Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) has a strong irritating effect on skin, eyes, etc., and inhalation can cause asthma, dyspnea, allergy and other symptoms. This paper analyzes the accident process and clinical data of a patient with chemical burns of eye and skin and pulmonary inflammation caused by HDI, so as to provide references for the prevention and treatment of acute poisoning caused by HDI. At the same time, it reminds enterprises to provide safety training to workers exposed to toxins, regularly organize supervision and inspection, and improve the emergency rescue capabilities for sudden accidents.

Objective:To investigate the role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) -derived nanovesicles in hair regeneration.Methods:(1) Nanovesicles were prepared by continuously extruding umbilical cord MSCs through polycarbonate membranes, and were identified using transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. (2) Six C57BL/6 female mice with full-thickness skin wounds were randomly divided into a nanovesicle group (subcutaneously injected with nanovesicles once at the wound margin) and a control group (subcutaneously injected with an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline [PBS] at the wound margin) ; skin samples were collected on day 16 for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to assess wound healing and hair follicle regeneration. (3) Human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (DPCs) were isolated using a two-step enzyme method; the uptake of PKH26-pre-labeled nanovesicles by DPCs was observed by fluorescence microscopy; the proliferative activity of DPCs co-cultured with nanovesicles was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays. (4) Six healthy C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided into two groups after anesthesia, and subcutaneously injected with either fluorescent dye DIR-pre-labeled nanovesicles or PBS; an in vivo imaging system was used to observe the uptake and metabolism of nanovesicles in the mouse skin. (5) Twenty-four C57BL/6 female mice with depilated backs were randomly divided into a nanovesicle group (subcutaneously injected with nanovesicles on days 0, 8, and 15) and a control group (subcutaneously injected with an equal volume of PBS at the same time points) ; skin samples were collected on days 4, 18, and 21 for HE staining to analyze differences in hair follicle cycling; transcriptome sequencing was performed on skin samples collected on day 4. Statistical analyses were conducted using the t test. Results:(1) Transmission electron microscopy showed that nanovesicles exhibited a spherical membranous structure with diameters of 141.3 ± 60.0 nm. (2) In 6 C57BL/6 female mice with full-thickness skin wounds, the wound area on day 12 was significantly smaller in the nanovesicle group (1.27 ± 0.50 mm 2) than in the control group (4.13 ± 1.03 mm 2, t = 4.34, P = 0.012). (3) Fluorescence microscopy revealed that nanovesicles were taken up by DPCs within 20 hours; the absorbance of DPCs was significantly higher in the nanovesicle group than in the control group ( t = 20.23, P < 0.001), and the percentage of EdU-positive cells was also significantly higher in the nanovesicle group (49.62% ± 6.45%) than in the control group (37.58% ± 3.42%, t = 3.69, P = 0.006). (4) In vivo imaging of the 6 C57BL/6 female mice showed strong fluorescence in the back of mice in the nanovesicle group on day 0, which markedly decreased by day 8, while no fluorescence was observed in the control group throughout the experiment. (5) Hair follicle cycle experiments on the 24 C57BL/6 female mice with depilated backs showed that the hair follicle length on day 4 after depilation was significantly longer in the nanovesicle group (368.00 ± 63.17 μm) than in the control group (266.90 ± 34.41 μm, t = 9.87, P < 0.001), and the hair bulb diameter was also significantly longer in the nanovesicle group (54.83 ± 10.32 μm) than in the control group (39.12 ± 7.54 μm, t = 16.02, P < 0.001) ; on day 18, the nanovesicle group showed a significantly higher hair follicle density (19.12 ± 0.90) compared with the control group (11.07 ± 1.51, t = 7.92, P = 0.001) ; on day 21, 46.13% ± 8.64% of hair follicles in the nanovesicle group remained in the anagen phase Ⅵ to the catagen phase Ⅱ, and 46.24% ± 3.29% were in the catagen phases Ⅲ to Ⅳ, while 78.89% ± 18.36% of hair follicles in the control group were in the telogen phases Ⅶ to Ⅷ. Transcriptome sequencing showed that differentially expressed genes in the nanovesicle group were significantly positively enriched in the keratinization process (NES = 2.23, P < 0.001) . Conclusion:Umbilical cord MSC-derived nanovesicles could promote the proliferation of DPCs, advance the entry of hair follicles into the anagen phase, delay their entry into the catagen phase, and induce hair regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the malignant cancers with the highest incidence rate, and it is important to identify the factors contributing to lung cancer carcinogenesis for prevention. Lifestyle and genetic factors play important roles in cancer development, however the impact of dietary factors, such as soy product intake, on lung cancer risk remains inadequately understood. This study aims to explore the associations between soy product intake, genetic risk, and lung cancer incidence, and validate the consistent effects of soy product intake in European populations, thereby providing new insights for lung cancer prevention. METHODS: Utilizing the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank (SSACB) (n=66,311), Cox proportional hazards model was adopted to assess the association between soy product intake and lung cancer incidents, followed by subgroup analyses stratified by gender, smoking status, and pathological types of lung cancer. The UK Biobank (UKB) was used for validation of the effect of soy product intake on lung cancer. To investigate the association between genetic factors and lung cancer, in addition to previously reported loci, we incorporated newly identified loci from two independent studies in Southeast China: a nested case-control population from the SSACB cohort (433 cases/650 controls) and a case-control study from the Shanghai Cancer Center-Taizhou cohort (1359 cases/1359 controls). Meta-analysis and Linkage disequilibrium clumping (LD clumping) of the association results identified 23 loci for polygenic risk score (PRS) construction. Subsequently, conditional Logistic regression model was used to assess the association between genetic risk and lung cancer. RESULTS: In SSACB cohort, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, chronic bronchitis, body mass index (BMI), vegetable intake and red meat intake, sufficient soy product intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer [hazard ratio (HR)=0.60, 95%CI: 0.47-0.77, Padj=6.69E-05], an effect that was consistent in males and females, smokers and non-smokers. In UKB, although the association did not reach statistical significance, a protective trend against lung cancer was also observed (HR=0.76, 95%CI: 0.55-1.06, Padj=0.10). In the nested case-control population within SSACB, a PRS score generated in the Chinese population was significantly correlated with lung cancer risk. After adjustment of age, gender, smoking, chronic bronchitis, and soy product intake, the high-PRS group had a 1.88 times higher risk of lung cancer compared to the low-PRS group (Padj=1.84E-03). CONCLUSIONS The prospective cohort study found that adequate intake of soy products was significantly associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, while a high PRS is a risk factor for lung cancer development. Integrating soy product intake and PRS into traditional epidemiological risk factor prediction will guide personalized lung cancer prevention and high-risk population stratification.
Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; China/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Biological Specimen Banks ; Risk Factors ; Case-Control Studies ; Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of Chinese patent medicine Huatuo Zaizao Pill (HTZZ) on neurological function and limb motor in ischemic stroke (IS) patients during convalescence. METHODS: This is a prospective, open-labelled, randomized controlled trial. Patients with IS were recruited from the Neurology Department of Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from May 2021 to June 2023. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to the HTZZ (40 cases) or control group (40 cases) at a ratio of 1:1. The HTZZ group was treated with oral HTZZ (8 g, thrice daily) combined with conventional treatment, while the control group received only conventional treatment. The treatment duration was 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score from baseline to week 6 and 12. Secondary outcomes included changes in scores of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FM), and Barthel Index (BI) from baseline to week 6 and 12, as well as lipid indices after 12 weeks. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded and liver and kidney indices were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients completed the study (38 in the HTZZ group and 34 in the control group). Compared with the control group, the HTZZ group demonstrated significant improvements in MAS, NIHSS, FM, and BI scores following 6 and 12 weeks of treatment in both intent-to-treat and per-protocol analyses (all P<0.05). No significant differences were noted between groups in lipid indices, AEs, and liver and kidney dysfunction after 12 weeks (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS HTZZ alleviated spasticity and enhanced neurological function and prognosis of IS patients during convalescence. However, further evaluation of HTZZ's effect on IS outcomes is warranted in clinical trials with larger sample sizes and extended observation periods. (Trial registration No. NCT04910256).
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Male ; Female ; Ischemic Stroke/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Recovery of Function/drug effects* ; Convalescence ; Extremities/physiopathology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Prospective Studies

Antibody (Ab) humanization is critical to reduce immunogenicity and enhance efficacy in the preclinical phase of the development of therapeutic Abs originated from animal models. Computational suggestions have long been desired, but available tools focused on immunogenicity calculation of whole Ab sequences and sequence segments, missing the individual residue sites. This study introduces Site-specific Immunogenicity for Therapeutic Antibody (SITA), a novel computational framework that predicts B-cell immunogenicity score for not only the overall antibody, but also individual residues, based on a comprehensive set of amino acid descriptors characterizing physicochemical and spatial features for antibody structures. A transfer-learning-inspired framework was purposely adopted to overcome the scarcity of Ab-Ab structural complexes. On an independent testing dataset derived from 13 Ab-Ab structural complexes, SITA successfully predicted the epitope sites for Ab-Ab structures with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area unver the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.85 and a precision-recall (PR)-AUC of 0.305 at the residue level. Furthermore, the SITA score can significantly distinguish immunogenicity levels of whole human Abs, therapeutic Abs and non-human-derived Abs. More importantly, analysis of an additional 25 therapeutic Abs revealed that over 70% of them were detected with decreased immunogenicity after modification compared to their parent variants. Among these, nearly 66% Abs successfully identified actual modification sites from the top five sites with the highest SITA scores, suggesting the ability of SITA scores for guide the humanization of antibody. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of SITA in optimizing immunogenicity assessments during the process of therapeutic antibody design.

Computational approaches, encompassing both physics-based and machine learning (ML) methodologies, have gained substantial traction in drug repurposing efforts targeting specific therapeutic entities. The human dopamine (DA) transporter (hDAT) is the primary therapeutic target of numerous psychiatric medications. However, traditional hDAT-targeting drugs, which interact with the primary binding site, encounter significant limitations, including addictive potential and stimulant effects. In this study, we propose an integrated workflow combining virtual screening based on weighted holistic atom localization and entity shape (WHALES) descriptors with in vitro experimental validation to repurpose novel hDAT-targeting drugs. Initially, WHALES descriptors facilitated a similarity search, employing four benztropine-like atypical inhibitors known to bind hDAT's allosteric site as templates. Consequently, from a compound library of 4,921 marketed and clinically tested drugs, we identified 27 candidate atypical inhibitors. Subsequently, ADMETlab was employed to predict the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of these candidates, while induced-fit docking (IFD) was performed to estimate their binding affinities. Six compounds were selected for in vitro assessments of neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitory activities. Among these, three exhibited significant inhibitory potency, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values of 0.753 μM, 0.542 μM, and 1.210 μM, respectively. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and end-point binding free energy analyses were conducted to elucidate and confirm the inhibitory mechanisms of the repurposed drugs against hDAT in its inward-open conformation. In conclusion, our study not only identifies promising active compounds as potential atypical inhibitors for novel therapeutic drug development targeting hDAT but also validates the effectiveness of our integrated computational and experimental workflow for drug repurposing.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the potential mediating role of plasma phosphorylated tau217 (p-tau217) in the association between periodontitis and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: In this case-control study, patients diagnosed with MCI in the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Second Medical University from November 2023 to May 2024 were selected as the case group (MCI group). Cognitively normal (CN) volunteers, matched for age and education level and recruited from the physical examination center during the same period, served as the control group (CN group). The general demographic data of the study participants were collected. The Beijing versions of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), clinical dementia rating (CDR), and activities of daily living scale (ADL) were used to assess neuropsychological functions. Clinical periodontal examinations were conducted, the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) was calculated, and the periodontitis stage was determined in accordance with the 2018 classification. Fasting elbow venous blood samples were collected in the morning, and blood biochemical indicators were measured. Plasma p-tau217 levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses were performed using t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, partial correlation analysis, multivariate Logistic regression analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis, and mediation effect analysis. RESULTS: Among the 192 participants, 96 belong to the MCI group and 96 to the CN group. The prevalence of periodontitis was 63.5% in the MCI group and 43.8% in the CN group, with a statistically significant difference (χ²=7.561, P=0.006). The plasma p-tau217 levels in the MCI group were significantly higher than those in the CN group [7.00 (4.27-9.65) ng/mL versus 2.02 (0.80-3.81) ng/mL, Z=-8.108, P<0.001]. Partial correlation analysis revealed that plasma p-tau217 levels were positively correlated with all the clinical periodontal indices (all P<0.001). After adjustments for baseline covariates, multivariate Logistic regression indicated that periodontitis was an independent risk factor for MCI. Patients with periodontitis had a 1.977-fold higher MCI risk than those without periodontitis (OR=1.977, 95%CI: 1.088-3.594, P=0.025). Moreover, the MCI risk for stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ periodontitis and stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ periodontitis was 1.878 times (OR=1.878, 95%CI: 1.029-3.425, P=0.040) and 2.625 times (OR=2.625, 95%CI: 1.073-6.246, P=0.035) higher than that for patients without periodontitis, respectively. Trend test showed that the MCI risk increased with periodontitis severity (P_trend=0.016). After adjustments for baseline covariates, multiple linear regression analysis showed that periodontitis was an independent risk factor for increased plasma p-tau217 levels (β=3.309, 95%CI: 2.363-4.254, P<0.001). Compared with patients without periodontitis, those with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ periodontitis (β=1.838, 95%CI: 0.869-2.806, P<0.001) and stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ periodontitis (β=5.539, 95%CI: 4.442-6.636, P<0.001) had significantly higher plasma p-tau217 levels. In addition, trend test indicated that plasma p-tau217 levels increased with periodontitis severity (P_trend<0.001). After adjustments for baseline covariates, RCS regression analysis further revealed that PISA had a positive linear dose-response relationship with MCI risk (P_overall=0.002, P_nonlinear=0.344) and plasma p-tau217 levels (P_overall<0.001, P_nonlinear=0.140). After adjustments for baseline covariates, mediation analysis showed that plasma p-tau217 mediated the association between periodontitis and MCI, with a mediation proportion of 13.99% (95% Bootstrap CI: 0.38%-49.39%, P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS Periodontitis was independently positively associated with MCI risk, and plasma p-tau217 plays a mediating role in this association.
Humans ; Cognitive Dysfunction/complications* ; tau Proteins/blood* ; Periodontitis/complications* ; Case-Control Studies ; Male ; Female ; Phosphorylation ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Activities of Daily Living

Objective:To understand the status and influencing factors of social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Methods:A multi-stage sampling method was used to select elderly individuals from eight communities or villages in Hefei from July to September 2022. The study employed a general information survey, the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) , the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) , the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) , and the Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCS-16) . Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing social isolation in elderly individuals with chronic diseases.Results:A total of 1 133 elderly individuals were surveyed, among which 538 had chronic diseases. Among the 538 elderly individuals with chronic diseases, 209 were socially isolated, resulting in a social isolation rate of 38.8%. Binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that living area, fear of falling, depression, social capital, and social support were significant factors influencing social isolation ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The social isolation rate among elderly individuals with chronic diseases is high. Special attention should be given to elderly individuals living in rural areas, those who fear falling, and those experiencing depression. Additionally, improving social capital and social support can help alleviate social isolation in these elderly individuals.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum CXC chemokine ligand 1(CXCL1)and positive regulatory zone zinc finger protein 5(PRDM5)levels and lymph node metastasis of progressive gastric cancer and to analyze their predictive value for patients'prognosis.Methods 203 patients with progressive gastric cancer diagnosed in our hospital from June 2020 to March 2023 were selected and divided into the lymph node metastasis group(n=90)and the no-lymph node metastasis group(n=113)based on the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis,and the differences in the general information of the two groups were analyzed and compared,and the diagnostic value of CXCL1 and PRDM5 in lymph node metastasis of progressive gastric cancer was analyzed by plotting the ROC curve.Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in patients with progressive gastric cancer.Follow up for 2 years,draw Kapan Meier curves to compare the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer lymph node metastasis at different levels of CXCL1 and PRDM5.Results The CXCL1 level in the lymph node metastasis group was higher than that in the no-lymph node metastasis group,and its PRDM5 level was lower than that in the no-lymph node metastasis group(P<0.05).The AUCs for diagnosing lymph node metastasis of progressed gastric cancer were 0.755 and 0.844 for CXCL1 and PRDM5,respectively,and the AUC for the combination of the two was 0.898(95%CI 0.848～0.936).The sensitivity and specificity were 88.89%and 77.88%,respectively(P<0.05).Tumor size,differentation degree,serum CEA,serum CA19-9,CXCL1,and PRDM5 levels were all risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with progressive gastric cancer(P<0.05).The survival time of patients with CXCL1>96.13 pg/mL is(15.13±0.85)months,while the survival time of patients with CXCL1≤96.13 pg/mL is(19.06±0.66)months.The survival time of patients with CXCL1≤96.13 pg/mL is longer than that of patients with CXCL1>96.13 pg/mL(P<0.05).The survival time of patients with PRDM>100.85 pg/mL is(18.62±0.69)months,while the survival time of patients with PRDM≤100.85 pg/mL is(14.60±0.78)months.The survival time of patients with PRDM>100.85 pg/mL is longer than that of patients with PRDM≤100.85 pg/mL(P<0.05).Conclusion The abnormal expression of CXCL1 and PRDM5 is related to lymph node metastasis in patients with progressive gastric cancer,and the combined detection of the two is of high value in the assessment of lymph node metastasis and prognosis in patients with progressive gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the first cohort of people in China treated with a responsive neurostimulation system (Epilcure TM , GenLight MedTech, Hangzhou, China) for focal drug-resistant epilepsy in this study. METHODS: This multicenter, before-and-after self-controlled study was conducted across 8 centers from March 2022 to June 2023, involving patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who were undergoing responsive neurostimulation (RNS). The study was based on an ongoing multi-center, single-blind, randomized controlled study. Efficacy was assessed through metrics including median seizure count, seizure frequency reduction (SFR), and response rate. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationships of basic clinical factors and intracranial electrophysiological characteristics with SFR. The postoperative quality of life, cognitive function, depression, and anxiety were evaluated as well. RESULTS: The follow-up period for the 19 participants was 10.7 ± 3.4 months. Seizure counts decreased significantly 6 months after device activation, with median SFR of 48% at the 6th month (M6) and 58% at M12 ( P  <0.05). The average response rate after 13 months of treatment was 42%, with 21% ( n  = 4) of the participants achieving seizure freedom. Patients who have previously undergone resective surgery appear to achieve better therapeutic outcomes at M11, M12 and M13 ( β  <0, P  <0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in patients' scores of quality of life, cognition, depression and anxiety following stimulation when compared to baseline measurements. No serious adverse events related to the devices were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary findings suggest that Epilcure TM exhibits promising therapeutic potential in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures. However, to further validate its efficacy, larger-scale randomized controlled trials are required. REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2200055247).
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Drug Resistant Epilepsy/therapy* ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; China ; Adolescent ; Treatment Outcome ; Quality of Life ; Single-Blind Method ; Seizures ; Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods*