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BACKGROUND: Patients with acute coronary syndrome without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs; hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia, diabetes) have not been well studied, with little known about their characteristics, quality of care, or outcomes. We sought to systematically analyze patients with ACS without SMuRFs, especially to evaluate the effectiveness of guideline-directed medical therapy for these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the CCC-ACS (Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Acute Coronary Syndrome) project (2014-2019), we examined the presence and absence of SMuRFs and features among 89 462 patients with initial acute coronary syndrome. The main outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality. Among eligible patients, 11.0% had none of the SMuRFs (SMuRF-less). SMuRF-less patients had higher in-hospital mortality (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.49 [95% CI, 1.19-1.87]). After adjustment for clinical characteristics and treatments, the associations between SMuRF status and in-hospital mortality persisted (adjusted HR, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.07-1.70]). Guideline-directed optimal medical therapy (receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, β-blockers, and statins) was not associated with lower mortality (adjusted HR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.58-1.67]) in SMuRF-less patients, unlike the association in patients with SMuRFs (adjusted HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.66-0.98]). Sensitivity analyses were consistent with these results. CONCLUSIONS: SMuRF-less patients were associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality. Guideline-directed medical therapy was less effective in SMuRF-less patients than in patients with SMuRFs. Dedicated studies are needed to confirm the optimal therapy for SMuRF-less patients. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02306616.

Abstract Background Genetic variations in endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase (ERAP1, ERAP2) genes are associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, including infectious diseases. The objective of our study was to assess whether ERAP1, ERAP2 genes polymorphisms and methylation levels affect the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Methods We genotyped ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ERAP1, ERAP2 genes among 497 PTB patients and 502 controls by SNPscan technique. Additionally, we detected the ERAP1, ERAP2 genes methylation levels in 98 PTB patients and 97 controls through Illumina Hiseq platform. Results Our results showed that the GG genotype, G allele frequencies of ERAP2 gene rs2549782 were significantly increased in PTB patients compared to controls, and rs2549782 polymorphism was related to the increased risk of PTB under recessive model. In addition, no significant relationship was found between ERAP1 gene rs13167972, rs17086651, rs469783, rs26618, rs3734016, ERAP2 gene rs17524572, rs1230358, rs2549794, rs117041256 and PTB susceptibility. Among PTB patients, the frequencies of rs17524572 TT genotype, T allele were significantly associated with drug-induced liver injury, and rs1230358, rs2549782, rs2549794 polymorphisms were linked to the occurrence of fever. Haplotype analysis of ERAP2 gene suggested that the frequency of CTGGT haplotype was higher, while the frequency of CTGTT haplotype was lower in PTB patients. When compared with controls, the ERAP1 methylation level was lower in PTB patients, while the ERAP2 methylation level was significantly increased. Moreover, rs1230358 polymorphism was found to affect the ERAP2 methylation level. Conclusion The ERAP2 rs2549782 variant and altered methylation levels of ERAP1, ERAP2 genes were related to susceptibility to PTB.

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effect of precooling storage of bone cement in percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) for the patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF). Methods A total of 207 OVCF patients who underwent PVP were included in this study. Two different storage methods for the bone cement were randomly utilized: an operating room (NT group, 23 °C) and a refrigerator (PC group, 4 °C). Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores. In addition, radiographic evaluations were performed using anterior vertebral height and Cobb angle. Results The time of cement infusion was 10.8 ± 2.1 min in the PC group, which was significantly longer compared to the NT group (6.9 ± 1.8 min)(P

AbstractBackground To investigate the effectiveness of the intervention with critical value management and push short messaging service (SMS), and to determine improvement in the referral rate of patients with positive hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV).Methods No intervention was done for patients with positive anti-HCV screening results from 1 January 2015 to 31 October 2021. Patients with positive anti-HCV results at our hospital from 1 November 2021 to 31 July 2022 were informed vide critical value management and push SMS. For inpatients, a competent physician was requested to liaise with the infectious disease physician for consultation, and patients seen in the OPD (outpatient department) were asked to visit the liver disease clinic. The Chi-square correlation test, one-sided two-ratio test and linear regression were used to test the relationship between intervention and referral rate.Results A total of 638,308 cases were tested for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) in our hospital and 5983 of them were positive. 51.8% of the referred patients were aged 18–59 years and 10.8% were aged ≥75 years. The result of Chi-square correlation test between intervention and referral was p = .0000, p

GA3 is a common plant growth regulator used in production that can accelerate plant metabolism and significantly enhance the plant growth rate. We investigated the effects of exogenous GA3 on the physiological and biochemical indexes of Aglaonema under drought treatment. The effects of exogenous GA3 on the plant height, leaf blight rate, antioxidant enzyme activity, leaf pigment, and malondialdehyde content of Aglaonema were evaluated using Aglaonema ‘Red Ruyi’ as the test material and simulating natural drought treatment in nutrient soil pots. The spraying of exogenous GA3 significantly increased superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzyme activities, promoted the accumulation of soluble sugars, reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde, and slowed the decline of chlorophyll and carotenoids, which had good effects such as the reduction of the leaf wilting rate and increase in the plant height as well as the maintenance of the plant shape to maintain the ornamental appearance. The growth indexes such as plant height and wilting rate were mainly influenced by the changes of the leaf pigment and physiological and biochemical indexes of malondialdehyde.

The subsynaptic organization of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors into nanoclusters that are aligned with presynaptic release sites is essential for the high fidelity of synaptic transmission. However, the mechanisms controlling the nanoscale organization of neurotransmitter receptors in vivo remain incompletely understood. Here, we deconstructed the role of neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3), a postsynaptic adhesion molecule linked to autism, in organizing AMPA-type glutamate receptors in the calyx of Held synapse. Deletion of Nlgn3 lowered the amplitude and slowed the kinetics of AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic responses. Super-resolution microscopy revealed that, unexpectedly, these impairments in synaptic transmission were associated with an increase in the size of postsynaptic PSD-95 and AMPA receptor nanoclusters but a decrease of the densities in these clusters. Modeling showed that a dilution of AMPA receptors into larger nanocluster volumes decreases synaptic strength. Nlgn3, likely by binding to presynaptic neurexins, thus is a key organizer of AMPA receptor nanoclusters that likely acts via PSD-95 adaptors to optimize the fidelity of synaptic transmission.

Morphological alterations in dendritic spines have been linked to changes in functional communication between neurons that affect learning and memory. Kinesin-4 KIF21A helps organize the microtubule-actin network at the cell cortex by interacting with KANK1; however, whether KIF21A modulates dendritic structure and function in neurons remains unknown. In this study, we found that KIF21A was distributed in a subset of dendritic spines, and that these KIF21A-positive spines were larger and more structurally plastic than KIF21A-negative spines. Furthermore, the interaction between KIF21A and KANK1 was found to be critical for dendritic spine morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Knockdown of either KIF21A or KANK1 inhibited dendritic spine morphogenesis and dendritic branching, and these deficits were fully rescued by coexpressing full-length KIF21A or KANK1, but not by proteins with mutations disrupting direct binding between KIF21A and KANK1 or binding between KANK1 and talin1. Knocking down KIF21A in the hippocampus of rats inhibited the amplitudes of long-term potentiation induced by high-frequency stimulation and negatively impacted the animals’ cognitive abilities. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the function of KIF21A in modulating spine morphology and provide insight into its role in synaptic function.

Trematodes of the genus Ogmocotyle are intestinal flukes that can infect a variety of definitive hosts, resulting in significant economic losses worldwide. However, there are few studies on molecular data of these trematodes. In this study, the mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ogmocotyle ailuri isolated from red panda (Ailurus fulgens) was determined and compared with those from Pronocephalata to investigate the mt genome content, genetic distance, gene rearrangements and phylogeny. The complete mt genome of O. ailuri is a typical closed circular molecule of 14 642 base pairs, comprising 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and 2 non-coding regions. All genes are transcribed in the same direction. In addition, 23 intergenic spacers and 2 locations with gene overlaps were determined. Sequence identities and sliding window analysis indicated that cox1 is the most conserved gene among 12 PCGs in O. ailuri mt genome. The sequenced mt genomes of the 48 Plagiorchiida trematodes showed 5 types of gene arrangement based on all mt genome genes, with the gene arrangement of O. ailuri being type I. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 PCGs revealed that O. ailuri was closer to Ogmocotyle sikae than to Notocotylus intestinalis. These data enhance the Ogmocotyle mt genome database and provide molecular resources for further studies of Pronocephalata taxonomy, population genetics and systematics.

Steel slag composite grout (SSCG) was prepared by a large amount of steel slag (SS) to reinforce expressway photovoltaic (PV) slopes and reduce carbon emission. Laboratory tests were conducted to investigate SSCG properties, including flowability, effective water-solid ratio (W/S), stone rate, initial and final setting time, as well as flexural strength (FS), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), FS/UCS ratio and microstructure of SSCG stone body. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC, 42.5) and sulphoaluminate cement (SAC, 42.5) grouts were selected to make contrasts. Based on the performance results, the recommended SSCG composition for engineering application is 40 % SS + 25 % blast furnace slag (BFS) + 20 % silicate cement clinker (CC) + 10 % fly ash (FA) + 5 % flue gas desulfurisation gypsum (FGDG). and the recommended admixture is: 6 % AA + 2 % bentonite + 0.4 % FND-C. With the above SSCG and related grouting techniques for slope soils, the soil cohesion was increased by 7.3–12.2 % and the angle of internal friction was increased by 10.2–19.7 %. To further validate the beneficial effects of SSCG on slope stability and the safe application of PV systems, numerical modelling calculations were conducted based on the soil sample test results. The simulations demonstrated the positive effect of SSCG in enhancing slope stability and facilitating the secure installation of PV systems on expressway slopes. The successful operation of grid-connected PV systems provided compelling evidence for the technical applicability of SSCG and it contributed to the application feasibility of PV systems to expressway slopes. The innovative use of SSCG in this study not only ensures the safety of construction projects but also contributes to environmental sustainability through the application of industrial slags.

AbstractWhile the detailed mechanisms for how particulate matter (PM) causes adverse health effects in the lungs remain largely unknown, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in PM-induced lung injury. The present study was undertaken to examine how/if ER stress might regulate PM-induced inflammation, and to begin to define potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, ER stress hallmarks were examined in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells exposed to PM. To confirm roles of certain pathways, siRNA targeting ER stress genes and an ER stress inhibitor were employed. Expression of select inflammatory cytokines and related signaling pathway components by the cells were assessed as well. The results showed that PM exposure induced elevations in two ER stress hallmarks, i.e. GRP78 and IRE1α, in time-and/or dose-related manners in the HBE cells. Inhibition of ER stress by siRNA for GRP78 or IRE1α significantly alleviated the PM-induced effects. Further, ER stress appeared to regulate PM-induced inflammation – likely through downstream autophagy and NF-κB pathways – as implied by studies showing that inhibition of ER stress by siRNA of GRP78 or IRE1α caused significant amelioration of PM-induced autophagy and subsequent activation of NF-κB pathways. Moreover, the ER stress inhibitor 4-PBA were used to confirm the protective effects against PM-induced outcomes. Together, the results suggest ER stress plays a deleterious role in PM-induced airway inflammation, possibly through activation of autophagy and NF-κB signaling. Accordingly, protocols/treatments that could lead to inhibited ER stress could potentially be effective for treatment of PM-related airway disorders.

Crytosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are important diarrheal pathogens with a global distribution that threatens the health of humans and animals. Despite cattle being potential transmission hosts of these protozoans, the associated risks to public health have been neglected. In the present study, a total of 1155 cattle fecal samples were collected from 13 administrative regions of Heilongjiang Province. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi were 5.5% (64/1155; 95% CI: 4.2–6.9), 3.8% (44/1155; 95% CI: 2.7–4.9), and 6.5% (75/1155; 95% CI: 5.1–7.9), respectively. Among these positive fecal samples, five Cryptosporidium species (C. andersoni, C. bovis, C. ryanae, C. parvum, and C. occultus), two G. duodenalis assemblages (E and A), and eight E. bieneusi genotypes (BEB4, BEB6, BEB8, J, I, CHS7, CHS8, and COS-I) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all eight genotypes of E. bieneusi identified in the present study belonged to group 2. It is worth noting that some species/genotypes of these intestinal protozoans are zoonotic, suggesting a risk of zoonotic disease transmission in endemic areas. The findings expanded our understanding of the genetic composition and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. bieneusi in cattle in Heilongjiang Province.