Plasma Proteomics Identify Biomarkers and Pathogenesis of COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global public health crisis. However, little is known about the pathogenesis and biomarkers of COVID-19. Here, we profiled host responses to COVID-19 by performing plasma proteomics of a cohort of COVID-19 patients, including non-survivors and survivors recovered from mild or severe symptoms, and uncovered numerous COVID-19-associated alterations of plasma proteins.

LAMP: disease classification derived from layered assessment on modules and pathways in the human gene network.

Background: Classification of diseases based on genetic information is of great significance as the basis for precision medicine, increasing the understanding of disease etiology and revolutionizing personalized medicine. Much effort has been directed at understanding disease associations by constructing disease networks, and classifying patient samples according to gene expression data. Integrating human gene networks overcomes limited coverage of genes.

Comparison of PET imaging of activated fibroblasts and F-FDG for diagnosis of primary hepatic tumours: a prospective pilot study.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the performance of Ga-labelled fibroblast activating protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET and F-FDG PET for imaging of hepatic tumours.

Methods: We prospectively assessed 20 patients with suspected intrahepatic lesions. Tumour radiological features, pathology, or follow-up examinations were assessed as ground truth in correlation with PET scans.

Co-exposure of serum calcium, selenium and vanadium is nonlinearly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Chinese population.

Background: Metals play an important role in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to explore the association of T2DM risk with single metal exposure and multi-metal co-exposure.

Methods: A case-control study with 223 T2DM patients and 302 controls was conducted.

Transcriptional landscape of cholangiocarcinoma revealed by weighted gene coexpression network analysis.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of cancer with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. Although some important genes and pathways associated with CCA have been identified, the relationship between coexpression and phenotype in CCA at the systems level remains unclear. In this study, the relationships underlying the molecular and clinical characteristics of CCA were investigated by employing weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA).

γ-Carboline synthesis enabled by Rh(iii)-catalysed regioselective C-H annulation.

A redox-neutral Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H annulation of indolyl oximes was developed. Relying on the use of various alkynyl silanes as the terminal alkyne surrogates, the reaction exhibited a reverse regioselectivity, thus giving an exclusive and easy way for the synthesis of a wide range of substituent free γ-carbolines at C3 position with high efficiency. Deuterium-labelling experiments and kinetic analysis have preliminarily shed light on the working mode of this catalytic system.

Associations Between Serum Multiple Metals Exposures and Metabolic Syndrome: a Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Although many studies have confirmed metabolic syndrome (MetS) is correlated with metal exposures, few studies have elucidated the associations of multiple metals with MetS risk. We aim to explore the relationship between serum 22 metals and MetS. We determined serum 22 metals using ICP-MS and used LASSO regression to select metals independently related with MetS to construct multiple-metals model.

The combination of PLLA/PLGA/PCL composite scaffolds integrated with BMP-2-loaded microspheres and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound alleviates steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), which has been previously reported to promote bone repair, is proposed to be a noninvasive form of therapy for the treatment of osteonecrosis. Bone fillers made from composite scaffolds have been demonstrated to be effective for preventing bone defects such as osteonecrosis. The present study aimed to investigate whether the application of LIPUS combined with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2)-loaded poly-L-lactic acid/polylactic-co-glycolic acid/poly-ε-caprolactone (PLLA/PLGA/PCL) composite scaffolds can improve recovery in a rat model of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).

Methionine-Mediated Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit (PP2Ac) Methylation Ameliorates the Tauopathy Induced by Manganese in Cell and Animal Models.

The molecular mechanism of Alzheimer-like cognitive impairment induced by manganese (Mn) exposure has not yet been fully clarified, and there are currently no effective interventions to treat neurodegenerative lesions related to manganism. Protein phosphatase 2 A (PP2A) is a major tau phosphatase and was recently identified as a potential therapeutic target molecule for neurodegenerative diseases; its activity is directed by the methylation status of the catalytic C subunit. Methionine is an essential amino acid, and its downstream metabolite S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) participates in transmethylation pathways as a methyl donor.

Efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective, real-world study conducted in China.

Background: Lenvatinib has become an indispensable part of treatment regimens for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). Several recent real-world studies appear to have confirmed this; however, there are etiological differences. This necessitates further real-world studies of lenvatinib across diverse populations, such as in China.

Patients with Prolonged Positivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Benefit from Convalescent Plasma Therapy: A Retrospective Study.

Convalescent plasma therapy has been implemented in a few cases of severe coronavirus disease 2019. No report about convalescent plasma therapy in treating patients with prolonged positivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been published. In this study, we conducted a retrospective observational study in 27 patients with prolonged positivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the clinical benefit of convalescent plasma therapy were analyzed.

Pembrolizumab combined with lenvatinib as non-first-line therapy in patients with refractory biliary tract carcinoma.

Background: A therapeutic strategy involving combined treatment with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (LEP) has demonstrated a relatively high antitumor response in several solid tumors; however, the efficacy and safety of LEP in patients with refractory bile tract carcinoma (BTC) remains unknown.

Methods: This is a single-arm study for a preliminary assessment of the efficacy and tolerability of LEP in patients who experienced progression from prior systemic treatments. Pre-treatment tumor tissues were collected to retrospectively evaluate the expression status of PDL1.

rs2274911 polymorphism in GPRC6A associated with serum E2 and PSA in a Southern Chinese male population.

Background: rs2274911 (Pro91Ser, G > A) is a missense mutation located on the second exon of the GPRC6A gene. Increasing evidence revealed a significant association between the A allele of rs2274911 and male diseases, such as oligospermia, cryptorchidism, and prostate tumor. However, the function of rs2274911 in healthy males is unclear.

Construction of a lipid metabolism-related and immune-associated prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies. We aimed to identify a robust lipid metabolism-related signature associated with the HCC microenvironment to improve the prognostic prediction of HCC patients.

Methods: We analyzed the gene expression profiles of lipid metabolism from Molecular Signatures Database and information of patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas.

An updated Vegetation Map of China (1:1000000).

Vegetation maps are important sources of information for biodiversity conservation, ecological studies, vegetation management and restoration, and national strategic decision making. The current Vegetation Map of China (1:1000000) was generated by a team of more than 250 scientists in an effort that lasted over 20 years starting in the 1980s. However, the vegetation distribution of China has experienced drastic changes during the rapid development of China in the last three decades, and it urgently needs to be updated to better represent the distribution of current vegetation types.

Design of 3D Hollow Porous Heterogeneous Nickel-Cobalt Phosphides for Synergistically Enhancing Catalytic Performance for Electrooxidation of Methanol.

The synergistic effect among different components and the structural and morphological control of catalytic nanomaterials have attracted considerable research interest in the field of electrocatalysis, as using a rational design of the catalytic nanomaterials with the desired structure, morphology, and chemical compositions is an effective strategy for enhancing catalytic performance. Here, by changing the Ni/Co atomic ratio of raw materials, a series of samples with a three-dimensional (3D) hollow porous ternary multicomponent heterostructure has been successfully synthesized via a facile template-free solvothermal approach and subsequently annealing and phosphating treatments, and its formation mechanism is also investigated. By virtue of compositional and structural advantages, the optimized NiCoP (NiCoP/CoP/CoP) nanoparticles show very high mass activity (436.

Associations of prenatal exposure to multiple metals with testicular volume and anogenital distance in infant boys: A longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Human are widely exposed to multiple metals, some of which have suspected reproductive toxicity, but no human studies have investigated the developmental effects of prenatal metal exposure.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the associations between prenatal multiple metal exposure and reproductive development in boys at 2-3 years using multi-pollutant approach.

Methods: This prospective study used data of 564 mother-child pairs recruited from the Guangxi Birth Cohort Study.

[Preventing role of warmth-promotion needling in reducing intracellular Ca overload of in vitro hippocampal neuronal cells of vascular dementia rats].

Objective: To investigate the underlying mechanisms of warming-promotion needling (WPN) for vascular dementia (VD) by observing its effect on the expression of L-type calcium channel current (Ica.L), changes of intracellular [Ca]i in neurons and pathomorphological changes of brain in VD rats.

Methods: One hundred and eight male SD rats were randomized into normal control, model, medication, WPN, uniform reinforcing-reducing needling (URRN), and needle-twirling groups (＝18 in each group).

Comparing the efficacy and safety of second-line therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a network meta-analysis of phase III trials.

Background: The prospect for targeted therapies in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has dramatically changed since several recent clinical trials have yielded promising results. The number of second-line therapies is increasing, though the consequent challenge is to consider differences between these interventions. This is a comparative investigation of presently approved second-line drugs for HCC based on findings from phase III randomized controlled trials.

Clinical course and predictors of 60-day mortality in 239 critically ill patients with COVID-19: a multicenter retrospective study from Wuhan, China.

Background: The global numbers of confirmed cases and deceased critically ill patients with COVID-19 are increasing. However, the clinical course, and the 60-day mortality and its predictors in critically ill patients have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical course, and 60-day mortality and its predictors in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Plasma metabolomic and lipidomic alterations associated with COVID-19.

The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health crisis. The symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe, but the physiological changes associated with COVID-19 are barely understood. In this study, we performed targeted metabolomic and lipidomic analyses of plasma from a cohort of patients with COVID-19 who had experienced different symptoms.

Monensin inhibits glioblastoma angiogenesis via targeting multiple growth factor receptor signaling.

Glioblastoma is characterized by the extensive vascularization with poor prognosis. Targeting both tumor cell and angiogenesis may present an effective therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma. Monensin, a polyether ionophore antibiotic, has been recently recognized as promising anticancer drug candidate due to its potent and selective anti-tumor activities.

Low-concentration of dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) in drinking water perturbs the health-associated gut microbiome and metabolic profile in rats.

Dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) is one of the emerging nitrogenous disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water. However, its potential toxicological effects remain poorly understood, especially at a low concentration found in the environment. In the present study, we investigated whether the consumption of low-concentration DCAN through drinking water would produce significant effects in male SD rats, with particular focus on their physiological traits and changes in their gut microbiome and metabolite profiles.