Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is largely attributed to impaired endogenous repair. Nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells (NPSCs) senescence leads to endogenous repair failure. Small extracellular vesicles/exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (mExo) have shown great therapeutic potential in IDD, while whether mExo could alleviate NPSCs senescence and its mechanisms remained unknown. We established a compression-induced NPSCs senescence model and rat IDD models to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of mExo and investigate the mechanisms. We found that mExo significantly alleviated NPSCs senescence and promoted disc regeneration while knocking down thioredoxin (TXN) impaired the protective effects of mExo. TXN was bound to various endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) proteins. Autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) mediated TXN K63 ubiquitination to promote the binding of TXN on ESCRT proteins and sorting of TXN into mExo. Knocking down exosomal TXN inhibited the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). NRF2 and AP-1 inhibition reduced endogenous TXN production that was promoted by exosomal TXN. Inhibition of NRF2 in vivo diminished the anti-senescence and regenerative effects of mExo. Conclusively, AMFR-mediated TXN ubiquitination promoted the sorting of TXN into mExo, allowing exosomal TXN to promote endogenous TXN production in NPSCs via TXN/NRF2/AP-1 feed-forward circuit to alleviate NPSCs senescence and disc degeneration.

Objective To explore the association between combined exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH)and obesity.Methods The data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)from 2011 to 2016 were used for investigation and analysis,and the urine metabolites of PAH were used to evaluate the environmental PAH exposure.The nonlinear dose-response relationship between PAH exposure and obesity was explored using restricted cubic splines.The weighted quantile sum(WQS)and quantile g-computation(Qgcomp)models were used to evaluate the impact of combined exposure to PAH on obesity.Results In the WQS positive model,there was a positive correlation between combined exposure to PAH and obesity(P＜0.05).No significant correlation was found in the WQS negative model(P＞0.05).The overall effect of the mixture was further verified using the Qgcomp model,and it was found that combined exposure to PAH was still positively correlated with obesity(P＜0.05).Conclusion Mixed exposure to PAH increases the risk of obesity,and combined exposure to PAH is mainly attributed to 2-hydroxynaphthalene.

Objective To explore the association between combined exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH)and obesity.Methods The data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)from 2011 to 2016 were used for investigation and analysis,and the urine metabolites of PAH were used to evaluate the environmental PAH exposure.The nonlinear dose-response relationship between PAH exposure and obesity was explored using restricted cubic splines.The weighted quantile sum(WQS)and quantile g-computation(Qgcomp)models were used to evaluate the impact of combined exposure to PAH on obesity.Results In the WQS positive model,there was a positive correlation between combined exposure to PAH and obesity(P＜0.05).No significant correlation was found in the WQS negative model(P＞0.05).The overall effect of the mixture was further verified using the Qgcomp model,and it was found that combined exposure to PAH was still positively correlated with obesity(P＜0.05).Conclusion Mixed exposure to PAH increases the risk of obesity,and combined exposure to PAH is mainly attributed to 2-hydroxynaphthalene.

Photon Counting Detector(PCD)is a device used to detect X-ray photons,which can directly convert the energy of photons into electrical signals to achieve photon counting and measurement.PCD-based energy spectrum computed tomography(PCD-CT)technology can provide additional energy spectral imaging information,and improve imaging quality while reducing radiation dose.Compared with energy integrating detectors(EID),PCD has advantages of high energy conversion efficiency,good imaging quality,exquisite structural design,and wide application range.It has broad application prospects in ultra-low-dose CT,specific disease diagnosis,and industrial inspection.The application of PCD-CT in spectral CT imaging was reviewed to provide a useful reference for its application in clinical medical diagnosis and industrial applications.

Objective:To analyze whether triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the value of TyG index in predicting CVD risk among Kazakh and Uighur population of Xinjiang.Methods:In this study, 5 375 Kazakh and Uygur people of Xinyuan county and Jiashi county were selected as the research objects. Subjects were divided into four groups based on the quartile of the TyG index level. Cox regression model was used to analyze the association between TyG index with the risk of CVD. The dose-response relationship between TyG index and CVD risk was described by restricted cubic splines. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to estimate the value of TyG index for predicting CVD. Mediating effect analysis was conducted to analyze the mediating effect of TyG index in the association between body mass index and CVD.Results:The age of subjects was 41.06（30.11，53.00）years old, with 46.30%（2 489/5 375）was male. After multivariate adjustment, there was an increasing trend between the risk of CVD and the higher TyG index Ptrend<0.001, compared with subjects of TyG index in Q1, the HR (95% CI) of Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups was 1.53, 1.23 and 1.73, respectively. Restricted cubic splines showed that TyG index was the linearly associated with the risk of CVD. TyG index could improve the prediction ability of Framingham model for the risk of CVD (NRI=0.106, P=0.010; IDI=0.003, P=0.030). The mediating effect analysis showed that in the relationship between body mass index and CVD, the TyG index had a mediating effect ( P<0.001), and the ratio of mediating effect was 12.69%. Conclusion:TyG index is an independent predictor of CVD risk among kazakh and Uygur population in Xinjiang and has a good predictive value for the risk of CVD.

Objective:To analyze whether triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the value of TyG index in predicting CVD risk among Kazakh and Uighur population of Xinjiang.Methods:In this study, 5 375 Kazakh and Uygur people of Xinyuan county and Jiashi county were selected as the research objects. Subjects were divided into four groups based on the quartile of the TyG index level. Cox regression model was used to analyze the association between TyG index with the risk of CVD. The dose-response relationship between TyG index and CVD risk was described by restricted cubic splines. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to estimate the value of TyG index for predicting CVD. Mediating effect analysis was conducted to analyze the mediating effect of TyG index in the association between body mass index and CVD.Results:The age of subjects was 41.06（30.11，53.00）years old, with 46.30%（2 489/5 375）was male. After multivariate adjustment, there was an increasing trend between the risk of CVD and the higher TyG index Ptrend<0.001, compared with subjects of TyG index in Q1, the HR (95% CI) of Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups was 1.53, 1.23 and 1.73, respectively. Restricted cubic splines showed that TyG index was the linearly associated with the risk of CVD. TyG index could improve the prediction ability of Framingham model for the risk of CVD (NRI=0.106, P=0.010; IDI=0.003, P=0.030). The mediating effect analysis showed that in the relationship between body mass index and CVD, the TyG index had a mediating effect ( P<0.001), and the ratio of mediating effect was 12.69%. Conclusion:TyG index is an independent predictor of CVD risk among kazakh and Uygur population in Xinjiang and has a good predictive value for the risk of CVD.

Objective: To construct and confirm a predictive model for the risks of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its factors in Xinjiang Kazakh population. Methods: A total of 2 286 Kazakh individuals were followed for 5 years from 2010 to 2012 as baseline survey. They were recruited in Xinyuan county, Yili city, Xinjiang. CVD cases were identified via medical records of the local hospitals in 2013, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Factor analysis was performed on 706 MS patients at baseline, and main factors, age, and sex were extracted from 18 medical examination indexs to construct a predictive model of CVD risk. After excluding the subjects with CVD at baseline and incomplete data, 2007 were used as internal validation, and 219 Kazakhs in Halabra Township were used as external validation. Logistic regression discriminations were used for internal validation and external validation, as well as to calculate the probability of CVD for each participant and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The prevalence of MS in Kazakh was 30.88%. Seven main factors were extracted from the Kazakh MS population, namely obesity factor, blood lipid and blood glucose factor, liver function factor, blood lipid factor, renal metabolic factor, blood pressure factor, and liver enzyme factor. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting CVD in the internal validation was 0.773 (95%CI 0.754-0.792). In the external validation, the AUC for predicting CVD was 0.858 (95%CI 0.805-0.901). Conclusions The CVD risk prediction model constructed by 7 main factors extracted from Kazakh MS patients has high validation efficiency and can be used for risk assessment of CVD in Xinjiang Kazakh population.

Objective: To compare metabolic syndrome(MS)with Framingham risk score as predictors of cardiovascular disease(CVD)among Kazakhs population. Methods: The participants were the residents who had been followed up for more than 5 years in representative areas of Kazakhs in Xinjiang. We assigned MS a continuous risk score for predicting the development of CVD based on the weights of MS components. MS and Framingham risk score were compared in terms of their ability in predicting years in representative areas of Kazakhs in Xinjiang. We assigned MS a continuous risk score for predicting the development of CVD based on the weights of MS components. MS and Framingham risk score were compared in terms of their ability in predicting development of CVD using Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: The incidence of CVD was 13.87%. The incidence of CVD was higher in the MS group than it in the non-MS group(21.59% vs 11.10%, P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve of MS risk score was significantly larger than that of MS classification(0.727 vs 0.585, P<0.001); the area under the curve of MS risk score was close to that of Framingham risk score(0.732 vs 0.727, P=0.673). The association between CVD and each quintile of MS risk score was more significant than that between Framingham risk score and CVD under the same exposed condition(4.61, 9.33, 14.15, 22.29 vs 3.69, 6.36, 8.47, 16.99). Conclusion MS risk score that included age may be a better predictor of CVD among Kazakhs population.

Objective: To estimate the burden attributed to the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure with lung cancer, bladder cancer and skin cancer as end points. Methods: Inorganic arsenic, food or diet were used as Chinese keywords and arsenic, food and China were used as English keywords to search for literatures related to the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure published by China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform and PubMed Database. Using the data from the China National Nutrition and Health Survey (CNNHS) in 2002 to estimate the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure in Chinese residents. The annual cancer cases attributed to the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure were calculated based on the data from Chinese Cancer Registry Annual Report in 2013. The disability adjusted life year (DALY) was calculated using tools built by WHO. Results: The total DALY of cancer caused by the dietary inorganic arsenic exposure was 419.4 thousand, and the DALY rate was 31.47 per 100 000. The DALY of lung cancer in males and females was 237.7 thousand and 102.5 thousand. The DALY of bladder cancer in males and females was 13.2 thousand and 3.9 thousand. The DALY of skin cancer in males and females was 29.4 thousand and 32.8 thousand. Conclusion In 2013, the Chinese population had a lower burden of cancer due to the dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and appropriate cut-off point of waist circumference of abdominal obesity for components of metabolic syndrome in Uygur population in Xinjiang. Methods A questionnaire-based survey, physical examination, and blood testing were conducted according to cluster random sampling in Uygur residents above 18 years old in Xinjiang.There were 3 542 samples collected,based on the International Diabetes Federation(IDF)standard of metabolic syndrome, the relativities of clustering of metabolic syndrome components and different strata of waist circumference for Uygur were analyzed,and looking for the appropriate cut-off points for identifying two or more components of metabolic syndrome within the shortest distance of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results According to IDF standard,the waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)corresponded to the shortest distance in ROC curve,at these cut-offs of abdominal obesity for component of metabolic syndrome,the prevalences of metabolic syndrome were 21.3%,19.5%in men, while 23.0%in women,the prevalence of women was higher than that of men(P<0.05).The prevalences of≥1,≥2 components of metabolic syndrome were shown an increasing trend with the increasing size of waist circumference, and the odds ratio of clustering of metabolic syndrome components were also increased significantly.Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Xinjiang Uygur population was higher than that of national level.The cut-off points of waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)combining other components definition of IDF standard were recommended for identifying metabolic syndrome of Uygurs.