[Xiaojiang River Basin Ecological Environmental Quality Spatiotemporal Pattern and Evolutionary Trend Analysis Using GEE from 1990 to 2022].

Assessment and monitoring of the quality of the ecological environment in the area is a very important fundamental task in the development of ecological civilization in the Xiaojiang River Basin in Yunnan Province, which serves as a demonstration area for ecological restoration in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The Landsat remote sensing images from 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 were chosen, and the four indexes of greenness （NDMVI）, humidity （WET）, dryness （NDBSI）, and heat （LST） were extracted. The remote sensing ecological index （RSEI） was created using the principal component analysis method, then the spatial and temporal patterns and trends of ecological quality in the Xiaojiang River Basin between 1990 and 2022 were examined using the GEE platform, ArcGIS 10.7 platform, and Python platform, combining the analysis methods of geographic information mapping, coefficient of variation, Mann-Kendall trend test, Sen's slope estimation, and Hurst's index. The findings demonstrated that： ① the ecological quality of the study area had more obvious geographic differentiation spatially, and by 2022, the areas with excellent and good ecological quality grades were primarily distributed in the areas with better alpine vegetation cover, and those with poor ecological quality were primarily distributed in the areas of the mudslide ravines with relatively low terrain. On a time scale, the study area's RSEI index increased from 0.41 in 1990 to 0.55 in 2022, with a fluctuating overall trend of ecological quality improvement and an average increase of 0.048（10 a） -1； this progress was directly related to a number of ecological construction initiatives that have been energetically carried out, such as converting farms to forests, preventing mudslides, saving soil and water, managing heavy metal contamination, etc. ② The RSEI was more appropriate for the evaluation of ecological quality in alpine ravine areas because, in comparison to the NDVI index, the NDVMI adopted in this study was more sensitive to vegetation information in topographic undulation areas, especially in shaded areas, and could more accurately and quantitatively describe the vegetation information. ③ The RSEI in the Xiaojiang River Basin had a mean coefficient of variation of 0.202. Overall, its volatility was low, and its high volatility was mostly concentrated in the mudslide gully area along both sides of the Xiaojiang River fracture zone, where the surface was made up of bare rocks and sediment that was easily impacted by the changing of the seasons, the climate, and human activity. ④ The quality of the ecological environment in the region was significantly improving, with the rising area reaching 85.72% of the total area and the declining area accounting for approximately 10.15% of the total area. The future trend of change will be dominated by ongoing improvement and future degradation, accounting for 44.75% and 39.97%, respectively. It is important to pay close attention to areas that could potentially degrade. The findings of this study can serve as a theoretical foundation for additional ecological environmental conservation, management, and sustainable development in the Xiaojiang River Basin.

Association between the ratio of dietary vitamin A to body weight and hypertension in children / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the relationship between the ratio of dietary vitamin A (VitA) to body weight and hypertension among children, so as to provide a reference for blood pressure control through dietary nutritional interventions and childhood hypertension prevention.@*Methods@#Utilizing the baseline survey and followup sample data from the Healthy Children Cohort established in urban and rural areas of Chongqing from 2014 to 2019, structured quantitative dietary questionnaire and selfdesigned questionnaire were used to investigate the information of dietary intake and socioeconomic characteristics of 15 279 children, as well as blood pressure, height, weight measurement. The ratio of dietary VitA to body weight was divided into four groups based on quartiles [≤P25(Q1), >P25~P50(Q2), >P50~P75(Q3), >P75(Q4)]. Generalized linear regression models and Logistic regression models were used to analyze the correlation between ratio of dietary VitA to body weight with blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension.@*Results@#The results of the 2014 baseline survey indicated that, after adjusting for confounding factors such as demographic indicators and nutritional intake, significant differences were observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) among different groups categorized by the ratio of dietary VitA to body weight (F=157.57, 44.71, 95.92, P<0.01). The baseline ratio of dietary VitA to body weight in children exhibited a negative correlation with DBP, SBP and MAP at baseline and in 2019[baseline: β(95%CI)=-0.65(-0.89--0.42), -0.22(-0.42--0.01), -0.36(-0.56--0.16); 2019: β(95%CI)=-0.77(-1.34--0.19), -0.62(-1.21--0.02), -0.77(-1.34--0.19), P＜0.05]. Compared to Q1 group, the risk of hypertension decreased among children in Q4 at baseline and followup in 2019 [OR(95%CI)=0.63(0.49-0.81), 0.18(0.08-0.42), P<0.01].@*Conclusions@#The ratio of dietary VitA to body weight is significantly negatively correlated with blood pressure levels among children, and dietary VitA deficiency is an independent risk factor for hypertension among children. Measures should be taken to actively adjust childrens dietary nutrition and reduce the risk of childhood hypertension.

[Time series analysis of fine particulate matter and death risk among residents in an urban area of Chongqing City in 2013-2020].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the concentration of fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)) on the risk of death among residents in an urban area of Chongqing, China. METHODS: Daily data on mean PM_(2.5) concentration, meteorological factors(air temperature and relative humidity), and the number of deaths from 2013 to 2020 in this urban area were collected. A generalized additive model was used to analyze the association of PM_(2.5) concentration with the number of deaths, and stratified analyses by sex and age were further performed. RESULTS: In this area from 2013 to 2020, the median concentration of atmospheric ambient PM_(2.5) was 44.00 µg/m~3; 48 089 non-accidental deaths, 19 252 deaths from circulatory diseases, and 8753 deaths from respiratory diseases were reported. The PM_(2.5) concentration was higher in winter and spring. The number of deaths showed no obvious seasonal changes. The time series analysis showed that for every 10 µg/m~3 increase in the PM_(2.5) concentration, the risks of non-accidental death(lag03), circulatory diseases-caused death(lag3), and respiratory diseases-caused death(lag03) increased by 0.64%(95% CI 0.07%-1.21%), 0.68%(95% CI 0.05%-1.32%) and 1.72%(95% CI 0.54%-2.90%), respectively. After adjusting for several gaseous pollutants(PM_(10), NO_2, O_3, SO_2 and CO), the impact of PM_(2.5) concentration on residents' health had no significant changes. The stratified analyses by sex and age showed that when the PM_(2.5) concentration increased, the risks of non-accidental death and death from respiratory diseases were higher in women and residents aged ≥65 years than in men and higher in residents aged ≥65 years than in those aged 5-64 years, but there were no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: PM_(2.5) pollution may increase the risk of death for residents in this urban area in Chongqing.

A conserved ZFX/WNT3 axis modulates the growth and imatinib response of chronic myeloid leukemia stem/progenitor cells.

BACKGROUND: Zinc finger protein X-linked (ZFX) has been shown to promote the growth of tumor cells, including leukemic cells. However, the role of ZFX in the growth and drug response of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem/progenitor cells remains unclear. METHODS: Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the expression of ZFX and WNT3 in CML CD34+ cells compared with normal control cells. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/dead CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/dCas9) technologies were used to study the role of ZFX in growth and drug response of CML cells. Microarray data were generated to compare ZFX-silenced CML CD34+ cells with their controls. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays were performed to study the molecular mechanisms of ZFX to regulate WNT3 expression. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to study the effect of ZFX on ß-catenin signaling. RESULTS: We showed that ZFX expression was significantly higher in CML CD34+ cells than in control cells. Overexpression and gene silencing experiments indicated that ZFX promoted the in vitro growth of CML cells, conferred imatinib mesylate (IM) resistance to these cells, and enhanced BCR/ABL-induced malignant transformation. Microarray data and subsequent validation revealed that WNT3 transcription was conservatively regulated by ZFX. WNT3 was highly expressed in CML CD34+ cells, and WNT3 regulated the growth and IM response of these cells similarly to ZFX. Moreover, WNT3 overexpression partially rescued ZFX silencing-induced growth inhibition and IM hypersensitivity. ZFX silencing decreased WNT3/ß-catenin signaling, including c-MYC and CCND1 expression. CONCLUSION: The present study identified a novel ZFX/WNT3 axis that modulates the growth and IM response of CML stem/progenitor cells.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells promote the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms through the IL-3-ICOSL-ICOS axis.

Th17 cells are powerful inflammation promoters in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) can promote the differentiation of Th17 cells in chronic inflammatory autoimmune injury. Here, we aim to examine whether MDSCs regulate the differentiation of Th17 cells to participate in the development of AAA. We demonstrated an abnormal accumulation of MDSCs in AAA patients, which was positively associated with Th17 cells. We established angiotensin II-induced apolipoprotein E knockout mice and found the impaired immunosuppressive function of M-MDSCs. After systemic injection of anti-Gr-1 antibody in AAA mice to deplete circulating MDSCs, AAA formation and the differentiation of Th17 cells were abolished, and the overexpression of inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS) on Th17 cells was reversed accordingly. Regulating the expression of ICOS ligand (ICOSL) on MDSCs affects the differentiation of Th17 cells. The adoptive transfer of ICOSLlowMDSCs in AAA mice inhibited the differentiation of Th17 cells and the development of AAA. Meanwhile, rIL-3 promoted the survival and immunosuppressive dysfunction of MDSCs, upregulated ICOSL expression on MDSCs by inhibiting activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and regulated MDSCs to promote the differentiation of Th17 cells via the ICOSL-ICOS axis. An increase in serum IL-3, ICOSL+MDSCs, and ICOS+Th17 cells was detected in AAA patients, and IL-3 levels were positively correlated with the proportion of ICOSL+MDSC cells. In conclusion, we uncovered a pivotal role of MDSCs in promoting the differentiation of Th17 cells through the IL-3-ICOSL-ICOS axis during AAA, providing an important theoretical basis for understanding the pathogenesis of AAA.

The correlation between nuts and algae-less diet and children's blood pressure: from a cross-sectional study in Chongqing.

BACKGROUND: Nuts and algae have been shown to improve BP levels, but their effectiveness is controversial. AIMS: This study aims to illustrate the effect of dietary pattern with nuts and algae-less on BP levels in children and adolescents from a cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 5645 children from the Chongqing Children's Health Cohort, aged 9.34 ± 1.74 years with 52.05% males, were analyzed. Stratified analysis was conducted to explore the differences between the two dietary patterns in urban or rural areas, as well as the differences in different gender. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influence factors of increased BP. And a GLM was used to analyze the influence of the two dietary patterns on systolic blood pressure (SBP, mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (DBP, mmHg), and mean arterial pressure (MAP, mmHg). RESULTS: Children with nuts and algae-less dietary patterns had higher SBP (104.68 ± 10.31 vs 103.81 ± 9.74, P = .006), DBP (64.27 ± 7.53 vs 63.55 ± 7.52, P = .002), and MAP (77.74 ± 7.75 vs 76.97 ± 7.52, P = .001) compared with those children with a balanced diet. After adjusting for covariates, the nuts and algae-less diet was a risk factor for hypertension in children when compared with the balanced diet(OR(95%CI):1.455(1.097,1.930), P = .009). The nuts and algae-less diet has a significant influence on SBP (104.68 ± 10.31 mmHg vs.103.81 ± 9.74 mmHg, P = .006). Stratified analysis by sex showed that nuts and algae-less dietary patterns had a more significant impact on females than males. CONCLUSION: Nuts and algae-less dietary pattern correlated with increased BP levels in children, and a greater impact on SBP levels was found in females, suggesting that a balanced diet with appropriate nuts and algae should be proposed for children in China.

Ultra-processed food intake and risk of depression: a systematic review / Ingestión de alimentos ultraprocesados y riesgo de depresión: revisión sistemática

Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the observational studies analyzing the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and the risk of depression. Design: the search adhered to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); a search for observational studies published until June 2020 was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, followed by additional manual searches. Eight reviewers, working independently in teams of two, screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We resolved disagreements through discussion or, if necessary, through adjudication by a third (LH). And the study assessed cross-sectional studies using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) methodological checklist and cohort and case-control studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quality. We used a tabular format to summarize the articles. Results: twenty-eight studies evaluating UPF intake and risk of depression were finally selected, 21 of which had a cross-sectional design, 6 studies had a cohort design, and 1 had a case-control design. Of these, 4 cohort studies and 17 cross-sectional studies found that consumption of UPF were positively associated with depression or depressive symptoms. Conclusions: our review demonstrated that most studies included in the systematic review showed that UPF consumption is associated with the risk of depression. Future studies should consider the use of validated food intake assessments and standardized depression assessment methods to promote comparability between studies. (AU)

Objetivo: realizar una revisión sistemática de los estudios observacionales que analizan la asociación entre la ingesta de alimentos ultraprocesados (UPF) y el riesgo de depresión. Material y métodos: la búsqueda se adhirió a las directrices Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); se realizó una búsqueda de estudios observacionales publicados hasta junio de 2020 en las bases de datos PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library y Web of Science, seguida de búsquedas manuales adicionales. Ocho revisores, que trabajaron de forma independiente en equipos de dos, seleccionaron los estudios para su elegibilidad, extrajeron los datos y evaluaron el riesgo de sesgo. Los desacuerdos se resolvieron a través de la discusión o, si era necesario, a través de la adjudicación de un tercero. Se evaluaron los estudios transversales mediante la lista de comprobación metodológica de la Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) y los estudios de cohortes y de casos y controles mediante la escala Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) para la calidad. Se utilizó un formato tabular para resumir los artículos. Resultados: finalmente se seleccionaron 28 estudios que evaluaban la ingesta de UPF y el riesgo de depresión, 21 de los cuales tenían un diseño transversal, 6 un diseño de cohortes y 1 un diseño de casos y controles. De ellos, 4 estudios de cohortes y 17 estudios transversales encontraron que el consumo de UPF se asociaba positivamente con la depresión o los síntomas depresivos. Conclusiones: nuestra revisión demostró que la mayoría de los estudios incluidos en la revisión sistemática mostraron que el consumo de UPF está asociado con el riesgo de depresión. Los estudios futuros deberían considerar el uso de evaluaciones validadas del consumo de alimentos y métodos estandarizados de evaluación de la depresión para promover la comparabilidad entre los estudios. (AU)

Ultra-processed food intake and risk of depression: a systematic review.

Introduction: Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the observational studies analyzing the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and the risk of depression. Design: the search adhered to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); a search for observational studies published until June 2020 was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, followed by additional manual searches. Eight reviewers, working independently in teams of two, screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We resolved disagreements through discussion or, if necessary, through adjudication by a third (LH). And the study assessed cross-sectional studies using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) methodological checklist and cohort and case-control studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quality. We used a tabular format to summarize the articles. Results: twenty-eight studies evaluating UPF intake and risk of depression were finally selected, 21 of which had a cross-sectional design, 6 studies had a cohort design, and 1 had a case-control design. Of these, 4 cohort studies and 17 cross-sectional studies found that consumption of UPF were positively associated with depression or depressive symptoms. Conclusions: our review demonstrated that most studies included in the systematic review showed that UPF consumption is associated with the risk of depression. Future studies should consider the use of validated food intake assessments and standardized depression assessment methods to promote comparability between studies.

Introducción: Objetivo: realizar una revisión sistemática de los estudios observacionales que analizan la asociación entre la ingesta de alimentos ultraprocesados (UPF) y el riesgo de depresión. Diseño: la búsqueda se adhirió a las directrices Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA); se realizó una búsqueda de estudios observacionales publicados hasta junio de 2020 en las bases de datos PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library y Web of Science, seguida de búsquedas manuales adicionales. Ocho revisores, que trabajaron de forma independiente en equipos de dos, seleccionaron los estudios para su elegibilidad, extrajeron los datos y evaluaron el riesgo de sesgo. Los desacuerdos se resolvieron a través de la discusión o, si era necesario, a través de la adjudicación de un tercero. Se evaluaron los estudios transversales mediante la lista de comprobación metodológica de la Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) y los estudios de cohortes y de casos y controles mediante la escala Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS) para la calidad. Se utilizó un formato tabular para resumir los artículos. Resultados: finalmente se seleccionaron 28 estudios que evaluaban la ingesta de UPF y el riesgo de depresión, 21 de los cuales tenían un diseño transversal, 6 un diseño de cohortes y 1 un diseño de casos y controles. De ellos, 4 estudios de cohortes y 17 estudios transversales encontraron que el consumo de UPF se asociaba positivamente con la depresión o los síntomas depresivos. Conclusiones: nuestra revisión demostró que la mayoría de los estudios incluidos en la revisión sistemática mostraron que el consumo de UPF está asociado con el riesgo de depresión. Los estudios futuros deberían considerar el uso de evaluaciones validadas del consumo de alimentos y métodos estandarizados de evaluación de la depresión para promover la comparabilidad entre los estudios.

The regulatory role of exosomes in venous thromboembolism.

Exosomes are nanoscale endocytic vesicles, 30-150 nm in diameter, secreted by most cells. They mainly originate from multivesicular bodies formed by intracellular invagination of lysosomal microparticles, and released into the extracellular matrix after fusion of multivesicular bodies with cell membrane. Studies have shown that exosomes contain a variety of active molecules, such as proteins, lipids and RNAs (such as mRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, etc.), which regulate the behavior of recipient cells and serve as circulating biomarkers of diseases, including thrombosis. Therefore, exosome research is important for the diagnosis, treatment, therapeutic monitoring, and prognosis of thrombosis in that it can reveal the counts, surface marker expression, protein, and miRNA cargo involved. Recent studies have shown that exosomes can be used as therapeutic vectors for tissue regeneration and as alternative vectors for drug delivery. In this review, we summarize the physiological and biochemical characteristics, isolation, and identification of exosomes. Moreover, we focus on the role of exosomes in thrombosis, specifically venous thromboembolism, and their potential clinical applications, including as biomarkers and therapeutic vectors for thrombosis.

The Determinants of Adolescent Glycolipid Metabolism Disorder: A Cohort Study.

Background: The increased prevalence of glycolipid metabolism disorders (GLMD) in childhood and adolescents has a well-established association with adult type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases; therefore, determinants of GLMD need to be evaluated during this period. Objectives: To explore the prevalence of and risk factors for GLMD from the prenatal period through childhood and adolescence. Methods: A bidirectional cohort study which was established in 2014 and followed between March 1 and July 20, 2019, was used to illustrate the impact factors for GLMD. Stratified cluster sampling in urban-rural areas was used to include subjects from four communities in Chongqing. 2808 healthy children aged between 6 and 9 years in 2014 entered the cohort in 2014 and followed in 2019 with a follow-up rate of 70%. 2,136 samples (aged 11.68 ± 0.60 years) were included. Results: The prevalence rates of insulin resistance (IR), prediabetes/diabetes, and dyslipidemia were 21.02%, 7.19%, and 21.61%, respectively. Subjects with an urban residence, no pubertal development, dyslipidemia in 2014, higher family income, and higher parental education had significantly elevated fasting insulin (FI) or homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels; subjects with female sex, no pubertal development, dyslipidemia in 2014, obesity, gestational hypertension, maternal weight gain above Institute of Medicine guidelines, and single parents had increased triglyceride or triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Adolescents with rural residence had higher HbA1c level. Conclusion: We observed that the prevalence of GLMD was high in childhood and adolescents, and rural-urban areas, sex, pubertal development, dyslipidemia in a younger age, maternal obesity, and hypertension were associated with increased GLMD risk, suggesting that implementing the community-family intervention to improve the GLMD of children is essential.

Association Between Extraversion Personality With the Blood Pressure Level in Adolescents.

Purpose: The association between extraversion personality and high blood pressure (BP) has not been well-studied. This study aims to explore the association between extraversion personality and the BP level in a large sample of adolescents. Methods: As an ongoing study, 5,246 children aged 6-9 years were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling method in 2014. The extraversion personality trait, assessed by the Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ, answered by adolescents) in 2019, was used in the main analysis. A total of 3,407 participants were eligible and included in this analysis. Results: The EPQ extraversion score was negatively associated with a systolic BP, a diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in a univariate analysis. After adjusting for other covariates, high extraversion score was negatively associated with systolic BP (ß = -0.026; 95% CI = -0.047, -0.004; p = 0.002). There was an interaction between regions and the extraversion score on systolic BP (P interaction = 0.037). The stratified analysis showed that, in rural areas, the extraversion score was negatively associated with systolic BP (ß = -0.050; 95% CI = -0.081, -0.016; p = 0.004). However, we did find an association between the extraversion score and systolic BP in urban areas (ß = 0.000; 95% CI = -0.028, 0.028; p = 0.996). Similar results were observed for the extraversion assessed by parents. Conclusions: We observed that extraversion personality was negatively associated with high BP in adolescents, especially for those who were living in rural areas. Our results suggested that a comprehensive intervention should be implemented to promote psychological health in adolescents.

Identification of Circ-FNDC3B, an Overexpressed circRNA in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, as a Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in the dysfunction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which is linked with the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Herein, we explored the precise action of circRNA fibronectin type III domain containing 3B (circ-FNDC3B) in VSMC injury triggered by angiotensin II (Ang-II).Circ-FNDC3B, microRNA (miR) -143-3p, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot assay. Ribonuclease R and subcellular localization assays were applied to characterize circ-FNDC3B. Cell viability, apoptosis, and proliferation were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and 5-Ethynyl-2' -Deoxyuridine assay, respectively. The levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase, and malonaldehyde were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Direct relationship miR-143-3p and circ-FNDC3B or ADAM10 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays.Circ-FNDC3B was highly expressed in AAA tissues and Ang-II-treated VSMCs. Knocking down circ-FNDC3B alleviated Ang-II-induced VSMC injury. Mechanistically, circ-FNDC3B directly targeted miR-143-3p, and miR-143-3p was a downstream mediator of circ-FNDC3B in regulating cell injury induced by Ang-II. ADAM10 was directly targeted and inhibited by miR-143-3p. MiR-143-3p-mediated inhibition of ADAM10 relieved Ang-II-induced VSMC injury. Furthermore, circ-FNDC3B acted as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-143-3p to modulate ADAM10 expression.Our findings suggested that circ-FNDC3B silencing ameliorated cytotoxicity triggered by Ang-II in VSMCs at least partially depending on the regulation of the miR-143-3p/ADAM10 axis.

Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation with suture mucopexy compared with LigaSure™-assisted pile excision for the treatment of grade III hemorrhoids: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation and stapled hemorrhoidopexy have been used in surgical practices to avoid post-hemorrhoidectomy pain. Our study compared Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation with suture mucopexy (DGHAL-SM) and ligature-assisted pile excision (LAP) for greater than three grades of internal hemorrhoids. METHODS: Eighty patients with greater than 3 grades of internal hemorrhoids were selected (age range: 20-28 years; average age: 23 years) between January and June 2015. The patients were randomly divided into group A (DGHAL-SM) and group B (LAP); each group had 40 patients. RESULTS: With respect to the postoperative cure rate and anal skin tags, group A was inferior to group B, but the postoperative pain assessment and satisfaction were better than group B (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The DGHAL-SM cure rate was high; the postoperative pain was mild; 97.5% of the patients did not return to hospital because of pain. LAP has a higher cure rate than DGHAL-SM, but the postoperative pain and return rate within 6 h was as high as 65%, and the postoperative satisfaction assessment was lower than DGHAL-SM. Therefore, we recommend that DGHAL-SM for outpatient surgery in patients with greater than three grades of internal hemorrhoids.

Bacterial cell-body rotation driven by a single flagellar motor and by a bundle.

Using self-trapped Escherichia coli bacteria that have intact flagellar bundles on glass surfaces, we study statistical fluctuations of cell-body rotation in a steady (unstimulated) state. These fluctuations underline direction randomization of bacterial swimming trajectories and plays a fundamental role in bacterial chemotaxis. A parallel study is also conducted using a classical rotation assay in which cell-body rotation is driven by a single flagellar motor. These investigations allow us to draw the important conclusion that during periods of counterclockwise motor rotation, which contributes to a run, all flagellar motors are strongly correlated, but during the clockwise period, which contributes to a tumble, individual motors are uncorrelated in long times. Our observation is consistent with the physical picture that formation and maintenance of a coherent flagellar bundle is provided by a single dominant flagellum in the bundle.

The Positive Rate of Nucleic Acid Testing and the Epidemiological Characteristics of COVID-19 in Chongqing.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the positive rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid testing (NAT), cases of and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2, and the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 to identify high-risk populations. METHODS: A retrospective study in Jiulongpo district of Chongqing was conducted by performing continuous observations of the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 NAT, analyzing the data of close contacts of patients and asymptomatic carriers, and collecting epidemiological data. Data were collected from January 20, 2020, when the first case of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported, to March 26, 2020. Descriptive statistical analysis and Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel analysis were used to compare the positive detection rates and positive diagnostic rates of different exposure groups. RESULTS: A total of 7,118 people received 10,377 SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests in one district, and the SARS-CoV-2 positive rates were 0.40% (18/4446) and 0.15% (4/2672) in people receiving one and ≥ two nucleic acid tests (p = 0.06), respectively. Those with suspected cases (12.35%) and close contacts (8%) had higher positive rates than people tested at fever clinics (0.39%) (p < 0.001). The median latency (range) of cases was 5 (2, 9) days, and the median time from diagnosis to recovery was 22 (14, 25) days. One recovered patient received a positive test result at 28 days after recovery when she attempted to donate blood. Six clustered cases, including one patient who died, indicated persistent human-to-human transmission. One patient who was diagnosed after death was found to have infected 13 close contacts. People working in catering and other public service departments (36.36%) and people who are unemployed and retirees (45.45%) have an increased risk of infection compared with technical staff (9.09%) and farmers (9.09%). CONCLUSION: The total positive rate was low in the tested population, and more effective detection ranges should be defined to improve precise and differentiated epidemic control strategies. Moreover, in asymptomatic carriers, SARS-CoV-2 tests were positive after recovery, and patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection who die may pose serious potential transmission threats.

Enhancement of gibberellic acid production from Fusarium fujikuroi by mutation breeding and glycerol addition.

Gibberellic acid (GA3) is a natural plant growth hormone that has been widely used in agriculture and horticulture. To obtain higher GA3 producing strains, the method of screening the strains for resistance to simvastatin was used after treatment with nitrosoguanidine (NTG) and gamma rays. The rationale for the strategy was that mutants showing simvastatin resistance were likely to be high GA3 producers, as their activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase is relatively more effective. GA3 yield of mutant S109 increased by 14.2% than that of the original strain. The GA3 production ability in mutant S109 remained relatively stable after ten generations. With the addition of 0.4 g glycerol on the 5th day during the fermentation process in Erlenmeyer flask, maximum GA3 production of 2.7 g/L was achieved by this mutant, exhibiting 28.6% increase compared with original strain. Furthermore, we also achieved 2.8 g/L GA3 and had a 33.3% increase with addition 20 g glycerol on the 5th day during the fermentation process in a 5-L bioreactor. Our results indicated efficient GA3 production could be achieved on the condition that the supply of glycerol at the suitable conditions. This study would lay a foundation for industrial production of GA3.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Childhood Hypertension in Urban-Rural Areas of China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The increased blood pressure level in children and adolescents is recognized as an essential predictor of adulthood cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence and the urban-rural disparity of childhood hypertension in the southwest of China. METHODS: Using stratified cluster sampling in urban and rural areas, a total of 13597 primary school children aged 6∼12 years living in the Southwest of China were included. The prevalence of hypertension was analyzed. The risk factors were collected by questionnaires, and the risk factors of childhood hypertension were analyzed by the logistic regression model. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 13.75%, 9.02%, and 17.47% in total, urban, and rural children, respectively, and the urban-rural difference was 8.44% (95%CI: 7.32%, 9.56%). Children with obesity, maternal gestational hypertension, >10 months of breastfeeding, or low family income had a significantly increased prevalence of hypertension (29.4%, 20.00%, 16.31%, and 16.25%, respectively). Rural residence, intake of more pickle (in rural), maternal gestational hypertension (in urban), low birth weight (in rural), obesity, increased heart rate, and red blood cell counts were the risk factors of childhood hypertension. The adjusted R 2 values were 13.61%, 23.25%, 10.88%, 11.12%, 12.23%, and 25.04% in the full models excluding and including serum indexes for total, urban, and rural children, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of childhood hypertension is significant in the Southwest of China and alarming in rural areas, which requires community intervention. Children living in rural areas combined with obesity, low social economic status, dietary imbalance, and abnormal lipid metabolism were associated with an increased risk of hypertension, and routine care programs should be conducted to prevent childhood hypertension.

Metformin inhibits high glucose-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration.

We investigated the protective effects and mechanism of action of metformin on high glucose-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were subjected to a series of concentrations (0-10 mM) of metformin. CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assays were performed. Correlations between metformin concentration and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and miR-142-3p levels were assessed. In addition, miR-142-3p mimic and siRNA were used to investigate VSMC migration in the presence or absence of metformin. In the high-glucose condition, metformin decreased cell growth and inhibited cell migration. HMGB1 gene expression correlated negatively with metformin concentration, whereas miR-142-3p expression correlated positively with metformin concentration. In addition, mimic-induced miR-142-3p elevation resulted in decreased HMGB1 and LC3II levels and elevated p62 levels in the high-glucose condition, whereas miR-142-3p knockdown had the reverse effects, and metformin abolished those effects. Metformin inhibits high glucose-induced VSMC hyperproliferation and increased migration by inducing miR-142-3p-mediated inhibition of HMGB1 expression via the HMGB1-autophagy related pathway.

The effect of community hypertension management on blood pressure control and its determinants in southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of community healthcare in controlling blood pressure (BP) and mitigating related risk factors after 5 y of follow-up. METHODS: Hierarchical clustering sampling was employed to choose a representative sample of 10 rural and 10 urban community populations (N=4235). The 5y prospective cohort study was completed by the medical group in the community clinical centre. RESULTS: The study included 4235 patients, median age 69 y (range 61-76), with hypertension in 2009; 2533 (59.81%) were female. The rate of BP control increased from 28.33% in 2009 to 64.05% in 2014. The BP control rate was higher in patients with CVD and kidney disease and lower in those with obesity than in those without. Comparing 2009 and 2014 values, the intervention resulted in median systolic BP and diastolic BP reductions of 7.0 mmHg and 6.5 mmHg, respectively. Age, medication treatment, antihypertensive agents, BP at baseline and follow-up, complications of diabetes, CVD, obesity and kidney disease, the aspartate aminotransferase:aminotransferase ratio and smoking were identified as risk factors for BP control. CONCLUSIONS: Community management of hypertension by general practitioners achieved significant BP control over 5 y of intervention.

LncRNA GUSBP5-AS promotes EPC migration and angiogenesis and deep vein thrombosis resolution by regulating FGF2 and MMP2/9 through the miR-223-3p/FOXO1/Akt pathway.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an essential role in multitudinous physiological and pathological processes, including vascular disease. We previously showed that lncRNA GUSBP5-AS (enst00000511042) is upregulated in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) of deep veni thrombosis (DVT) patients. Here, we investigate the role and mechanism of GUSBP5-AS in EPCs and DVT. Using the DVT model, we found that GUSBP5-AS significantly reduced the thrombus size and weight and enhanced the homing ability of EPC to DVT sites to promote resolution and recanalization of thrombus. GUSBP5-AS promoted cell cycle progression, proliferation, migration and invasion in EPCs, enhanced EPC angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo, and inhibited apoptosis. Strikingly, this study showed that GUSBP5-AS was unbalanced and modulated Forkhead Box Protein O1 (FOXO1) in EPCs in patients with DVT by interacting with miR-223-3p. Mechanistically, GUSBP5-AS functions as a sponge of miR-223-3p, which targets FOXO1. Both GUSBP5-AS knockdown and miR-223-3p overexpression remarkably inhibited angiogenesis, migration and invasion in EPCs. Additionally, our data suggested that GUSBP-AS activated the Akt pathway and enhanced fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 (MMP2/9) and F-actin expression. Taken together, this study indicates that GUSBP5-AS modulates angiogenesis, proliferation and homing ability of EPCs via regulating FGF2 and MMP2/9 expression through the miR-223-3p/FOXO1/Akt pathway, which may provide a new direction for the development of DVT therapeutics.