Hearing loss prevalence and burden of disease in China: Findings from provincial-level analysis.

BACKGROUND: Without timely and effective rehabilitation, hearing loss may profoundly affect human life quality. China has a large population of hearing-impaired individuals, which imposes a heavy health burden on society. Moreover, this population is projected to increase rapidly owing to China's aging society. METHODS: We used data from a population-representative epidemiological investigation of hearing loss and ear diseases in four Chinese provinces. We estimated the national prevalence using multiple linear regression of the age-group proportions and prevalence in 31 provinces with clustering analysis. We used years lived with disability (YLDs) to analyze the disease burden and forecasted the prevalence of hearing loss by 2060 in China. RESULTS: An estimated 115 million people had moderate-to-complete hearing loss in 2015 across the 31 provinces of China (8.4% of 1.37 billion people). Of these, 85.7% were older than age 50 years (99 million people) and 2.4% were younger than 20 years old (2.8 million people). Of all YLDs attributable to hearing loss, 68.9% were attributable to moderate-to-complete cases. By 2060, a projected 242 million people in China will have moderate-to-complete hearing loss, a 110.0% increase from 2015. CONCLUSIONS: The hearing loss prevalence in China is high. Population aging and socioeconomic factors substantially affect the prevalence and severity of hearing loss and the disease burden. The prevalence and severity of hearing loss are unevenly distributed across different provinces. Future public health policies should take these trends and regional variations into account.

Cerebral autoregulation: A reliable predictor of prognosis in patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis.

AIMS: To investigate the characteristics of dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and assess the relationship between dCA and prognosis. METHODS: Patients with unilateral acute ischemic stroke receiving IVT were prospectively enrolled; those who did not were selected as controls. All patients underwent dCA measurements, by quantifying the phase difference (PD) and gain, at 1-3 and 7-10 days after stroke onset. Simultaneously, two dCA-based nomogram models were established to verify the predictive value of dCA for patients with mild-to-moderate stroke. RESULTS: Finally, 202 patients who received IVT and 238 who did not were included. IVT was positively correlated with higher PD on days 1-3 and 7-10 after stroke onset. PD values in both sides at 1-3 days after stroke onset and in the affected side at 7-10 days after onset were independent predictors of unfavorable outcomes in patients who received IVT. Additionally, in patients with mild-to-moderate stroke who received IVT, the dCA-based nomogram models significantly improved the risk predictive ability for 3-month unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSION: IVT has a positive effect on dCA in patients with acute stroke; furthermore, dCA may be useful to predict the prognosis of patients with IVT.

Turbulent flow field in maglev centrifugal blood pumps of CH-VAD and HeartMate III: secondary flow and its effects on pump performance.

Secondary flow path is one of the crucial aspects during the design of centrifugal blood pumps. Small clearance size increases stress level and blood damage, while large clearance size can improve blood washout and reduce stress level. Nonetheless, large clearance also leads to strong secondary flows, causing further blood damage. Maglev blood pumps rely on magnetic force to achieve rotor suspension and allow more design freedom of clearance size. This study aims to characterize turbulent flow field and secondary flow as well as its effects on the primary flow and pump performance, in two representative commercial maglev blood pumps of CH-VAD and HeartMate III, which feature distinct designs of secondary flow path. The narrow and long secondary flow path of CH-VAD resulted in low secondary flow rates and low disturbance to the primary flow. The flow loss and blood damage potential of the CH-VAD mainly occurred at the secondary flow path, as well as the blade clearances. By contrast, the wide clearances in HeartMate III induced significant disturbance to the primary flow, resulting in large incidence angle, strong secondary flows and high flow loss. At higher flow rates, the incidence angle was even larger, causing larger separation, leading to a significant decrease of efficiency and steeper performance curve compared with CH-VAD. This study shows that maglev bearings do not guarantee good blood compatibility, and more attention should be paid to the influence of secondary flows on pump performance when designing centrifugal blood pumps.

Revealing the variances in color formation and bioactivities of seven catechin monomers throughout the enzymatic reaction by colorimetric and mass spectrometry.

The capacity differences of seven catechin monomers to produce colors after treating with catechin-free extract were investigated. After 240-min reaction, only (-)-epicatechin (EC) and (+)-catechin (C) presented obvious luminous red color with L* values of 63.32-71.73, a* values of 37.13-46.44, and b* values of 65.64-69.99. Meanwhile, the decrease rate of EC and C was 43.52 %-50.35 %, which were significantly lower than those of other catechin monomers (85.91 %-100 %). The oxidized products of catechin monomers were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry coupled with diode array detector, wherein dehydro-dimers and -trimers (oxidative coupling products of catechins' A-B ring) were found to be the major chromogenic compounds of EC and C. Additionally, the antioxidant capacity of catechin monomers only decreased after 30-min reaction, while along with further enzymatic reaction, catechin monomers presented comparable oxyradical scavenging ability (e.g., the DPPH inhibitory rates of catechin monomers were in the range of 24.42 %-50.77 %) to vitamin C (positive control, DPPH inhibitory rate was 27.66 %). Meanwhile, the inhibitory effects of most catechin monomers on α-glucosidase were enhanced in different degrees. These results provided basis for the development of enzymatically-oxidized catechin monomers as functional food color additives.

Evaluation of genetic response of mesenchymal stem cells to nanosecond pulsed electric fields by whole transcriptome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modulated by various exogenous signals have been applied extensively in regenerative medicine research. Notably, nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs), characterized by short duration and high strength, significantly influence cell phenotypes and regulate MSCs differentiation via multiple pathways. Consequently, we used transcriptomics to study changes in messenger RNA (mRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA expression during nsPEFs application. AIM: To explore gene expression profiles and potential transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in MSCs pretreated with nsPEFs. METHODS: The impact of nsPEFs on the MSCs transcriptome was investigated through whole transcriptome sequencing. MSCs were pretreated with 5-pulse nsPEFs (100 ns at 10 kV/cm, 1 Hz), followed by total RNA isolation. Each transcript was normalized by fragments per kilobase per million. Fold change and difference significance were applied to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed to elucidate gene functions, complemented by quantitative polymerase chain reaction verification. RESULTS: In total, 263 DEGs were discovered, with 92 upregulated and 171 downregulated. DEGs were predominantly enriched in epithelial cell proliferation, osteoblast differentiation, mesenchymal cell differentiation, nuclear division, and wound healing. Regarding cellular components, DEGs are primarily involved in condensed chromosome, chromosomal region, actin cytoskeleton, and kinetochore. From aspect of molecular functions, DEGs are mainly involved in glycosaminoglycan binding, integrin binding, nuclear steroid receptor activity, cytoskeletal motor activity, and steroid binding. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed targeted transcript regulation. CONCLUSION: Our systematic investigation of the wide-ranging transcriptional pattern modulated by nsPEFs revealed the differential expression of 263 mRNAs, 2 miRNAs, and 65 lncRNAs. Our study demonstrates that nsPEFs may affect stem cells through several signaling pathways, which are involved in vesicular transport, calcium ion transport, cytoskeleton, and cell differentiation.

Sagittal balance parameters measurement on cervical spine MR images based on superpixel segmentation.

Introduction: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is essential in diagnosing cervical spondylosis, providing detailed visualization of osseous and soft tissue structures in the cervical spine. However, manual measurements hinder the assessment of cervical spine sagittal balance, leading to time-consuming and error-prone processes. This study presents the Pyramid DBSCAN Simple Linear Iterative Cluster (PDB-SLIC), an automated segmentation algorithm for vertebral bodies in T2-weighted MR images, aiming to streamline sagittal balance assessment for spinal surgeons. Method: PDB-SLIC combines the SLIC superpixel segmentation algorithm with DBSCAN clustering and underwent rigorous testing using an extensive dataset of T2-weighted mid-sagittal MR images from 4,258 patients across ten hospitals in China. The efficacy of PDB-SLIC was compared against other algorithms and networks in terms of superpixel segmentation quality and vertebral body segmentation accuracy. Validation included a comparative analysis of manual and automated measurements of cervical sagittal parameters and scrutiny of PDB-SLIC's measurement stability across diverse hospital settings and MR scanning machines. Result: PDB-SLIC outperforms other algorithms in vertebral body segmentation quality, with high accuracy, recall, and Jaccard index. Minimal error deviation was observed compared to manual measurements, with correlation coefficients exceeding 95%. PDB-SLIC demonstrated commendable performance in processing cervical spine T2-weighted MR images from various hospital settings, MRI machines, and patient demographics. Discussion: The PDB-SLIC algorithm emerges as an accurate, objective, and efficient tool for evaluating cervical spine sagittal balance, providing valuable assistance to spinal surgeons in preoperative assessment, surgical strategy formulation, and prognostic inference. Additionally, it facilitates comprehensive measurement of sagittal balance parameters across diverse patient cohorts, contributing to the establishment of normative standards for cervical spine MR imaging.

Glutamine supplementation improves the activity and immunosuppressive action of induced regulatory T cells in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Glutamine is crucial for the activation and efficacy of T cells, and may play a role in regulating the immune environment. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of glutamine in the activation and proliferation of induced regulatory T cells (iTregs). METHODS: CD4+CD45RA+T cells were sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cultured to analyze iTreg differentiation. Glutamine was then added to the culture system to evaluate the effects of glutamine on iTregs by determining oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), apoptosis, and cytokine secretion. Additionally, a humanized murine graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) model was constructed to confirm the efficacy of glutamine-treated iTregs in vivo. RESULTS: After being cultured in vitro, glutamine significantly enhanced the levels of Foxp3, CTLA-4, CD39, CD69, IL-10, TGF-ß, and Ki67 (CTLA-4, IL-10, TGF-ß are immunosuppressive markers of iTregs) compared with that of the control iTregs (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the growth curve showed that the proliferative ability of glutamine-treated iTregs was better than that of the control iTregs (P < 0.01). Compared with the control iTregs, glutamine supplementation significantly increased oxygen consumption rates and ATP production (P < 0.05), significantly downregulated Annexin V and Caspase 3, and upregulated BCL2 (P < 0.05). However, GPNA significantly reversed the effects of glutamine (P < 0.05). Finally, a xeno-GVHD mouse model was successfully established to confirm that glutamine-treated iTregs increased the mice survival rate, delayed weight loss, and alleviated colon injury. CONCLUSION: Glutamine supplementation can improve the activity and immunosuppressive action of iTregs, and the possible mechanisms by which this occurs are related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and OXPHOS.

Application of Laennec extrathecal blockade combined with indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in laparoscopic anatomic hepatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and application value of combining Laennec extracapsular occlusion with ICG fluorescence imaging in laparoscopic anatomic hepatectomy. METHODS: Complete laparoscopic dissection was performed outside the Laennec sheath, blocking Glisson's pedicle of the corresponding liver segment or lobe. An appropriate amount of indocyanine green (ICG) dye was intravenously injected, and the boundary line between the pre-cut liver segment and liver lobe was identified using fluorescence laparoscopy. Complete resection of the liver segment or lobe was performed based on anatomical markers. Clinical data, including operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications, were collected. RESULTS: A total of 14 cases were included in the study, including seven cases of primary liver cancer, three cases of metastatic liver cancer, three cases of intrahepatic bile duct calculi, and one case of hepatic hemangioma. All 14 patients underwent anatomic hepatectomy under fluorescent laparoscopy, with four cases involving the right liver, seven cases involving the left liver, two cases involving the right anterior lobe, and one case involving the right posterior lobe. CONCLUSION: Combining laparoscopic follow-up of the Laennec membrane with Glisson outer sheath block and intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging provides real-time guidance for locating the resection boundaries during anatomic hepatectomy. This approach helps in controlling intraoperative bleeding, reducing operation time, and ensuring high safety. It holds significant value in clinical application.

Altered CD226/TIGIT expressions were associated with NK phenotypes in primary antiphospholipid syndrome and affected by IL-4/JAK pathway.

Natural killer (NK) cells were reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome (pAPS). Immunosuppressive receptor T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) and activating receptor cluster of differentiation 226 (CD226) are specifically expressed on NK cells with competitive functions. This study aims to investigate the expression diversities of CD226/TIGIT on NK subsets and their associations with NK subsets activation phenotypes and potential clinical significance, furthermore, to explore potential cause for CD226/TIGIT expression diversities in pAPS. We comparatively assessed the changes of CD56brightNK, CD56dimNK, and NK-like cells in 70 pAPS patients compared with control groups, including systemic lupus erythematosus, asymptomatic antiphospholipid antibodies carriers (asymp-aPLs carriers), and healthy controls and their expression diversities of CD226/TIGIT by flow cytometry. CD25, CD69, CD107α expression, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) secretion levels of NK subsets were detected to determine the potential association of CD226/TIGIT expression with NK subsets phenotypes. CD226/TIGIT expression levels were compared among different subgroups divided by aPLs status. Moreover, in vitro cultures were conducted to explore the potential mechanisms of CD226/TIGIT expression imbalance. CD56brightNK and CD3+CD56+NK-like cells were significantly increased while CD56dimNK cells were obviously decreased in pAPS, and CD56brightNK and NK-like cells exhibited significantly higher CD226 but lower TIGIT expressions. CD226+CD56brightNK and TIGIT-CD56brightNK cells show higher CD69 expression and IFN-γ secretion capacity, and CD226+NK-like and TIGIT-NK-like cells showed higher expressions of CD25 and CD69 but lower apoptosis rate than CD226- and TIGIT+CD56brightNK/NK-like cells, respectively. The imbalanced CD226/TIGIT expressions were most significant in aPLs triple-positive group. Imbalanced expressions of CD226/TIGIT on CD56brightNK and NK-like cells were aggravated after interleukin-4 (IL-4) stimulation and recovered after tofacitinib blocking. Our data revealed significant imbalanced CD226/TIGIT expressions on NK subsets in pAPS, which closely associated with NK subsets phenotypes and more complicated autoantibody status. CD226/TIGIT imbalanced may be affected by IL-4/Janus Kinase (JAK) pathway activation.

Fatty Acid Oxidation Promotes Apoptotic Resistance and Proinflammatory Phenotype of CD4+ Tissue-resident Memory T cells in Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: As the most abundant memory T cells and major source of tumor necrosis factor α in the intestinal mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) patients, CD4+ tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells play a critical role in CD pathogenesis. We investigated the role of metabolic reprogramming in the regulation of proinflammatory and apoptosis-resistant phenotype for CD4+ TRM cells. METHODS: CD4+ TRM cells were collected from intestinal resection tissues from control and CD patients. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis were performed to identify metabolic characteristics of CD4+ TRM cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative polymerase chain reaction experiments were used to assess cytokines level in CD4+ TRM cells; activation-induced cell apoptosis rate was evaluated by flow cytometry. Transwell assay and wound healing assay were performed to detect the effect of CD4+ TRM cells on the migration of normal intestinal epithelial cells. RESULTS: Transcriptomic data combined with unbiased metabolomic analysis revealed an increased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) phenotype existed in CD4+ TRM cells from CD patients. The lipidomic data and stable isotope tracer experiments demonstrated that CD4+ TRM cells up-regulated their lipid lipolysis and fatty acid uptake to fuel FAO in CD patients. Mechanistically, the activated nuclear factor kappa B signaling increased transcription of genes involved in lipid lipolysis, fatty acid uptake, and oxidation in CD4+ TRM cells from CD patients. Targeting FAO of CD4+ TRM cells reversed their apoptosis-resistant and proinflammatory phenotype in CD patients. CONCLUSIONS: CD4+ TRM cells process an accelerated FAO mediated by activated nuclear factor kappa B signaling in CD patients; targeting FAO could reverse their apoptosis-resistant and proinflammatory phenotype. These findings shed a new light on the pathogenic mechanism investigation and novel therapy development in CD patients.

Novel Flavonol Alkaloids in Green Tea: Synthesis, Detection, and Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Effect in a Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans CL4176 Model.

Novel N-ethy-2-pyrrolidinone-substituted flavonols, myricetin alkaloids A-C (1-3), quercetin alkaloids A-C (4a, 4b, and 5), and kaempferol alkaloids A and B (6 and 7), were prepared from thermal reaction products of myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol─l-theanine, respectively. We used HPLC-ESI-HRMS/MS to detect 1-7 in 14 cultivars of green tea and found that they were all present in "Shuchazao," "Longjing 43", "Fudingdabai", and "Zhongcha 108" green teas. The structures of 1-4 and 6 were determined by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopies. These flavonol alkaloids along with their skeletal flavonols were assessed for anti-Alzheimer's disease effect based on molecular docking, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and the transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans CL4176 model. Compound 7 strongly binds to the protein amyloid ß (Aß1-42) through hydrogen bonds (BE: -9.5 kcal/mol, Ki: 114.3 nM). Compound 3 (100 µM) is the strongest one in significantly extending the mean lifespan (13.4 ± 0.5 d, 43.0% promotion), delaying the Aß1-42-induced paralysis (PT50: 40.7 ± 1.9 h, 17.1% promotion), enhancing the locomotion (140.0% promotion at 48 h), and alleviating glutamic acid (Glu)-induced neurotoxicity (153.5% promotion at 48 h) of CL4176 worms (p < 0.0001).

Blockade of the lncRNA-DOT1L-LAMP5 axis enhances autophagy and promotes degradation of MLL fusion proteins.

BACKGROUND: Mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion gene caused by chromosomal rearrangement is a dominant oncogenic driver in leukemia. Due to having diverse MLL rearrangements and complex characteristics, MLL leukemia treated by currently available strategies is frequently associated with a poor outcome. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapeutic targets for hematological malignancies with MLL rearrangements. METHODS: qRT-PCR, western blot, and spearman correction analysis were used to validate the regulation of LAMP5-AS1 on LAMP5 expression. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the functional relevance of LAMP5-AS1 in MLL leukemia cell survival. We utilized chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChIRP) assay, RNA pull-down assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and immunofluorescence to elucidate the relationship among LAMP5-AS1, DOT1L, and the LAMP5 locus. Autophagy regulation by LAMP5-AS1 was evaluated through LC3B puncta, autolysosome observation via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and mRFP-GFP-LC3 puncta in autophagic flux. RESULTS: The study shows the crucial role of LAMP5-AS1 in promoting MLL leukemia cell survival. LAMP5-AS1 acts as a novel autophagic suppressor, safeguarding MLL fusion proteins from autophagic degradation. Knocking down LAMP5-AS1 significantly induced apoptosis in MLL leukemia cell lines and primary cells and extended the survival of mice in vivo. Mechanistically, LAMP5-AS1 recruits the H3K79 histone methyltransferase DOT1L to LAMP5 locus, directly activating LAMP5 expression. Importantly, blockade of LAMP5-AS1-LAMP5 axis can represses MLL fusion proteins by enhancing their degradation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the significance of LAMP5-AS1 in MLL leukemia progression through the regulation of the autophagy pathway. Additionally, this study unveils the novel lncRNA-DOT1L-LAMP5 axis as promising therapeutic targets for degrading MLL fusion proteins.

Role of autophagy and mitophagy of group 2 innate lymphoid cells in allergic and local allergic rhinitis.

Background: Roles of ILC2s in allergic rhinitis (AR) and local allergic rhinitis (LAR) are unclear. In this study, we are determined to find the levels of autophagy and mitophagy of ILC2s in allergic nasal inflammation. Methods: ELISA was used to detect type 2 inflammatory cytokines. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were used to compare the eosinophil (EOS) infiltration of nasal tissue specimens. Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of ILC2s and Th2 cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) were used to detect the levels of Beclin1, LC3, p62, PINK1, Parkin, FUNDC1, and BNIP3 in nasal mucosa. The levels of autophagy related proteins and mitophagy related proteins of the ILC2s were detected by WB. The number of autophagosomes of ILC2s was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The co-localization levels of GFP-LC3 and Mito tracker in ILC2s were observed by confocal microscopy using immunofluorescence. Results: We found that the level of type 2 inflammation in AR and LAR mice was significantly increased. The levels of autophagy and mitophagy of AR and LAR mice in nasal mucosa and ILC2s were both increased. Conclusions: ILC2s may be associated with the occurrence and development of nasal allergic inflammation. The abnormal increase of autophagy and mitophagy levels in the nose may be associated with the incidence of AR and LAR. Abnormal autophagy and mitophagy levels of ILC2s cells may be one of the causes of allergic nasal inflammation.

Causal relationship between inflammatory factors and cerebral small vessel disease: Univariate, multivariate, and summary-data-based mendelian randomization analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of inflammatory factors on the incidence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), we performed a mendelian randomization (MR) study to analyze the causal relationship between multiple inflammatory factors and CSVD imaging markers and utilized summary-data-based mendelian randomization (SMR) analysis to infer whether the impact of instrumental variables (IVs) on disease is mediated by gene expression or DNA methylation. METHODS: Using public databases such as UKB and IEU, and original genome-wide association studies, we obtained IVs related to exposure (inflammatory factors) and outcome (CSVD imaging markers). We performed the inverse variance weighted, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods to assess causal effects between exposure and outcome in univariate MR analysis. To evaluate their heterogeneity, a series of sensitivity analyses were conducted, including the Cochrane Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-Presso, and leave-one-out analysis. We also applied mediation and multivariate MR analysis to explore the interactions between positive exposures on the same outcome. Additionally, we conducted the SMR, which utilizes instruments within or near relevant genes in blood or brain tissues, to elucidate the causal associations with CSVD markers. RESULTS: ABO Univariate MR of multiple cohorts revealed that the risk of small vessel stroke (SVS) increases with elevated levels of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL, OR, 1.23, 95% CI, 1.08-1.39) and interleukin-1 receptor-like 2, (IL-1RL2, OR, 1.29, 95% CI, 1.04-1.61). IL-18 was a potential risk factor for extensive basal ganglia perivascular space burden (BGPVS, OR, 1.02, 95% CI, 1.00-1.05). Moreover, the risk of extensive white matter perivascular space burden (WMPVS) decreased with rising levels of E-selectin (OR, .98, 95% CI, .97-1.00), IL-1RL2 (OR, .97, 95% CI, .95-1.00), IL-3 receptor subunit alpha (IL-3Ra, OR, .98, 95% CI, .97-1.00), and IL-5 receptor subunit alpha (IL-5Ra, OR, .98, 95% CI, .97-1.00). Mediation and multivariate MR analysis indicated that E-selectin and IL-3Ra might interact during the pathogenesis of WMPVS. SMR estimates showed that TRAIL-related IVs rs5030044 and rs2304456 increased the risk of SVS by increasing the expression of gene Kininogen-1 (KNG1) in the cerebral cortex, particularly in the frontal cortex (ßsmr = .10, Psmr = .003, FDR = .04). Instruments (rs507666 and rs2519093) related to E-selectin and IL-3Ra could increase the risk of WMPVS by enhancing DNA methylation of the gene ABO in blood tissue (ßsmr = .01-.02, Psmr = .001, FDR = .01-.03). CONCLUSION: According to MR and SMR analysis, higher levels of TRAIL increased the risk of SVS by upregulating gene expression of KNG1 in brain cortex tissues. In addition, protective effects of E-selectin and IL-3a levels on WMPVS were regulated by increased DNA methylation of gene ABO in blood tissue.

Evaluation of transrectal ultrasound-guided tru-cut biopsy as a complementary method for predicting pathological complete response in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment: a phase II prospective and diagnostic trial.

IMPORTANCE: Patients with pCR of rectal cancer following neoadjuvant treatment had better oncological outcomes. However, reliable methods for accurately predicting pCR remain limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether transrectal ultrasound-guided tru-cut biopsy (TRUS-TCB) adds diagnostic value to conventional modalities for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study evaluated data of patients with rectal cancer who were treated with neoadjuvant treatment and reassessed using TRUS-TCB and conventional modalities before surgery. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was accuracy, along with secondary outcomes including sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value in predicting tumor residues. Final surgical pathology was used as reference standard. RESULTS: Between June 2021 and June 2022, a total of 74 patients were enrolled, with 63 patients ultimately evaluated. Among them, 17 patients (28%) exhibited a complete pathological response. TRUS-TCB demonstrated an accuracy of 0.71 (95% CI, 0.58-0.82) in predicting tumor residues. The combined use of TRUS-TCB and conventional modalities significantly improved diagnostic accuracy compared to conventional modalities alone (0.75 vs. 0.59, P=0.02). Furthermore, TRUS-TCB correctly reclassified 52% of patients erroneously classified as having a complete clinical response by conventional methods. The occurrence of only one mild adverse event was observed. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Transrectal ultrasound-guided tru-cut biopsy (TRUS-TCB) proves to be a safe and accessible tool for reevaluation with minimal complications. The incorporation of TRUS-TCB alongside conventional methods leads to enhanced diagnostic performance.

Corynoxine promotes TFEB/TFE3-mediated autophagy and alleviates Aß pathology in Alzheimer's disease models.

Autophagy impairment is a key factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. TFEB (transcription factor EB) and TFE3 (transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3) are nuclear transcription factors that regulate autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis. We previously showed that corynoxine (Cory), a Chinese medicine compound, protects neurons from Parkinson's disease (PD) by activating autophagy. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cory on AD models in vivo and in vitro. We found that Cory improved learning and memory function, increased neuronal autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, and reduced pathogenic APP-CTFs levels in 5xFAD mice model. Cory activated TFEB/TFE3 by inhibiting AKT/mTOR signaling and stimulating lysosomal calcium release via transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1). Moreover, we demonstrated that TFEB/TFE3 knockdown abolished Cory-induced APP-CTFs degradation in N2aSwedAPP cells. Our findings suggest that Cory promotes TFEB/TFE3-mediated autophagy and alleviates Aß pathology in AD models.

Early tirofiban administration after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke (ADVENT): Study protocol of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Nearly half of patients with acute ischemic stroke who undergo intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) fail to achieve excellent functional outcomes. Early administration of tirofiban after IVT may improve patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of early tirofiban administration after intravenous tenecteplase in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS AND DESIGN: The ADVENT trial is a multicenter, randomized, parallel-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. A total of 1084 patients undergoing IVT without subsequent endovascular treatment will be recruited from multiple hospitals in China. Subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive tirofiban or placebo, which will be infused within 6 h after IVT until 24 h after IVT, at 0.4 µg/kg/min for 30 min and then at 0.1 µg/kg/min. The primary efficacy outcome is the proportion of patients with excellent functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ⩽ 1) at 90 days. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of patients with favorable functional outcomes (mRS ⩽ 2) at 90 days and neurological functional assessments evaluated during hospitalization. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage will be the primary safety outcome. Mortality and other adverse events will be recorded. DISCUSSION: This pivotal trial will provide important data on the early administration of antiplatelet therapy after IVT and may promote progress in treatment standards. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06045156).

Stress and burnout amongst mental health professionals in Singapore during Covid-19 endemicity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted a huge emotional strain on mental health professionals (MHP) in Singapore. As Singapore transited into an endemic status, it is unclear whether the psychological strain has likewise lessened. The aims of this study were to investigate the levels of stress and burnout experienced by MHP working in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore during this phase of COVID-19 endemicity (2022) in comparison to the earlier pandemic years (2020 and 2021) and to identify factors which contribute to as well as ameliorate stress and burnout. A total of 282 MHP participated in an online survey in 2022, which included 2 validated measures, namely the Perceived Stress Scale and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). Participants were also asked to rank factors that contributed the most to their stress and burnout. Between-group comparisons were conducted regarding stress and burnout levels among MHP across different demographic groupings and working contexts. In addition, OLBI data completed by MHP in 2020 and 2021 were extracted from 2 published studies, and trend analysis was conducted for the proportion of MHP meeting burnout threshold across 3 time points. We found that the proportion of MHP meeting burnout threshold in 2020, 2021 and 2022 were 76.9%, 87.6% and 77.9% respectively. Professional groups, age, years of experience and income groups were associated with stress and/or burnout. High clinical workload was ranked as the top factor that contributed to stress and burnout while flexible working arrangement was ranked as the top area for improvement so as to reduce stress and burnout. As such, policy makers and hospital management may want to focus on setting clear mental health targets and facilitate manageable clinical workload, build manpower resiliency, optimize resources and provide flexible work arrangements to alleviate stress and burnout among MHP.

Exposure to residential green and blue space and the natural environment is associated with a lower incidence of psychiatric disorders in middle-aged and older adults: findings from the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence for the role of environmental factors and exposure to the natural environment on a wide range of health outcomes. Whether exposure to green space, blue space, and the natural environment (GBN) is associated with risk of psychiatric disorders in middle-aged and older adults has not been prospectively examined. METHODS: Longitudinal data from the UK biobank was used. At the study baseline (2006-2010), 363,047 participants (women: 53.4%; mean age 56.7 ± 8.1 years) who had not been previously diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder were included. Follow-up was achieved by collecting records from hospitals and death registers. Measurements of green and blue space modeled from land use data and natural environment from Land Cover Map were assigned to the residential address for each participant. Cox proportional hazard models with adjustment for potential confounders were used to explore the longitudinal associations between GBN and any psychiatric disorder and then by specific psychiatric disorders (dementia, substance abuse, psychotic disorder, depression, and anxiety) in middle-aged and older adults. RESULTS: During an average follow-up of 11.5 ± 2.8 years, 49,865 individuals were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Compared with the first tertile (lowest) of exposure, blue space at 300 m buffer [hazard ratio (HR): 0.973, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.952-0.994] and natural environment at 300 m buffer (HR: 0.970, 95% CI: 0.948-0.992) and at 1000 m buffer (HR: 0.975, 95% CI: 0.952-0.999) in the third tertile (highest) were significantly associated with lower risk of incident psychiatric disorders, respectively. The risk of incident dementia was statistically decreased when exposed to the third tertile (highest) of green space and natural environment at 1000 m buffer. The third tertile (highest) of green space at 300 m and 1000 m buffer and natural environment at 300 m and 1000 m buffer was associated with a reduction of 30.0%, 31.8%, 21.7%, and 30.3% in the risk of developing a psychotic disorder, respectively. Subgroup analysis suggested that the elderly, men, and those living with some comorbid conditions may derive greater benefits associated with exposure to GBN. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that GBN has significant benefits for lowering the risk of psychiatric disorders in middle-aged and older adults. Future studies are warranted to validate these findings and to understand the potential mechanistic pathways underpinning these novel findings.

Recent discoveries of the role of histone modifications and related inhibitors in pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a common response of the heart to various pathological stimuli. In recent years, various histone modifications, including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination, have been identified to have crucial roles in regulating chromatin remodeling and cardiac hypertrophy. Novel drugs targeting these epigenetic changes have emerged as potential treatments for pathological cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the roles of histone modifications in regulating the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, and discuss potential therapeutic targets that could be utilized for its treatment.