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Abstract Background Microplastics, widely present in the environment, are implicated in disease pathogenesis through oxidative stress and immune modulation. Prevailing research, primarily based on animal and cell studies, falls short in elucidating microplastics' impact on human cardiovascular health. This cross-sectional study detected blood microplastic concentrations in patients presenting with chest pain using pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and evaluating inflammatory and immune markers through flow cytometry, to explore the potential effects of microplastic on acute coronary syndrome. Results The study included 101 participants, comprising 19 controls and 82 acute coronary syndrome cases. Notably, acute coronary syndrome patients exhibited elevated microplastic concentrations, with those suffering from acute myocardial infarction presenting higher loads compared to those with unstable angina. Furthermore, patients at intermediate to high risk of coronary artery disease displayed significantly higher microplastic accumulations than their low-risk counterparts. A significant relationship was observed between increased microplastic levels and enhanced IL-6 and IL-12p70 contents, alongside elevated B lymphocyte and natural killer cell counts. Conclusion These results suggest an association between microplastics and both vascular pathology complexity and immunoinflammatory response in acute coronary syndrome, underscoring the critical need for targeted research to delineate the mechanisms of this association. Highlights 1 Blood microplastic levels escalate from angiographic patency, to angina patients, peaking in myocardial infarction patients. 2 Microplastics in acute coronary syndrome patients are predominantly PE, followed by PVC, PS, and PP. 3 Microplastics may induce immune cell-associated inflammatory responses in acute coronary syndrome patients. Graphical abstract

This study aimed to discover novel serum biomarkers for IgA vasculitis with nephritis (IgAVN). The serum of IgA vasculitis (IgAV) patients without nephritis and IgAVN patients not treated with glucocorticoids was analyzed for 440 proteins using a novel quantitative planar protein microarray. To verify the biomarkers, semiquantitative immunofluorescence analysis was performed on selected differential cytokines in a separate cohort of kidney tissue samples. A total of 41 proteins were differentially expressed between the IgAVN and IgAV groups out of the 440 proteins analyzed. Five differentially abundant proteins, including VEGF R3, ADAM12, TIM-3, IL-12p40, and CEACAM-5, were further validated by semiquantitative immunofluorescence analysis in kidney tissue from independent cohorts. ADAM12, TIM-3, IL-12p40, and CEACAM-5 were expressed in kidney tissue. A linear relationship was observed between the pathological grade of IgAVN and the expression levels of ADAM12 and CEACAM-5. Furthermore, while the prognosis of children with IgAVN may have a linear relationship with CEACAM-5, the results did not indicate a significant statistical difference, which may be related to the sample size. The expression of ADAM12 and CEACAM-5 was positively correlated with the pathological grade. More importantly, we found that CEACAM-5 may be related to the prognosis of IgAVN, which could serve as a significant biomarker for assessing disease severity and monitoring disease progression.

ObjectiveCOVID-19 led to a horrific global pandemic, with strict lockdowns and prolonged indoor stays increasing the risk of mental health problems, affecting people of different ages, genders, regions, and types of work to varying degrees. This study provides a bibliometric summary of the knowledge map related to mental health during and post COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsPublications related to mental health during and post COVID-19 pandemic were searched in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database through March 19, 2024. After screening the search results, the literature included in the final was first quantitatively analyzed using GraphPad Prism software and then visualized using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R (the bibliometrix package).ResultsThe 7,047 publications from 110 countries were included, with the highest number of publications from China and the United States, and the number of publications related to mental health during and post the COVID-19 pandemic increased annually until 2023, after which it began to decline. The major institutions were University of Toronto, University of London, Harvard University, King’s College London, University College London, University of California System, University of Melbourne, Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale (Inserm), Mcgill University, and University of Ottawa; Frontiers in Psychiatry had the highest number of publications, and the Journal of Affective Disorders had the highest number of co-citations; 36,486 authors included, with Xiang, Yu-Tao, Cheung, Teris, Chung, Seockhoon published the most papers, and World Health Organization, Kroenke K, and Wang CY were the most co-cited; epidemiologically relevant studies on mental health related to COVID-19, and the importance of mental health during normalized epidemic prevention and control are the main directions of this research area, especially focusing on children’s mental health; “pandemic,” “sars-cov-2,” “epidemic,” “depression,” “coronavirus anxiety,” “anxiety,” “longitudinal,” “child,” “coronavirus anxiety,” “longitudinal,” “child,” and “coronavirus” are the top keywords in recent years.ConclusionThis comprehensive bibliometric study summarizes research trends and advances in mental health during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic. It serves as a reference for mental health research scholars during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, clarifying recent research preoccupations and topical directions.

Summary: The high infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment prominently attenuates the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the metabolic profile of TAMs and identify S-2-hydroxyglutarate (S-2HG) as a potential immunometabolite that shapes macrophages into an antitumoral phenotype. Blockage of L-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (L2HGDH)-mediated S-2HG catabolism in macrophages promotes tumor regression. Mechanistically, based on its structural similarity to α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), S-2HG has the potential to block the enzymatic activity of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (2-OGDDs), consequently reshaping chromatin accessibility. Moreover, S-2HG-treated macrophages enhance CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor activity and sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy. Overall, our study uncovers the role of blockage of L2HGDH-mediated S-2HG catabolism in orchestrating macrophage antitumoral polarization and, further, provides the potential of repolarizing macrophages by S-2HG to overcome resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy.

ObjectiveWe aimed to analyze the risk of cardiac rupture (CR) in aged diabetic patients with acute ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) who were followed up for one month, and analyze its independent risk factors.MethodsA total of 3063 aged patients with first onset STEMI admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2001 to December 2020 were retrospectively included. There were 2020 patients without diabetes mellitus (DM) and 1043 patients with DM. We used propensity scores matching (PSM) method to balance baseline exposure factors between patients with or without DM, and all were divided the DM group (1043 cases) and the non-DM group (1043 cases) after the PSM. The primary outcome was CR (the composite rate of papillary muscle rupture, ventricular septum perforation, free wall rupture), which was diagnosed based on clinical manifestations and/or echocardiographic findings. Kaplan-meier survival analyses and log-rank test was used to evaluate the risk of CR between the two groups, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for CR.ResultsAfter PSM, the baseline clinical data were similar between the DM and non-DM group (all P>0.05). However, level of glycated hemoglobin was significantly higher in the DM group (P

The research and application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have enormously promoted the progression of tumor treatment. Gradual implementation of ICIs in clinical practice is largely limited as they exert uncontrolled collateral effects on the immune system, such as immune-related adverse events (irAEs); this includes rarely reported glomerular diseases. This study aimed to describe the clinical and pathological manifestation of ICIs-induced glomerular diseases and focused on the mechanism and therapeutic strategy for glomerular diseases associated with ICIs. The data of 53 patients with glomerular diseases related to ICIs were retrieved from the PubMed database. The most frequently reported ICIs-related glomerular diseases were pauci-immune glomerulonephritis (28.3%), podocytopathies (26.4%), and immune-complex glomerulonephritis (18.9%). Moreover, anti-PD1 antibodies were the most commonly used ICIs (71.4%). Most patients receiving ICIs discontinued the treatment (89.4%) and were initiated with steroids (87.2%). Rituximab was also useful in the treatment, especially for renal vasculitis. Rechallenging ICIs could be considered for cancer progression or as salvage therapy, where rechallenging ICI therapy with steroids may be beneficial. We believe the treatment should be personalized based on the degree of renal pathology, serum creatinine (Scr), and tumor progression to obtain a good prognosis.

With the modernization and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the requirement for quality control has increased. The quality marker (Q-marker) is an important standard in this field and has been implemented with remarkable success in recent years. However, the establishment of Q-markers remains fragmented and the process lacks systematicity, resulting in inconsistent quality control and insufficient correlation with clinical efficacy and safety of TCM. This review introduces four multimodal integrated approaches that contribute to the discovery of more comprehensive and accurate Q-markers, thus aiding in the establishment of new quality control patterns based on the characteristics and principles of TCM. These include the whole-process quality control strategy, chemical-activity-based screening method, efficacy, safety, and consistent combination strategy, and TCM theory-guided approach. Furthermore, methodologies and representative examples of these strategies are described, and important future directions and questions in this field are also proposed.

Introduction In the Chinese healthcare system, where there is overcrowding in hospitals, especially in tertiary care centres, adoption of same-day discharge (SDD) post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could potentially lead to significant savings of healthcare resources and costs. This study is a non-inferiority trial examining whether post-PCI SDD is feasible in China. The primary hypothesis is that patient outcomes in post-urgent PCI SDD patients are non-inferior to regular discharge patients.Methods and analysis Post-Urgent PCI Same-DaY is an investigator-initiated multicentre randomised unblinded clinical non-inferiority trial, with 1:1 centralised randomisation to the SDD or usual care (UC) group. Based on sample size calculations, 1296 patients from at least three hospitals, with mild to moderate myocardial infarction, will be included, and acute coronary syndrome patients will be excluded. All patients will receive UC while patients assigned to the SDD group will be discharged on the same day or within 12 hours post-PCI. The primary outcome is major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events 30 days after discharge. The secondary outcomes are all-cause mortality, bleeding and access site complications. The outcome rates will be compared between groups with the absolute risk difference with a 95% CI.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol V.2.0 has been approved on 21 January 2022 by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University (approval number: 2021 KLSD No. 23). The outcomes of this study will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international conferences.Trial registration number ChiCTR 2200057065; China Clinical Trial Registration.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the clinical utility of surgical reconstruction of finger pulp defects using a plantar flap derived from the toes, with vascular anastomosis of the toe-finger artery and the plantar-palmar vein of the finger. Methods Between April 2018 and November 2020, 29 patients with finger pulp defects underwent treatment via the transplantation of pulp tissue from the second toe, with the plantar vein of the toe and the palmar vein of the finger being anastomosed during this procedure. In addition, an anastomosis of the toe and finger artery and nerve was conducted, with a flap size of 1.0 cm * 0.8 cm–2.3 cm * 4.0 cm being used for such repair. Donor tissue sites were closed without introducing deformities or other complications. Results In all patients in the present study, flap tissues survived and did not exhibit evidence of vascular crisis over a mean 16.8-month follow-up period (range 8–24 months). After successful skin flap grafting, they exhibited good elasticity and a soft texture. At three months post-surgery, some patients reported partial recovery of touch sensation in the transplanted tissue, while pain recovery was evident in some patients at 4–6 months post-surgery. No deformities or other complications were observed at the donor site, and the ability of patients to walk normally was not impaired. Conclusion The anastomosis of toe plantar flaps with the palmar vein can facilitate the repair of finger pulp injuries without the need to dissect the dorsal vein of the toe, allowing for the suturing of donor tissue sites without causing any deformities or other complications. This surgical approach can easily be conducted with satisfactory clinical outcomes.

Abstract Background Metazoan cells only utilize a small subset of the potential DNA replication origins to duplicate the whole genome in each cell cycle. Origin choice is linked to cell growth, differentiation, and replication stress. Although various genetic and epigenetic signatures have been linked to the replication efficiency of origins, there is no consensus on how the selection of origins is determined. Results We apply dual-color stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) super-resolution imaging to map the spatial distribution of origins within individual topologically associating domains (TADs). We find that multiple replication origins initiate separately at the spatial boundary of a TAD at the beginning of the S phase. Intriguingly, while both high-efficiency and low-efficiency origins are distributed homogeneously in the TAD during the G1 phase, high-efficiency origins relocate to the TAD periphery before the S phase. Origin relocalization is dependent on both transcription and CTCF-mediated chromatin structure. Further, we observe that the replication machinery protein PCNA forms immobile clusters around TADs at the G1/S transition, explaining why origins at the TAD periphery are preferentially fired. Conclusion Our work reveals a new origin selection mechanism that the replication efficiency of origins is determined by their physical distribution in the chromatin domain, which undergoes a transcription-dependent structural re-organization process. Our model explains the complex links between replication origin efficiency and many genetic and epigenetic signatures that mark active transcription. The coordination between DNA replication, transcription, and chromatin organization inside individual TADs also provides new insights into the biological functions of sub-domain chromatin structural dynamics.

ObjectiveBehavioral intentions to care for patients with infectious diseases are crucial for improving quality of care. However, there have been few studies of the behavioral intentions and factors influencing patient care by clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore cognition, attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions of clinical nurses while caring for COVID-19 patients and to explore any influencing factors.MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted of nurses through convenience sampling in southeast China from February 2020 to March 2020. The questionnaire was developed based on the theory of planned behavior and self-efficacy.ResultsA total of 774 nurses completed the survey. Of these, 69.12% (535/774) reported positive behavioral intentions, 75.58% (585/774) reported a positive attitude, and 63.82% (494/774) reported having the confidence to care for patients. However, the lack of support from family and friends and special allowance affected their self-confidence. Attitude, self-efficacy, subjective norms, and ethical cognition were significantly positively correlated with behavioral intentions (r = 0.719, 0.690, 0.603, and 0.546, respectively, all P < 0.001). Structural equation model showed that self-efficacy, attitude, ethical cognition, and subjective norms had positive effects on behavioral intentions (β = 0.402, 0.382, 0.091, and 0.066, respectively, P < 0.01). The total effect of behavioral intentions was influenced by attitude, ethical cognition, self-efficacy, and subjective norms (β = 0.656, 0.630, 0.402, and 0.157, respectively, P < 0.01). In addition, ethical cognition had a positive mediating effect on behavioral intentions (β = 0.539, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe study results indicated that attitude, ethical cognition, and self-efficacy were the main factors influencing nurses' behavioral intention. Efforts should be made to improve nurses' attitude and self-efficacy through ethical education and training to increase behavioral intentions to care for patients with infectious diseases, which will improve the quality of nursing care.

Abstract Background 13q33–q34 microdeletions are rare chromosomal aberrations associated with a high risk of developmental disability, facial dysmorphism, cardiac defects and other malformation of organs. It is necessary to collect and report evidence of this rare chromosome mutation to improve the prognosis of this rare disease. Case presentation We report a patient harboring an 11.56 Mb microdeletion at 13q33.1–34 region, which contains about 30 OMIM genes. Besides the common clinical manifestations such as facial dysmorphism, developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and congenital heart disease, she also suffered from a reduced anogenital distance, hematuria and left renal hypoplasia. Most related cases were characterized by facial deformity and heart defects, but there were few reports on renal malformation, especially regarding renal hypoplasia with hematuria. Conclusion We have reported a patient suffering from a reduced anogenital distance, hematuria and left renal hypoplasia. A de novo 11.56 Mb deletion ranging from 13q33.1 to 13q34 (Chr13:103542220–115,106,996) was found by SNP-array analysis. It might be the first time for hematuria and renal hypoplasia to be reported as symptoms of 13q33-q34 deletion syndrome Neurodevelopmental disability, heart defects and urogenital/anorectal anomalies may be resulted from common or overlapping regions of deletion in chromosome bands 13q33.1-q34 and may share a common molecular mechanism.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). The administration of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination is the only reliable strategy to prevent COVID-19 and alleviate the severity of COVID-19 in this particular population. The aim of this article was to evaluate the clinical protection by vaccines (breakthrough infections, deaths, and hospitalizations) in KTRs. There were 135 KTRs with COVID-19 breakthrough infections for whom patient-level data were available in PubMed and Web of Science. There was a male predominance (61.4%), 97 were given the standard vaccination regimen, and 38 received three or four doses of the vaccine. The median age was 59.0 (IQR: 49.0–69.0) years. A total of 67 patients were hospitalized, and 10 patients died. In 72.6% of cases, triple-maintenance immunosuppression was employed. The deceased patients were older than the survivors (p < 0.05); an age over 60 years was a risk factor for death (p < 0.05). The KTRs with booster vaccines had a longer time interval from the last vaccine to COVID-19 infection and lower hospitalization rates than the individuals who received the standard vaccination regimen (33.3% vs. 54.8%, p < 0.05). The hospitalized patients were older than the outpatients (p < 0.05). Among 16,820 fully vaccinated or boosted KTRs from 14 centers, there were 633 breakthrough infections (3.58%) and 73 associated deaths (0.41%). The center-level breakthrough infection rates varied from 0.21% to 9.29%. These findings highlight the need for booster doses for KTRs. However, more research is needed to define the long-term effectiveness and immunogenicity of booster doses and to identify methods to boost the protective response to vaccination in these immunocompromised patients.

Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome (APDS) is a combined inborn error of immunity mainly caused by PIK3CD mutations. We herein describe a 4-year-old Chinese boy who was admitted for recurrent pneumonia and persistent hematuria and exhibited multisystem involvement and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity. He was initially diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis. However, genetic testing revealed a c.1574A>G PIK3CD mutation, resulting in a diagnosis of APDS1.

This report describes an 8-year-old male who presented with clinical manifestations including systemic edema, heavy proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, and persistent hypocomplementemia. Arachnoid cysts and focal nodular hyperplasia were also detected. Imaging examination and renal biopsy were performed, and Abernethy malformation type II with immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis was considered the diagnosis. Due to the persistence of embryonic vessels, Abernethy malformation is a rare congenital vascular malformation of the splanchnic venous system, which can be classified as type I (end-to-side shunt) and type II (side-to-side shunt). Abernethy malformation with glomerulonephritis remains extremely rare. In the patient described, glomerulonephritis mediated by immune complex with “full-house” positive immunohistochemistry was confirmed on renal biopsy. In addition, he was treated with glucocorticoids and tacrolimus. Whether surgical treatment is necessary should be determined according to the state of the disease in the later stages. The present case reflects the association between the congenital portosystemic shunt and the renal region and, to the authors' knowledge, may be the first report to describe arachnoid cysts as a symptom of Abernethy malformation.

A new fluorescent chemosensor based on a Rhodamine B and a benzyl 3-aminopropanoate conjugate (RBAP) was designed, synthesized, and structurally characterized. Its single crystal structure was obtained and analyzed by X-ray analysis. In a MeOH/H2O (2:3, v/v, pH 5.95) solution RBAP exhibits a high selectivity and excellent sensitivity for Sn2+ ions in the presence of many other metal cations. The binding analysis using the Job’s plot suggested the RBAP formed a 1:1 complex with Sn2+.

A facile synthesis for novel loperamide analogs as potential μ opioid receptors is described. The synthetic procedure for compound 5, which contains two 4-phenyl piperidine scaffolds, was optimized, and this compound was synthesized in excellent yield. We also describe a mild and highly efficient protocol for the synthesis of compounds 6 and 7.

Abstract Featuring high caloric value, clean-burning, and renewability, hydrogen is a fuel believed to be able to change energy structure worldwide. Biohydrogen production technologies effectively utilize waste biomass resources and produce high-purity hydrogen. Improvements have been made in the biohydrogen production process in recent years. However, there is a lack of operational data and sustainability analysis from pilot plants to provide a reference for commercial operations. In this report, based on spectrum coupling, thermal effect, and multiphase flow properties of hydrogen production, continuous pilot-scale biohydrogen production systems (dark and photo-fermentation) are established as a research subject. Then, pilot-scale hydrogen production systems are assessed in terms of sustainability. The system being evaluated, consumes 171,530 MJ of energy and emits 9.37 t of CO2 eq when producing 1 t H2, and has a payback period of 6.86 years. Our analysis also suggests future pathways towards effective biohydrogen production technology development and real-world implementation.

To compare the pretreatment effect of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) on corn stover, three types of DESs (acid, neutral, and alkaline) were used to pretreat corn stover, and their effects on lignin removal were investigated. Then the performance of photo-fermentation hydrogen production (PFHP) using DESs pretreated corn stover was compared and analyzed. The results showed that acid DESs had the best lignin removal efficiency, and the lignin removal percentages of choline chloride/formic acid (ChCl/Fac) and choline chloride/oxalate (ChCl/Oac) were 64.7% and 65.6%, respectively. The alkaline DESs had the second highest removal of lignin, while the neutral DESs had a poor effect on lignin removal. The comparison of hydrogen production indicated that the corn stover pretreated with ChCl/Oac had the best hydrogen production effect. In conclusion, the DESs pretreatment can obviously remove the lignin in corn stover, and then improve the hydrogen production capacity and efficiency of photo-fermentation, which provides a potential pretreatment method for the efficient utilization of straw biomass.

To compare the pretreatment effect of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) on corn stover, three types of DESs (acid, neutral, and alkaline) were used to pretreat corn stover, and their effects on lignin removal were investigated. Then the performance of photo-fermentation hydrogen production (PFHP) using DESs pretreated corn stover was compared and analyzed. The results showed that acid DESs had the best lignin removal efficiency, and the lignin removal percentages of choline chloride/formic acid (ChCl/Fac) and choline chloride/oxalate (ChCl/Oac) were 64.7% and 65.6%, respectively. The alkaline DESs had the second highest removal of lignin, while the neutral DESs had a poor effect on lignin removal. The comparison of hydrogen production indicated that the corn stover pretreated with ChCl/Oac had the best hydrogen production effect. In conclusion, the DESs pretreatment can obviously remove the lignin in corn stover, and then improve the hydrogen production capacity and efficiency of photo-fermentation, which provides a potential pretreatment method for the efficient utilization of straw biomass.

Abstract Background Chemotherapy related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a type of memory and cognitive impairment induced by chemotherapy and has become a growing clinical problem. Breast cancer survivors (BCs) refer to patients from the moment of breast cancer diagnosis to the end of their lives. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a convenient and easy‐to‐apply psychological intervention that has been proven to improve quality of life and alleviate CRCI in BCs. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) has become an effective method for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of brain networks in CRCI. The fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and ALFF have often been used in analyzing the power and intensity of spontaneous regional resting state neural activity. Methods The recruited BCs were randomly divided into the CALM group and the care as usual (CAU) group. All BCs were evaluated by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function (FACT‐Cog) before and after CALM or CAU. The rs‐fMRI imaging was acquired before and after CALM intervention in CALM group BCs. The BCs were defined as before CALM intervention (BCI) group and after CALM intervention (ACI) group. Results There were 32 BCs in CALM group and 35 BCs in CAU group completed the overall study. There were significant differences between the BCI group and the ACI group in the FACT‐Cog‐PCI scores. Compared with the BCI group, the ACI group showed lower fALFF signal in the left medial frontal gyrus and right sub‐gyral and higher fALFF in the left occipital_sup and middle occipital gyrus. There was a significant positive correlation between hippocampal ALFF value and FACT‐Cog‐PCI scores. Conclusions CALM intervention may have an effective function in alleviating CRCI of BCs. The altered local synchronization and regional brain activity may be correlated with the improved cognitive function of BCs who received the CALM intervention. The ALFF value of hippocampus seems to be an important factor in reflect cognitive function in BCs with CRCI and the neural network mechanism of CALM intervention deserves further exploration to promote its application.

Abstract Background Cancer‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a frequent consequence in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy and lowers their quality of life (QOL). Psychological distress is frequently experienced by breast cancer survivors. There are currently few studies investigating the role of psychological distress in the genesis of CRCI. Methods In total, 122 breast cancer survivors after standard chemotherapy within a year were recruited and assessed using the Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT). Sixty breast cancer survivors had non‐psychological distress (NPD group) and sixty‐two breast cancer survivors with psychological distress (PD group). The scores of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), prospective and retrospective memory (PM and RM) Questionnaire (PRMQ), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General (FACT‐G) and the levels of cytokines including interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β), tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) were compared between the two groups. Using PROCESS, we investigated whether psychological distress predicted cognitive function based on MMSE through IL‐1β, TNF‐α, and IL‐4. Results The PD group had higher scores on RM, PM, and FACT‐G and lower scores on MMSE than the NPD group (t = −11.357, t = −10.720, t = −15.419, t = 10.162, respectively; p

Abstract Background Chemotherapy‐related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common but easily overlooked condition that markedly affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer. The rs671 is a common gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in Asia that is involved in aldehyde metabolism and may be closely related to CRCI. However, no study has yet summarised the association between ALDH2 and CRCI. Methods This study enrolled one hundred and twenty‐four patients diagnosed with breast cancer according to the pathology results, genotyped for ALDH2 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to explore these. The mini‐mental state exam (MMSE), verbal fluency test (VFT), and digit span test (DST) results were compared in these patients before and after chemotherapy (CT). Results We found that patients with ALDH2 gene genotypes of rs671_GG, rs886205_GG, rs4648328_CC, and rs4767944_TT polymorphisms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment during chemotherapy. A trend toward statistical significance was observed for rs671_GG of DST (z = 2.769, p = 0.006), VFT (t = 4.624, P

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive, malignant cancer with a complex pathogenesis. However, effective therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers are limited. Sorafenib provides delaying cancer progression and survival improvement in advanced HCC. But despite 10 years of research on the clinical application of sorafenib, predictive markers for its therapeutic effect are lacking. Methods The clinical significance and molecular functions of SIGLEC family members were assessed by a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. The datasets included in this study (ICGC-LIRI-JP, GSE22058 and GSE14520) are mainly based on patients with HBV infections or HBV-related liver cirrhosis. The TCGA, GEO, and HCCDB databases were used to explore the expression of SIGLEC family genes in HCC. The Kaplan–Meier Plotter database was used to evaluate relationships between the expression levels of SIGLEC family genes and prognosis. Associations between differentially expressed genes in the SIGLEC family and tumour-associated immune cells were evaluated using TIMER. Results The mRNA levels of most SIGLEC family genes were significantly lower in HCC than in normal tissues. Low protein and mRNA expression levels of SIGLECs were strongly correlated with tumour grade and clinical cancer stage in patients with HCC. Tumour-related SIGLEC family genes were associated with tumour immune infiltrating cells. High SIGLEC expression was significantly related to a better prognosis in patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib. Conclusions SIGLEC family genes have potential prognostic value in HCC and may contribute to the regulation of cancer progression and immune cell infiltration. More importantly, our results revealed that SIGLEC family gene expression may be used as a prognostic marker for HCC patients treated with sorafenib.

Abstract The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 point mutation (ALDH2*2) is a common frequent human gene variant, especially in East Asians. However, the expression and mechanism of action of ALDH2 in HNSC remain unknown. The present study explored the clinical significance and immune characteristics of ALDH2 in HNSC. The receiver operating characteristic curve was analysed to assess the diagnostic value of ALDH2 expression. ALDH2 expression in normal tissues and HNSC tissues was evaluated by IHC, and we also analysed ALDH2 gene expression in 4 HNSC cell lines. ALDH2 expression was significantly reduced in HNSC tissues compared to normal tissues (p

In this work, the Pb adsorption and removal ability of biochar from simulated Pb(II)-contaminated wastewater, adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics were studied. Adsorption characteristics of biochar on Pb(II) were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS). The influence of the pH of the solution, the contact time, and the biochar dose on the removal of Pb(II) were investigated by single-factor design and response surface analysis. With the increase in biochar dose from 2 g/L to 4 g/L in wastewater, the Pb(II) amount adsorbed on biochar reduced from 21.3 mg/g to 17.5 mg/g. A weakly acidic environment was more conducive to the ligand exchange between Pb(II) ions and biochar. Pb(II) adsorption kinetics of biochar showed that the Pseudo-first-order model was more suitable than other employed models to describe the adsorption process. During the isothermal adsorption process, Langmuir and Freundlich’s isotherms fitted the adsorption data very well (R2 > 96%). The Pb (II) adsorption onto biochar was spontaneous in the specified temperature range (298–318 K) and the process was exothermic. Simultaneously, the optimal conditions were a pH of 5, a contact time of 255 min, and a biochar dose of 3 g/L, under which the maximum predicted Pb(II) removal efficiency was 91.52%.

BackgroundThe changes in inflammation and tumor biomarkers are associated with the anti-tumor immunological processes. Early detection and intervention are of great significance to the clinical management of cancer-related diseases. Peripheral blood biomarkers [e.g., neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153)] are obtained in real-timely, conveniently, and less invasively, and proved to availably predicted the disease states and prognosis of various cancers, including breast cancer (BC). Inflammation and poor disease management promote cognitive impairment. Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) hazard long-term survival and quality of life (QOL) of BC patients, but its correlation with NLR, CEA, and CA153 is not clear.PurposeThis study aimed to investigate changes in NLR, CEA, and CA153 levels before and after chemotherapy and their correlation with CRCI in patients with early-stage BC.Materials and methodsThe 187 patients with BC who were measured for NLR, CEA, and CA153 values within the first 24 hours of admission, were assigned into two groups: the before/after chemotherapy group (BCG/ACG). The ACG was assigned into two subgroups based on the cognitive assessment results: the cognitive normal/impaired group (CNG/CIG). Patients’ self-perceived cognitive impairments were evaluated using a mini-mental state examination (MMSE), prospective and retrospective memory (PM and RM) questionnaire (PRMQ), and functional assessment of cancer therapy-cognitive function version 3 (FACT-Cog, version 3, including CogPCI, CogOth, CogPCA, and CogQOL). Their QOL was also evaluated.ResultsThe NLR and CA153 levels were elevated after chemotherapy (BCG vs ACG: Z = −1.996 and −1.615, P = 0.046 and 0.106, respectively), and significantly elevated in patients with CRCI (BCG vs CIG: Z = −2.444 and -2.293, P = 0.015 and 0.022; respectively). However, there was not reach significant difference in CEA levels between the four groups. In addition, there was a weak to moderate correlation between peripheral blood biomarkers (NLR, CEA, and CA153) levels and CRCI (r = −0.404, −0.205, −0.322; respectively; P < 0.001). Cognitive impairment scores (MMSE, PM, RM, and FACT-Cog) had a strong correlation with QOL in patients with early-stage BC (r = −0.786, 0.851, 0.849, and 0.938; respectively; P < 0.001).ConclusionNLR and CA153 m be valuable diagnostic adjuncts of CRCI, and CRCI has a strong correlation with QOL in patients with early-stage BC.

ObjectiveThe current research was to assess the relevance between depression disorder and first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, quality of life in patients with oncogene-driver negative non-small cell cancer (NSCLC).MethodsNSCLC patients (33 with depression disorder and 34 with no depression disorder) who was received first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy performed Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30).ResultsThe Progression-Free Survival (PFS) of depression disorder group survivors were lower than these of no depression disorder group survivors (HR, 0.352; 95% CI, 0.201-0.617; P

Lead (Pb)-contaminated wastewater is the most common source of heavy metal ion pollution. In this study, agricultural waste edible fungi residue (EFR) was used to adsorb Pb(II) ions in wastewater as a strategy to reduce environmental pollution and minimize poisoning by Pb. The influence of Pb(II) concentration, solution pH, and EFR concentration on the removal efficiency (R) of Pb(II) was investigated with single factor design and response surface analysis. The maximum predicted R for Pb(II) was 76.34% under optimal conditions of Pb(II) concentration of 483.83 mg/L, EFR concentration of 4.99 g/L, and pH of 5.89. The actual experimental value of R reached 76.97% under these conditions. The competition of Pb(II) ions for the available adsorption sites on EFR limited the maximum R. A comparison of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy before and after the adsorption of Pb(II), indicated that the functional groups of EFR significantly affected the effect of adsorption of heavy metals, and that the adsorption process was primarily affected by functional groups in the range of wavenumbers from 500 to 2,000 cm−1.

Aims. This study sought to describe left atrial macroreentry tachycardia (LAMRT) originating from the spontaneous scarring of left atrial anterior wall (LAAW) and its clinical and electrophysiological characteristics, mechanisms, and the formation of substrates. Methods and Results. 9 of 123 patients (89% female, age 79.78 ± 5.59 years) had LAMRT originating from the LAAW with no cardiac surgery or prior left atrial (LA) ablation. The mean tachycardia cycle length (TCL) was 241.67 ± 38.00 milliseconds. Spontaneous scars areas and low voltage areas (LVAs) in the LAAW were found in all patients. Successful ablation of the critical isthmus caused termination of the LAMRT and was not inducible in all patients. Arrhythmogenic substrates of LAMRT were the spontaneous scars of LAAW, which matched with the aorta or/and pulmonary artery contact area. The area under the curve (AUC) of age and combination of gender and age for predicting the LAMRT originating from the LAAW were 0.918 and 0.951, respectively, with a cutoff value of ≥73.5 years of age and gender (female) predicting LAMRT with 88.9% sensitivity and 89% specificity. Conclusion. Combination of gender and age provides a simple and useful criterion to distinguish LAMRT from cavotricuspid isthmus- (CTI-) dependent atrial tachycardia in macroreentry atrial tachycardia (MRAT) in patients without a history of surgery or ablation. Aorta or/and pulmonary artery contacting LA may be related to spontaneous scars. Ablation the isthmus eliminated LAMRT in all patients.

p38 has long been known as a central mediator of protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in brown adipocytes, which positively regulate the transcription of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1). However, the physiological role of p38 in adipose tissues, especially the white adipose tissue (WAT), is largely unknown. Here, we show that mice lacking p38α in adipose tissues display a lean phenotype, improved metabolism, and resistance to diet-induced obesity. Surprisingly, ablation of p38α causes minimal effects on brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult mice, as evident from undetectable changes in UCP-1 expression, mitochondrial function, body temperature (BT), and energy expenditure. In contrast, genetic ablation of p38α in adipose tissues not only markedly facilitates the browning in WAT upon cold stress but also prevents diet-induced obesity. Consistently, pharmaceutical inhibition of p38α remarkably enhances the browning of WAT and has metabolic benefits. Furthermore, our data suggest that p38α deficiency promotes white-to-beige adipocyte reprogramming in a cell-autonomous manner. Mechanistically, inhibition of p38α stimulates the UCP-1 transcription through PKA and its downstream cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), which form a positive feedback loop that functions to reinforce the white-to-beige phenotypic switch during cold exposure. Together, our study reveals that inhibition of p38α is able to promote WAT browning and confer metabolic benefits. Our study also indicates that p38α in WAT represents an exciting pharmacological target to combat obesity and metabolic diseases.

Reducing sugars contained in agricultural residue hydrolyzates can potentially be utilized in microbial fermentations to produce biofuels and biogas. Different types of agricultural residues were employed for photo-fermentative bio-hydrogen production, and the cumulative hydrogen production data fit well to the Modified Gompertz Model. Corncob was determined to have the highest reducing sugar yield and cumulative hydrogen production (12.64 mg mL-1 enzymatic hydrolysate, 228.94 mmol L-1) and maximum hydrogen production rate (5.9677 mmol L-1 h-1). Enzyme reuse was investigated by single factor experiment design to reduce the cost of bio-hydrogen production. Taking reducing sugar yield and activity recovery efficiency as reference, substrate re-adsorption method at different temperature and time, then enzyme immobilization method at different load and pH were investigated in the process of enzymatic hydrolysis. The efficiency of enzyme utilization was enhanced via substrate re-adsorption and enzyme immobilization methods, which resulted in a 4-fold increase in recycling efficiency. The optimal enzyme reuse condition by substrate re-adsorption was a re-adsorption time of 90 min at a temperature of 15 °C, while the optimal condition by enzyme immobilization method was a pH of 4.8 and immobilized enzyme load of 400 mg.

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EET), the primary arachidonic acid metabolites of cytochrome P450 2J (CYP2J) epoxygenases, possess potent vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and mitogenic effects. To date, little is known about the role of CYP2J2 and EETs in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α–induced cardiac injury. We utilized cell culture and in vivo models to examine the effects of exogenously applied EETs or CYP2J2 overexpression on TNF-α–induced cardiac apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. In neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, TNF-α–induced apoptosis was markedly attenuated by EETs or CYP2J2 overexpression, leading to significantly improved cell survival. Further studies showed that TNF-α decreased expression of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, decreased IκBα and PPARγ, and also inhibited PI3K-dependent Akt and EGFR signaling. Both EETs and CYP2J2 overexpression reversed the effects of TNF-α on these pathways. Furthermore, overexpression of CYP2J2 in rats prevented the decline in cardiac function that is normally observed in TNF-α-challenged animals. These results demonstrate that EETs or CYP2J2 overexpression can prevent TNF-α–induced cardiac cell injury and cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting apoptosis, reducing inflammation, and enhancing PPARγ expression. Targeting the CYP2J2 epoxygenase pathway may represent a novel approach to mitigate cardiac injury in diseases such as heart failure, where increased TNF-α levels are known to occur.

A novel method to prepare the macrocyclic compound locating substitution derivatives of chitosan was investigated, by using cyclodextrin as the model of macrocyclic compound. The method combines the advantages of activated 6-OH of chitin and high efficiency of click reaction. Chitin C6-OH p-toluenesulfonate (CTN-6-OTs) was generated and subsequently transferred to chitin C6-N3 via nucleophilic substitution. Afterwards, β-cyclodextrin was immobilized at 6-OH of chitin via click reaction to afford CTN-6-CD. Ultimately, CTS-6-CD was obtained by removing the acetyl group of chitin unit. The structures and properties of these products were characterized by FTIR, TG, and XRD, respectively. It was found that CTN-6-CD synthesized at the optimum conditions has an immobilized loading of 1.6126×10-4 mol/g and that of the corresponding CTS-6-CD, generated by removal of the acetyl group, was 1.6891×10-4 mol/g.

Myoblast proliferation following myotrauma is regulated by multiple factors including growth factors, signal pathways, transcription factors, and miRNAs. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the orchestration of these regulatory factors remain unclear. Here we show that p38 signaling is required for miR-1/133a clusters transcription and both p38 activity and miR-1/133 expression are attenuated during the early stage of muscle regeneration in various animal models. Additionally, we show that both miR-1 and miR-133 reduce Cyclin D1 expression and repress myoblast proliferation by inducing G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, we demonstrate that miR-133 inhibits mitotic progression by targeting Sp1, which mediates Cyclin D1 transcription, while miR-1 suppresses G1/S phase transition by targeting Cyclin D1. Finally, we reveal that proproliferative FGF2, which is elevated during muscle regeneration, attenuates p38 signaling and miR-1/133 expression. Taken together, our results suggest that downregulation of p38-mediated miR-1/133 expression by FGF2 and subsequent upregulation of Sp1/Cyclin D1 contribute to the increased myoblast proliferation during the early stage of muscle regeneration.