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Lan Gao,1 Lei-Lei Wang,1 Rui Yang,2 Xing-Jie Yang,1 Shuang-Jiang Zhou1 1Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shuang-Jiang Zhou, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, 10096, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-83024136, Email zhoushuangjiang@126.comPurpose: Depression and anxiety have a significant impact on an individuals’ work and personal life alike. The mental health of researchers is a significant concern worldwide. This study investigated the mental health status of Chinese researchers specifically and explored the moderating effects of perceived stress on the influence of low self-accomplishment on anxiety and depression.Methods: The online survey platform “Survey Star” was used to create a questionnaire to be distributed to researchers, with 949 questionnaires retrieved. The general information questionnaire, 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) were used for this investigation. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to investigate correlations among the relevant variables. Model 8 of PROCESS 3.3 program was used to analyze the moderating effects of perceived stress.Results: Among the 949 participants, 570 (60.1%) reported symptoms of depression and 431 (45.4%) had symptoms of anxiety, with about one in six reporting symptoms of self-harm or suicidal ideation. Perceived stress was found to moderate the effect of low self-accomplishment on depression and anxiety.Conclusion: Here we show that researchers exhibit a high rate of depression and anxiety symptoms. Perceived stress is also shown to play a moderating role on the influence of low self-accomplishment on anxiety and depression. Thus, reducing perceived stress levels can help to improve the mental health of researchers.Keywords: research personnel, mental health, burnout, accomplishment, stress, suicidal ideation

Shuang-Jiang Zhou,1,* Rui Yang,2,* Lei-Lei Wang,1 Meng Qi,1 Xiao-Fei Yuan,2 Ting-Ting Wang,3 Tian-He Song,4 Yun-Yue Zhuang,4 Hong-Juan Li,1 Yun-Long Tan,1 Xue Wang,2 Jing-Xu Chen1 1Sleep Medicine Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Mental Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Psychology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xue Wang, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100088, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-58303034, Email xuew37@ccmu.edu.cn Jing-Xu Chen, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, 100096, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-83024278, Email chenjx1110@163.comObjective: To assess the performance of a wearable multi-sensor system (SensEcho) in comparison to polysomnography (PSG) in measuring sleep stages and searching for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).Methods: Participants underwent overnight simultaneous monitoring using SensEcho and PSG in a sleep laboratory. SensEcho analyzed the recordings spontaneously, and PSG was assessed as per standard guidelines. The degree of snoring was evaluated according to the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of OSA hypopnea syndrome (2011 revision). The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used to assess general daytime sleepiness.Results: This study included 103 Han Chinese, 91 of whom (age 39.02 ± 13.84 years, body mass index 27.28 ± 5.12 kg/m2, 61.54% male) completed the assessments. The measures of total sleep time (P = 0.198); total wake time (P = 0.182); shallow sleep (P = 0.297), deep sleep (P = 0.422), rapid eye movement sleep (P = 0.570), and awake (P = 0.336) proportions were similar between SensEcho and PSG. Using an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) cutoff of ≥ 5 events/h, the SensEcho had 82.69% sensitivity and 89.74% specificity. Almost the same results were obtained at an AHI threshold of ≥ 15 events/h. Although the specificity increased to 94.67%, it decreased to 43.75% at an AHI cutoff of ≥ 30 events/h.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that SensEcho can be used to evaluate sleep status and screen for OSA. Nevertheless, improving the accuracy of its assessment of severe OSA and further testing its effectiveness in community and home environments is necessary.Keywords: wearable multi-sensor system, polysomnography, sleep stages, obstructive sleep apnea

Lan Gao,1,&ast; Rui Yang,2,&ast; Hong-Zhen Fan,1 Lei-Lei Wang,1 Yan-Li Zhao,1 Shu-Ping Tan,1 Chun-Ling Xiao,1 Shuang-Jiang Zhou1 1Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chun-Ling Xiao; Shuang-Jiang Zhou, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, 10096, People’s Republic of China, Email xiaocl2002@163.com; zhoushuangjiang@126.comPurpose: To explore the correlation between aggressive behavior and impulsive and aggressive personality traits in inpatients with schizophrenia.Methods: In total, 367 inpatients with schizophrenia were divided into two groups: the aggressive group and the non-aggressive group. We assessed inpatients’ psychotic symptoms as well as their aggressive and impulsive personality traits using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire.Results: Compared with the scores of inpatients in the non-aggressive group, the total Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, subscale, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale behavioral factor scores in those in the aggressive group were higher (p < 0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that a high Positive and Negative Symptom Scale positive factor score (odds ratio = 1.07) and a high Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire physical aggression score (odds ratio = 1.02) were risk factors for aggressive behavior.Conclusion: Hospitalized patients with schizophrenia with more severe positive symptoms and aggressive traits may be more prone to aggressive behavior.Keywords: schizophrenia, aggressive behavior, impulsivity trait, aggressive trait, stable patients

Tian-He Song,1,2,&ast; Ting-Ting Wang,2,3,&ast; Yun-Yue Zhuang,1,2 Hua Zhang,4 Jun-Hui Feng,5 Tang-Ren Luo,6 Shuang-Jiang Zhou,2 Jing-Xu Chen2 1Department of Psychology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 2Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Mental Health, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 4Dongying People’s Hospital, Dongying, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 5Jining Psychiatric Hospital, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 6The Third Hospital of Longyan, Longyan, Fujian, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shuang-Jiang Zhou; Jing-Xu Chen, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing, 10096, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13466401377 ; +86 13681394260, Email zhoushuangjiang@126.com; chenjx1110@163.comPurpose: Nightmare is common and is also independently implicated in suicide risk among the adolescent population. Adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) are at an increased risk of suicide. Therefore, comorbid nightmares may amplify suicide risk among this clinical population. This study aimed to explore the effects of nightmares on suicide risk among adolescents with MDD.Patients and Methods: Subjects were 499 outpatients aged 12– 18 in four large psychiatric hospitals clinic of China, from January 1 to October 31, 2021. Simultaneously, we matched 499 healthy controls according to gender and age. All participants underwent affective state (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and sleep variable (nightmare frequency/distress, insomnia symptoms, and daytime sleepiness) evaluation as well as MDD diagnoses and determination of suicide risk by a fully structured diagnostic clinical interview.Results: Adolescents with MDD reported a higher incidence of frequent nightmares (at least one night per week) and level of nightmare distress than healthy controls (22.0% vs 6.1%; 28.85 ± 11.92 vs 17.30 ± 5.61). Over half of the patients with suicide risk (51.6%) experienced frequent nightmares compared with approximately one-third of those at a risk for suicide (30.7%). Patients with suicide risk scored scientifically higher on sleep variables, depressive and anxiety symptoms than those without the risk. Further logistic regression analysis indicated that female gender, junior grade, recurrent depressive episode, severe nightmare distress and severe depressive symptoms were independently and significantly associated with suicide risk.Conclusion: Our study provided evidence that adolescents with MDD experienced a higher prevalence of frequent nightmares and suffered more nightmare distress. Nightmare distress is an independent risk factor for suicide risk.Keywords: major depressive disorder, sleep problems, nightmare, suicide risk, adolescent

Xiaoyun Song,* Kang Shi,* Shi-Jie Zhou, Da-Ping Yu, Zhidong Liu, Yi Han Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. Aberrant RARβ promoter methylation has been frequently investigated in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), the most common form of lung cancer. The aim of present study was to carry out a meta-analysis and a systematic review to evaluate clinicopathological significance of RARβ promoter hypermethylation in NSCLC. A systematic literature search was carried out. The data were extracted and assessed by two reviewers independently. The Cochrane software Review Manager 5.2 was used to conduct the review. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. A total of 18 relevant articles were available for meta-analysis which included 1,871 participants. The frequency of RARβ hypermethylation was significantly increased in NSCLC than in nonmalignant lung tissue, and the pooled OR was 5.69 (P

Ran Wang,1,* Min Li,2,* Sijing Zhou,1,3 Daxiong Zeng,4 Xuan Xu,5 Rui Xu,1 Gengyun Sun1 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People’s Republic of China; 3Hefei Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Hefei, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China; 5Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: To evaluate the effect of a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2910164) in the miR-146a precursor on the expression level of miR-146a, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), and production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in lung tissue harvested from smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as the lung function and disease stages from the same patient population.Methods and results: One-hundred and sixty-eight smokers with diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recruited. The patients were genotyped for rs2910164 polymorphism using Sanger sequencing, and their lung function/disease stages were evaluated following Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria. Meanwhile, messenger ribonucleic acid and protein expression levels of miR-146a and COX2 as well as PGE2 production were determined in 66 lung tissue samples collected in the patients who received surgical treatment. We confirmed that COX2 is a validated target of miR-146a in human fibroblast cells, and identified the differential expression patterns of miR-146a and COX2 in each rs2910164 genotype group. We observed a significant association between rs2910164 in miR-146a and the levels of either COX2 or PGE2 using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Consistently, we were able to demonstrate that the rs2910164 single nucleotide polymorphism has a functional effect on the baseline lung function in the study population.Conclusion: In the present study, the rs2910164 CC and GC genotype was found to be associated with an improved lung function and milder disease stages, at least partially, mediated by its ability to increase in COX2 expression and PGE2 production. Keywords: SNP, miR-146a, COX-2, COPD, lung function

To examine the effects of ceftiofur sodium liposomes on the free radical formation in liver of mice, 24 mice were assigned randomly into three groups, i.e., 1) ceftiofur sodium; 2) ceftiofur sodium liposomes and 3) physiological saline. Treatments were applied via intraperitoneal injections for 7 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were euthanized and liver collected for analysis of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the ability of liver tissue to suppress hydroxyl radical formation. Ceftiofur sodium liposomes-treated mice had higher activity of SOD than ceftiofur sodium- and saline-treated mice; however, MDA content and the ability of liver tissue to suppress hydroxyl radical formation did not reach statistical significance among groups. It was concluded that ceftiofur sodium liposomes can improve the SOD activity compared to ceftiofur alone in mice.

Background and Aims: Evidence regarding perinatal low-calorie (or artificial) sweetener (LCS) consumption and its effect on maternal health outcomes is limited and inconclusive. The primary outcomes of our systematic review and meta-analysis were the effect of preconception and pregnancy LCS exposure on reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. Secondary outcomes included long-term maternal health., Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ProQuest Health and Medical, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar, was conducted up to 20 November 2023. Primary studies, including clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, which reported any LCS consumption during perinatal period and pregnancy and maternal health outcomes were eligible. A random effects model with restricted maximum likelihood estimation was used for the meta-analysis. We appraised the quality of the included studies using the National Institute of Health study quality appraisal tool and the overall quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool., Results: A total of 19 eligible studies with 203,706 participants were included. LCS consumption during pregnancy was associated with 11% increased risk of preterm birth (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07-1.16, I 2  = 0.01%) and 42% increased risk of gestational diabetes (RR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.98-2.04, I 2  = 67.60%) compared with no consumption, however, the effect size for gestational diabetes was not precise as the 95% CI indicated that the effect estimate could range from 2% lower risk to 204% (or 2.04 times) higher risk. We found no association between LCS consumption during pregnancy and gestational weight gain (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.17 - 0.24, I 2  = 41.31%) or gestational age at birth (SMD = 0.00; 95% CI: -0.13 - 0.14, I 2  = 80.13%). The effect of LCS consumption on reproductive treatment outcomes were inconsistent., Conclusions: Based on the evidence available, LCS consumption in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of preterm birth and gestational diabetes. Robust research, such as well-designed randomized trials and large prospective cohort studies, is required to confirm the causal effect of LCS consumption during perinatal period on adverse maternal health outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

We examined the association between low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) consumption during preconception, pregnancy, and breastfeeding and child health outcomes. A systematic search of electronic databases in PubMed, Embase, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ProQuest Health and Medical, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar was conducted up to 21 September 2023. A random effects model with restricted maximum likelihood estimation was used for the meta-analysis. Seventeen eligible studies were included. The standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in birth weight between those who frequently consumed LCS (≥1 serve/day) during pregnancy and those who did not consume LCS was 0.04 (0.00, 0.08) (four cohort studies). Any LCS consumption during pregnancy compared with no consumption was not associated with birth weight [SMD (95% CI) = 0.03 (-0.03, 0.08)] (four cohort studies). Any LCS consumption during pregnancy was not associated with body mass index z-scores. The weighted mean difference (95% CI) was 0.00 (-0.05, 0.06) at birth, 0.06 (-0.29, 0.40) at 6 months, -0.04 (-0.19, 0.10) at 1 year, 0.00 (-0.16, 0.17) at 3 years, and 0.10 (-0.15, 0.34) at 7 years of the child age, compared with no intake (five cohort studies). The odds of being overweight at 1 year among children exposed to LCS during pregnancy was 1.19 (OR [95% CI]: 1.19 [0.81, 1.58]) compared with unexposed children (two cohort studies). The effect sizes were not precise for all the outcomes as the 95% CI indicated the effect estimates could range from small protective to a higher risk. The effect of LCS consumption on child behaviour and cognition was inconsistent. There is not enough evidence to confirm LCS consumption during pregnancy affects birth weight and risk of overweight in children. However, frequent consumption increased birth weight and the risk of overweight at different ages, though the effects were imprecise. More robust research evidence is required as the quality of evidence is low., (© 2024 The Author(s). Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the application value in neurological outcome of cerebral regional oxygen saturation (CrSO 2 ) and amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) monitoring during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) courses., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 18 neonates receiving veno-arterial ECMO (V-A ECMO) support at our hospital from July 2021 to December 2022. Continuous monitoring of CrSO 2 and brain electrical activity was conducted using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and aEEG throughout the ECMO treatment. We collected and analyzed related clinical data., Results: Among the 11 survivors, 5 were categorized as the normal group (N group) and 6 as the abnormal group (AN group) based on post-ECMO brain MRI outcomes. The N group exhibited shorter time percentage of significant CrSO 2 reduction (> 25% from baseline or absolute value < 40%), better fractional tissue oxygen extraction (FTOE) rates, and more stable mean percentage changes in CrSO 2 compared to the AN group. Neonates in the N group predominantly showed mildly abnormal aEEG readings, with one patient displaying disrupted sleep-wake cycles. This particular patient also had more significant CrSO 2 reduction and poorer FTOE compared to others in the N group. Additionally, the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) scores indicated hypoevolutism in this patient before discharge, while others in the N group had normal TIMP scores. In the AN group, 4 exhibited moderate and 2 severe aEEG abnormalities; 5 had hypoevolutism TIMP scores, and 1 with moderate aEEG abnormalities maintained a normal TIMP score, exhibiting lesser CrSO 2 reduction and improved FTOE., Conclusion: CrSO 2 and aEEG monitoring show potential as routine assessments for neurological outcomes during neonatal ECMO. In our cohort, a tendency was observed where neonates with greater reductions in CrSO 2 and more severe aEEG abnormalities experienced poorer neurological outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common nutritional deficiency affecting young children. Serum ferritin concentration is the preferred biomarker for measuring iron status because it reflects iron stores; however, blood collection can be distressing for young children and can be logistically difficult. A noninvasive means to measure iron status would be attractive to either diagnose or screen for ID in young children., Objectives: This study aimed to determine the correlation between urinary and serum ferritin concentrations in young children; to determine whether correcting urinary ferritin for creatinine and specific gravity improves the correlation; and to determine a urine ferritin cut point to predict ID., Methods: Validation study was conducted using paired serum and urine collected from 3-y-old children (n = 142) participating in a longitudinal birth cohort study: the ORIGINS project in Perth, Western Australia. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of urinary ferritin amount in identifying those with ID at the clinical cut point used by the World Health Organization (serum ferritin concentration of <12 ng/mL)., Results: Urine ferritin, corrected for creatinine, correlated moderately with serum ferritin [r = 0.53 (0.40-0.64)] and performed well in predicting those with ID (area under the curve: 0.85; 95% confidence interval: 0.75, 0.94). Urine ferritin <2.28 ng/mg creatinine was sensitive (86%) and specific (77%) in predicting ID and had a high negative predictive value of 97%; however, the positive predictive value was low (40%) owing to the low prevalence of ID in the sample (16%)., Conclusions: Urine ferritin shows good diagnostic performance for ID. This noninvasive biomarker maybe a useful screening tool to exclude ID in healthy young children; however, further research is needed in other populations., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hypomethylating agents (HMA) in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) . Methods: A total of 409 MDS patients from 45 hospitals in Zhejiang province who received at least four consecutive cycles of HMA monotherapy as initial therapy were enrolled to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HMA. Mann-Whitney U or Chi-square tests were used to compare the differences in the clinical data. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to analyze the factors affecting efficacy and survival. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis. Results: Patients received HMA treatment for a median of 6 cycles (range, 4-25 cycles) . The complete remission (CR) rate was 33.98% and the overall response rate (ORR) was 77.02%. Multivariate analysis revealed that complex karyotype ( P =0.02, OR =0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.84) was an independent favorable factor for CR rate. TP53 mutation ( P =0.02, OR =0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.77) was a predictive factor for a higher ORR. The median OS for the HMA-treated patients was 25.67 (95% CI 21.14-30.19) months. HMA response ( P =0.036, HR =0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95) was an independent favorable prognostic factor, whereas complex karyotype ( P =0.024, HR =2.14, 95% CI 1.10-4.15) , leukemia transformation ( P <0.001, HR =2.839, 95% CI 1.64-4.92) , and TP53 mutation ( P =0.012, HR =2.19, 95% CI 1.19-4.07) were independent adverse prognostic factors. There was no significant difference in efficacy and survival between the reduced and standard doses of HMA. The CR rate and ORR of MDS patients treated with decitabine and azacitidine were not significantly different. The median OS of patients treated with decitabine was longer compared with that of patients treated with azacitidine (29.53 months vs 20.17 months, P =0.007) . The incidence of bone marrow suppression and pneumonia in the decitabine group was higher compared with that in the azacitidine group. Conclusion: Continuous and regular use of appropriate doses of hypomethylating agents may benefit MDS patients to the greatest extent if it is tolerated.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impaired the quality of life (QoL) for many due to its extensive impacts. However, few studies have addressed the specific impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of adolescents, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study considered the impact of COVID-19-related PTSD on the QoL of adolescents in China, the mediating effects of insomnia, and the moderating effects of resilience. Participants included 50,666 adolescents aged 12-18 years selected using a comprehensive sampling method. We performed data collection from January 8th to January 18th, 2023, using the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Ten-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Screening for and Promotion of Health-related QoL in Children and Adolescents Questionnaire for data collection. Male adolescents exhibited significantly lower levels of PTSD and insomnia compared to females and scored significantly higher in psychological resilience and overall QoL. Insomnia played a mediating role between PTSD and QoL. Psychological resilience moderated the impact of COVID-19-related stress on adolescents' QoL through its influence on insomnia. PTSD resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic affects the QoL of adolescents through the presence of insomnia. Psychological resilience plays a moderating role in this process. Cultivating psychological resilience in adolescents can effectively enhance their ability to cope with the impacts of sudden public events., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aims to understand the role of cirrhosis in promoting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by analyzing the differential expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) between cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (CHCC) and noncirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma (NCHCC)., Methods: A transcriptional profile array was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs. Subsequently, a specific lncRNA was selected to evaluate the clinical significance, potential functions, regulatory targets, and pathways through both in vitro and in vivo experiments., Results: The study identified a lncRNA, which we termed DERCNC, an acronym for Differentially Expressed RNA between Cirrhotic and Non-Cirrhotic HCC. DERCNC was significantly more highly expressed in CHCC than in NCHCC. Clinically, elevated levels of DERCNC expression were positively correlated with both the cirrhotic state and tumor stage and inversely correlated with tumor differentiation. Furthermore, high expression of DERCNC was associated with a poor prognosis for patients. Conditioned medium from the hepatic stellate cell (LX2) was found to enhance DERCNC expression, SOX9 expression, and tumor proliferation. Overexpression of DERCNC similarly promoted tumor proliferation and increased SOX9 levels. Conversely, DERCNC silencing resulted in the opposite effects. Moreover, the pro-proliferative function of DERCNC was reversible through the modulation of SOX9 expression. Further mechanistic studies revealed that DERCNC upregulated SOX9 by increasing the enrichment of H3K27ac modifications near the SOX9 promoter., Conclusion: In conclusion, DERCNC expression in CHCC has significant clinical implications and can aggravate tumor proliferation by targeting SOX9. This represents a novel mechanism by which cirrhosis promotes tumor progression., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Purpose: Examine the alterations in antipsychotic concentrations following coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection among hospitalized patients with mental disorders and conduct an analysis of the factors influencing these changes., Methods: Data were collected from inpatients at Beijing Huilongguan Hospital between December 12, 2022, and January 11, 2023, pre- and post-COVID-19. Based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, 329 inpatients with mental disorders were included (3 with incomplete data excluded). Primary outcomes assessed changes in antipsychotic concentrations pre- and post-COVID-19, while secondary outcomes examined factors linked to concentration increases and antipsychotic dose adjustments., Results: Clozapine (P < 0.001), aripiprazole (P < 0.001), quetiapine (P = 0.005), olanzapine (P < 0.001), risperidone (P < 0.001), and paliperidone (P < 0.001) concentrations increased post-COVID-19 in patients with mental disorders. Notably, clozapine concentration surpassing pre-infection levels was highest. Clozapine users were more likely to adjust their dose (50.4%) compared to olanzapine (17.5%) and other antipsychotics. Moreover, traditional Chinese patent medicines and antibiotics during COVID-19 infection were associated with antipsychotic reduction or withdrawal (OR = 2.06, P = 0.0247; OR = 7.53, P = 0.0024, respectively)., Conclusion: Antipsychotic concentrations in hospitalized patients with mental disorders increased after COVID-19 infection, that may be related not only to COVID-19, but also to the use of Chinese patent medicines during infection. The pre-infection concentration and types of antipsychotics, patient's gender, and combination of traditional Chinese medicine or antibiotics, were factors found to correlate with increased drug concentrations and necessitate dose adjustments., 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 Yang, Wan, Pi, Wang, Zhu and Zhou.)

Artificially extracted agricultural phenotype information exhibits high subjectivity and low accuracy, while the utilization of image extraction information is susceptible to interference from haze. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the agricultural image dehazing method used for extracting such information is limited due to unclear texture details and color representation in the images. To address these limitations, we propose AgriGAN (unpaired image dehazing via a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network) for enhancing the dehazing performance in agricultural plant phenotyping. The algorithm incorporates an atmospheric scattering model to improve the discriminator model and employs a whole-detail consistent discrimination approach to enhance discriminator efficiency, thereby accelerating convergence towards Nash equilibrium state within the adversarial network. Finally, by training with network adversarial loss + cycle consistent loss, clear images are obtained after dehazing process. Experimental evaluations and comparative analysis were conducted to assess this algorithm's performance, demonstrating improved accuracy in dehazing agricultural images while preserving detailed texture information and mitigating color deviation issues., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: The role of fetal vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)], one of the nuclear steroid transcription regulators, and brain development is unclear. We previously found a weak but persistent association between cord blood 25(OH)D and child language abilities at 18 months and 4 years of age, but no association with cognition or behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between cord blood 25(OH)D and a range of neurodevelopmental outcomes in these same children at 7 years of age., Methods: Cord blood samples from 250 Australian mother-child pairs were analysed for 25(OH)D by mass spectroscopy. Children underwent tests of cognition, language, academic abilities and executive functions with a trained assessor at 7 years of age. Caregivers completed questionnaires to rate their child's behaviour and executive functioning in the home environment. Associations between standardised 25(OH)D and outcomes were assessed using regression models, taking into account possible social and demographic confounders., Results: Standardised 25(OH)D in cord blood was not associated with any test or parent-rated scores. Nor was there any association with the risk of having a poor test or parent-rated score. Likewise, cord blood 25(OH)D categorised as <25, 25-50 and >50 nmol/L was not associated with test scores or parent-rated scores., Conclusions: There was no evidence that cord blood vitamin D concentration or deficiency was associated with cognition, language, academic abilities, executive functioning or behaviour at 7 years of age., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).)

(1) Background: Despite the important role choline plays in child development, there are no data on dietary choline intake in early childhood in Australia. (2) Aim: In this cross-sectional study, we estimated the usual total choline intake and the proportion exceeding the Adequate Intake (AI) and determined the main dietary sources of choline in infants 6-12 months (n = 286) and toddlers 12-24 months (n = 475) of age. (3) Methods: A single 24-h food record with repeats collected during the 2021 Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (OzFITS 2021) was used to estimate dietary choline intake. (4) Results: The mean choline intake was 142 ± 1.9 mg/day in infants and 181 ± 1.2 mg/day in toddlers. Only 35% of infants and 23% of toddlers exceeded the AI for choline based on Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for Australia and New Zealand. Breastmilk was the leading source of choline, contributing 42% and 14% of total choline intake in infants and toddlers, respectively; however, egg consumers had the highest adjusted choline intakes and probability of exceeding the AI. (5) Conclusions: Findings suggest that choline intake may be suboptimal in Australian infants and toddlers. Further research to examine the impact of low choline intake on child development is warranted.

Background: Infant formulas are typically manufactured using skimmed milk, whey proteins, and vegetable oils, which excludes milk fat globule membranes (MFGM). MFGM contains polar lipids, including sphingomyelin (SM)., Objective: The objective of this study was comparison of infant plasma SM and acylcarnitine species between infants who are breastfed or receiving infant formulas with different fat sources., Methods: In this explorative study, we focused on SM and acylcarnitine species concentrations measured in plasma samples from the TIGGA study (ACTRN12608000047392), where infants were randomly assigned to receive either a cow milk-based infant formula (CIF) with vegetable oils only or a goat milk-based infant formula (GIF) with a goat milk fat (including MFGM) and vegetable oil mixture to the age ≥4 mo. Breastfed infants were followed as a reference group. Using tandem mass spectrometry, SM species in the study formulas and SM and acylcarnitine species in plasma samples collected at the age of 4 mo were analyzed., Results: Total SM concentrations (∼42 μmol/L) and patterns of SM species were similar in both formulas. The total plasma SM concentrations were not different between the formula groups but were 15 % (CIF) and 21% (GIF) lower in the formula groups than in the breastfed group. Between the formula groups, differences in SM species were statistically significant but small. Total carnitine and major (acyl) carnitine species were not different between the groups., Conclusions: The higher total SM concentration in breastfed than in formula-fed infants might be related to a higher SM content in human milk, differences in cholesterol metabolism, dietary fatty acid intake, or other factors not yet identified. SM and acylcarnitine species composition in plasma is not closely related to the formula fatty acid composition. This trial was registered at Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry as ACTRN12608000047392., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Development of high-performance cutting tool materials is one of the critical parameters enhancing the surface finishing of high-speed machined products. Ti(C,N)-based cermets reinforced with and without different contents of silicon nitride were designed and evaluated to satisfy the requirements. In fact, the effect of silicon nitride addition to Ti(C,N)-based cermet remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of Si 3 N 4 additive on microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of Ti(C,N)-based cermet cutting tools. In the present work, α-Si 3 N 4 "grade SN-E10" was utilized with various fractions up to 6 wt.% in the designed cermets. A two-step reactive sintering process under vacuum was carried out for the green compact of Ti(C,N)-based cermet samples. The samples with 4 wt.% Si 3 N 4 have an apparent solid density of about 6.75 g/cm 3 (relative density of about 98 %); however, the cermet samples with 2 wt.% Si 3 N 4 exhibit a superior fracture toughness of 10.82 MPa.m1/2 and a traverse rupture strength of 1425.8 MPa. With an increase in the contents of Si 3 N 4 , the Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of Ti(C,N)-based cermets have an inverse behavior trend. The influence of Si 3 N 4 addition on thermal stability is clarified to better understand the relationship between thermal stability and mechanical properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermets.

Automated segmentation of liver tumors in CT scans is pivotal for diagnosing and treating liver cancer, offering a valuable alternative to labor-intensive manual processes and ensuring the provision of accurate and reliable clinical assessment. However, the inherent variability of liver tumors, coupled with the challenges posed by blurred boundaries in imaging characteristics, presents a substantial obstacle to achieving their precise segmentation. In this paper, we propose a novel dual-branch liver tumor segmentation model, SBCNet, to address these challenges effectively. Specifically, our proposed method introduces a contextual encoding module, which enables a better identification of tumor variability using an advanced multi-scale adaptive kernel. Moreover, a boundary enhancement module is designed for the counterpart branch to enhance the perception of boundaries by incorporating contour learning with the Sobel operator. Finally, we propose a hybrid multi-task loss function, concurrently concerning tumors' scale and boundary features, to foster interaction across different tasks of dual branches, further improving tumor segmentation. Experimental validation on the publicly available LiTS dataset demonstrates the practical efficacy of each module, with SBCNet yielding competitive results compared to other state-of-the-art methods for liver tumor segmentation.

Background: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology has significantly decreased mortality rates associated with neonatal pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure. Prone positioning ventilation (PPV) is a commonly used technique in critically ill infants, designed to improve thoracic pressure gradients, re-expand dorsal lung segments, and increase oxygenation in approximately 70-80% of patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PPV on pulmonary function in neonates undergoing venous-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 17 neonates who received ECMO support in our institution, divided into two groups based on ventilation strategy: ECMO with PPV (ECMO-PPV, n=8) and ECMO with supine positioning ventilation (ECMO-SPV, n=9). Parameters such as the P/F ratio [arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO 2 )/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 )], oxygenation index (OI), respiratory system compliance (Crs), and airway resistance (RAW) were collected and analyzed at baseline, and at 1, 2, and 3 days post-ECMO initiation. In the ECMO-PPV group, these parameters were also assessed 3 days pre-treatment and 2 hours post-treatment initiation., Results: Initial comparisons between ECMO-PPV and ECMO-SPV groups showed no significant difference in PaO 2 /FiO 2 , OI, Crs, or RAW. Throughout the ECMO treatment, both groups demonstrated gradual improvements in PaO 2 /FiO 2 and Crs, and reductions in OI and RAW. Notably, by day 3, the ECMO-PPV group exhibited significant improvements in Crs and RAW compared to the ECMO-SPV group (P<0.05). Specifically, in the ECMO-PPV group, Crs significantly increased and RAW decreased after 2 hours of initiating PPV, with these changes becoming statistically significant by day 3 (Crs P=0.03, RAW P=0.03). No severe PPV-related complications were noted., Conclusions: PPV during neonatal ECMO may improve respiratory compliance and reduce RAW, potentially aiding lung recovery. Our findings suggest PPV as a viable strategy for neonates under ECMO support., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tp.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tp-23-485/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Translational Pediatrics. All rights reserved.)

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the predominant birth defect. This study aimed to explore the association between maternal cardiovascular health (CVH) and the CHD risk in offspring., Methods: We used the prospective data from the Fujian Birth Cohort Study, collected from March 2019 to December 2022 on pregnant women within 14 weeks of gestation. Overall maternal CVH was assessed by seven CVH metrics (including physical activity, smoking, sleep duration, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting plasma glucose), with each metric classified as ideal, intermediate or poor with specific points. Participants were further allocated into high, moderate and low CVH categories based on the cumulative CVH score. The association with offspring CHD was determined with log-binominal regression models., Results: A total of 19810 participants aged 29.7 (SD: 3.9) years were included, with 7846 (39.6%) classified as having high CVH, 10949 (55.3%) as having moderate CVH, and 1015 (5.1%) as having low CVH. The average offspring CHD rate was 2.52%, with rates of 2.35%, 2.52% and 3.84% across the high, moderate and low CVH categories, respectively (P = 0.02). Adjusted relative risks (RRs) of having offspring CHD were 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45-0.90, P = 0.001) for high CVH and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.48-0.93, P = 0.02) for moderate CVH compared to low CVH. For individual metrics, only ideal total cholesterol was significantly associated with lower offspring CHD (RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59-0.83, P = 0.002)., Conclusions: Pregnant women of high or moderate CVH categories in early pregnancy had reduced risks of CHD in offspring, compared to those of low CVH. It is important to monitor and improve CVH during pre-pregnancy counseling and early prenatal care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Lifestyle choices, metformin, and dietary supplements may prevent GDM, but the effect of intervention characteristics has not been identified. This review evaluated intervention characteristics to inform the implementation of GDM prevention interventions., Methods: Ovid, MEDLINE/PubMed, and EMBASE databases were searched. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) framework was used to examine intervention characteristics (who, what, when, where, and how). Subgroup analysis was performed by intervention characteristics., Results: 116 studies involving 40,940 participants are included. Group-based physical activity interventions (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.46, 0.95) reduce the incidence of GDM compared with individual or mixed (individual and group) delivery format (subgroup p-value = 0.04). Physical activity interventions delivered at healthcare facilities reduce the risk of GDM (RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.49, 0.72) compared with home-based interventions (subgroup p-value = 0.03). No other intervention characteristics impact the effectiveness of all other interventions., Conclusions: Dietary, physical activity, diet plus physical activity, metformin, and myoinositol interventions reduce the incidence of GDM compared with control interventions. Group and healthcare facility-based physical activity interventions show better effectiveness in preventing GDM than individual and community-based interventions. Other intervention characteristics (e.g. utilization of e-health) don't impact the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions, and thus, interventions may require consideration of the local context., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the effect of improving the operative field and postoperative atelectasis of single-lung ventilation (SLV) in the surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta (CoA) in infants without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 28 infants (aged 1 to 4 months, weighing between 4.2 and 6 kg) who underwent surgical repair of CoA without CPB from January 2019 to May 2022 were analyzed. Fourteen infants received SLV with a bronchial blocker (Group S), and the other 14 infants received routine endotracheal intubation and bilateral lung ventilation (Group R)., Results: In comparison to Group R, Group S exhibited improved exposure of the operative field, a lower postoperative atelectasis score (P<0.001), reduced prevalence of hypoxemia (P=0.01), and shorter durations of operation, mechanical ventilation, and ICU stay (P=0.01, P<0.001, P=0.03). There was no difference in preoperative information or perioperative respiratory and circulatory indicators before SLV, 10 minutes after SLV, and 10 minutes after the end of SLV between the two groups (P>0.05). Intraoperative bleeding, intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and systolic pressure gradient across the coarctation after operation were also not different between the two groups (P>0.05)., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that employing SLV with a bronchial blocker is consistent with enhanced operative field, reduced operation duration, lower prevalence of intraoperative hypoxemia, and fewer postoperative complications during the surgical repair of CoA in infants without the use of CPB.

Blending poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and polylactic acid (PLA) is a cost-effective strategy to obtain biodegradable plastic with complementary properties. However, the incompatibility between PBAT and PLA is a great challenge for fabricating high-performance composite films. Herein, the ethyl acetate fractionated lignin with the small glass transition temperature and low molecular weight was achieved and incorporated into the PBAT/PLA composite as a compatibilizer. The fractionated lignin can be uniformly dispersed within the PBAT/PLA matrix through a melt blending process and interact with the molecular chain of PBAT and PLA as a bonding bridge, which enhances the intermolecular interactions and reduces the interfacial tension of PBAT/PLA. By adding fractionated lignin, the tensile strength of the PBAT/PLA composite increased by 35.4 % and the yield strength increased by 37.7 %. Owing to lignin, the composite films possessed the ultraviolet shielding function and exhibited better water vapor barrier properties (1.73 ± 0.08 × 10 -13  g·cm/cm 2 ·s·Pa). This work conclusively demonstrated that fractionated lignin can be used as a green compatibilizer and a low-cost functional filler for PBAT/PLA materials, and provides guidance for the application of lignin in biodegradable plastics., 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.)

Objective: The association between heart failure (HF) and intestinal inflammation caused by a disturbed intestinal microbiota in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) was investigated., Methods: Twenty infants with HF and CHD who were admitted to our hospital between October 2021 and March 2022 were included in this study. Twenty age- and sex-matched infants without HF at our hospital were selected as the control group. Faecal samples were obtained from each participant and analysed by enzyme-linked immunoassay and 16 S rDNA sequencing to assess intestinal inflammatory factors and the microbiota., Results: The levels of intestinal inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17 A and TNF-α, were greatly increased, while the levels of IL-10 were significantly decreased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The intestinal microbial diversity of patients in the HF group was markedly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The abundance of Enterococcus was significantly increased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), but the abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly decreased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The diversity of the intestinal microbiota was negatively correlated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the intestinal tract but was positively correlated with that of IL-10. The abundance of Enterococcus was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the intestinal tract but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10. NT-proBNP was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the HF group but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10. The heart function score was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the HF group but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10., Conclusions: Infants with CHD-related HF had a disordered intestinal microbiota, decreased diversity of intestinal microbes, increased levels of pathogenic bacteria and decreased levels of beneficial bacteria. The increased abundance of Enterococcus and the significant decrease in the diversity of the intestinal microbiota may exacerbate the intestinal inflammatory response, which may be associated with the progression of HF., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The extracellular superoxide dismutases (ecSODs) secreted by Microplitis bicoloratus reduce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulated by the Microplitis bicoloratus bracovirus . Here, we demonstrate that the bacterial transferase hexapeptide (hexapep) motif and bacterial-immunoglobulin-like (BIg-like) domain of ecSODs bind to the cell membrane and transiently open hemichannels, facilitating ROS reductions. RNAi-mediated ecSOD silencing in vivo elevated ROS in host hemocytes, impairing parasitoid larva development. In vitro , the ecSOD-monopolymer needed to be membrane bound to open hemichannels. Furthermore, the hexapep motif in the beta-sandwich of ecSOD49 and ecSOD58, and BIg-like domain in the signal peptides of ecSOD67 were required for cell membrane binding. Hexapep motif and BIg-like domain deletions induced ecSODs loss of adhesion and ROS reduction failure. The hexapep motif and BIg-like domain mediated ecSOD binding via upregulating innexins and stabilizing the opened hemichannels. Our findings reveal a mechanism through which ecSOD reduces ROS, which may aid in developing anti-redox therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (Hapln1) supports active cardiomyogenesis in zebrafish hearts, but its regulation in mammal cardiomyocytes is unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential regulation of Hapln1 in the dedifferentiation and proliferation of cardiomyocytes and its therapeutic value in myocardial infarction with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) and an adult mouse model of myocardial infarction. HiPSC-CMs and adult mice with myocardial infarction were used as in vitro and in vivo models, respectively. Previous single-cell RNA sequencing data were retrieved for bioinformatic exploration. The results showed that recombinant human Hapln1 (rhHapln1) promotes the proliferation of hiPSC-CMs in a dose-dependent manner. As a physical binding protein of Hapln1, versican interacted with Nodal growth differentiation factor (NODAL) and growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11). GDF11, but not NODAL, was expressed by hiPSC-CMs. GDF11 expression was unaffected by rhHapln1 treatment. However, this molecule was required for rhHapln1-mediated activation of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/Drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (SMAD)2/3 signaling in hiPSC-CMs, which stimulates cell dedifferentiation and proliferation. Recombinant mouse Hapln1 (rmHapln1) could induce cardiac regeneration in the adult mouse model of myocardial infarction. In addition, rmHapln1 induced hiPSC-CM proliferation. In conclusion, Hapln1 can stimulate the dedifferentiation and proliferation of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes by promoting versican-based GDF11 trapping and subsequent activation of the TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway. Hapln1 might be an effective hiPSC-CM dedifferentiation and proliferation agent and a potential reagent for repairing damaged hearts., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Previous studies on Ranunculus sceleratus L. have shown the existence of coumarins and their anti-inflammatory effect. Phytochemical work was conducted to investigate the bioactive compounds, leading to the isolation of two undescribed benzopyran derivatives, namely ranunsceleroside A ( 1 ) and B ( 3 ), together with two known coumarins ( 2 , 4 ) from the whole plant of R. sceleratus L. All compounds were structurally identified by extensive spectroscopic analysis and then investigated for their inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, repectively. As a result, compound 1-4 presented inhibitory effects on the production of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner, which provides a potential chemical basis for the traditional use of R. sceleratus L. as an anti-inflammatory plant.

Objective: The authors aimed to assess the relationship between elevated renal-resistive index (RRI) and acute kidney injury (AKI) related to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in neonatal patients., Design: This was a retrospective study., Setting: The study was conducted at a teaching hospital., Participants: Sixteen neonates treated with ECMO at the authors' hospital between June 2021 and December 2022 were included in this study., Interventions: Demographic and clinical data of patients were collected from the computer database. The RRI of patients before and during ECMO treatment was measured by bedside ultrasound. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the diagnostic value of elevation of RRI as evidence of neonatal ECMO-related AKI. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% CI., Measurements and Main Results: A total of 16 patients met the inclusion criteria. For the primary outcome, the authors observed that the RRI during ECMO therapy was significantly elevated in patients with AKI compared to those without AKI. As for the secondary outcome, ROC curve analysis revealed an optimal RRI cutoff of 0.797, with an area under the curve of 0.855 (95% CI, 0.664-1, p = 0.027). The sensitivity and specificity of RRI values >0.797 for diagnosing AKI were 72.7% and 80%, respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated an OR of 1.433 (95% CI 1.192-1.873, p < 0.05) for RRI values above 0.797. This association remained statistically significant even after adjusting for serum cystatin C and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, with an adjusted OR of 1.352 (95% CI 1.108-1.612, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The elevation of the RRI demonstrated a strong correlation with the onset of neonatal ECMO-related AKI, which may offer valuable support for diagnosing neonatal ECMO-related AKI., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Timely and accurate pathogen diagnosis can be challenging in children who contract a respiratory virus following congenital heart surgery (CHS). This often results in suboptimal drug use and treatment delays. Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a swift, efficient, and unbiased method for obtaining microbial nucleic acid sequences. This technology holds promise as a comprehensive diagnostic tool, especially for pathogens undetectable by traditional methods. However, the efficacy of mNGS in the context of congenital heart disease infections remains uncertain. This study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of mNGS for respiratory virus infections post-CHS., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who developed respiratory tract infections post-CHS and were admitted to our cardiac center between July 2021 and December 2022. The patients were categorized into the following two groups based on the diagnostic method used: (I) the mNGS group (comprising 62 patients); and (II) the conventional microbiological test (CMT) group (comprising 70 patients). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from these patients were tested to identify pathogens., Results: The mNGS group had significantly higher detection rates for both viral infections and mixed viral infections than the CMT group (56.45% vs . 17.14%, P<0.001, and 80.00% vs . 16.67%, P<0.001, respectively). In the mNGS group, 19.35% of the patients received antiviral therapy, and 61.29% received an anti-infective regimen adjustment. Conversely, in the CMT group, only 4.29% received antiviral therapy, and 28.57% received an anti-infective regimen adjustment. A higher percentage of patients showed improved respiratory symptoms in the mNGS group than the CMT group (74.19% vs . 44.29%, P=0.001). Additionally, the mNGS group had a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and a reduced length of stay in the cardiac intensive care unit than the CMT group (P=0.012)., Conclusions: Using mNGS for BALF enhances the detection of respiratory viral infections and coexisting viral infections post-CHS. This facilitates more precise treatment strategies and could potentially lead to improved patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://tp.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/tp-23-341/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Translational Pediatrics. All rights reserved.)