Associations of ethylene oxide exposure and "Life's Essential 8".

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a widely used industrial chemical with recognized health risks. While its carcinogenic properties have been extensively studied, emerging evidence suggests potential associations with cardiovascular diseases. Using the recently introduced Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score as a comprehensive cardiovascular health (CVH) measure, this study aimed to elucidate the relationship between EtO exposure and CVH. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) encompassing 3748 adults was analyzed. CVH was assessed using the LE8 score, which incorporates diet, physical activity, tobacco/nicotine exposure, sleep duration, BMI, non-HDL cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure. The association between EtO exposure, gauged by Hemoglobin adduct (HbEtO) levels, and CVH was examined using linear regression and Cox regression models. An inverse relationship between EtO exposure and the overall CVH score was identified. Specifically, for every 1-unit increase in ln-transformed HbEtO, a 3.69-point decrease in the total CVH score was observed. An inverted J-shaped association between ln-transformed HbEtO and CVH score emerged, with an inflection point at 3.15 pmol/g Hb. Elevated EtO exposure was not significantly linked to all-cause mortality but was robustly associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Elevated EtO exposure is negatively associated with CVH, as outlined by the LE8 metrics. Beyond a certain threshold, this association underscores the cardiovascular risks of EtO exposure and highlights the importance of further research to determine underlying mechanisms and recommend preventive strategies.

Long non-coding HOXA-AS3 contributes to osteosarcoma progression through the miR-1286/TEAD1 axis.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOXA cluster antisense RNA 3 (HOXA-AS3) regulates the progression of several types of human malignancy. However, the role and potential mechanism of HOXA-AS3 in osteosarcoma (OS) remain unknown. In this study, upregulation of HOXA-AS3 was observed in OS tissues and cell lines and associated with poor clinical outcomes. Silencing of HOXA-AS3 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells in vitro and suppressed the tumorigenesis of OS cells in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of HOXA-AS3 inhibited the proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OS. Further investigation of this mechanism revealed that HOXA-AS3 could directly upregulate the expression of TEAD1 via its competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) activity on miR-1286. This study clarified the oncogenic roles of the HOXA-AS3/miR-1286/TEAD1 axis in OS progression, suggesting a novel therapeutic target for OS.

Associations between weight-adjusted waist index and bone mineral density: results of a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: The weight-adjusted waist circumference index (WWI) is a novel obesity indicator that offers improved accuracy in assessing both muscle and fat mass compared to traditional measures. This study aimed to investigate the association between WWI and bone mineral density (BMD) in adults. METHODS: Weighted multivariate logistic regression, subgroup analysis, interaction tests and restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves were used to explore the relationship between WWI and BMD based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). RESULTS: This study had 40,568 individuals in total. At all four measurement sites, we detected a negative linear correlation between WWI and BMD. Even when quartile factors for WWI were created, this unfavorable connection maintained. In comparison to those in the lowest quartile, those in the highest percentile of WWI showed declines in lumbar BMD of 0.08 g/cm2 and femoral neck BMD of 0.03 g/cm2, respectively. This adverse correlation, nevertheless, differed among several categories. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest an adverse correlation between WWI and BMD among US adults. Employing WWI as a tool for osteoporosis prevention in the general population may enhance interventions.

A Novel Bifunctional Nanoplatform with Aggregation-Induced Emission Property for Efficient Photodynamic Killing of Bacteria and Wound Healing.

Background: Photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (PDAT) has been extensively studied because of its potential applications such as precise controllability, high spatiotemporal accuracy, and non-invasiveness. More importantly, it is difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to the aforementioned PDATs. However, the selectivity of traditional PDAT methods to bacteria is generally poor, so it has been proposed to introduce positively charged components such as quaternary ammonium salts to enhance the targeting of bacteria; however, they always possess high toxicity to normal cells. As a result, measures should be taken to enhance the targeting of bacteria and avoid side effects on normal cells. Methods and Results: In our work, we creatively design a nanoplatform with high anti-bacterial efficiency, low side effects and its size is approximately 121 nm. BSA, as a nanocarrier, encapsulates the photosensitizer (E)-4-(4-(diphenylamino)styryl)-1-methylpyridin-1-ium with AIE properties named as BSA-Tpy, which increases its circulation time in vivo and improves the biocompatibility. Under acidic conditions (pH = 5.0), the surface positive charge of the BSA-Tpy is increased to +18.8 mV due to protonation of amine residues to achieve the targeting effect on bacteria. Besides, under the irradiation of white light, the BSA-Tpy will produce ROS to kill bacteria efficiently about 99.99% for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which shows the potential application value for the treatment of infected wounds. Conclusion: We have developed a feasible method for photodynamic antibacterial therapy, possessing excellent biocompatibility and high antibacterial efficiency with good fluorescence imaging property.

Relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and bone mineral density in adolescents.

Liver metabolism is strongly linked to bone metabolism, and a significant correlation between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and bone mineral density (BMD) in adults has been demonstrated. However, the current relationship between NAFLD and BMD in the adolescent population remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific relationship between NAFLD and BMD in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in the United States. The quantitative relationship between NAFLD and total BMD was investigated using multivariate logistic regression and smoothed fitted curve curves based on multiperspective data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 740 adolescents were included in this study after excluding unusable samples. The results showed that NAFLD was positively associated with total BMD in adolescents. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that this positive association was mainly found in boys, whites and blacks. The association was not significant in girls, Mexican Americans and other racial groups. Among US adolescents, there was a significant positive association between NAFLD and total BMD, and this relationship varied by gender and race.

Saturation Effect of Body Mass Index on Bone Mineral Density in Adolescents of Different Ages: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Adolescence is a critical period for bone development, and peak bone mass may be reached in late adolescence. Boosting bone accumulation at this time can help preserve adult bone health and avoid osteoporosis later in life. Body mass index (BMI) has been found to have a favorable impact on bone mineral density (BMD) in previous research. However, excessive obesity is harmful to health and may lead to various systemic diseases. Therefore, finding an appropriate BMI to maintain a balance between obesity and BMD is critical for adolescents. Methods: The datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2020 were used in a cross-sectional investigation. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the linear connection between BMI and BMD. Fitted smoothing curves and threshold effect analysis were used to describe the nonlinear relationship. Subgroup analyses were then conducted based on gender and age. Results: This population-based study included a total of 6,143 adolescents aged 8-19 years. In a multivariate linear regression analysis, a good association between BMI and total BMD was shown [0.014 (0.013, 0.014)]. This positive association was maintained in all subgroup analyses grouped by sex and age. Furthermore, the association between BMI and BMD was nonlinear with a saturation point present, as evidenced by smoothed curve fitting. According to the threshold effect study, with an age group of two years, adolescents of different ages had different BMI saturation values with respect to BMD. Conclusions: Our study showed a significant positive and saturated association between BMI and BMD in adolescents aged 8-19 years. Maintaining BMI at saturation values may reduce other adverse effects while achieving optimal BMD.

Free multilobed posterior interosseous artery perforator flap for multi-finger skin defect reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The posterior interosseous artery (PIA) perforator flap can be used for reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of fingers. Based on the multiple perforators from the posterior interosseous artery, we describe a technique to reconstruct the multi-finger defect in the use of the free multilobed PIA perforator flap. METHODS: PIA perforators from different areas of the forearm were used to design a free multilobed skin paddle for multi-finger skin defect reconstruction. Each paddle without the deep fascia had separate perforators. To increase the perforator pedicle length, the courses of the PIA perforators were dissected from the superficial layer of the deep fascia to the subcutaneous layer. RESULTS: The flap was raised as a unilateral free bilobed PIA perforator flap in 10 cases of two-finger defects, a free trilobed PIA perforator flap in two cases of three-finger defects, and a bilateral free bilobed PIA perforator flap in one case of four-finger defects. The average effective vascular pedicle length and trunk pedicle length were 8.3 and 3.1 cm, respectively, for the bilobed flap, and 6.3 and 4.0 cm, respectively, for the trilobed flap. All flaps survived except one paddle with tip necrosis. At 10.8 months (range, 4-27 months) after surgery, 10 cases showed satisfactory cosmetic appearance, while the fingers were bulky in the remaining three cases. The average score of static two-point discrimination in 10 innervated paddles was 12.9 mm. The remaining 20 paddles recovered only protective sensation. The average total active motion (TAM) of each finger was 164° before surgery and 187° at the latest follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Free multilobed PIA perforator flap is a good candidate for reconstruction of multi-finger skin defect. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Ⅳ.

Distribution and transport of selenium in Yutangba, China: impact of human activities.

Yutangba, one of the typical high-Se areas where a sudden incidence of Se poisoning occurred in 1963, is located in the northern part of Shuanghe town about 81 km SE of Enshi, Hubei Province, China. In this area, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the distribution of Se in soils, plant species, stream water and sediment. The mean concentrations of Se were: total soil, 4.75+/-7.43 mg/kg (n=150); Corn seeds, 1.48+/-1.41 mg/kg (n=20); Agry wormwood, 1.68+/-1.27 mg/kg (n=30); Bracken fern, 0.63+/-1.61 mg/kg (n=57), and Central China dryoathyrium, 0.48+/-0.72 mg/kg (n=39); Stream water, 58.4+/-16.8 microg/L (n=12); stream sediment, 26.6+/-26.8 mg/kg (n=11). The spatial distribution of Se in soils and plants is significantly uneven and higher Se samples mainly distributed in the croplands and northwest Yutangba, while almost all the lower Se samples are located in undisturbed areas. 11 samples contained extremely high concentrations of Se, ranging from 346 to 2018 mg/kg with an average of 899+/-548 mg/kg, were found at croplands and discarded coal spoils in Yutangba. The distribution of Se in Yutangba is related to the pathways of Se transport, which was caused by human activities such as stone coal conveyance by local villagers, mining of stone coal for use as a fuel or fertilizer, and discharging lime into cropland to improve soil. These activities caused variable addition of Se to the soil and further accumulation of Se in food chain. Therefore, human activities have played an important role in the distribution, transport, and bioavailability of Se. Yutangba is still a high risk area where Se poisoning may occur again, and so are almost all high-Se areas in Enshi Prefecture.