Comparison of bloodstream infections due to Corynebacterium striatum, MRSA, and MRSE.

BACKGROUND: Corynebacterium striatum (C. striatum), a common skin and mucosal colonizer, is increasingly considered as an opportunistic pathogen causing bloodstream infections (BSIs). This study aims to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of C. striatum-BSI. METHODS: We included hospitalized cases with C. striatum-positive blood cultures from January 2014 to June 2022 and classified them into C. striatum-BSI group and contamination group; Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were compared between the C. striatum-BSI group and contamination group, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-BSI and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE)-BSI. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients with positive C. striatum blood cultures were identified. Among them, 25 patients were classified as C. striatum-BSI, with 21 as contamination cases. And 62 cases of MRSA-BSI and 44 cases of MRSE-BSI were identified. Compared to the contaminated group, the C. striatum-BSI group had a shorter time to positivity of blood cultures (27.0 h vs. 42.5 h, P = 0.011). C. striatum-BSI group had a longer time to positivity (27 h) when compared to both the MRSA (20 h) and MRSE groups (19 h) (p < 0.05). Appropriate therapy within 24 h of BSI onset was significantly lower in the C. striatum group (28%) compared to the MRSA (64.5%) and MRSE (65.9%) groups (p < 0.005). The 28-day mortality was higher in the C. striatum group (52.0%) compared to the MRSA (25.8%) and MRSE (18.2%) groups.  CONCLUSIONS: Given the distinct characteristics of C. striatum-BSI, including a longer time to positivity than other Gram-positive bacteria and higher mortality rates, we suggest prescribing early appropriate antibiotics if C. striatum-BSI is suspected.

Docosahexaenoic acid inhibits the invasion and migration of colorectal cancer by reversing EMT through the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway.

The primary cause of mortality in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is tumor metastasis. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) stands out as a crucial factor promoting the metastasis of CRC. Previous findings suggest a potential inhibitory effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on CRC metastasis, but the precise mechanism remains unknown, this study aims to explore this issue. We assessed metastasis and recurrence, all-cause mortality, and cancer-related mortality rates according to DHA intake in independent CRC cohorts (n = 367) by survival analysis. The ability of DHA to block CRC cell migration and invasion was tested using transwell and wound-healing assays. The regulation of EMT marker genes in CRC by DHA was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and immunoblotting, and the effect of DHA on the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway was further investigated. These cellular findings were validated using a subcutaneous CRC mouse model. Survival analyses showed that lower DHA intake was associated with a higher risk of CRC metastasis and a poorer prognosis. In vitro experiments showed that DHA inhibits the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway and regulates downstream transcription factors, thereby reversing the EMT and inhibiting invasion and migration. In the mouse model, dietary DHA supplementation effectively increased blood DHA concentrations and inhibited CRC metastasis. Our study demonstrated that DHA inhibits CRC invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway. Increased intake of DHA among CRC patients may provide additional benefits to the prognosis of colorectal cancer.

The Impact of Delayed Transition From Noninvasive to Invasive Mechanical Ventilation on Hospital Mortality in Immunocompromised Patients With Sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mortality differed between initial invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) followed by delayed IMV in immunocompromised patients with sepsis. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis using the National Data Center for Medical Service claims data in China from 2017 to 2019. SETTING: A total of 3530 hospitals across China. PATIENTS: A total of 36,187 adult immunocompromised patients with sepsis requiring ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Patients were categorized into NIV initiation or IMV initiation groups based on first ventilation. NIV patients were further divided by time to IMV transition: no transition, immediate (≤ 1 d), early (2-3 d), delayed (4-7 d), or late (≥ 8 d). Mortality was compared between groups using weighted Cox models. Over the median 9-day follow-up, mortality was similar for initial NIV versus IMV (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.006; 95% CI, 0.959-1.055). However, among NIV patients, a longer time to IMV transition is associated with stepwise increases in mortality, from immediate transition (HR 1.65) to late transition (HR 2.51), compared with initial IMV. This dose-response relationship persisted across subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged NIV trial before delayed IMV transition is associated with higher mortality in immunocompromised sepsis patients ultimately intubated.

Recent research progress on tumour-specific responsive hydrogels.

Most existing hydrogels, even recently developed injectable hydrogels that undergo a reversible sol-gel phase transition in response to external stimuli, are designed to gel immediately before or after implantation/injection to prevent the free diffusion of materials and drugs; however, the property of immediate gelation leads to a very weak tumour-targeting ability, limiting their application in anticancer therapy. Therefore, the development of tumour-specific responsive hydrogels for anticancer therapy is imperative because tumour-specific responses improve their tumour-targeting efficacy, increase therapeutic effects, and decrease toxicity and side effects. In this review, we introduce the following three types of tumour-responsive hydrogels: (1) hydrogels that gel specifically at the tumour site; (2) hydrogels that decompose specifically at the tumour site; and (3) hydrogels that react specifically with tumours. For each type, their compositions, the mechanisms of tumour-specific responsiveness and their applications in anticancer treatment are comprehensively discussed.

Association of pyrethroids exposure with asthma in US children and adolescents: a nationally representative cross-sectional study.

Pyrethroids (PYR) are among the most widely used insecticides in households, leading to substantial exposure. Children and adolescents, especially during growth spurts, have a reduced capacity to effectively metabolize these insecticides. The relationship between PYR exposure and asthma in these age groups remains poorly understood, highlighting the need for further research.We used data from the 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included 1181 children aged 6-11 years and 1258 adolescents aged 12-19 years. The concentration of the PYR metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) in urine was quantified using solid-phase extraction-high-performance liquid chromatography-heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Asthma was defined based on self-reported doctor diagnoses from the questionnaire. PYR exposure was measured using urine samples collected simultaneously with the questionnaire. We explored the association between PYR exposure and asthma using multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for potential confounders.Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed no significant association between PYR exposure and asthma in children and adolescent boys (all P > 0.05). In contrast, PYR exposure was significantly associated with asthma in adolescent girls aged 12-19 years. Specifically, for "ever asthma," the odds ratios (ORs) were 2.49 (95% CI = 1.03-5.97) in the second quartile of PYR exposure and 2.48 (95% CI = 1.04-5.91) in the third quartile, each in comparison to the first quartile. For "current asthma," in comparison to the first quartile, the ORs were 3.99 (95% CI = 1.55-10.26) in the second quartile of PYR exposure, 3.39 (95% CI = 1.32-8.70) in the third quartile, and 2.93 (95% CI = 1.24-6.90) in the fourth quartile.Conclusions:Our study found a significant association between PYR exposure and asthma in adolescent girls, whereas no significant association was observed in children and adolescent boys. These findings suggest potential sex and age differences in susceptibility to PYR exposure. Further research is warranted to confirm these results and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Enantioselective Reductive Cyclization of Alkynyl-Tethered Cyclohexadienones Catalyzed by Rhodium Complexes.

Although various types of asymmetric cyclization reactions of 1,6-enynes have been established, simple asymmetric reductive cyclization remains underdeveloped. In this study, the enantioselective reductive cyclization of alkynyl-tethered cyclohexadienones (1,6-enynes) has been developed via a chiral pincer rhodium catalyst, affording cis-hydrobenzofurans and cis-hydroindoles with high enantioselectivities (90-99% ee). Furthermore, several synthetic applications and preliminary inhibitory activity studies against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro are presented.

The Characteristics of Coronary Artery Lesions in COVID-19 Infected Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

COVID-19 may predispose patients to cardiac injuries but whether COVID-19 infection affects the morphological features of coronary plaques to potentially influence the outcome of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unknown. By using optical coherence tomography (OCT), this study compared the characteristics of coronary plaque in patients with CAD with/without COVID-19 infection. The 206 patients were divided into 2 groups. The COVID-19 group had 113 patients between December 7, 2022, and March 31, 2023, who received OCT assessment after China decided to lift the restriction on COVID-19 and had a history of COVID-19 infection. The non-COVID-19 group had 93 patients without COVID-19 infection who underwent OCT before December 7, 2022. The COVID-19 group demonstrated a higher incidence of plaque ruptures (53.1% vs 38.7%, p = 0.039), erosions (28.3% vs 11.8%, p = 0.004), fibrous (96.5% vs 89.2%, p = 0.041) and diffuse lesions (73.5% vs 50.5%, p <0.001) compared with the non-COVID-19 group, whereas non-COVID-19 group exhibited a higher frequency of cholesterol crystals (83.9% vs 70.8%, p = 0.027), deep calcifications (65.6% vs 51.3%, p = 0.039) and solitary lesions (57.0% vs 34.5%, p = 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly lower major adverse cardiac events-free probability in the COVID-19 group (91.6% vs 95.5%, p = 0.006) than in the non-COVID-19 group. In conclusion, OCT demonstrated that COVID-19 infection is associated with coronary pathological changes such as more plaque ruptures, erosions, fibrosis, and diffuse lesions. Further, COVID-19 infection is associated with a higher propensity for acute coronary events and a higher risk of major adverse cardiac events in patients with CAD.

Lightweight, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic Multifunctional Organic-Inorganic Fibrous Aerogels for Efficient Oily Wastewater Purification and Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption.

Lightweight and robust aerogels with multifunctionality are highly desirable to meet the technological demands of current society. Herein, we designed lightweight, elastic, and superhydrophobic multifunctional organic-inorganic fibrous hybrid aerogels which were assembled with organic aramid nanofibers and inorganic hierarchical porous carbon fibers. Thanks to the organic-inorganic fiber hybridization strategy, the optimal aerogels possessed remarkable compressibility and elasticity. Benefiting from the microscopic hierarchical porous structure of carbon fibers and the macroscopic macroporous lamellar structure of aerogels, the optimal aerogels exhibited superb lightweight property, conspicuous electromagnetic microwave absorption ability, and outstanding oily wastewater purification capacity. As for electromagnetic microwave absorption, it achieved a strong reflection loss of -41.8 dB, and the effective absorption bandwidth reached 6.86 GHz. Besides, the oil adsorption capacity for trichloromethane reached as high as 93.167 g g-1 with a capacity retention of 95.6% after 5 cycles. Meanwhile, it could act as a gravity-driven separation membrane to continuously separate trichloromethane from a trichloromethane-water mixture with a high flux of 7867.37 L·m-2·h-1, even for surfactant-stabilized water-in-n-heptane emulsions of 3794.94 L·m-2·h-1. Such a strategy might shed some light on the construction of multifunctional aerogels toward broader applications.

Effectiveness and safety of Governor vessel acupuncture therapy for post-stroke cognitive impairment: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Governor vessel acupuncture (GV Ac) in treating post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). METHODS: There was a total of seven databases examined. Four English databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Medline) and three Chinese databases (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Databases (VIP), and Wan Fang Database) contain all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Governor vessel acupuncture to other treatments or none acupuncture for PSCI. The exact dates for the search period are from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2023.Two researchers independently reviewed the literature, gathered RCT data, and performed statistical analysis. All data were analyzed using Review Manager software (Rev Man) 5.3. RESULTS: This meta-analysis includes a total of 39 trials with 2044 patients. There were 1022 participants in each of the test and control groups. Following 12-120 days of acupuncture treatment, a meta-analysis revealed that the treatment groups (GV Ac combined with conventional treatment groups) significantly increased their scores on the Curative ratio (OR = 3.00, 95 %CI = 2.37-3.79, P = 0.98, I² = 0 %), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)(MD = 1.82, 95 %CI = 1.60-2.03, P = 0.11, I² = 25 %), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)(MD = 2.18, 95 %CI = 1.64-2.72, P<0.005, I² = 92 %), and Activity of Daily Living (ADL)(MD = 5.99, 95 %CI = 5.33-6.64, P = 0.19, I² = 26 %). CONCLUSION: The results suggested that acupuncture on points of the Governor vessel enhanced cognitive function in stroke survivors.

[Value of single-phase gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test in diagnosis of central precocious puberty in girls with different levels of body mass index]. / 单时相GnRHæ¿€å‘è¯•éªŒå¯¹ä¸åŒä½“é‡æŒ‡æ•°å¥³ç«¥ä¸­æž¢æ€§æ€§æ—©ç†Ÿè¯Šæ–­ä»·å€¼çš„ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the value of single-phase gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test in the diagnosis of central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls with different levels of body mass index (BMI). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the data of 760 girls with breast development before 7.5 years of age who attended the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to August 2023. According to the results of GnRH stimulation test and clinical manifestations, they were divided into a CPP group (297 girls) and a non-CPP group (463 girls). According to the values of BMI, the girls were divided into a normal weight group (540 girls), an overweight group (116 girls), and an obese group (104 girls). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the value of single-phase GnRH stimulation test in the diagnosis of CPP in girls with different levels of BMI. RESULTS: Luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone at 30 minutes after GnRH stimulation had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.985 in the diagnosis of CPP, which was higher than the AUC at 0, 60, and 90 minutes (P<0.05). LH at 30 minutes had a similar diagnostic value to LH at 60 minutes (P>0.05). LH at 30 minutes was negatively correlated with BMI and BMI-Z value (P<0.05).The AUC for diagnosing CPP in normal weight, overweight, and obese girls at 30 minutes LH was 0.952, 0.965, and 0.954, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The 30-minute GnRH stimulation test has a good value in the diagnosis of CPP in girls with different levels of BMI and is expected to replace the traditional GnRH stimulation test, but the influence of BMI on LH level should be taken seriously.

KDM4C represses liver fibrosis by regulating H3K9me3 methylation of ALKBH5 and m6A methylation of snail1 mRNA.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to disclose the molecular mechanism of snail1 in liver fibrosis. METHODS: Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) was used to induce a liver fibrosis model in mice whereby serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were evaluated, and liver pathological alternations were assessed. Rat hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) were irritated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, followed by assessment of cell viability and migration. The levels of snail1, ALKBH5, and lysine specific demethylase 4C (KDM4C) were quantified by immunohistochemistry, western blot, or reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, in addition to α-smooth muscle actin (SMA), anti-collagen type I α1 (COL1A1), vimentin, and E-cadherin. Photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation and RNA stability were evaluated to determine the relationship between ALKBH5 and snail1. Changes in KDM4C-bound ALKBH5 promoter and enrichment of histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) at the ALKBH5 promoter were determined using chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: In fibrosis mice, snail1 was upregulated while ALKBH5 and KDM4C were downregulated. KDM4C overexpression reduced serum ALT and AST levels, liver injury, and α-SMA, COL1A1 and VIMENTIN expressions but increased E-cadherin expression. However, the aforementioned trends were reversed by concurrent overexpression of snail1. In HSC-T6 cells exposed to TGF-ß1, ALKBH5 overexpression weakened cell viability and migration, downregulated α-SMA, COL1A1 and VIMENTIN, upregulated E-CADHERIN, and decreased m6A modification of snail1 and its mRNA stability. KDM4C increased ALKBH5 expression by lowering H3K9me3 level, but inhibited HSC-T6 cell activation by regulating the ALKBH5/snail1 axis. CONCLUSION: KDM4C decreases H3K9me3 methylation to upregulate ALKBH5 and subsequently inhibits snail1, ultimately impeding liver fibrosis.

Efficacy of Huoxue Qianyang Qutan Recipe on essential hypertension: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension, a prevalent disease, is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease. Huoxue Qianyang Qutan Recipe (HQQR), a traditional Chinese herbal remedy, has been used for treating hypertension over several years. OBJECTIVE: This study assesses HQQR's efficacy for controlling blood pressure among patients with hypertension related to blood stasis, yang hyperactivity and phlegm. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, from July 2020 to June 2022. Major components of HQQR were identified using thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Participants aged 18-80 years, exhibiting traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of blood stasis, yang hyperactivity or phlegm, along with grades 1 or 2 hypertension, were randomly categorized into two groups. The intervention group was given HQQR granules alongside conventional hypertension treatment, while the control group was given placebo granules in addition to conventional treatment for 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was clinic blood pressure, whereas secondary outcomes included metabolic indices (e.g., homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride), target organ damage indices (left ventricular mass index and urinary albumin creatinine ratio [UACR]) and inflammation indices (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]). RESULTS: HQQR's primary components were identified as salvianolic acid B, emodin and ferulic acid. Of the 216 participants (108 in each group), compared to the control, the intervention group exhibited significant improvements (P < 0.001) in clinic systolic blood pressure ([136.24 ± 7.63] vs [130.06 ± 8.50] mmHg), clinic diastolic blood pressure ([84.34 ± 8.72] vs [80.46 ± 6.05] mmHg), home systolic blood pressure ([131.64 ± 8.74] vs [122.36 ± 8.45] mmHg) and home diastolic blood pressure ([78.47 ± 9.53] vs [71.79 ± 6.82] mmHg). HQQR demonstrated a reduction in ambulatory blood pressure (24-hour systolic blood pressure: [133.75 ± 10.49] vs [132.46 ± 8.84] mmHg and 24-hour diastolic blood pressure: [84.12 ± 8.01] vs [82.11 ± 7.45] mmHg) and an improvement in HOMA-IR ([4.09 ± 1.72] vs [3.98 ± 1.44]), TC ([4.66 ± 1.47] vs [3.75 ± 1.81] mmol/L) and UACR (75.94 [5.12, 401.12] vs 45.61 [4.26, 234.26]). Moreover, HQQR demonstrated a decrease in hs-CRP (1.46 [0.10, 10.53] vs 0.57 [0.12, 3.99] mg/L) and IL-6 (6.69 [2.00, 29.74] vs 5.27 [2.00, 9.73] pg/mL), with no reported side effects (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the therapeutic potential of HQQR use in ameliorating blood pressure, glycolipid metabolism, and inflammation in patients with hypertension. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000035092 (https://www.chictr.org.cn/). Please cite this article as: Xie J, Ma YL, Gui MT, Yao L, Li JH, Wang MZ, Zhou XJ, Wang YF, Zhao MY, Cao H, Lu B, Fu DY. Efficacy of Huoxue Qianyang Qutan Recipe on essential hypertension: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Integr Med 2024; 22(4): 485-493.

Regulation of Protein Conformation Enables Cell-Selective Targeting of Virus-Mimicking Nanoparticles for siRNA Therapy of Glioblastoma.

Orthotopic glioblastoma (GBM) has an aggressive growth pattern and complex pathogenesis, becoming one of the most common and deadly tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). The emergence of RNA therapies offers promise for the treatment of GBM. However, the efficient and precise delivery of RNA drugs to specific tumor cells in the brain with high cellular heterogeneity remains ongoing. Here, a strategy is proposed to regulate protein conformation through lipid nanoenvironments to custom-design virus-mimicking nanoparticles (VMNs) with excellent selective cell targeting capabilities, leading to efficient and precise delivery of small interfering RNA for effective treatment of GBM. The optimized VMNs not only retain the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and release the RNA by lysosomal escape like natural viruses but also ensure precise enrichment in the GBM area. This study lays the conceptual foundation for the custom design of VMNs with superior cell-selective targeting capabilities and opens up the possibility of RNA therapies for the efficient treatment of GBM and CNS tumors.

Network analysis of comorbid aggressive behavior and testosterone among bipolar disorder patients: a cross-sectional study.

Testosterone has complex effects on psychological traits and behavior; it is associated with social dominance and competition and is a potential human sex pheromone. This study aimed to investigate the associations between testosterone levels, aggressive behavior, and manic symptoms using a network analysis among bipolar disorder (BD) patients in psychiatric emergency departments (PED). Data from January 2021 and March 2022 BD patients in PED were analyzed. Manic symptoms were assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Aggression was assessed with subscale of the PANSS scale (PANSS-AG). The undirected network structures of testosterone levels, aggressive behavior, and manic symptoms were estimated, and centrality and bridge centrality indices were examined. Network stability was examined using the case-dropping procedure. The Network Comparison Test (NCT) was conducted to evaluate whether network characteristics differed by gender. We recruited a total of 898 BD patients, with the mean YMRS score as 13.30 ± 9.58. The prevalence of level II aggression was 35.6% (95%CI = 32.5%-38.7%), level III aggression was 29.5% (95%CI = 26.3%-32.6%), and level VI aggression was 7.0% (95%CI = 5.4%-8.8%). The male participants had a mean testosterone level of 391.71 (Standard Deviation (SD):223.39) compared to 36.90 (SD:30.50) for female participants in the whole sample. Through network analysis, "Increased motor activity-energy" emerged as the central symptom, with the highest centrality expected influence, followed by "Emotional Instability" and "Disruptive/aggression behavior". Notably, "Emotional Instability" appeared to be the bridge symptom linking manic symptoms to aggressive behavior. Within the flow network model, "Speech rate and amount" exhibited the strongest positive correlation with testosterone levels, followed closely by "Disruptive/aggression behavior". The constructed network model demonstrated robust stability, with gender showing no significant impact on the structure. In this study, "Increased motor activity-energy" stood out as the most influential symptom, and "Speech rate and amount" acted as the main bridge symptom linking testosterone levels, aggressive behavior, and manic symptoms. Targeting the central and bridge symptoms may improve the outcomes of aggression interventions implemented among BD patients in psychiatric emergency care.

A nationwide study on new onset atrial fibrillation risk factors and its association with hospital mortality in sepsis patients.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and its incidence increases with sepsis. However, data on new-onset AF during sepsis hospitalization remain limited in China. We aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and associated mortality of new-onset AF in sepsis patients in China. We conducted a retrospective study using the National Data Center for Medical Service system, from 1923 tertiary and 2363 secondary hospitals from 31 provinces in China from 2017 to 2019.In total we included 1,425,055 sepsis patients ≥ 18 years without prior AF. The incidence of new-onset AF was 1.49%. Older age, male sex, hypertension, heart failure, coronary disease, valvular disease, and mechanical ventilation were independent risk factor. New-onset AF was associated with a slight increased risk of mortality (adjusted RR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06). Population attributable fraction suggested AF accounted for 0.2% of sepsis deaths. In this large nationwide cohort, new-onset AF occurred in 1.49% of sepsis admissions and was associated with a small mortality increase. Further research should examine whether optimized AF management can improve sepsis outcomes in China.

Value of Molecular Typing Combined with Integrated Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Risk Stratification of Endometrial Cancer.

Objective: In this study, we investigated the value of molecular typing combined with integrated positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) semi-quantitative indices in endometrial cancer risk stratification. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 86 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with endometrial cancer and underwent surgical treatment after curettage at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University between January 2017 and March 2023. Prior to surgery, each patient underwent integrated PET/MRI examination. The postoperative samples were subjected to pathological diagnosis, immunohistochemistry, and POLE gene sequencing. The differences in clinicopathological features between the four molecular subtypes and the differences in integrated PET/MRI semi-quantitative indexes (SUV max, ADC min) between the four molecular subtypes were analyzed. The cutoff value of molecular typing combined with integrated PET/MRI semi-quantitative indices for endometrial cancer risk stratification was determined. Results: There were statistically significant differences in pathological types and tumor grades among the four molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer. The values of the four integrated PET/MRI semi-quantitative indices (SUV max and ADC min) of the molecular subtypes were statistically different. The SUV max was greater in the p53abn mutation group than in the POLE mutation group (P < 0.05). The ADC minimum of the POLE mutation group and the MMR-d group was lower than the NSMP group (P < 0.05). Molecular typing combined with the integrated PET/MRI semi-quantitative SUV max index can predict the low/medium risk group of endometrial cancer and the medium-high/high risk group, and the cut-off value of SUV max for predicting the risk of early endometrial cancer was 14.72 (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 68.7%). Conclusion: Molecular typing combined with integrated PET/MRI semi-quantitative indicators is useful to achieve risk stratification in patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer and guide individualized treatment.

Codon usage bias analysis in the mitochondrial genomes of five Rhingia Scopoli (Diptera, Syrphidae, Eristalinae) species.

This study presents the sequencing and annotation of mitochondrial genomes from five Rhingia species of the family Syrphidae, focusing on codon bias. Each species possessed 22 tRNAs genes, 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs genes, and a control region, without any observed gene rearrangements. Nucleotide composition analysis revealed a higher AT content compared with GC content, indicating AT enrichment. Neutrality plot, Parity rule 2 bias, and effective number of codons plot analyses collectively indicated that natural selection primarily influences the codon usage bias in the five Rhingia species. Relative synonymous codon usage analysis identified the optimal codons for Rhingia binotata, R. fromosana, R. campestris, R. louguanensis, and R. xanthopoda as 10, 14, 10, 11, and 12, respectively, all ending with A/U and exhibiting AT preference. Phylogenetic analysis, based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods applied to three datasets, confirmed the monophyly of Rhingia. In conclusion, this research establishes a foundation for understanding the phylogenetic evolution and codon usage patterns in Rhingia, offering valuable for future studies.

E93 is indispensable for reproduction in ametabolous and hemimetabolous insects.

Ecdysone-induced protein 93 (E93), known as the 'adult-specifier' transcription factor in insects, triggers metamorphosis in both hemimetabolous and holometabolous insects. Although E93 is conserved in ametabolous insects, its spatiotemporal expression and physiological function remain poorly understood. In this study, we first discover that, in the ametabolous firebrat Thermobia domestica, the previtellogenic ovary exhibits cyclically high E93 expression, and E93 mRNA is broadly distributed in previtellogenic ovarioles. E93 homozygous mutant females of T. domestica exhibit severe fecundity deficiency due to impaired previtellogenic development of the ovarian follicles, likely because E93 induces the expression of genes involved in ECM (extracellular matrix)-receptor interactions during previtellogenesis. Moreover, we reveal that in the hemimetabolous cockroach Blattella germanica, E93 similarly promotes previtellogenic ovarian development. In addition, E93 is also essential for vitellogenesis that is necessary to guarantee ovarian maturation and promotes the vitellogenesis-previtellogenesis switch in the fat body of adult female cockroaches. Our findings deepen the understanding of the roles of E93 in controlling reproduction in insects, and of E93 expression and functional evolution, which are proposed to have made crucial contributions to the origin of insect metamorphosis.

L-Type Calcium Channel Modulates Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound-Induced Excitation in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons.

As a noninvasive technique, ultrasound stimulation is known to modulate neuronal activity both in vitro and in vivo. The latest explanation of this phenomenon is that the acoustic wave can activate the ion channels and further impact the electrophysiological properties of targeted neurons. However, the underlying mechanism of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS)-induced neuro-modulation effects is still unclear. Here, we characterize the excitatory effects of LIPUS on spontaneous activity and the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in cultured hippocampal neurons. By whole-cell patch clamp recording, we found that 15 min of 1-MHz LIPUS boosts the frequency of both spontaneous action potentials and spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents (sEPSCs) and also increases the amplitude of sEPSCs in hippocampal neurons. This phenomenon lasts for > 10 min after LIPUS exposure. Together with Ca2+ imaging, we clarified that LIPUS increases the [Ca2+]cyto level by facilitating L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs). In addition, due to the [Ca2+]cyto elevation by LIPUS exposure, the Ca2+-dependent CaMKII-CREB pathway can be activated within 30 min to further regulate the gene transcription and protein expression. Our work suggests that LIPUS regulates neuronal activity in a Ca2+-dependent manner via LTCCs. This may also explain the multi-activation effects of LIPUS beyond neurons. LIPUS stimulation potentiates spontaneous neuronal activity by increasing Ca2+ influx.

Effects of temperature and initial pH on the growth of four dominant cyanobacteria species in biological soil crusts.

Biological soil crusts are of great significance for environment health and sustainable development in arid and semi-arid areas. Cyanobacteria, Microcoleus vaginatus, Scytonema sp., Nostoc sp., and Anabaena sp. are the dominant species in microbial community of biological soil crusts worldwide. Considering their broad application prospect, it is meaningful to cultivate them extensively. We examined the effects of temperature (10, 20, 25, 30, 35 ℃) and initial pH (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) on biomass and solution pH towards the four species of cyanobacteria with liquid culture in laboratory. The results showed that the biomass of the four cyanobacterial species grew slowly under 20 ℃, and that all species could grow in 25-35 ℃, with the highest growth rate at 25 and 30 ℃. The optimum culture temperature of different cyanobacterial species was slightly different. The optimum culture temperature was 25-30 ℃ for Scytonema sp. and Nostoc sp., and 30 ℃ for M. vaginatus and Anabaena sp. The four cyanobacterial species had a strong ability to adjust solution pH and proliferate in five different initial pH conditions. The highest maximum biomass and specific growth rate were recorded in the culture environment with initial pH of 4, while the lowest maximum biomass and specific growth rate were observed in initial pH of 12. Our results would provide scientific basis for the propagation of dominant cyanobacteria in biological soil crusts.