Biomedical and environmental sciences : BES最新文献

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of a nutritional intervention in rescuers who screened positive for depression.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was employed. From June to August, 2022, 4,460 rescuers were screened using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and 1,615 positive cases were identified. Thirty-one volunteers were recruited and randomly divided into a nutritional intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received health education and nutritional intervention (a compound paste therapy primarily composed of red roses and Seville orange flowers), while the control group received psychological education. SDS scores were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results: There was a statistically significant decline in SDS scores in the nutritional intervention group after the intervention ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, the SDS scores of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group, both before and after the intervention ( P < 0.05). No severe adverse reactions were observed during safety evaluation.

Conclusion: The nutritional intervention effectively reduced the depression scores in rescuers. Early nutritional intervention is recommended for rescuers who initially screen positive for depression.

Objective: To systematically summarize the published literature on the genetic variants associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods: Literature from Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase between January 1980 and September 2022 was systematically searched. Meta-analyses of the genetic variants were conducted using at least five data sources. The epidemiologic credibility of the significant associations was graded using the Venice criteria.

Results: Based on literature screening, 399 eligible studies were included, comprising 381 candidate gene association, 16 genome-wide association, and 2 whole-exome sequencing studies. We identified 465 genetic variants in 173 genes in candidate gene association studies, and 25 genetic variants in 17 genes were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis identified 11 variants in 10 genes that were significantly associated with NAFLD, with cumulative epidemiological evidence of an association graded as strong for two variants in two genes ( HFE, TNF), moderate for four variants in three genes ( TM6SF2, GCKR, and ADIPOQ), and weak for five variants in five genes ( MBOAT7, PEMT, PNPLA3, LEPR, and MTHFR).

Conclusion: This study identified six variants in five genes that had moderate to strong evidence of an association with NAFLD, which may help understand the genetic architecture of NAFLD risk.

Objective: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), the second most common subtype of stroke, exacerbates the disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), leading to vasogenic edema, plasma protein extravasation, and infiltration of neurotoxic substances. The clearance capacity of the brain plays a crucial role in maintaining BBB homeostasis and facilitating patient recovery after hemorrhage. This study aimed to investigate the effect of circadian rhythms on BBB function, neuronal damage, and clearance capabilities.

Methods: The transwell model and hemoglobin were co-cultured to simulate the BBB environment after ICH. After intervention with different light groups, neuronal apoptosis was determined, glial phagocytosis was analyzed, the expression of endogenous clearing-related proteins aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) was detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence dual standard method, and the expression of the tight junction protein occludin and melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) was quantitatively analyzed.

Results: Circadian rhythms play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the BBB, reducing oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage, and improving microglial phagocytosis. Meanwhile, the expression of occludin and MTNR1A in neurovascular unit (NVU) co-cultured with hemoglobin improved the expression of AQP4 and LRP1, the key proteins in the NVU's endogenous brain clearance system.

Conclusion: Circadian rhythm (alternating black and white light) protects the NVU BBB function after ICH, promotes the expression of proteins related to the clearance of the hematoma, provides new evidence for the clinical treatment of patients recovering from ICH, and improves the circadian rhythm to promote brain metabolism and hematoma clearance.

Objective: Genotypes (G) 1, 3, and 5 of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) have been isolated in China, but the dominant genotype circulating in Chinese coastal areas remains unknown. We searched for G5 JEV-infected cases and attempted to elucidate which JEV genotype was most closely related to human Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the coastal provinces of China.

Methods: In this study, we collected serum specimens from patients with JE in three coastal provinces of China (Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Shandong) from 2018 to 2020 and conducted JEV cross-neutralization tests against G1, G3, and G5.

Results: Acute serum specimens from clinically reported JE cases were obtained for laboratory confirmation from hospitals in Shandong (92 patients), Zhejiang (192 patients), and Guangdong (77 patients), China, from 2018 to 2020. Seventy of the 361 serum specimens were laboratory-confirmed to be infected with JEV. Two cases were confirmed to be infected with G1 JEV, 32 with G3 JEV, and two with G5 JEV.

Conclusion: G3 was the primary infection genotype among JE cases with a definite infection genotype, and the infection caused by G5 JEV was confirmed serologically in China.

Lung cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths globally. Advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer treatment, but their use in lung cancer has led to more side effects. This study examined if past pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) affects ICIs' effectiveness and safety in lung cancer treatment. We reviewed lung cancer patients treated with ICIs at Beijing Chest Hospital from January 2019 to August 2022. We compared outcomes and side effects between patients with and without prior TB. Of 116 patients (40 with TB history, 76 without), prior TB didn't reduce treatment effectiveness but did increase severe side effects. Notably, older patients (≥ 65 years) faced a higher risk of severe side effects. Detailed cases of two patients with severe side effects underscored TB as a risk factor in lung cancer patients receiving ICIs, stressing the need for careful monitoring and personalized care.

Melanocytes derived from neural crest cells harbor the BRAF ^V600E mutation, which is the predominant driver of nevus formation in humans. This mutation leads to malignant cell proliferation and subsequent cell cycle arrest, culminating in oncogene-induced senescence and nevus development. Nevertheless, emerging evidence has highlighted the heterogeneity of cellular senescence markers in BRAF ^V600E-induced senescent melanocytes. Moreover, the capacity of melanocytes within nevi to regain their proliferative ability raises questions about the molecular mechanisms by which BRAF ^V600E, via the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, triggers nevus formation. This study provides an overview and discussion of the molecular mechanisms underpinning BRAF ^V600E-induced melanocyte nevus formation and the relevant animal models employed for their elucidation. It also highlights the significance of elucidating dynamic changes in cytoplasmic and nuclear substrates that interact with phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 and underscores the value of using targeted BRAF ^V600E animal models created through gene editing technologies.

Objective: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy. CD8+ T cells, which are pivotal immune cells, can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse cell populations owing to rapid advancements in sequencing technology. By leveraging these genes, our objective was to develop a prognostic model that accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with TNBC and their responsiveness to immunotherapy.

Methods: Sample information and clinical data of TNBC were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC databases. In the initial stage, we identified 67 differentially expressed genes associated with immune response in CD8+ T cells. Subsequently, we narrowed our focus to three key genes, namely CXCL13, GBP2, and GZMB, which were used to construct a prognostic model. The accuracy of the model was assessed using the validation set data and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Furthermore, we employed various methods, including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, immune infiltration, and correlation analyses with CD274 (PD-L1) to explore the model's predictive efficacy in immunotherapeutic responses. Additionally, we investigated the potential underlying biological pathways that contribute to divergent treatment responses.

Results: We successfully developed a model capable of predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC. The areas under the curve (AUC) values for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival predictions were 0.618, 0.652, and 0.826, respectively. Employing this risk model, we stratified the samples into high- and low-risk groups. Through KEGG enrichment analysis, we observed that the high-risk group predominantly exhibited enrichment in metabolism-related pathways such as drug and chlorophyll metabolism, whereas the low-risk group demonstrated significant enrichment in cytokine pathways. Furthermore, immune landscape analysis revealed noteworthy variations between (PD-L1) expression and risk scores, indicating that our model effectively predicted the response of patients to immune-based treatments.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the potential of CXCL13, GBP2, and GZMB as prognostic indicators of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in patients with TNBC. These findings provide valuable insights and novel avenues for developing immunotherapeutic approaches targeting TNBC.