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Abstract Background Postoperative time to extubation plays a role in prognosis after heart valve surgery; however, its exact impact has not been clarified. This study compared the postoperative outcomes of minimally invasive surgery and conventional sternotomy, focusing on early extubation and factors influencing prolonged mechanical ventilation. Methods Data from 744 patients who underwent heart valve surgery at the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital between August 2019 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The outcomes in patients who underwent conventional median sternotomy (MS) and minimally invasive (MI) video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and Kaplan–Meier curves. Clinical data, including surgical data, postoperative cardiac function, postoperative complications, and intensive care monitoring data, were analyzed. Results After propensity score matching and IPTW, 196 cases of conventional MS were compared with 196 cases of MI video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Compared to patients in the conventional MS group, those in the MI video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group in the matched cohort had a higher early postoperative extubation rate (P

Abstract Objective To evaluate the trend of alcohol use disorder (AUD) mortality as a percentage of all-cause mortality in Canada and the United States (US) between 2000 and 2019, by age group. Results Joinpoint regression showed that AUD mortality as a percentage of all-cause mortality significantly increased between 2000 and 2019 in both countries, and across all age groups (i.e., young adults (20–34 years), middle-aged adults (35–49 years), and older adults (50 + years)). The trend has been levelling off, and even reversing in some cases, in recent years. The average annual percentage change differed across countries and between age groups, with a greater increase among Canadian adults aged 35–49 years and among adults aged 50 + years in the US. Over the past two decades, AUD mortality as a percentage of all-cause mortality has been increasing among all adults in both Canada and the US.

Abstract Introduction This study examines the association between healthcare indicators and hospitalization rates in three high-income European countries, namely Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, from 2015 to 2020. Method We used a sex-stratified generalized additive model (GAM) to investigate the impact of select healthcare indicators on hospitalization rates, adjusted by general economic status—i.e., gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Results Our findings indicate a consistent decline in hospitalization rates over time for all three countries. The proportion of health expenditure spent on hospitals, the number of physicians and nurses, and hospital beds were not statistically significantly associated with hospitalization rates. However, changes in the number of employed medical doctors per 10,000 population were statistically significantly associated with changes of hospitalization rates in the same direction, with the effect being stronger for males. Additionally, higher GDP per capita was associated with increased hospitalization rates for both males and females in all three countries and in all models. Conclusions The relationship between healthcare spending and declining hospitalization rates was not statistically significant, suggesting that the healthcare systems may be shifting towards primary care, outpatient care, and on prevention efforts.

Abstract Background Neutrophils are granulocytes with essential antimicrobial effector functions and short lifespans. During infection or sterile inflammation, emergency granulopoiesis leads to release of immature neutrophils from the bone marrow, serving to boost circulating neutrophil counts. Steady state and emergency granulopoiesis are incompletely understood, partly due to a lack of genetically amenable models of neutrophil development. Methods We optimised a method for ex vivo production of human neutrophils from CD34+ haematopoietic progenitors. Using flow cytometry, we phenotypically compared cultured neutrophils with native neutrophils from donors experiencing emergency granulopoiesis, and steady state neutrophils from non-challenged donors. We carry out functional and proteomic characterisation of cultured neutrophils and establish genome editing of progenitors. Results We obtain high yields of ex vivo cultured neutrophils, which phenotypically resemble immature neutrophils released into the circulation during emergency granulopoiesis. Cultured neutrophils have similar rates of ROS production and bacterial killing but altered degranulation, cytokine release and antifungal activity compared to mature neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood. These differences are likely due to incomplete synthesis of granule proteins, as demonstrated by proteomic analysis. Conclusion Ex vivo cultured neutrophils are genetically tractable via genome editing of precursors and provide a powerful model system for investigating the properties and behaviour of immature neutrophils.

Abstract C57BL/6 mice are frequently utilized as murine models with the desired genetic background for altertion in multiple research contexts. So far, there is still a lack of comprehensive kidney morphology and single-cell transcriptome atlas at all stages of growth of C57BL/6 mice. To provide an interactive set of reference standards for the scientific community, we performed the current study to investigate the kidney’s development throughout the capillary-loop stage until senescence. Eight groups, with five to six mice each, represented embryonic stage (embryos 18.5 days), suckling period (1 day after birth), juvenile stage (1 month old), adulthood (containing 3 months old, 6 months old and 10 months old), reproductive senescence stage (20 months old), and post-senescence stage (30 months old), respectively. With age, the thickness of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was increased. Notably, GBM knobs appeared at three months and became frequent with age. Using single-cell transcriptome data, we evaluated how various biological process appear in particular cell types and investigated the potential mechanism of formation of GBM konbs. In conclusion, having access to detailed kidney morphology and single-cell transcriptome maps from C57BL/6 mice at various developmental stages of C57BL/6 mice would be a novel and major resource for biological research and testing of prospective therapeutic approaches.

Summary: Background: The suicide mortality rate has been increasing in Region of the Americas, despite decreasing in all other World Health Organization (WHO) regions. Means restriction is an effective evidence-based intervention for suicide prevention. The objective of the current study was to estimate the impact of implementing national-level means restriction policies (i.e., firearm and pesticide restrictions) on the suicide mortality rate in the Region of the Americas. Methods: In this ecological modeling study, two counterfactual scenarios were investigated using sex-specific suicide mortality data from the WHO Global Health Estimates database for 2000 to 2019. Forecasted sex-specific age-standardized suicide mortality rates were then estimated for each country for 2020 to 2030. Counterfactual scenario 1 involved modeling the impact of a firearm or pesticide restriction implemented in 2020 for those countries where the respective means accounted for 40% or more of all suicides for at least one sex in 2019, while in counterfactual scenario 2 this threshold was reduced to 20% or more. Findings: It was estimated that if a firearm or pesticide restriction had been implemented in 2020 in those countries where the respective means accounted for 40% or more of all suicides for at least one sex in 2019, by 2030 the male and female suicide mortality rate in the Region of the Americas would be 20.5% (from 14.5 [95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 14.1, 15.0] per 100,000 males to 11.5 [95% CI: 11.1, 12.0] per 100,000 males) and 11.1% (from 4.5 [95% CI: 4.4, 4.7] per 100,000 females to 4.0 [95% CI: 3.9, 4.2] per 100,000 females) lower than the rate if no such restrictions were implemented, respectively. When the threshold was reduced to 20% or more, minimal additional gains in terms of number of suicides avoided and suicide mortality rate reduction would be achieved. Interpretation: The implementation of a firearm or pesticide restriction policy in countries where the respective means account for a large proportion of suicides (e.g., at least 40%) could aid the Region of the Americas in achieving the WHO target of a one third reduction in the suicide mortality rate by 2030. Funding: This work received no funding.

BackgroundPrepulse inhibition (PPI) is a phenomenon where a weak prepulse stimulus inhibits the startle reflex to a subsequent stronger stimulus, which can be induced by various sensory stimulus modalities such as visual, tactile, and auditory stimuli.MethodsThis study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying auditory PPI by focusing on the deep layers of the superior colliculus (deepSC) and the inferior colliculus (IC) in rats. Nineteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with electrodes in the left deepSC and the right IC, and electrophysiological recordings were conducted under anesthesia to observe the frequency following responses (FFRs) to startle stimuli with and without prepulse stimuli.ResultsOur results showed that in the deepSC, narrowband noise as a prepulse stimulus significantly inhibited the envelope component of the startle response, while the fine structure component remained unaffected. However, this inhibitory effect was not observed in the IC or when the prepulse stimulus was a gap.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the deepSC plays a crucial role in the neural circuitry of PPI, particularly in the modulation of the envelope component of the startle response. The differential effects of narrowband noise and gap as prepulse stimuli also indicate distinct neural pathways for sound-induced PPI and Gap-PPI. Understanding these mechanisms could provide insights into sensory processing and potential therapeutic targets for disorders involving impaired PPI, such as tinnitus.

Abstract The DNA‐guided (gDNA) Argonaute from Thermus thermophilus (TtAgo) has little potential for nucleic acid detection and gene editing due to its poor dsDNA cleavage activity at relatively low temperature. Herein, the dsDNA cleavage activity of TtAgo is enhanced by using 2′‐fluorine (2′F)‐modified gDNA and developes a novel nucleic acid testing strategy. This study finds that the gDNA with 2′F‐nucleotides at the 3′‐end (2′F‐gDNA) can promote the assembly of the TtAgo‐guide‐target ternary complex significantly by increasing its intermolecular force to target DNA and TtAgo, thereby providing ≈40‐fold activity enhancement and decreasing minimum reaction temperature from 65 to 60 °C. Based on this outstanding advance, a novel nucleic acid testing strategy is proposed, termed FAST, which is performed by using the 2′F‐gDNA/TtAgo for target recognition and combining it with Bst DNA polymerase for nucleic acid amplification. By integrating G‐quadruplex and Thioflavin T, the FAST assay achieves one‐pot real‐time fluorescence analysis with ultra‐sensitivity, providing a limit of detection up to 5 copies (20 µL reaction mixture) for miR‐21 detection. In summary, an atom‐modification‐based strategy has been developed for enhancing the cleavage activity of TtAgo efficiently, thereby improving its practicability and establishing a TtAgo‐based nucleic acid testing technology with ultra‐sensitivity and high‐specificity.

Rationale A small number of earlier studies have suggested an effect of temporary abstinence campaigns on alcohol consumption. However, all were based on self-reported consumption estimates.Objectives Using a time series of 23-year monthly alcohol sales data, this study examined the effect of an annual temporary abstinence campaign, which has been organised annually since 2003 during the Buddhist Lent period (spanning 3 months), on population-level alcohol consumption.Methods Data used in the analysis included a time series of monthly alcohol sales data from January 1995 to September 2017 and the midyear population counts for those years. Generalised additive models (GAM) were applied to estimate trends as smooth functions of time, while identifying a relationship between the Buddhist Lent abstinence campaigns on alcohol consumption. The sensitivity analysis was performed using a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous variables (SARIMAX) model.Intervention The Buddhist Lent abstinence campaign is a national mass media campaign combined with community-based activities that encourages alcohol abstinence during the Buddhist Lent period, spanning 3 months and varying between July and October depending on the lunar calendar. The campaign has been organised annually since 2003.Main outcome Per capita alcohol consumption using monthly alcohol sales data divided by the midyear total population number used as a proxy.Results Median monthly per capita consumption was 0.43 (IQR: 0.37 to 0.51) litres of pure alcohol. Over the study period, two peaks of alcohol consumption were in March and December of each year. The significant difference between before-campaign and after-campaign coefficients in the GAM, −0.102 (95% CI: −0.163 to –0.042), indicated an effect of the campaign on alcohol consumption after adjusting for the time trend and monthly seasonality, corresponding to an average reduction of 9.97% (95% CI: 3.65% to 24.18%). The sensitivity analyses produced similar results, where the campaign was associated with a decrease in consumption of 8.1% (95% CI: 0.4% to 15.7%).Conclusions This study demonstrated that the temporary abstinence campaign was associated with a decrease in population-level alcohol consumption during campaign periods. The finding contributed to a growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of emerging temporary abstinence campaigns.

Abstract Background Lithuania, a Baltic country in the European Union, can be characterized by high alcohol consumption and attributable burden. The aim of this contribution is to estimate the mortality burden due to alcohol use for the past two decades based on different relative risk functions, identify trends, and analyse the associations of alcohol-attributable burden with alcohol control policies and life expectancy. Methods The standard methodology used by the World Health Organization for estimating alcohol-attributable mortality was employed to generate mortality rates for alcohol-attributable mortality, standardized for Lithuania’s 2021 population distribution. Joinpoint analysis, T-tests, correlations, and regression analyses including meta-regressions were used to describe trends and associations. Results Age-standardized alcohol-attributable mortality was high in Lithuania during the two decades between 2001 and 2021, irrespective of which relative risks were used for the estimates. Overall, there was a downward trend, mainly in males, which was associated with four years of intensive implementation of alcohol control policies in 2008, 2009, 2017, and 2018. For the remaining years, the rates of alcohol-attributable mortality were stagnant. Among males, the correlations between alcohol-attributable mortality and life expectancy were 0.90 and 0.76 for Russian and global relative risks respectively, and regression analyses indicated a significant association between changes in alcohol-attributable mortality and life expectancy, after controlling for gross domestic product. Conclusions Male mortality and life expectancy in Lithuania were closely linked to alcohol-attributable mortality and markedly associated with strong alcohol control policies. Further implementation of such policies is predicted to lead to further improvements in life expectancy.

Aberrant sperm protamination is linked to sperm dysmorphology and nuclear chromatin condensation. Yet, its effects on sperm cytoplasmic maturation remain largely unexplored. The relationships of protamines, sperm morphology, DNA damage, and cytoplasmic remodeling were illustrated in this study to provide fresh perspectives on the mechanisms of male infertility. A total of 205 infertile males were allocated into 5 groups according to the percentage of spermatozoa exhibiting abnormal morphology within their samples. Sperm concentration, motility, abnormal sperm morphology, cytoplasmic droplets (CDs), and excess residual cytoplasm (ERC) were analyzed according to the World Health Organization manual (2010). Sperm nuclear vacuoles (NVs) were determined by propidium iodide (PI) staining. Sperm protamine expressions (P1 and P2) were detected by western blot. DNA damage was measured by acridine orange test (AOT) to calculate the proportion of sperm with single-strand DNA breaks (SSBs). Our data showed that sperm concentration and motility in infertile males significantly decreased with the severity of abnormal sperm morphology (both P < 0.01). P1 level, P1/P2 ratio, and SSB rate increased with the severity of sperm dysmorphology, whilst the P2 level decreased (all P < 0.01). NVs, CDs, and ERC were more common in males with sperm dysmorphology and positively correlated with the SSB rate (all P < 0.01). The relationships between the SSB rate and the P1/P2 ratio were also significant (P < 0.01). Aberrant protamination may cause sperm dysmorphology and compromise male fertility by impairing sperm's nucleus and cytoplasm maturation, with the P1/P2 ratio potentially serving as a valuable indicator of sperm quality and male fertility.

This paper presents a method for accurately controlling the position of the zero optical path difference in the transformation process from interferogram of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to spectrogram. This position has a significant impact on the position, consistency, and repeatability of spectral lines in restored spectrograms. The proposed method, known as the double-slit photoelectric aiming and triggering method (DS-PATM), can be used to precisely control the zero optical path difference position, as well as the starting and ending positions of sampling, thereby ensuring identical optical path difference in the spectrometer system. The working principle of DS-PATM is elaborated in detail, followed by a description of the optical structure of the photoelectric aiming detector and the photoelectric aiming trigger circuit. Subsequently, a displacement detection system of the spectrometer moving mirror is developed. The system is experimentally validated through displacement aiming and triggering experiments of the moving mirror of the FTIR spectrometer, conducted under standard measurement environment. The results demonstrate that using the proposed method, the standard deviation of zero optical path difference position can be measured with a confidence probability (math.) of 99.7% and a resolution of 0.1 cm−1 for Fourier transform spectrometer, yielding a value of 0.08 μm. This confirms the effectiveness of the detection system and its ability to meet the requirements of sampling interferogram with high resolution.

BackgroundThe extra-articular lesions of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reported to involve multiple organs and systems throughout the body, including the heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs. This study assessed the potential causal relationship between RA and the risk of chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) using the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodIndependent genetic instruments related to RA and CKD or CKD subtypes at the genome-wide significant level were chosen from the publicly shared summary-level data of genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Then, we obtained some single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables (IVs), which are associated with RA in individuals of European origin, and had genome-wide statistical significance (p5 × 10−8). The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was the main analysis method in MR analysis. The other methods, such as weighted median, MR–Egger, simple mode, and weighted mode were used as supplementary sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, the levels of pleiotropy and heterogeneity were assessed using Cochran’s Q test and leave-one-out analysis. Furthermore, the relevant datasets were obtained from the Open GWAS database.ResultsUsing the IVW method, the main method in MR analysis, the results showed that genetically determined RA was associated with higher risks of CKD [odds ratio (OR): 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–1.31; p

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) occupies a high proportion of oral squamous cell carcinoma. TSCC features high lymph node metastasis rates and chemotherapy resistance with a poor prognosis. Therefore, an effective therapy strategy is needed to improve patient prognosis. Melatonin (MT) is a natural indole compound shown to have anti-tumor effects in several cancers. This study focused on the role and mechanism of MT in TSCC cells. The results of the study suggest that MT could inhibit cell proliferation in CRL-1623 cells. Western blot analysis showed the down-regulate of cyclin B1 and the up-regulate P21 protein by MT. MT was also shown to down-regulate the expression of Zeb1, Wnt5A/B, and β-catenin protein and up-regulate E-cadherin to inhibit the migration of CRL-1623 cells. MT also promoted the expression of ATF4, ATF6, Bip, BAP31 and CHOP in CRL-1623 cells leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress, and induced autophagy and apoptosis in CRL-1623 cells. Western blots showed that MT could promote the expression of Bax, LC3, and Beclin1 proteins and inhibit the expression of p62. We screened differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in MT-treated cells and found that the expression of MALAT1 and H19 decreased. Moreover, MT inhibited tumor growth in nude mice inoculated with CRL-1623 cells. These results suggest that MT could induce autophagy, promote apoptosis, and provide a potential natural compound for the treatment of TSCC.

Objective: This article aims to identify genetic features associated with immune cell infiltration in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) development through bioinformatics, with the goal of discovering diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Methods: We obtained two datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify immune-related differentially expressed genes (IRDEGs). These genes' functions were analyzed via Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Tools such as CIBERSORT and ssGSEA assessed immune cell infiltration. The Starbase and miRDB databases predicted miRNAs interacting with hub genes, and Cytoscape software mapped mRNA-miRNA interaction networks. The ENCORI database was employed to predict RNA binding proteins interacting with hub genes. Key genes were identified using a random forest algorithm and constructing a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model. LASSO regression analysis constructed a diagnostic model for hub genes to determine their diagnostic value, and PCR analysis validated their expression in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Results: We identified 10 IRDEGs (C1qa, Ccl4, Cd74, Cd8a, Cxcl10, Gmfg, Grp, Lgals3bp, Timp1, Vim). The random forest algorithm, and SVM model intersection revealed three key genes (Ccl4, Gmfg, C1qa) as diagnostic biomarkers for CIRI. LASSO regression analysis, further refined this to two key genes (Ccl4 and C1qa), With ROC curve, analysis confirming their diagnostic efficacy (C1qa AUC = 0.75, Ccl4 AUC = 0.939). PCR analysis corroborated these findings. Conclusions: Our study elucidates immune and metabolic response mechanisms in CIRI, identifying two immune-related genes as key biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in response to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Abstract Background The Baltic countries–Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia–are characterized by a high rate of fully alcohol-attributable mortality, compared with Poland. Alcohol control policy measures implemented since 2001 in the Baltic countries included a restriction on availability and an increase in excise taxation, among others. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the relationship between alcohol control policy implementation and alcohol-attributable mortality in the Baltic countries and Poland. Methods Alcohol-attributable mortality data for 2001–2020 was defined by codes 100% alcohol-attributable for persons aged 15 years and older in the Baltic countries and Poland. Alcohol control policies implemented between 2001 and 2020 were identified, and their impact on alcohol-attributable mortality was evaluated using an interrupted time-series methodology by employing a generalized additive model. Results Alcohol-attributable mortality was significantly higher in the Baltic countries, compared with Poland, for both males and females. In the final reduced model, alcohol control policy significantly reduced male alcohol-attributable mortality by 7.60% in the 12 months post-policy implementation. For females, the alcohol control policy mean-shift effect was higher, resulting in a significant reduction of alcohol-attributable mortality by 10.77% in the 12 months post-policy implementation. The interaction effects of countries and policy tested in the full model were not statistically significant, which indicated that the impact of alcohol control policy on alcohol-attributable mortality did not differ across countries for both males and females. Conclusions Based on the findings of the current study, alcohol control policy in the form of reduced availability and increased taxation was associated with a reduction in alcohol-attributable mortality among both males and females.

Catalases play a crucial role in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by converting H2O2 into molecular oxygen and water. They also contribute to virulence and fungal responses to various stresses. Previously, the MrCat1-deletion mutant (ΔMrCat1) was generated using the split-marker method in Metarhizium rileyi. In this study, the Cat1 gene was identified, and its function was evaluated. Under normal culture conditions, there were no significant differences in colony growth or dimorphic switching between ΔMrCat1 and the wild-type (WT) strains. However, under oxidative stress, the colony growth was inhibited, and the yeast–hyphal transition was suppressed in the ΔMrCat1 strain. Hyperosmotic stress did not differ significantly between the two strains. In the ΔMrCat1 strain, microsclerotia (MS) formation was delayed, resulting in less uniform MS size and a 76% decrease in MS yield compared to the WT strain. Moreover, the ΔMrCat1 strain exhibited diminished virulence. Gene expression analysis revealed up-regulation of ΔMrCat1, MrCat2, MrCat4, and MrAox in the ΔMrCat1 strain. These findings indicate that the MrCat1 gene in M. rileyi is essential for oxidative stress tolerance, MS formation, and virulence.

Corner detection is responsible for accurate camera calibration, which is an essential task for binocular three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. In microscopic scenes, binocular 3D reconstruction has significant potential to achieve fast and accurate measurements. However, traditional corner detectors and calibration patterns (checkerboard) performed poorly in microscopic scenes due to the non-uniform illumination and the shallow depth of field of the microscope. In this paper, we present a novel method for detecting grid junction corners based on image segmentation, offering a robust alternative to the traditional checkerboard pattern. Model fitting was utilized to obtain the coordinates at a sub-pixel level. The procedures of the proposed method were elaborated, including image segmentation, corner prediction, and model fitting. The mathematical model was established to describe the grid junction. The experiment was conducted using both synthetic and real data and the experimental result shows that this method achieves high precision and is robust to image blurring, indicating this method is suitable for microscope camera calibration.

Abstract Background Periodontitis (PD) may affect temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) and TMD may influence PD in previous observational studies. Nevertheless, these studies were prone to confounders and reverse causation, leading to incorrect conclusions about causality and direction of association. This research investigates the associations between PD and TMD employing bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to PD (p

Abstract Alcohol consumption in the Baltic countries and Poland is among the highest globally, causing high all-cause mortality rates. Contrary to Poland, the Baltic countries have adopted many alcohol control policies, including the World Health Organization (WHO) “best buys”. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of these policies, which were implemented between 2001 and 2020, on all-cause mortality. Monthly mortality data for men and women aged 20+ years of age in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland were analysed for 2001 to 2020. A total of 19 alcohol control policies, fulfilling an a-priori defined definition, were implemented between 2001 and 2020 in the countries of interest, and 18 of them could be tested. Interrupted time-series analyses were conducted by employing a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) for men and women separately. The age-standardized all-cause mortality rate was lowest in Poland and highest in Latvia and had decreased in all countries over the time period. Taxation increases and availability restrictions had short-term effects in all countries, on average reducing the age-standardized all-cause mortality rate among men significantly (a reduction of 2.31% (95% CI 0.71%, 3.93%; p = 0.0045)). All-cause mortality rates among women were not significantly reduced (a reduction of 1.09% (95% CI − 0.02%, 2.20%; p = 0.0554)). In conclusion, the alcohol control policies implemented between 2001 and 2020 reduced all-cause mortality among men 20+ years of age in Baltic countries and Poland, and thus, the practice should be continued.

Abstract Background Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal cancers in women because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. The molecular markers investigated thus far have been unsatisfactory. Methods We performed whole-exome sequencing on the human ovarian cancer cell lines 3AO and ES2 and the normal ovarian epithelial cell line IOSE-80. Molecular markers of ovarian cancer were screened from shared mutation genes and copy number variation genes in the 6q21-qter region. Results We found that missense mutations were the most common mutations in the gene (93%). The MUC12, FLG and MUC16 genes were highly mutated in 3AO and ES2 cells. Copy number amplification occurred mainly in 4p16.1 and 11q14.3, and copy number deletions occurred in 4q34.3 and 18p11.21. A total of 23 hub genes were screened, of which 16 were closely related to the survival of ovarian cancer patients. The three genes CCDC170, THBS2 and COL14A1 are most significantly correlated with the survival and prognosis of ovarian cancer. In particular, the overall survival of ovarian cancer patients with high CCDC170 gene expression was significantly prolonged (P

ObjectiveThe development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is closely related to autoimmune system dysfunction. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease that is a risk factor for many diseases. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between T1DM mellitus and AS genetically.MethodsA genome-wide association study (GWAS) of causal relationships between exposure (T1DM) and outcome (AS) was performed using summary data from the GWAS database. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study of these two diseases. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) was used as the primary analysis method, with MR Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode used as supplementary methods. Sensitivity analyses were performed using Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept, MR-Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and outlier methods, leave-one-out analysis, and funnel plots.ResultsA total of 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)were identified for instrumental variables(IVs) for MR analysis.IVW found that T1DM was causally associated with AS ((IVW: OR = 1.0006 (95% CI 1.0001, 1.0011), p = 0.0057; MR-Egger: OR = 1.0003 (95% CI 0.9995, 1.0012), p = 0.4147; weighted median: OR = 1.0006 (95% CI 1.0003, 1.0008), p = 0.0001; weighted mode: OR = 1.0007 (95% CI 1.0005, 1.0009), p = 0.0001). No horizontal pleiotropy was found for the MR-Egger intercept, and leave -one-out analysis found that the results remained stable after the removal of individual SNPs.ConclusionThe results of the two-sample MR analysis supported a causal relationship between T1DM and AS risk.

Abstract Background Taxation increases which reduce the affordability of alcohol are expected to reduce mortality inequalities. A recent taxation increase in Lithuania offers the unique possibility to test this hypothesis. Methods Census-linked mortality data between 2011 and 2019 were used to calculate monthly sex- and education-stratified age-standardized mortality rates for the population aged 40 to 70 years. As primary outcome, we analysed the difference in age-standardized all-cause mortality rates between the population of lowest versus highest educational achievement. The impact of the 2017 taxation increase was evaluated using interrupted time series analyses. To identify whether changes in alcohol use can explain the observed effects on all-cause mortality, the education-based mortality differences were then decomposed into n = 16 cause-of-death groupings. Results Between 2012 and 2019, education-based all-cause mortality inequalities in Lithuania declined by 18% among men and by 14% among women. Following the alcohol taxation increase, we found a pronounced yet temporary reduction of mortality inequalities among Lithuanian men (− 13%). Subsequent decomposition analyses suggest that the reduction in mortality inequalities between lower and higher educated men was mainly driven by narrowing mortality differences in injuries and infectious diseases. Conclusions A marked increase in alcohol excise taxation was associated with a decrease in mortality inequalities among Lithuanian men. More pronounced reductions in deaths from injuries and infectious diseases among lower as compared to higher educated groups could be the result of differential changes in alcohol use in these populations.

With knowledge of only a few effective properties of a porous structure, the applicability of the structure for a given system can quickly be determined. This study numerically simulates the effective thermal conductivity, permeability, and stiffness of high porosity structures. Commonly used isotropic architected porous structures are compared with commercially available stochastic metal foams. The architected structures include body-centered cubic (BCC) lattice, shell-based triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), and hybrid foam (HF) composed of beam and shell with multiple adjustable parameters. The simulated effective properties touch on the applicability in heat transfer, fluid flow, and mechanically stressful situations. The dimensionless effective properties of the structures are presented in graphical form to clearly illustrate structurally dependent properties. Compared to the stochastic metal foams, the architected structures (BCC, TPMS, and most HF) showed higher effective thermal conductivities and permeabilities. This indicates a potential to improve the efficiency of a thermal or fluid flow system by replacing the stochastic foam with architected foam. Additionally, the HF structure shows broad tunability of specific properties. All effective properties simulated were rendered dimensionless to only reflect the impact of topology, and plotted in charts to show trends. These charts can aid in the selection of porous structures in diverse applications.

Abstract Background Despite being two Baltic countries with similar histories, Estonia and Lithuania have diverged in life expectancy trends in recent years. We investigated this divergence by comparing cause-specific mortality trends. Methods We obtained yearly mortality data for individuals 20 + years of age from 2001–2019 (19 years worth of data) through Statistics Lithuania, the Lithuanian Institute for Hygiene, and the National Institute for Health Development (Estonia). Using ICD-10 codes, we analyzed all-cause mortality rates and created eight major disease categories: ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, all other cardiovascular disease, cancers (neoplasms), digestive diseases, self-harm and interpersonal violence, unintentional injuries and related conditions, and other mortality (deaths per 100,000 population). We used joinpoint regression analysis, and analyzed the proportional contribution of each category to all-cause mortality. Results There was a steeper decline in all-cause mortality in Estonia (average annual percent change, AAPC = -2.55%, 95% CI: [-2.91%, -2.20%], P

Abstract Background A classic methodology used in evaluating the impact of health policy interventions is interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis, applying a quasi-experimental design that uses both pre- and post-policy data without randomization. In this paper, we took a simulation-based approach to estimating intervention effects under different assumptions. Methods Each of the simulated mortality rates contained a linear time trend, seasonality, autoregressive, and moving-average terms. The simulations of the policy effects involved three scenarios: 1) immediate-level change only, 2) immediate-level and slope change, and 3) lagged-level and slope change. The estimated effects and biases of these effects were examined via three matched generalized additive mixed models, each of which used two different approaches: 1) effects based on estimated coefficients (estimated approach), and 2) effects based on predictions from models (predicted approach). The robustness of these two approaches was further investigated assuming misspecification of the models. Results When one simulated dataset was analyzed with the matched model, the two analytical approaches produced similar estimates. However, when the models were misspecified, the number of deaths prevented, estimated using the predicted vs. estimated approaches, were very different, with the predicted approach yielding estimates closer to the real effect. The discrepancy was larger when the policy was applied early in the time-series. Conclusion Even when the sample size appears to be large enough, one should still be cautious when conducting ITS analyses, since the power also depends on when in the series the intervention occurs. In addition, the intervention lagged effect needs to be fully considered at the study design stage (i.e., when developing the models).

Abstract A single‐beam full‐space scanning leaky‐wave antenna with high‐efficiency based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs) is presented in this paper. An array of circular patches is placed periodically around the SSPPs waveguide to couple the electromagnetic wave and radiate to the free space. The antenna has been simulated, manufactured and tested, and the results are consistent. The simulated results show that the antenna can keep a high radiation efficiency (the average efficiency can reach 87.4%) while ensuring the excellent characteristic of single‐beam scanning from backfire to endfire (180°) continuously within the operation bandwidth of 6.3–9.1 GHz (for |S11|

The intensity of light has been known to play a crucial role in the growth and developmental processes of fish through the visual system. To investigate effects of light intensity on the growth, feeding patterns, retinal structure, and vision-related genes of silver pomfret, we set four groups including control (natural light), L0 (darkness), L100 (100 lux), and L1000 (1000 lux) at larval, juvenile and young stages. Full length and survival rate were significantly lower in L0 at larval and juvenile, while feeding rate was significantly higher in control and L1000; at young stage, weight and feeding rate was significantly lower in L0 and specific growth rate was significantly higher in control; but there was no significant difference in condition factor among four groups. Next, at larvae stage, we observed a clear ten-layer structure of the retina, which developed better in high light intensity groups; the number of melanin particles in pigment epithelial layer also increased with development of retina; at juvenile and young stages, low light intensity led to aggregation of melanin particles, and thickness of ganglion cell layer became thinner, with cell body decreasing to one layer in high light intensity groups. Finally, we examined expression of seven vision-related genes: RH1 gene was up-regulated at larvae stage and down-regulated at juvenile and young stages in L0 and L100, and RH2 and LWS initially increased and then declined with the development of the fish in control; conversely, SWS, SWS2, RPE65, and RBP were up-regulated in high light intensity groups. In conclusion, our study suggests that high light intensity can lead to improved growth and feeding patterns in fish, as well as promoting the development of retina and up-regulating the expression of pigment genes. Consequently, our findings provide a valuable theoretical foundation for optimizing the lighting scheme of the artificial breeding process of silver pomfret.

Super-deep drilling in the central Sichuan Basin encountered volcanic rocks of the Suxiong Formation, which are overlain by multiple hydrothermal alterations within the upper section of the Ediacaran Dengying Formation. This provides an excellent research opportunity to understand the pre-Cambrian hydrothermal activity and geological evolution of the western margin of the Yangtze Craton. Observations revealed the development of a series of hydrothermal dolomite aggregates characterized by the presence of brown sphalerite within fractures and pores of the carbonate rock. Microscopically, the dolomite exhibited fibrous columnar crystallization, forming radial bands with a gradual decrease in crystallization intensity from the center to the periphery. Cathodoluminescence analysis revealed the presence of approximately eight dolomite bands within the aggregate. U–Pb dating from the inner to outer bands yielded isotopic ages of 781 ± 12 Ma for the second band, 683 ± 12 Ma for the fifth, 562 ± 12 Ma for the sixth, and 545.4 ± 6.9 Ma for the seventh. The in situ rare earth element (REE) distribution patterns of the 781 and 683 Ma dolomite bands exhibited similarities. They both showed low total REE content (∑REE), with significant fractionation between light and heavy REEs. Additionally, they exhibited negative anomalies in cerium (Ce) and europium (Eu), while heavy REEs were relatively enriched. The dolomite bands at 562 and 545 Ma also exhibited similar REE characteristics, with low ∑REE and weak fractionation between light and heavy REEs. They also displayed distinct negative anomalies in Ce and Eu, indicating similar distribution patterns. These findings suggested that formation of the banded hydrothermal dolostone occurred during different tectonic events, and the presence of heavy REE-enriched hydrothermal fluids suggested a deep-seated origin. This study has provided preliminary evidence that the Dengying Formation, previously considered to be of the Ediacaran age, has undergone multiple episodes of deep-seated fluid infiltration and alteration since the Mesoproterozoic Era. Importantly, these events coincide with the rifting of the Rodinia and Pannotia supercontinents, aligning with their respective timeframes. This finding raises questions regarding the stratigraphic division and correlation of the formations in the deeply buried core area of the basin.

Abstract The contradiction between the exploitation of coal resources and the protection of the ecological environment in western China is becoming increasingly prominent. Reasonable ecological environment evaluation is the premise for alleviating this contradiction. First, this paper evaluates the eco-environment of Ibei coalfield by combining the genetic projection pursuit model and geographic information system (GIS) and using remote sensing image data and other statistical data of this area. The powerful spatial analysis function of GIS and the advantages of the genetic projection pursuit model in weight calculation have been fully used to improve the reliability of the evaluation results. Furthermore, spatial autocorrelation is used to analyze the spatial characteristics of ecological environment quality in the mining area and plan the specific governance scope. The geographic detector is used to determine the driving factors of the eco-environment of the mining area. The results show that Ibei Coalfield presents a spatially heterogeneous eco-environment pattern. The high-intensity mining area (previously mined area of Ili No.4 Coal Mine) has the worst ecological environment quality, followed by the coal reserve area of Ili No.4 Coal Mine and the planned survey area of Ili No.5 Coal Mine. The eco-environment quality (EEQ) of the study area is affected by both human and natural factors. Mining intensity and surface subsidence are the main human factors affecting the ecological environment in the study area. The main natural factors affecting the ecological environment in the study area are annual average precipitation, elevation, annual average evaporation, NDVI and land use type. Meanwhile, the interaction effect of any two indicators is greater than that of a single indicator. It is also indicated that the eco-environment of the mining area is nonlinearly correlated to impact indicators. The spatial autocorrelation analysis shows three areas that should be treated strategically that are the management area, close attention area and protective area. Corresponding management measures are put forward for different regions. This paper can provide scientific references for mining area eco-environmental protection, which is significant for the sustainability of coal mine projects.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of vericiguat in patients with heart failure (HF). Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature review of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to 14 December 2022 for studies comparing vericiguat with placebo in patients with HF. Clinical data were extracted and cardiovascular deaths, adverse effects, and HF-related hospitalization were analyzed using Review Manager software (version 5.3), after quality assessment of the enrolled studies. Results Four studies (6705 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. There were no significant differences in the basic characteristics of the included studies. There was no significant difference in adverse effects between the vericiguat group and placebo group, and no significant differences between the groups in terms of cardiovascular death and HF hospitalization. Conclusion This meta-analysis indicated that vericiguat was not an effective drug for HF; however, more clinical trials are required to verify its efficacy.

Bone metabolism consists of bone formation and resorption and maintains a dynamic balance in vivo. When bone homeostasis is broken, it can manifest as osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteosarcoma (OS), etc. MiR-671, an important class of non-coding nucleotide sequences in vivo, is regulated by lncRNA and regulates bone metabolism balance by regulating downstream target proteins and activating various signaling pathways. Based on the structure and primary function of miR-671, this paper summarizes the effect and mechanism of miR-671 in bone-related inflammation and cancer diseases, and prospects the application possibility of miR-671, providing reference information for targeted therapy of bone-related disorders.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with complex pathogenesis. In HCC, the possible roles of transcriptional factor WD repeat and HMG-box DNA binding protein 1 (WDHD1) remain unclear. Hence, our study is aimed at verifying the prognosis prediction ability and potential biological mechanisms of WDHD1 in HCC. Results: In this study, a total of 7171 clinical samples were obtained to quantitatively analyze the protein and mRNA expression levels of WDHD1 by using immunohistochemistry, gene microarrays, and high-throughput sequencing technologies. The result of in-house immunohistochemistry assay indicated that WDHD1 protein was remarkably overexpressed in HCC tissues compared with the non-HCC tissues (AUC > 0.99, the single Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = 4.46). The overexpression trend of WDHD1 was validated by the comprehensive analysis based on a total of 4004 HCC tissues and 3167 controls (SMD = 1.333; AUC = 0.91). Moreover, the higher WDHD1 expression resulted in the poorer prognosis of HCC, as assessed by overall survival and relapse-free survival analyses (pooled hazard ratios > 1). WDHD1-coexpressed genes were screened out for enrichment analyses to enquire the prospective signaling pathways of WDHD1 in HCC and to probe the potential transcriptional targets of WDHD1. The WDHD1-coexpressed genes were mainly involved in the division process of chromosome and cell nucleus in HCC. UBA52 was identified as a crucial target of WDHD1. Conclusions: WDHD1 may act as an oncogene in HCC and it has the potential to become a novel marker for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients, which may benefit from the early intervention of HCC.How to cite: He R-Q, Li J-D, He W-Y, et al. Prognosis prediction ability and prospective biological mechanisms of WDHD1 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. Electron J Biotechnol 2022;55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.12.001

Bamboo is a unidirectional fiber-reinforced material with excellent flexibility and flexural toughness arising from its unique cellular hierarchical structure, which creates an urgent demand in the bamboo industry to understand potential mechanisms of those two performances. In this study, a proposed original method was used to quantitatively evaluate the gradient distribution and aggregate structure of fibers on the flexibility and flexural toughness of natural moso (Phyllostachys edulis) bamboo, with a comparison to two other natural wood. Results showed that gradient distribution of fibers across the bamboo culm is the key to bamboo's varying flexibility along the diameter at the tissue level, whereas the asymmetric aggregate structure (vascular bundles) of fibers causes a difference in the flexibility when under different bending directions. Bamboo had possessed high strength and high toughness, but a conflict between the flexibility and flexural toughness existed. Compared to natural wood species of similar density, the flexibility and flexural toughness of bamboo was ∼1.8 and 1.42–4.96 times greater that of wood, respectively. At the cell level, the combination of high-performance hard fibers and soft foamy parenchyma cells act upon the bamboo's flexibility, while the excellent flexural toughness stemmed from the fiber bridging and pull-out caused by high performance and aspect ratio, low microfibrils angle of fibers, and crack deflection along the longitudinal/radial direction. These findings helped contribute critical knowledge surrounding the flexibility and flexural toughness of bamboo, especially for optimizing the process of bamboo-based winding composites pipes (BWCPs).

The cooperative transition of sulfur-containing pollutants of H2S/CO/H2 to the high-value chemical methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) is catalyzed by Mo-based catalysts and has good application prospects. Herein, a series of Al2O3-supported molybdenum carbide catalysts with K doping (denoted herein as K-Mo2C/Al2O3) are fabricated by the impregnation method, with the carbonization process occurring under different atmospheres and different temperatures between 400 and 600 °C. The CH4-K-Mo2C/Al2O3 catalyst carbonized by CH4/H2 at 500 °C displays unprecedented performance in the synthesis of CH3SH from CO/H2S/H2, with 66.1% selectivity and a 0.2990 g·gcat−1·h−1 formation rate of CH3SH at 325 °C. H2 temperature-programmed reduction, temperature-programmed desorption, X-ray diffraction and Raman and BET analyses reveal that the CH4-K-Mo2C/Al2O3 catalyst contains more Mo coordinatively unsaturated surface sites that are responsible for promoting the adsorption of reactants and the desorption of intermediate products, thereby improving the selectivity towards and production of CH3SH. This study systematically investigates the effects of catalyst carbonization and passivation conditions on catalyst activity, conclusively demonstrating that Mo2C-based catalyst systems can be highly selective for producing CH3SH from CO/H2S/H2.

Reconfigurable chiral metasurfaces with a dynamic polarization manipulation capability are highly required in optical integrated systems. In this paper, we simultaneously realized giant and large-range switchable asymmetric transmission (AT) and circular conversion dichroism (CCD) in a vanadium dioxide (VO2) based metasurface. The AT and CCD of the insulator VO2 based metasurface reached 0.95 and 0.92, respectively. Utilizing the insulator-to-metallic phase transition of VO2, the AT and CCD could be continuously switched to near zero. Furthermore, the physics mechanism of the giant and switchable AT and CCD were analyzed. The proposed metasurface with large-range switchable AT and CCD is promising in applications of biochemistry detection, chiral imaging, and biosensing.

Borophene, an emerging two-dimensional (2D) material platform, is capable of supporting highly confined plasmonic modes in the visible and near-infrared wavebands. This provides a novel building block for light manipulation at the deep subwavelength scale, thus making it well-suited for designing ultracompact optical devices. Here, we theoretically explore a borophene-based plasmonic hybrid system comprising a continuous borophene monolayer (CBM) and sodium nanostrip gratings (SNGs), separated by a polymer spacer layer. In such a structure, a dynamically tunable plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) effect can be achieved by strongly coupling dark and bright plasmonic modes, while actively controlling borophene. Here, the bright mode is generated through the localized plasmon resonance of SNGs when directly excited by TM-polarized incident light. Meanwhile, the dark mode corresponds to a propagating borophene surface plasmon (BSP) mode in the CBM waveguide, which cannot be directly excited, but requires phase matching with the assistance of SNGs. The thickness of the polymer layer has a significant impact on the coupling strength of the two modes. Owing to the BSP mode, highly sensitive to variations in the ambient refractive index (RI), this borophene-based hybrid system exhibits a good RI-sensing performance (643.8 nm/RIU) associated with a wide range of dynamically adjustable wavebands (1420–2150 nm) by tuning the electron density of borophene. This work offers a novel concept for designing active plasmonic sensors dependent on electrically gating borophene, which has promising applications in next-generation point-of-care (PoC) biomedical diagnostic techniques.

In nature, some organisms have the ability to camouflage to adapt to environmental changes; they blend with the environment by changing their skin colors. Such a phenomenon is of great significance for the research of adaptive camouflage materials. In this study, we propose a novel design scheme for the study of angle-independent photonic materials and successfully prepare an electrically tunable multi-color display angle-independent inverse opal photonic gel (IOPG). After photopolymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate with ionizable monomer acrylic acid (AA) in a long-range disordered opal template and etching, the angle-independent inverse opal photonic gel is obtained, presenting a single structural color. The electrically responsive color changes can be achieved at different angles. The color of the disordered AA-IOPG changes from green to blue-green when applying +4 V bias voltage and from green to orange when applying −4 V bias voltage. The electrochromism of the disordered AA-IOPG is mainly due to the local pH change caused by water electrolysis under bias voltage, which leads to a change of the swelling ratio. The disordered AA-IOPG shows high color tunability and durability through repeated opposite bias voltage tests, indicating that it is a promising conductive photonic material.

In order to study the relationship between shale oil production and reservoir porosity or the oil content, experimental approaches including FE-SEM, LSCM, nano CT, high pressure mercury injection and nitrogen adsorption combined analysis, NMR analysis and molecular simulation were used to quantitatively analyze the full-scale distribution and occurrence characteristics of shale oil in Permian Lucaogou Formation of the Jimsar Sag, Junggar Basin. There are significant differences in the pore-size distribution of various lithologies in shale oil reservoir of the Jimsar Sag. The dominant lithology are arenaceous dolomite, feldspar lithic siltstone and dolomitic siltstone, and the best one is feldspar lithic fine sand rock, with pores larger than 300 nm accounting for 74.1%, and the main body is intergranular (dissolved) pores and intergranular dissolved pores. Fluid occurs with large heterogeneous in micro-nano scale. Heavy components with fluorescence wavelength between 600 and 800 nm attached to mineral pore surface as thin film in pores with a radius above 300 nm, and filled in pores with a radius below 300 nm. The medium components with fluorescence wavelength between 490 and 600 nm occur in the center of pores above 300 nm. The water content is low, and occurs in the center of the pores above 300 nm wrapped by the medium component. The lower limit of pore throat production of shale oil in the Lucaogou Formation is 50 nm. Above 300 nm, the hydrocarbon in pore throat is easy to be produced and is the main contribution system of current productivity. The recovered crude oil with medium density is mainly from large pore above 300 nm. Pore-throats distributed between 50 to 300 nm are difficult for the shale oil producing, which is the key to enhance oil recovery. Negative pressure and temperature rise can effectively improve the mobility of hydrocarbons in nano-scale pores.

Bamboo is a functionally graded material with natural hygroscopicity, and the study of the response of its cell structure to humidity will help expand its use in textiles and engineering structures. For this purpose, in this study, the hygroscopicity of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) with a gradient fiber structure was assessed by a dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) apparatus and fitted with a Haillwood–Horrobin (H–H) model. The effects of the chemical composition, gradient fiber structure, and mesopore structure of the bamboo were also investigated. The results demonstrate that the hygroscopicity of bamboo gradually increases from the outer to the inner layer along the thickness of the culm wall, which is related to the gradient distribution of the fibers. Based on the H–H model, the hygroscopic mechanism of bamboo was determined as follows. The primary sites derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose act in the low-humidity stage, while the mesopores provide a huge specific surface area (153–132 m2/g), which helps condense water vapor in high-humidity environments. Based on numerical modeling, the hygroscopic ratio of parenchyma cells and fibers was found to be 13:5, indicating that parenchyma cells contribute more to the overall hygroscopicity of moso bamboo. Moreover, the contribution of cellulose to hygroscopicity was found to become gradually higher than that of hemicellulose from the inner to the outer layer due to the increase of the amorphous area (–OH groups). The structure–function relationships between the chemical composition, multi-scale structure, and hygroscopicity identified in this study provide a theoretical basis for bamboo drying and storage technology, as well as the processing and application of bamboo fiber-based composites.

ObjectivePain empathy’s preferential nature tends to trigger prejudice and intergroup conflicts. Given the current degree of proliferation of doctor–patient conflict news in China, this study aims to determine whether readers of doctor–patient news-initiated moral judgments prefer pain empathy for doctors or patients.Materials and methodsThis study utilized localized doctor–patient news with high or low moral performance (based on morality ratings of patients’ behaviors) as moral-judgment-eliciting materials, and painful pictures as pain empathy-eliciting materials. The event-related potential (ERP) technique was utilized to assess moral judgment’s effect on the cognitive empathy component and to investigate electroencephalogram signals’ accuracy in classifying four brain response patterns when facing doctor or patient is experiencing or not experiencing pain.ResultsUnder low moral text material, participants exhibited smaller mean wave amplitude of positive 300 (P3) and late positive potential (LPP) to painful pictures than non-painful pictures when facing patients; under high moral text material, participants exhibited larger mean wave amplitude of P3 and LPP to painful pictures than non-painful pictures when facing doctors. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals’ classification accuracy was significant in 0–1,000 ms in both high and low moral judgments, but the classification accuracy was higher in low moral judgments in some cognitive empathy stages (0.51, 0.53–0.55, 0.66–0.79, and 0.88–1 s).ConclusionUnder low moral judgment, individuals pay less attention to the patient’s (perpetrator’s) pain; under high moral judgment, individuals empathize with the doctor (the person praised), showing that news-induced moral judgment can sway readers’ empathy for different social groups. In cognitive empathy, individuals’ brain representations are more discriminatory under low than high moral judgments when confronted with pain by doctors and patients, which provides insight into objectively recognizing group bias.

Objectives: A growing body of studies related to antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) have been published in recent years. Nevertheless, there is a lack of visualized and systematic analysis in the literature on APS. Hence, this study sought to conduct a bibliometric analysis to identify research status and discover frontiers in the field.Methods: Articles and reviews concerning APS were acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. CiteSpace, VOSviewer and a bibliometric online analysis platform were employed to conduct a visualization and knowledge-map analysis.Results: A total of 1,390 publications regarding APS were identified. Globally, Italy contributed the most publications. The University of Padua was the most productive institution. Lupus ranked first in both the most published and most co-cited journals. Savino Sciascia and Spiros Miyakis were the most prolific and most co-cited authors, respectively. “Vitamin K antagonists (VKA)” and “immunoglobulin A (IgA)” were current research foci. Burst analysis of keywords suggested that “neutrophil extracellular trap (NET),” “direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC),” “open label,” “outcome,” “hydroxychloroquine (HCQ),” and “arterial thrombosis (AT)” were significant future research frontiers.Conclusion: The scientific literature on APS has increased steadily in the past 10 years. The clinical studies on the treatment and mechanism research of APS are recognized as promising research hotspots in the domain of APS. The research status and trends of APS publications from the bibliometric perspective can provide a practical guide and important reference for subsequent studies by researchers and physicians in the domain.

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multi-factorial heterogeneous syndrome that has both adverse reproductive and metabolic implications for affected women and its management is a challenging clinical problem. Curcumin, as a phenolic compound with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties exerting positive effects on the lipid profile and insulin resistance, appears to be a valuable treatment regimen for patients with PCOS.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of curcumin in the treatment of PCOS.MethodsChinese databases (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine Databases, VIP database, Wanfang Database, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry) and English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Clinical trials) were thoroughly investigated through screening randomized controlled trials on curcumin in PCOS published from the date of inception to May 2022. Standardized data search and abstraction were conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics.ResultsA total of 447 patients from seven randomized controlled trials were included in the meta‐analysis. Results showed that the ingestion of curcumin decreased body mass index (WMD -0.267, 95% CI -0.450 to -0.084, P = 0.004, I2 = 0.0%), fasting plasma glucose (WMD -3.618, 95% CI -5.165 to -2.071, P < 0.001, I2 = 20.4%), insulin (WMD -1.834, 95% CI -2.701 to -0.968, P < 0.001, I2 = 8.4%), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (WMD -0.565, 95% CI -0.779 to -0.351, P < 0.001, I2 = 0.0%), total cholesterol (WMD -15.591, 95% CI -27.908 to -3.273, P = 0.013, I2 = 68.9%), C-reactive protein (WMD -0.785, 95% CI -1.553 to -0.017, P = 0.045, I2 = 23.9%), and increased the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (WMD 0.011, 95% CI 0.005 to 0.017, P = 0.001, I2 = 39.6%). As for safety, the treatment group did not cause significant adverse reactions than that in the control group.ConclusionIn light of presented findings, curcumin has beneficial effects on serum markers of inflammation, weight loss and glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with PCOS. The incidence of adverse reactions does not increase with the application of curcumin. However, a larger, more definitive study is needed to further investigate these results.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022332394.

Abstract Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for premature mortality. Although alcohol control policies are known to impact all-cause mortality rates, the effect that policies have on specific age groups is an important area of research. This study investigates the effect of alcohol control policies implemented in 2009 and 2017 in Lithuania on all-cause mortality rates. All-cause mortality rates (deaths per 100,000 people) were obtained for 2001–2018 by 10-year age groups (20–29, 30–39, 40–49 years, etc.). All-cause mortality rates, independent of macro-level secular trends (e.g., economic trends) were examined. Following a joinpoint analysis to control for secular trends, an interrupted time series analysis showed that alcohol control policies had a significant effect on all-cause mortality rates (p = .018), with the most significant impact occurring among young adults (20–29 and 30–39 years of age). For these age groups, their mortality rate decreased during the 12 months following policy implementation (following the policy in 2009 for those 20–29 years of age, p = .0026, and following the policy in 2017 for those 30–39 years of age, p = .011). The results indicate that alcohol control policy can impact all-cause mortality rates, above and beyond secular trends, and that the impact is significant among young adults.

Abstract Background It remains unclear whether alcohol use disorders (AUDs) can be characterized by specific levels of average daily alcohol consumption. The aim of the current study was to model the distributions of average daily alcohol consumption among those who consume alcohol and those with alcohol dependence, the most severe AUD, using various clustering techniques. Methods Data from Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions were used in the current analyses. Clustering algorithms were applied in order to group a set of data points that represent the average daily amount of alcohol consumed. Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs) were then used to estimate the likelihood of a data point belonging to one of the mixture distributions. Individuals were assigned to the clusters which had the highest posterior probabilities from the GMMs, and their treatment utilization rate was examined for each of the clusters. Results Modeling alcohol consumption via clustering techniques was feasible. The clusters identified did not point to alcohol dependence as a separate cluster characterized by a higher level of alcohol consumption. Among both females and males with alcohol dependence, daily alcohol consumption was relatively low. Conclusions Overall, we found little evidence for clusters of people with the same drinking distribution, which could be characterized as clinically relevant for people with alcohol use disorders as currently defined.

Bacteria produce a large number of virulence factors through the quorum sensing (QS) mechanism. Inhibiting such QS system of the pathogens without disturbing their growth is a potential strategy to control multi-drug-resistant pathogens. To accomplish this, two new tremulane-type sesquiterpenoids, irpexolaceus H (1) and I (2), along with two known furan compounds, irpexlacte B (3) and C (4), were isolated from Orychophragmus violaceus (L.) OE Schulz endophytic fungus Irpex lacteus (Fr.) Fr. Their structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data (NMR, HRESIMS, IR, and UV), single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analysis. Furthermore, those compounds were evaluated for anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) activity, and compound 3 was found contributing to the potential QS inhibitory activity.

Abstract Background The progression of coagulation in COVID-19 patients with confirmed discharge status and the combination of autopsy with complete hemostasis parameters have not been well studied. Objective To clarify the thrombotic phenomena and hemostasis state in COVID-19 patients based on epidemiological statistics combining autopsy and statistical analysis. Methods Using autopsy results from 9 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and the medical records of 407 patients, including 39 deceased patients whose discharge status was certain, time-sequential changes in 11 relevant indices within mild, severe and critical infection throughout hospitalization according to the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) guidelines were evaluated. Statistical tools were applied to calculate the importance of 11 indices and the correlation between those indices and the severity of COVID-19. Results At the beginning of hospitalization, platelet (PLT) counts were significantly reduced in critically ill patients compared with severely or mildly ill patients. Blood glucose (GLU), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and D-dimer levels in critical patients were increased compared with mild and severe patients during the entire admission period. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score was also high in critical patients. In the relatively late stage of nonsurvivors, the temporal changes in PLT count, PT, and D-dimer levels were significantly different from those in survivors. A random forest model indicated that the most important feature was PT followed by D-dimer, indicating their positive associations with disease severity. Autopsy of deceased patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for DIC revealed microthromboses in multiple organs. Conclusions Combining autopsy data, time-sequential changes and statistical methods to explore hemostasis-relevant indices among the different severities of the disease helps guide therapy and detect prognosis in COVID-19 infection.