Search

Conjugated ladder polymers (CLPs) are difficult yet captivating synthetic targets due to their fully unsaturated fused backbones. Inherent challenges associated with their synthesis often lead to low yields, structural defects, and insoluble products. Here a new method to form CLPs is demonstrated, utilizing a high-yielding dimerization of annulated zirconacyclopentadienes to form cyclooctatetraene (COT) monomer units. The resulting COT-containing polymers form rapidly in a single ladderization step from the bis-zirconacyclopentadiene precursors and display M n up to 29.7 kg mol-1. The polymers represent rare examples of CLPs with negatively curved rings, resulting in the observation of unusual properties. The rigid tub-shaped COT units embedded in the backbone imbue the polymers with microporosity, exhibiting BET surface areas up to 555 m2 g-1. Additionally, the remarkable solubility of these CLPs in organic solvents enables the fabrication of thin films showcasing high dielectric performance with a discharged energy density as high as 6.54 J cm-3 at 650 MV m-1.

The development of semiconducting polymers with good processability in green solvents and competitive electrical performance is essential for realizing sustainable large-scale manufacturing and commercialization of organic electronics. A major obstacle is the processability-performance dichotomy that is dictated by the lack of ideal building blocks with balanced polarity, solubility, electronic structures, and molecular conformation. Herein, through the integration of donor, quinoid and acceptor units, an unprecedented building block, namely TQBT, is introduced for constructing a serial of conjugated polymers. The TQBT, distinct in non-symmetric structure and high dipole moment, imparts enhanced solubility in anisole-a green solvent-to the polymer TQBT-T. Furthermore, PTQBT-T possess a highly rigid and planar backbone owing to the nearly coplanar geometry and quinoidal nature of TQBT, resulting in strong aggregation in solution and localized aggregates in film. Remarkably, PTQBT-T films spuncast from anisole exhibit a hole mobility of 2.30 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is record high for green solvent-processable semiconducting polymers via spin-coating, together with commendable operational and storage stability. The hybrid building block emerges as a pioneering electroactive unit, shedding light on future design strategies in high-performance semiconducting polymers compatible with green processing and marking a significant stride towards ecofriendly organic electronics.

Abstract To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) regarding anti-VEGF treatment within a one-stop intravitreal injection service model. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1, 2023, to January 31, 2024, at the One-stop Intravitreal Injection Center at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital. Data were collected using a specially designed KAP questionnaire. The study successfully enrolled 493 participants. Of these, 214 (43.4%) were aged between 70 and 79 years, and 226 (45.8%) had been diagnosed with AMD for 1–3 years. The median knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 6.00 [3.00, 8.00] (possible range: 0–9), 42.00 [37.00, 48.00] (possible range: 11–55), and 23.00 [18.00, 27.00] (possible range: 6–30), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression for practice showed that knowledge score (OR = 1.329, P

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring chemical element widely distributed in the Earth's crust. Human activities have significantly altered As presence in the environment, posing significant threats to the biota as well as human health. The environmental fates and adverse outcomes of As of various species have been extensively studied in the past few decades. It is imperative to summarize these advances as a whole to provide more profound insights into the As cycle for sustainable development. Embracing the One Health concept, we systematically reviewed previous studies in this work and explored the following three fundamental questions, i.e., what the trends and associated changes are in As contamination, how living organisms interact and cope with As contamination, and most importantly what to do to achieve a sustainable future with As. By focusing on one critical question in each section, this review aims to provide a full picture of the complexity of environmental As. To tackle the significant research challenges and gaps in As pollution and mitigation, we further proposed a One Health framework with potential coping strategies, guiding a coordinated agenda on dealing with legacy As in the environment and ensuring a sustainable As future.

Abstract Background In cardiac surgical procedures, patients carrying high-risk profiles are prone to encompass complicated cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) separation. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), a readily available tool, is utilized to detect cardiac structural and functional pathologies as well as to facilitate clinical management of CPB separation, especially in the episodes of hemodynamic compromise. However, the conventional TEE examination, always performed in a liberal fashion without any restriction of view acquisition, is relatively time-consuming; there appear its flaws in the context of critically severe status. We therefore developed the perioperative rescue transesophageal echocardiography (PReTEE), a simplified three-view TEE protocol consisting of midesophageal four chamber, midesophageal left ventricular long axis, and transgastric short axis. Methods This is a single-center and randomized controlled trial which will be implemented in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China. A total of 46 TEE scans are schemed to be performed by 6 operators participating in and randomly assigned to either the PReTEE or the conventional TEE group. This study is purposed to investigate whether the efficiency of discriminating leading causes of difficult CPB wean-off can be significantly improved via an abbreviated sequence of TEE views. The primary outcome of interest is the difference between the groups of PReTEE and the conventional TEE in the successful discrimination of etiologies in specified 120 s. Cox proportional hazards model will be further employed to calculate the outcome difference. Discussion The estimated results of this trial are oriented at verifying whether a simplified TEE exam sequence can improve the efficiency of etiologies discrimination during CPB separation in cardiac surgery. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05960552. Registered on 6 July 2023.

A palladium/chiral N,N′-disulfonyl bisimidazoline (Bim)-catalyzed asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione-derived ketimines is reported, leading to the generation of a series of functionalized isoquinoline-1,3(2H,4H)-diones bearing one quaternary carbon-amino functionality in good to excellent yields with ≥95% ee in most cases. The reaction has remarkable compatibility with both substrate scopes, providing a highly enantioselective entry to chiral heterocyclic α-tertiary amines.

Summary: The goal of therapeutic cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) is to promote T cells with anti-tumor capabilities. Here, we compared mutant neoantigen (neoAg) peptide-based vaccines with ICT in preclinical models. NeoAg vaccines induce the most robust expansion of proliferating and stem-like PD-1+TCF-1+ neoAg-specific CD8 T cells in tumors. Anti-CTLA-4 and/or anti-PD-1 ICT promotes intratumoral TCF-1− neoAg-specific CD8 T cells, although their phenotype depends in part on the specific ICT used. Anti-CTLA-4 also prompts substantial changes to CD4 T cells, including induction of ICOS+Bhlhe40+ T helper 1 (Th1)-like cells. Although neoAg vaccines or ICTs expand iNOS+ macrophages, neoAg vaccines maintain CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages expressing the TREM2 receptor, unlike ICT, which suppresses them. TREM2 blockade enhances neoAg vaccine efficacy and is associated with fewer CX3CR1+CD206+ macrophages and induction of neoAg-specific CD8 T cells. Our findings highlight different mechanisms underlying neoAg vaccines and different forms of ICT and identify combinatorial therapies to enhance neoAg vaccine efficacy.

Abstract Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal original tumor in gastrointestinal (GI) tract and is considered to have varying malignant potential. With the advancement of computer science, radiomics technology and deep learning had been applied in medical researches. It’s vital to construct a more accurate and reliable multimodal predictive model for recurrence-free survival (RFS) aiding for clinical decision-making. A total of 254 patients underwent surgery and pathologically diagnosed with GIST in The First Hospital of China Medical University from 2019 to 2022 were included in the study. Preoperative contrast enhanced computerized tomography (CE-CT) and hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) stained whole slide images (WSI) were acquired for analysis. In the present study, we constructed a sum of 11 models while the multimodal model (average C-index of 0.917 on validation set in 10-fold cross validation) performed the best on external validation cohort with an average C-index of 0.864. The multimodal model also reached statistical significance when validated in the external validation cohort (n = 42) with a p-value of 0.0088 which pertained to the recurrence-free survival (RFS) comparison between the high and low groups using the optimal threshold on the predictive score. We also explored the biological significance of radiomics and pathomics features by visualization and quantitative analysis. In the present study, we constructed a multimodal model predicting RFS of GIST which was prior over unimodal models. We also proposed hypothesis on the correlation between morphology of tumor cell and prognosis.

Abstract Tissue regeneration technology has been rapidly developed and widely applied in tissue engineering and repair. Compared with traditional approaches like surgical treatment, the rising gene therapy is able to have a durable effect on tissue regeneration, such as impaired bone regeneration, articular cartilage repair and cancer-resected tissue repair. Gene therapy can also facilitate the production of in situ therapeutic factors, thus minimizing the diffusion or loss of gene complexes and enabling spatiotemporally controlled release of gene products for tissue regeneration. Among different gene delivery vectors and supportive gene-activated matrices, advanced gene/drug nanocarriers attract exceptional attraction due to their tunable physiochemical properties, as well as excellent adaptive performance in gene therapy for tissue regeneration, such as bone, cartilage, blood vessel, nerve and cancer-resected tissue repair. This paper reviews the recent advances on nonviral-mediated gene delivery systems with an emphasis on the important role of advanced nanocarriers in gene therapy and tissue regeneration.

Stable redox-active conjugated molecules with exceptional electron-donating abilities are key components for the design and synthesis of ultralow band gap conjugated polymers. While hallmark electron-rich examples such as pentacene derivatives have been thoroughly explored, their poor air stability has hampered their broad incorporation into conjugated polymers for practical applications. Herein, we describe the synthesis of the electron-rich, fused pentacyclic pyrazino[2,3-b:5,6-b']diindolizine (PDIz) motif and detail its optical and redox behavior. The PDIz ring system exhibits a lower oxidation potential and a reduced optical band gap than the isoelectronic pentacene while retaining greater air stability in both solution and the solid state. The enhanced stability and electron density, together with readily installed solubilizing groups and polymerization handles, allow for the use of the PDIz motif in the synthesis of a series of conjugated polymers with band gaps as small as 0.71 eV. The tunable absorbance throughout the biologically relevant near-infrared I and II regions enables the use of these PDIz-based polymers as efficient photothermal therapeutic reagents for laser ablation of cancer cells.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the methylation pattern of deoxyribonucleic acid (CpG) sites in the DIO3_FA26 promoter region of patients with heart failure (HF) and explore the correlation between differential CpG methylation levels and various clinical parameters. Methods: Peripheral blood specimens were collected from 20 patients with HF and 20 healthy individuals. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to identify and detect the CpG sites in the DIO3_FA26 promoter region. CpG methylation levels were compared between patients with HF and healthy controls and patients with HF with different levels of cardiac function. Results: The methylation level of DIO3_FA26_CpG_17.18 in patients with HF was significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (P = 0.0002). Among patients with HF and cardiac function levels of I/II and III/IV, methylation levels of DIO3_FA26_CpG_24.25.26.27 (P = 0.0168) were significantly lower in those with III/IV cardiac function compared to those with I/II cardiac function. Conclusion: The methylation level of DIO3_FA26_CpG_17.18 is significantly reduced in patients with HF, and that of DIO3_FA26_CpG_24.25.26.27 is significantly decreased in patients with III/IV cardiac function. Variations in DIO3_FA26 methylation levels influence coagulation, liver and kidney functions, and routine blood indexes, including D-dimer, albumin, calcium, and hemoglobin. This study provides clinical evidence for the involvement of DIO3_FA26 methylation in the occurrence and development of HF and proposes novel targets for HF prevention and treatment.

Abstract Multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) is widely used for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. Deep learning models show good performance in detecting PCa on mpMRI, but domain-specific PCa-related anatomical information is sometimes overlooked and not fully explored even by state-of-the-art deep learning models, causing potential suboptimal performances in PCa detection. Symmetric-related anatomical information is commonly used when distinguishing PCa lesions from other visually similar but benign prostate tissue. In addition, different combinations of mpMRI findings are used for evaluating the aggressiveness of PCa for abnormal findings allocated in different prostate zones. In this study, we investigate these domain-specific anatomical properties in PCa diagnosis and how we can adopt them into the deep learning framework to improve the model’s detection performance. We propose an anatomical-aware PCa detection Network (AtPCa-Net) for PCa detection on mpMRI. Experiments show that the AtPCa-Net can better utilize the anatomical-related information, and the proposed anatomical-aware designs help improve the overall model performance on both PCa detection and patient-level classification.

ObjectiveThe occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is common following cardiac surgery, especially among patients characterized with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but studies on this clinical scenario have been limited by the rarity of SLE. We aimed to explore the risk predictors and outcomes with regards to postoperative AKI among cardiac-surgical patients concomitant with SLE.MethodsThis was a single-center retrospective study performed in a tertiary hospital. Adult patients diagnosed with SLE who underwent cardiac surgery within the last 22 years were enrolled. Essential variables, including patient-, surgery- and anesthesia-related information, were collected from the medical record system. The definition of AKI was derived from the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Risk predictors suspected to be linked with post-surgical AKI were calculated using the univariable and multivariable analyses.ResultsOf all 59 SLE patients undergoing cardiac surgery, 57 were ultimately enrolled into the analysis. AKI occurred in 29 patients (50.9%), who had significantly longer extubation time (median difference 1.0 day, P

Tobacco continuous cropping is prevalent in intensive tobacco agriculture but often leads to microbial community imbalance, soil nutrient deficiency, and decreased crop productivity. While the tobacco-rape rotation has demonstrated significant benefits in increasing tobacco yield. Microorganisms play a crucial role in soil nutrient cycling and crop productivity. However, the internal mechanism of tobacco-rape rotation affecting tobacco yield through microbe-soil interaction is still unclear. In this study, two treatments, tobacco continuous cropping (TC) and tobacco-rape rotation (TR) were used to investigate how planting systems affect soil microbial diversity and community structure, and whether these changes subsequently affect crop yields. The results showed that compared with TC, TR significantly increased the Shannon index, Chao1 index, ACE index of bacteria and fungi, indicating increased microbial α-diversity. On the one hand, TR may directly affect the bacterial and fungal community structure due to the specificity of root morphology and root exudates in rape. Compared with TC, TR significantly increased the proportion of beneficial bacterial and fungal taxa while significantly reduced soil-borne pathogens. Additionally, TR enhanced the scale and complexity of microbial co-occurrence networks, promoting potential synergies between bacterial OTUs. On the other hand, TR indirectly changed microbial community composition by improving soil chemical properties and changing microbial life history strategies. Compared with TC, TR significantly increased the relative abundance of copiotrophs while reduced oligotrophs. Notably, TR significantly increased tobacco yield by 39.6% compared with TC. The relationships among yield, microbial community and soil chemical properties indicated that planting systems had the greatest total effect on tobacco yield, and the microbial community, particularly bacteria, had the greatest direct effect on tobacco yield. Our findings highlighted the potential of tobacco-rape rotation to increase yield by both directly and indirectly optimizing microbial community structure.

Construction workers’ behaviors directly affects labor productivity and their own safety, thereby influencing project quality. Recognizing and monitoring the construction-related behaviors is therefore crucial for high-quality management and orderly construction site operation. Recent strides in computer vision technology suggest its potential to replace traditional manual supervision approaches. This paper explores research on monitoring construction workers’ behaviors using computer vision. Through bibliometrics and content-based analysis, the authors present the latest research in this area from three perspectives: “Detection, Localization, and Tracking for Construction Workers,” “Recognition of Workers’ Construction Activities,” and “Occupational Health and Safety Behavior Monitoring.” In terms of the literature’s volume, there has been a notable increase in this field. Notably, the focus on safety-related literature is predominant, underscoring the concern for occupational health. Vision algorithms have witnessed an increase in the utilization of object detection. The ongoing and future research trajectory is anticipated to involve multi-algorithm integration and an emphasis on enhancing robustness. Then the authors summarize the review from engineering impact and technical suitability, and analyze the limitations of current research from the perspectives of technical approaches and application scenarios. Finally, it discusses future research directions in this field together with generative AI models. Furthermore, the authors hope this paper can serves as a valuable reference for both scholars and engineers.

Abstract Background Image-based screening improves the detection of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD)but also highlights the issue of high false-positive diagnoses, which puts patients at a risk of unnecessary over-treatment. Therefore, more precise discrimination criteria are required to ensure that patients with early-stage LUAD receive appropriate treatments. Methods We integrated 158 early-stage LUAD cases from 2 independent cohorts, including 30 matched resected specimens with complete radiological and pathological information, and 128 retrospective pathological pair-samples with partial follow-up data. This integration allowed us to conduct a correlation analysis between clinical phenotype and transcriptome landscape. Immunohistochemistry was performed using tissue microarrays to examine the expression of phospholipid phosphatase 2 (PLPP2) and lipid-raft markers. Lipidomics analysis was used to determine the changes of lipid components in PLPP2-overexpressed cells. To assess the effects of PLPP2 on the malignant phenotypes of LUAD cells, we conducted mice tumor-bearing experiments and in vitro cellular experiments by knocking down PLPP2 and inhibiting lipid raft synthesis with MβCD, respectively. Results Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the co-occurrence of lipid raft formation and rapid cell proliferation might exhibit synergistic effects in driving oncogenesis from lung preneoplasia to adenocarcinoma. The enhanced activation of the cell cycle promoted the transition from non-invasive to invasive status in early-stage LUAD, which was related to an increase in lipid rafts within LUAD cells. PLPP2 participated in lipid raft formation by altering the component contents of lipid rafts, such as esters, sphingomyelin, and sphingosine. Furthermore, elevated PLPP2 levels were identified as an independent prognostic risk factor for LUAD patients. Further results from in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that PLPP2 could induce excessive cell proliferation by enhancing lipid raft formation in LUAD cells. Conclusions Our study has revealed the characteristics of gene expression profiles in early-stage LUAD patients with the different radiological and pathological subtypes, as well as deciphered transcriptomic evolution trajectory from preneoplasia to invasive LUAD. Furthermore, it suggests that PLPP2-mediated lipid raft synthesis may be a significant biological event in the initiation of early-stage LUAD, offering a potential target for more precise diagnosis and therapy in clinical settings.

Lithium metal anode holds great promises for next-generation battery technologies but is notoriously difficult to work with. The key to solving this challenge is believed to lie in the ability of forming stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers. To further address potential safety issues, it is critical to achieve this goal in nonflammable electrolytes. Building upon previous successes in forming stable SEI in conventional carbonate-based electrolytes, here we report that reversible Li stripping/plating could be realized in triethyl phosphate (TEP), a known flame retardant. The critical enabling factor of our approach was the introduction of oxygen, which upon electrochemical reduction induces the initial decomposition of TEP and produces Li3 PO4 and poly-phosphates. Importantly, the reaction was self-limiting, and the resulting material regulated Li plating by limiting dendrite formation. In effect, we obtained a functional SEI on Li metal in a nonflammable electrolyte. When tested in a symmetric Li∥Li cell, more than 300 cycles of stripping/plating were measured at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2 . Prototypical Li-O2 and Li-ion batteries were also fabricated and tested to further support the effectiveness of this strategy. The mechanism by which the SEI forms was studied by density functional theory (DFT), and the predictions were corroborated by the successful detection of the intermediates and products.

Redox-switchable polymerizations of lactide and epoxides were extended to the solid state by anchoring an iron-based polymerization catalyst to TiO2 nanoparticles. The reactivity of the molecular complexes and their redox-switching characteristics were maintained in the solid-state. These properties resulted in surface-initiated polymerization reactions that produced polymer brushes whose chemical composition is dictated by the oxidation state of the iron-based complex. Depositing the catalyst-functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles on fluorine-doped tin oxide resulted in an electrically addressable surface that could be used to demonstrate spatial control in redox-switchable polymerization reactions. By using a substrate that contained two electrically isolated domains wherein one domain was exposed to an oxidizing potential, patterns of surface-bound polyesters and polyethers were accessible through sequential application of lactide and cyclohexene oxide. The differentially functionalized surfaces demonstrated distinct physical properties that illustrated the promise for using the method to pattern surfaces with multiple, chemically distinct polymer brushes.

Abstract Metabolic syndrome (MS), a chronic and non‐communicable pathological condition, is characterized by a constellation of clinical manifestations including insulin resistance, abdominal adiposity, elevated blood pressure, and perturbations in lipid metabolism. The prevalence of MS has increased dramatically in both developed and developing countries and has now become a truly global problem. Excessive energy intake and concomitant obesity are the main drivers of this syndrome. Mitophagy, in which cells degrade damaged mitochondria through a selective form of autophagy, assumes a crucial position in the regulation of mitochondrial integrity and maintenance. Abnormal mitochondrial quality could result in a spectrum of pathological conditions related to metabolic dysfunction, including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular ailments, and neoplasms. Recently, there has been a proliferation of research pertaining to the process of mitophagy in the context of MS, and there are various regulatory pathways in MS, including pathways like the ubiquitin‐dependent mechanism and receptor‐mediated mechanisms, among others. Furthermore, studies have uncovered that the process of mitophagy serves a defensive function in the advancement of Metabolic Syndrome, and inhibition of mitophagy exacerbates the advancement of MS. As a result, the regulation of mitophagy holds great promise as a therapeutic approach in the management of Metabolic Syndrome. In this comprehensive analysis, the authors present a synthesis of the diverse regulatory pathways involved in mitophagy in the context of Metabolic Syndrome, as well as its modes of action in metabolic disorders implicated in the development of MS, Including obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), offering novel avenues for the prophylaxis and therapeutic management of MS.

Abstract Behcet’s disease(BD) is a chronic inflammatory vasculitis that rarely affects the arteries, making myocardial infarction unlikely. We report a 28-year-old patient who was admitted to our hospital with multiple sudden syncope. Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension (HT), diabetes and obesity were not found in her. Preoperatively, imaging examinations suggested thrombosis of the inferior and superior vena cava and right heart combined with coronary artery aneurysm. The patient was finally diagnosed with a huge coronary artery aneurysm proximal to the left anterior descending artery. Syncope is considered to be caused right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The patient received a successful aneurysm resection and had an uneventful postoperative recovery.

A 33-year-old man, who had previously undergone repair for Tetralogy of Fallot, presented with extensive infective endocarditis. Following thorough preoperative preparation and evaluation, we performed a simultaneous quadruple valve replacement alongside the repatching of the remaining defect. We posit that this comprehensive one-stage surgical intervention not only enhanced the patient's quality of life but also reduced the necessity for future reoperations. Our approach offers valuable insights for managing adult patients with repaired congenital heart diseases and multiple valve pathologies.

Background: As an important kidney-sparing treatment for upper urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), whether endoscopic excision can be performed without sacrificing oncologic outcomes remains indefinite. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and efficacy of endoscopic excision, in patients with non-muscle invasive UTUC (NMIUTUC) and compare them to those of radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we reviewed 4347 cases with NMIUTUC (cTis/Ta/T1-N0-M0,≤ 5.0 cm) between 2004 and 2020. Surgical treatment modalities included endoscopic excision and RNU. Propensity score matching analysis was used to minimize the selection bias between endoscopic excision and RNU, selecting 1:1 matched patients in the two group. Results: A total of 794 patients with NMIUTUC were included after matching (397:397). Patients who underwent endoscopic excision had worse survival outcomes compared with those of patients who underwent RNU (5-year OS: 65.3 % vs. 80.3 %, p

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for acute kidney injury (AKI). In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which circRNA itchy E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (circ-ITCH) regulates sepsis-induced AKI.Methods A sepsis-induced AKI mouse model was created using LPS induction and circ-ITCH overexpression. Circ-ITCH levels were confirmed via RT-qPCR. Kidney tissue changes were examined through various stains and TUNEL. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) gauged oxidative stress and inflammation. Mitochondrial features were studied with electron microscopy. RT-qPCR and western blotting assessed mitochondrial function parameters. Using starBase, binding sites between circ-ITCH and miR-214-3p, as well as miR-214-3p and ABCA1, were predicted. Regulatory connections were proven by dual-luciferase assay, RT-qPCR, and western blotting.Results Circ-ITCH expression was downregulated in LPS-induced sepsis mice. Overexpression of circ-ITCH ameliorates indicators of renal function (serum creatinine [SCr], blood urea nitrogen [BUN], neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL], and kidney injury molecule-1 [Kim-1]), reduces renal cell apoptosis, mitigates oxidative stress markers (reactive oxygen species [ROS] and malondialdehyde [MDA]), and diminishes inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF-α]). Moreover, circ-ITCH overexpression alleviated mitochondrial damage and dysfunction. Furthermore, circ-ITCH acts as a sponge for miR-214-3p, thereby upregulating ABCA1 expression. In addition, the miR-214-3p inhibitor repressed oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, which was reversed by circ-ITCH knockdown. Further cellular analysis in HK-2 cells supported these findings, highlighting the protective role of circ-ITCH against sepsis-induced AKI, particularly through the miR-214-3p/ABCA1 axis.Conclusion The novel circ-ITCH/miR-214-3p/ABCA1 pathway plays an essential role in the regulation of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in sepsis-induced AKI.

ObjectivePatients with connective tissue disease have a poor prognosis after receiving cardiac surgery. This study described the clinical scenarios and investigated factors correlated with acute kidney injury (AKI) after on-pump cardiac surgery in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or vasculitis.MethodsPatients with SLE or vasculitis who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery from March 2002 to March 2022 were enrolled, while patients with preoperative renal dysfunction were excluded. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Uni- and multivariable analyses were performed to identify potential factors associated with postoperative AKI.ResultsAmong 123 patients enrolled, 39 (31.7%) developed AKI within seven days after receiving on-pump cardiac surgery. Four patients died in the hospital, resulting in an overall in-hospital mortality of 3.3%, and all deaths occurred in the AKI group. Patients in the AKI group also had longer ICU stays (median difference 3.0 day, 95% CI: 1.0–4.0, P

IntroductionLeft atrial dissection is a rare event, typically associated with cardiac manipulation. We report the first case of a left atrial dissection caused by parasitic infectious endocarditis, which required the use of patch repair for the damaged mitral annulus and valve.Case PresentationTo treat heart failure in a 43-year-old man with left atrial dissection, we performed a patch repair of the mitral annulus and valve using autologous pericardium.ConclusionWe encourage novel surgery for complicated infectious endocarditis.

Cold plasma is used to sterilize meat and reduce endogenous enzyme activity for meat preservation because it can generate reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). RNS can be an alternative to nitrite in meat products; however, the active particles have a nonnegligible impact on meat components especially protein and fat. Excessive oxidation of meat products will cause quality deterioration. In this paper, the action modes of cold plasma technology on meat proteins and meat products are reviewed, as well as its regulatory effect and mechanism on the structure and function of myofibrillar protein and myoglobin in meat, and the current status of research on the application of cold plasma technology in meat preservation and processing is outlined. This systematic review is expected to provide a reference for the wide application of cold plasma technology in the meat industry.

Background: Cardiac sarcomas are rare malignancies with a poor prognosis. Although angiosarcoma is the most common histological subtype, its features are poorly characterized. This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of the various cardiac sarcomas and the surgical techniques used and to identify factors influencing the prognosis. Methods: Forty patients who underwent surgery for cardiac sarcomas were included; 60% of them had angiosarcoma. Clinical characteristics, tumor location, surgical techniques used, and the prognosis were compared between patients with angiosarcoma and patients with other subtypes. Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression were used to identify predictors of postoperative survival. Results: Angiosarcomas were more likely than the other subtypes to present as pericardial effusion (85% vs 50%, P = .014). Early surgery was performed (median 24.0 days) regardless of histological subtype. The surgical technique varied according to histological subtype. Mean postoperative survival was 10 months. A positive margin (P = .13), high Ki-67 index (P = .19), younger age (P = .86), and angiosarcoma (P = .87) were identified to be potentially poor prognostic factors in univariate analyses. Cox regression identified R0 resection to be the only significant independent predictor of the prognosis after surgery (hazard ratio, 0.423, P = .039). Conclusions: Angiosarcoma differs from other subtypes of cardiac sarcoma in terms of clinical symptoms, tumor location, surgical techniques used, and prognosis. Early surgery is needed regardless of subtype. R0 resection is the only independent predictor of postoperative survival, and complete resection is usually achievable. The prognosis may be poorer in patients with a positive margin, high Ki-67 index, younger age, and angiosarcoma.

Primary biliary cholangitis is a rare, chronic immune-mediated liver disease triggered by environmental exposures in genetically susceptible individuals. Here, the authors investigate the functional mechanism underlying the association of 19p13.3 variants with primary biliary cholangitis.

Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is characterized by the difficulties in early diagnosis and the propensity to metastases. For advanced RCC, sunitinib targeted therapy is the clinically recommended first-line drug and the major challenge of sunitinib treatment is adaptive resistance. Therefore, it is imperative to research the mechanisms underlying sunitinib resistance. In this study, we discovered that circPTPN12 was highly expressed in RCC tissues and was associated with poorer clinical outcomes. circPTPN12 could promote the proliferation, migration, invasion, and sunitinib resistance of RCC cells. Mechanistically, circPTPN12 was found to form a complex with hnRNPM, which was involved in the regulation of mRNA processing. The combination with circPTPN12 enhanced the ability of hnRNPM to maintain the stability of IL-6 mRNA and further activated the STAT3 signaling pathway. The study revealed that circPTPN12/hnRNPM/IL-6/STAT3 axis promoted RCC progression and sunitinib resistance, which might be a promising therapeutic target for relieving sunitinib resistance in RCC.