Moderating effects of PER3 gene DNA methylation on the association between problematic mobile phone use and chronotype among Chinese young adults: Focus on gender differences.

Objective: To investigate the rates of problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) and chronotypes in young adults, and examine the associations of PMPU with chronotypes, as well as its gender differences. Furthermore, we explored the moderating role of PER3 gene DNA methylation on the associations. Methods: From April to May 2019, a total of 1,179 young adults were selected from 2 universities in Anhui and Jiangxi provinces. The Self-rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use (SQAPMPU) and reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) were adopted to investigate PMPU and chronotypes in young adults, respectively. Moreover, 744 blood samples were collected to measure PER3 gene DNA methylation. Multivariate logistic regression models were established to analyze the associations between PMPU and chronotypes. Moderating analysis was used to determine whether PER3 gene DNA methylation moderated the relationships between PMPU and chronotypes. Results: The prevalence of PMPU, morning chronotypes (M-types), neutral chronotypes (N-types), and evening chronotypes (E-types) of young adults were 24.6%, 18.4%, 71.1%, and 10.5%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that PMPU was positively correlated with E-types (OR = 3.53, 95%CI: 2.08-6.00), and the association was observed only in females after stratified by gender (OR = 5.36, 95%CI: 2.70-10.67). Furthermore, PER3 gene DNA methylation has a negative moderating role between PMPU and chronotypes and has a sex-based difference. Conclusions: This study can provide valuable information for the prevention and control of circadian rhythm disturbance among young adults from the perspective of epidemiology and biological etiology.

Uncovering the differentiated impacts of carbon neutrality and clean air policies in multi-provinces of China.

Ambitious action plans have been launched to address climate change and air pollution. Through coupling the IMED|CGE, GAINS, and IMED|HEL models, this study investigate the impacts of implementing carbon neutrality and clean air policies on the energy-environment-health-economy chain in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Henan-Shandong-Shanxi region of China. Results show that Shandong holds the largest reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions toward the 1.5°C target. Shandong, Henan, and Hebei are of particularly prominent pollutant reduction potential. Synergistic effects of carbon reduction on decreasing PM2.5 concentration will increase in the future, specifically in energy-intensive regions. Co-deployment of carbon reduction and end-of-pipe technologies are beneficial to decrease PM2.5-related mortalities and economic loss by 4.7-12.9% in 2050. Provincial carbon reduction cost will be higher than monetary health benefits after 2030, indicating that more zero-carbon technologies should be developed. Our findings provide scientific enlightenment on policymaking toward achieving carbon reduction and pollution mitigation from multiple perspectives.

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.

A critical assessment of using ChatGPT for extracting structured data from clinical notes.

Existing natural language processing (NLP) methods to convert free-text clinical notes into structured data often require problem-specific annotations and model training. This study aims to evaluate ChatGPT's capacity to extract information from free-text medical notes efficiently and comprehensively. We developed a large language model (LLM)-based workflow, utilizing systems engineering methodology and spiral "prompt engineering" process, leveraging OpenAI's API for batch querying ChatGPT. We evaluated the effectiveness of this method using a dataset of more than 1000 lung cancer pathology reports and a dataset of 191 pediatric osteosarcoma pathology reports, comparing the ChatGPT-3.5 (gpt-3.5-turbo-16k) outputs with expert-curated structured data. ChatGPT-3.5 demonstrated the ability to extract pathological classifications with an overall accuracy of 89%, in lung cancer dataset, outperforming the performance of two traditional NLP methods. The performance is influenced by the design of the instructive prompt. Our case analysis shows that most misclassifications were due to the lack of highly specialized pathology terminology, and erroneous interpretation of TNM staging rules. Reproducibility shows the relatively stable performance of ChatGPT-3.5 over time. In pediatric osteosarcoma dataset, ChatGPT-3.5 accurately classified both grades and margin status with accuracy of 98.6% and 100% respectively. Our study shows the feasibility of using ChatGPT to process large volumes of clinical notes for structured information extraction without requiring extensive task-specific human annotation and model training. The results underscore the potential role of LLMs in transforming unstructured healthcare data into structured formats, thereby supporting research and aiding clinical decision-making.

Identification of glutamine metabolism-related gene signature to predict colorectal cancer prognosis.

Backgrounds: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly malignant gastrointestinal malignancy with a poor prognosis, which imposes a significant burden on patients and healthcare providers globally. Previous studies have established that genes related to glutamine metabolism play a crucial role in the development of CRC. However, no studies have yet explored the prognostic significance of these genes in CRC. Methods: CRC patient data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), while glutamine metabolism-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) database. Univariate COX regression analysis and LASSO Cox regression were utilized to identify 15 glutamine metabolism-related genes associated with CRC prognosis. The risk scores were calculated and stratified into high-risk and low-risk groups based on the median risk score. The model's efficacy was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Cox regression analysis was employed to determine the risk score as an independent prognostic factor for CRC. Differential immune cell infiltration between the high-risk and low-risk groups was assessed using the ssGSEA method. The clinical applicability of the model was validated by constructing nomograms based on age, gender, clinical staging, and risk scores. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression levels of core genes. Results: We identified 15 genes related to glutamine metabolism in CRC: NLGN1, RIMKLB, UCN, CALB1, SYT4, WNT3A, NRCAM, LRFN4, PHGDH, GRM1, CBLN1, NRG1, GLYATL1, CBLN2, and VWC2. Compared to the high-risk group, the low-risk group demonstrated longer overall survival (OS) for CRC. Clinical correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between the risk score and the clinical stage and TNM stage of CRC. Immune correlation analysis indicated a predominance of Th2 cells in the low-risk group. The nomogram exhibited excellent discriminatory ability for OS in CRC. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the core gene CBLN1 was expressed at a lower level in CRC, while GLYATL1 was expressed at a higher level. Conclusions: In summary, we have successfully identified and comprehensively analyzed a gene signature associated with glutamine metabolism in CRC for the first time. This gene signature consistently and reliably predicts the prognosis of CRC patients, indicating its potential as a metabolic target for individuals with CRC.

Distinct autoantibody profiles across checkpoint inhibitor types and toxicities.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are increasingly used in combination. To understand the effects of different ICI categories, we characterized changes in circulating autoantibodies in patients enrolled in the E4412 trial (NCT01896999) of brentuximab vedotin (BV) plus ipilimumab, BV plus nivolumab, or BV plus ipilimumab-nivolumab for Hodgkin Lymphoma. Cycle 2 Day 1 (C2D1) autoantibody levels were compared to pre-treatment baseline. Across 112 autoantibodies tested, we generally observed increases in ipilimumab-containing regimens, with decreases noted in the nivolumab arm. Among 15 autoantibodies with significant changes at C2D1, all nivolumab cases exhibited decreases, with more than 90% of ipilimumab-exposed cases showing increases. Autoantibody profiles also showed differences according to immune-related adverse event (irAE) type, with rash generally featuring increases and liver toxicity demonstrating decreases. We conclude that dynamic autoantibody profiles may differ according to ICI category and irAE type. These findings may have relevance to clinical monitoring and irAE treatment.

A retrospective study of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in differentiating the nature of pulmonary lesions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of various pulmonary lesions as revealed by 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT and to determine the utility of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in distinguishing the nature of these pulmonary lesions. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 99 patients with pulmonary lesions, who were categorized into three distinct groups: primary lung tumors (G1), metastatic lung tumors (G2), and benign lesions (G3). Each participant underwent a 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT scan. Among these groups, variables such as the Tumor/Background Ratio (TBR), Maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax), and the true positive rate of the lesions were compared. Furthermore, the FAPI uptake in nodular-like pulmonary lesions (d<3cm) and those with irregular borders was evaluated across the groups. A correlation analysis sought to understand the relationship between FAPI uptake in primary and pulmonary metastatic lesions. Results: The study's participants were composed of 52 males and 47 females, with an average age of 56.8 ± 13.2 years. A higher uptake and detection rate for pulmonary lesions were exhibited by Group G1 compared to the other groups (SUVmax [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 9.1 ± 4.1 vs. 6.1 ± 4.1 vs. 5.3 ± 5.8], P<0.05; TBR [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 6.2 ± 2.4 vs. 4.1 ± 2.2 vs. 3.2 ± 2.7], P<0.01; true positive rate 95.1% vs. 88% vs. 75.6%]. In nodular-like lung lesions smaller than 3 cm, G1 showed a significantly higher FAPI uptake compared to G2 and G3 (SUVmax [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 8.8 ± 4.3 vs. 5.2 ± 3.2 vs. 4.9 ± 6.1], P<0.01; TBR [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 5.7 ± 2.7 vs. 3.7 ± 2.1 vs. 3.3 ± 4.4], P<0.05). Both G1 and G2 demonstrated significantly elevated FAPI agent activity in irregular-bordered pulmonary lesions when compared to G3 (SUVmax [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 10.9 ± 3.3 vs. 8.5 ± 2.7 vs. 4.6 ± 2.7], P<0.01; TBR [G1 vs. G2 vs. G3: 7.2 ± 2.1 vs. 6.4 ± 1.3 vs. 3.2 ± 2.4], P<0.01). A positive correlation was identified between the level of 68Ga-FAPI uptake in primary lesions and the uptake in pulmonary metastatic lesions within G2 (r=0.856, P<0.05). Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT imaging proves to be of significant value in the evaluation of pulmonary lesions, offering distinctive insights into their nature.

Combination of scavenger receptor-A with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: The routine biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP), rheumatoid factor (RF), immunoglobulin M (IgM), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reaction protein (CRP) have limited sensitivity and specificity. Scavenger receptor-A (SR-A) is a novel RA biomarker identified by our group recently, especially for seronegative RA. Here, we performed a large-scale multicentre study to further assess the diagnostic value of SR-A in combination with other biomarkers for RA. METHODS: The performance of SR-A in combination with other biomarkers for RA diagnosis was first revealed by a pilot study, and was further elucidated by a large-scale multicentre study. A total of 1129 individuals from 3 cohorts were recruited in the study, including RA patients, healthy controls, and patients with other common rheumatic diseases. Diagnostic properties were evaluated by the covariate-adjusted receiver-operating characteristic (AROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity and clinical association, respectively. RESULTS: Large-scale multicentre analysis showed that SR-A and anti-CCP dual combination was the optimal method for RA diagnosis, increasing the sensitivity of anti-CCP by 13% (87% vs 74%) while maintaining a specificity of 90%. In early RA patients, SR-A and anti-CCP dual combination also showed promising diagnostic value, increasing the sensitivity of anti-CCP by 7% (79% vs 72%) while maintaining a specificity of 94%. Moreover, SR-A and anti-CCP dual combination was correlated with ESR, IgM, and autoantibodies of RA patients, further revealing its clinical significance. CONCLUSION: SR-A and anti-CCP dual combination could potentially improve early diagnosis of RA, thus improving the prognosis and reducing mortality.

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics at a western China metropolis: Relationship with underlying surface types and human exposure.

The issue of atmospheric microplastic (AMP) contamination is gaining increasing attention, yet the influencing factors and human exposure are not well-understood. In this study, atmospheric depositions were collected in the megacity of Chengdu, China, to investigate the pollution status and spatial disparities in AMP distribution. The relationship between AMP abundance and underlying surface types was then analyzed with the aid of back trajectory simulation. Additionally, a probabilistic estimation of human exposure to AMP deposition during outdoor picnics was provided, followed by the calculation of AMP loading into rivers. Results revealed that the mean deposition flux ranged within 207.1-364.0 N/m2/d (14.17-33.75 µg/m2/d), with significantly larger AMP abundance and sizes in urban compared to rural areas. Areas of compact buildings played an important role in contributing to both fibrous and non-fibrous AMP contamination from urban to rural areas, providing new insight into potential sources of pollution. This suggests that appropriate plastic waste disposal in compact building areas should be prioritized for controlling AMP pollution. Besides, the median ingestion of deposited AMPs during a single picnic was 34.9 N/capita/hour (3.03 × 10-3 µg/capita/hour) for urban areas and 17.8 N/capita/hour (7.74 × 10-4 µg/capita/hour) for suburbs. Furthermore, the worst-case scenario of AMPs loading into rivers was investigated, which could reach 170.7 kg in summertime Chengdu. This work could contribute to a better understanding of the status of AMP pollution and its sources, as well as the potential human exposure risk.

A Microactuator Array Based on Ionic Electroactive Artificial Muscles for Cell Mechanical Stimulation.

Mechanical stimulation is prevalent within organisms, and appropriate regulation of such stimulation can significantly enhance cellular functions. Consequently, the in vitro construction and simulation of mechanical stimulation have emerged as a research hotspot in biomechanics. In recent years, a class of artificial muscles named electroactive polymers (EAPs), especially ionic EAPs, have shown promising applications in biomechanics. While several techniques utilizing ionic EAPs for cell mechanical stimulation have been reported, further research is needed to advance and enhance their practical applications. Here, we prepared a microactuator array based on ionic EAP artificial muscles for cell mechanical stimulation. As a preliminary effort, we created a 5 × 5 microactuator array on a supporting membrane by employing laser cutting. We evaluated the electro-actuation performance of the microactuators through experimental testing and numerical simulations, affirming the potential use of the microactuator array for cell mechanical stimulation. The devised approach could inspire innovative design concepts in the development of miniaturized intelligent electronic devices, not only in biomechanics and biomimetics but also in other related fields.

Glass-Blowing-Inspired Upcycling of Thermosetting Polymer to Neuron-Like Hierarchical Carbon for Microwave Absorption and Conversion.

Upgrading thermosetting polymer waste and harvesting unwanted electromagnetic energy are of great significance in solving environmental pollution and energy shortage problems. Herein, inspired by the glass-blowing art, a spontaneous, controllable, and scalable strategy is proposed to prepare hollow carbon materials by inner blowing and outside blocking. Specifically, hierarchically neuron-like hollow carbon materials (HCMSs) with various sizes are fabricated from melamine-formaldehyde sponge (MS) waste. Benefiting from the synergistic of the hollow "cell body" and the connected "protrusions" networks, HCMSs reveal superior electromagnetic absorption performance with a strong reflection loss of -54.9 dB, electromagnetic-heat conversion ability with a high conversion efficiency of 34.4%, and efficient energy storage performance in supercapacitor. Furthermore, a multifunctional device integrating electromagnetic-heat-electrical energy conversion is designed, and its feasibility is proved by experiments and theoretical calculations. The integrated device reveals an output voltage of 34.5 mV and a maximum output power of 0.89 µW with electromagnetic radiation for 60 s. This work provides a novel solution to recycle polymer waste, electromagnetic energy, and unwanted thermal energy.

Droplet Hi-C for Fast and Scalable Profiling of Chromatin Architecture in Single Cells.

Comprehensive analysis of chromatin architecture is crucial for understanding the gene regulatory programs during development and in disease pathogenesis, yet current methods often inadequately address the unique challenges presented by analysis of heterogeneous tissue samples. Here, we introduce Droplet Hi-C, which employs a commercial microfluidic device for high-throughput, single-cell chromatin conformation profiling in droplets. Using Droplet Hi-C, we mapped the chromatin architecture at single-cell resolution from the mouse cortex and analyzed gene regulatory programs in major cortical cell types. Additionally, we used this technique to detect copy number variation (CNV), structural variations (SVs) and extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) in cancer cells, revealing clonal dynamics and other oncogenic events during treatment. We further refined this technique to allow for joint profiling of chromatin architecture and transcriptome in single cells, facilitating a more comprehensive exploration of the links between chromatin architecture and gene expression in both normal tissues and tumors. Thus, Droplet Hi-C not only addresses critical gaps in chromatin analysis of heterogeneous tissues but also emerges as a versatile tool enhancing our understanding of gene regulation in health and disease.

Highly variable timing renders immunotherapy efficacy and toxicity impractical biomarkers of one another in clinical practice.

Background: A useful clinical biomarker requires not only association but also a consistent temporal relationship. For instance, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and epidermal growth-factor inhibitor-related acneiform rash both occur within weeks of treatment initiation, thereby providing information prior to efficacy assessment. Although immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated immune-related adverse events (irAE) have been associated with therapeutic benefit, irAE may have delayed and highly variable onset. To determine whether ICI efficacy and irAE could serve as clinically useful biomarkers for predicting each other, we determined the temporal relationship between initial efficacy assessment and irAE onset in a diverse population treated with ICI. Methods: Using two-sided Fisher exact and Cochran-Armitage tests, we determined the relative timing of initial efficacy assessment and irAE occurrence in a cohort of 155 ICI-treated patients (median age 68 years, 40% women). Results: Initial efficacy assessment was performed a median of 50 days [interquartile range (IQR) 39-59 days] after ICI initiation; median time to any irAE was 77 days (IQR 28-145 days) after ICI initiation. Median time to first irAE was 42 days (IQR 20-88 days). Overall, 58% of any irAE and 47% of first irAE occurred after initial efficacy assessment. For clinically significant (grade ≥2) irAE, 60% of any and 53% of first occurred after initial efficacy assessment. The likelihood of any future irAE did not differ according to response (45% for complete or partial response vs. 47% for other cases; P=1). In landmark analyses controlling for clinical and toxicity follow-up, patients demonstrating greater tumor shrinkage at initial efficacy assessment were more likely to develop future grade ≥2 (P=0.05) and multi-organ (P=0.02) irAE. Conclusions: In contrast to that seen with chemotherapy and molecularly targeted therapies, the temporal relationship between ICI efficacy and toxicity is complex and bidirectional. In practice, neither parameter can be routinely relied on as a clinical biomarker to predict the other.

Elevated 68Ga-FAPI Activity in Pulmonary Inflammatory Pseudotumor.

ABSTRACT: We present a case of pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor with elevated 68Ga-FAPI activity. Our case suggested that pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cancer-like solitary pulmonary nodules with increased 68Ga-FAPI uptake.

The Influence of Drug-Eluting Beads Transarterial Chemoembolization on Serum Levels of Soluble Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

Aim: This study aims to explore the role of soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (sPD-1) in individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing treatment with drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (D-TACE). Additionally, we aim to assess the potential utility of sPD-1 for determining the optimal timing for combining D-TACE with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Materials and Methods: A total of 44 HCC patients eligible for D-TACE and 55 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Three milliliters of peripheral venous blood from the patients were collected on the day before D-TACE and 3, 7, and 30 days after D-TACE, respectively, for the assay of sPD-1. The relationships between sPD-1 levels, clinical features, outcomes, and the fluctuation of sPD-1 during treatment were analyzed. Results: The initial sPD-1 levels in patients were found to be significantly higher than those in the control group. Although the initial sPD-1 levels displayed a decreasing trend with an increase in BCLC stage, no significant differences were observed among patients at different BCLC stages. The sPD-1 level on day 3 after D-TACE was similar to that on day 7 after D-TACE and significantly lower than the initial level. The sPD-1 level on day 30 after D-TACE was significantly higher than that on day 3 and day 7 after D-TACE and nearly returned to the initial level before D-TACE. Conclusion: The level of sPD-1 was found to be significantly elevated in patients with HCC. However, further research is deemed necessary to fully understand the role of sPD-1 as a potential biomarker in the initiation, progression, and prognosis of HCC. The decrease in sPD-1 following D-TACE suggests that immune effector cells might potentially be reduced, as well as immune function weakened, highlighting the need to avoid the prompt administration of ICIs after D-TACE.

Effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block on lung protection for patients undergoing one-lung ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) on lung protection for patients undergoing one-lung ventilation (OLV). METHODS: A total of 123 patients undergoing elective one-lung ventilation surgery were selected as research subjects in this prospective study. These patients were randomly divided into the SGB group, control group and blank group on average. Stellate ganglion block was carried out in the SGB and control groups. Patients in the SGB group were injected with 6 ml mixture of 0.25% ropivacaine hydrochloride and 1% lidocaine hydrochloride, while those in the control group were injected with 6 mL of 0.9% saline. Punctures weren't performed for patients in the blank group. The same induction and maintenance of general anesthesia was adopted for all three groups. Hemodynamics, respiratory parameters and arterial blood gas analysis were recorded after entering the operation room (T0), pre-OLV (T1), 30 min after OLV (T2), 60 min after OLV (T3), at the end of surgery (T4), and 30 min after extubation (T5). Oxygenation index (OI), pulmonary shunt fraction (Qs/Qt) and pH value were compared at different time points. Intravenous serum was collected at T0, T3 and T5 for the detection of surfactant proteins A (SP-A), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels, respectively. The complications related to SGB after surgery and the postoperative pulmonary complications within 72 h were recorded. RESULTS: At T1, T2, and T3, MAP level in SGB group was lower than that in blank and control groups (P<0.05). At T2, and T3, SGB group had lower hear rate (HR), peak airway pressure (Ppeak) and tidal volume (TV) than blank and control groups (all P<0.05). From T2 to T5, SGB group had higher OI but lower Qs/Qt than blank and control groups (both P<0.05). At T3 and T5, SGB group had lower SP-A, IL-6, and MDA levels but higher IL-10 and SOD levels than blank and control groups (all P<0.05). There was one case of hypoxemia in the blank group within 72 h after surgery. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided SGB has lung-protective effects on patients undergoing OLV, which significantly improves patients' OI, reduces intrapulmonary shunts, declines ventilator-induced lung damage, and inhibits inflammatory response as well as oxidative stress (China Clinical Trial Registry, registration number ChiCTR2000033385, https://www.chictr.org.cn).

Effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block on cerebral oxygen metabolism and S100B protein during carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) on cerebral oxygen metabolism and serum S100B during carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: Patients who were prospectively enrolled to receive CEA under elective general anesthesia were randomized into an SGB group and a control group (ChiCTR2000033385). Before anesthesia, the SGB group underwent ipsilateral SGB under ultrasound guidance, while the control group did not. Ultrasound-guided right subclavian internal jugular vein catheterization was performed under general anesthesia. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored at various time points (T0-T4). Arterial and internal jugular venous bulb blood were collected for blood gas analysis, determining jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2), arteriovenous oxygen difference (AVDO2), cerebral oxygen extraction ratio (COER), lactate production rate (LPR), and lactate-oxygen index (LOI). The serum concentration of S100B in the internal jugular venous bulb at each time point was measured. RESULTS: The results revealed significantly lower HR during anesthesia induction and surgery in the SGB group, with more stable MAP and HR during endotracheal intubation and surgery compared to the control group (P<0.05). The control group exhibited decreases at T3 and a slight increase at T4. SjvO2 was significantly higher in the SGB group, while AVDO2 and COER gradually decreased over time, but they were significantly higher in the control group (P<0.05). LPR and LOI in both groups peaked at T3 and were significantly different between T4 and T2 (P<0.05). Serum S100B levels in both groups rose and then decreased at each time point, but they were consistently lower in the SGB group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: SGB before CEA effectively suppresses the stress response, maintains intraoperative hemodynamic stability, improves brain tissue oxygen supply, and demonstrates a neuroprotective effect.

Fine-tuning the pore environment of ultramicroporous three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks for efficient one-step ethylene purification.

The construction of functional three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs) for gas separation, specifically for the efficient removal of ethane (C2H6) from ethylene (C2H4), is significant but challenging due to their similar physicochemical properties. In this study, we demonstrate fine-tuning the pore environment of ultramicroporous 3D COFs to achieve efficient one-step C2H4 purification. By choosing our previously reported 3D-TPB-COF-H as a reference material, we rationally design and synthesize an isostructural 3D COF (3D-TPP-COF) containing pyridine units. Impressively, compared with 3D-TPB-COF-H, 3D-TPP-COF exhibits both high C2H6 adsorption capacity (110.4 cm3 g-1 at 293 K and 1 bar) and good C2H6/C2H4 selectivity (1.8), due to the formation of additional C-H···N interactions between pyridine groups and C2H6. To our knowledge, this performance surpasses all other reported COFs and is even comparable to some benchmark porous materials. In addition, dynamic breakthrough experiments reveal that 3D-TPP-COF can be used as a robust absorbent to produce high-purity C2H4 directly from a C2H6/C2H4 mixture. This study provides important guidance for the rational design of 3D COFs for efficient gas separation.

Effects of root-applied biochar on soil nitrogen transformation and root nitrogen metabolism of cucumber seedlings in facility continuous cropping soils.

The problem of soil barrier caused by excessive accumulation of nitrogen is common in continuous cropping soil of facility agriculture. To investigate the modulating effects of biochar amendment on soil nitrogen transformation in greenhouse continuous cropping systems, we conducted a pot experiment with two treatments, no biochar addition (CK) and 5% biochar addition (mass ratio). We analyzed the effects of biochar addition on soil microbial community structure, abundances of genes functioning in nitrogen cycling, root growth and nitrogen metabolism-related genes expressions of cucumber seedlings. The results showed that biochar addition significantly increased plant height, root dry mass, total root length, root surface area, and root volume of cucumber seedlings. Rhizosphere environment was improved, which enhanced root nitrogen absorption by inducing the up-regulation of genes expressions related to plant nitrogen metabolism. Biochar addition significantly increased soil microbial biomass nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and nitrite nitrogen contents. The abundances of bacteria that involved in nitrogen metabolism, including Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Rhizobiales (soil nitrogen-fixing bacteria), were also significantly improved in the soil. The abundances of genes functioning in soil nitrification and nitrogen assimilation reduction, and the activities of enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolisms such as hydroxylamine dehydrogenase, nitronate monooxygenase, carbonic anhydrase were increased. In summary, biochar addition improved soil physicochemical properties and microbial community, and affected soil nitrogen cycling through promoting nitrification and nitrogen assimilation. Finally, nitrogen adsorption capacity and growth of cucumber plant was increased.