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A new single-molecule magnet (SMM) complex [K(18-crown-6)][(COT)Er(µ-Cl) 3 Er(COT)] (Er 2 Cl 3 , COT = cyclooctatetraenide dianion) is obtained by the reaction of [(COT)Er(µ-Cl)(THF)] 2 (Er 2 Cl 2 , THF = tetrahydrofuran) with an equivalent of KCl in the presence of 18-crown-6. The two COT-Er units in the newly formed complex are triply bridged by µ-Cl ligands, leading to the "head-to-tail" alignment of the magnetic easy axes distinctly different from the "staggered" arrangement in the precursor complex. This structural transformation has led to significantly enhanced intramolecular dipolar interactions and a reduced transverse component of the crystal fields, increasing the energy barrier from 150(8) K for Er 2 Cl 2 to 264(4) K for Er 2 Cl 3 and extending its magnetic relaxation time at 2 K by 2500 times with respect to Er 2 Cl 2 . More importantly, the blocking temperature increased from lower than 2 K for Er 2 Cl 2 to 8 K for Er 2 Cl 3 , and the magnetic hysteresis loops at 2 K changed from butterfly-shaped for Er 2 Cl 2 to open hysteresis loop with coercive force of 7 kOe for Er 2 Cl 3 . These results suggest that the properties of SMMs can be effectively tuned and improved by rationally arranging magnetic spins via molecular engineering., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The interaction between probiotic bacteria and polyphenol antioxidants can potentially enhance animal health. The present study examined the effects of propyl gallate and Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation on the growth, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, and immune functions of Pekin ducks. A total of 128 male Pekin ducks (7-day-old) were allocated to four treatment groups with four replicates of eight birds each. The ducks were fed the corn-soybean based diet (the control), supplemented with either propyl gallate (100 mg/kg), Lactobacillus plantarum (4 × 10 9  CFU/kg), or both, for 5 weeks. Dietary supplementation with propyl gallate and Lactobacillus plantarum had no significant effect on feed intake (P > 0.05), but increased average daily gain (P < 0.05). Lactobacillus plantarum also reduced the feed/gain ratio (P < 0.05). Villus height (VH) in the duodenum and ileum was increased by supplementation, while only propyl gallate supplement increased VH in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Supplementation had no effect on small intestine crypt depth (P > 0.05). Enhanced total superoxide dismutase activity was observed with supplementation (P < 0.05), but no effects were seen on catalase, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione peroxidase values (P > 0.05). Serum immunoglobulin G was increased with Lactobacillus plantarum (P < 0.05), but not with propyl gallate (P > 0.05). No change in IgA and IgM concentrations was observed with supplementation. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with propyl gallate, Lactobacillus plantarum, or both, enhanced the villus height of the small intestines, improving the growth rate of Pekin ducks. The synergistic effects of both propyl gallate and Lactobacillus plantarum on the villus height and serum total superoxide dismutase activity surpassed the individual effects of each supplement in Pekin ducks., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Naturally occurring 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one and its synthetic analogues greatly inhibit the settlement of Amphibalanus amphitrite cyprids and the growth and biofilm formation of marine bacteria. To optimize the antifouling activities of pyrone derivatives, this study designed pyrone analogues by modifying functional groups, such as the benzyl group, cyclopentane, and halides, substituted on both sides of a pyrone. The antifouling effects of the synthesized pyrone derivatives were subsequently evaluated against five marine biofilm-forming bacteria, Loktanella hongkongensis, Staphylococcus cohnii, S. saprophyticus, Photobacterium angustum, and Alteromonas macleodii, along with barnacle cyprids of Amphibalanus amphitrite. Substituting nonpolar parts-such as the aliphatic, cyclopentyl, or phenyl moieties on C-5 or the furan moieties on C-3-not only increased antibacterial activity and inhibited biofilm formation but also inhibited barnacle cyprid settlement when compared to 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Incense-burning smoke is a deleterious air pollutant that initiates cytotoxic effects by inducing apoptosis in lung epithelial cells and also acts as a risk factor for lung cancers. Auramine, an ingredient of incense smoke, has been implicated in tumor progression and cellular sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) towards anti-cancer agents through unclear mechanisms. Tumor protein p53 (TP53)-activated long intergenic non-coding RNA-p21 (lincRNA-p21) undertakes a pivotal role in regulating cell apoptosis and chemosensitivity. TP53 mutations prevalent in 50% of NSCLC, contribute to diminished therapeutic efficacy. However, the influence of auramine on chemotherapy-induced lincRNA-p21 expression and apoptosis in NSCLC with different TP53 genetic statuses remains unexplored. This study disclosed that both wild-type p53 (wtp53) and mutant p53 (mutp53) mediate lincRNA-p21 expression, albeit through distinct promoter enhancers, p53-response element (p53RE) and non-B DNA structure G-quadruplex (GQ), respectively. Intriguingly, auramine functions as an effective stabilizer of the GQ structure, augmenting mutp53-mediated lincRNA-p21 expression and enhancing apoptosis and cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy in mutp53-expressing NSCLC cells. These findings suggest a mechanism by which mutp53, in the presence of auramine, is endowed with tumor-suppressing function akin to wtp53, thereby aiding in combating chemoresistance in NSCLC cells harboring TP53 mutations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There is extensive geologic evidence of ancient volcanic activity on the Moon, but it is unclear how long that volcanism persisted. Magma fountains produce volcanic glasses, which have previously been found in samples of the Moon's surface. We investigated ~3000 glass beads in lunar soil samples collected by the Chang'e-5 mission and identified three as having a volcanic origin on the basis of their textures, chemical compositions, and sulfur isotopes. Uranium-lead dating of the three volcanic glass beads shows that they formed 123 ± 15 million years ago. We measured high abundances of rare earth elements and thorium in these volcanic glass beads, which could indicate that such recent volcanism was related to local enrichment of heat-generating elements in the mantle sources of the magma.

Different types of electron transfers (ETs) underlie the versatile use of various solid viologen-derived compounds, which is still insufficiently understood and difficult to control. Here, we demonstrate an effective strategy for modulating the key ET process in crystalline metalloviologen compounds (MVCs). By adjusting the coordinated transition metal ions bearing different electronic structures (e.g., d 5 , d 7 , d 10 ), three MVCs (i.e., Mn-1 , Co-2 , and Cd-3 ) with highly consistent coordination environments have been synthesized successfully. Surprisingly, whether the photochromism (energy-induced ET mechanism) or the specific analyte recognition (molecule-induced ET mechanism), compound Cd-3 exhibits obvious photochromic behavior and differential dimethylamine detection. Combined detailed structural analysis with theoretical calculations, such unique ion-dependent properties, were correlated to the fine modulation of the electron density of the bipyridinium cores by metal ions. Additionally, thanks to the delicate recognition of dimethylamine vapor, a convenient test strip Cd-3-PAN was prepared as a sensitive biogenic amine sensor for evaluating the real-time freshness of seafood.

Purpose: The removal of small foreign bodies embedded within the deep soft tissues of the maxillofacial region is a complex and challenging task for maxillofacial surgeons. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of the combination of intraoperative CT and surgical navigation for the removal of small foreign objects in the maxillofacial region., Methods: A serial case study was conducted involving all consecutive patients who underwent surgical removal of small foreign bodies in the maxillofacial region. The combination of intraoperative CT and a surgical navigation system was used at a single medical institution from January 2018 to December 2022. Comprehensive data, including patient demographics, characteristics of the foreign bodies, previous surgical interventions, duration of the surgical procedure, and removal success rate were collected for this study. Relevant data were recorded into Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0., Results: Nine patients (6 males and 3 females) were included in this study, with an average age of 37 years. Each patient had previously undergone an unsuccessful removal attempt utilizing conventional surgical methods based on preoperative CT imaging or C-arm guidance at a local healthcare facility. Four patients also experienced unsuccessful attempts with preoperative CT image-based navigation systems. However, by employing the combined approach of intraoperative CT and surgical navigation, the foreign bodies were successfully removed in all 9 patients. The mean duration of the surgical procedure was 59 min, and the average size of the foreign bodies was approximately 26 mm³. Postoperative follow-up exceeding 6 months revealed no complications., Conclusion: The combined use of a surgical navigation system and intraoperative CT represents a potent and effective strategy for the precise localization and subsequent removal of small foreign bodies from the soft tissue structures of the maxillofacial region. This integrative approach appears to increase the success rate of surgical interventions in such cases., (Copyright © 2024 Chinese Medical Association. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a serious complication of thoracic tumor radiotherapy that substantially affects the quality of life of cancer patients. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and progression of RIHD, which prompted our investigation of an innovative approach for treating RIHD using antioxidant therapy., Methods: We used 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats as experimental animals and H9C2 cells as experimental cells. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as an antioxidant to treat H9C2 cells after X-ray irradiation in this study. In the present study, the extent of cardiomyocyte damage caused by X-ray exposure was determined, alterations in oxidation/antioxidation levels were assessed, and changes in the expression of genes related to mitochondria were examined. The degree of myocardial tissue and cell injury was also determined. Dihydroethidium (DHE) staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays, and glutathione (GSH) and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) assays were used to assess cell oxidation/antioxidation. Flow cytometry was used to determine the mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to elucidate the expression of mitochondria-related genes in myocardial tissue induced by X-ray exposure. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to verify the expression of differentially expressed genes., Results: X-ray irradiation damaged myocardial tissue and cells, resulting in an imbalance of oxidative and antioxidant substances and mitochondrial damage. NAC treatment increased cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) levels (P=0.02) and decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release (P=0.02) in cardiomyocytes. It also reduced the level of ROS (P=0.002) and increased the levels of GSH (P=0.04) and Mn-SOD (P=0.01). The mitochondrial membrane potential was restored (P<0.001), and mPTP opening was inhibited (P<0.001). Transcriptome sequencing and subsequent validation analyses revealed a decrease in the expression of mitochondria-related genes in myocardial tissue induced by X-ray exposure, but antioxidant therapy did not reverse the related DNA damage., Conclusions: Antioxidants mitigated radiation-induced myocardial damage to a certain degree, but these agents did not reverse the associated DNA damage. These findings provide a new direction for future investigations by our research group, including exploring the treatment of RIHD-related DNA damage., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://cdt.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/cdt-24-19/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy. All rights reserved.)

Fangchinoline (FA) is an alkaloid derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Fangji. Numerous studies have shown that FA has a toxic effect on various cancer cells, but little is known about its toxic effects on germ cells, especially oocytes. In this study, we investigated the effects of FA on mouse oocyte maturation and its potential mechanisms. Our results showed that FA did not affect meiosis resumption but inhibited the first polar body extrusion. This inhibition is not due to abnormalities at the organelle level, such as chromosomes and mitochondrial, which was proved by detection of DNA damage and reactive oxygen species. Further studies revealed that FA arrested the oocyte at the metaphase I stage, and this arrest was not caused by abnormal kinetochore-microtubule attachment or spindle assembly checkpoint activation. Instead, FA inhibits the activity of anaphase-promoting complexes (APC/C), as evidenced by the inhibition of CCNB1 degeneration. The decreased activity of APC/C may be due to a reduction in CDC25B activity as indicated by the high phosphorylation level of CDC25B (Ser323). This may further enhance Maturation-Promoting Factor (MPF) activity, which plays a critical role in meiosis. In conclusion, our study suggests that the metaphase I arrest caused by FA may be due to abnormalities in MPF and APC/C activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Studies on the familial effects of body mass index (BMI) status have yielded a wide range of data on its heritability., Objective: To assess the heritability of obesity by measuring the association between the BMIs of fathers, mothers, and their offspring at the same age., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from population-wide mandatory medical screening before compulsory military service in Israel. The study included participants examined between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 2018, whose both parents had their BMI measurement taken at their own prerecruitment evaluation in the past. Data analysis was performed from May to December 2023., Main Outcomes and Measures: Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for offsprings' BMI and their mothers', fathers', and midparental BMI percentile (the mean of the mothers' and fathers' BMI cohort- and sex-specific BMI percentile) to estimate heritability. Logistic regression models were applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs of obesity compared with healthy BMI, according to parental BMI status., Results: A total of 447 883 offspring (235 105 male [52.5%]; mean [SD] age, 17.09 [0.34] years) with both parents enrolled and measured for BMI at 17 years of age were enrolled in the study, yielding a total study population of 1 343 649 individuals. Overall, the correlation between midparental BMI percentile at 17 years of age and the offspring's BMI at 17 years of age was moderate (ρ = 0.386). Among female offspring, maternal-offspring BMI correlation (ρ = 0.329) was somewhat higher than the paternal-offspring BMI correlation (ρ = 0.266). Among trios in which both parents had a healthy BMI, the prevalence of overweight or obesity in offspring was 15.4%; this proportion increased to 76.6% when both parents had obesity and decreased to 3.3% when both parents had severe underweight. Compared with healthy weight, maternal (OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 4.63-5.32), paternal (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 4.26-4.72), and parental (OR, 6.44; 95% CI, 6.22-6.67) obesity (midparent BMI in the ≥95th percentile) at 17 years of age were associated with increased odds of obesity among offspring., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of military enrollees whose parents also underwent prerecruitment evaluations, the observed correlation between midparental and offspring BMI, coupled with a calculated narrow-sense heritability of 39%, suggested a substantive contribution of genetic factors to BMI variation at 17 years of age.

Background: Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 ( MALAT1 ) plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of diabetes-related complications. However, whether macrophage-derived MALAT1 affects autophagic activity under hyperglycemic conditions is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the molecular regulatory mechanisms of macrophage-derived MALAT1 and autophagy under hyperglycemic conditions., Methods: Hyperglycemia was induced by culturing macrophages in 25 mM glucose for 1 hour. Exosomes were extracted from the culture media. A rat model of carotid artery balloon injury was established to assess the effect of MALAT1 on vascular injury. Reverse transcription, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and luciferase activity assays were performed., Results: Stimulation with high levels of glucose significantly enhanced MALAT1 expression in macrophage-derived exosomes. MALAT1 inhibited miR-204-5p expression in macrophage-derived exosomes under hyperglycemic conditions. siRNA-induced silencing of MALAT1 significantly reversed macrophage-derived exosome-induced miR-204-5p expression. Hyperglycemic treatment caused a significant, exosome-induced increase in the expression of the autophagy marker LC3B in macrophages. Silencing MALAT1 and overexpression of miR-204-5p significantly decreased LC3B expression induced by macrophage-derived exosomes. Overexpression of miR-204-5p significantly reduced LC3B luciferase activity induced by macrophage-derived exosomes. Balloon injury to the carotid artery in rats significantly enhanced MALAT1 and LC3B expression, and significantly reduced miR-204-5p expression in carotid artery tissue. Silencing MALAT1 significantly reversed miR-204-5p expression in carotid artery tissue after balloon injury. MALAT1 silencing or miR-204-5p overexpression significantly reduced LC3B expression after balloon injury., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that hyperglycemia upregulates MALAT1 . MALAT1 suppresses miR-204-5p expression and counteracts the inhibitory effect of miR-204-5p on LC3B expression in macrophages to promote vascular disease., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to the subject matter or materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2024, the Chinese Medical Association.)

Lanthanide complexes with judiciously designed ligands have been extensively studied for their potential applications as single-molecule magnets. With the influence of ligands on their magnetic properties generally established, recent research has unearthed certain effects inherent to site differentiation due to the different types and varying numbers of substituents on the same ligand platform. Using two new sandwich-type Er(III) complexes with cyclooctatetraenyl (COT) ligands featuring two differently positioned trimethylsilyl (TMS) substituents, namely, [Li(DME)Er(COT 1,5-TMS2 ) 2 ] n ( Er1 ) and [Na(DME) 3 ][Er(COT 1,3-TMS2 ) 2 ] ( Er2 ) [COT 1,3-TMS2 and COT 1,5-TMS2 donate 1,3- and 1,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-substituted cyclooctatetraenyl ligands, respectively; DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane], and with reference to previously reported [Li(DME) 3 ][Er(COT 1,4-TMS2 ) 2 ] ( A ) and [K(DME) 2 ][Er(COT 1,4-TMS2 ) 2 ] ( B ), any possible substituent position effects have been explored for the first time. The rearrangement of the TMS substituents from the starting COT 1,4-TMS2 to COT 1,3-TMS2 and COT 1,5-TMS2 , by way of formal migration of the TMS group, was thermally induced in the case of Er1 , while for the formation of Er2 , the use of Na + in the placement of its Li + and K + congeners is essential. Both Er1 and Er2 display single-molecule magnetic behaviors with energy barriers of 170(3) and 172(6) K, respectively. Magnetic hysteresis loops, butterfly-shaped for Er1 and wide open for Er2 , were observed up to 12 K for Er1 and 13 K for Er2 . Studies of magnetic dynamics reveal the different pathways for relaxation of magnetization below 10 K, mainly by the Raman process for Er1 and by quantum tunneling of magnetization for Er2 , leading to the order of magnitude difference in magnetic relaxation times and sharply different magnetic hysteresis loops.

Flooding and drought are the two most devastating natural hazards limiting maize production. Exogenous glycinebetaine (GB), an osmotic adjustment agent, has been extensively used but there is limited research on its role in mitigating the negative effects of different abiotic stresses. This study aims to identify the different roles of GB in regulating the diverse defense regulation of maize against drought and flooding. Hybrids of Yindieyu 9 and Heyu 397 grown in pots in a ventilated greenhouse were subjected to flooding (2-3 cm standing layer) and drought (40-45% field capacity) at the three-leaf stage for 8 d. The effects of different concentrations of foliar GB (0, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mM) on the physiochemical attributes and growth of maize were tested. Greater drought than flooding tolerance in both varieties to combat oxidative stress was associated with higher antioxidant activities and proline content. While flooding decreased superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) activities and proline content compared to normal water, they all declined with stress duration, leading to a larger reactive oxygen species compared to drought. It was POD under drought stress and ascorbate peroxidase under flooding stress that played crucial roles in tolerating water stress. Foliar GB further enhanced antioxidant ability and contributed more effects to POD to eliminate more hydrogen peroxide than the superoxide anion, promoting growth, especially for leaves under water stress. Furthermore, exogenous GB made a greater increment in Heyu 397 than Yindieyu 9, as well as flooding compared to drought. Overall, a GB concentration of 5.0 mM, with a non-toxic effect on well-watered maize, was determined to be optimal for the effective mitigation of water-stress damage to the physiochemical characteristics and growth of maize.

The timely degradation of proteins that regulate the cell cycle is essential for oocyte maturation. Oocytes are equipped to degrade proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In meiosis, anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), an E3 ubiquitin-ligase, is responsible for the degradation of proteins. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 S (UBE2S), an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, delivers ubiquitin to APC/C. APC/C has been extensively studied, but the functions of UBE2S in oocyte maturation and mouse fertility are not clear. In this study, we used Ube2s knockout mice to explore the role of UBE2S in mouse oocytes. Ube2s-deleted oocytes were characterized by meiosis I arrest with normal spindle assembly and spindle assembly checkpoint dynamics. However, the absence of UBE2S affected the activity of APC/C. Cyclin B1 and securin are two substrates of APC/C, and their levels were consistently high, resulting in the failure of homologous chromosome separation. Unexpectedly, the oocytes arrested in meiosis I could be fertilized and the embryos could become implanted normally, but died before embryonic day 10.5. In conclusion, our findings reveal an indispensable regulatory role of UBE2S in mouse oocyte meiosis and female fertility., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests., (© 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Constitutive activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in many cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, the terminal glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) regulates the expression of critical genes in the Hh pathway. The current study aims to evaluate the anti-HCC effect of the Gli1 inhibitor, GANT61. In vitro analysis including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and migration and invasion assay were adopted to evaluate the effect of GANT61 on HCC cell lines. In vivo, xenograft studies were also performed to verify the effect of GANT61 on HCC. By CCK-8 assay, we found that GANT61 could significantly reduce the growth of HCC cell lines Huh7 and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLE), and their IC 50 concentrations were 4.481 and 6.734 μM, respectively. Flow cytometry shows that GANT61 induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and accelerated apoptosis of both HLE and Huh7 cells. While migration and invasion assay shows that GANT61 weakens cells' migration and invasion ability. Besides that, GANT61 inhibits the expression of Gli1, FoxM1, CyclinD1, and Bcl-2, upregulates the level of Bax protein, and also reverses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition program by downregulating the expression of Vimentin and N-Cadherin and upregulating the expression of epithelial E-Cadherin expression. Furthermore, GANT61 inhibits the growth of subcutaneous xenografts of Huh7 cells in nude mice. Overall, this study suggests that Gli1 is a potential target for therapy and GANT61 shows promising therapeutic potential for future treatment in HCC., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), one of the most common public diseases threatening human health, is always accompanied by infection. Though there are still a variety of flaws in the treatment of some infectious diseases, metabolomics provides a fresh perspective to explore the relationship between T2DM and infection. Our research aimed to investigate the association between plasma free amino acids (PFAAs) and T2DM complicated with infection in Chinese patients., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2015 to August 2016. We retrieved the medical records of 1032 inpatients with T2DM from Liaoning Medical University First Affiliated Hospital and we used mass spectrometry to quantify 23 PFAAs. Infections contained 15 individual categories that could be retrieved from the database. Principal component analysis was used to extract factors of PFAAs. Multi-variable binary logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI)., Results: Among 1032 inpatients,109 (10.6%) had infectious diseases. Six factors, accounting for 68.6% of the total variance, were extracted. Factor 4 consisted of Glu, Asp and Orn. Factor 5 consisted of Hcy and Pip. After adjusting for potential confounders, factor 4 was positively correlated with T2DM complicated with infection in Chinese T2DM patients (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.06-1.52). Individual Hcy in factor 5 was positively associated with T2DM complicated with infection (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.08-1.64). Furthermore, factor 4 (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.11-1.87), Orn (OR: 1.01, 95%CI: 1.00-1.02) and Hcy (OR: 1.56, 95%CI: 1.14-3.14) were positively associated with bacterial infection in Chinese T2DM patients, while factor 5 (OR: 0.71, 95%CI: 0.50-1.00) was negatively associated with bacterial infection., Conclusions: Urea cycle-related metabolites (Orn, Asp, Glu) and Hcy were positively associated with T2DM complicated with infection in China. Orn and Hcy were positively associated with bacterial infection in T2DM patients in China., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: This multicenter, phase II randomized, non-inferiority study reports from the first prospective two-armed randomized control trial that compared the efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD)-based and epirubicin-based as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage I-II human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer., Methods: Patients with stage I/II HER2-negative breast cancer received PLD (37.5 mg/m2, Q3W, 5 cycles, LC arm) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2) or epirubicin (90 mg/m2, Q3W, 4 cycles, EC arm) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2). Randomization was stratified by lymph node and ER and PR status. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), and secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), safety profiles, and QoL. QoL was assessed using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires., Results: A total of 256 patients were assigned to LC (n = 148) and EC (n = 108). There was no difference in 5-year DFS and OS rate between the two groups. LC-based adjuvant regimens had significantly less alopecia and low-grade 3-4 hematologic adverse events (AEs). Significantly improved QoL was observed in the LC arm during and after treatment for symptoms including fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and systemic therapy side effects., Conclusion: Comparable efficacy and safety between adjuvant PLD and epirubicin for stage I-II HER2-negative breast cancer was observed. There was no difference in the 5-year DFS and OS rates between the two treatment arms. However, low-grade 3-4 AEs and a trend of favorable QoL symptom scales were observed in the LC arm, suggesting that PLD-containing regimen could become a new standard treatment for early-stage HER2-negative breast cancer patients., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)