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Objective: To develop a machine learning-based clinical and/or radiomics model for predicting the primary site of brain metastases using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Materials and Methods: A total of 202 patients (87 males, 115 females) with 439 brain metastases were retrospectively included, divided into training sets (brain metastases of lung cancer [BMLC] n  = 194, brain metastases of breast cancer [BMBC] n  = 108, brain metastases of gastrointestinal tumor [BMGiT] n  = 48) and test sets (BMLC n  = 50, BMBC n  = 27, BMGiT n  = 12). A total of 3,404 quantitative image features were obtained through semi-automatic segmentation from MRI images (T1WI, T2WI, FLAIR, and T1-CE). Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to examine segmentation stability between two radiologists. Radiomics features were selected using analysis of variance (ANOVA), recursive feature elimination (RFE), and Kruskal-Wallis test. Three machine learning classifiers were used to build the radiomics model, which was validated using five-fold cross-validation on the training set. A comprehensive model combining radiomics and clinical features was established, and the diagnostic performance was compared by area under the curve (AUC) and evaluated in an independent test set., Results: The radiomics model differentiated BMGiT from BMLC (13 features, AUC = 0.915 ± 0.071) or BMBC (20 features, AUC = 0.954 ± 0.064) with high accuracy, while the classification between BMLC and BMBC was unsatisfactory (11 features, AUC = 0.729 ± 0.114). However, the combined model incorporating radiomics and clinical features improved the predictive performance, with AUC values of 0.965 for BMLC vs. BMBC, 0.991 for BMLC vs. BMGiT, and 0.935 for BMBC vs. BMGiT., Conclusion: The machine learning-based radiomics model demonstrates significant potential in distinguishing the primary sites of brain metastases, and may assist screening of primary tumor when brain metastasis is suspected whereas history of primary tumor is absent., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Yang, Su, Li, Zhao and Yue.)

Carbon based materials are widely used in the preparation of microwave absorption materials due to their low density, high attenuation loss and large specific surface area. However, their high conductivity usually leads to high reflection loss. In this study, multi-layer heterogeneous interfaces were constructed in liquid metal graphite hybrid powder to reduce reflection loss and enhance microwave absorption performance. Gallium oxide (Ga 2 O 3 ) layer was formed in Ga coated graphite powder to improve impedance matching and attenuation constant via an annealing treatment. Specifically, the hybrid particles with 50 wt% Ga and being annealed at 120 °C for 2 h have a minimum reflection loss (RL min ) value of -42.68 dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.11 GHz at a thickness of 3.3 mm. The hybrid particles not only have multi-layer structures with different electrical conductivity, but also form heterojunctions between different interfaces, which can further enhance dipole and interfacial polarization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Heavy metal contamination and pesticide residues pose significant threats to human health and ecosystems. Despite its broad applications, fluorescence imaging technology often struggles in complex ecological and biological environments due to disadvantages of background autofluorescence and low quantum yield. This study introduced a near-infrared (NIR) multifunctional "off-on-off" isophorone-based fluorescent bio-probe, DHB, characterized by a high fluorescence quantum yield (10.22 %), a large Stokes shift (220 nm), exceptional selectivity, and remarkable multi-cycle reversibility. It is capable of continuously and sensitively detecting Pb 2 + and glyphosate (Glyp). Notably, DHB and DHB-Pb 2+ ensemble have demonstrated exceptional detection capabilities for Pb 2+ and Glyp in various real samples, including living HeLa cells, rice roots, zebrafish and mice, due to its enhanced metabolic rate and low toxicity. When combined with advanced imaging technology, this fluorescent biological probe serves as a powerful tool for the rapid and accurate detection of Pb 2+ and Glyp in intricate environmental monitoring and biological systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Voagafries A-E, five undescribed monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), were isolated from the stem bark of Voacanga africana. Voagafrie A (1) has a unique 6/5/5/6/6 spiral ring skeleton with an indolone-fused 9-oxo-3-aza-tricyclo[6,3,1,0 3,7 ]-12-alkane-10-carbonyllactone. Voagafrie B (2) is a rare 5,6-seco diazine scaffold, whereas voagafrie C (3) possesses an octahydropyrrolo[2,3-b] pyrrole-fused 2,8-diazabicyclo[3.3.1] nonane. In addition, voagafrie D (4) represents an additional 3C ibogamine-type MIA. Their structures were elucidated using extensive spectroscopic and computational analyses and a plausible biosynthetic pathway originating from conopharyngine was proposed. Furthermore, voagafries B (2) and E (5) exhibited significant cytotoxicity against SH-SY5Y at 10 μmol/L with cell viabilities of 72.7 ± 3.8 and 79.5 ± 2.1, respectively, which were comparable to that of the positive drug paclitaxel (64.1 ± 0.9). Based on the research on several cell death-related factors, these compounds may be involved in apoptosis; therefore, it is necessary to advance our understanding of them through future studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The high toxicity of thiamethoxam (Thi) to foragers has threatened the development of bee populations and the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. In this study, we explored the mechanism of selective feeding on azadirachtin (Aza) by foragers to reduce the feeding of Aza-Thi and improve foragers' safety. The results showed that foragers under selective feeding significantly reduced the Aza sucrose solution intake. The Thi content in foragers was significantly lower, and the mortality rate was significantly reduced. In order to further analyze the selective feeding of foragers on Aza, the classic proboscis extension response (PER) experiment showed that Aza did not affect the learning ability of foragers, and the expression of related genes was not significantly different from the regular PER foragers. Further analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that compared with the regular PER foragers, treated with Aza were significantly affected in metabolic pathways and peroxisome and 67 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were up-regulated and 136 were down-regulated. Differential metabolite analysis showed that metabolites primarily enriched in caffeine metabolism and microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and only dibucaine was up-regulated in response to Aza treatment. It is worth noting that dibucaine was significantly positively correlated with differentially expressed genes. Thus, our findings revealed that Aza does not affect the expression of memory genes in foragers. Aza affected the regular metabolic levels of foragers, leading to selective feeding of foragers on Aza, reduced intake of Aza-Thi, and increased safety for foragers. This study provides a reference for applying Aza to selective mechanisms in foragers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Accurately monitoring the content of Cu 2+ and Hg 2+ in real samples and biological systems is of great significance in ensuring food safety and human health. Therefore, developing efficient methods for simultaneously detecting Cu 2+ and Hg 2+ is of great significance in living organisms and real samples. In this work, a bifunctional ratiometric and colorimetric fluorescent bio-sensor DPT-1, was designed and synthesized using triphenylamine to specifically and concurrently detect Cu 2+ and Hg 2+ exhibited varying degrees of fluorescence quenching through "turn-off" fluorescence. Furthermore, DPT-1 effectively detected Cu 2+ and Hg 2+ in various real samples, encompassing tap water, Songhua River water, and honeysuckle extract. In addition, DPT-1 exhibited remarkable performance in detecting Cu 2+ /Hg 2+ in rice roots, living cells and zebrafish. As research progressed, the discoveries outlined in this article offered the versatile potential for holding promise for food safety monitoring and biological research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Matrigel is the most commonly used matrix for 3D organoid cultures. Research on the biomaterial basis of Matrigel for organoid cultures is a highly challenging field. Currently, many studies focus on Matrigel-based biological macromolecules or combinations to construct natural Matrigel and synthetic hydrogel scaffolds based on collagen, peptides, polysaccharides, microbial transglutaminase, DNA supramolecules, and polymers for organoid culture. In this review, we discuss the limitations of both natural and synthetic Matrigel, and describe alternative scaffolds that have been employed for organoid cultures. The patient-derived organoids were constructed in different cancer types and limitations of animal-derived organoids based on the hydrogel or Matrigel. The constructed techniques utilizing 3D bioprinting platforms, air-liquid interface (ALI) culture, microfluidic culture, and organ-on-a-chip platform are summarized. Given the potential of organoids for a wide range of therapeutic, tissue engineering and pharmaceutical applications, it is indeed imperative to develop defined and customized hydrogels in addition to Matrigel., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no know competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

As an important CXC chemokine, CXCL8 plays pleiotropic roles in immunological response. In teleost, CXCL8 is involved in cell migration and bacterial invasion. However, the immune antibacterial function of CXCL8 in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) (PoCXCL8) is largely scarce. In this research, we investigated the antibacterial property and leukocyte activation of PoCXCL8. PoCXCL8 consists of 100 amino acid residues, with a conserved chemokine CXC domain. PoCXCL8 was expressed in various tissues, with the highest level in liver and the lowest level in muscle, and sharply induced by V. harveyi or E. tarda in liver, spleen, and head kidney. In vitro, the recombinant PoCXCL8 (rPoCXCL8) could bind to Bacillus subtilis, Edwardsiella tarda, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio harveyi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus, affect the growth of E. coli, E. tarda, M. luteus, and P. fluorescens, and have a direct bactericidal effect on E. coli and E. tarda. Moreover, rPoCXCL8 was able to bind the outer membranal protein rPilA of E. tarda. In addition, rPoCXCL8 could bind to PBLs, activating the PBLs activity including chemotaxis, proliferation, phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species, acid phosphatase activity. At same time, rPoCXCL8 could induce neutrophil to generate neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and promote the expression of inflammatory genes including IL-1β, IL6, MMP13, TNF-α, and NF-κB. In flounder, the presence of rPoCXCL8 could enhance the in vivo resistance to E. tarda in liver, spleen, and head kidney. Moreover, the PoCXCL8-deficient could attenuate the fish defense against E. tarda infection in in spleen and head kidney. In conclusion, these results provided new insights into the antibacterial properties of CXCL8 in P. olivaceus., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a CXC chemokine, exerts pivotal effect on cell migration, inflammatory response, and immune regulation. In this study, we examined the immunological characteristics of an IL-8 like homologue (PoIL8-L) in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). PoIL8-L contains a conserved chemokine CXC domain and 105 amino acid residues. PoIL8-L expression in tissues was constitutive, and significantly regulated by V. havieri or E. tarda infection. In vitro, rPoIL8-L could bind to eight tested bacteria, exhibited bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against certain bacteria, and could bind to the targeted bacterial Ⅳ pilin protein rPilA of E. tarda. Furthermore, rPoIL8-L could attach to peripheral blood leukocytes, and enhance their immune genes expression, respiratory burst, chemotaxis, proliferation, acid phosphatase activity, and phagocytic activity. Additionally, rPoIL8-L induce neutrophils to extrude neutrophil extracellular traps. In vivo, rPoIL8-L could promote host resistance to E. tarda infection. In summary, these findings provide fresh perspectives on the immunological antibacterial properties of IL-8 in teleost., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the interaction between metoprolol and Ginkgo tablets during their co-administration to provide a reference for clinical prescribing., Methods: The co-administration of metoprolol (20 mg/kg) and Ginkgo tablets (2.4 mg/kg) was conducted in adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (n = 8). An optimized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of plasma metoprolol to evaluate its pharmacokinetics. In vitro , the rat liver microsomes were employed to assess the effect of Ginkgo tablets on the metabolic stability of metoprolol and the activity of Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6)., Results: The developed LC-MS/MS method was demonstrated of high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. When co-administered with Ginkgo tablets, it increased the area under the curve (AUC, 59.01 ± 10.11 vs. 39.19 ± 10.21 μg/mL × min), the maximum plasma concentration (C max , 461.72 ± 44.64 vs. 276.35 ± 118.09 ng/mL), and the half-life (t 1/2 , 302.83 ± 91.52 vs. 262.34 ± 111.12 min) of metoprolol in rats and reduced the clearance rate (0.346 ± 0.057 vs. 0.539 ± 0.145 L/min/kg). In vitro , Ginkgo tablets improved the metabolic stability of metoprolol and suppressed the activity of CYP2D6 in a concentration-dependent manner with the IC 50 value of 11.17 μM., Conclusion: Co-administration of metoprolol with Ginkgo tablets resulted in increasing its systemic exposure through inhibiting CYP2D6 activity., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2024.)

Traditional motion analysis systems are impractical for widespread screening of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. The Kinect V2 has been identified as a portable and reliable alternative but was replaced by the Azure Kinect. We hypothesize that the Azure Kinect will assess drop vertical jump (DVJ) parameters associated with ACL injury risk with similar accuracy to its predecessor, the Kinect V2. Sixty-nine participants performed DVJs while being recorded by both the Azure Kinect and the Kinect V2 simultaneously. Our software analyzed the data to identify initial coronal, peak coronal, and peak sagittal knee angles. Agreement between the two systems was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). There was poor agreement between the Azure Kinect and the Kinect V2 for initial and peak coronal angles (ICC values ranging from 0.135 to 0.446), and moderate agreement for peak sagittal angles (ICC = 0.608, 0.655 for left and right knees, respectively). At this point in time, the Azure Kinect system is not a reliable successor to the Kinect V2 system for assessment of initial coronal, peak coronal, and peak sagittal angles during a DVJ, despite demonstrating superior tracking of continuous knee angles. Alternative motion analysis systems should be explored.

Knee kinematics during a drop vertical jump, measured by the Kinect V2 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA), have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury. The accuracy and reliability of the Microsoft Kinect V2 has yet to be assessed specifically for tracking the coronal and sagittal knee angles of the drop vertical jump. Eleven participants performed three drop vertical jumps that were recorded using both the Kinect V2 and a gold standard motion analysis system (Vicon, Los Angeles, CA, USA). The initial coronal, peak coronal, and peak sagittal angles of the left and right knees were measured by both systems simultaneously. Analysis of the data obtained by the Kinect V2 was performed by our software. The differences in the mean knee angles measured by the Kinect V2 and the Vicon system were non-significant for all parameters except for the peak sagittal angle of the right leg with a difference of 7.74 degrees and a p -value of 0.008. There was excellent agreement between the Kinect V2 and the Vicon system, with intraclass correlation coefficients consistently over 0.75 for all knee angles measured. Visual analysis revealed a moderate frame-to-frame variability for coronal angles measured by the Kinect V2. The Kinect V2 can be used to capture knee coronal and sagittal angles with sufficient accuracy during a drop vertical jump, suggesting that a Kinect-based portable motion analysis system is suitable to screen individuals for the risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Interleukin-20 (IL-20), as an essential member of IL-10 family, plays vital roles in mammalian immunological response such as antimicrobial, inflammation, hematopoiesis, and immune diseases. In teleost, the study about immune antimicrobial function of IL-20 is largely scarce. In this article, we revealed the expression profiles and the immunological functions of the IL-20 (CsIL-20) in tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis. CsIL-20 is composed of 183 amino acid residues, with seven cysteine residues and a typical IL-10 domain which comprises six α-helices and two β-sheets, and shares 34.4-71.2 % identities with other teleost IL-20. CsIL-20 was constitutively expressed in a variety of tissues and regulated by bacterial invasion, and the recombinant CsIL-20 (rCsIL-20) could bind to different bacteria. In vitro rCsIL-20 could interact with the membrane of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs), leading to the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and acid phosphatase activity in PBLs. In line with In vitro results, In vivo rCsIL-20 could obviously suppressed the host immune against bacterial infection. Furthermore, knockdown of CsIL-20 in vivo could markedly enhance the host antibacterial immunity. Collectively, these observations offer new insights into the negative effect of CsIL-20 on antibacterial immunity., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Calreticulin (Crt), a conserved lectin-like pleiotropic protein, plays crucial roles in mammalian immune response. In fish, the immunological function of Crt is limited investigated. Herein, we studied the antibacterial immunity of two type of Crt homologues (i.e. PoCrt-1 and PoCrt-2) in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). PoCrt-1 and PoCrt-2 are composed of 419 and 427 amino acid residues respectively, with 69.09% overall sequence identities with each other. Both PoCrt-1 and PoCrt-2 contain a signal peptide and three functional domains i.e. N-, P- and C-domains. Both PoCrt-1 and PoCrt-2 were constitutively expressed at various tissues with highest expression level in liver, and obviously regulated by Edwardsiella tarda and Vibrio harveyi. Furthermore, recombinant PoCrt-1 and PoCrt-2 (rPoCrt-1 and rPoCrt-2) could bind to different Gram-negative bacteria with highest binding index with E. tarda. At same time, in vitro rPoCrt-1 and rPoCrt-2 could agglutinate E. tarda, V. harveyi, and Vibrio anguillarum, and inhibit the bacterial growth. Similarly, in vivo rPoCrt-1 and rPoCrt-2 could significantly suppress the dissemination of E. tarda. Overall, these observations add new insights into the antibacterial immunity of Crt in P. olivaceus., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Accurate preoperative staging of gastric cancer (GC), a common malignant tumor worldwide, is critical for appropriate treatment plans and prognosis. Dynamic three-phase enhanced computed tomography (CT) scanning for preoperative staging of GC has limitations in evaluating tumor angiogenesis. CD34, a marker on vascular endothelial cell surfaces, is promising in evaluating tumor angiogenesis. We explored the value of their combination for preoperative staging of GC to improve the efficacy and prognosis of patients with GC., Aim: To explore the evaluation value of CD34 expression + dynamic three-phase enhanced CT scanning in preoperative staging of GC., Methods: Medical records of 106 patients with GC treated at the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang between February 2021 and January 2023 were retrospectively studied. All patients underwent three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning before surgery, and CD34 was detected in gastroscopic biopsy specimens. Using surgical and pathological results as the gold standard, the diagnostic results of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning at different T and N stages were analyzed, and the expression of CD34-marked microvessel density (MVD) at different T and N stages was determined. The specificity and sensitivity of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and CD34 in T and N staging were calculated; those of the combined diagnosis of the two were evaluated in parallel. Independent factors affecting lymph node metastasis were analyzed using multiple logistic regression., Results: The accuracy of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scanning in diagnosing stages T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 68.00%, 75.00%, 79.41%, and 73.68%, respectively, and for diagnosing stages N0, N1, N2, and N3 were 75.68%, 74.07%, 85.00%, and 77.27%, respectively. CD34-marked MVD expression increased with increasing T and N stages. Specificity and sensitivity of three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT in T staging were 86.79% and 88.68%; for N staging, 89.06% and 92.86%; for CD34 in T staging, 64.15% and 88.68%; and for CD34 in N staging, 84.38% and 78.57%, respectively. Specificity and sensitivity of joint diagnosis in T staging were 55.68% and 98.72%, and N staging were 75.15% and 98.47%, respectively, with the area under the curve for diagnosis improving accordingly. According to multivariate analysis, a longer tumor diameter, higher pathological T stage, lower differentiation degree, and higher expression of CD34-marked MVD were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with GC., Conclusion: With high accuracy in preoperatively determining the invasion depth and lymph node metastasis of GC, CD34 expression and three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT can provide a reliable basis for surgical resection., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: We have no financial relationships to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

A visible-light-induced β-acyl difunctionalization of alkenes with acyl oxime esters and various nucleophiles was developed to achieve molecular complexity from readily available raw materials via oxidative radical-polar crossover. A variety of nucleophiles, including N H-sulfoximines, indoles, indazole, and trimethoxybenzene, were all effectively applicable to the sustainable reaction system. The novel synthetic strategy features mild reaction conditions, a broad substrate scope (39 examples), easy scale-up, and excellent regioselectivity.

Background: The 2022 ASA guidelines recommend the video laryngoscope, video stylet, and flexible videoscope as airway management tools. This study aims to compare the efficacy of three airway devices in intubating patients with difficult airways., Methods: A total of 177 patients were selected and randomized into the following three groups: the video laryngoscope group (Group VL, n = 59), video stylet group (Group VS, n = 59), and flexible videoscope group (Group FV, n = 59). The success rate of the first-pass intubation, time of tracheal intubation, level of glottic exposure, and occurrence of intubation-related adverse events were recorded and analyzed., Results: All patients were successfully intubated with three devices. The first-pass intubation success rate was significantly higher in Groups VS and FV than in Group VL (96.61% vs. 93.22% vs. 83.05%, P < 0.01), but it was similar in the first-pass intubation success rate between Groups VS and FV(P > 0.05). The number of patients categorized as Wilson-Cormack-Lehane grade I-II was fewer in Group VL than in Groups VS and FV (77.97% vs. 98.30% vs. 100%, P = 0.0281). The time to tracheal intubation was significantly longer in Group FV(95.20 ± 4.01) than in Groups VL(44.56 ± 4.42) and VS(26.88 ± 4.51) (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found among the three groups in terms of adverse intubation reactions (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: In patients with difficult airways requiring intubation, use of the video stylet has the advantage of a relatively shorter intubation time, and the flexible videoscope and video stylet yield a higher first-pass intubation success rate and clearer glottic exposure than the use of the video laryngoscope., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. No: ChiCTR2200061560, June 29, 2022., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To explore the relationship and dynamic changes between virological markers and hepatic pathological damage due to host anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity in the natural course of disease in chronic HBV infected patients. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-eight adult chronic HBV-infected patients who underwent liver biopsy from January 2016 to June 2022 in Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang Province, were retrospectively selected. General clinical data such as age, gender, platelets, ALT, AST, albumin, HBV DNA, qHBsAg, HBeAg, and liver pathology diagnostic indexes such as the grade of liver necroinflammation and liver fibrotic stages of the patients were collected. The patients were grouped according to HBeAg status, and subgrouped according to different grades of liver necroinflammation and different HBV DNA loads. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the differences in HBV virologic marker levels between the groups, and the correlation between them and the indicators of hepatic inflammatory injury, such as ALT,AST, and the grade of liver necroinflammation in the patients. Results: The levels of HBV virological markers in HBeAg-positive patients with moderate or higher liver necroinflammatory grade (G≥2) were significantly lower than those with mild (no) liver necroinflammatory grade (G < 2) ( P < 0.01); whereas the opposite trend was observed in HBeAg-negative patients, with the levels of HBV DNA, and qHBsAg in the G≥2 subgroup being significantly higher than those in the G < 2 subgroup ( P < 0.01). Correspondingly, HBV DNA level and qHBsAg showed weak to moderately strong negative correlation with liver necroinflammatory grade and AST which was an indicator of hepatic inflammatory injury in HBeAg-positive patients ( P < 0.05); whereas in HBeAg-negative patients, they showed weak to moderately strong positive correlation with hepatic inflammatory activity and ALT, AST ( P < 0.001), in which qHBsAg showed only a weak positive correlation with patients' liver necroinflammatory grade ( P = 0.003). Further subgroup analyses of HBeAg-positive patients according to whether the HBV DNA level was > 2×10(6) IU/ml showed weak to moderate negative correlations between HBV virological markers and liver necroinflammatory grade as well as ALT and AST in the subgroup of patients with HBV DNA > 2×10(6) IU/ml ( P < 0.05); however, the negative correlation disappeared in patients who were still HBeAg positive and had HBV DNA ≤ 2×10(6) IU/ml. Moreover, HBV DNA and ALT, HBeAg and AST showed moderate positive correlation ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: We speculate that the activation of host anti-HBV immunity can efficiently inhibit HBV replication by targeting the infected hepatocytes, but only in the early phase of disease progression in HBeAg positive patients with HBV DNA high (> 2×10(6) IU/ml).

Reasonable heterointerface modification can effectively regulate and enhance the microwave absorption of electromagnetic materials. The surface of magnetic permalloy (PM) microparticles is modified herein by coating double-layer metal organic frameworks (MOF), which are composed of a 2-methylimidazole cobalt salt (ZIF-67) layer and a 2-methylimidazole zinc salt (ZIF-8) layer. A stable heterointerface structure with cobalt/carbon (Co/C) and zinc/carbon (Zn/C) layers is formed on the surface of PM microparticles after pyrolysis. These particles include two types of composite particles of PM solely encapsulated by ZIF-67 or ZIF-8, PM@ZIF67 and PM@ZIF8, respectively, and two types of composite PM particles with a double-layered MOF outer shell structure obtained by exchanging the coating sequence (PM@ZIF8@ZIF67 and PM@ZIF67@ZIF8). Furthermore, the thermal decomposition temperature has a significant impact on the surface morphology and magnetic properties of the composite particles. After pyrolyzing at 500 °C, the PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 samples exhibit the highest microwave absorption performance among these samples. Specifically, the minimum reflection loss and effective absorption bandwidth of PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 after pyrolyzing at 500 °C can reach -47.3 dB at a matching thickness of 3.8 mm and 5.3 GHz at a matching thickness of 2.5 mm, respectively. A heterointerface with an electrical field orientation is created in the PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 particles, which effectively enhances the interface polarization and dipole polarization. Furthermore, the formation of a three-dimensional carbon network after pyrolysis is also useful for optimizing impedance matching and enhancing magneto-electric synergism., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

O-Carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (O-CMC-NPs), which are organic pesticide carriers, have excellent application potential. Exploring the effects of O-CMC-NPs on non-target organisms, such as Apis cerana cerana, is critical for their effective application; however, such studies are limited. This study investigated the stress response of A. cerana Fabricius after O-CMC-NPs ingestion. The administration of high O-CMC-NP concentrations enhanced the activities of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes in A. cerana, with the activity of glutathione-S-transferase increasing by 54.43 %-64.33 % after one day. The transit of O-CMC-NPs into the A. cerana midgut resulted in their deposition and adherence to the intestinal wall, as they cluster and precipitate in acidic conditions. The population of Gillianella bacteria in the middle intestine was remarkably reduced after 6 d of administration of high O-CMC-NP concentrations. Contrastingly, the abundance of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus in the rectum significantly increased. These results indicate that the intake of high concentrations of O-CMC-NPs causes a stress response in A. cerana and affects the relative abundance of crucial intestinal flora, which may pose a potential risk to the colony. This implies that even nanomaterials with favorable biocompatibility should be applied reasonably within a specific range to avoid adverse effects on the environment and non-target organisms in the context of large-scale research and promotion of nanomaterials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Knee kinematic parameters during a drop vertical jump (DVJ) have been demonstrated to be associated with increased risk of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. However, standard motion analysis systems are not practical for routine screening. Affordable and practical motion sensor alternatives exist but require further validation in the context of ACL injury risk assessment., Purpose/hypothesis: To prospectively study DVJ parameters as predictors of noncontact ACL injury in collegiate athletes using an affordable motion capture system (Kinect; Microsoft). We hypothesized that athletes who sustained noncontact ACL injury would have larger initial and peak contact coronal abduction angles and smaller peak flexion angles at the knee during a DVJ., Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: 102 participants were prospectively recruited from a collegiate varsity sports program. A total of 101 of the 102 athletes (99%) were followed for an entire season for noncontact ACL injury. Each athlete performed 3 DVJs, and the data were recorded using the motion capture system. Initial coronal, peak coronal, and peak sagittal angles of the knee were identified by our software., Results: Five of the 101 athletes sustained a noncontact ACL injury. Peak coronal angles were significantly greater and peak sagittal flexion angles were significantly smaller in ACL-injured athletes ( P = .049, P = .049, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.88, 0.92, and 0.90 for initial coronal, peak coronal, and peak sagittal angle, respectively. An initial coronal angle cutoff of 2.96° demonstrated 80% sensitivity and 72% specificity, a peak coronal angle cutoff of 6.16° demonstrated 80% sensitivity and 72% specificity, and a peak sagittal flexion cutoff of 93.82° demonstrated 80% sensitivity and 74% specificity on the study cohort., Conclusion: Increased peak coronal angle and decreased peak sagittal angle during a DVJ were significantly associated with increased risk for noncontact ACL injury. Based on ROC analysis, initial coronal angle showed good prognostic ability, whereas peak coronal angle and peak sagittal flexion provided excellent prognostic ability. Affordable motion capture systems show promise as cost-effective and practical options for large-scale ACL injury risk screening.

Recent studies on the effects of mandatory online teaching, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, have widely reported low levels of satisfaction, unwillingness to continue online teaching, and negative impacts on the psychological well-being of teachers. Emerging research has highlighted the potential role of psychological need thwarting (PNT), in terms of autonomy, competence, and relatedness thwarting, resulting from online teaching. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate and delayed (longitudinal) effects of PNT of online teaching on teachers' well-being (including distress and burnout), intention to continue online teaching, and job satisfaction. Moreover, data collected from both cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys allowed for a systematic validation of an important instrument in the field of teacher psychology, the Psychological Need Thwarting Scale of Online Teaching (PNTSOT), in terms of longitudinal reliability and validity. The data reveal the usefulness of the construct of PNT in terms predicting and explaining teachers' willingness to continue using online teaching as well as the degree of burnout after a period of 2 months, such that PNT is positively associated with burnout and negatively associated with willingness to continue online teaching. As such, the PNTSOT is recommended for future research evaluating the long-term psychological, affective, and intentional outcomes stemming from teachers' PNT. Moreover, based on our findings that the impact from PNT of online teaching is persistent and long-term, we suggest that school leaders provide flexible and sustained professional development, model respectful and adaptive leadership, and create opportunities for mastery for the development of community of practice that can mitigate the thwarting of teachers' autonomy, competence, and relatedness during times of uncertainty. Additionally, in terms of the psychometric properties of the PNTSOT instrument, our empirical findings demonstrate internal reliability, test-retest reliability, measurement invariance, and criterion validity (concurrent and predictive) based on cross-sectional and longitudinal data., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chen, Chen, Liao, Zhao, Wei, Lin and Gamble.)

Background: Hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are often coincident, and each condition is considered a risk factor for the other. Both occur frequently in the Inner Mongolia region of China. The reasons for differences in risk between Han and Mongolian ethnic groups are not known. The LEPR gene and its polymorphism, rs1137101 (Gln223Arg), are both considered risk factors for HTN and T2DM, but any role of rs1137101 in the occurrence of HTN + T2DM remains unclear for Mongolian and Han populations in the Inner Mongolia region., Aim: To investigate the relationship between rs1137101 and the occurrence of HTN with T2DM in Mongolian and Han populations in Inner Mongolia., Methods: A total of 2652 subjects of Han and Mongolian ethnic origins were enrolled in the current study, including 908 healthy controls, 1061 HTN patients and 683 HTN patients with T2DM., Results: The association between the rs1137101 polymorphism and HTN with T2DM was analyzed, and differences between Han and Mongolian individuals assessed. There was a significant correlation between rs1137101 and HTN (co-dominant, dominant, over-dominant and log-additive models) and HTN + T2DM (co-dominant, dominant, over-dominant and log-additive models) after adjustment for sex and age in individuals of Mongolian origin. rs1137101 was significantly associated with HTN (co-dominant, recessive and log-additive models) and HTN + T2DM (co-dominant, dominant, over-dominant and log-additive models) in the Han Chinese population., Conclusion: Mongolian and Han subjects from Inner Mongolia with HTN who had rs1137101 were protected against the development of T2DM. Allele A has the opposite impact on the occurrence of HTN in Mongolian and Han Chinese populations., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bone defects in femoral neck fractures are strongly associated with the prognosis after internal fixation. However, qualitative analysis of bone defects in femoral neck fractures has already been performed, quantitative studies have not been reported. In this study, we aimed to systematically analyse the morphological characteristics of bone defects in patients with femoral neck fractures using computed tomography (CT) images combined with computer image analysis techniques., Methods: Four hundred and sixty-nine patients with femoral neck fractures from January 2014 to December 2018 at two grade A tertiary hospitals were included. Models were created in Mimics software based on CT images collected within 1 week after injury and then imported into 3-matic software for virtual reduction. The volume of the bone defect (VBD), maximum defect thickness (MDT), extent of the bone defect region (EBDR) , main defect quadrant (MDQ), collapse type and fracture classification were calculated and recorded., Results: The EBDR, collapse type and MDT all had a significant positive effect on the VBD (P <0.05), with a more significant effect at higher quantiles. Age also had a significant positive effect on the VBD (P < 0.05), but its effect was more pronounced at lower quantiles. Compared to non-subcapital fractures, subcapital fractures had a positive effect on the VBD only at the 50 and 75% quantiles (P < 0.01). The female sex had a significant negative effect on the VBD compared to the male sex (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: This study established a reliable computer image processing method for quantitative analysis of the VBD in femoral neck fractures and revealed that all patients with femoral neck fractures had bone defects, which can occur at any part of the femoral neck. The EBDR, MDT, collapse type, and patient age and sex were all important risk factors for the extent of the defect and should be taken into account in surgical planning., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The net greenhouse gas emissions from upland soils, as indicated by global warming potential (GWP), mainly depend on the soil carbon sequestration and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. The annual changes in surface (0-20 cm) soil organic carbon (SOC) content from 2010 to 2017 and the N 2 O emissions from 2014 to 2017 were measured within a long-term fertilization experiment. The objective was to quantify the effect of stalk incorporation on the soil carbon sequestration, annual N 2 O emissions, and GWP of a winter wheat-summer maize field in the Guanzhong Plain. The field experiment included three treatments:conventional fertilization (CF), conventional fertilization plus maize stalks (CFS), and an unfertilized control (CK). The CF and CFS treatments received the same amount of urea per year, with nitrogen (N) input at 165 kg·hm -2 and 188 kg·hm -2 in the winter wheat season and summer maize season, respectively. The CF treatment retained the stubbles (about 10 cm above ground) when harvesting the winter wheat and summer maize crops. The CFS treatment retained the same wheat stubbles and all maize stalks (containing approximately 40 kg·hm -2 of N). The CK treatment was unfertilized throughout the year, with the stubble management the same as that in the CF treatment. The results showed that the CK treatment displayed few changes in SOC content and low N 2 O emissions, with GWP varying from 0.04 to 0.11 t·(hm 2 ·a) -1 . The SOC contents in the CF and CFS treatments increased linearly with the fertilization years ( P <0.001), and their SOC sequestration rates were 0.69 t·(hm 2 ·a) -1 and 0.97 t·(hm 2 ·a) -1 , respectively. The N 2 O emissions from the CF and CFS treatments varied from 1.65 to 5.36 kg·(hm 2 ·a) -1 and from 3.08 to 7.73 kg·(hm 2 ·a) -1 , respectively. The annual N 2 O emissions from the CFS treatment were 43%-94% higher than those from the CF treatment, whereas the difference was only significant between 2015 and 2016 ( P <0.05). The GWP of the CF and CFS treatments varied from -1.95 to -0.28 t·(hm 2 ·a) -1 and from -2.59 to -0.35 t·(hm 2 ·a) -1 , respectively. The cumulative GWP of the CFS treatment was 42% lower than that of the CF treatment between 2014 and 2017. In summary, the studied winter wheat-summer maize field acted as a sink of greenhouse gases under the conventional fertilization regime. The stalk incorporation further favored greenhouse gas mitigation despite the trade-offs between SOC sequestration and N 2 O emissions.

Utilizing a large-scale cross-sectional survey, the present study tested the advanced psychometric properties of Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in specific populations (i.e., primary and middle schoolteachers, and their students). The present study also examined the association between perceived fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress among home-room teachers (i.e., teachers who teach all their students in one classroom all day) and their students. The results among participants (11,134 teachers and 4,335 students) indicated good internal reliability of FCV-19S and excellent factorial validity with a two-factor structure utilizing these specific populations. Furthermore, the multilevel analysis showed that home-room teachers' psychological distress, but not fear of COVID-19, was positively associated with their students. In sum, the FCV-19S is a useful tool to assess the fear of COVID-19 on potentially vulnerable populations (i.e., primary/middle schoolteachers and their students). Future studies are encouraged to use the present study's findings to investigate possible underlying mechanisms for developing effective coping strategies and interventions., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02471-3., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestAll the authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021.)

Background: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas among adults. It is characterized by large size, high grade, and biological aggressiveness. There are many reports of MFH after local stimulation, such as bone fracture, implants, and chronic osteomyelitis. In this paper, we report a patient who developed MFH 6 years after amputation, suggesting that wound healing and mechanical force play a role in the local stimulation of this disease., Case Summary: A 66-year-old man complained of persistent pain in his residual mid-thigh. He had undergone amputation surgery due to a traffic accident 6 years prior. Physical examination showed tenderness but no abnormalities in appearance. X-ray radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging supported the diagnosis of a tumor, and a biopsy confirmed that the lesion was MFH. The patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and left hip disarticulation. During the 6-mo follow-up, there were no symptoms of recurrence., Conclusion: Postsurgery MFH has been reported before, and many studies have attributed it to the biological effects of implants. Our case report shows that this disease can develop without an implant and thus highlights the importance of local stimulation. The wound-healing process and mechanical force can both promote this tumor, but whether they directly cause MFH needs further investigation., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: None of the authors have financial conflicts of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and prognostic factors of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 92 patients diagnosed with MPA with DAH at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between March 1, 2012, and March 12, 2018. The cumulative survival rate was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival curves were drawn. A Cox hazard model was used to determine the prognostic factors for survival by univariate and multivariate analysis., Results: The mean age at the onset of MPA with DAH was 66.32 years. Among the 92 MPA with DAH patients with follow-up visits, 41 (44.57%) were critically ill and 79 (85.87%) had pulmonary and renal involvement. The cumulative survival rates of the 92 patients at 1, 3, and 5 years were 63.7%, 51.2%, and 47.3%, respectively, and the median survival time was 46 months. In the multivariate analysis, age > 65 years (HR 4.30, 95% CI 1.94-9.55), sCr > 500 μmol/L (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.97), PaO 2 /FiO 2 < 300 mmHg (HR 4.10, 95% CI 1.97-8.53), and lung involvement area ≥ 50% (HR 2.93, 95% CI 1.40-6.13) were independent prognostic factors ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The incidence and mortality of DAH are high in MPA patients. Age > 65 years, sCr > 500 μmol/L, PaO 2 /FiO 2 < 300 mmHg, and lung involvement area ≥ 50% are independent prognostic factors for MPA with DAH., (Copyright © 2021 by the Journal of Rheumatology.)

Biological ethylene production is a promising sustainable alternative approach for fossil-based ethylene production. The high glucose utilization of Z. mobilis makes it as a promising bioethylene producer. In this study, Zymomonas mobilis has been engineered to produce ethylene through the introduction of the synthetic ethylene-forming enzyme (EFE). We also investigated the effect of systematically knocking out the competitive metabolic pathway of pyruvate in an effort to improve the availability of pyruvate for ethylene production in Z. mobilis expressing EFE. Guided by these results, we tested a number of conjectures that could improve the α-ketoglutarate supply. Optimization of these pathways and different substrate supplies resulted in a greater production of ethylene (from 1.36 to 12.83 nmol/OD 600 /mL), which may guide future engineering work on ethylene production using other organisms. Meanwhile, we achieved an ethylene production of 5.8 nmol/OD 600 /mL in the ZM532-efe strain using enzymatic straw hydrolysate of corn straw as the sole carbon source. As a preferred host in biorefinery technologies using lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock, heterologous expression of EFE in Z. mobilis converts the non-ethylene producing strain into an ethylene-producing one using a metabolic engineering approach, which is of great significance for the utilization of cellulosic biomass in the future. KEY POINTS: • Heterologous expression of EFE in Z. mobilis successfully converted the non-ethylene producing strain into an ethylene producer (1.36 nmol/OD 600 /mL). Targeted modifications of the central carbon metabolism can effectively improve ethylene production (peak production: 8.3 nmol/OD 600 /mL). • The addition of nutrients to the medium can further increase the production of ethylene (peak production: 12.8 nmol/OD 600 /mL). • The ZM532-efe strain achieved an ethylene production of 5.8 nmol/OD 600 /mL when enzymatic hydrolysate of corn straw was used as the sole carbon source.

Leukemia-associated alternative splicing of IKZF1 can result in proteins with loss of one to four copies of its N-terminal zinc finger domains (N-ZnF). The best characterized pathogenic splice isoforms, Ik-6 and Ik-8, have been commonly found in BCR-ABL1+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and a subset of BCR-ABL1-like ALL. Infantile and childhood ALL that express these pathogenic IKZF1 isoforms have shown inferior clinical outcomes and can be resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Using ALL cell lines, we designed and validated a method to detect abnormal IKZF1 transcripts. In the SUP-B15 leukemia cell line, we noted novel IKZF1 transcripts that include both an Ik-6 splice and a transcript with a 14 base pair insertion at the C-terminus. There was also increased IKZF2 protein in SUP-B15 as compared to other ALL lines. Expression of Ik-6 could be suppressed by treatment with the pro-apoptotic type II histone deacetylase inhibitor givinostat. In 17 adult ALL samples, we noted the Ik-6 isoforms in 6 of 15 BCR-ABL1 - , and 1 of 2 BCR-ABL1 + cases, with Ik-8 also expressed in one case. Cases with Ik-6 expression showed inferior survival as well as older age at presentation, lower expression of CD10 and more commonly a diploid karyotype.

We have previously shown that givinostat can induce potent apoptosis in the BCR-ABL1-positive, TP53-wild type B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cell line SUP-B15. We extend our studies here to two additional B-ALL cell lines, BCR-ABL1-negative CCRF-SB and p210 BCR-ABL1-positive NAML1. Givinostat induced significant cell growth inhibition in both cell lines, with an IC50 of 0.65±0.052μM and 0.25±0.028μM in CCRF-SB and NAML1, respectively. The key signal protein of the BCR-ABL1, Crk-L1, was significantly reduced by givinostat treatment in NAML1. As in SUP-B15, givinostat induced apoptosis in both cell lines but showed different levels of cleavage of the procaspase proteins Casp-3, Casp-7 and PARP. Levels of cell cycle-DNA repair regulator p21, CHK1 and FANCD2 levels were markedly affected by givinostat treatment. These data further enrich our understanding of the mechanisms of the antineoplastic effects of givinostat in B-ALL and provide a preclinical rationale for the inclusion of givinostat or similar agent in leukemia therapy., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, the Hg contamination in mariculture sites located at the estuary of Pearl River was to investigate with an attempt to analyse associated health risks of dietary exposure to both total mercury (THg) and methyl mercury (MeHg) in cultured fish and shellfish. The highest total mercury concentration (7.037 ± 0.556 ng L -1 ) of seawater was observed at Zhuhai Estuary. The Hg concentrations of sediment in Guishan Island were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in Daya Bay (away from the Pearl River). Besides, the both THg and MeHg levels in sediment at mariculture sites were higher (p < 0.05) than corresponding reference sites. It was attributed to the fact that mariculture activities increased Hg loading and promoted MeHg production. The vertical distribution of Hg in sediment cores demonstrated that mercury methylation mostly occurred at the sediment-water interface. Results of health risk assessments showed that fish consumption would impose a higher risk to children but less to adults, while shellfish produced in the studied area was safe for consumption., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate minimally invasive treatment of clavicular fractures with cannulated screw., Methods: Data of 65 patients who had undergone minimally invasive treatment with cannulated screws for clavicular fractures from April 2009 to October 2010 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with those of 65 patients with clavicular fractures who had been treated by the same surgeons with plates. In the study group, there were 41 males and 24 females, aged from 19-67 years (mean, 35.8 years). According to Craig's classification, there were 29 group 1 and 36 of group 2-II. Neer scores were used to evaluate shoulder function and radiographs to assess fracture union., Results: The incision length was 4-5 cm in the cannulated screw group (CSG) and 10-11 cm in the reconstructive plate group (RPG). Radiographs showed bone union was achieved in both groups, the bone healing time being 13.2 ± 6.9 weeks in the CSG and 16.3 ± 8.7 weeks in the RPG. All patients were followed up for 6 to 20 months (average, 10.6 months). The average Neer score was 96.6 ± 3.4 in the CSG and 94.2 ± 5.8 in the RPG. In the CSG, screw loosening occurred in five, and fracture displacement in three. There was a significant difference in fracture healing time between two groups but not in Neer score., Conclusion: Minimally invasive treatment of clavicular fractures with cannulated screws has the advantages of minimal invasion, short bone healing time, good clinical outcomes, and being relatively inexpensive., (© 2014 Chinese Orthopaedic Association and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

The objective of our study was to profile and compare the systematic changes between orally administered artesunate and intramuscularly injected artemether at a low dose over a 3-month period (92 consecutive days) in dogs. Intramuscular administration of 6 mg kg-1 artemether induced a decreased red blood cell (RBC) count (anemia), concurrent extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen and inhibition of erythropoiesis in the bone marrow. We also observed a prolonged QT interval and neuropathic changes in the central nervous system, which demonstrated the cortex and motor neuron vulnerability, but no behavioral changes. Following treatment with artesunate, we observed a decreased heart rate, which was most likely due to cardiac conduction system damage, as well as a deceased RBC count, extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen and inhibition of erythropoiesis in the bone marrow. However, in contrast to treatment with artemether, neurotoxicity was not observed following treatment with artesunate. In addition, ultra-structural examination by transmission electron microscopy showed mitochondrial damage following treatment with artesunate. These findings demonstrated the spectrum of toxic changes that result upon treatment with artesunate and artemether and show that the prolonged administration of low doses of these derivatives result in diverse toxicity profiles.

Objective: To explore the quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and analyze the influencing factors in Kunming., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to April in year 2011, and 247 PLWHA were selected by convenience sampling from Yunnan CDC, Yunnan and Kunming infectious disease hospitals. General questionnaires, the simplified Chinese edition of medical outcomes study-HIV health survey (MOS-HIV, including 11 dimensions) and Social Support Scale were used. t test and multivariable linear regression model were used to analyze the results., Results: For the subjects investigated, the age was (39.8 +/- 11.9) years old, the median (quartile) value of symptoms related to HIV infection was 1(2). As to the scores of quality of life measured by MOS-HIV, physical summary score was 47.4 +/- 11.2, mental summary score was 43.6 +/- 9.7; for the scores of 11 dimensions of the MOS-HIV,that were general health (42.9 +/- 19.9), physical function (79.4 +/- 24.9), role function (59.8 +/- 48.2), social function (67.0 +/- 33.6), cognitive function (71.0 +/- 25.4), pain (81.3 +/- 26.2), mental health (62.0 +/- 22.3), vitality (49.3 +/- 23.8), health distress (74.4 +/- 21.0), quality of life (51.8 +/- 21.1), health transition (49.0 +/- 29.8). The total score of social support was 28.6 +/- 7.6, of which the score of subjective social support was 17.2 +/- 6.3, the score of the objective social support was 5.9 +/- 2.2; the score of the utilization of social support was 5.5 +/- 1.9. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the more the symptoms related to HIV infection, the lower the physical summary scores (standardized coefficients b' = -0.22), the general health (b' = - 0.31), the physical function (b' = -0.16), the role function (b' = -0.23), the pain (b' = -0.21), the mental health (b' = -0.22), the vitality (b' = -0.22) and the health distress scores (b' = - 0.24) (all P values < 0.05); the older the age, the lower the physical summary scores (b' = - 0.16), the mental summary scores (b' = - 0.16), the physical function (b' = -0.26), the vitality (b' = -0.26) and the quality of life scores (b' = -0.17) (all P values < 0.05); the higher the score of the subjective social support,the higher the physical summary scores (b' = 0.26), the mental summary scores (b' = 0.22), the general health (b' = 0.27), the social function (b' = 0.26), the mental health (b' = 0.15) and the quality of life scores (b' = 0.22) (all P values < 0.05); the higher the score of the utilization of social support, the higher the physical function (b' = 0.16) and the health transition scores (b' = 0.31) (all P values < 0.05)., Conclusion: PLWHA in Kunming have relatively lower scores of quality of life. A large number of symptoms during infection, older age and lower score of subjective social support were the hazard factors of quality of life in PLWHA.

Aim: To obtain high level expression of recombinant human truncated osteoprotegerin (TOPG) with higher bioactivity in CHO-DHFR(-) cells., Methods: The recombinant vector pcDNA3.1/DHFR-TOPG was constructed and transfected into CHO-DHFR(-) cells by the directions of LipofectAMINE 2000 for stable expression. The stable expression cell strains were screened by selective medium IMDM with 50 mL/L FCS, then serially passed in methotraxate (MTX) for gene amplification. The expression were analyzed by ELISA and RT-PCR. At last, the bioactivity analysis was performed in vitro., Results: The expression level of recombinant truncated human OPG was up to 6 mg/L x 72 h, and it had significant suppression effect on the formation of OLC (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Recombinant truncated human OPG has high expression and bioactivity. The results make it possible for further studying and clinical implying of OPG.

Objective: To study the on effects of anti-bacteria, anti-inflammatory and pyretolysis of Oxalis griffithii, it is possible safety., Method: The mice model was established by xylene (auricle smear method) and carrageenin (injection under the aponeuroses) respectively, rat febrile model was builded by 2,4-dintrophenol injection, and observe the effects of anti-bacteria in vitro that contracted by Staph aureus, Escherichia, Shigella, Pseudomonas, Aeruginosa. The mice model of experiment study on urgent poison effects (injection under the aponeuroses)., Result: It was found that the mouse ear edema induced by xylene, the increased vascular permeability caused by xylene were all significantly suppressed by Oxalis griffithii. At the same time, it could depressed the rat fervescence by 2,4-dinitrophenol. In addition, it has effect on fighting against Escherichia coli in cavum abdominis of mice. Oxalis griffithii hasn't canker affect., Conclusion: These results suggested that Oxalis griffithii had the effects of antinflammatory, pyretolysis, and safety.

Based on the absorbance change of indicators with the concentration of hydrogen ion released from an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, a convenient colorimetric method was established for the assay of acidic phospholipase A2 and glycogen phosphorylase b. Brilliant yellow and bromothymol blue were chosen as indicators for assays of acidic phospholipase A2 and glycogen phosphorylase b by following the absorbance changes at 495 and 615 nm, respectively. The method is simple, sample-saving, sensitive and valid for a wide range of enzyme concentrations. It can be extended for assaying other enzymes catalyzing reactions with hydrogen ion concentration changes.

The kinetics of complexing inactivation at identical enzyme and inhibitor concentrations were analyzed and the equations of product generation were derived when the free enzyme concentration is great, larger or smaller than the dissociation constant of inhibitor, K(I). The kinetic constants can be obtained by fitting the derived equations to the progress curve. Numerical examples show that this method is valid and gives satisfactory results.

The kinetic theory of substrate reaction during the modification of enzyme activity [Duggleby (1986) J. Theor. Biol. 123, 67-80; Wang and Tsou (1990) J. Theor. Biol. 142, 531-549] has been applied to a study of the inactivation kinetics of ribonuclease A by bromopyruvic acid. The results show that irreversible inhibition belongs to a non-competitive complexing type inhibition. On the basis of the kinetic equation of substrate reaction in the presence of the inhibitor, all microscopic kinetic constants for the free enzyme, the enzyme-substrate complex and the enzyme-product complex have been determined. The non-competitive inhibition type indicates that neither the substrate nor the product affects the binding of bromopyruvic acid to the enzyme and that the ionization state of His-119 may be the same in both the enzyme-substrate and the enzyme-product complexes.

A method is proposed to determine the kinetic constants of enzyme modification where the condition of [Y0] >> [E0] is not satisfied, which is applicable to both inhibition and activation. This is a simple and rigorous one by which the apparent rate constants can be conveniently calculated, provided that the values of vo, vs, v* and [P]* are experimentally measured. The equations derived for the calculation of the apparent rate constants can be reduced to those obtained when [Y0] >> [E0]. Based on the expressions of the apparent rate constant and the apparent association constant, similar plotting methods can be applied to distinguish between the different competition types for both reversible and irreversible inhibitions.

Changes in ultraviolet absorbance and intrinsic protein fluorescence of 1,4-alpha-D-glucan maltotetrahydrolase (EC 3.2.1.60) from an Alcaligenes sp. (Gram-negative bacteria 537.1) and D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) have been compared with their inactivation during denaturation in guanidinium-Cl solutions. The two enzymes were completely inactivated at GuHCl concentrations less than 0.6 M and this was accompanied by marked absorbance and intrinsic fluorescence changes suggesting exposure of aromatic residues. The changes of the intrinsic fluorescence of the amylase have a relatively constant plateau in emission intensities and maxima at GuHCl concentrations from 0.8-2.0 M, similar to that of muscle GAPDH. The relative activity of the enzyme increased markedly in dilute GuHCl solutions accompanied by very little change of its intrinsic fluorescence at 8 degrees C. The kinetic decrease in emission intensities, excited respectively by 230 nm and 292 nm, was different for the two enzymes. The inactivation was a biphasic process with a fast phase faster than the unfolding rate as measured by fluorescence changes in 0.5 M GuHCl solution. Similar to the inactivation process, changes in intensity of 410 nm NAD fluorescent derivative of GAPDH which is in situ at the active site is also a biphasic process under the same condition. It appears that there may be an unfolding intermediate state of the enzymes and an asynchronous unfolding process among the different regions in the molecules during GuHCl denaturation, this may be due to differences in their flexibility.

The kinetics of reactivation of diethylphosphorylated acetylcholine esterase by pyridine-2-aldoxime methochloride has been studied using the approach of following the course of the hydrolysis of acetylcholine during the reactivation of the phosphorylated enzyme by the reactivator [Tsou, C.-L. (1965) Acta Biochem. Biophys. Sin. 5, 398-417]. Equations are derived based on the scheme of the formation of a complex between the phosphorylated enzyme and the reactivator and the rate of dissociation of this complex is not necessarily faster than the dephosphorylation and regeneration of the active enzyme. The regenerated enzyme then reacts with the substrate through an acetyl-enzyme intermediate as generally depicted. The equation obtained for product formation during the course of reactivation contains two exponential terms and this is in accord with the experimentally observed biphasic reaction. By making the assumption that the dissociation of the phosphorylated enzyme-reactivator complex is much faster than the dephosphorylation reaction, the above equation can be simplified to a form containing only one exponential term. By following the course of the reactivation reaction with the conventional approach of taking aliquots and assaying for enzyme activity recovery, it would appear likely that one would miss the initial stage of this biphasic reaction.

gamma-Glutamate kinase, the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the pathway from glutamate to proline, has been postulated to convert glutamate to a gamma-activated form (possibly gamma-glutamyl phosphate), which is reduced by a NADPH-linked reductase to yield glutamate gamma-semialdehyde (in equilibrium with delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate). In the present work we found that the kinase, in the absence or presence of the reductase (and in the absence of NADPH), catalyzes stoichiometric formation of 5-oxo-L-proline and Pi from L-glutamate and ATP, but catalyzes hydroxamate formation at only about 10% of the rate of ATP-cleavage. A new substrate of the kinase was found; thus, cis-cycloglutamate (cis-1-amino-1,3-dicarboxycyclohexane), a glutamate analog which cannot cyclize to form an analog of 5-oxoproline, interacts effectively with the kinase. The trans form of cycloglutamate does not interact with the kinase; only the cis form can assume a diequatorial conformation equivalent to the extended conformation of glutamate. cis-Cycloglutamyl phosphate formation was shown and evidence was obtained for formation of an enzyme-ADP-cycloglutamyl phosphate complex. Although cis-cycloglutamyl phosphate is not a reducible substrate of the NADPH-dependent reductase, the findings indicate that it interacts with the reductase. These studies, which elucidate several aspects of the mechanism of the utilization of glutamate for formation of delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate, support the hypothesis that the kinase and reductase function as an enzyme complex. A model is suggested in which gamma-glutamyl phosphate formed on the kinase interacts with the reductase to form a gamma-glutamyl-reductase complex, which is reduced by NADPH to yield glutamate gamma-semialdehyde.