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Abstract. Background:. Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (TBL) is a major cause of mortality and top contributor to productivity loss in large emerging economies such as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). We examined the time trends of TBL mortality across the BRICS to better understand the disease burden in these countries and inform public health and healthcare resource allocation. Methods:. TBL mortality-related data between 1990 and 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and analyzed using age–period–cohort models. Net drift (local drift) was used to describe the expected age-adjusted TBL mortality rate over time overall (each age group); the longitudinal age curve was used to reflect the age effect; the period rate ratios (RRs) were used to reflect the period effect; and the cohort RR was used to reflect the cohort effect. Results:. In 2019, there were 958.3 thousand TBL deaths across the BRICS, representing 46.9% of the global TBL deaths. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of TBL decreased in Russia, Brazil, and South Africa while increased in China and India, with the largest reduction reported in Russia (–29.6%) and the largest increase in China (+22.4%). India showed an overall increase (+15.7%) in TBL mortality but the mortality risk decreased among individuals born after 1990 (men) and 1995 (women). Although South Africa and Brazil experienced an overall decline in TBL mortality, their recent birth cohorts, such as Brazilian individuals born after 1985 (men) and 1980 (women), and South African men born after 1995, had an increasing TBL mortality risk. China has experienced an overall increase in TBL mortality, with the mortality risk rising among individuals born after 1995 for both men and women. Russia, which had the highest TBL mortality among the BRICS countries in 1990, has demonstrated significant improvement over the past three decades. Conclusions:. Over the past 30 years, the BRICS accounted for an increasing proportion of global TBL mortality. TBL mortality increased in older women in all the BRICS countries except Russia. Among the recent birth cohort, the risk of TBL mortality increased in Brazil, China, and South Africa. More effective efforts are needed in the BRICS to reduce the burden of TBL and help achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The effects of different food source proteins on the growth characteristics and intestinal adhesion of Lactobacillus plantarum 45 (LP45) were investigated by adding Ilisha elongata protein, soy protein and whey protein to the probiotic bacteria in vitro and using a probiotic adhesion model based on mouse intestinal tissues. Ilisha elongata protein and soy protein significantly reduced the growth time of LP45 and increased the total number of colonies fermented by LP45; whey protein only reduced the growth time of LP45; the effect of the three food source proteins on the acid production capacity of LP45 was small. These showed that the three food-derived proteins promoted the proliferation and adhesion of probiotics in the intestine, which were beneficial to the active role of intestinal probiotics and improved the intestinal microenvironment.

BackgroundHigh body mass index (BMI) is an important risk factor for stroke. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term trend of high BMI-attributed stroke mortality and make projections through 2030.MethodsData were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and World Population Prospects 2019. An age-period-cohort framework was used in the analysis.ResultsFrom 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of high BMI-attributed stroke among females decreased by 15.2%, while among males, it increased by 31.1%. All of the age groups studied showed an increasing pattern over the last 30 years in males, and in female, the age groups encompassing participants who were 25–69 years old showed a decreasing pattern. In the same birth cohort, high BMI-attributable stroke mortality rates increased exponentially with age in both sexes. For females, the period rate ratios (RR) showed a downward trend after 2000–2004, and the cohort RR also showed a downward trend after the birth cohort 1930–1934. For males, the period RR showed an upward trend, but this increase was halted in the most recent period, and the cohort RRs showed a monotonic increasing pattern. It was projected that the ASMR of high BMI-attributed stroke would decrease among females and increase among males in the near future and that the proportion of elderly individuals with death due to high BMI-attributed stroke was projected to increase.ConclusionsOver the last three decades, the high BMI-attributed stroke mortality rate decreased among females and increased among males, and these trends are projected to continue in the future. In addition, the proportion of elderly individuals with high BMI-attributed stroke mortality was projected to increase gradually in both men and women. More health-promoting efforts are needed, especially for elderly individuals and males.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) resemble human embryonic stem cells with potential to differentiate into cells of all adult tissues. Nonetheless human iPSCs may have an epigenetic memory of their donor tissue origin, are easier to differentiate to those lineages, and their potential to other cell fates can be controlled. We generated a human iPSC line CIBi011-A from amniocytes of a healthy fetus. CIBi011-A serves as a useful source to investigate the epigenetic memory of iPSCs. As an iPSC line from a healthy donor, this line can also serve as a potential cell source from which to develop stem cell-based cell therapies.

ASGR1 is a liver-specific surface marker that has been used to purify human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived hepatocytes (iHeps). Furthermore, ASGR1+ iHeps represents a more mature subpopulation of iHeps. To utilize this marker for optimizing iHep differentiation and purification, we substituted the stop coden of ASGR1 with a fluorescent reporter protein mCherry in a human iPSC line iPSN0052 via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologus recombination. The generated CIBi010-A enableds us to monitor ASGR1 expression during hepatic differentiation and thus can be used to optimize our hepatic differentiation procedures.

This study examined associations between hair, salivary, serum, and urinary cortisol concentration with adiposity-related indicators in children, and explored their potential effects modification by age, sex, cortisol measurement method, and country developmental context. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for studies examining at least one of the four aforementioned cortisol with objectively measured adiposity-related outcomes in children. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional studies revealed that hair cortisol concentration was associated with fat mass index (FMI)-standard deviation score (SDS)/FMI z-score (pooled-β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.08) and BMI/BMI z-score (pooled-β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.25), and these associations were significant among children aged ≤ 12 years (pooled-β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.26) and >12 years (pooled-β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.22), children from developed countries (pooled β = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21) and developing countries (pooled-β = 0.193, 95% CI: 0.188, 0.198), and in studies extracting cortisol via LC-MS/MS (pooled-β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.29) but not ELISA (pooled-β = 0.08, 95% CI: −0.06, 0.22). Meta-analyses of both cohort and cross-sectional studies revealed non-significant associations of morning salivary cortisol concentration and total daily cortisol output with BMI/BMI z-score. Serum cortisol concentration was not associated with BMI or waist circumference. Meta-analysis of urinary cortisol concentration and adiposity was hindered by insufficient data. These findings further corroborate understanding of chronic stress’ physiological contribution to increased pediatric obesity risk.Systematic Review Registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails], identifier [CRD42020215111].

BackgroundSmoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure rates are much higher in China than in other countries. A smoke-free policy was implemented in Xi'an, a city in Shaanxi Province, China, on November 1, 2018. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the smoke-free policy on changes in hospital admissions for acute ischemic heart disease (AIHD) and stroke in Xi'an.MethodsAll subjects had been hospitalized for AIHD or stroke from February 9, 2017 to December 25, 2019 (study period: 150 weeks) in six randomly selected public hospitals out of 36 tertiary hospitals in Xi'an. A generalized additive model developed using an interrupted time series design was used to compare immediate and annual percent changes in hospital admissions before and after policy implementation.ResultsThe study included 31,400 cases (16,656 cases of AIHD and 14,744 cases of stroke) from 6 hospitals in Xi'an. Immediately after implementation of the smoke-free policy, AIHD admissions were reduced significantly (−31.66%, 95% CI: – 39.45 to −22.86%), but stroke admissions were not (−4.94%, 95% CI: −13.26 to 4.17%). The annual reduction in stroke-related admissions (−14.54%, 95% CI: −23.53 to −4.49%) and the annual increase in AIHD-related admissions (40.58%, 95% CI: 22.08 to 61.87%) were significant. Although there was no significant reduction in AIHD admissions, stroke admissions were significantly reduced by −15.73% (from 7,350 to 6,194) after implementation of the smoke-free policy in Xi'an.ConclusionThe smoke-free policy had different effects on hospital admissions for AIHD and stroke in Xi'an. Xi'an should improve its smoke-free legislation and expand the measures to maintain or achieve additional significant health benefits. These findings can guide the formulation and implementation of regional and national smoke-free policies.

Distributed tuned mass dampers (dTMD) can effectively mitigate the broadband vibration of a structure. However, when the vibration frequency in question reaches several hundred hertz, traditional optimization methods represented by fixed point theory are difficult to apply due to dense modal density, complex boundary conditions, and vibration inputs. This paper proposes the minimax method based on modal damping to optimize the oscillator’s frequency. Two typical wall panel specimens are tested to evaluate the proposed method. The mode shape of the uncontrolled wall and the vibration mitigation effect of the stacked sandwich-damped TMD under single-point bidirectional excitation is tested. The correlation between the modal damping and the vibration mitigation effect is evaluated. The results show that the RC wall panel has a dense mode when the frequency of interest reaches 300 Hz and above; the distributed stacked sandwich-damped TMDs can effectively mitigate the vibration of the RC wall panel in the frequency range of 200~450 Hz; and that the idea of optimizing the frequency of dTMD based on modal damping is feasible.

The effects of aquatic proteins on the proliferation and adhesion of intestinal probiotic bacteria were investigated by in vitro fermentation and mouse in vitrointestinal tissue models. Compared with the control group, the Illisha elongata protein reduced the growth time of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP45) by 34.25% and increased the total number of colonies by 6.61%. The Ilisha elongata salt-solubale protein performed better than water-soluble protein in vitro proliferation of LP45. Ilisha elongata salt-soluble protein significantly increased the number of viable bacteria adhering to intestinal, and caused changes in the amount of polysaccharides, proteins and biofilms in the intestinal tissue model. These results indicate that the Ilisha elongata protein is beneficial to the proliferation and adhesion of probiotics in the intestinal, and can be used as an active protein beneficial to intestinal health.

The 46, XX male sex reversal syndrome (SRS) is a rare disease with a gender dysplasia phenotype. Scientists concur that SRS is associated with translocation of the sex-determining region Y gene (SRY). We obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)from an 18-year-old male with SRS to generate an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line (SMUSHi001-A). Karyotyping analysis of the patient PBMCs revealed a normal 46, XX karyotype carrying the SRY gene. Pluripotent markers were successfully detected in SMUSHi001-A which can be differentiated into three germ layers in vitro. This cell line will provide a cell model for exploring the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic methods of SRS.

Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are susceptible to premature coronary artery disease. We generated a human iPSC line CIBi009-A from a patient with FH who carried variants of LDLR c.T1241G and APOB c.G1618T. This line will be a valuable resource for investigating novel therapeutic approaches to FH.

The human transcription factor NKX2-5 plays an important role in cardiac formation and development, and thus it can be used for isolation of cardiomyocytes (CMs) differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Here, we knocked-in enhanced GFP (eGFP) and Pac (a puromycin resistant gene; PuroR) into the exon 1 coding region of NKX2-5 from a human iPSC line iPSN0003 using TALENs. The generated GIBHi002-A-2 enables us to monitor and optimize cardiac differentiation procedures via the cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs), as well as to isolate iPSC-derived CMs for drug screening.

β-thalassemia is mostly caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in HBB. We generated a human iPSC line CIBi008-A from amniotic fluid-derived cells of a fetus with β-thalassemia major, carrying compound heterozygous −28A > G and IVS-II-654C > T variants in HBB gene. This line will be a valuable resource for disease modeling and testing gene therapies for β-thalassemia.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with spastic diplegia and visual defects (NEDSDV) is a rare disease. Patients with NEDSDV are usually accompanied by microcephaly, severe mental retardation, spasticity, and global developmental delay. Recent studies showed that mutations in CTNNB1 are responsible for the phenotype. Here, we generated an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line (SBWCHi001-A) from an 18-month-old patient with NEDSDV, who harbored a de novo heterozygous mutation in CTNNB1. The transduced iPSCs expressed pluripotency markers, and could differentiate into three germ layers in vitro. This cell line will be a cell model to explore the pathogenesis of NEDSDV and discover potential therapies.

Variations in PRKN or HTRA2 are associated with Parkinson’s disease. We generated a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line CIBi007-A from a patient with young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) who carried variants in PRKN and HTRA2. The generated iPSCs resembled human embryonic stem cells, expressed pluripotency markers, exhibited a normal karyotype, and could be differentiated into three germ layers in vitro. This line will be valuable for investigating disease mechanisms of YOPD and screening candidate drugs.

In recent years, teleoperation has experienced rapid development. Numerous teleoperation applications in diverse areas have been reported. Among all teleoperation-related components, computer vision (CV) is treated as one of the must-have technologies, because it allows users to observe remote scenarios. In addition, CV can further help the user to identify and track the desired targets from complex scenes. It has been proven that efficient CV methods can significantly improve the operation accuracy and relieve user’s physical and mental fatigue. Therefore, furthering understanding about CV techniques and reviewing the latest research outcomes is necessary for teleoperation designers. In this context, this review article was composed.

Abstract Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is hallmarked by a high degree of heterogeneity. To address this heterogeneity, a classification scheme was developed based on gene expression patterns of 1538 tumours. Five, biologically distinct subgroups — Epi‐A, Epi‐B, Mes, Stem‐A and Stem‐B — exhibited significantly distinct clinicopathological characteristics, deregulated pathways and patient prognoses, and were validated using independent datasets. To identify subtype‐specific molecular targets, ovarian cancer cell lines representing these molecular subtypes were screened against a genome‐wide shRNA library. Focusing on the poor‐prognosis Stem‐A subtype, we found that two genes involved in tubulin processing, TUBGCP4 and NAT10, were essential for cell growth, an observation supported by a pathway analysis that also predicted involvement of microtubule‐related processes. Furthermore, we observed that Stem‐A cell lines were indeed more sensitive to inhibitors of tubulin polymerization, vincristine and vinorelbine, than the other subtypes. This subtyping offers new insights into the development of novel diagnostic and personalized treatment for EOC patients.

Background/Aim: In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, radiotherapy (RT) stands as a pivotal approach, yet the emergence of radioresistance poses a formidable challenge. This study aimed to explore the potential synergy between quetiapine and RT for HCC treatment. Materials and Methods: A Hep3B xenograft mouse model was used, the investigation tracked tumor progression, safety parameters, and molecular mechanisms. Results: The findings revealed a synergistic anti-HCC effect when quetiapine was coupled with RT that prolonged tumor growth time and a significantly higher growth inhibition rate compared to the control group. Safety assessments indicated minimal pathological changes, suggesting potential of quetiapine in mitigating RT-induced alterations in liver and kidney functions. Mechanistically, the combination suppressed metastasis and angiogenesis-related proteins, while triggering the activation of apoptosis-related proteins via targeting Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signaling. Conclusion: The potential of the quetiapine and RT combination is emphasized, offering enhanced anti-HCC efficacy, a safety profile, and positioning quetiapine as a radiosensitizer for HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]