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Abstract Initial research indicates a possible connection between exposure to phthalates and the development of anemia. To fill the gap in epidemiological data, our study utilized data from across the United States, representative on a national scale, to evaluate the association between the concentration of phthalate metabolites in urine and both anemia and iron levels. We gathered data on 11,406 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database, spanning 2003–2018. We conducted logistic and linear regression analyses, adjusted for potential confounding factors, to evaluate the correlations between different phthalate metabolites and anemia, as well as serum iron levels, including gender-stratified analysis. Most urinary phthalate metabolites were positively correlated with an increased risk of anemia, and the majority were negatively correlated with serum iron levels. The study revealed that for every unit increase in ln-transformed metabolite concentrations, the odds ratios (ORs) for anemia increased to varying degrees, depending on the phthalate: Monobutyl phthalate (MBP) at 1.08 (95% CI 1.01–1.17, P = 0.0314), mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP) at 1.17 (95% CI 1.10–1.24, P

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) vision systems based on deep neural networks (DNNs) have made remarkable advancements, demonstrating impressive performance. However, due to the inherent characteristics of DNNs, these systems have become increasingly vulnerable to adversarial attacks. Traditional black-box attack methods typically require a large number of queries to generate adversarial samples successfully. In this paper, we propose a novel adversarial attack technique designed to achieve efficient black-box attacks with a minimal number of queries. We define a perturbation generator that first decomposes the image into four frequency bands using wavelet decomposition and then searches for adversarial perturbations across these bands by minimizing a weighted loss function on a set of fixed surrogate models. For the target victim model, the perturbation images generated by the perturbation generator are used to query and update the weights in the loss function, as well as the weights for different frequency bands. Experimental results show that, compared to state-of-the-art methods on various image classifiers trained on ImageNet (such as VGG-19, DenseNet-121, and ResNext-50), our method achieves a success rate over 98% for targeted attacks and nearly a 100% success rate for non-targeted attacks with only 1–2 queries per image.

Abstract The combination of genome editing and primordial germ cell (PGC) transplantation has enormous significance in the study of developmental biology and genetic breeding, despite its low efficiency due to limited number of donor PGCs. Here, we employ a combination of germplasm factors to convert blastoderm cells into induced PGCs (iPGCs) in zebrafish and obtain functional gametes either through iPGC transplantation or via the single blastomere overexpression of germplasm factors. Zebrafish-derived germplasm factors convert blastula cells of Gobiocypris rarus into iPGCs, and Gobiocypris rarus spermatozoa can be produced by iPGC-transplanted zebrafish. Moreover, the combination of genome knock-in and iPGC transplantation perfectly resolves the contradiction between high knock-in efficiency and early lethality during embryonic stages and greatly improves the efficiency of genome knock-in. Together, we present an efficient method for generating PGCs in a teleost, a technique that will have a strong impact in basic research and aquaculture.

BackgroundThe number of models developed for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasing, but the performance of these models is unknown. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate, describe, and compare existing models and analyze the factors that can predict outcomes.MethodsWe adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 during the execution of this review. Databases including Embase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, and SINOMED were comprehensively searched for identifying studies published from 1977 to 19 May 2023. Model development studies specifically designed for assessing the occurrence of MACE after PCI with or without external validation were included. Bias and transparency were evaluated by the Prediction Model Risk Of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) and Transparent Reporting of a multivariate Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) statement. The key findings were narratively summarized and presented in tables.ResultsA total of 5,234 articles were retrieved, and after thorough screening, 23 studies that met the predefined inclusion criteria were ultimately included. The models were mainly constructed using data from individuals diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The discrimination of the models, as measured by the area under the curve (AUC) or C-index, varied between 0.638 and 0.96. The commonly used predictor variables include LVEF, age, Killip classification, diabetes, and various others. All models were determined to have a high risk of bias, and their adherence to the TRIPOD items was reported to be over 60%.ConclusionThe existing models show some predictive ability, but all have a high risk of bias due to methodological shortcomings. This suggests that investigators should follow guidelines to develop high-quality models for better clinical service and dissemination.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=400835, Identifier CRD42023400835.

Background and aimsAnemia is a widespread global health concern, and recent research has unveiled a link between anemia and inflammation. The Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) is a novel tool used to assess the overall inflammatory potential of an individual’s diet. However, until now, there have been no studies demonstrating a connection between DII and anemia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between DII and the risk of anemia among Americans, as well as to examine the influence of other risk factors on this association.MethodsData from 32,244 patients were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database spanning from 1999 to 2018. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the correlation between DII and anemia. Subgroup analyses and smoothed curve analyses were conducted to further investigate the association between DII and anemia.ResultsThe analysis revealed a significant positive association between higher DII scores and increased anemia risk in the American population (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.03 to 1.09, p

Abstract In dentistry, orthodontic root resorption is a long-lasting issue with no effective treatment strategy, and its mechanisms, especially those related to senescent cells, remain largely unknown. Here, we used an orthodontic intrusion tooth movement model with an L-loop in rats to demonstrate that mechanical stress-induced senescent cells aggravate apical root resorption, which was prevented by administering senolytics (a dasatinib and quercetin cocktail). Our results indicated that cementoblasts and periodontal ligament cells underwent cellular senescence (p21+ or p16+) and strongly expressed receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (RANKL) from day three, subsequently inducing tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive odontoclasts and provoking apical root resorption. More p21+ senescent cells expressed RANKL than p16+ senescent cells. We observed only minor changes in the number of RANKL+ non-senescent cells, whereas RANKL+ senescent cells markedly increased from day seven. Intriguingly, we also found cathepsin K+p21+p16+ cells in the root resorption fossa, suggesting senescent odontoclasts. Oral administration of dasatinib and quercetin markedly reduced these senescent cells and TRAP+ cells, eventually alleviating root resorption. Altogether, these results unveil those aberrant stimuli in orthodontic intrusive tooth movement induced RANKL+ early senescent cells, which have a pivotal role in odontoclastogenesis and subsequent root resorption. These findings offer a new therapeutic target to prevent root resorption during orthodontic tooth movement.

Background Patients often experience postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) because of the use of opioids for anaesthesia and analgesia during the procedure. Some clinical trials have demonstrated that acupuncture-assisted anaesthesia (AAA) reduces opioid consumption and prevents PONV. Although several studies have been conducted on AAA, its safety and efficacy in AF catheter ablation remain unclear due to small sample sizes and a paucity of methodologically rigorous designs. Therefore, this trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AAA in reducing PONV and morphine hydrochloride consumption during catheter ablation.Methods This single-centre, patient-blinded, randomised, non-penetrating sham-controlled trial will be conducted in China. A total of 100 patients will be randomly assigned to the AAA and conventional anaesthesia (CA) groups in a ratio of 1:1. The patients will receive AAA or CA plus sham acupuncture during catheter ablation and will be followed up for 30 days. The primary outcomes include the total amount of morphine hydrochloride consumed during catheter ablation and PONV within the first 24 hours after the procedure. The secondary outcomes include pain, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, patient’s ability to cope during catheter ablation, AF recurrence and quality of life, as assessed using the numeric rating scale. Adverse events will be recorded and their influence will be analysed at the end of the trial.Discussion This study will help in evaluating the safety and efficacy of AAA applied for AF catheter ablation in reducing opioid doses during the procedure and the occurrence of PONV.Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences if possible.Trial registration number ChiCTR 2100042646; Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.

Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASPs) secreted from senescent cells often cause the deleterious damages to the surrounding tissues. Although dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells prepared are considered a promising cell source for regenerative therapies, SASPs from DFAT cells undergoing long-term cell culture, which latently induce replicative senescence, have barely been explored. The present study was designed to investigate senescent behaviors in rat-derived DFAT cells at high passage numbers and to analyze the possible types of SASPs. Our data show that DFAT cells undergo senescence during replicative passaging, as determined by multiple senescent hallmarks including morphological changes in cell shape and nucleus. Moreover, RT2 PCR array analysis indicated that senescent DFAT cells expressed higher levels of 16 inflammatory cytokines (Ccl11, Ccl12, Ccl21, Ccl5, Csf2, Cxcl1, Cxcl12, Ifna2, IL11, IL12a, IL13, IL1a, IL1rn, IL6, Mif, and Tnf) associated with SASPs than non-senescent cells. This study implicates that rat DFAT cells undergo cellular senescence after long-term cell culture; cautious consideration should be paid to treat SASP secretion when senescent DFAT cells are used in regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]