexpression of AR attenuates white adipose beiging. This study highlights an essential role of AR in negative regulation of PRDM16 in WAT and provides an explanation for the observed sex difference in adipose beiging.

Objectives: The differentiation between Vestibular Migraine (VM) and Meniere's Disease (MD) is difficult because of overlapping symptoms. The study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and vestibular function test results between VM and MD patients. Methods: Seventy-one patients with definite VM and 31 patients with definite unilateral MD were included. All patients received Caloric Test (CT), Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) test within 7 days after visiting the hospital. Results of these tests were compared between groups. Results: Most VM patients (64.0%) experienced spontaneous internal vertigo, while most MD patients (66.7%) experienced spontaneous external vertigo. MD patients had more severe vestibular symptoms and autonomic responses compared to VM patients during attacks (p = 0.03, p = 0.00, respectively). The nystagmus intensity of CT-induced was greater in VM patients than in MD patients (p = 0.003). More VM patients had CT intolerance and Central Positional Nystagmus (CPN) compared to MD patients (p = 0.002, p = 0.006, respectively). More MD patients had CT(+) and vHIT saccades wave compared to VM patients (p

Abstract Background Time in range (TIR), a novel proxy measure of glucose control, is found closely related to diabetic microangiopathy and some other chronic complications, but the correlation between TIR and lower limb angiopathy has not been studied yet. Our purpose is to explore the relationship between TIR and abnormal ankle-brachial index(ABI) in type 2 diabetes. Methods We retrospectively collected patients’ information from the database and performed cross-sectional analysis. A total of 405 type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled in this study. ABI was measured and patients were stratified into low, normal, and high groups according to ≤ 0.9, > 0.9 and

Doxorubicin is commonly used in cancer chemotherapy, but its cardiotoxicity from iron overload is one of the severe side effects. Here, the authors prepare magnesium hexacyanoferrate nanocatalysts to capture excess ferrous species and eliminate cytotoxic radical species in vitro and in vivo.

Adipocyte tissue macrophages (ATM) are recruited and activated in obesity. The authors show that adipocytes release lactate as a signal of inflammation and that this metabolite can enhance obesity associated inflammation through stimulation of ATM by direct binding with PHD2.

Choroidal vascular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, are the leading cause of vision impairment and are characterized by pathological angiogenesis. Verteporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy is a current strategy that selectively occludes choroidal neovasculature. However, the clinically used large-dose systemic administration increases the risk of systemic adverse events, such as phototoxicity to superficial tissues. In this study, we developed an in situ verteporfin delivery system with a photoswitching synergistic function that disassembles in response to intraocular inflammatory enzymes. Under light-on conditions, verteporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy effectively occurs and this leads to vascular occlusion. Under light-off conditions, non-photoactive verteporfin negatively regulates vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis as a yes-associated protein inhibitor. Taken together, our system serves as an intraocular verteporfin reservoir to improve the bioavailability of verteporfin by innovatively exploiting its photochemical and biological functions. This work provides a promising strategy with synergistic antiangiogenic effects for the treatment of choroidal vascular diseases.

Abstract Background The mitochondrial 12S rRNA A1555G mutation is the most prevalent deafness-causing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation and is inherited maternally. Studies have suggested that A1555G mutations have multiple origins, although there is no direct evidence of this. Here, we identified a family with a de novo A1555G mutation. Method Based on detailed mtDNA analyses of the family members using next-generation sequencing with 1% sensitivity to mutated mtDNA, the level of heteroplasmy in terms of the A1555G mutation in blood DNA samples was quantified. Results An individual harbored a heterogeneous A1555G mutation, at 28.68% heteroplasmy. The individual’s son was also a heterogeneous carrier, with 7.25% heteroplasmy. The individual’s brother and mother did not carry the A1555G mutation, and both had less than 1% mitochondrial 12S rRNA A1555G heteroplasmy. Conclusion The A1555G mutation arose de novo in this family. This is the first report of a family with a de novo A1555G mutation, providing direct evidence of its multipoint origin. This is important for both diagnostic investigations and genetic counselling.

Adipose browning has demonstrated therapeutic potentials in several diseases. Here, by conducting transcriptomic profiling at the single-cell and single-nucleus resolution, we reconstituted the cellular atlas in mouse inguinal subcutaneous white adipose tissue (iWAT) at thermoneutrality or chronic cold condition. All major nonimmune cells within the iWAT, including adipose stem and progenitor cells (ASPCs), mature adipocytes, endothelial cells, Schwann cells, and smooth muscle cells, were recovered, allowing us to uncover an overall and detailed blueprint for transcriptomes and intercellular cross-talks and the dynamics during white adipose tissue brown remodeling. Our findings also unravel the existence of subpopulations in mature adipocytes, ASPCs, and endothelial cells, as well as new insights on their interconversion and reprogramming in response to cold. The adipocyte subpopulation competent of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) antigen presentation is potentiated. Furthermore, a subcluster of ASPC with CD74 expression was identified as the precursor of this MHCII+ adipocyte. Beige adipocytes are transdifferented from preexisting lipid generating adipocytes, which exhibit developmental trajectory from de novo differentiation of amphiregulin cells (Aregs). Two distinct immune-like endothelial subpopulations are present in iWAT and are responsive to cold. Our data reveal fundamental changes during cold-evoked adipose browning.

Abstract Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were frequently found with concomitant genetic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). This study aimed to investigate the profile of concomitant alterations of EGFR‐mutant LUAD ≤3 cm in size and its prognostic effect on recurrence. Methods From January 2018 to December 2018, patients with resected LUAD ≤3 cm in size in Shanghai Chest Hospital were identified. All patients underwent capture‐based targeted next‐generation sequencing (NGS) with a panel of 68 lung cancer‐related genes and were found with EGFR mutation. Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) were analyzed. Results A total of 637 patients were enrolled in this study. The top three frequent co‐mutational genes were TP53 (179 of 637, 28.1%), PIK3CA (27 of 637, 4.2%), and ATM (22 of 637, 3.5%). The most common amplified genes were EGFR (37 of 637, 5.8%), followed by CDK4 (37 of 637, 5.8%) and MYC (12 of 637, 2.0%). Only TP53 mutation and EGFR amplification were adverse prognostic factors for RFS (all p

Background Evidence for treating hypertension in patients with asymptomatic aortic valve stenosis(AS) is scarce. Objectives Given the paucity of data on the relationship between syncope and antihypertensive treatment in aortic stenosis. This study sought to investigate this association in patients admitted to our hospital. Methods A total of 158 patients with asymptomatic moderate or severe aortic stenosis were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted by clinic visit, telephone contact, or review of electronic medical records. Outcomes were syncope. Results Hypertension were documented in 90 of the 158 patients with moderate or severe AS, and 77 of them received antihypertensive medications. During an average 28 months follow-up period, the occurrence of syncope was observed in 13 patients. Among them, 8 were in antihypertensive group (n = 77) and 5 in normotensive group (n = 68). There was no significant difference in incidence of syncope between the two groups. Patients with treated hypertension and syncope had a lower stroke volume index (SVi), a higher valve arterial impedance (ZVA), a smaller SAC than those without. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there was no significant difference in syncope cumulative incidence between antihypertensive group and normotensive group (log rank P = .478). Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that both ZVA (hazard ratio:19.006, 95% confidence interval: 4.664 to77.448;P = .002) and LVMI (hazard ratio:1.484, 95% confidence interval: 1.427 to 5.157;P = .016) were associated with development of syncope, whereas hypertension were not related independently to syncope (hazard ratio:0.935, 95% confidence interval: 0.786 to3.173; P = .869). Conclusions In patients with moderate or severe AS, concomitant hypertension, and antihypertensive treatment didn’t increase the occurrence of syncope, whereas higher ZVA was independently associated with greater risk of syncope.

Abstract Background To evaluate the prognosis of acute cerebral infarction at 1-year follow-up in different circulation infarctions. Methods Clinical data of 858 consecutive patients with acute cerebral infarction were collected. Of the 858 cases, 21 (2.45%) were lost to follow-up and 837 completed follow-up and thus were enrolled in this study. At 1-year follow-up, death or moderate-to-severe dysfunction (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥ 3 points) was regarded as the poor prognostic endpoint. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic stepwise regression analysis were performed to assess the prognosis. The prediction probability of indicators was obtained for the multivariate model, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was delineated to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) to predict the fitness of the model. Results The older the age, the greater the probability of a poor prognosis. Patients with previous diabetes and cerebral infarction had a poor prognosis. The higher the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and mRS scores and the lower the Barthel index at admission, the worse the prognosis of the patients. The longer the hospital stay, the worse the prognosis of the patients. The prognosis of different circulation infarctions was different. The AUC of the multivariate model was AUC = 0.893, and the 95% confidence interval was 0.870–0.913, indicating a good fit. The prognosis of anterior circulation infarction (ACI) was worse than that of posterior circulation infarction (PCI) (P 0.05). Conclusions Diabetes, the Barthel index at admission and previous cerebral infarction are poor prognostic factors of acute cerebral infarction. The prognosis of ACI is worse than that of PCI. Different factors affect the prognosis of different circulatory system infarctions.

Abstract Background Time in range (TIR) is advocated as key metric of glycemic control and is reported to be associated with microvascular complications of diabetes. Sudomotor dysfunction is among the earliest detectable diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). We set about to research the relationship between TIR including overnight TIR and sudomotor function detected by SUDOSCAN with the intention of exploring the correlation of TIR including overnight TIR and early DPN in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods 95 patients with T1D were enrolled. TIR including nocturnal TIR of 3.9–10.0 mmol/L was evaluated with CGM. SUDOSCAN measured feet electrochemical skin conductance (FESC) and sudomotor dysfunction was defined as average FESC

BackgroundExtreme labor pain has negative effects; pharmacologic analgesic modalities are effective but are accompanied by adverse effects. Virtual reality (VR) works as a distracting nonpharmacologic intervention for pain and anxiety relief; however, the effects of VR use in laboring women is unknown. ObjectiveOur study aimed to determine the safety and effectiveness of VR technology during labor and delivery and investigate whether it impacts labor and patient satisfaction. MethodsIn all, 7 databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan-Fang Database) were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials of VR use in pregnancy and childbirth from the time of database construction until November 24, 2021. Two researchers extracted data and evaluated study quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0. Outcome measures were labor pain, anxiety, duration, satisfaction, and adverse events. Meta-analyses were performed where possible. ResultsA total of 12 studies with 1095 participants were included, of which 1 and 11 studies were rated as “Low risk” and “Some concerns” for risk of bias, respectively. Of the 12 studies, 11 reported labor pain, 7 reported labor anxiety, and 4 reported labor duration. Meta-analysis revealed that VR use could relieve pain during labor (mean difference –1.81, 95% CI –2.04 to –1.57; P

BackgroundCanal switch-benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (CS-BPPV) refers to the phenomenon in which otolith particles move from one canal to another (on the ipsilateral side) during or after canalith repositioning procedure (CRP). However, the clinical characteristics of CS-BPPV and the underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the incidence of canal switch (CS) for the different semicircular canals in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), examined nystagmus characteristics, and explored the underlying mechanisms.MethodsClinical data for 1,099 patients with single-canal BPPV were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The incidences of CS in the different types of BPPV were analyzed. Patients were divided into CS-BPPV and non-CS (NCS)-BPPV groups according to whether they exhibited CS after CRP. The baseline characteristics and nystagmus characteristics of patients were compared between the two groups.ResultsPatients with BPPV who developed or did not develop CS accounted for 4.6% (51/1,099) and 95.4% (1,048/1,099), respectively, of the patients included in the study. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of sex, age, side of the canals involved, hypertension, or diabetes. CS was observed in 3.7% (25/677) of patients with PC-BPPV, including conversion between posterior canal (PC) and horizontal canal (HC) (1.6%, 11/677), and between PC and anterior canal (AC) (2.1%, 14/677). CS was observed in 5.2% (17/327) of patients with HC-BPPV, including from HC to PC (4.3%, 14/327), and from HC to AC (0.9%, 3/327). CS was found in 9.5% (9/95) of patients with AC-BPPV, including from AC to PC (8.4%, 8/95), and from AC to HC (1.1%, 1/95). The intensity of nystagmus was significantly greater in the CS-BPPV group compared with that in the NCS-BPPV group [24.00 (11–39) vs. 12.00 (7–24), P < 0.001]. Furthermore, the incidence of direction-reversing nystagmus was significantly higher in the CS-BPPV group than in the NCS-BPPV group [31.4% (16/51) vs. 4.3% (45/1,048), P < 0.001].ConclusionsCS in BPPV is uncommon. Patients with AC-BPPV are more likely to develop CS, followed by patients with HC-BPPV and PC-BPPV. The occurrence of CS-BPPV may be related to the anatomical structure of the semicircular canals. When the canals contain large/heavy accumulations of otolith particles, CS may be more common during re-examination after CRP.

AimsThe aim of this retrospective single-center is to research the relationship between time in range(TIR), an important novel metric of glycemic control, assessed with continuous glucose monitoring(CGM) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BaPWV), a unique index of systemic arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes.MethodsStudy participants included 469 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes and no history of serious cardiovascular disease who underwent CGM and BaPWV measurements. TIR of 3.9-10.0 mmol/L was evaluated with CGM. BaPWV was measured by non-invasive arteriosclerosis detector and high baPWV was defined as a mean baPWV≧1800m/s. The spearman correlation and the partial correlation analysis were applied to analyze the correlation between TIR and baPWV. The binary logistic regression was used to examine the independent association of TIR and high BaPWV.ResultsThe presence of high baPWV was 32.2%. Compared with patients of low baPWV, those with high baPWV had significantly reduced TIR(P

The tumor development and metastasis are closely related to the structure and function of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, TME modulation strategies have attracted much attention in cancer immunotherapy. Despite the preliminary success of immunotherapeutic agents, their therapeutic effects have been restricted by the limited retention time of drugs in TME. Compared with traditional delivery systems, nanoparticles with unique physical properties and elaborate design can efficiently penetrate TME and specifically deliver to the major components in TME. In this review, we briefly introduce the substitutes of TME including dendritic cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, tumor vasculature, tumor-draining lymph nodes and hypoxic state, then review various nanoparticles targeting these components and their applications in tumor therapy. In addition, nanoparticles could be combined with other therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy, however, the nanoplatform delivery system may not be effective in all types of tumors due to the heterogeneity of different tumors and individuals. The changes of TME at various stages during tumor development are required to be further elucidated so that more individualized nanoplatforms could be designed.

We theoretically study how to greatly improve the near-infrared light absorption of monolayer graphene through the excitation of magnetic resonance in metamaterials. The absorption maximum of monolayer graphene is able to reach up to about 77% at the communication wavelength of 1550 nm. The conventionally defined absorption bandwidth, i.e., the full width at half maximum (FWHM), is nearly 160 nm. Thanks to the localization nature of magnetic resonance, the broadband high-efficiency absorption of monolayer graphene is insensitive to the incident angle and the light polarization. The absorption maximum, the absorption bandwidth, and the resonance position all have almost no change, when the incident angle is increased to even 60 degrees for both p and s polarizations. By applying an external bias voltage to change Fermi energy, the absorption in graphene can be completely modulated, with a nearly 100% modulation depth. Furthermore, the graphene absorption has an abrupt and large change around the interband transition, which exhibits an electrical switching property. Our work may find potential applications in graphene-based optoelectronic devices such as photodetector and modulator.

Abstract To explore the effects and mechanisms of benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Weight, paw swelling, arthritis index and joint pathologic changes were examined in each group after CIA induction. PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, VEGF, MMP-3, IgG and anti-CII Ab were assessed by ELISA; STAT1 and STAT3 expressions were analyzed immunohistochemically, and the ultrastructure of synovial cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Therapeutic effects were determined in CIA rats via injecting benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin, which could alleviate the degree of swelling and arthritis index (AI) and pathological lesions of the sacroiliac gland; decrease the levels of PGE2, IL-1β, TNF-α, VEGF and IgG in serum; reduce STAT1 and STAT3 expression in the membrane tissue; and inhibit the secretion and proliferation of synovial cells. These results showed that benzoylaconitine and paeoniflorin could significantly palliate the arthritic symptoms of CIA rats, and better therapeutic effects could be achieved if the two components were used in combination.

Electromagnetically induced transparencies (EITs) in metallic nanostructures and metamaterials have attracted increasing attentions in recent years, because of many applications such as optical sensing. In this work, we study theoretically the classical analogy of double EITs in a peridic array of metal nanodisks on a dielectric film. It is found that the double EITs arise from the interactions between the localized surface plasmons (LSPs) of metal nanodisks and the waveguide modes within dielectric film. The resonance positions of double EITs can be predicted analytically by the well-known waveguide theory, and can be also largely tuned by varying the array period of metal nanodisks or the thickness of dielectric film. With the help of theoretical model of Fano interference, the EITs profile is approximately reproduced. The double EITs may hold potential in refractive index sensing.

BackgroundVogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by bilateral granulomatous uveitis. The objective of this study was to identify immune hub genes involved in the pathogenesis and progression of VKH disease.MethodsHigh throughput sequencing data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and an immune dataset was downloaded from ImmPort. Immune differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained from their intersection in the GEO and ImmPort datasets. Immune hub genes for VKH disease were selected through differential expression analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Disease Ontology (DO), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and clustering analyses. Confidence in the immune hub genes was subsequently validated using box plots and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.ResultsA total of 254 DEGs were screened and after the intersection with ImmPort, 20 genes were obtained as immune DEGs. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the key genes were mainly involved in several types of immune pathways (such as the lymphocyte mediated and leukocyte mediated immune responses, natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity, and antigen binding) and immunodeficiency diseases. Following PPI network analysis, the top seven genes in cluster 1 were selected as potential immune hub genes in VKH. After evaluating the accuracy of the hub genes, one gene (GNLY) was excluded because its expression level was statistically similar in VKH patients and healthy controls. Finally, six immune hub genes, namely KLRC2, KLRC3 SH2D1B, GZMB, KIR2DL3, and KIR3DL2 were identified as playing important roles in the occurrence and development of VKH disease.ConclusionSix immune hub genes (KLRC2, KLRC3 SH2D1B, GZMB, KIR2DL3, and KIR3DL2) identified by our bioinformatics analyses may provide new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for VKH disease.

BackgroundPosterior canal-benign paroxysmal positional vertigo-cupulolithiasis (PC-BPPV-cu) is a new and controversial type of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). At present, there are few relevant clinical studies as to whether the Half Dix-Hallpike test (Half D-HT) induces more obvious nystagmus than the Dix Hallpike test (D-HT) and straight head hanging test (SHH) in patients with PC-BPPV-cu.ObjectivesTo investigate the clinical characteristics of PC-BPPV-cu, and analyze the diagnostic significance of the Dix-Hallpike test (D-HT), Half D-HT, and straight head hanging (SHH) test in these patients.MethodsA total of 46 patients with PC-BPPV-cu were enrolled, and divided into two groups (N = 23): a group A (induction order: D-HT, Half D-HT, SHH) and a group B (induction order: Half D-HT, D-HT, SHH).ResultsAmong 46 patients with PC-BPPV-cu, the bilateral and unilateral abnormality rates of the disease side were 5 cases and 41 cases, respectively. There were significant differences in the proportion of torsional-upbeating nystagmus and upbeating nystagmus among the three headhanging positions in 46 patients with PC-BPPV-cu (P < 0.001). The slow phase velocity (SPV) of induced nystagmus at half D-HT supine position was slower than D-HT supine position (P < 0.05) and SHH supine position (P < 0.05). The nystagmus latency of D-HT supine position was significantly shorter than half D-HT (P < 0.05) and SHH (P < 0.05). PC-BPPV-cu patients were accompanied by 53.5% semicircular canal paresis, 69.6% audiological abnormalities, 76% cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), and 75% video head impulse test (vHIT) abnormalities, the concordance rates of the four detection methods were similar (χ2 = 0.243, P = 0.970).ConclusionsThe Half D-HT is simple and feasible, but might have a risk of false-negative diagnoses of the torsional-upbeating nystagmus and upbeating nystagmus. The D-HT is still a classic induction method for PC-BPPV-cu. The two complement each other and may aid in the diagnosis of PC-BPPV-cu patients. Future clinical applications of Half D-HT require extensive research to determine its diagnostic efficacy.

Background: Increased insulin production and secretion by pancreatic β-cells are important for ensuring the high insulin demand during gestation . However, the underlying mechanism of β-cell adaptation during gestation or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains unclear. Oxytocin is an important physio logical hormone in gestation and delivery, and it also contributes to the maintena nce of β-cell function. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of oxytocin i n β-cell adaptation during pregnancy. Methods: The relationship between the blood oxytocin level and pancreatic β-cell function in patients with GDM and healthy pregnant women was investigate d. Gestating and non-gestating mice were used to evaluate the in vivo effect of oxytocin signal on β-cells during pregnancy. In vitro experiments were performed on INS-1 insulinoma cells. Results: The blood oxytocin levels were lower in patients with GDM than in healthy pregnant women and were associated with impaired pancreatic β-cell function. Acute administration of oxytocin increased insulin secretion in both gestating and non-gestating mice. A 3-week oxytocin treatment promoted the prolif eration of pancreatic β-cells and increased the β-cell mass in gestating but not non-gestating mice. Antagonism of oxytocin receptors by atosiban impaired insulin secretion an d induced GDM in gestating but not non-gestating mice. Oxytocin enhanced glucose -stimulated insulin secretion, activated the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and promoted cell proliferation in INS-1 cells. Conclusions: These findings provide strong evidence that oxytocin is needed for β-cell adaptation during pregnancy to maintain β-cell function, and the lack of oxytocin could be associated with the risk of GDM.

Retinal degeneration is a main class of ocular diseases. So far, retinal progenitor cell (RPC) transplantation has been the most potential therapy for it, in which promoting RPCs neuronal differentiation remains an unmet challenge. To address this issue, innovatively designed L/d-phenylalanine based chiral nanofibers (LPG and DPG) are employed and it finds that chirality of fibers can efficiently regulate RPCs differentiation. qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis show that right-handed helical DPG nanofibers significantly promote RPCs neuronal differentiation, whereas left-handed LPG nanofibers decrease this effect. These effects are mainly ascribed to the stereoselective interaction between chiral helical nanofibers and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4, a key protein in the retinoic acid (RA) metabolic pathway). The findings of chirality-dependent neuronal differentiation provide new strategies for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases via optimizing differentiation of transplanted stem cells on chiral nanofibers.

Abstract Intrinsic shortcomings associated with conventional therapeutic strategies often compromise treatment efficacy in clinical ophthalmology, prompting the rapid development of versatile alternatives for satisfactory diagnostics and therapeutics. Given advances in material science, nanochemistry, and nanobiotechnology, a broad spectrum of functional nanosystems has been explored to satisfy the extensive requirements of ophthalmologic applications. In the present review, the recent progress in nanosystems, both conventional and emerging nanomaterials in ophthalmology from state‐of‐the‐art studies, are comprehensively examined and the role of their fundamental physicochemical properties in bioavailability, tissue penetration, biodistribution, and elimination after interacting with the ophthalmologic microenvironment emphasized. Furthermore, along with the development of surface engineering of nanomaterials, emerging theranostic methodologies are promoted as potential alternatives for multipurpose ocular applications, such as emerging biomimetic ophthalmology (e.g., smart electrochemical eye), thus provoking a holistic review of “ocular nanomedicine.” By affording insight into challenges encountered by ocular nanomedicine and further highlighting the direction of future studies, this review provides an incentive for enriching ocular nanomedicine‐based fundamental research and future clinical translation.

Abstract Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a key oncogene in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors is a major obstacle for EGFR-mutant LUAD patients. Our gene chip array, quantitative polymerase chain reaction validation, and shRNA-based high-content screening identified the Akt kinase lanthionine synthetase C-like protein 2 (LANCL2) as a pro-proliferative gene in the EGFR-mutant LUAD cell line PC9. Therefore, we investigated whether LANCL2 plays a role in promoting cell proliferation and drug resistance in EGFR-mutant LUAD. In silico clinical correlation analysis using the Cancer Genome Atlas Lung Adenocarcinoma dataset revealed a positive correlation between LANCL2 and EGFR expression and an inverse relationship between LANCL2 gain-of-function and survival in LUAD patients. The EGFR-mutant LUAD cell lines PC9 and HCC827 displayed higher LANCL2 expression than the non-EGFR-mutant cell line A549. In addition, LANCL2 was downregulated following gefitinib+pemetrexed combination therapy in PC9 cells. LANCL2 knockdown reduced proliferation and enhanced apoptosis in PC9, HCC827, and A549 cells in vitro and suppressed murine PC9 xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Notably, LANCL2 overexpression rescued these effects and promoted gefitinib + pemetrexed resistance in PC9 and HCC827 cells. Pathway analysis and co-immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry of differentially-expressed genes in LANCL2 knockdown cells revealed enrichment of several cancer signaling pathways. In addition, Filamin A and glutathione S-transferase Mu 3 were identified as two novel protein interactors of LANCL2. In conclusion, LANCL2 promotes tumorigenic proliferation, suppresses apoptosis, and promotes gefitinib+pemetrexed resistance in EGFR-mutant LUAD cells. Based on the positive association between LANCL2, EGFR, and downstream Akt signaling, LANCL2 may be a promising new therapeutic target for EGFR-mutant LUAD.

Closed-loop neuromodulation control systems facilitate regulating abnormal physiological processes by recording neurophysiological activities and modifying those activities through feedback loops. Designing such systems requires interoperable service composition, consisting of cycles. Workflow frameworks enable standard modular architectures, offering reproducible automated pipelines. However, those frameworks limit their support to executions represented by directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). DAGs need a pre-defined start and end execution step with no cycles, thus preventing the researchers from using the standard workflow languages as-is for closed-loop workflows and pipelines. In this paper, we present NEXUS, a workflow orchestration framework for distributed analytics systems. NEXUS proposes a Software-Defined Workflows approach, inspired by Software-Defined Networking (SDN), which separates the data flows across the service instances from the control flows. NEXUS enables creating interoperable workflows with closed loops by defining the workflows in a logically centralized approach, from microservices representing each execution step. The centralized NEXUS orchestrator facilitates dynamically composing and managing scientific workflows from the services and existing workflows, with minimal restrictions. NEXUS represents complex workflows as directed hypergraphs (DHGs) rather than DAGs. We illustrate a seamless execution of neuromodulation control systems by supporting loops in a workflow as the use case of NEXUS. Our evaluations highlight the feasibility, flexibility, performance, and scalability of NEXUS in modeling and executing closed-loop workflows.

Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) transplantation has become a promising therapy for retinal degeneration, which is a major kind of ocular diseases causing blindness. Since RPCs have limited proliferation and differentiation abilities toward retinal neurons, it is urgent to resolve these problems. MicroRNAs have been reported to have vital effects on stem cell fate. In our study, the data showed that overexpression of miR-381-3p repressed Hes1 expression, which promoted RPCs differentiation, especially toward neuronal cells, and inhibited RPCs proliferation. Knockdown of endogenous miR-381-3p increased Hes1 expression to inhibit RPCs differentiation and promote proliferation. In addition, a luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-381-3p directly targeted the Hes1 3’ untranslated region (UTR). Taken together, our study demonstrated that miR-381-3p regulated RPCs proliferation and differentiation by targeting Hes1, which provides an experimental basis of RPCs transplantation therapy for retinal degeneration.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by loss of neurons that synthesize dopamine, and subsequent impaired movement. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) exerted neuroprotection effects in a rodent model of PD. However, the mechanism underlying UC-MSC-generated neuroprotection was not fully elucidated. In the present study, we found that intranasal administration of UC-MSCs significantly alleviated locomotor deficits and rescued dopaminergic neurons by inhibiting neuroinflammation in a PD mouse model induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, a toxic agent which selectively destroys nigrostriatal neurons but does not affect dopaminergic neurons elsewhere). Furthermore, UC-MSC treatment altered gut microbiota composition characterized by decreased phylum Proteobacteria, class Gammaproteobacteria, family Enterobacteriaceae, and genus Escherichia-Shigella. In addition, the neurotransmitter dopamine in the striatum and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the colon were also modulated by UC-MSCs. Meanwhile, UC-MSCs significantly maintained intestinal goblet cells, which secrete mucus as a mechanical barrier against pathogens. Furthermore, UC-MSCs alleviate the level of TNF-α and IL-6 as well as the conversion of NF-κB expression in the colon, indicating that inflammatory responses were blocked by UC-MSCs. PICRUSt showed that some pathways including bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, fluorobenzoate degradation, and pathogenic Escherichia coli infection were significantly reversed by UC-MSCs. These data suggest that the beneficial effects were detected following UC-MSC intranasal transplantation in MPTP-treated mice. There is a possible neuroprotective role of UC-MSCs in MPTP-induced PD mice by cross talk between the brain and gut.

AIM: To investigate the effects of different wavelength of blue light on human retinal pigment epithelial(RPE)cells. METHODS: ARPE-19 cells cultured in vitro were randomly divided into four groups, which were control group, 447nm blue light group, 456nm blue light group and 468nm blue light group. The cells in control group were cultured under normal conditions whereas the cells in blue light group were irradiated with different wavelengths of OLED blue light with the illumination intensity of 200Lux for 72h. Live/Dead staining assay, CCK-8 assay and real-time PCR were performed to compare the effects of different wavelengths of blue light on the morphology, cell viability, proliferation capacity, mRNA expression level of visual cycle biomarkers and inflammatory biomarkers of ARPE-19 cells, respectively.RESULTS: After blue light irradiation, the abnormal morphology and the decrease of cell confluence of ARPE-19 cells were observed. Furthermore, with the decrease in the wavelength of blue light, the inhibition effect of blue light on RPE proliferation was enhanced, and the mRNA expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and visual cycle biomarkers LRAT, CRALBP, RDH and IRBP decreased. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors MCP-1 and IL-6 in RPE cells were up-regulated with the decrease in the wavelength of blue light.CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated that blue light in different wavelengths exerted detrimental effects on RPE cells. The shorter the wavelength of blue light was, the more severe damage it caused on the RPE cells.

Phytoseiid mites are key predators in agricultural crops. However, not all species regulate pest populations below economic thresholds, and therefore knowledge of which species are associated with particular crops aids pest control recommendations. Surveys of 12 crops across six geographical regions of California demonstrated that phytoseiid species varied by crop and geographical location, with subtropical crops exhibiting the lowest species diversity and grape the greatest. The western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis, long cited as a dominant species in California crops, was not found to be the major species in most situations. Euseius stipulatus, a species introduced in the 1970s, was found in the surveyed crops in many areas of the state and appears to be displacing E. hibisci along the south coast.

Callus browning heavily affects indica rice transformation regeneration. Here, the authors show transposon insertion in the promoter of BOC1 gene, encoding a SIMILAR TO RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH ONE protein, can upregulate its expression and decrease callus browning in cultivated rice by releasing oxidative stress.

Abstract Designing powerful electromagnetic wave modulators is required for the advancement of optical communication technology. In this work, we study how to efficiently modulate the amplitude of electromagnetic waves in near-infrared region, by the interactions between the interband transition of graphene and the magnetic dipole resonance in metamaterials. The reflection spectra of metamaterials could be significantly reduced in the wavelength range below the interband transition, because the enhanced electromagnetic fields from the magnetic dipole resonance greatly increase the light absorption in graphene. The maximum modulation depth of reflection spectra can reach to about 40% near the resonance wavelength of magnetic dipole, for the interband transition to approach the magnetic dipole resonance, when an external voltage is applied to change the Fermi energy of graphene.

Objective: This study aimed to detect serum vitamin D (VitD) levels in patients with primary restless legs syndrome (RLS). The further objective was to analyze the relationship of VitD levels with the severity of RLS symptoms, sleep, anxiety, and depression.Methods: The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels of 57 patients with primary RLS and the healthy physical examinees in our hospital during the same period were detected. The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) rating scale for measuring RLS severity and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Scale, 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD24), and 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA14) were used to assess the severity of symptoms, sleep, and emotional state of patients with RLS. Based on VitD level and IRLSSG score, they were grouped for analysis.Results: The serum 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in patients with RLS than in healthy controls, and the incidence of insufficient serum VitD levels was significantly higher in patients with RLS than in healthy people (both P < 0.05). The serum VitD level was significantly lower in (extremely) severe patients with RLS than in mild to moderate patients with RLS (P < 0.05). The IRLSSG scale score and HAMD24 score were significantly higher in patients with RLS with insufficient serum VitD levels than those with normal serum VitD levels (both P < 0.05). Correlation analysis of IRLSSG scale score with serum VitD level and each scale score in patients with RLS showed that IRLSSG scale score was negatively correlated with VitD level, but positively correlated with PSQI, HAMA14, and HAMD24 scores. The results of correlation analysis between serum VitD levels and each scale score in patients with RLS indicated that serum VitD levels were negatively correlated with IRLSSG scale scores, PSQI scores, and HAMD24 scores.Conclusion: The serum VitD level is generally lower in patients with RLS than in healthy people, and lower serum VitD level is associated with more severe symptoms of RLS, worse quality of sleep, and worse depression.

Oxidative stress-mediated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration plays a vital role in retinal degeneration with irreversible visual impairment, most notably in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but a key pathogenic factor and the targeted medical control remain controversial and unclear. In this work, by sophisticated high-throughput sequencing and biochemistry investigations, the major pathologic processes during RPE degeneration in the sodium iodate-induced oxidative stress model has been identified to be heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-regulated ferroptosis, which is controlled by the Nrf2–SLC7A11–HO-1 hierarchy, through which ferrous ion accumulation and lethal oxidative stress cause RPE death and subsequently photoreceptor degeneration. By direct knockdown of HO-1 or using HO-1 inhibitor ZnPP, the specific inhibition of HO-1 overexpression has been determined to significantly block RPE ferroptosis. In mice, treatment with ZnPP effectively rescued RPE degeneration and achieved superior therapeutic effects: substantial recovery of the retinal structure and visual function. These findings highlight that targeting HO-1-mediated RPE ferroptosis could serve as an effectively retinal-protective strategy for retinal degenerative diseases prevention, including AMD.

An integrated membrane bioreactor (MBR) with synthetic RO membrane cleaning wastewater from a thermal power plant was used to study the long-term operating characteristics, membrane fouling, and cleaning of membrane fouling. The results show that the MBR had a great removal effect on mainly an organic pollutant (citric acid) with an average of 98.4% rejection, and the concentration of organics in the effluent also achieved “Discharge standard of pollutants for municipal wastewater treatment plant” (GB12/599-2015). The optimal operating conditions were as follows: the membrane flux was 8 L/(m2·h); the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 4 h; the sludge retention time (SRT) was 15 d, and the pH value was 6~7. A membrane fouling analysis showed that the resistance of the cake layer and the concentration polarization were the main components of membrane fouling. When the specific flux (SF) decreased to 10 L/(h·m2 mH2O), the membrane module was cleaned by tap water and then soaked in 0.05 wt% hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 3000 mg/L sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for 1 h and 3 h, respectively. Finally, the membrane flux could be recovered to 84.9% compared to the new membrane.