Abstract Background Bioactive lipids play an important role in insulin secretion and sensitivity, contributing to the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to identify novel lipid species associated with incident T2D in a nested case–control study within a long-term prospective Chinese community-based cohort with a median follow-up of ~ 16 years. Methods Plasma samples from 196 incident T2D cases and 196 age- and sex-matched non-T2D controls recruited from the Hong Kong Cardiovascular...

Abstract Background Most duck eggs possess a fishy odor, indicating that ducks generally exhibit impaired trimethylamine (TMA) metabolism. TMA accumulation is responsible for this unpleasant odor, and TMA metabolism plays an essential role in trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fish odor syndrome. In this study, we focused on the unusual TMA metabolism mechanism in ducks, and further explored the unclear reasons leading to the debilitating TMA metabolism. Methods To achieve this, transcriptome, proteome, and metagenome...

Abstract Background The bacterial mechanisms responsible for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging have been well-reported, yet little is known about how bacteria isolated from cold-environments respond to H2O2 stress. Therefore, we investigated the transcriptional profiling of the Planomicrobium strain AX6 strain isolated from the cold-desert ecosystem in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, in response to H2O2 stress aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms associated with H2O2 scavenging potential. Methods We investigated the H2O2-scavenging potential of...

Abstract Background The bacterial mechanisms responsible for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging have been well-reported, yet little is known about how bacteria isolated from cold-environments respond to H2O2 stress. Therefore, we investigated the transcriptional profiling of the Planomicrobium strain AX6 strain isolated from the cold-desert ecosystem in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, in response to H2O2 stress aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms associated with H2O2 scavenging potential. Methods We investigated the H2O2-scavenging potential of...

Abstract Background Insulin resistance precedes metabolic syndrome which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, there is a lack of safe and long-lasting methods for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance. Gut microbiota dysbiosis can lead to insulin resistance and associated glucose and lipid metabolic dysfunction. Thus, the role of gut microbiota in metabolic diseases has garnered growing interest. Curcumin, the active ingredient of tropical plant Curcuma longa, has excellent...

Abstract Background The use of a personalized haplotype-specific genome assembly, rather than an unrelated, mosaic genome like GRCh38, as a reference for detecting the full spectrum of somatic events from cancers has long been advocated but has never been explored in tumor-normal paired samples. Here, we provide the first demonstrated use of de novo assembled personalized genome as a reference for cancer mutation detection and quantifying the effects of the reference genomes on the accuracy...

Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) is a novel imaging modality to obtain the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of fluorescence biomarkers. However, the simplified mathematical model and complicated inverse problem limit it to achieving precise results. In this study, the second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging was adopted to mitigate tissue scattering and reduce noise interference. An excitation-based fully connected network was proposed to model the inverse process of NIR-II photon propagation and directly obtain the 3D distribution of...

Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) is a novel imaging modality to obtain the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of fluorescence biomarkers. However, the simplified mathematical model and complicated inverse problem limit it to achieving precise results. In this study, the second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging was adopted to mitigate tissue scattering and reduce noise interference. An excitation-based fully connected network was proposed to model the inverse process of NIR-II photon propagation and directly obtain the 3D distribution of...

Abstract Background Spontaneous rupture is a life-threatening complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent trends in surgical treatments avoid emergency hepatectomy (EH) and favor emergency transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by delayed hepatectomy (DH). Still, there is debate on which is the better treatment option and whether delaying hepatectomy increases peritoneal metastasis. Aim To provide evidence-based references for the optimal management of patients with spontaneously ruptured HCC by comparing the outcomes of EH and DH. Methods Literature...

Abstract Background: The effectiveness of online classes is always a concern, and it can be overcome by opting for active learning strategies like team-based learning (TBL). This study was conducted to find out the effectiveness of online TBL as an active learning strategy. We also aimed to explore the satisfaction and perception of students toward TBL. Methods: This is a mixed-method study conducted among 29 third-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students...

Abstract No fully validated risk-stratification strategies have been established in China where colonoscopies resources are limited. We aimed to develop and validate a fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based risk-stratification model for colorectal neoplasia (CN); 10,164 individuals were recruited from 175 centers nationwide and were randomly allocated to the derivation (n = 6776) or validation cohort (n = 3388). Multivariate logistic analyses were performed to develop the National Colorectal Polyp Care (NCPC) score, which formed the risk-stratification...

The database includes major ion (Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO3, SO4, and Cl) data spanning 1940-2019, with 9487 groups of chemical results from 1434 water samples collected mainly in six large river basins in eastern Siberia.

Abstract Background The connection between obesity, lipid accumulation, and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. Methods The association of body mass index (BMI) and serum lipid levels with LNM was measured by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in 1,058 eligible GC patients with a mean age of 61.4 years. Meanwhile, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between lymph node metastasis-positive (N +) and -negative (N0) groups...

Abstract Background Chromosomal aneuploidy is the most common birth defect. However, the developmental mechanism and gene expression profile of fetuses with chromosomal aneuploidy are relatively unknown, and the maternal immune changes induced by fetal aneuploidy remain unclear. The inability to obtain the placenta multiple times in real-time is a bottleneck in research on aneuploid pregnancies. Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) carries the gene expression profile information of its source cells and may be used to evaluate...

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated that the supraphysiological E2 level is negatively correlated with birthweight. However, the cut-off value of E2 level that significantly affects birthweight is unknown, and there is no definite conclusion regarding this level. Our study aimed to explore the threshold of the effect of E2 levels on birthweight. Design A retrospective cohort study of 1846 samples was performed. All patients ≤42-years-old underwent autologous IVF cycles between August 1st, 2016 and...

Photonic Floquet topological insulators provide a powerful tool to manipulate the optical fields, which have been extensively studied with only nearest-neighbor coupling. Here, we demonstrate that nontrivial Floquet topological phase and photonic π modes are brought from long-range coupling in a one-dimensional periodically driven optical lattice. Interestingly, the long-range coupling is found to give rise to new Floquet π modes that do not exist in the traditional Floquet lattices. We interpret the underlying physics by...

Abstract Background Main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilation is a high-risk stigmata/worrisome feature of malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). The threshold of MPD diameter in predicting malignancy may be related to the lesion location. This study aimed to separately identify the thresholds of MPD for malignancy of IPMNs separately for the head-neck and body-tail. Materials and methods A total of 185 patients with pathologically confirmed IPMNs were included. Patient demographic information, clinical data, and...

ObjectiveTo identify whether median nerve stimulation (MNS) may be a potential candidate for the treatment of consciousness disorders via a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsPubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese VIP Information, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases were searched. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Disability Rating Scale (DRS), electroencephalogram (EEG), days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and cerebral blood flow measures were compared between...

BackgroundTo determine the populations who suitable for surgical treatment in elderly patients (age ≥ 75 y) with IA stage.MethodsThe clinical data of NSCLC patients diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 were collected from the SEER database and divided into surgery group (SG) and no-surgery groups (NSG). The confounders were balanced and differences in survival were compared between groups using PSM (Propensity score matching, PSM). Cox regression analysis was used to screen the independent factors that affect...

Abstract Background The pathophysiology of hepatitis B-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the disease mechanisms using topological analysis of the miRNA/mRNA network. Methods Paired miRNA/mRNA sequencing was performed with thirty-three peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples (LC, n = 9; chronic hepatitis B, n = 12; normal controls, n = 12) collected from a prospective cohort to identify the miRNA/mRNA network. Topological features and functional implications of the network were analyzed...

Abstract Background As sequencing technology has advanced in recent years, a series of synapse-related gene variants have been reported to be associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor is a subtype of the ionotropic glutamate receptor, whose number or composition changes can regulate the strength and plasticity of synapses. Case presentation Here, we report a de novo GRIA2 variant (NM_001083619.3: c.2308G > A, p.Ala770Thr) in a patient with obvious behavior...

Abstract Background Pancreatic signet ring cell carcinoma (PSRCC) is a rare tumour subtype with poorly understood epidemiological characteristics and prognosis. We attempted to comprehensively characterise the epidemiology and survival outcomes of PSRCC. Methods Patients diagnosed with PSRCC between 2000 and 2018 were identified using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Stat 8.3.9.2 software. Age-adjusted incidence and survival were calculated. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the differences between survival curves were compared using...

Abstract Background Since Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) has important significance to humans for their medicinal uses, to find antivirus activities inhibitors from tobacco, increase its medicinal value, and comprehensive utilization of its by-products, our group had investigated the chemical constituents of the stems of Y-202, a cultivar of tobacco which high resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Results Four new isoindolinone-type alkaloids, nicoisoindoles A–D (1–4), along with four known isoindole derivatives (5–8) were isolated. Compounds 1–4...

Abstract Macrococcus caseolyticus is an opportunistic pathogen that is frequently isolated from dairy products and veterinary infections. Recent studies have reported the possibility of methicillin resistance that be transferred among staphylococcal species in foods. The present study examined the population structure, antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, and morphology of methicillin-resistant M. caseolyticus by investigation of 94 genomes derived from both isolates in beef (n = 7) and pork (n = 2) at Shanghai and those deposited...

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is mainly characterized by sleep fragmentation and chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), the latter one being associated with multiple organ injury. Recently, OSA-induced cognition dysfunction has received extensive attention from scholars. Astrocytes are essential in neurocognitive deficits via A1/A2 phenotypic changes. Nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is considered the most important factor inducing and maintaining neuroinflammation. However, whether the NLRP3 regulates the A1/A2 transformation of astrocytes...