Antibiotic resistance is spreading at a faster rate than new antibiotic agents applied for clinical remedies. It is an urgent need to discover potential compounds to combat multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Marine fungi offer a promising avenue for mining antibiotic-like molecules with chemical diversity. To discover structurally novel and antibiotic metabolites, we screened the in-house marine fungus genome library and found a fungus Stephanonectria keithii LZD-10-1 containing a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) cluster with 18 modules to synthesize a new subfamily of peptaibols with effective eradication against MDR pathogens. Targeting isolation of the cultured fungus afforded six new peptaibols, which exhibit the ability to kill MDR bacteria by targeting bacterial membrane phospholipids, especially phosphatidylglycerol (PG), leading to the dysfunction of bacterial membranes. Furthermore, their efficacies against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in both Galleria mellonella and mouse wound infection models were observed. This study underscores the significance of employing genome-guided approaches to identify untapped marine fungi as potential sources for novel antibiotic candidates with unique scaffolds.

Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Objective To investigate the application value of ultrasound measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter （ONSD） in the assessment of brain death. Methods A total of 124 subjects were enrolled and divided into brain death group with 34 patients， deep coma group with 28 patients， and healthy control group with 62 individuals， and ultrasound measurement of ONSD was performed for all three groups. A Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of brain death with ONSD and baseline characteristics. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the independent predictive value of ONSD for brain death. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was plotted to determine the optimal cut-off value of ONSD and evaluate its diagnostic efficacy. Results The Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between brain death and ONSD （r=0.825，P<0.001）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis confirmed that ONSD was an independent predictive factor for brain death （odds ratio=70.874， P<0.05，Nagelkerke R2=0.739， Hosmer-Lemeshow test P=0.786）.ONSD had an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.939（95%CI 88.3‒99.4） in the brain death group and the deep coma group， with an optimal cut-off value of 6.005 mm， a sensitivity of 97.1%，a specificity of 78.6%， a positive predictive value of 84.6%， and a negative predictive value of 95.7%. Conclusion Ultrasound measurement of ONSD has an important clinical application value in the assessment of brain death.

Objective:To analyze the detection of colorectal advanced neoplasms in the population who underwent colonoscopy screening in Henan Province as part of the Urban China Cancer Screening Program and its influencing factors.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was employed. Based on the Cancer Screening Program conducted in Henan Province, the study enrolled 7 454 urban residents who manifested no symptoms and were recruited from eight cities in the province, including Zhengzhou, Zhumadian, Anyang, Luoyang, Nanyang, Jiaozuo, Xinxiang, and Puyang from October 2013 to October 2019, and participated in colonoscopy screening. The χ 2 test was used to compare the detection rates of colorectal advanced neoplasms among participants with different characteristics, and a multivariate logistic stepwise regression model was used to analyze the factors affecting the detection rates. Results:A total of 7 454 subjects underwent colonoscopy screening, and 112 cases of colorectal advanced neoplasms were detected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that older age, smoking, higher meat intake, history of diabetes, and family history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative were risk factors for colorectal advanced neoplasms. The detection rate was significantly higher in people aged 60-74 years compared with those aged 40-49 years, with an odds ratio ( OR) of 2.04 (95% CI: 1.23-3.38).The rates were higher in people who smoked than those who did not smoke, with an OR of 2.21 (95% CI: 1.48-3.31), and in people who consumed more meat than those who consumed less, with an OR of 1.53 (95% CI: 1.04-2.26). Those with diabetes had a higher detection rate compared with those without, with an OR of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.07-2.69), and those with a first-degree family history of colorectal cancer had a higher detection rate than those without, with an OR of 1.64 (95% CI: 1.09-2.46). Conclusion:The detection rate of colorectal advanced neoplasms through colonoscopy screening in Henan Province covered by the Urban China Cancer Screening Program is 1.50%. Older age, smoking, higher meat intake, history of diabetes, and family history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative are identified as risk factors for colorectal advanced neoplasms.

Objective:To analyze the 5-year relative survival rate of cancer in Henan province based on cancer registration data.Methods:Cancer survival data were extracted from the cancer registration database of Henan province with the diagnosis date between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019 were included. The closing date of follow-up was set as December 31, 2019. The 5-year relative survival rate of cancer was calculated using the period survival analysis method and the Ederer II method in the R package "periodR", and the interest period was between 2015 and 2019.Results:During the period of 2015-2019, the overall 5-year relative survival rate of cancer patients in Henan province was 43.6%, and after age-standardization, it was 40.2%. The overall 5-year relative survival rate showed the characteristics of higher survival rate in females than males (45.9% vs 34.7%, Z=39.60, P＜0.001) and higher survival rate in urban areas than rural areas (44.9% vs 39.1%, Z=12.97, P＜0.001). The 5-year relative survival rate for cancer patients among children aged 0-14 was 60.2%, and for adults aged 15 and above, it was 43.5%, which was standardized to 40.2% after age adjustment. There are two types of cancers with a standardized 5-year relative survival rate exceeding 70% (thyroid cancer at 82.2% and breast cancer at 71.6%), and four cancers with a rate below 30% (pancreatic cancer at 18.2%, liver cancer at 19.6%, lung cancer at 24.0%, and gallbladder cancer at 26.6%). Conclusion:The cancer 5-year survival rate in Henan Province is lower than that of the national average, indicating the need for continued enhancement of cancer prevention and control measures.

AIM: To observe and analyze the effectiveness and safety of wearing corneal refractive therapy(CRT)and vision shaping treatment(VST)designed orthokeratology in controlling myopic progression in adolescents with low E-value corneal morphology.METHODS: This prospective study involved 100 cases(100 eyes)of adolescent myopia patients fitted with orthokeratology at our optometry clinic from January 2020 to December 2021. The data of right eye were collected for research, and they were divided into low myopia group(-1.00 to -3.00 D)and moderate myopia group(-3.25 to -5.00 D)according to spherical equivalent, with 50 cases in each group. Each group of patients was further randomly divided into the CRT group and the VST group, with 25 cases in each group. Uncorrected visual acuity, refractive error, axial length(AL), tear film break-up time(BUT), corneal endothelial cell density, corneal staining grading, lens decentration, and refractive power at 15°-30° were measured before and after wearing orthokeratology, with a follow-up duration of 1.5 a.RESULTS: The uncorrected visual acuity of CRT and VST subgroups in the low myopia group showed no statistical significance at any time point after wearing orthokeratology. However, in the moderate myopia group, CRT subgroup showed better uncorrected visual acuity than the VST subgroup, with significant differences at 1 d and 1 wk(t=-9.474, -12.067, both P<0.01); no significant differences were noted at other time points. After wearing lens for 6 mo and 1.5 a, the AL growth for the CRT subgroup in low and moderate myopia was less than the VST subgroup, with no statistically significant differences. There were no statistically significant differences in binocular BUT and corneal endothelial cell density after wearing lens for 6 mo and 1.5 a. Corneal injury was lower in the CRT subgroup than that in the VST subgroup, but the difference was not statistically significant(Z=-1.803, P=0.071). Lens decentration was significantly better in the CRT subgroup than in the VST subgroup(Z=-4.629, P<0.001). In the periphery of the retina at 15°-30°, there were no significant differences in the amount of myopic defocus between the two groups, while it was statistically significant at 1, 3, and 6 mo in the moderate myopia subgroup(t=-3.949, P=0.008; t=-5.833, P<0.001; t=-6.231, P<0.001), indicating that CRT subgroup could produce a greater amount of myopic defocus.CONCLUSION: For patients with low E-value corneal morphology, CRT, using the vector height at 8 mm on the cornea for fitting, is not limited to the corneal E-value. It shapes faster and improves uncorrected visual acuity after shaping, especially for moderate myopia, achieving better daytime vision. In terms of controlling myopia, CRT fitting elevates return zone depth(RZD), creating a small central optical zone to produce more peripheral myopic defocus. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in controlling AL growth. Both groups showed minimal corneal damage, indicating consistent safety in myopia control.

Objective To study the effects of the intelligent hearing-assistive system incorporated in Nuro-tron cochlear implants(CI),including the autonomic acoustic scene recognition(ASR),intelligent strategy config-uration as well as the objective and subjective hearing improvements on recipients.Methods ① To evaluate the per-formance of the ASR matule,in a sound-proof room,the preset five kinds of test audios,including speech,noise,speech in noise,pure music(without human voice)and non-pure Music(with human voice)were played.Each type of scenes included 6 to 9 5 min test files.The prediction accuracy and scene switching times were calculated.② In order to evaluate the noise-reduction performance of the ABeam technology in the speech enhancement module,13 Nurotron? CI recipients were recruited and their speech recognition rate when ABeam was"ON"and"OFF"with noise coming from 90°,180°or 270°were tested,individually.Also,their subjective hearing feedback was evaluated through visual analogue scale(VAS)evaluation.Results The ASR module achieved high prediction performance,with prediction accuracy 99％±4％,96％±9％,94％±12％,94％±15％,92％±13％for speech,noise,noisy speech,pure music and non-pure music,respectively.The scene transation times for each individual scene were 1.1 ±0.3,1.4±0.7,1.3±0.5,1.4±0.8 and 1.3±0.5,indicating that the prediction was also stable.When noise came from the sides and behind of recipients and speech signal from the front,the adaptive dual microphone noise re-duction algorithm ABeam significantly increased the speech recognition score(SRS)in 5 dB signal-to-noise(SNR)environment(P＜0.001),with an average increase of 15.92％.Especially when the noise came from 180 degree backward,the SRS increased 28.68％when ABeam was"0N",which was significantly higher than when ABeam was"OFF"(P＜0.01).Conclusion The intelligent hearing-assistive system can help CI recipients automatically configure appropriate SPSs under different environments,improving the speech intelligibility and hearing comfort.

Objective:To detect the changes in the biological activity and expression of long-chain non-coding RNA-p21 (lncRNA-p21) in human lens epithelial cells HLE-B3 damage induced by hydrogen peroxide.Methods:HLE-B3 cells were divided into normal control group and hydrogen peroxide group, which were cultured in normal culture medium and culture medium containing 200 μmol/L hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours, respectively.Cell viability was determined by MTS colorimetric method.Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected using ROS assay kits.Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry.Cell Caspase-3 activity was detected using Caspase-3 assay kit.Expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins related to cell apoptosis were determined by Western Blot.Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry.Cell proliferation ability was detected by EDU proliferation assay kit.The expression of lncRNA-p21 in cells was detected by real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The localization of lncRNA-p21 in cells was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization.Results:The ROS content of cells in hydrogen peroxide group was (4.65±0.38), significantly higher than (1.00±0.01) of normal control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=16.66, P<0.05).Compared with the normal control group, the cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased, the activity of Caspase-3 was enhanced, and the relative expression of Bax was significantly increased in the hydrogen peroxide group, with statistically significant differences ( t=20.69, 39.80, 12.73, all at P<0.05).Compared with the normal control group, the proportion of G2 phase cells in the hydrogen peroxide group significantly increased, showing a statistically significant difference ( t=23.10, P<0.05).The EDU-positive cell rate of hydrogen peroxide group was (25.41±6.99)%, significantly lower than (50.58±9.15)% of normal control group ( t=6.559, P<0.05).The relative expression level of lncRNA-p21 in the hydrogen peroxide group was 2.36±0.29, significantly higher than 1.02±0.02 in the normal control group ( t=7.893, P<0.05).The fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments indicate that lncRNA-p21 was localized in the cytoplasm. Conclusions:In the oxidative stress model induced by hydrogen peroxide, the proliferation ability of lens epithelial cells significantly decreases, the apoptosis level significantly increases, and the expression levels of ROS and lncRNA-p21 enhances.lncRNA-p21 may be involved in the oxidative stress injury process of lens epithelial cells.

Objective To explore the mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucoma-related optic nerve injury and its effect on the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs).Methods The RGC-5 cells were incubated under elevated pressure(70 mmHg,1 kPa=7.5 mmHg)on the basis of standard atmospheric pressure(100 kPa)for 12 h,24 h,and 48 h,respective-ly.The RGC-5 cells cultured under the standard atmospheric pressure were selected as the blank group.The apoptosis of RGC-5 cells was detected through Annexin V/PI staining.The mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and reactive oxy-gen species(ROS)level were measured using the JC-1 staining and DCFH-DA fluorescent probe.The expression levels of B cell lymphoma-2(BCL-2)protein,BCL-2-associated X(BAX)protein,cleaved Caspase-3,and cytochrome C(CytC)pro-tein were detected using Western blot.Results Compared with the blank group,the MMP in the 12 h,24 h and 48 h groups significantly decreased(all P＜0.05).Compared with the blank group,the cell apoptosis and ROS level in the 24 h and 48 h groups significantly increased(all P＜0.05),while there was no statistically significant difference in the cell apop-tosis and ROS level between the 12 h group and the blank group(both P＞0.05).Compared with the blank group,the rela-tive expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and BAX protein in the 24 h and 48 h groups significantly increased(all P＜0.05),while the relative expression levels of cleaved Caspase-3 and BAX protein in the 12 h group showed no significant difference(both P＞0.05).Compared with the blank group,the relative expression level of BCL-2 protein in the 12 h,24 h and 48 h groups decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Compared with the blank group,the relative expression level of Cyt C protein in the 48 h group significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the relative expression level of Cyt C protein in the 12 h and 24 h groups showed no significant difference(both P＞0.05).Conclu-sion After culture at 70 mmHg pressure,RGC-5 cells show increased apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction.The mito-chondrial damage at the early stage of stress injury may be closely related to exogenous apoptosis pathways.

The treatment of inner ear disease is developing towards local drug delivery to avoid drawbacks of systemic approach.The cochlear implants with drug delivery functions,a newly developed method of drug delivery into inner ear for treatment,has become the focus of research in recent years.In this review,we will describe recent advances in characteristics,product developments and applications of different types of drug loaded cochlear implants for local therapy.