Confinement loss prediction in diverse anti-resonant fibers through neural networks.

In this work, genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to optimize convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for predicting the confinement loss (CL) in anti-resonant fibers (ARFs), achieving a prediction accuracy of CL magnitude reached 90.6%, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the highest accuracy to date and marks the first instance of using a single model to predict CL across diverse ARF structures. Different from the previous definition of ARF structures with parameter groups, we use anchor points to describe these structures, thus eliminating the differences in expression among them. This improvement allows the model to gain insight into the specific structural characteristics, thereby enhancing its generalization capabilities. Furthermore, we demonstrate a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), driven by our model, for the design of ARFs, validating the model's robust predictive accuracy and versatility. Compared with the calculation of CL by finite element method (FEM), this model significantly reduces the cost time, and provides a speed-up method in fiber design driven by numerical calculation.

The utility of the irritability scale in Huntington's disease patients with evidence of irritability or aggression.

INTRODUCTION: Irritability, a common neuropsychiatric symptom in Huntington's disease (HD), lacks a standardized measurement. The Irritability Scale (IS), tailored for HD, has patient and informant versions, but variable interrater agreement has been reported frequently in previous studies. To enhance the clinical utility of the IS, this study aimed to identify the most reliable components estimating the underlying construct and develop a shortened version for time-limited contexts. METHODS: Participant and informant/observer concordance and the relationship of individual items to the complete IS scale were assessed. The short-form (SF) items were selected based on interrater agreement, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis results. Pair-wise correlation and covariance models were used to examine how SF predicted total IS score in 106 participants from the STAIR (Safety, Tolerability, and Activity of SRX246 in Irritable Subjects with Huntington's Disease) trial. Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis was used to evaluate the range and function of the selected items. RESULTS: IS interrater agreement was statistically significant (r = 0.33, p = .001). In combination with EFA factors and IRT analyses, five items were identified that showed good reliability and performance in differentiating levels of irritability. CONCLUSION: The proposed 5-item SF IS provided a reliable measure of the full scale and may be less burdensome for use in a clinical setting.

PDGFBB facilitates tumorigenesis and malignancy of lung adenocarcinoma associated with PI3K-AKT/MAPK signaling.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains one of the most aggressive tumors and the efficacy of conventional treatment has been bleak. Nowadays, gene-targeted therapy has become a new favorite in tumor therapy. Herein, we investigated the effect of platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGFBB) on LUAD. Firstly, PDGFBB was upregulated in LUAD patients and closely linked with poor survival. Furthermore, the expression of PDGFBB and PDGFRα/ß in LUAD cells was higher than that in normal lung cells. By loss-of-function with herpes simplex virus (HSV)-PDGFi-shRNA, we found that PDGFBB knockdown caused a significant decrease in proliferation and migration, but evoked apoptosis of LUAD cells in vitro. Conversely, exogenous PDGFBB held adverse effect. Additionally, A549 cells with PDGFBB knockdown had a low probability of tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, PDGFBB knockdown restrained the growth of xenografts derived from normal A549 cells. Mechanistically, PDGFBB knockdown suppressed PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, while PDGFBB was the opposite. Therefore, we concluded that PDGFBB might facilitate the tumorigenesis and malignancy of LUAD through its functional downstream nodes-PI3K/AKT and Ras/MAPK signaling, which supported that PDGFBB could serve as a rational therapeutic target for LUAD.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections in children.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading global cause of respiratory infections and is responsible for about 3 million hospitalizations and more than 100,000 deaths annually in children younger than 5 years, representing a major global healthcare burden. There is a great unmet need for new agents and universal strategies to prevent RSV infections in early life. A multidisciplinary consensus development group comprising experts in epidemiology, infectious diseases, respiratory medicine, and methodology aims to develop the current consensus to address clinical issues of RSV infections in children. DATA SOURCES: The evidence searches and reviews were conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, using variations in terms for "respiratory syncytial virus", "RSV", "lower respiratory tract infection", "bronchiolitis", "acute", "viral pneumonia", "neonatal", "infant" "children", and "pediatric". RESULTS: Evidence-based recommendations regarding diagnosis, treatment, and prevention were proposed with a high degree of consensus. Although supportive care remains the cornerstone for the management of RSV infections, new monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, drug therapies, and viral surveillance techniques are being rolled out. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus, based on international and national scientific evidence, reinforces the current recommendations and integrates the recent advances for optimal care and prevention of RSV infections. Further improvements in the management of RSV infections will require generating the highest quality of evidence through rigorously designed studies that possess little bias and sufficient capacity to identify clinically meaningful end points.

A novel method for effective solidifying chromium and preparing crude stainless steel from multi-metallic electroplating sludge.

Electroplating sludge (ES) is a globally prevalent hazardous waste that primarily contains Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe. However, the residual Cr phases within the slag potentially poses an environmental risk in current vitrification. A novel method for effective recovering and solidifying Cr in ES is proposed in this work. ES was desulfurized and subsequently co-treated with ferrosilicon (Fe-Si) and spent carbon anode (SCA) for enhancing the recovery of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe to prepare crude stainless steel. Under optimal conditions, the recovery ratios of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe reached 96.96%, 99.45%, 99.92%, and 99.20%, respectively, signifying improvements of 21.4%, 0.2%, 1.5%, and 2.8%, respectively, compared with existing research. Meanwhile, the fluoride in SCA yielded CaF2, further progressing to the Si-Ca-F-Na-Al-O phase, with a solidification ratio of 97.87%. The Cr leaching content of the residual Cr-Cu-S phase in the slag remained below 5 mg/L across a pH range of 2-4, demonstrating enhanced stability compared to prior alloy, oxide, and chemically dissolved phases. An innovative approach for solidify Cr by forming matte holds implications for the treatment of Cr-containing solid wastes such as chromium slag, tannery sludge and stainless steel slag.

Efficacy and safety of interventional therapy combined with drug injection under bronchoscope in the treatment of central non-small cell lung cancer / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of interventional therapy combined with tumor drug injection under bronchoscope for central non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Sixty-four patients who met the test admission criteria were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group according to the ratio of 1:1, and were given bronchoscopic interventional therapy combined with local drug injection of recombinant human endostatin combined with platinum-containing dual-drug chemotherapy and platinum-containing dual-drug alone, respectively. The curative efficiency and safety of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the KPS score, dyspnea grading were significantly improved (P<0.05). The effective rate of the test group was 78.12%, which was higher than 37.5% in the control group, the difference between the two groups was significant (P<0.05). Moreover, there was also a significant difference in the 1-year survival rate between the experimental group and the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The treatment of central NSCLC by interventional therapy combined with tumor drug injection through fiberoptic bronchoscope has obvious clinical efficacy, which can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients. There is no significant difference in adverse reactions between the two groups, and is worthy of popularization and application.

Establishment and genotype identification of hepatic stellate cell-specific Grk2 gene knockout mouse model / 中国药理学通报

Aim To establish a stable hepatic stellate cell ( HSC ) -specific G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 ( GRK2 ) knockout mice and provide the important animal model for further studying the biological function of GRK2 in HSC. Methods The loxP-labeled Grk2 gene mouse (Grk2

High-throughput screening of novel TFEB agonists in protecting against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice

Macroautophagy (referred to as autophagy hereafter) is a major intracellular lysosomal degradation pathway that is responsible for the degradation of misfolded/damaged proteins and organelles. Previous studies showed that autophagy protects against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced injury (AILI) via selective removal of damaged mitochondria and APAP protein adducts. The lysosome is a critical organelle sitting at the end stage of autophagy for autophagic degradation via fusion with autophagosomes. In the present study, we showed that transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master transcription factor for lysosomal biogenesis, was impaired by APAP resulting in decreased lysosomal biogenesis in mouse livers. Genetic loss-of and gain-of function of hepatic TFEB exacerbated or protected against AILI, respectively. Mechanistically, overexpression of TFEB increased clearance of APAP protein adducts and mitochondria biogenesis as well as SQSTM1/p62-dependent non-canonical nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activation to protect against AILI. We also performed an unbiased cell-based imaging high-throughput chemical screening on TFEB and identified a group of TFEB agonists. Among these agonists, salinomycin, an anticoccidial and antibacterial agent, activated TFEB and protected against AILI in mice. In conclusion, genetic and pharmacological activating TFEB may be a promising approach for protecting against AILI.

Investigation of the biological activity of hydroxyapatite on vascular endothelial cells.

Objective: This study aims to explore the impact of nano-hydroxyapatite (na-HA) and micron-hydroxyapatite (mi-HA) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) using in vitro experiments, assessing their influence on cellular biological activity. These findings offer crucial experimental data for informing the development of more vascularized tissue-engineered bone constructs. Methods: We employed the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay to assess the impact of various concentrations of both HA extracts on HUVEC metabolic activity post 48, 72, and 96 h of treatment. Transwell experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of HA extract on HUVEC migratory capabilities. The cell proliferation activity was assessed using the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, elucidating the impact of varying concentrations of both HA extracts on cell proliferation. Lumen formation experiments were conducted to assess the capacity of HA-treated HUVECs to form lumen-like structures. The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was employed to measure the impact of HA extract on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion by HUVECs. Western blotting (WB) was utilized to analyze alterations in the expression levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins following HA extract treatment of cells. Results: At extract concentrations of 100 g/L and 12.5 g/L, both the mi-HA and na-HA groups demonstrated suppression of cell metabolic activity, migration, and proliferation. Conversely, at 25 g/L, increased cell metabolic activity and proliferative activity were observed. Lumen formation experiments demonstrated that both HA extracts at 100 g/L concentration facilitated lumen formation, with the na-HA group at 25 g/L concentration displaying a more pronounced impact on lumen formation. The ELISA results indicated a notable reduction in VEGF secretion within the mi-HA group at a concentration of 100 g/L. WB experiments revealed that within the na-HA group, treatment of HUVECs with 25 g/L and 12.5 g/L extract concentrations led to upregulation of PI3K and Akt protein expression, while at 100 g/L concentration, Akt protein expression decreased. In the mi-HA group, intracellular expression of both PI3K and Akt proteins exhibited reduction. Conclusion: Hydroxyapatite extract at both high and low concentrations impacts the biological activity of vascular endothelial cells, with the potential mechanism of action involving the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Comparison of ET-1 and eNOS expressions in yak testes at different developmental stages.

Yak has strong adaptability to plateau hypoxia environment. However, the endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) are important regulators in blood oxygen transportation. Yak testes: newborn (3 days), young (1 years), adult (4 years) and old (9 years) were collected for microscopic analyses using haematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E), immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, as well as Western blot to compare the expression of ET-1 and eNOS. Furthermore, the levels of ET-1 mRNA and eNOS mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results showed that ET-1 mRNA and eNOS mRNA in old yaks were higher than other developmental stages (p < .01). And the levels of ET-1 and eNOS protein increased with age. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed that ET-1 and eNOS were mainly localized in gonocytes and spermatogenic membrane of newborn yaks. These two factors were expressed in both Leydig cells of young yaks and endothelial cells of adult yaks. In old yaks, ET-1 was mainly expressed in Sertoli cells, while eNOS was obviously positive in capillaries and Leydig cells. Therefore, the positive results of ET-1 and eNOS in gonocyte and spermatogenic basement were closely related to the development of testes. The expression of Leydig and Sertoli cells indicated that they played an important role in testes function. The expression in endothelial cells or interstitial capillaries, suggesting that they are involved in the regulation of microcirculation in yak testes. This study could provide clues for further revealing the regulation of yak testicular blood vessels in alpine cold and hypoxic environments.

d-chiro-Inositol Derivatives with Multidrug Resistance Reversal Activities from the Fruits of Chisocheton siamensis.

Chisosiamols A-K (1-11), 11 new d-chiro-inositol derivatives, along with a known analogue (12) were isolated from the fruits of Chisocheton siamensis. Their planar structures and relative configurations were elucidated by the comprehensive application of spectroscopic methods, especially from the characteristic coupling constants, and 1H-1H COSY spectra. The absolute configurations of the d-chiro-inositol core were determined using the ECD exciton chirality and X-ray diffraction crystallographic analytical methods. This is the first crystallographic data reported for the d-chiro-inositol derivatives. A structural elucidation strategy mainly combining 1H-1H COSY correlations and ECD exciton chirality for determining the structure of d-chiro-inositol derivatives was developed, which also led to the revisions of previously reported structures. Bioactivity evaluation indicated that chisosiamols A, B, and J can reverse multidrug resistance in MCF-7/DOX cells in the IC50 range of 3.4-6.5 µM (RF: 3.6-7.0).

Rare noreudesmane sesquiterpenoids from the fruits of Dysoxylum densiflorum.

Seven rare noreudesmane sesquiterpenoids (dysoxydenones M-S, 1-7), including three 11,12,13-trinoreudesmanes, three 13-noreudesmanes and one spirovetivane-type sesquiterpenoid, along with two known analogues were isolated from the fruits of Dysoxylum densiflorum. The planar structures were elucidated by a combination of 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS analyses. Their absolute configurations were determined by combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, CD exciton chirality method and ECD calculation. All compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and IL-1ß inhibitory activity.

Cognitive and Brain Gray Matter Changes in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Voxel-Based Morphological Study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the neural difference between children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and healthy controls, together with the relation between this difference and clinical severity indicator of children with OSA. METHODS: Twenty-seven children with OSA (7.6 ± 2.5 years, apnea hypopnea index [AHI]: 9.7 ± 5.3 events/h) and 30 healthy controls (7.8 ± 2.6 years, AHI: 1.7 ± 1.2 events/h) were recruited and matched with age, gender, and handedness. All children underwent 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cognitive testing evaluating. Volumetric segmentation of cortical and subcortical structures and voxel-based morphometry were performed. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed between these features of gray matter volume (GMV) and obstructive apnea index (OAI) among children with OSA. RESULTS: In the comparison of children's Wechsler test scores of full-scale intelligence quotient and verbal intelligence quotient, the OSA group was significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the GMV of many brain regions in the OSA group was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In the correlation analysis of GMV and OAI in OSA group, right inferior frontal gyrus volume was significantly negatively correlated with OAI (r = - 0.49, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Children with OSA presented abnormal neural activities in some brain regions and impaired cognitive functions. This finding suggests an association between the OSA and decreased GMV in children.

Research on sports injury prevention and regional sports fitness / Pesquisa sobre prevenção de lesões esportivas e aptidão esportiva regional / Investigación sobre la prevención de lesiones deportivas y aptitud deportiva regional

ABSTRACT Introduction Many athletes suffer sports injuries during exercise and are susceptible to sequelae due to a variety of post-injury complications that occur in the process of sports activities. Preventing these injuries in physical training, impacts positively on the athletes' physique. Objective Study the sports habit and regional physical fitness, exploring the prevention strategies in the main sports injuries. Methods This paper elaborates targeted questionnaires (n=568) including proportion of gender, fitness, exercise frequency, duration and intensity of current regional fitness, as well as athletes' motivations in a Chinese city. Results Current urban residents' enthusiasm for fitness is high, however due to lack of conditions, athletes tend to choose some sports with lower complexity (circuits, 65.06%; running, 48.84%; walking, 40.46%). Most of the injuries caused by these types of sports are skin abrasions. The severity of these injuries is not high. Conclusion Providing effective exercise guidance to its practitioners can improve their sports cognition, build a foundation for the professional sports system, and provide relevant knowledge about emergency treatments. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMO Introdução Muitos atletas sofrem lesões esportivas durante o exercício e estão propensos a sequelas por uma variedade de complicações do pós-acidente que ocorre no processo das atividades esportivas. Prevenir essas lesões no treinamento físico, impacta positivamente no físico dos atletas. Objetivo Estudar o hábito esportivo e a aptidão física regional, explorando as estratégias de prevenção nas principais lesões desportivas. Métodos Este artigo elabora questionários direcionados (n=568) incluindo proporção de gênero, aptidão, frequência, duração e intensidade do exercício da aptidão regional atual, bem como as motivações dos atletas em uma cidade chinesa. Resultados O entusiasmo dos atuais moradores urbanos pela aptidão física é alto, porém devido à falta de condições, os atletas tendem a optar por alguns esportes com menor complexidade (circuitos, 65,06%; corrida, 48,84%; caminhada, 40,46%). A maioria das lesões causadas por esse tipo de esportes são abrasões de pele. A gravidade dessas lesões não é alta. Conclusão Fornecer a orientação efetiva dos exercícios para seus praticantes pode melhorar sua cognição esportiva, construir uma base para o sistema esportivo profissional e proporcionar conhecimentos relevantes sobre os tratamentos emergenciais. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción Muchos atletas sufren lesiones deportivas durante el ejercicio y son propensos a sufrir secuelas debido a una variedad de complicaciones posteriores a la lesión que se producen en el proceso de las actividades deportivas. Prevenir estas lesiones en el entrenamiento físico, repercute positivamente en el físico de los deportistas. Objetivo Estudiar el hábito deportivo y la aptitud física regional, explorando las estrategias de prevención en las principales lesiones deportivas. Métodos Este trabajo elabora cuestionarios específicos (n=568) que incluyen la proporción de género, la condición física, la frecuencia de ejercicio, la duración y la intensidad de la condición física regional actual, así como las motivaciones de los deportistas en una ciudad china. Resultados El entusiasmo de los residentes urbanos actuales por la aptitud física es alto, sin embargo, debido a la falta de condiciones, los atletas tienden a elegir algunos deportes de menor complejidad (circuitos, 65,06%; correr, 48,84%; caminar, 40,46%). La mayoría de las lesiones causadas por este tipo de deportes son abrasiones de la piel. La gravedad de estas lesiones no es elevada. Conclusión Proporcionar una orientación eficaz sobre el ejercicio a sus practicantes puede mejorar su cognición deportiva, construir una base para el sistema deportivo profesional y proporcionar conocimientos relevantes sobre los tratamientos de emergencia. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Efficacy and safety evaluation of the regimen containing Bedaquiline in elderly patients with drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and adverse reactions of the regimen containing Bedaquiline in elderly patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.Methods:From March 2019 to June 2022, patients with multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis admitted to Anhui Chest Hospital were randomly divided into two groups: the observation group was given a treatment containing Bedaquiline, and the control group was given a treatment without Bedaquiline.Patients were also divided into elderly patients(age ≥60 years old)and non-elderly patients(age <60 years old)according to age.Sputum culture conversion, lesion absorption and adverse reactions were compared between the observation group and the control group in general, elderly and non-elderly patients, respectively.Results:A total of 170 cases were collected, including 79 in the observation group and 91 in the control group.Sputum culture conversion: The sputum culture conversion rates of observation groups in general, non-elderly and elderly patients were better than that of control groups at the 3rd month after treatment(the general, 96.2% vs.75.8%, χ2=14.001, P<0.001; the non-elderly, 94.9% vs.82.1%, χ2=4.675, P=0.031; the elderly, 100.0% vs. 65.7%, χ2=8.771, P=0.003), and at the 6th month, the rates of overall observation group was better than that of control group(98.7% vs.92.3%, χ2=3.895, P=0.048); the rates of non-elderly and elderly observation group and control group were all greater than 90%, with no statistical significance( P>0.05). Lesion absorption: Overall and non-elderly observation groups were better than control group in lesion absorption at the 3rd month(the general, 84.8% vs.68.1%, χ2=12.962, P=0.002; the non-elderly, 88.1% vs.71.4%, χ2=9.832, P=0.007; and the 6th month(the general, 88.6% vs.76.9%, χ2=14.888, P=0.001; the non-elderly, 89.8% vs.82.1%, χ2=8.618, P=0.013). The focal absorptivity of senile observation group at the end of March and June were 75.0% and 85.0%, respectively, both better than control group, but the difference was not statistically significant( P>0.05). Adverse reactions: Overall and non-senile observation groups had longer QT interval than control groups( P<0.05), but no patients stopped bedaquiline because of this, and there was no significant difference in QT interval between the two groups( P>0.05). Conclusions:In elderly patients with multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis, early sputum culture conversion turns fast after treatment with Bedaquiline, which has good therapeutic effect, good tolerance and controllable adverse reactions.

Association of serum biomarkers with frailty in elderly hospitalized patients / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the association of different biomarkers with frailty in elderly hospitalized patients.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a total of 319 elderly patients aged 65 years or older hospitalized in Beijing Hospital between September 2018 and February 2019 were enrolled.Patients had a mean age of(75.0±6.6)years and 151(47.3%)were women.Based on the Fried phenotype, patients were divided into a non-frail group(244 cases, 76.5%)and a frail group(75 cases, 23.5%). The clinical characteristics and biomarker levels of the two groups were compared.The association of different biomarkers with frailty was evaluated by using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.The Youden index was used for the optimal cutoff values and the area under the curve(AUC)were calculated.AUCs of different biomarkers were compared to assess their correlations with frailty.Results:Hemoglobin, lipid levels(triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and prealbumin were significantly lower in the frail group than in the non-frail group( P<0.05), while N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)and high-sensitivity C reactive protein(hsCRP)levels were significantly higher than in the non-frail group( P<0.05). Thyrotropin(TSH)and free triiodothyronine(FT3)levels were significantly lower( P<0.05)and trans-triiodothyronine(rT3)was significantly higher( P<0.05)in the frail group.The combination of six biomarkers[hemoglobin, prealbumin, hsCRP, 25-dihydroxy vitamin D3[25(OH)D3], rT3 and NT-pro BNP]had the most powerful correlation with frailty(AUC=0.705, 95% CI: 0.652-0.755), but the correlation was not significantly different from that of the combination of 3 markers(hemoglobin, rT3 and hsCRP)(ROC=0.010, 95% CI: -0.0106-0.0306, P>0.05). Either of the two combinations was significantly better than the combination of 2 markers(hemoglobin and rT3)(ROC=0.143, 95% CI: 0.0406-0.245; ROC=0.153, 95% CI: 0.0498-0.256; all P<0.01). Conclusions:Hemoglobin, lipids, prealbumin, TSH and FT3 levels decrease while NT-proBNP and hsCRP levels increase in elderly hospitalized frail patients.The 6-biomarker combination[hemoglobin, prealbumin, hsCRP, 25(OH)D3, rT3 and NT-pro BNP]and 3-biomarker combination(hemoglobin, rT3 and hsCRP)have better correlation with frailty than the 2-biomarker combination(hemoglobin and rT3).

Comparison of frailty assessment and related tools in elderly hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:We evaluated frailty in elderly hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation and analyzed the relevance, consistency, and diagnostic power of different frailty tools.Methods:From September 2018 to April 2019, a total of 197 elderly patients with atrial fibrillation aged ≥ 65 years in Beijing Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, and Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital were prospectively enrolled.Five frailty tools, including the clinical frailty scale(CFS), FRAIL scale(FRAIL), Fried frailty phenotype(Fried), Edmonton frail scale(EFS), and comprehensive geriatric assessment-frailty index(CGA-FI), were used for frailty assessment.Results:A total of 197 hospitalized elderly patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled, with an average age of(77.5±7.1)years old(57.4% male). The prevalence of frailty, according to the five frailty tools, were 25.4%(FRAIL), 27.9%(EFS), 34.5%(Fried), 40.6%(CFS), and 42.6%(CGA-FI), respectively.CFS had a good correlation(correlation coefficient 0.80)and and consistency(Kappa value 0.71, 95% CI 0.61~0.81)with CGA-FI.The combined frailty index was used as the gold standard for frailty diagnosis.The results showed that CFS and CGA-FI had high diagnostic sensitivity(95.9 % and 98.0 %, respectively)and specificity(77.7 % and 75.7 %, respectively). Conclusions:Frailty is common in elderly hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation, showing multidimensional features, and physical weakness is not prominet.CFS and CGA-FI are recommended for the assessment of frailty in patients with atrial fibrillation, which had good correlation and consistency.

Expression of TLR3 in human adenocarcinoma of the lung cells induced by respiratory syncytial virus and its significance in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To study the expression of Toll like receptor 3 (TLR3) in human adenocarcinoma of the lung cells induced by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and its significance in the diagnosis of pneumonia in children.Methods:A549 cells were divided into RSV infection group [added 1 μg/ml Lipopolysaccharide (TLR3 agonist) transfected RSV virus after 150 μl intervention], Lipopolysaccharide stimulation group (added 1 μg/ml Lipopolysaccharide 150 μl intervention) and normal control group (normal culture). The mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 8, TLR3 protein and TLR3 in A549 Cells of different groups were compared. We prospectively selected 80 children with RSV infectious pneumonia admitted to Baoding Second Central Hospital from August 2019 to October 2021 as the RSV pneumonia group, and sixty children with common pneumonia were taken as the common pneumonia group, and 60 healthy children in our hospital were taken as the control group. The mRNA expression of serum TLR3 in different groups was compared, and the diagnostic efficacy of serum TLR3 in RSV pneumonia was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of TLR3 protein among different groups of A549 cells ( P<0.001). The expression differences of TLR3 mRNA in different groups of A549 cells at different time points were statistically significant(all P<0.001). There was significant difference in the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 8 of A549 cells at different time points in different groups (all P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the expression of serum TLR3 mRNA among the three groups of subjects ( F=155.237, P<0.001). The critical value for TLR3 gene diagnosis was 66.87, with corresponding sensitivity of 73.75%, specificity of 70.83%, and the area under curve (AUC) of 0.803(95% CI: 0.753-0.855). Conclusions:Respiratory syncytial virus induces human lung cancer cells and promotes disease progression through TLR3 expression; Serum TLR3 can be used for the diagnosis of RSV pneumonia.

Mediating effects of self-perceptions of aging between frailty and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore the mediating role of self-perceptions of aging between frailty and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults.Methods:From February to July 2021, a total of 528 elderly people in Xinxiang community were investigated with the frailty phenotype, the brief self-perceptions ageing questionnaire and the Mini-mental state examination(MMSE) scale.According to the MMSE total score and education level, the subjects were divided into cognitive impairment group (illiteracy≤17, primary school≤20, junior high school and above≤24, n=74) and cognitive normal group( n=454). SPSS 25.0 software was used for common method deviation test, descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while AMOS 24.0 software was used to build structural equation model and Bootstrap method was used for intermediary effect test. Results:(1)The prevalence of cognitive impairment among the elderly in the community was 14.1%. The differences between the cognitively normal group and cognitively impaired group were statistically significant in terms of age, education, number of chronic diseases suffered and depression ( χ2=59.21, 6.53, 9.84, 25.47, all P<0.05). The differences were statistically significant in terms of frailty( χ2=75.65, P<0.001) and self-perceptions of aging ( t=77.67, P<0.001). (2)Self-perceptions of aging in the cognitively impaired group (47.39±8.66) was higher than that in the cognitively normal group (38.22±8.24) ( t=77.67, P<0.001) .Frailty score in cognitively impaired group (2.00 (1.00, 3.00)) was higher than that in the cognitively normal group (0.00 (0.00, 1.00))( Z=-8.63, P<0.001) . (3)Frailty was negatively correlated with cognitive function ( r=-0.492, P<0.01), and positively correlated with self-perceptions of aging ( r=0.540, P<0.01). Self-perceptions of aging was negatively correlated with cognitive function ( r=-0.541, P<0.01) . After controlling the influencing factors such as age, education level, chronic diseases and depression, the correlation was still significant (all P<0.01) . (4) Self-perceptions of aging played a partially mediating role in the relationship between frailty and cognitive function, the mediating effect accounted for 58.5% of the total effect. Conclusion:Frailty and self-perceptions of aging have a significant impact on the cognitive function of the elderly in the community, and self-perceptions of aging plays a partial intermediary role between the frailty and cognitive function of the elderly in the community.