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Jian Jun Gu,1,2,* Tian Jian Du,1,2,* Li Na Zhang,3,* Jing Zhou,4 Xiang Gu,2 Ye Zhu2 1Department of Cardiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ye Zhu; Xiang Gu, Department of Cardiology, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, 98 Nantong West Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Email 307971331@qq.com; DZ120210035@yzu.edu.cnBackground: Heart failure (HF) is a common clinical syndrome due to ventricular dysfunction and is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Ferroptosis, marked by excessive iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, is closely related to HF. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and validate ferroptosis-related markers in HF by bioinformatics analysis and animal experiments validation.Materials and Methods: The gene expression profiles (GSE36074) of murine transverse aortic constriction (TAC) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO); From the FerrDb database, ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) were identified. Using GEO2R, differential expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. An overlapping analysis was conducted among DEGs and FRGs to identify ferroptosis-related DEGs (FRDEGs). We then performed clustering, functional enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses. In addition, the key FRDEGs were extracted by cytoHubba plugin and the networks of transcription factors (TFs)-key FRDEGs and microRNA-key FRDEGs were constructed. Lastly, the key FRDEGs were carried by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).Results: Fifty-nine FRGs showing significantly different expression were identified from a total of 1918 DEGs in mice heart by transverse aortic constriction. GO and KEGG functional enrichment analysis revealed that these 59 ferroptosis-related DEGs mostly associated with positive regulation of apoptotic process, FoxO signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, Apoptosis, Ferroptosis. Five key FRDEGs (Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2) were identified using PPI networks; Based on TFs-key FRDEGs networks, we found that Mapk14, Hif1a, Tlr4 and Ptgs2 were regulated by 3, 4, 5, and 29 TFs, respectively; however, Ddit3 was not regulated by any TF; By analyzing the miRNA–key FRDEGs networks, we found that 39, 74, 11, 28, and 18 miRNAs targets regulate the expression of Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2, respectively. Lastly, five key FRDEGs were validated at the mRNA and protein levels by RT-qPCR and IHC, which were in line with our bioinformatics analysis.Conclusion: Our findings reveal that Mapk14, Hif1a, Ddit3, Tlr4 and Ptgs2 may be involved in the development of HF through regulating ferroptosis and as potential targets for HF.Keywords: heart failure, transverse aortic constriction, ferroptosis, bioinformatics, key genes

Li-Na Zhang,1,* Xian-Wei Zhang,1,* Chang-Qing Li,2 Jing Guo,1 Yong-Ping Chen,1 Sheng-Li Chen1 1Department of Neurology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, 404000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Sheng-Li ChenDepartment of Neurology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Number 165 Xincheng Road, Wanzhou District, Chongqing, 404000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 58103452Fax +86 58103668Email chenshengli965@163.comBackground: Cumulative evidence suggests that neuronal death including autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis is closely related to the occurrence and development of cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury. Moreover, vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is involved in many different neuroprotective and neuroplasticity pathways. Thus, VNS may be a novel approach for treating various neurodegenerative diseases. The present study aims to determine whether VNS protects against cerebral I/R injury in rats by inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis.Methods: Cerebral I/R injury is induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and VNS is carried out. Infarct volume, neurological deficit, autophagy, and apoptosis are examined 24 h after reperfusion.Results: Vagal nerve stimulation decreases infarct volume and suppresses neurological deficit. Moreover, obvious autophagy and apoptosis are detected in rats that have undergone I/R, and VNS inhibits autophagy and apoptosis.Conclusion: Vagal nerve stimulation exerts neuroprotective effects following I/R injury by inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis.Keywords: vagal nerve stimulation, cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury, autophagy, apoptosis

Pei-pei Zheng,1,2 Li-na Zhang,1 Jie Zhang,1 Xin-miao Chang,1 Shan Ding,1 Fei Xiao,3 Li-xin Guo1 1Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, People’s Republic of China; 2Peking University Fifth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100730, People’s Republic of China; 3The Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Bejing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Health Commission; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Li-xin GuoDepartment of Endocrinology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NO. 1 DaHua Road, Dong Dan, Beijing 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86-10-65282171Email lixinguo_med@163.comPurpose: To study the effects of chronic-simulated night shift work using the rat model and examines if a particular sleep supplement mode could be better in alleviating the effects.Methods: The male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control (CTL: 8 rats) and night shift work (NW: 24 rats) groups of rats. Based on the sleep supplement strategy, the NW group was further segregated into three subgroups (8 rats each); late sleep supplement group (LSS), early sleep supplement group (ESS), and intermittent sleep supplement group (ISS). Sleep deprivation was achieved using the standard small-platform-over water method. Parameters such as animal body weight and food intake were measured daily. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, fasting plasma insulin concentration, insulin resistance index and insulin sensitivity were measured twice, in the 4th and 8th weeks of the study. Plasma corticosterone concentration and pathological changes in islets (insulitis) were measured at the end of the 8th week.Results: In NW group, night work resulted in a gain of body weight and albeit lower than that of the CTL group. NW rats also had higher food intake, showed impaired glucose metabolism and higher plasma corticosterone concentration. The sleep supplement experiments suggested that compared to the other modes, intermittent sleep supplement had significantly low changes in the body weight, glucose metabolism and the islet cells.Conclusion: Similar to previous studies, we also found that night shift work adversely impacts the body weight and glucose metabolism in rats. However, upon evaluating different sleep supplement strategies, we found the intermittent sleep supplement strategy to be most effective.Keywords: night work, sleep deprivation, sleep supplement, sleep debt, body weight, glucose metabolism, insulitis

De-Hua Zheng,1 Xu-Xia Wang,2 Dan Ma,1 Li-Na Zhang,3 Qing-Fang Qiao,1 Jun Zhang41Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthodontics, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of ChinaObjectives: The aim of this study is to examine the roles of erythropoietin (EPO) in regulating proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and analyze the underlying signaling of these processes.Materials and methods: PDLSCs were isolated and characterized. The PDLSCs were transfected with β-catenin shRNA. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to examine the osteogenic effects of EPO on the expression of osteogenic-related genes and protein (Runx2, OCN and Osterix) in PDLSCs. Alizarin Red-S staining was used to detect mineralized nodule formation. In addition, the relationship between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the effect of EPO on the osteogenesis of PDLSCs was investigated.Results: The results suggested that EPO exerts positive osteogenic effects on PDLSCs. The results showed that EPO decreased the growth of PDLSCs slightly and increased alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of Runx2, Osterix and OCN was increased after EPO administration. EPO increases β-catenin and Cyclin D1 in PDLSCs. After transfected with β-catenin shRNA, the osteogenic effect of EPO on PDLSCs was attenuated.Conclusion: EPO promotes osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. The underlying mechanism may be activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Keywords: erythropoietin, periodontal ligament stem cell, osteogenesis, Wnt/β-catenin

Shuai Miao,1 Shi-Yao Zhou,2 Chun-Shan Han,3 Le-Ning Zhang,3 Hong-Bin Sun,3 Bin Yang3 1Department of Geriatrics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, 2Department of Clinical Medicine, Jilin University, 3Department of Thoracic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China Background: The MMP-7 basement membrane and extracellular matrix may be essential for tumor invasion and metastasis, and the results presented herein showed a relationship between MMP-7 expression and esophageal cancer (EC). However, its clinicopathological value for EC patients remains inconsistent. To clarify their associations, a meta-analysis of the relevant published literature was conducted.Materials and methods: Databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CISCOM, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were electronically searched. Only those studies analyzing MMP-7 expression in EC patients with regard to series of different demographic variables and clinicopathological stages (TNM stage, differentiation and invasion grade, and lymph-node [LN] metastasis) were eligible for inclusion. Summary odds ratios (ORs) were pooled in accordance with the random-effect model.Results: Fourteen clinical cohort studies (tumor samples =935) were incorporated into the current meta-analysis. Results revealed that increased MMP-7 expression in EC patients was positively correlated to TNM stage III–IV (OR 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43–6.46; P=0.004). Similar connections were also detected in the differentiation grade, invasion grade, and LN metastasis (all P

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), owing to its low invasiveness, high efficiency, fewer side effects, spatiotemporal controllability and good selectivity, has attracted increasing attention for its tremendous potential in revolutionizing conventional strategies of tumor treatment. However, hypoxia is a common feature of most malignancies and has become the Achilles' heel of PDT. Currently, Type II photosensitizers (PSs) have inadequate efficacy for PDT due to the inherent oxygen consumption of the anoxic tumor microenvironment. Moreover, due to the absence of a general molecular design strategy and the limitations imposed by the energy gap law, Type-I PSs are less reported. Therefore, the development of Type-I PSs with hypoxia resistant capabilities is urgently required. Herein, in this study, we have obtained pure Type-I materials for the first time by employing a strategy that decreases the triplet energy levels of the π-conjunction bridge. A sufficient donor-acceptor interaction reduces the lowest triplet energy level and aids in the transfer of excitons from singlet to triplet levels. With this strategy, dibenzofulvene derivatives (FEs) displayed purely Type-I ROS generation. Among them, FE-TMI exhibits superior Type-I reactive oxygen species-generation performance, showcasing the great potential of PDT in treating tumor cells under hypoxic conditions and several types of solid tumors in mouse in vivo experiments. This work provides a practical solution for the future design of Type-I PDT materials and is aimed at enhancing PDT efficiency.

The growing global interest in preventing and controlling fires in high-rise buildings reflects the increasing significance of this issue today. This research aims to establish an early warning framework for fire risk in high-rise buildings. Firstly, considering the importance of a scientific indicator system for the application of the model, this study combines the event analysis method with the building design fire code to identify 11 key risk factors that have a far-reaching impact on the prevention of fires in high-rise buildings. Based on identifying the risk factors, a high-rise building fire risk warning tree is also established, which scientifically solves the problem of the indicator system of the warning object. Subsequently, in response to the various complex issues arising from the uncertainty of fire occurrence in high-rise buildings, this study adopts the unascertained method to model the fire risk of high-rise buildings for early warning. In addition, the developed methodology was empirically validated through case studies and analyses of empirical data on fire risks in nine representative high-rise buildings. The results of the unascertained method were also compared with the results of the K-means method, from which it was concluded that the unascertained method can predict building fires more accurately. The research results provide a reliable decision support system for fire disaster prevention and control in high-rise buildings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Phototheranostics integrates light-based diagnostic techniques with therapeutic interventions, offering a non-invasive, precise, and swift approach for both disease detection and treatment. The efficacy of this approach hinges on the multimodal imaging potential and photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of phototheranostic agents (PTAs). Despite the promise, crafting multifunctional phototheranostic organic small molecules brims with challenges. In this research, four innovative xanthene-derived PTAs are synthesized by fine-tuning the donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) system to strike a balance between radiative and nonradiative decay. The inherent robust photostability and intense fluorescence of the traditional xanthene core are preserved, meanwhile the addition of highly electron-withdrawing groups boosts the non-radiative decay rate to enhance PCE and photoacoustic imaging capabilities. Remarkably, one of the PTAs, DMBA, demonstrates an exceptional absolute fluorescence quantum yield of 2.46% in PBS, and when encapsulated into nanoparticles, it achieves a high PCE of 79.5%. Consequently, DMBA nanoparticles (DMBA-NPs) are effectively employed in fluorescence, 3D photoacoustic, and photothermal imaging-guiding tumor photothermal therapy. This represents the first instance of a multimodal phototheranostic xanthene agent achieving synergistic fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging for diagnostic purposes. Furthermore, this work paves the way for leveraging xanthene fluorophores as versatile tools in the development of multifunctional reagents., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Although breakthroughs have been achieved in gastric cancer (GC) therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), the acquisition of high response rate remains a huge challenge for clinicians. It is imperative to identify novel biomarkers for predicting response to immunotherapy and explore alternative therapeutic strategy for GC., Methods: The transcriptomic profiles and clinical information of GC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) database was used to screen differentially expressed lncRNAs between the tumor specimens and the paracancerous tissues. The TargetScan, miRDB and miRcode database were then utilized to construct competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks and identify pivotal lncRNAs. An independent dataset from GEO (GSE70880) and 23 pairs of GC specimens of our cohort were subsequently performed for external validity. The relationship between clinical variables and gene expression were evaluated by Kruskal-wallis test and Wilcoxon signed-rank. The prognostic value of the candidate genes was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models. CIBERSORT and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to determine immune cell infiltration. Gastric adenocarcinoma AGS cells and human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells with knockdown of LINC01094 were generated by siRNA transfection, followed by detecting the alteration of the target miRNA and PD-L1/PD-L2 by RT-qPCR. Besides, the interaction between lncRNA and the miRNA-PD-L1/PD-L2 axis were verified by dual luciferase reporter assay., Results: Twenty-two intersecting lncRNAs were identified to be PD-L1/PD-L2-related lncRNAs and LINC01094-miR-17-5p-PD-L1/PD-L2 was constructed as a potential ceRNA network. LINC01094 was increased in tumor specimens than adjacent normal samples and was positively associated with advanced tumor stages and EBV and MSI status. Furthermore, LINC01094 expression was an independent risk factor for poor overall survival (OS) in GC patients. CD8 + T cell exhaustion-related genes were enriched in high-LINC01094 tissues and high-PD-L2 group. A strong positive association of LINC01094 expression was established with M2 macrophages, IL-10 + TAM, as well as PD-L1 and PD-L2 levels, therefore a LINC01094-miR-17-5p-IL-10 network was proposed in macrophages. Using the exoRBase database, LINC01094 was assumed in blood exosomes of GC patients The results of knockdown experiments and luciferase reporter assays revealed that LINC01094 interacted with miR-17-5p and served as a miRNA sponge to regulate the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2., Conclusion: LINC01094 dually regulates the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 and shapes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via sponging miR-17-5p. LINC01094 may serve as a potential prognostic predictor and therapeutic target in GC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhang, Chen, Liu, Zhang, Hong, Li, Liu, Chen, Peng and Huang.)

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a substantial global health concern, and its treatment is complicated by the variability in individual response to antidepressants., Aim: To consolidate research and clarify the impact of genetic variation on MDD treatment outcomes., Methods: Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic search across PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was conducted without date restrictions, utilizing key terms related to MDD, serotonin 1A receptor polymorphism (5-HTR1A), C-1019G polymorphism, and antidepressant response. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were thoroughly screened, and quality assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analyses, including χ 2 and I² values, were used to evaluate heterogeneity and fixed-effect or random-effect models were applied accordingly., Results: The initial search yielded 1216 articles, with 11 studies meeting criteria for inclusion. Analysis of various genetic models showed no significant association between the 5-HTR1A C-1019G polymorphism and antidepressant efficacy. The heterogeneity was low to moderate, and no publication bias was detected through funnel plot symmetry and Egger's and Begg's tests., Conclusion: This meta-analysis does not support a significant association between the 5-HTR1A C-1019G polymorphism and the efficacy of antidepressant treatment in MDD. The findings call for further research with larger cohorts to substantiate these results and enhance the understanding of antidepressant pharmacogenetics., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Previous research has demonstrated that basal forebrain (BF) regulates arousal during propofol anesthesia. However, as the BF comprises cholinergic neurons alongside two other types of neurons, the specific role of cholinergic neurons has not been definitively elucidated. In our study, calcium signal imaging was utilized to monitor the real-time activities of cholinergic neurons in the BF during propofol anesthesia. Additionally, we selectively stimulated these neurons to investigate EEG and behavioral responses during propofol anesthesia. Furthermore, we specifically lesioned cholinergic neurons in the BF to investigate the sensitivity to propofol and the induction time. The results revealed that propofol suppressed calcium signals of cholinergic neurons within the BF following intraperitoneal injection. Notably, upon recovery of the righting reflex, the calcium signals partially recovered. Spectral analysis of the EEG elucidated that optical stimulation of cholinergic neurons led to a decrease in δ power underlie propofol anesthesia. Conversely, depletion of cholinergic neurons in the BF enhanced sensitivity to propofol and shortened the induction time. These findings clarify the role of cholinergic neurons in the anesthesia-arousal process, as well as the depth and the sensitivity of propofol anesthesia., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This is the first report of NUP98::LEDGF positive malignant hematological tumor expressing T cell and myeloid lineage antigens. Patients carrying this fusion gene have a high relapse rate and a poor prognosis, allo-HSCT may be an option to cure this disease. This patient underwent allo-HSCT, a relapse occurred three months post-transplantation. Subsequent screening at our hospital confirmed the presence of the NUP98::LEDGF fusion gene, salvage therapy was administered, followed by a successful second allo-HSCT. Furthermore, we included eight previously reported cases from the literature for analysis and discuss., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xue, Chen, Wang, Zhang, Chen, Sun and Cao.)

Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) is a versatile signal transduction strategy widely used in the fabrication of chem/biosensors. However, this technique has not yet been applied in visualized imaging analysis of intracellular species due to the insulating nature of the cell membrane. Here, we construct a ratiometric ECL-RET analytical method for hypochlorite ions (ClO - ) by ECL luminophore, with a luminol derivative (L-012) as the donor and a fluorescence probe (fluorescein hydrazide) as the acceptor. L-012 can emit a strong blue ECL signal and fluorescein hydrazide has negligible absorbance and fluorescence signal in the absence of ClO - . Thus, the ECL-RET process is turned off at this time. In the presence of ClO - , however, the closed-loop hydrazide structure in fluorescein hydrazide is opened via specific recognition with ClO - , accompanied with intensified absorbance and fluorescence signal. Thanks to the spectral overlap between the ECL spectrum of L-012 and the absorption spectrum of fluorescein, the ECL-RET effect is gradually recovered with the addition of ClO - . Furthermore, the ECL-RET system has been successfully applied to image intracellular ClO - . Although the insulating nature of the cell itself can generate a shadow ECL pattern in the cellular region, extracellular ECL emission penetrates the cell membrane and excites intracellular fluorescein generated by the reactions between fluorescein hydrazide and ClO - . The cell imaging strategy via ECL-RET circumvents the blocking of the cell membrane and enables assays of intracellular species. The importance of the ECL-RET platform lies in calibrating the fluctuation from the external environment and improving the selectivity by using fluorescent probes. Therefore, this ratiometric ECL sensor has shown broad application prospects in the identification of targets in clinical diagnosis and environmental monitoring., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Background: Few studies have estimated the associations of systemic inflammation markers and high blood pressure (HBP) in the pediatric population., Methods: Basing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018, we assessed the associations between four inflammation-related factors based on blood cell counts: systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and risk for pediatric HBP by estimating odds ratios (ORs) using multivariable logistic regression models., Results: A total of 17,936 children aged 8-19 years were included in the analysis, representing about 36.7 million American children. The prevalence rates of elevated blood pressure (EBP) and hypertension (HTN) were 15.79% and 6.77%, respectively. The results showed that the ORs for EBP per standard deviation (SD) increment in SII and NLR were estimated at 1.11 [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.04, 1.17] and 1.08 (95%CI: 1.02, 1.15), respectively; and the OR for EBP per SD increment in LMP were estimated at 0.90 (95%CI: 0.83, 0.96). These associations were stronger in boys and younger children., Conclusions: The study suggested that inflammation-related factors could serve as easily accessible early biomarkers for HBP risk prediction and prevention in children and adolescents., Impact: The study suggested that inflammation-related factors could serve as easily accessible early biomarkers for HBP risk prediction and prevention in children and adolescents. This is the first study that demonstrates the close association between systemic inflammation markers and HBP in children and adolescents using nationally representative population data. The findings have more public health implications and support that systemic inflammation markers based on blood cell counts could serve as easily accessible biomarkers of HBP risk and prevention in earlier identification of the diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Background: This study explored neutralizing IgG antibody levels against COVID-19 decline over time post-vaccination. We conducted this prospective cohort study to investigate the function of gut microbiota in the host immune response following three doses of BNT162b2., Methods: Subjects who received three doses of BNT162b2 were recruited from three centers in Hong Kong. Blood samples were obtained before the first dose and at the one-year timepoint for IgG ELISA to determine the level of neutralizing antibody (NAb). The primary outcome was a high immune response (NAb > 600 AU/mL). We performed shotgun DNA metagenomic sequencing on baseline fecal samples to identify bacterial species and metabolic pathways associated with high immune response using linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis., Results: A total of 125 subjects were recruited (median age: 52 years [IQR: 46.2-59.0]; male: 43 [34.4%]), and 20 were regarded as low responders at the one-year timepoint. Streptococcus parasanguinis (log 10 LDA score = 2.38, p = 0.003; relative abundance of 2.97 × 10 -5 vs. 0.03%, p = 0.001), Bacteroides stercoris (log 10 LDA score = 4.29, p = 0.024; relative abundance of 0.14% vs. 2.40%, p = 0.014) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae (log 10 LDA score = 2.15, p = 0.022; relative abundance of 0.01% vs. 0, p = 0.010) were enriched in low responders. Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (log 10 LDA score = 2.99, p = 0.048; relative abundance of 0.09% vs. 0.36%, p = 0.049) and Clostridium leptum (log 10 LDA score = 2.38, p = 0.014; relative abundance of 1.2 × 10 -5 % vs. 0, p = 0.044) were enriched in high responders. S. parasanguinis was negatively correlated with the superpathway of pyrimidine ribonucleotides de novo biosynthesis (log 10 LDA score = 2.63), which contributes to inflammation and antibody production. H. parainfluenzae was positively correlated with pathways related to anti-inflammatory processes, including the superpathway of histidine, purine, and pyrimidine biosynthesis (log 10 LDA score = 2.14)., Conclusion: Among three-dose BNT162b2 recipients, S. parasanguinis , B. stercoris and H. parainfluenzae were associated with poorer immunogenicity at one year, while B. pseudocatenulatum and C. leptum was associated with a better response.

Introduction: Further clinical validation is required to determine whether transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) can replace opioids and be used in combination with remimazolam for sedation during gastrointestinal endoscopy., Methods: A total of 108 outpatients who underwent diagnostic gastrointestinal endoscopy were randomly divided into three groups: fentanyl plus remimazolam group (group C), TEAS plus remimazolam group (group E), and placebo-TEAS plus remimazolam group (group P). The assessments of patient satisfaction, physician satisfaction, and pain scale score during the examination constituted the primary endpoints of the study. The secondary endpoints were the time of recovery, recovery of normal behavioral function and discharge, incidence of adverse reactions, and dose of remimazolam., Results: Compared with group C, group E had a greater median score for patient satisfaction at follow-up and a slightly lower median score for physician satisfaction. The pain score of group E was slightly greater than that of group C, but the difference was not significant. However, in group C, the incidence of hypoxemia, the rate of nausea and the severity of vertigo were greater, and the number of patients discharged and resuming normal behavioral function was greater than those in the other two groups. The dose of remimazolam in group C and group E was less than that in group P., Conclusions: TEAS combined with moderate sedation of remimazolam can provide an ideal sedative effect, which preferably suppresses discomfort caused by gastrointestinal endoscopy and has fewer sedation-related complications., Trial Registration: ID: NCT05485064; First registration (29/07/2022); Last registration (02/11/2022) (Clinical Trials.gov)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Tobacco flavor, an important tobacco additive, is an essential raw material in cigarette production that can effectively improve the quality of tobacco products, add aroma and taste, and increase the suction flavor. The quality consistency of tobacco flavors affects the quality stability of branded cigarettes. Therefore, the quality control of tobacco flavors is a major concern for cigarette and flavor manufacturers. Physical and chemical indices, odor similarity, and sensory efficacy are employed to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors, and the analysis of chemical components in tobacco flavors is usually conducted using gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, because the composition of tobacco flavors is complex, their quality cannot be fully reflected using a single component or combination of components. Therefore, establishing an objective analytical method for the quality control of tobacco flavors is of extreme importance. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis is routinely used for the discriminative analysis of tobacco flavors. Chromatographic fingerprints refer to the general characteristics of the concentration profiles of different chemical compounds. In the daily procurement process, fingerprints established by GC and HPLC are effective for the evaluation and identification of tobacco flavors. However, given continuous improvements in aroma-imitation technology, some flavors with high similarity cannot be directly distinguished using existing methods. In this study, a method for the determination of organic acids and inorganic anions in tobacco flavors based on ion chromatography (IC) was developed to ensure the quality consistency of tobacco flavors. A 1.0 g sample of tobacco flavors and 10 mL of deionized water were mixed and vibrated for 30 min. The aqueous sample solution was passed through a 0.45 μm membrane filter and RP pretreatment column in succession to eliminate interferences and then subjected to IC. Standard solutions containing nine organic acids and seven inorganic anions were used to identify the anions in the tobacco flavors, and satisfactory reproducibility was obtained. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for retention times and peak areas were <0.71% and <6.02%, respectively. The chromatographic fingerprints of four types of tobacco flavors (samples A-D) from five different batches were obtained. Nine tobacco flavor samples from different manufacturers (samples AY1-AY3, BY1-BY2, CY1-CY2, DY1-DY2) were also analyzed to obtain their chromatographic fingerprints. Hierarchical cluster and similarity analyses were used to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors from different manufacturers. Hierarchical clustering refers to the process of subdividing a group of samples into clusters that exhibit a high degree of intracluster similarity and intercluster dissimilarity. The dendrograms obtained using SPSS 12.0 indicated good quality consistency among the samples in different batches. Samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 clustered with the batches of standard tobacco flavors. Therefore, hierarchical cluster analysis can effectively distinguish the quality of products from different manufacturers. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 2.0) was used to evaluate the similarity between the standard tobacco flavors and products from different manufacturers. Among the samples analyzed, samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 showed the highest similarity values (>97.7%), which was consistent with the results of the hierarchical cluster analysis. This finding indicates that IC combined with chromatographic fingerprint analysis could accurately determine the quality of tobacco flavors. GC combined with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction was also used to analyze the tobacco flavors and verify the accuracy of the proposed method. Compared with GC coupled with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction, IC demonstrated more significant quality differences among certain tobacco flavors.

Hot-carrier transistors are a class of devices that leverage the excess kinetic energy of carriers. Unlike regular transistors, which rely on steady-state carrier transport, hot-carrier transistors modulate carriers to high-energy states, resulting in enhanced device speed and functionality. These characteristics are essential for applications that demand rapid switching and high-frequency operations, such as advanced telecommunications and cutting-edge computing technologies 1-5 . However, the traditional mechanisms of hot-carrier generation are either carrier injection 6-11 or acceleration 12,13 , which limit device performance in terms of power consumption and negative differential resistance 14-17 . Mixed-dimensional devices, which combine bulk and low-dimensional materials, can offer different mechanisms for hot-carrier generation by leveraging the diverse potential barriers formed by energy-band combinations 18-21 . Here we report a hot-emitter transistor based on double mixed-dimensional graphene/germanium Schottky junctions that uses stimulated emission of heated carriers to achieve a subthreshold swing lower than 1 millivolt per decade beyond the Boltzmann limit and a negative differential resistance with a peak-to-valley current ratio greater than 100 at room temperature. Multi-valued logic with a high inverter gain and reconfigurable logic states are further demonstrated. This work reports a multifunctional hot-emitter transistor with significant potential for low-power and negative-differential-resistance applications, marking a promising advancement for the post-Moore era., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment, the maxillary palatine suture is closed in most patients with insufficient maxillary width, and bony expansion of the maxilla cannot be achieved by dental expansion or rapid palatal expansion (RPE) which causes buccal inclination of the maxillary posterior teeth leading to unstable results. Therefore, segmental LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy and surgically assisted RPE are often used in clinical practice. In recent years, with the application of implant anchorage technology, implant anchorage assisted RPE has been gradually applied in orthognathic treatment. This article reviewed the indications, contraindications, complications, efficacy and long-term stability in different treatment approaches including segmental LeFort Ⅰ osteotomy, surgically assisted RPE and implant-supported maxillary skeletal expansion.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of primary mucosal CD30-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (pmCD30 + TLPD). Methods: Eight cases of pmCD30 + TLPD diagnosed from 2013 to 2023 at the Department of Pathology, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and Beijing Ludaopei Hospital were retrospectively collected. The immunophenotype, EBV infection status and T-cell receptor (TCR) clonability of tumor cells were examined. The clinicopathological features were analyzed and related literatures were reviewed. Results: There were 5 females and 3 males, aged 28 to 73 years, without B symptoms, lack of trauma and autoimmune diseases. Seven cases occurred in oral mucosa and one in anal canal mucosa. Submucosal nodules with ulcerations were presented in all cases except one, which only submucosal nodule. Morphologically, there was different distribution of allotypic lymphocytes in inflammatory background. Four cases showed "kidney-shaped", "embryonic" and "horseshoe-shaped" cells, and one case resembled Hodgkin and Reed/Sternberg (HRS) cells. Allotypic lymphocytes expressed CD3 (7/8), CD4+/CD8-(7/8) and CD4-/CD8-(1/8). CD30 was uniformly strongly positive while ALK and CD56 were negative. In situ hybridization of EBER was negative in five cases (5/5). Clonal TCR gene rearrangement was positive in two cases. Four patients did not receive radiotherapy or chemotherapy. All the seven patients survived without disease except one died due to concurrent leukopenia. Conclusions: pmCD30 + TLPD had a broad morphological spectrum and could be easily confused with primary cutaneous CD30 + TLPD and systemic ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma involving mucosa, which may lead to misdiagnosis. Although the majority of the cases had a favorable prognosis, a few cases relapsed or progressed to lymphoma.

Immunotherapy and associated immune regulation strategies gained huge attraction in order to be utilized for treatment and prevention of respiratory diseases. Engineering specifically nanomedicines can be used to regulate host immunity in lungs in the case of respiratory diseases including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. COVID-19 causes pulmonary embolisms, thus new therapeutic options are required to target thrombosis, as conventional treatment options are either not effective due to the complexity of the immune-thrombosis pathophysiology. In this review, we discuss regulation of immune response in respiratory diseases especially COVID-19. We further discuss thrombosis and provide an overview of some antithrombotic nanoparticles, which can be used to develop nanomedicine against thrombo-inflammation induced by COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases. We also elaborate the importance of immunomodulatory nanomedicines that can block pro-inflammatory signalling pathways, and thus can be recommended to treat respiratory infectious diseases., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the value of serum free light chain (sFLC) and serum calcium ion in the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM)., Methods: Forty patients with MM treated in Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2018 to January 2022 were selected as the observation group, and 40 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. The differences of sFLC-κ、sFLC-λ、sFLC-κ/λ, serum calcium ions, etc between the two groups were compared. Meanwhile, the differences of sFLC-κ、sFLC-λ、sFLC-κ/λ, serum calcium ions, etc in different international staging systems (ISS), chemotherapy efficacy and prognosis patients were analyzed., Results: The levels of sFLC-κ［(98.39±21.19) vs (12.01±4.45) mg/L］, sFLC-λ［(210.20±45.54) vs (14.10±5.11) mg/L］ and proportions of hypocalcemia （65% vs 0） in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P < 0.05), while sFLC-κ/ λ ratio［（0.44±0.10） vs (0.87±0.12)］ and serum calcium ions ［（1.98±0.46） vs （2.42±0.40）mmol/L］ were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P < 0.05). The sFLC-κ, sFLC-λ, the proportion of hypocalcemia and the course of hypocalcemia in ISS stage III patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in stage I and II patients ( P < 0.05), while sFLC-κ/λ ratio, and serum calcium ions were significantly lower than those in stage I and II patients ( P < 0.05). The levels of sFLC-κ ［（107.76±21.22） vs （94.67±20.11）mg/L］, sFLC- λ［（245.54±41.12） vs （205.54±50.22）mg/L］ of patients with hypocalcemia in the observation group was significantly higher than those without hypocalcemia ( P < 0.05), while the sFLC-κ/λ ratio was significantly lower than those without hypocalcemia ［（0.42±0.04） vs （0.47±0.06）； P < 0.05］. The levels of sFLC-κ ［(107.29±20.14） vs （ 91.11±18.92）mg/L］, sFLC-λ［（247.98±42.26） vs （179.29±39.32）mg/L］ in patients with ineffective chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in patients with effective chemotherapy ( P < 0.05), while the sFLC-κ/λ ratio was significantly lower than those in patients with effective chemotherapy ［(0.43±0.10) vs (0.50±0.09)； P < 0.05）］. The area under the ROC curve for sFLC-κ, sFLC-λ, sFLC-κ/λ predicting ineffective chemotherapy was 0.803, 0.793 and 0.699 respectively, P < 0.05. There was no significant difference in sFLC-κ, sFLC-λ, sFLC-κ/λ ratio, serum calcium ion, hypocalcemia ratio and hypocalcemia course between survival and death patients ( P >0.05)., Conclusion: sFLC and serum calcium are related to ISS stage of MM patients. sFLC level has a certain value to predict the curative effect of chemotherapy in MM patients. However, the prognostic values of sFLC and serum calcium are not yet confirmed for MM patients.

Halogenated aromatic pollutants (HAPs) including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) exhibit diverse toxicities and bio-accumulation in animals, thereby imposing risks on human via animal-derived food (ADF) consumption. Here we examined these HAPs in routine ADFs from South China and observed that PBDEs and PCBs showed statistically higher concentrations than PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs. PCDD/Fs and PCBs in these ADFs were mainly from the polluted feed and habitat of animals, except PCDD/Fs in egg, which additionally underwent selective biotransformation/progeny transfer after the maternal intake of PCDD/F-polluted stuff. PBDEs and PBDD/Fs were mostly derived from the extensive use of deca-BDE and their polluted environments. Significant interspecific differences were mainly observed for DL-PCBs and partly for PBDD/Fs and PBDEs, which might be caused by their distinct transferability/biodegradability in animals and the different living habit and habitat of animals. The dietary intake doses (DIDs) of these HAPs via ADF consumption were all highest for toddlers, then teenagers and adults. Milk, egg, and fish contributed most to the DIDs and risks for toddlers and teenagers, which results of several cities exceeded the recommended thresholds and illustrated noteworthy risks. Pork, fish, and egg were the top three risk contributors for adults, which carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were both acceptable. Notably, PBDD/Fs showed the lowest concentrations but highest contributions to the total risks of these HAPs, thereby meriting continuous attention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in elderly patients with hip fracture 1 year after operation., Methods: Total of 314 elderly patients with hip fracture of gradeⅡand Ⅲ for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) were treated by surgical operation from April 2015 to May 2020 including 116 males and 198 females, the age ranged from 60 to 76 years old. The subjects were divided into intervention group and control group according to whether received RIPC. Among them, 157 cases in intervention group included 56 males and 101 females with an average age of (68.12±7.13) years old and 157 cases in control group included 60 males and 97 females with an average age of (68.24±7.05) years old. Both groups were given routine anesthesia. The intervention group was treated with RIPC on the basis of routine anesthesia. The MACE events 1 year after operation in two groups were compared and analyzed., Results: The OR values of RIPC for myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, nonfatal cardiac arrest, coronary revascularization, severe arrhythmia, peripheral artery thrombosis, readmission of cardiovascular disease, and all-cause death in patients with hip fracture one year after operation were 1.269, 1.304, 0.977, 1.089, 1.315, 1.335, 0.896, 0.774, 1.191, respectively, but there was no significant difference ( P >0.05)., Conclusion: RIPC did not significantly affect and change the occurrence of major cardiovascular adverse events within 1 year after hip fracture surgery. The long term impact of RIPC on clinical cardiovascular outcomes in non cardiac surgery needs to be confirmed in appropriate randomized clinical trials.

Erythroderma, also known as exfoliative dermatitis, is a rarely reported atypical cutaneous manifestation of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). We present the case of erythroderma in association with AOSD that was steroid dependent and responded to tocilizumab therapy. Skin rash, pruritis, and related laboratory findings were significantly improved upon the addition of tocilizumab, while prednisolone was successfully tapered to an ever-lowest maintenance level. To our knowledge, this is the first to report the sole therapeutic effect of tocilizumab in erythroderma related to AOSD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Zhang et al.)

The evolution of critical care medicine is inextricably linked to the development of critical care procedures. These procedures not only facilitate diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients, but also provide valuable insights into disease pathophysiology. While critical care interventions offer undeniable benefits, the potential for iatrogenic complications necessitates careful consideration. The recent surge in critical care ultrasound (US) utilization is a testament to its unique advantages: non-invasiveness, real-time bedside availability, direct visualization of internal structures, elimination of ionizing radiation exposure, repeatability, and relative ease of learning. Recognizing the need to optimize procedures and minimize complications, critical care utrasound study group of Beijing critical care ultrasound research assocition convened a panel of critical care experts to generate this consensus statement. This document serves as a guide for healthcare providers, aiming to ensure patient safety and best practices in critical care.

The electrocatalytic reduction of NO 2 - (NO 2 RR) holds promise as a sustainable pathway to both promoting the development of emerging NH 3 economies and allowing the closing of the NO x loop. Highly efficient electrocatalysts that could facilitate this complex six-electron transfer process are urgently desired. Herein, tremella-like CoNi-LDH intercalated by cyclic polyoxometalate (POM) anion P 8 W 48 (P 8 W 48 /CoNi-LDH) prepared by a simple two-step hydrothermal-exfoliation assembly method is proposed as an effective electrocatalyst for NO 2 - to NH 3 conversion. The introduction of POM with excellent redox ability tremendously increased the electrocatalytic performance of CoNi-LDH in the NO 2 RR process, causing P 8 W 48 /CoNi-LDH to exhibit large NH 3 yield of 0.369 mmol h -1 mg cat -1 and exceptionally high Faradic efficiency of 97.0% at -1.3 V vs the Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 0.1 M phosphate buffer saline (PBS, pH = 7) containing 0.1 M NO 2 - . Furthermore, P 8 W 48 /CoNi-LDH demonstrated excellent durability during cyclic electrolysis. This work provides a new reference for the application of POM-based nanocomposites in the electrochemical reduction of NO 2 - to obtain value-added NH 3 .

Objective: The outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for myelodysplastic syndromes-evolved acute myeloid leukemia (MDS-AML) were explored. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for 54 patients with MDS-AML treated with allo-HSCT in the Institute of Hematology and Blood Disease Hospital from January 2018 to August 2022. The clinical effects after transplantation were observed, and the related risk factors influencing prognosis were explored. Results: Of the total 54 patients, 26 males, 28 females, and 53 patients achieved hematopoietic reconstruction. After a median follow-up of 597 (15-1 934) days, the 1 year overall survival (OS) rate, disease-free survival (DFS) rate, relapse rate (CIR) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) rate were 75.8%±5.8%, 72.1%±6.1%, 12.7%±4.9%, and 17.1%±5.2%, respectively. The 3 year estimated OS, DFS, CIR, and NRM rates were 57.8%±7.5%, 58.1%±7.2%, 23.2%±6.6%, and 23.7%±6.6%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was 57.5%±6.9%, and the cumulative incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) was 48.4%±7.7%. Hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) before transplantation was ≥2, minimal residual disease (MRD) was positive on the day of reconstitution, grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ aGVHD, bacterial or fungal infection and no cGVHD after transplantation were adverse prognostic factors for OS ( P <0.05). COX regression model for multivariate analysis showed that HCT-CI score before transplantation, bone marrow MRD on the day of response, grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ aGVHD, and cGVHD after transplantation were the independent adverse factors for OS ( P =0.001, HR =6.981, 95% CI 2.186-22.300; P =0.010, HR =6.719, 95% CI 1.572-28.711; P =0.026, HR =3.386, 95% CI 1.158-9.901; P =0.006, HR =0.151, 95% CI 0.039-0.581) . Conclusion: For patients with MDS-AML and high risk of relapse, allogeneic transplantation must be considered as soon as possible. The enhanced management of post-transplantation complications and maintenance treatment should be provided whenever possible after transplantation.

Background: Neutralizing antibody level wanes with time after COVID-19 vaccination. We aimed to study the relationship between baseline gut microbiota and immunogenicity after three doses of CoronaVac., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study recruiting three-dose CoronaVac recipients from two centers in Hong Kong. Blood samples were collected at baseline and one year post-first dose for virus microneutralization (vMN) assays to determine neutralization titers. The primary outcome was high immune response (defined as with vMN titer ≥ 40). Shotgun DNA metagenomic sequencing of baseline fecal samples identified potential bacterial species and metabolic pathways using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify high response predictors., Results: In total, 36 subjects were recruited (median age: 52.7 years [IQR: 47.9-56.4]; male: 14 [38.9%]), and 18 had low immune response at one year post-first dose vaccination. Eubacterium rectale (log 10 LDA score = 4.15, p = 0.001; relative abundance of 1.4% vs. 0, p = 0.002), Collinsella aerofaciens (log 10 LDA score = 3.31, p = 0.037; 0.39% vs. 0.18%, p = 0.038), and Streptococcus salivarius (log 10 LDA score = 2.79, p = 0.021; 0.05% vs. 0.02%, p = 0.022) were enriched in low responders. The aOR of high immune response with E. rectale, C. aerofaciens , and S. salivarius was 0.03 (95% CI: 9.56 × 10 -4 -0.32), 0.03 (95% CI: 4.47 × 10 -4 -0.59), and 10.19 (95% CI: 0.81-323.88), respectively. S. salivarius had a positive correlation with pathways enriched in high responders like incomplete reductive TCA cycle (log 10 LDA score = 2.23). C. aerofaciens similarly correlated with amino acid biosynthesis-related pathways. These pathways all showed anti-inflammation functions., Conclusion: E. rectale, C. aerofaciens , and S. salivarius correlated with poorer long-term immunogenicity following three doses of CoronaVac.

Background: Dexmedetomidine and propofol are two sedatives used for long-term sedation. It remains unclear whether dexmedetomidine provides superior cerebral protection for patients undergoing long-term mechanical ventilation., Aim: To compare the neuroprotective effects of dexmedetomidine and propofol for sedation during prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients without brain injury., Methods: Patients who underwent mechanical ventilation for > 72 h were randomly assigned to receive sedation with dexmedetomidine or propofol. The Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS) was used to evaluate sedation effects, with a target range of -3 to 0. The primary outcomes were serum levels of S100-β and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) every 24 h. The secondary outcomes were remifentanil dosage, the proportion of patients requiring rescue sedation, and the time and frequency of RASS scores within the target range., Results: A total of 52 and 63 patients were allocated to the dexmedetomidine group and propofol group, respectively. Baseline data were comparable between groups. No significant differences were identified between groups within the median duration of study drug infusion [52.0 (IQR: 36.0-73.5) h vs 53.0 (IQR: 37.0-72.0) h, P = 0.958], the median dose of remifentanil [4.5 (IQR: 4.0-5.0) μg/kg/h vs 4.6 (IQR: 4.0-5.0) μg/kg/h, P = 0.395], the median percentage of time in the target RASS range without rescue sedation [85.6% (IQR: 65.8%-96.6%) vs 86.7% (IQR: 72.3%-95.3), P = 0.592], and the median frequency within the target RASS range without rescue sedation [72.2% (60.8%-91.7%) vs 73.3% (60.0%-100.0%), P = 0.880]. The proportion of patients in the dexmedetomidine group who required rescue sedation was higher than in the propofol group with statistical significance (69.2% vs 50.8%, P = 0.045). Serum S100-β and NSE levels in the propofol group were higher than in the dexmedetomidine group with statistical significance during the first six and five days of mechanical ventilation, respectively (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine demonstrated stronger protective effects on the brain compared to propofol for long-term mechanical ventilation in patients without brain injury., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Root-knot nematodes ( Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the most economically important plant parasitic nematodes, infecting almost all cultivated plants and resulting in severe yield losses every year. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been extensively used to prevent and control root-knot diseases and increase yield. In this study, the effect of a consortium of three PGPR strains ( Bacillus cereus AR156, B. subtilis SM21, and Serratia sp. XY21; hereafter "BBS") on root-knot disease of cucumber was evaluated. The application of BBS significantly reduced the severity of root-knot disease by 56 to 72%, increased yield by 36 to 55%, and improved fruit quality by 14 to 90% and soil properties by 1 to 90% relative to the control in the cucumber fields of the Nanjing suburb, Jiangsu Province, from 2015 to 2018. BBS altered the rhizosphere bacterial community. Compared with the control group, it significantly (false discovery rate, P < 0.05) increased the abundance of 14 bacterial genera that were negatively correlated with disease severity. Additionally, the redundancy analysis suggested that BBS-treated rhizosphere soil samples were dominated by disease-suppressive bacteria, including the genera Iamia , Kutzneria , Salinibacterium , Mycobacterium , Kribbella , Pseudonocardia , Sporichthya , Sphaerisporangium , Actinomadura , Flavisolibacter , Phenylobacterium , Bosea , Hyphomicrobium , Agrobacterium , Sphingomonas , and Nannocystis , which were positively related to total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total organic matter, dissolved organic carbon, [Formula: see text]-N, and available phosphorus contents. This suggests that BBS suppresses root-knot nematodes and improves the soil chemical properties of cucumber by altering the rhizosphere microbial community., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: The occurrence of ischemic stroke (IS) is closely related to the characteristics of carotid plaque (CP). Due to the effect of stroke risk stratification based on B-mode ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) that has not been studied in patients with low and intermediate carotid stenosis, we construct and validate a CP score and ischemic stroke risk stratification (ISRS) using a combination of B-mode and CEUS, in order to provide new convenient strategies to stratify these patients to prevent stroke., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 705 patients with low and intermediate carotid stenosis who underwent B-mode and CEUS from November 2021 to April 2023. Qualitative B-mode and CEUS features of carotid plaques were analyzed using a univariable and multivariable logistic regression to construct the CP score. Then, we combined the CP score with Essen stroke risk score (ESRS) to develop ISRS., Results: This study included a total of 705 patients with low and intermediate carotid stenosis, of which 394 were symptomatic patients (with a mean age of 71.03 ± 10.48 years) and 311 were asymptomatic patients (with a mean age of 65.13 ± 10.31 years). Plaque echogenicity, plaque morphology, carotid intima-media thickness in B-mode US and intraplaque neovascularization grading and perfusion pattern in CEUS were significantly associated with IS. The ISRS incorporating these five predictors and ESRS showed good discrimination and calibration in both primary cohort [area under the curve (AUC), 0.91; Hosmer-Lemeshow test, p  = 0.903] and validation cohort (AUC, 0.84; Hosmer-Lemeshow test, p  = 0.886)., Conclusion: We developed an effective and practical tool to identify and stratify patients with low and intermediate carotid stenosis, based on the CP score and ISRS estimation. Our study may provide new insights into managing patients with no indication of surgery., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Li, Gu, Zhang, Chen, Yao, Wu, Ma, Jia and Wu.)

Objective: To explore the efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with BCR::ABL1 fusion. Methods: The clinical data of seven AML patients with BCR::ABL1 fusion from November 2012 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and their survival status was followed up. Results: The median age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 35 years. Four cases (57.1%) were diagnosed with high leukocyte counts. All cases were assayed as BCR::ABL1 positive and accompanied by four types of gene mutations (NPM1, RUNX1, ASXL1, PHF6) . Seven patients received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combined with induction chemotherapy and bridged to allo-HSCT, and six patients received maintenance therapy with TKI. Before allo-HSCT, six patients achieved complete remission, and four patients achieved complete molecular remission (CMR) . After allo-HSCT, the three remaining cases also achieved CMR. All patients were in remission post-allo-HSCT. One case died of infection, and the remaining cases survived without relapse. The 3-year cumulative overall survival rate was (80.0±17.9) %. Conclusions: TKI combined with traditional chemotherapy could achieve a high response rate in AML patients with BCR::ABL1 fusion. In addition, allo-HSCT could enhance the molecular response rate. Maintenance therapy post-HSCT with TKI could improve prognosis.

Getah Virus (GETV) is an RNA virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause disease or death in a variety of vertebrates. Its prevalence is increasingly severe in Asia. This study conducted a GETV epidemiological investigation on 1,300 bovine sera collected in the Honghe Prefecture of Yunnan Province on the China-Myanmar border from 2022 to 2023. The positive rate of GETV antibodies in bovine serum in Honghe Prefecture was determined to be 20.25% through indirect Enzyme-linked immunosorbent test (ELISA) methods. Using Real-time PCR methods to detect GETV RNA in bovine serum, the positive rate was 0.23% (3/1300), and viral nucleic acids were only detected in three bovine sera in Jianshui area in 2022. The YN2305 strain was successfully isolated from mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) cells and the complete gene sequence was obtained. All the above results indicate the existence of GETV infection in cattle in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Homology and genetic evolution analysis found that the isolated strain has a high homology with the JL1808 strain isolated from cattle in 2018, with a nucleotide identity of 100%, and a nucleotide identity of 99.8% with the SD17-09 strain isolated from foxes in 2017. Compared with the nucleotides of 44 virus strains published in Genbank, YN2305 has multiple nucleotide site mutations in the structural gene E2 and non-structural gene NS. The nucleotide and amino acid identity of the E2 gene are 94.2-100% and 96.4-100%, respectively. Genetic evolution analysis found that this virus strain is most closely related to the bovine origin JL1808, and it is in gene group III with HuN1, Kochi-01, SD17-09, MI-110-C1, and MI-110-C2 strains that causes significant clinical symptoms in Chinese pig, fox and horse populations, belonging to the same evolutionary branch. This study determined the infection rate, genotype, and main prevalence areas of GETV in bovine sera in the China-Myanmar border area. Therefore, the epidemiological investigation of GETV infection in multiple animal hosts should be further expanded, and research on its pathogenicity and vectors should be carried out., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Liu, Hu, Li, Lu, Sun, Lu, Jin, Zhang and Zhang.)

Background: Avian bornavirus (ABV) is a neurotropic virus, it has been established as the primary causative agent of proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). However, substantial international trade and transnational trafficking of wild birds occur, potentially enabling these birds to harbor and transmit pathogens to domestic poultry, adversely affecting their well-being. Real-time RT-PCR was employed to detect the presence of PaBV-4 in parrots imported to China in 2022., Results: In 2022, a total of 47 cloacal swabs from 9 distinct species of parrots were collected at the Wildlife Rescue Monitoring Center in Guangdong, China. The purpose of this collection was to detect the presence of PaBV-4. Using real-time PCR techniques, it was determined that the positive rate of PaBV-4 was 2.12% (1 out of 47) in parrots. The PaBV-4 virus was detected in a Amazona aestiva that had been adopted for one month. Conversely, all other species tested negative for the virus. Subsequently, the whole genome of the PaBV-4 GD2207 strains was sequenced, and the homology and genetic evolution between these strains and previously published PaBV-4 strains on GenBank were analyzed using DNAStar and MEGA7.0 software. The findings revealed that the full-length genome of PaBV-4 consisted of 8915 nucleotides and encoded six proteins. Additionally, it exhibited the highest nucleotide similarity (99.9%) to the GZ2019 strain, which causes death and severe clinical symptoms in Aratinga solstitialis. Furthermore, when compared to other strains of PaBV-4, the GD2207 strain demonstrated the highest amino acid homology with GZ2019. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the GD2207 strain clustered with various strains found in Japanese, American, and German parrots, indicating a close genetic relationship with PaBV-4, but it revealed a distant relationship with PaBV-5 Cockg5 from America. Notably, the GD2207 was closely associated with the GZ2019 strain from Aratinga solstitialis in China., Conclusion: This study presents the preliminary identification of PaBV-4 in Amazona aestiva parrots, emphasizing its importance as the predominant viral genotype linked to parrot infections resulting from trade into China. Through genetic evolution analysis, it was determined that the GD2207 strain of PaBV-4 exhibits the closest genetic relationship with GZ 2019 (Aratinga solstitialis, China), M14 (Ara macao, USA), AG5 (Psittacus erithacus, USA) and 6758 (Ara ararauna, Germany) suggesting a shared ancestry., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To summarize the pathological diagnosis, clinical features, treatment methods and outcomes of pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL). Methods: Clinical data including the pathology, clinical features, treatment methods, and follow-up results of 9 PTFL patients admitted to Henan Cancer Hospital from February 2017 to February 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The age of onset in 9 children was 6 to 18 years, all the patients were males. The clinical manifestation was local painless lymph node enlargement in the head and neck, with a stage of Ⅰ-Ⅱ. The histomorphological characteristics of PTFL were similar to those of classic follicular lymphoma (FL). The germinal center of most follicles were enlarged, the mantle zone disappeared, centroblasts were easily visible, and the histological grade were mostly grade Ⅲ, which may be accompanied by the "starry sky" phenomenon. Monoclonal peaks can be seen in B cell clonal rearrangements (BCR). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed CD20 positive, CD10 positive, Bcl-6 positive, Bcl-2 negative, C-myc negative, and Ki-67 was 70%-95%. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test was negative for t (14, 18), Bcl-2 translocation, and C-myc translocation. Six cases underwent surgical resection, and 3 cases underwent surgical resection combined with chemotherapy. Up to February 2023, with a follow-up time of 45 to 72 months, all children survived without any recurrence and were in a complete remission state. Conclusions: PTFL is mainly characterized by adolescent male onset, with early clinical manifestations and pathological manifestations of high-level histological status, high proliferation index, and lack of t (14; 18)/Bcl-2 translocation and Bcl-2 expression. It is mainly treated by localized surgical excision and has a good prognosis.

Objective: This study aims to identify the effect of third interstitial fluid on adverse outcomes in twin pregnancies with severe pre-eclampsia, and explore the differences in bad ending between twins and singletons., Methods: The present retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with severe pre-eclampsia, who delivered in Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China, between 2017 and 2022. The adverse outcomes in singleton and twin pregnancies with severe pre-eclampsia were initially investigated. Then, the diverse maternal and fetal consequences between singleton and twin pregnancies in patients with severe pre-eclampsia were compared after merging with the third interstitial fluid., Results: A total of 709 patients were included for the present study. Among these patients, 68 patients had twin pregnancies, and 641 patients had singleton pregnancies. The rate of postpartum hemorrhage (2.81% vs. 13.24%, P<0.001), and admission rate to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after birth (30.73% vs. 63.24%, P=0.011) were significantly higher in twin pregnancies. The neonatal weight of twins was statistically lower than singletons (1964.73±510.61 g vs. 2142.92±731.25 g, P=0.008). For the groups with the third interstitial fluid, the delivery week (P=0.001) and rate of admission to the NICU after birth were significantly advanced in twin pregnancy group, when compared to singleton pregnancy group (P=0.032), and the length of hospital stay was shorter (P=0.044). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between the twin pregnancy group and the singletony pregnancy group without the third interstitial fluid., Conclusion: The maternal and fetal adverse outcomes of patients with severe pre-eclampsia increased in twin pregnancies, when compared to singleton pregnancies. Thus, when patients develop the third interstitial fluid, twin pregnancies would more likely lead to adverse fetal outcomes, when compared to singleton pregnancies, and there would be no significant difference in maternal adverse outcomes. More attention should be given to patients who merge with the third interstitial fluid., (© 2023. Huazhong University of Science and Technology.)

Aim: Among the natural polyphenolic compounds, resveratrol (RES) is known for reducing the effects of declining reproductive power through resisting senility, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, while the molecular mechanism of RES in human ovaries is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the most likely mechanisms of RES against apoptosis induced by H 2 O 2 in human ovary granulosa cells., Methods: Ovarian granulosa cells from infertile women (≤35 years old) were collected. Those patients defined as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), poor ovarian responder (POR) and Endometriosis were excluded. Then they were randomly divided into control group, model group and the treatment group. Cellular apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometer method. The related protein and mRNA expressions were detected by western blot and RT-PCR., Results: Apoptosis rates of the treatment group containing RES with concentrations of 1 μM and 10 μM were significantly decreased ( p  < 0.001). Western blot results demonstrated that the proteins levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Bax and Caspase 9 were decreased, and Bcl-2 was increased under RES treatment, while the protein levels of Caspase 8, Caspase 3, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) expressed no significant difference. The results by RT-PCR of follicle and ovarian development related mRNA factors were consistent with that of western blot assay., Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study provides the evidence that RES may affects apoptotic factors to protect human ovarian state.

This study aims to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Kushen Gelatum combined with antibiotics for treating bacterial vaginosis. The randomized controlled trial(RCT) of Kushen Gelatum for treating bacterial vaginosis were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, and Cochrane Library with the time interval from inception to January 2023. Data were extracted from the included RCT by 2 investigators, including the sample size, characteristics of patients, interventions and controls, outcome indicators, and adverse effects. The Cochrane collaboration network's bias risk assessment tool was used for methodolo-gical quality evaluation of the included trials. RevMan 5.4 was employed to perform the Meta-analysis. A total of 19 RCTs were inclu-ded, involving 1 980 patients with bacterial vaginosis. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with nitroimidazoles alone, Kushen Gelatum + nitroimidazoles improved the total response rates in terms of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests(RR=1.24, 95%CI[1.13, 1.36], P&lt;0.000 01), laboratory tests(RR=1.16, 95%CI[1.06, 1.26], P=0.000 9), and clinical symptoms(RR=1.26, 95%CI[1.08, 1.46], P=0.003), and reduced the leukocyte esterase positive rate(RR=0.29, 95%CI[0.17, 0.48], P&lt;0.000 01) and the recurrence rate(RR=0.37, 95%CI[0.23, 0.58], P&lt;0.000 1). Compared with lincomycin antibiotics(clindamycin) alone, Kushen Gelatum + lincomycin antibiotics(clindamycin) improved the total response rates in terms of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests(RR=1.18, 95%CI[1.06, 1.31], P=0.003) and laboratory tests(RR=1.27, 95%CI[1.04, 1.54], P=0.02), reduced the recurrence rate(RR=0.20, 95%CI[0.05, 0.75], P=0.02), and shortened the time to relief of burning sensation(MD=-1.70, 95%CI[-2.15,-1.26], P&lt;0.000 01), vaginal itching(MD=-0.82, 95%CI[-1.30,-0.34], P=0.000 8), and abnormal leucorrhea(MD=-1.52, 95%CI[-1.98,-1.06], P&lt;0.000 01). Compared with nitroimidazoles + probiotics, Kushen Gelatum + nitroimidazoles + probiotics improved the total response rate in terms of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests(RR=1.18, 95%CI[1.02, 1.36], P=0.03) and reduced the recurrence rate(RR=0.27, 95%CI[0.09, 0.76], P=0.01). Kushen Gelatum combined with antibiotics demonstrates a potential therapeutic effect on bacterial vaginosis, whereas the number and quality of the relevant clinical studies remain to be improved. The process of clinical trial should be standardized to improve the quality of evidence, so as to provide strong evidence to guide the application of Kushen Gelatum in clinical practice.

Objective: To analyze the temperature difference of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors in preoperative infrared thermography (IRT), and to provide the basis for predicting tumor properties. Methods: The clinical data of 98 patients with parotid gland tumor admitted to the Department of Oral and maxillofacial Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, from May 2021 to April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 61 males and 37 females, aged (51.1±16.0) years (10-86 years). In addition to routine examination, the temperature difference between the lesion site of parotid gland and the contralateral mirror area was measured by infrared thermal imager in all patients one day before surgery. The maximum diameter (dmax) and location of the tumor (deep or superficial lobe) were recorded according to preoperative clinical examination and imaging examinations such as CT and ultrasound. The patients were divided into three groups by tumor size: dmax≤2 cm, 2 cm4 cm. The patients were also divided into different groups: deep lobe group and superficial lobe group (according to the tumor location), benign group and malignant group (according to postoperative pathological results). The relationship between temperature difference, pathology, size and location was analyzed. Results: There were 79 cases in the benign group and 19 cases in the malignant group. The temperature difference of the healthy and affected side in the malignant group [(1.73±0.21) ℃] was significantly higher than that in the benign group [(0.73±0.32) ℃] ( t= 16.70, P< 0.001). There was no significant difference in temperature difference between the healthy and affected sides of tumors with different diameters ( P> 0.05). The temperature difference of healthy and affected side of tumor in superficial lobe [(0.97±0.50) ℃] was significantly higher than that in deep lobe [(0.67±0.44) ℃] ( t= 2.24, P= 0.028). Conclusions: The difference of temperature difference between benign and malignant parotid gland tumors detected by IRT is statistically significant, which can be used to predict tumor properties, and has certain clinical application value.

Quick response (QR) codes have become increasingly popular as a medium for quickly and easily accessing information through mobile devices. However, the open-source nature of QR code encoding poses a risk of information leakage and potential attacks, especially with the growing use of QR codes in financial services and authentication applications. To mitigate the risk of information leakage due to open-source QR code encoding, this paper proposes a two-level QR code scheme based on a region matrix image secret sharing algorithm. In this scheme, the first-level public information can be directly obtained by scanning with any standard QR code scanner, while the two-level secret information can only be accessed by overlaying the shared images. To enhance the robustness of joint secret information recovery using shared images, this article designs a progressive image secret sharing algorithm based on region matrices. This algorithm meticulously processes high-priority share regions and generates multiple substitute shares. In the event of attacks on key shares, substitute shares can be employed to recover the secret information. For an increased payload capacity of each QR code, an adaptive pixel depth adjustment algorithm is devised. This algorithm ensures that the recovery of two-level secret information maintains high clarity, while not affecting the scanning functionality of each shared QR code. Experimental results validate the feasibility of this scheme, which simplifies the construction matrix, reduces matrix redundancy, and exhibits priority partitioning and higher robustness. Furthermore, QR codes embedding secret shares can safeguard the two-level information, and the recovered images exhibit exceptional clarity.