Background Exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) may impair lung function through various mechanisms; however, it remains uncertain whether BaP induces ferroptosis in lung tissue cells, resulting in lung function impairment. Objective To investigate the ferroptosis of lung tissue cells triggered by subchronic BaP exposure in mice and its correlation with lung injury, and to explore the function of ferroptosis in BaP-induced lung tissue damage. Method Seventy-two healthy 3-weeks-old male C57BL/6J mice were acclimatized for 1 week and then randomly divided into six groups: control group (corn oil 10 mL·kg⁻¹), low-dose BaP group (2.5 mg·kg⁻¹), medium-dose BaP group (5 mg·kg⁻¹), high-dose BaP group (10 mg·kg⁻¹), BaP+ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) group (10 mg·kg⁻¹+1 mg·kg⁻¹), and Fer-1 group (1 mg·kg⁻¹), with 12 mice each group. Corn oil and BaP were administered via gavage every other day, followed by an intraperitoneal injection of Fer-1 the subsequent day, throughout a period of 90 d. Whole-body plethysmography was applied to detect lung function; hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and Masson staining were used to observe lung tissue injury and fibrosis; microscopy of alveolar epithelial cells was conducted to reveal mitochondrial morphology; biochemical assays were used to measure the content of tissue iron, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH), as well as the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px); Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses were performed to reveal the protein and mRNA expression of ferroptosis markers. Results Compared to the control group, the high-dose BaP group showed a significant increase in expiration time (Te) (P<0.01), and a significant decrease in ratio rate of achieving peak expiratory flow (Rpef), tidal volume (TVb), peak inspiratory flow (PIF), minute volume (MVb), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) (P<0.05 or 0.01). Based on the results of HE and Masson staining, partial destruction of alveolar structures, thickening of alveolar walls, infiltration of inflammatory cells, significant thickening of tracheal walls and a large deposition of collagen fibers in lung tissue were observed in the medium- and high-dose BaP groups. By microscopy, the alveolar epithelial cells exposed to low-dose BaP showed condensed chromatin, and the mitochondria exposed to medium and high-dose BaP showed wrinkles, increased mitochondrial membrane density, and diminished mitochondrial cristae. Compared to the control group, in the medium- and high-dose BaP groups, the lung tissue iron content and the expression levels of ACSL4 protein and mRNA significantly elevated (P<0.01 or 0.05), while the mRNA expression level of SLC7A11 significantly decreased (P<0.05); in the high-dose BaP group, the MDA content, COX2 protein, and PTGS2 mRNA expression levels significantly increased (P<0.05 or 0.01), GSH content and GSH-Px activity, GPX4 protein and mRNA expression levels, and the expression level of SLC7A11 protein significantly decreased (P<0.01 or 0.05). The ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 markedly reversed respiratory function, morphology, mitochondrial alterations, and the aforementioned ferroptosis-related biochemical indicators. Conclusion Subchronic exposure to BaP can induce ferroptosis in mice lung tissue cells, resulting in compromised lung function.

Loss of protein homeostasis is a hallmark of cellular senescence, and ribosome pausing plays a crucial role in the collapse of proteostasis. However, our understanding of ribosome pausing in senescent cells remains limited. In this study, we utilized ribosome profiling and G-quadruplex RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing techniques to explore the impact of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) on the translation efficiency in senescent cells. Our results revealed a reduction in the translation efficiency of rG4-rich genes in senescent cells and demonstrated that rG4 structures within coding sequence can impede translation both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we observed a significant increase in the abundance of rG4 structures in senescent cells, and the stabilization of the rG4 structures further exacerbated cellular senescence. Mechanistically, the RNA helicase DHX9 functions as a key regulator of rG4 abundance, and its reduced expression in senescent cells contributing to increased ribosome pausing. Additionally, we also observed an increased abundance of rG4, an imbalance in protein homeostasis, and reduced DHX9 expression in aged mice. In summary, our findings reveal a novel biological role for rG4 and DHX9 in the regulation of translation and proteostasis, which may have implications for delaying cellular senescence and the aging process.
G-Quadruplexes ; Cellular Senescence ; Ribosomes/genetics* ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics* ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA/chemistry* ; Neoplasm Proteins

Background The active metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), can form adducts with DNA, but the spectrum of BPDE-DNA adducts is unclear. Objective To identify the distribution of BPDE adduct sites and associated genes at the whole-genome level by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq), and serve as a basis for further exploring the toxicological mechanisms of BaP. Methods Human bronchial epithelial-like cells (16HBE) were cultured to the fourth generation inthe logarithmic growth phase. Cells were harvested and added to chromatin immunoprecipitation lysis buffer. The lysate was divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a final concentration of 20 μmol·L⁻¹ BPDE solution, while the control group received an equivalent volume of dimethyl sulfoxide solution. The cells were then incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. Chromatin fragments of 100-500 bp were obtained through sonication. BPDE-specific antibody (anti-BPDE 8E11) was used to enrich DNA fragments with BPDE adducts. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to detect BPDE adduct sites. The top 1000 peak sequences were subjected to motif analysis using MEME and DREME software. BPDE adduct target genes at the whole-genome level were annotated, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of BPDE adduct target genes were conducted using bioinformatics techniques. Results The high-throughput sequencing detected a total of 842 BPDE binding sites, distributed across various chromosomes. BPDE covalently bound to both coding and non-coding regions of genes, with 73.9% binding sites located in intergenic regions, 19.6% in intronic regions, and smaller proportions in upstream 2 kilobase, exonic, downstream 2 kilobase, and 5' untranslated regions. Regarding the top 1000 peak sequences, four reliable motifs were identified, revealing that sites rich in adenine (A) and guanine (G) were prone to binding. Through the enrichment analysis of binding sites, a total of 199 BPDE-adduct target genes were identified, with the majority located on chromosomes 1, 5, 7, 12, 17, and X. The GO analysis indicated that these target genes were mainly enriched in nucleic acid and protein binding, participating in the regulation of catalytic activity, transport activity, translation elongation factor activity, and playing important roles in cell division, differentiation, motility, substance transport, and information transfer. The KEGG analysis revealed that these target genes were primarily enriched in pathways related to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and immune-inflammatory responses. Conclusion Using ChIP-Seq, 199 BPDE adduct target genes at genome-wide level are identified, impacting biological functions such as cell division, differentiation, motility, substance transport, and information transfer. These genes are closely associated with cardiovascular diseases, tumors, and immune-inflammatory responses.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors and management of benign anastomotic stenosis in patients with colorectal cancer after concurrent prophylactic ileostomy.Methods The clinical data of 74 colorectal cancer patients undergoing preventive ileostomy admitted to Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University from April 2018 to June 2022 were selected,according to the presence or absence of anastomotic stenosis after surgery,patients were divided into anastomotic stenosis group and anastomotic normal group.The influencing factors of stenosis were analyzed using statistical methods,and the management methods for anastomotic stenosis were summarized.Results 15 cases of anastomotic stenosis occurred after surgery,with an incidence rate of 20.3%.Compared with anastomotic normal group,patients in anastomotic stenosis group had a higher proportion of preoperative radiation therapy,preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and a higher incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage/pelvic infection,with statistical significance(P<0.05);Multivariate analysis suggests that preoperative radiotherapy,anastomotic leakage/pelvic infection are independent risk factors for anastomotic stenosis.Conclusion Patients with colorectal cancer who undergo preoperative radiotherapy,neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and postoperative anastomotic leakage/pelvic infection should pay attention to the occurrence of anastomotic stenosis after undergoing ileostomy;Postoperative anastomotic stenosis should be treated according to the characteristics of the stenosis.

Objective To investigate the current status,evolving hotspots,and emerging trends in the field of human re-source allocation research in public hospitals,both domestically and internationally,to provide a reference for future research di-rections in China.Methods CiteSpace was used to conduct a visual analysis of the research literature on human resource alloca-tion in public hospitals based on China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)and the Web of Science(WOS).The analysis encompassed co-authorship,institutional collaboration,keyword co-occurrence and clustering,and burst detection.Results A total of 1 417 Chinese articles and 981 international articles were included.Domestic research in this field focused more on healthcare reform and management,resource allocation,hierarchical diagnosis,and treatment,and informatization and efficiency improvement.On the contrary,international research primarily centered on the employee satisfaction,healthcare system quality,work environment and medical staff.Future trends in domestic research included cost reduction,efficiency enhancement,and a greater emphasis on public welfare in public hospitals,while international research was beginning to explore the influence of polit-ical concepts in this field.Conclusion Compared to international research,domestic research needs to further improve its theo-retical and localized understanding,broaden its research scope,explore the interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities,and delve into research directions such as the application of artificial intelligence and automation technology in healthcare services,management of a diverse workforce,and innovative management techniques and applications.

Objective:To develop a prediction model using machine learning to identify anxiety and depression in elderly individuals.Methods:This study collected data from 15079 elderly individuals in Shanxi Province, including their social demographic factors and disease status.Anxiety and depression were evaluated using GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales to understand the characteristics of mental illness in the elderly.The evaluation indexes included accuracy, recall, precision, F1 score, Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve(ROC), and area under the curve(AUC), which were derived from the confusion matrix and several models.Results:The output of our study clearly demonstrates that the full feature prediction based on LightGBM is highly accurate, with an AUC of 0.805[95% CI: 0.794-0.811]. This outperforms the Random Forest model, which achieved an AUC of 0.730[95% CI: 0.702-0.741], and the XGboost model, which achieved an AUC of 0.802[95% CI: 0.780-0.807]. Therefore, LightGBM algorithm proves to be a strong prediction model.Our simplified model, based on eight selected features, also achieves a respectable AUC of approximately 0.75. Conclusions:The new prediction model for anxiety and depression specifically designed for the elderly can be effectively utilized in grassroots health surveys or for self-examinations to efficiently predict anxiety and depression levels among the elderly population in the community.

Objective:To explore the facilitators and barriers in implementing the orthokeratology lens-wearing education guidance program from the perspectives of children, their families, and medical and nursing staff.Methods:Based on phenomenological research, purposive sampling was used to select five medical workers, 18 children wearing orthokeratology lenses and family members from the Optometry Center of Peking University Third Hospital as interviewees for semi-structured interviews. Colaizzi's 7-step method was used to analyze interview data.Results:Two themes (facilitators and barriers) were extracted, among which facilitators included two sub-themes (strong demand for educational guidance, trust in medical and nursing staff), and barriers consisted of two sub-themes (patient factors, external support factors) .Conclusions:In promoting the educational guidance intervention program for wearing orthokeratology lenses, medical and nursing staff need to fully play the role of facilitators, analyze and solve barriers, and ultimately promote the smooth implementation of the intervention program.

Background Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has neurotoxicity, which can induce the loss of hippocampal neurons in humans and animals and lead to spatial learning and memory dysfunction, but its mechanism is still unclear. Objective To observe the ferroptosis of mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells induced by 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxybenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), an active metabolite of BaP, and to explore its potential mechanism, so as to provide a basis for the study of BaP neurotoxicity mechanism. Method Mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells were selected and divided into four groups: solvent control group and low, medium, and high concentration BPDE exposure groups (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 μmol·L⁻¹). Cell survival was detected by CCK8 method. Cell morphology and ultrastructure were observed under light and electron microscopes. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Fe²⁺ were detected by fluorescence probe method. Iron, 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (4-HNE), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) levels were detected with commercial kits. The expression levels of acyl-CoA synthase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by Western blotting. After interventions with ferroptosis inhibitors 20 μmol·L⁻¹ deferoxamine (DFO) and 10 μmol·L⁻¹ ethyl 3-amino-4-cyclohexylaminobenzoate (Fer-1), the cell survival rate of each BPDE exposure group and the changes of the ferroptosis characteristic indicators and protein expression levels were observed. Results With the increase of BPDE concentration, the survival rate of HT22 cells decreased gradually, and the survival rate of each BPDE group was significantly lower than that of the solvent control group (P<0.01). Under light microscope, the number of cells in the high concentration BPDE group was significantly reduced, and atrophic cells and reduced synapses were recorded. Under electron microscope, the HT22 cells in the high concentration BPDE group showed mitochondrial shrinkage, decreased crista, and increased mitochondrial membrane density. Compared with the solvent control group, the levels of intracellular lipid ROS, Fe²⁺, 4-HNE, and MDA significantly increased in the high concentration group (P<0.01), the GSH and GSH-PX levels were significantly decreased (P<0.01), the protein expression levels of ASCL4 and COX2 were significantly increased (P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of SCL7A11 and GPX4 were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The ferroptosis inhibitors DFO and Fer-1 significantly reversed the cell survival rate (P<0.01), the ferroptosis characteristic indicators (ROS, Fe²⁺, 4-HNE, MDA, GSH, and GSH-PX levels) (P<0.01), and the expression levels of ferroptosis-related proteins (ACSL4, COX2, SLC7A11, and GPX4) (P<0.01) in the high concentration BPDE group. Conclusion BPDE can induce ferroptosis in mouse hippocampal neuron HT22 cells, which may be related to the inhibition of SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 axis and the induction of iron metabolism disorder.

Objective:To simulate the spot characteristics of light emitting diode (LED) array light sources used in non-invasive phototherapy at different distances and to provide reference for the formulation of clinical non-invasive phototherapy treatment schemes.Methods:The ray tracing module in Comsol software was used to simulate the spot characteristics of LED light sources with different power and arrays at different distances, and the fitting curve was analyzed. The model was verified by the actual LED spot measurement, and the feasibility of the treatment scheme was verified by the mouse back wound model.Results:Under the irradiation of 2×2 LED light source array, with the increase of the vertical distance from the light source, the area of the effective area and the treatment area gradually increased, the power density value in the area gradually decreased, and the uniformity gradually increased. These changes showed a linear or binomial correlation with the vertical distance. The model was improved based on the actual LED light spot, and the new model consisted of an array of 18 LEDs as the light source, and the treatment area showed better uniformity and power density values. The simulated optical parameters were used to treat mice’s wounds with light, and the results showed that light treatment could promote wound healing.Conclusions:The established medical LED array light source spot characteristics simulation can provide a reference for the development of clinical non-invasive phototherapy protocols, thus helping the clinic select the appropriate LED power and array distribution according to the treatment needs and also providing a basis for the development of medical LED array light sources.

Objective:To compare the differences in lung function between sanitation workers and the general population undergoing routine physical examinations, and to analyze the risk factors for restricted airflow and severity of the condition in sanitation workers.Methods:This study is a large cross-sectional study called "Shanxin Respiratory Health Screening for Ten Thousand People". A total of 1 036 sanitation workers (sanitation group) and 6 701 individuals from the general population undergoing routine physical examinations (control group) were selected as the original study subjects from June 2021 to April 2022 (before matching). Both groups underwent pre-bronchodilator lung function tests, and the differences in lung function characteristics between the two groups were compared. The sanitation group also completed a questionnaire survey. Multivariate and ordinal multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors for airflow limitation and its severity.Results:A total of 1 027 individuals from the sanitation group and 999 individuals from the control group were included in the study. There were no significant differences in age, gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) between the two groups (all P>0.05). The rate of airflow restriction was significantly higher in the sanitation group compared to the control group (22.88% vs 8.81%, P<0.001). In the sanitation group, there was no statistically significant difference in a self-assessment test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CAT) scores between individuals with airflow restriction (235 cases) and those without airflow restriction (792 cases) [(1.50±2.50) vs (1.15±2.03) points, P=0.084]. There were no statistically significant differences in forced vital capacity (FVC) as a percentage of predicted value (FVC%pred) between the two groups. However, the sanitation group had significantly lower %pred for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1%pred), FVC/FEV 1 ratio (FEV 1/FVC%pred), forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (FEF 50%%pred), forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF 75%%pred), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF%pred) compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The rates of abnormal FEF 50%%pred, FEF 75%%pred, and MMEF%pred were significantly higher in the sanitation group compared to the control group (17.62% vs 10.31%, 17.04% vs 10.01%, 27.26% vs 18.41%, all P<0.001). Small airway parameters and the rate of airflow restriction were significantly higher in past and current smokers of the sanitation group compared to never smokers (all P<0.05). Multifactorial analysis showed that high BMI ( OR=0.929, 95% CI: 0.885-0.974) was a protective factor for airflow restriction, while high smoking index was a risk factor ( OR=1.020, 95% CI: 1.011-1.030). Ordered multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that high BMI ( OR=0.925, 95% CI: 0.882-0.971) was a protective factor for the severity of airflow restriction, while high smoking index ( OR=1.020, 95% CI: 1.011-1.029) was a risk factor for the severity of airflow restriction. Conclusions:The incidences of airflow limitation and small airway abnormalities in sanitation workers are higher than that in general physical examination population. High smoking index and low BMI are independent risk factors for airflow limitation and its severity.