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Jia-Wei Zeng,1,2 Juan-Li Zhao,1 Zhen-Jie Han,1 Yan-Jun Duan,2 Li Lin1 1Laboratory of Medical Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anatomy Teaching and Research, College of Basic Medical sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Li Lin, Laboratory of Medical Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Basic Medical sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, No. 16 of Huangjia Lake Western Road, HongShan District, Wuhan, 430065, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 27 68890123, Fax +86 27 68890029, Email linli@hbtcm.edu.cn Yan-Jun Duan, Department of Anatomy Teaching and Research, College of Basic Medical sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, No. 16 of Huangjia Lake Western Road, HongShan District, Wuhan, 430065, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 27 68890047, Fax +86 27 68890029, Email 1861@hbtcm.edu.cnAbstract: Depression, as a common mental illness that is often accompanied by suicidal and homicidal behaviors, is one of the most important diseases in the medical field that requires urgent attention. The pathogenesis of depression is complex, and the current therapeutic drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and secondary serotonin reuptake inhibitors have certain shortcomings. The inflammatory factor hypothesis, one of the pathogenesis of depression, suggests that inflammatory response is a key factor leading to the occurrence and development of depression, and that overactivation of inflammatory factors such as NLRP3, Toll-like receptor 4, and IDO leads to immune-system dysfunction and depression. The other pathogenic hypothesis, the gut flora hypothesis, has also been the focus of recent research. The gut flora may work together with inflammatory factors to cause depression. The approach to treating depression has been by altering the gut flora through drugs or probiotics. However, effective and clear treatment methods are lacking. In this study, by exploring the involvement of intestinal flora and inflammatory factors in the pathogenesis of depression, we found that improving the intestinal flora can affect inflammatory factors and, therefore, provide research ideas for the development of novel drugs to treat depression.Keywords: depression, pathogenesis, inflammation, inflammatory factors, intestinal flora, therapeutic drugs

Jiachen Luo,1 Liming Dai,1 Jianming Li,2 Jinlong Zhao,1 Zhiqiang Li,1 Xiaoming Qin,1 Hongqiang Li,1 Baoxin Liu,1 Yidong Wei1 1Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiovascular Division, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA Purpose: New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is a common finding in patients with myocardial infarction (MI), but few studies are available regarding the prediction model for its risk estimation. Although Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score (RS) has been recognized as an effective tool for the risk evaluation of clinical outcomes in patients with MI, its usefulness in the prediction of post-MI NOAF remains unclear. In this study, we sought to validate the discrimination performance of GRACE RS in the prediction of post-MI NOAF and to make a comparison with that of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Patients and methods: A total of 488 patients with STEMI who were admitted to our hospital between May 2015 and October 2016 without a history of atrial fibrillation were retrospectively evaluated in this study. GRACE and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were calculated for each patient. Patients were divided into low (GRACE RS≤125)-, intermediate (GRACE RS 126–154)-, and high (GRACE RS≥155)-risk groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to evaluate the discrimination performance of both RSs. Model calibration was evaluated by using Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test (HLS). Results: Of the 488 eligible patients, 49 (10.0%) developed NOAF during hospitalization. In the overall cohort, the discrimination performance of GRACE RS (C-statistic: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72–0.80) was significantly better than that of CHA2DS2-VASc score (C-statistic: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.64–0.72; comparison p=0.03). For subgroup analysis, GRACE RS tended to be better than the CHA2DS2-VASc score in all but the intermediate-risk group as evidenced by C-statistics of 0.60 and 0.65 for GRACE and CHA2DS2-VASc scores, respectively. Excellent calibration was achieved except for GRACE RS in females (HLS p=0.05). Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of GRACE RS is relatively high as well as better than that of the CHA2DS2-VASc score with respect to the prediction of post-MI NOAF. Keywords: myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, GRACE risk score, CHA2DS2-VASc score, risk prediction

Ji-Li Zhao*, Wei Liu*, Wan-Ying Xie, Xu-Dong Cao, Li Yuan Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Medical School of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is one of the most common chronic infectious amphixenotic diseases worldwide. Prevention and control of TB are greatly difficult, due to the increase in drug-resistant TB, particularly multidrug-resistant TB. We speculated that there were some differences between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant MTB strains and that mazEF3,6,9 toxin–antitoxin systems (TASs) were involved in MTB viability. This study aimed to investigate differences in viability, biofilm formation, and MazEF expression between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant MTB strains circulating in Xinjiang, China, and whether mazEF3,6,9 TASs contribute to MTB viability under stress conditions. Materials and methods: Growth profiles and biofilm-formation abilities of drug-sensitive, drug-resistant MTB strains and the control strain H37Rv were monitored. Using molecular biology experiments, the mRNA expression of the mazF3, 6, and 9 toxin genes, the mazE3, 6, and 9 antitoxin genes, and expression of the MazF9 protein were detected in the different MTB strains, H37RvΔmazEF3,6,9 mutants from the H37Rv parent strain were generated, and mutant viability was tested. Results: Ex vivo culture analyses demonstrated that drug-resistant MTB strains exhibit higher survival rates than drug-sensitive strains and the control strain H37Rv. However, there was no statistical difference in biofilm-formation ability in the drug-sensitive, drug-resistant, and H37Rv strains. mazE3,6 mRNA-expression levels were relatively reduced in the drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains compared to H37Rv. Conversely, mazE3,9 expression was increased in drug-sensitive strains compared to drug-resistant strains. Furthermore, compared with the H37Rv strain, mazF3,6 expression was increased in drug-resistant strains, mazF9 expression was increased in drug-sensitive strains, and mazF9 exhibited reduced expression in drug-resistant strains compared with drug-sensitive strains. Protein expression of mazF9 was increased in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains compared to H37Rv, while drug-resistant strains exhibited reduced mazF9 expression compared to drug-sensitive strains. Compared to H37Rv, H37RvΔmazEF3,6,9-deletion mutants grew more slowly under both stress conditions, and their ability to survive in host macrophages was also weaker. Furthermore, the host macrophage-apoptosis rate was higher after infection with any of the H37RvΔmazEF3,6,9 mutants than with the H37Rv strain. Conclusion: The increased viability of MTB drug-resistant strains compared with drug-sensitive strains is likely to be related to differential MazEF mRNA and protein expression. mazEF3,6,9 TASs contribute to MTB viability under stress conditions. Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, toxin–antitoxin system, viability, biofilm, apoptosis, drug resistance

Jiu-ling Zhao,1,2 Xin Wang,1 Yu-shui Wang1 1Department of Pediatrics, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, 2Nankai Clinical School, Tianjin Medical University, Nankai, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is one of the most common childhood community-acquired pneumonias, and the chest radiograph usually shows bronchial pneumonia, segmental/lobar pneumonia, or segmental/lobar pneumonia with pleural effusion. The imbalance of Th1/Th2 function after Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is an important immunological mechanism of MPP. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children.Patients and methods: A total of 87 children with MPP were retrospectively reviewed in this study. According to the chest radiographic manifestations, they were divided into the following three groups: bronchial MPP group, segmental/lobar MPP group, and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion group. Clinical features and changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines were further analyzed.Results: The incidence of tachypnea and cyanosis was higher in children with segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion than in those with segmental/lobar or bronchial MPP. The peak body temperature of segmental/lobar MPP was higher than that of bronchial MPP, and the duration of fever and hospitalization was positively correlated with the severity of MPP. MPP children’s chest radiograph showed a relationship with the changes in Th1/Th2 cytokines. Serum interleukin-4, interleukin-10 (IL-10), interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of segmental/lobar MPP were significantly higher than those of bronchial MPP, and serum IL-10 (cutoff value: 27.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP. Serum TNF-α and interleukin-6 of segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion were significantly higher than those of segmental/lobar MPP without pleural effusion. Serum TNF-α (cutoff value: 60.25 pg/mL) can be used as a diagnostic predictor for segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion.Conclusion: There were significant correlations between Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and chest radiographic manifestations in MPP children. Serum IL-10 and TNF-α can be used as an optimal predictor for segmental/lobar MPP and segmental/lobar MPP with pleural effusion, respectively. Keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, Th1/Th2, cytokine, chest radiograph

Lixia Mao,1,* Jiaqiang Liu,1,* Jinglei Zhao,1 Jiang Chang,2 Lunguo Xia,1 Lingyong Jiang,1 Xiuhui Wang,2 Kaili Lin,2,3 Bing Fang11Center of Craniofacial Orthodontics, Department of Oral and Cranio-maxillofacial Science, Top Priority Clinical Medical Center of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 3Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration, School of Stomatology, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: The surface structure of bioceramic scaffolds is crucial for its bioactivity and osteoinductive ability, and in recent years, human periodontal ligament stem cells have been certified to possess high osteogenic and cementogenic differential ability. In the present study, hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramics with micro-nano-hybrid surface (mnHA [the hybrid of nanorods and microrods]) were fabricated via hydrothermal reaction of the α-tricalcium phosphate granules as precursors in aqueous solution, and the effects of mnHA on the attachment, proliferation, osteogenic and cementogenic differentiations of human periodontal ligament stem cells as well as the related mechanisms were systematically investigated. The results showed that mnHA bioceramics could promote cell adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and expression of osteogenic/cementogenic-related markers including runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), ALP, osteocalcin (OCN), cementum attachment protein (CAP), and cementum protein (CEMP) as compared to the HA bioceramics with flat and dense surface. Moreover, mnHA bioceramics stimulated gene expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) and β-catenin, which are the key genes of canonical Wnt signaling. Moreover, the stimulatory effect on ALP activity and osteogenic and cementogenic gene expression, including that of ALP, OCN, CAP, CEMP, and Runx2 of mnHA bioceramics could be repressed by canonical Wnt signaling inhibitor dickkopf1 (Dkk1). The results suggested that the HA bioceramics with mnHA could act as promising grafts for periodontal tissue regeneration.Keywords: surface topography, periodontal ligament stem cells, Wnt signaling pathway, bioceramics, periodontal reconstruction

Full function integrated, compact solid state neutral particle analyzers (ssNPA) based on absolute extreme ultraviolet silicon photodiode have been successfully implemented on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak to measure energetic particle. The ssNPA system has been operated in advanced current mode with fast temporal and spatial resolution capabilities, with both active and passive charge exchange measurements. It is found that the ssNPA flux signals are increased substantially with neutral beam injection (NBI). The horizontal active array responds to modulated NBI beam promptly, while weaker change is presented on passive array. Compared to near-perpendicular beam, near-tangential beam brings more passive ssNPA flux and a broader profile, while no clear difference is observed on active ssNPA flux and its profile. Significantly enhanced intensities on some ssNPA channels have been observed during ion cyclotron resonant heating.

Two novel receptors 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis[(ethoxycarbonyl)methoxy]-26,28-bis-[1-methyl-(imidazole)meth-oxy]-2,8,14,20-tetra-thiacalix[4]arene (L1) and 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-bis-[(benzyl)methoxy]-26,28-bis-[1-methyl-(imidazole)-methoxy]-2,8,14,20-tetrathiacalix[4]arene (L2) possessing imidazole moieties based on thiacalix[4]arene in the 1,3-alternate conformation have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures of L1 and L2 have been determined. The binding behaviour towards Li+, Na+, K+ and Ag+ ions has been examined by 1H NMR titration experiments in (CDCl3/CD3CN; 10:1, v/v) solution. The exclusive formation of mononuclear complexes of L1 with metal cations is of particular interest revealing a negative allosteric effect in the thiacalix[4]arene family. Liquid-liquid extraction experiments indicate that synthesized L2 can be utilized as an efficient reusable extractant for dichromate anion by controlling the pH of the aqueous solution.

As a group of emerging contaminants of global concern, tire additives and their transformation products (TATPs) are causing a severe threat to aquatic ecosystems, particularly the highly lethal effects of N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine quinone (6PPD-Q) on certain fish species. Yet, the contamination status of TATPs in the lake ecosystems remains largely uncharacterized. This study conducted the first nationwide monitoring of the distribution characteristics of TATPs in 208 lake sediments collected from five lake regions across China. All the 13 TATPs were identified in lake sediments, with the total levels varying between 1.4 and 1355 ng/g, and 4-hydroxydiphenylamine (4-OH-PPD) as the most dominant. The total levels of TATPs decreased in the following order: Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau > Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang Region, Eastern Plain > Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Northeast Plain (p < 0.05). The geographical distribution of TATPs in lake sediments was significantly driven by total organic carbon content, temperature, and population density. N,N'-di-2-naphthyl-p-phenylenediamine, 6PPD-Q, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine, and 4-OH-PPD belonged to high-priority contaminants. Our study emphasizes that emerging pollutant TATPs place significant pressure on lake ecosystems and deserve urgent 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 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Meningeal metastasis (LM) is commonly seen in the advanced stages of cancer patients, often leading to a rapid decline in survival time and quality of life. Currently, there is still a lack of standardized treatments. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are a class of emerging cancer therapeutics with the advantages of selectively replicating in cancer cells, delivering various eukaryotic transgenes, inducing immunogenic cell death, and promoting anti-tumor immunity. Some studies applying OVs intrathoracically or intraperitoneally for the treatment of malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions have shown promising therapeutic effects. If OVs could be applied to treat LM, it would bring significant survival benefits to patients with LM. In this review, we analyzed past research on the use of viruses to treat meningeal metastasis, summarized the efficacy and safety demonstrated by the research results, and analyzed the feasibility of oncolytic virus therapy for meningeal metastasis. We also summarized the existing data to provide guidance for the development of OVs that can be injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bacterial septicemia caused by Aeromonas hydrophila is one of the common bacterial diseases in aquaculture. Antimicrobial peptides, including hepcidin, are key components of the innate immune system in fish, playing a role in defense against pathogens. This study investigated the defense patterns of hepcidin in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) following A. hydrophila infection using gene expression analysis and in vitro antibacterial assays. We measured changes in the expression of iron metabolism-related genes (hepcidin, fpn, ftn, tf, tfr1) and immune-related genes (il-1β, il-6, il-8, il-10, tnf-α, socs3, nkap, tlr1, tlr2) in the intestine post-infection. MBC experiment demonstrated that the hepcidin synthetic peptide has an inhibitory effect on the growth of V. parahaemolyticus (32 μg/ml), A. hydrophilus (64 μg/ml), and F. columnaris (128 μg/ml), but not E. tarda (>256 μg/ml). After A. hydrophilus challenge, fpn, tf and tfr1 with peak expression at 24 hpi (2.75), 12 hpi (4.43) and 6 hpi (7.41), respectively. Hepcidin and ftn expression was highest at 48 hpi (115.01) and 72 hpi (4.16). The Fe 2+ content peaked at 6 hpi (2.64 μmol/l) and reached its lowest at 12 hpi (1.12 μmol/l) in the intestine. After pathogen challenge, il-1β, il-8, socs3, tlr2, and hepcidin showed trends of increased and then decreased, with peak expression at 72 hpi (5.13, 37.05, 3.08) and 48 hpi (5.35, 115.01), respectively. These findings suggested that hepcidin plays a key role in the defense against A. hydrophila: initially restricting bacterial growth through iron metabolism (0-48 hpi), and later modulating immune responses via the TNF (by inducing il-1β and socs3) and Toll-like receptor pathways (by inducing il-8 and tlr2) (48-96 hpi). This study provides novel insights into the immune function of hepcidin in fish and its potential application in managing bacterial infections in aquaculture., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Corneal limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) play a crucial role in corneal epithelium regeneration. Severe damage to these cells can result in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), characterized by repeated corneal conjunctivalization, leading to corneal turbidity and scar formation. Restoring functional LESCs and their ecological location are essential for treating LSCD. The goal of this review is to provide researchers and clinicians with key insights into LESCs biology and to conclude the current cell-based therapies advancement in LSCD treatments. Therapeutic cell resources mainly include mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), skin keratinocyte stem cells (SKCs), and oral mucosal epithelial cells (OMECs)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Babesia duncani is a pathogen within the phylum Apicomplexa that causes human babesiosis. It poses a significant threat to public health, as it can be transmitted not only through tick bites but also via blood transfusion. Consequently, an understanding of the gene functions of this pathogen is necessary for the development of drugs and vaccines. However, the absence of conditional gene knockdown tools has hindered the research on this pathogen. The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system is a rapid, reversible conditional knockdown system widely used in gene function studies. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish the AID system in B. duncani to study essential gene functions., Methods: The endogenous genes of the Skp1-Cullin-F-box (SCF) complex in B. duncani were identified and confirmed through multiple sequence alignment and conserved domain analysis. The expression of the F-box protein TIR1 from Oryza sativa (OsTIR1) was achieved by constructing a transgenic parasite strain using a homologous recombination strategy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) were used to confirm the correct monoclonal parasite strain. The degradation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) tagged with an AID degron was detected through western blot and live-cell fluorescence microscopy after treatment of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)., Results: In this study, Skp1, Cul1, and Rbx1 of the SCF complex in B. duncani were identified through sequence alignment and domain analysis. A pure BdTIR1 strain with expression of the OsTIR1 gene was constructed through homologous recombination and confirmed. This strain showed no significant differences from the wild type (WT) in terms of growth rate and proportions of different parasite forms. The eGFP tagged with an AID degron was successfully induced for degradation using 500 μM IAA. Grayscale analysis of western blot indicated a 61.3% reduction in eGFP expression levels, while fluorescence intensity analysis showed a 77.5% decrease in fluorescence intensity. Increasing the IAA concentration to 2 mM accelerated eGFP degradation and enhanced the extent of degradation., Conclusions: This study demonstrated the functionality of the AID system in regulating protein levels by inducing rapid degradation of eGFP using IAA, providing an important research tool for studying essential gene functions related to invasion, egress, and virulence of B. duncani. Moreover, it also offers a construction strategy for apicomplexan parasites that have not developed an AID system., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are an important source of pharmaceuticals in surface water, but information about their transformation products (TPs) is very limited. Here, we investigated occurrence and transformation of pharmaceuticals and TPs in WWTPs and receiving rivers by using suspect and non-target analysis as well as target analysis. Results showed identification of 113 pharmaceuticals and 399 TPs, including mammalian metabolites (n = 100), environmental microbial degradation products (n = 250), photodegradation products (n = 44) and hydrolysis products (n = 5). The predominant parent pharmaceuticals (n = 37) and transformation products (n = 68) were mainly derived from antimicrobials, accounting for 32.7 % and 17.0 %, respectively. The identified compounds were found in the influent (387-428) and effluent (227-400) of WWTPs, as well as upstream (290-451) and downstream (322-416) of receiving rivers, most predominantly from antimicrobials, followed by analgesic and antipyretic drugs. A total of 399 identified TPs were transformed by 110 pathways, of which the oxidation reaction was predominant (27.0 %), followed by photodegradation reaction (10.7 %). Of the 399 TPs, 49 (with lower PNECs) were predicted to be more toxic than their parents. Compounds with potential high risks (hazard quotient >1 and risk index (RI) > 0.1) were found in the WWTP influent (126), effluent (53) and river (61), and the majority were from the antimicrobial and antihypertensive classes. In particular, the potential risks (RI) of TPs from roxithromycin and irbesartan were found higher than those for their corresponding parents. The findings from this study highlight the need to monitor TPs from pharmaceuticals in the environment., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

The release of rubber-derived chemicals (RDCs) in road surface runoff has received significant attention. Urban surface runoff is often the confluence of stormwater runoff from specific areas. However, the impact of precipitation on RDCs contamination in confluent stormwater runoff and receiving watersheds remains poorly understood. Herein, we investigated the profiles of RDCs and their transformation products in confluent stormwater runoff and receiving rivers affected by precipitation events. The results showed that 34 RDCs are ubiquitously present in confluent stormwater runoff and surface water, with mean concentrations of 1.03-2749 and 0.28-436 ng/L, respectively. The most dominant target compounds in each category were N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), 6PPD-quinone, 2-benzothiazolol, and 1,3-diphenylguanidine. Total RDCs concentrations in confluent stormwater runoff decreased spatially from industrial areas to business districts to college towns. A significant decrease in RDCs levels in surface water after rainfall was observed (P < 0.01), indicating that precipitation contributes to alleviating RDCs pollution in receiving watersheds. To our knowledge, this is the first report of N,N'-ditolyl-p-phenylenediamine quinone (DTPD-Q) levels in surface waters in China. The annual mass load of ∑RDCs reached 72,818 kg/y in confluent stormwater runoff, while 38,799 kg/y in surface water. The monitoring of confluent stormwater runoff is an efficient measure for predicting contamination loads from RDCs in rivers. Risk assessment suggested that most RDCs posed at least medium risks to aquatic organisms, especially 6PPD-quinone. The findings help to understand the environmental fate and risks of RDCs in the confluent stormwater runoff and receiving environments after precipitation events., 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: We examined the factors influencing hospitalization and prognosis among patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) targeted therapy during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Methods: In total, 267 patients diagnosed with NSCLC who were receiving treatment with third-generation EGFR-TKIs were included in our retrospective study. Data on patients' demographics, clinical characteristics, and survival were collected and analyzed., Results: Over a mean follow-up of 18 months, 80.5% (215/267) of the patients contracted COVID-19, and 12.6% (27/215) of these patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment. Vaccinated patients, those with body mass index (BMI) ≥22.3 kg/m 2 , and those with no comorbidities had lower rates of infection and hospitalization than unvaccinated patients, those with BMI <22.3 kg/m 2 , and those with comorbidities, respectively. Continued NSCLC treatment in patients with COVID-19 was identified as a risk factor for patient survival., Conclusions: NSCLC treatment can be continued for patients who received COVID-19 vaccines, those with higher BMI, and those without comorbidities during the COVID-19 epidemic, but treatment interruption might be required for patients during the active phase of infection., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Swine wastewater (SW) contains high levels of traditional pollutants, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), necessitating effective elimination. Two parallel aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactors, R 1 and R 2 , were constructed and optimized for treating SW from two pig farms, identified as SW 1 and SW 2 . R 2 showed higher antibiotic removal efficiency, particularly in the removal of sulfonamides, while fluoroquinolones tended to adsorb onto the sludge. Process optimization by introducing an additional anoxic phase enhanced denitrification and reduced effluent ARG levels, also aiding in the improved removal of fluoroquinolones. The nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) Nitrospira accumulated after the treatment process, reaching 12.8 % in R 1 and 14.1 % in R 2 , respectively. Mantel's test revealed that pH, NH 4 + -N, and Mg significantly affected ARGs and microbial community. Sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine were found to significantly impact ARGs and the microbial communities. This study provides innovative insights into the application of AGS for the treatment of real SW., 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: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (CCEs). Furthermore, CCE was a significant factor contributing to mortality in patients with SLE. However, no clinical model exists that can predict which patients are at high risk. The purpose of this study was to develop a practical model for predicting the risk of CCE in people with SLE., Methods: This study was based on the Chinese SLE Treatment and Research Group cohort. A total of 2399 patients, who had a follow-up period of over 3 years and were diagnosed with SLE for less than 1 year at the start of the study, were included. Cox proportional hazards regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to establish the model. Internal validation was performed, and the predictive power of the model was evaluated., Results: During the follow-up period, 93 patients had CCEs. The prediction model included nine variables: male gender, smoking, hypertension, age of SLE onset >40, cutaneous involvement, arthritis, anti-β2GP1 antibody positivity, high-dose glucocorticoids and hydroxychloroquine usage. The model's C index was 0.801. Patients with a prognostic index over 0.544 were classified into the high-risk group., Conclusion: We have developed a predictive model that uses clinical indicators to assess the probability of CCE in patients diagnosed with SLE. This model has the ability to precisely predict the risk of CCE in patients with SLE. We recommended using this model in the routine assessment of patients with SLE., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)