Objective To investigate the causal relationship between immune cells and various molecular subtypes of breast cancer (BC) by using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods This study employed a two-sample MR analysis, with 731 immune cell types from the GWAS catalog as the exposure factors and four BC molecular subtypes (HR+/HER2−, HR+/HER2+, HR−/HER2+, and HR−/HER2−) from the BCAC Consortium as the outcome variables. For causal inference, inverse variance weighting (IVW) was employed as the primary analytical method, alongside multiple consistency validation approaches, including MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, simple mode, and Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization. Reverse MR and sensitivity analyses were employed to effectively evaluate and exclude potential biases and interference from reverse causality. Results Significant causal associations were identified for specific immune cell phenotypes across subtypes. In HR+ BC, the HER2+ subtype was associated with seven immunophenotypes (five protective and two risk increasing), whereas the HER2− subtype was associated with eight immunophenotypes (four protective and four risk increasing). In HR− BC, the HER2+ subtype was associated with five immunophenotypes (one protective and four risk increasing), and the HER2− subtype (triple-negative BC) was associated with seven immunophenotypes (six protective and one risk-increasing). CD28+CD45RA−CD8+ T cells and naive CD8+ T cells have a bidirectional causal relationship with HR+/HER2+ breast cancer, Whereas the expression of CD8 on CD39+CD8+ cells also has a bidirectional relationship with HR+/HER2− breast cancer. Furthermore, CD4−CD8− NKT cells exhibited opposing effect directions in HER2+ versus HER2− subtypes. Conclusion From a genetic perspective, this study confirms the existence of subtype-specific causal associations between immune cell phenotypes and distinct molecular subtypes of BC, revealing heterogeneity in immune regulation.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Objective·To investigate the inhibitory effects of spermidine(SPD)on inflammatory osteolysis both in vivo and in vitro.Methods·The CCK-8 assay was used to assess the viability of RAW264.7 macrophages treated with various concentrations of SPD.The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells were evaluated by staining with dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)and dihydroethidium(DHE),respectively.Reverse transcription real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)was utilized to determine the effects of SPD on the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells.Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)staining was used to evaluate the effect of SPD on the differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived macrophages(BMMs)into osteoclasts.RT-qPCR was employed to further analyze the effect of SPD on the expression of genes related to osteoclast differentiation and functions after BMM-induced differentiation.An LPS-induced mouse calvarial osteolysis model was constructed,and the therapeutic efficacy of SPD on inflammatory osteolysis was assessed using Micro-CT analysis,hematoxylin-eosin(H-E)staining and TRAP staining of histological sections.Results·The CCK-8 assay showed that SPD,even at a concentration of 1 000 μmol/L,exhibited no significant cytotoxicity to RAW264.7 cells.ROS analysis revealed that SPD markedly inhibited LPS-induced elevation of intracellular ROS levels in macrophages.RT-qPCR results indicated that SPD suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory genes induced by LPS.Both TRAP staining and RT-qPCR demonstrated that SPD effectively inhibited the differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL)and reduced the expression of genes associated with osteoclast differentiation and function.In the mouse calvarial osteolysis model,Micro-CT analysis showed that the bone volume fraction and bone mineral density in the SPD-treated groups were significantly higher than those in the LPS group.Histological staining revealed that SPD treatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration,decreased osteoclast numbers,and alleviated tissue damage.Conclusion·SPD inhibits macrophage inflammatory responses and RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in vitro;in vivo,it alleviates LPS-induced inflammatory calvarial osteolysis in mice.

An analysis of 24 144 norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia deposited in GenBank between 1995 and 2023 was conducted,to understand the temporal and spatial variations in norovirus genotypes in these regions.Norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia were downloaded in FASTA format from GenBank for the years 1995-2023,and analyzed in Excel,R language,and GraphPad Prism for data visualization.The number of norovirus sequences submitted to GenBank increased annually from 2004 and peaked in 2015.Notably,China and Japan contributed 62.3％of all submitted norovirus sequences.These sequences encompassed 31 capsid genotypes(C-type),with GⅠ accounting for 9％and GⅡ accounting for 90％.Additionally,49 polymerase types(P-type)were identified,along with 68 combinations of CP types;among the analyzed recombinant sequences(4 460 entries in total),approxi-mately 41％belonged to three predominant recombinant strains:GⅡ.2[P16],GⅡ.4[P31],and GⅡ.4[P16].This analysis provides valuable insights into the distribution characteristics of norovirus genotypes across Asia and Russia over time,thereby supporting vac-cine design and evaluation efforts.

Objective:To study the relationship between the levels of multiple elements in urine and the risk of arsenic poisoning in populations exposed to drinking water arsenic in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia).Methods:From April 2023 to January 2024, a case-control study method was used to select 128 individuals with a residence time of ≥10 years in drinking water arsenic exposed areas in Inner Mongolia as study subjects. Eighty-one individuals diagnosed with arsenic poisoning were selected as the case group, and 47 healthy individuals were selected as the control group for urine sample collection and questionnaire survey. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed to determine the levels of 10 elements (chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, molybdenum, cadmium and lead) in urine. The levels of each element in urine were divided into four groups ( Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups) based on quartiles. The associations between the levels of various elements in urine and the risk of arsenic poisoning were studied using binary logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS). Results:The age of the control group and the case group [ M ( Q1, Q3)] were 61 (53, 69) and 61 (56, 67) years old, respectively. There were 19 and 43 males, and 28 and 38 females, respectively. There was no statistically significant differences in age and and gender composition between the two groups ( Z = - 0.39, P = 0.700; χ 2 = 1.91, P = 0.167). The levels of urinary copper and cadmium of the case group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z = - 2.66, - 2.16, P < 0.05). The results of univariate logistic regression analysis showed that urinary copper was an influencing factor for arsenic poisoning ( P = 0.017). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for covariates, urinary copper and arsenic were independent influencing factors of arsenic poisoning ( P < 0.05). Taking Q1 group as a reference, urinary copper in Q3 group [ OR (95% CI) = 8.23 (1.81, 37.39), P = 0.006] increased the risk of arsenic poisoning, while urinary arsenic in Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups [ OR (95% CI) = 0.24 (0.06, 0.92), 0.12 (0.03, 0.53), 0.15 (0.04, 0.63), P < 0.05] decreased the risk of arsenic poisoning. After adjusting for covariates, RCS did not show a dose-response relationship between urinary copper, urinary arsenic, and arsenic poisoning ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Urinary arsenic and copper are associated with the risk of arsenic poisoning in the drinking water arsenic exposed areas of Inner Mongolia, copper exposure may contribute significantly to arsenic poisoning.

Objective To investigate the methodology,technical considerations,and precautions of transcatheter arterial emboliza-tion(TAE)using medical adhesive as the primary embolic agent for visceral artery aneurysm(VAA).Methods A total of 14 patients with VAA treated with medical adhesive-based TAE were retrospectively analyzed.Among the 14 patients,6 cases were hepatic artery pseudoaneurysms,4 cases were true gastroduodenal aneurysms,3 cases were gastroduodenal pseudoaneurysms,and 1 case was renal artery pseudoaneurysm.Among the 14 patients,medical adhesive alone was used in 12 cases,while the other 2 cases were employed medical adhesive combined with supplemental coil embolization.Follow-up assessments including abdominal computed tomography angiography(CTA)and laboratory tests were conducted at 3,6,and 12 months post-procedure.Results Technical success was achieved in all cases with mean procedure duration of(60.4±8.2)min and average hospital stay of(8.9±2.1)d.No recanalization,aneurysm enlargement,or non-target embolization were observed during follow-up.Conclusion Medical adhesive-based TAE demonstrates high technical success when performed by experienced interventionists,with low complication rate,low recurrence rate,and low pro-cedure-related mortality,representing a cost-effective preferred treatment for VAA.

OBJECTIVE To explore the ameliorative effect of ursolic acid on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice,and the feasibility of multispectral optoacoustic tomography(MSOT)for characteristic structural and functional imaging of liver tissues.METHODS Kunming mice were randomly divided into the normal control group,model group,model+ursolic acid 30,60 mg·kg-1 groups and model+bifendate 5.625 mg·kg-1 group,with 14 mice in each.Each group was given the corresponding drug once daily for 7 days.An acute liver injury model was established in mice by intraperitoneal injection of 0.2％carbon tetrachloride in olive oil solution after the last administration.Blood was collected,liver tissues were taken 24 h after modeling,and the liver index was calculated,8 mice from each group and the levels of serum glutamic pyruciv transaminase(GPT)and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT),as well as superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)content in liver tissues were measured.The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method was used to detect the level ofα-glutathione S-transferase(α-GST)in serum.The histopathological changes of the liver were observed under a light microscope.The remaining 6 mice in each group underwent MSOT technique was used for characteristic structural and functional imaging of liver tissue.Levels of oxygenated hemoglobin(HbO2)and deoxygenated hemoglobin(Hb)were analyzed,oxygen saturation was calculated,and the extent of liver injury was assessed by examining the intrahepatic distribution of indocyanine green(ICG).RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the levels of GPT,GOT and α-GST in serum,content of MDA in liver tissues and the liver index in the model control group were significantly increased while the activity of SOD in liver tissues were significantly decreased.Compared with the model group,ursolic acid in each dose group significantly reduced the liver index of mice,lowered the serum levels of GPT and GOT as well as the level of α-GST,decreased the content of MDA in liver tissues,and elevated the activity of SOD in liver-injured mice.Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that significant steatosis and hepatocyte necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in hepatocytes of mice in the model group.Ursolic acid significantly attenuated the degree of hepatocellular lesions and markedly reduced steatosis in mice.MSOT imaging showed that the HbO2 level and oxygen saturation were significantly lower while the Hb level was remarkably higher in the liver of mice in the model group.In each administration group,the level of HbO2 significantly increased,the level of Hb was significantly decreased,oxygen saturation was significantly increased in the liver of model mice and the accumulation of ICG dye probe was atten-uated in the body after hepatocyte injury.CONCLUSION Ursolic acid can elevate the hepatic oxygen saturation,improve the metabolism of ICG,reduce the degree of hepatic necrosis in mice,and help protect against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury in mice.The mechanism is probably related to the inhibition of oxidative stress.

OBJECTIVE To explore the ameliorative effect of ursolic acid on carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury in mice,and the feasibility of multispectral optoacoustic tomography(MSOT)for characteristic structural and functional imaging of liver tissues.METHODS Kunming mice were randomly divided into the normal control group,model group,model+ursolic acid 30,60 mg·kg-1 groups and model+bifendate 5.625 mg·kg-1 group,with 14 mice in each.Each group was given the corresponding drug once daily for 7 days.An acute liver injury model was established in mice by intraperitoneal injection of 0.2％carbon tetrachloride in olive oil solution after the last administration.Blood was collected,liver tissues were taken 24 h after modeling,and the liver index was calculated,8 mice from each group and the levels of serum glutamic pyruciv transaminase(GPT)and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT),as well as superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and malondialdehyde(MDA)content in liver tissues were measured.The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)method was used to detect the level ofα-glutathione S-transferase(α-GST)in serum.The histopathological changes of the liver were observed under a light microscope.The remaining 6 mice in each group underwent MSOT technique was used for characteristic structural and functional imaging of liver tissue.Levels of oxygenated hemoglobin(HbO2)and deoxygenated hemoglobin(Hb)were analyzed,oxygen saturation was calculated,and the extent of liver injury was assessed by examining the intrahepatic distribution of indocyanine green(ICG).RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the levels of GPT,GOT and α-GST in serum,content of MDA in liver tissues and the liver index in the model control group were significantly increased while the activity of SOD in liver tissues were significantly decreased.Compared with the model group,ursolic acid in each dose group significantly reduced the liver index of mice,lowered the serum levels of GPT and GOT as well as the level of α-GST,decreased the content of MDA in liver tissues,and elevated the activity of SOD in liver-injured mice.Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that significant steatosis and hepatocyte necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in hepatocytes of mice in the model group.Ursolic acid significantly attenuated the degree of hepatocellular lesions and markedly reduced steatosis in mice.MSOT imaging showed that the HbO2 level and oxygen saturation were significantly lower while the Hb level was remarkably higher in the liver of mice in the model group.In each administration group,the level of HbO2 significantly increased,the level of Hb was significantly decreased,oxygen saturation was significantly increased in the liver of model mice and the accumulation of ICG dye probe was atten-uated in the body after hepatocyte injury.CONCLUSION Ursolic acid can elevate the hepatic oxygen saturation,improve the metabolism of ICG,reduce the degree of hepatic necrosis in mice,and help protect against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury in mice.The mechanism is probably related to the inhibition of oxidative stress.

Objective·To investigate the inhibitory effects of spermidine(SPD)on inflammatory osteolysis both in vivo and in vitro.Methods·The CCK-8 assay was used to assess the viability of RAW264.7 macrophages treated with various concentrations of SPD.The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells were evaluated by staining with dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)and dihydroethidium(DHE),respectively.Reverse transcription real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)was utilized to determine the effects of SPD on the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells.Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)staining was used to evaluate the effect of SPD on the differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived macrophages(BMMs)into osteoclasts.RT-qPCR was employed to further analyze the effect of SPD on the expression of genes related to osteoclast differentiation and functions after BMM-induced differentiation.An LPS-induced mouse calvarial osteolysis model was constructed,and the therapeutic efficacy of SPD on inflammatory osteolysis was assessed using Micro-CT analysis,hematoxylin-eosin(H-E)staining and TRAP staining of histological sections.Results·The CCK-8 assay showed that SPD,even at a concentration of 1 000 μmol/L,exhibited no significant cytotoxicity to RAW264.7 cells.ROS analysis revealed that SPD markedly inhibited LPS-induced elevation of intracellular ROS levels in macrophages.RT-qPCR results indicated that SPD suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory genes induced by LPS.Both TRAP staining and RT-qPCR demonstrated that SPD effectively inhibited the differentiation of BMMs into osteoclasts induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL)and reduced the expression of genes associated with osteoclast differentiation and function.In the mouse calvarial osteolysis model,Micro-CT analysis showed that the bone volume fraction and bone mineral density in the SPD-treated groups were significantly higher than those in the LPS group.Histological staining revealed that SPD treatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration,decreased osteoclast numbers,and alleviated tissue damage.Conclusion·SPD inhibits macrophage inflammatory responses and RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in vitro;in vivo,it alleviates LPS-induced inflammatory calvarial osteolysis in mice.

An analysis of 24 144 norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia deposited in GenBank between 1995 and 2023 was conducted,to understand the temporal and spatial variations in norovirus genotypes in these regions.Norovirus sequences from Asia and Russia were downloaded in FASTA format from GenBank for the years 1995-2023,and analyzed in Excel,R language,and GraphPad Prism for data visualization.The number of norovirus sequences submitted to GenBank increased annually from 2004 and peaked in 2015.Notably,China and Japan contributed 62.3％of all submitted norovirus sequences.These sequences encompassed 31 capsid genotypes(C-type),with GⅠ accounting for 9％and GⅡ accounting for 90％.Additionally,49 polymerase types(P-type)were identified,along with 68 combinations of CP types;among the analyzed recombinant sequences(4 460 entries in total),approxi-mately 41％belonged to three predominant recombinant strains:GⅡ.2[P16],GⅡ.4[P31],and GⅡ.4[P16].This analysis provides valuable insights into the distribution characteristics of norovirus genotypes across Asia and Russia over time,thereby supporting vac-cine design and evaluation efforts.