Potential Indicators Research Articles

Cytokine analysis of aqueous humor in patients with cytomegalovirus corneal endotheliitis.

To evaluate cytokine levels of aqueous humor in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) corneal endotheliitis and their relationships with CMV DNA load. 44 aqueous humor samples were obtained from 26 patients with CMV corneal endotheliitis at various stages of treatment. 33 samples obtained from cataract patients during the same period were selected as a control group. Each sample was used to measure the concentration of the CMV DNA load using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and to examine the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, VCAM-1, VEGF, IP-10, G-CSF, ICAM-1 and IFN-γ using a cytometric bead array. All 10 cytokines were found to have statistically significant differences between the CMV endotheliitis and cataract groups. The Spearman correlation test showed that the concentration of CMV DNA load was significantly associated with the levels of IL-6 (P = 0.005, r = 0.417), IL-8 (P < 0.001, r = 0.514), IL-10 (P < 0.001, r = 0.700), MCP-1 (P = 0.001, r = 0.487), VEGF (P < 0.001, r = 0.690), IP-10 (P = 0.001, r = 0.469), G-CSF (P < 0.001, r = 0.554) and ICAM-1 (P < 0.001, r = 0.635), but not significantly associated with VCAM-1 (P = 0.056) and IFN-γ (P = 0.219). There was a combined innate and adaptive immune response in aqueous humor in patients with CMV endotheliitis. Levels of multiple cytokines were significantly correlated with viral particle. Cytokines are potential indicators to help diagnose CMV endotheliitis, evaluate disease activity and assess treatment response.

Sonographic cortical bone thickness measurement: can it predict bone mineral density in the pediatric population?

To explore sonographic cortical bone thickness (CoT) as a potential indicator of bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for screening and diagnosing pediatric osteoporosis. A prospective study included 41 osteopenic or osteoporotic patients and 52 healthy children. Radius cortical thickness (R-CoT), tibial cortical thickness (T-CoT), and second metatarsal cortical thickness (M-CoT) were measured by B-mode ultrasound; CoT values were compared between groups and the correlation between BMD and CoT was examined. There were no significant differences in R-CoT (P = 0.433), T-CoT (P = 0.057), and M-CoT (P = 0.978) values between the patient and control groups. No significant correlations were found between BMD T-scores and R-CoT (r = -0.073, P = 0.490), T-CoT (r = -0.154, P = 0.141), and M-CoT (r = 0.047, P = 0.657) values. Sonographic CoT values in children do not correlate with BMD values. Unlike in adults, sonographic CoT measurements do not appear to have a role in assessing BMD in the pediatric population.

Mode Shape-Based Damage Detection of Twin Skewed Bridges Based on OMA and FE Model Updating

A comparative study of the dynamic behavior of twin single-span bridges was carried out based on operational modal analysis and a linear finite element model updating with the aim of finding a potential damage indicator. The bridges are skewed, 30 m long and with prestressed concrete girders as the main support structure, but one of them were collided and suffered damage in two of its I-shape girders. Ambient vibration tests were conducted by deploying 14 uniaxial accelerometers along the sidewalks, experimental modal parameters were identified using the COVariance-driven Stochastic Subspace Identification method (SSI-COV). Six vertical modes were clearly identified for each structure. Additionally, some extra modes with non-proportional damping were identified. It was found that the modal frequencies are sensitive to the support conditions and the overall stiffness of the bridge but not to the localized girder damage, which, on the contrary, is reflected in the discrepancy in the fundamental bending mode shape amplitude between the lateral sides of the bridge, and a so-called Continuous Symmetry Measure adopted as a symmetry index seems to be a good damage indicator for this type of straight-alignment simply supported bridges, given the symmetric nature of the bending mode shapes and the asymmetric nature of the damage.

Emotion language use in narratives of the 9/11 attacks predicts long-term memory.

Despite considerable cognitive neuroscience research demonstrating that emotions can influence the encoding and consolidation of memory, research has failed to demonstrate a relationship between self-reported ratings of emotions collected soon after a traumatic event and memory for the event over time. This secondary analysis of data from a multisite longitudinal study of memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, asked the question of whether emotional language use could predict memory over time. In the 2 weeks following the 9/11 attacks, participants (N = 691; Mage = 36.8; 72% identifying as male; 76% identifying as white) wrote narratives about how they learned of the attacks and the impact of the attacks on them. Language features of these narratives were extracted using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count program and used to predict three types of memory: (a) event memory accuracy, (b) flashbulb memory consistency, and (c) emotion memory consistency. These outcomes were assessed at the time of writing, 1, 3, and 10 years after the 9/11 attacks. Results of linear mixed-effects models indicate that greater use of negative emotion words in narratives predicts better event memory accuracy 3 and 10 years after the attacks and worse flashbulb memory consistency 10 years after the attacks. However, emotion word use does not predict emotion memory consistency across time. We also examine whether other exploratory linguistic predictors are associated with memory over time. These findings suggest that written language may serve as a potential early indicator of memory over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

CO emission survey of asymptotic giant branch stars with ultraviolet excesses

Context. The transition from the spherically symmetric envelopes around asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to the asymmetric morphologies observed in planetary nebulae is still not well understood, and the shaping mechanisms are a subject of debate. Even though binarity is widely accepted as a promising option, it is limited by the complication of identifying binary AGB stars observationally. Recently, the presence of ultraviolet excesses in AGB stars has been suggested as a potential indicator of binarity. Aims. Our main goals are to characterise the properties of the circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) around candidate AGB binary stars, specifically those selected based on their UV excess emission, and to compare these properties with those derived from previous CO-based studies of AGB stars. Methods. We observed the 12CO (J=1–0) and 12CO (J=2–1) millimetre-wavelength emission in a sample of 29 AGB binary candidates with the IRAM-30 m antenna. We measured the systemic velocities and the terminal expansion velocities from their line profiles. Population diagrams were used to interpret the results, enabling the estimation of excitation temperatures (Tex), mass-loss rates (Ṁ), and the characteristic sizes of the envelope layers where the CO millimetre emission originates (Rs). We explored different trends between the envelope parameters deduced, multiwavelength flux measurements, and other properties of our sample, and compared them with those previously derived from larger samples of AGB stars found in the literature. Results. We detected 12CO emission in 15 sources, of which 5 are first detections. We found relatively low expansion velocities (3 km s−1 ≲ Vexp ≲ 20 km s−1) in our sample. We derived the average excitation temperature and column density of the CO-emitting layers, which we used to estimate self-consistently the average mass-loss rate (10−8 M⊙ yr−1 ≲ Ṁ ≲ 10−5 M⊙ yr−1) and the CO pho-todissociation radius (5 × 1015 cm ≲ RCO ≲ 2 × 1017 cm) of our targets. We find a correlation between CO intensity and IRAS 60 µm fluxes, revealing a CO-to-IRAS 60 µm ratio lower than for AGB stars and closer to that found for pre-planetary nebulae (pPNe). An anti-correlation is observed between 12CO (and IRAS 60 µm) and the near-ultraviolet (NUV), but no such correlation is observed with the far-ultraviolet (FUV). It is also worth noting that there is no correlation between bolometric luminosity and NUV or FUV. Conclusions. For the first time we have studied the mass-loss properties of UV-excess AGB binary candidates and estimated their main CSE parameters. Our sample of uvAGB stars shows similarities with the broader category of AGB stars, except for a distinct CO-to-IRAS 60 µm trend suggesting enhanced CO photodissociation. Our findings, based on single-dish low-J CO line emission observations, support the dust-driven wind scenario and indicate that alternative mass-loss mechanisms are not necessary (in principle) to explain the ~200–2000 yr old mass-loss ejecta in uvAGBs. The different relationships between 12CO and IRAS 60 µm, with NUV and FUV are consistent with an intrinsic origin of NUV emission, but potential dominance of an extrinsic process (e.g. presence of a binary companion) in FUV emission.

Association of white blood cell count-to-mean platelet volume ratio with the risk of fatal stroke occurrence in older Chinese

White blood cell (WBC) and mean platelet volume (MPV) counts are related to stroke events, but relationship between their combined indicator (WBC count-to-MPV count ratio (WMR)) and the risk of fatal stroke occurrence is unclear so far. In this prospective analysis, we enrolled 27,163 participants aged 50 years or older without a stroke history in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. After a mean follow-up time of 15.0 (SD = 2.2) years with 389,242 person-years, 816 stroke (401 ischaemic, 259 haemorrhagic and 156 unclassified) deaths were recorded. Cox’s proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Compared with those in the lowest quartile, participants with the highest WMR had different risks for fatal all stroke and fatal ischaemic stroke, respectively, although an increased risk for fatal ischaemic stroke was observed among participants in the fourth WMR quartile and further hs-CRP adjustment; those in the WMR change with 10% increase had a 36% increased risk of fatal all stroke and a 79% increased risk of fatal haemorrhagic stroke, compared to those in a stable (the WMR change between −10% and 10%). Our findings suggest that higher WMR and its longitudinal change were associated with an increased risk of fatal stroke occurrence in middle-aged to older Chinese; it may be a potential indicator for the future fatal stroke occurrence in relatively healthy elderly populations.

Abstract 6873: Prognostic impact of squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a mediator of anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization in tumor microenvironment

Abstract Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 (SCCA1) is a potential biomarker and prognostic indicator for many epithelial cancers including cervix, head and neck, breast, and lung. Cancer patients with high serum levels of SCCA commonly experience treatment resistance and recurrence. We analyze SCCA expression in correlation with tumor microenvironment from 66 human cervical tumor biopsies and find that high serum SCCA is associated with increased macrophage infiltration in tumors and poor overall survival. In a single cell RNAseq analysis of 8 cervical tumors, patients with high SCCA1 show increased immunosuppressive genes (C1QA, C1QC, APOE) and reduced MHC molecules (HLA-DR, HLA-DQA1) in their tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), corresponding to decreased expression of T-cell cytotoxic-associated genes (IFNG, GZMB, PRF1). Thus, we aim to understand the impact of elevated SCCA1 on macrophages and its role in shaping the immune response. Co-culture of peritoneal macrophages isolated from SCCA1-treated mice with T cells from syngeneic wild-type mice, showed significant suppression in T cell proliferation. Downregulation of antigen presentation molecules was also observed SCCA1-treated macrophages and resulted in impaired ability to induce T cell activation by peptide-pulsed macrophages. Compared with treatment-naïve mice, SCCA1-treated macrophages showed increased anti-inflammatory cytokine CCL22, IL10 and immunosuppression regulators ARG1, PD-L1 expression. Moreover, human monocyte-derived M2 macrophages treated with SCCA1 during the differentiation process demonstrated inhibition toward CD3/28-induced T cell proliferation, accompanied by enhanced expression of cytokines, IL10 and CCL18. We further found that targeting SCCA1 by small interfering RNA knockdown significantly reduced tumor growth and macrophage infiltration, resulting in improved T-cell antitumor immunity. Lastly, analysis of cervical cancer patients with chemoradiation therapy showed that patients with high SCCA are associated with increased exhaustion (LAG3, CTLA4) and decreased antitumor gene signature (GZMB, IFNG) during treatment. In summary, SCCA expression promotes immunosuppressive macrophage polarization and function, contributing to T cell exhaustion phenotype and poor treatment response. Citation Format: Liyun Chen, Victoria Shi, Eric Liu, Jasmine Yang, Abhay Singh, Matthew Inkman, Jin Zhang, Julie Schwarz, Stephanie Markovina. Prognostic impact of squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a mediator of anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization in tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6873.

Transcriptome analysis of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reveals altered expression of immune genes by cadmium

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a worldwide farmed fish and has been widely used for the study on comparative immunology in teleosts. It is well known that cadmium (Cd) can cause a variety of adverse effects in fish. However, data on the effects of Cd in fish liver and the defensive mechanisms of these effects using transcriptome approach are relatively scarce to date. In this study, by using an RNA sequencing approach, the gene expression profiling was performed in livers of tilapia exposed to 0 (control), 50, 100, and 200 μg/L of Cd for 2 months. The results showed that exposure to 50 μg/L Cd altered the expressions of 911 genes, while exposure to 100 and 200 μg/L Cd resulted in 4318 and 3737 differentially expressed genes compared to the control. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and gene ontology (GO) analysis identified a 14-gene network linked to the immune system development. Further, in a fuzzy analysis, the GO term immune system development was enriched in cluster 3, and gene expression decreased with increasing Cd levels in a concentration-dependent manner. The qPCR and RNA-seq results identified 4 genes, i.e., dnmt3bb.1, sf3b1, SMARCAL1, and zap70, as convenient potential biological indicators for detecting waterborne Cd. The present results help systematically understand the effects of Cd on the hepatic transcriptome in tilapia.

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative: Systematic Review of Predictive Value of Biological Markers for People With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Australian Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (AUS-TBI) aims to co-design a data resource to predict outcomes for people with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across Australia. Fundamental to this resource is the data dictionary, which is an ontology of data items. Here, we report the systematic review and consensus process for inclusion of biological markers in the data dictionary. Standardized database searches were implemented from inception through April 2022. English-language studies evaluating association between a fluid, tissue, or imaging marker and any clinical outcome in at least 10 patients with moderate-severe TBI were included. Records were screened using a prioritization algorithm and saturation threshold in Research Screener. Full-length records were then screened in Covidence. A pre-defined algorithm was used to assign a judgement of predictive value to each observed association, and high-value predictors were discussed in a consensus process. Searches retrieved 106,593 records; 1,417 full-length records were screened, resulting in 546 included records. Two hundred thirty-nine individual markers were extracted, evaluated against 101 outcomes. Forty-one markers were judged to be high-value predictors of 15 outcomes. Fluid markers retained following the consensus process included ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), S100, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Imaging markers included computed tomography (CT) scores (e.g., Marshall scores), pathological observations (e.g., hemorrhage, midline shift), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classification (e.g., diffuse axonal injury). Clinical context and time of sampling of potential predictive indicators are important considerations for utility. This systematic review and consensus process has identified fluid and imaging biomarkers with high predictive value of clinical and long-term outcomes following moderate-severe TBI.

Inter- and intra-observer reliability and agreement of O2Pulse inflection during cardiopulmonary exercise testing: A comparison of subjective and novel objective methodology.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the 'gold standard' method for evaluating functional capacity, with oxygen pulse (O2Pulse) inflections serving as a potential indicator of myocardial ischaemia. However, the reliability and agreement of identifying these inflections have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to assess the inter- and intra-observer reliability and agreement of a subjective quantification method for identifying O2Pulse inflections during CPET, and to propose a more robust and objective novel algorithm as an alternative methodology. A retrospective analysis was conducted using baseline data from the HIIT or MISS UK trial. The O2Pulse curves were visually inspected by two independent examiners, and compared against an objective algorithm. Fleiss' Kappa was used to determine the reliability of agreement between the three groups of observations. The results showed almost perfect agreement between the algorithm and both examiners, with a Fleiss' Kappa statistic of 0.89. The algorithm also demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC) when compared to both examiners (0.92-0.98). However, a significant level (P ≤0.05) of systematic bias was observed in Bland-Altman analysis for comparisons involving the novice examiner. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for the reliability of both subjective and novel objective methods for identifying inflections in O2Pulse during CPET. These findings suggest that further research into the clinical significance of O2Pulse inflections is warranted, and that the adoption of a novel objective means of quantification may be preferable to ensure equality of outcome for patients.

Plasma metabolite profiling for S. haematobium biomarkers of infection in pre-school aged children in Shamva District, Zimbabwe

BackgroundMetabolomics approaches are indispensable tools in infection biomarker discovery efforts as they shed light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of disease. In this study, we analysed plasma metabolites that can be used as biomarkers of urogenital schistosomiasis in pre-school aged children below the age of five.MethodsA case-control study was conducted involving 82 pre-school aged children that were age- and sex-matched. Urine samples were collected for three consecutive days to detect S. haematobium infection using urine filtration. Blood samples were also collected and processed to obtain plasma. Beckman Coulter AU480 chemistry analyser and commercial metabolite kits were used for profiling biomarkers in plasma samples. Descriptive statistics and MetaboAnalyst tool, were used for metabolite analysis. For the determination of diagnostic efficiency of plasma biomarkers, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated from receiver operating characteristic curves at 95% CI.ResultsSuccinic acid, glucose-6-phosphate, phosphatidylcholine, alanine and creatinine levels in plasma were significantly associated with urogenital schistosomiasis (p&amp;lt;0.005) at the population level. Significant increase in concentration at 1.5-fold change (FC) threshold was highest for glucose-6-phosphate with FC value of 2.02 followed by creatinine, albumin and phosphatidylcholine. Creatinine was significantly downregulated with a FC value of 1.98. Of the six dysregulated metabolic pathways, glucose and sucrose metabolism were predominantly affected. Glucose-6-phosphate had the highest AUC (0.81), sensitivity (88.85%) and specificity (90.37%). Phosphatidylcholine and succinic acid also had AUC values greater than 0.7.ConclusionUrogenital schistosomiasis affects the energy-related metabolic pathways in pre-school aged children. Glucose-6-phosphate was identified as a potential indicator of infection at the population level. Furthermore, we recommend intensive validation of schistosome metabolite biomarkers.

Decadal co‐variation of the aerosols over East Asia and the East Asian jet streams in the boreal winter

AbstractThe changes in the East Asian polar‐front jet (EAPJ) and the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) profoundly impact the weather and climate in East Asia. However, the link between aerosols and the jet streams is still unclear. Here, we investigated the decadal co‐variation of aerosols and the East Asian jet streams in the boreal winter during the period of 1980–2019. In synch with a positive change in aerosol optical depth over East Asia, 300‐hPa winds show an equatorward shift of the land branch of the EASJ, and weakened EAPJ and oceanic branch of the EASJ. This can be linked to the enhanced meridional temperature gradient along 30°–50° N but weakened in northern regions and the decreasing synoptic‐scale transient eddy kinetic energy over subtropical Pacific. Relative importance estimation of aerosols and ocean signals emphasized the contributions of aerosols in jet variations. In turn, meteorological conditions related to jet streams also contribute to variations in aerosols, the decadal co‐variations are a result of their interactions, particularly for the oceanic branch of EASJ. The findings would be helpful in providing potential indicators of climate change.

Visceral obesity and sarcopenia as predictors of efficacy and hematological toxicity in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors.

We aimed to investigate whether visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and skeletal muscle area (SMA) index are predictive for efficacy and hematological toxicity in ER+HER2-metastatic breast cancer (BC) patients who received CDK 4/6 inhibitors. This retrospective cohort study analyzed 52 patients who were treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors between January 2018 and February 2021. The values of VAT, SAT, SMA indices and hematological parameters were noted before the start, at the third and sixth months of this treatment. The skeletal muscle area (SMA) and adipose tissue measurements were calculated at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. A SMA-index value of <40cm2/m2 was accepted as the threshold value for sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia had a worse progression-free survival (PFS) compared to patients without sarcopenia (19.6 vs. 9.0months, p=0.005). Patients with a high-VAT-index had a better PFS (20.4 vs. 9.3months, p=0.033). Only the baseline low-SMA- index (HR: 3.89; 95% CI: 1.35-11.25, p=0.012) and baseline low-VAT-index (HR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.02-4.53, p=0.042) had significantly related to poor PFS in univariate analyses. The low-SMA-index was the only independent factor associated with poor PFS (HR: 3.99; 95% CI: 1.38-11.54, p=0.011). No relationship was observed between body composition parameters and grade 3-4 hematological toxicity. The present study supported the significance of sarcopenia and low visceral adipose tissue as potential early indicators of poor PFS in patients treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors.

The prognostic value of combined preoperative PLR and CA19-9 in patients with resectable gallbladder cancer.

The platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is the marker of host inflammation and it is a potential significant prognostic indicator in various different tumors. The serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is a tumor-associated antigen and it is associated with poor prognosis of gallbladder cancer (GBC). We aimed to analyze the prognostic value of the combination of preoperative PLR and CA19-9 in patients with GBC. A total of 287 GBC patients who underwent curative surgery in our institution was included. To analyze the relationship between PLR and CA19-9 and clinicopathological features. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the optimal cutoff value for PLR and CA19-9. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the overall survival (OS). Meanwhile, the univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to assess the risk factors for OS. The cutoff values of 146.82 and 36.32U/ml defined as high PLR and high CA19-9, respectively. Furthermore, survival analysis showed that patients with PLR > 146.82 and CA19-9 > 36.32 U/ml had a worse prognosis than patients with PLR ≤ 146.82 and CA19-9 ≤ 36.32 U/ml, respectively. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that PLR (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.863, 95% CI: 1.366-2.542, P < 0.001) and CA19-9 (HR = 1.412, 95% CI: 1.021-1.952, P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors in the GBC patients. When we combined these two parameters, the area under the ROC curve increased from 0.624 (PLR) and 0.661 (CA19-9) to 0.711. In addition, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of group A (patients with PLR ≤ 146.82 and CA19-9 ≤ 36.32 U/ml), group B (patients with either of PLR > 146.82 or CA19-9 > 36.32 U/ml) and group C (patients with PLR > 146.82 and CA19-9 > 36.32 U/ml) were 83.6%, 58.6%, 22.5%, 52.4%, 19.5%, 11.5%, and 42.3%, 11.9%, 0%, respectively. The preoperative PLR and serum CA19-9 are associated with prognosis of patients with GBC. The combination of PLR and CA19-9 may serve as a significant prognostic biomarker for GBC patients superior to either PLR or CA19-9 alone.

Immune profiling analysis of double-negative T cells in patients with systemic sclerosis.

To construct a molecular immune map of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) by mass flow cytometry, and compare the number and molecular expression of double-negative T (DNT) cell subsets between patients and healthy controls (HC). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were extracted from the peripheral blood of 17 SSc patients and 9 HC. A 42-channel panel was set up to perform mass cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) analysis for DNT subgroups. Flow cytometry was used to validate subpopulation functions. The clinical data of patients were collected for correlation analysis. Compared with HC, the number of total DNT cells decreased in SSc patients. Six DNT subsets were obtained from CyTOF analysis, in which the proportion of cluster1 increased, while the proportion of cluster3 decreased. Further analysis revealed that cluster1 was characterized by high expression of CD28 and CCR7, and cluster3 was characterized by high expression of CD28 and CCR5. After in vitro stimulation, cluster1 secreted more IL-4 and cluster3 secreted more IL-10 in SSc patients compared to HC. Clinical correlation analysis suggested that cluster1 may play a pathogenic role while cluster3 may play a protective role in SSc. ROC curve analysis further revealed that cluster3 may be a potential indicator for determining disease activity in SSc patients. We found a new CCR5+CD28+ DNT cell subset, which played a protective role in the pathogenesis of SSc. Key Points • The number of DNT cells decreased in SSc patients' peripheral blood. • DNT cells do not infiltrate in the skin but secrete cytokines to participate in the pathogenesis of SSc. • A CCR5+CD28+ DNT cell population may play a protective role in SSc.

Changes in volatile compounds and lipid oxidation in various tissues of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) during ice storage.

Changes in the lipid oxidation and volatile compounds of a variety of tilapia tissues (Oreochromis niloticus) including the muscle, gills, and skin during ice storage were investigated by evaluating peroxide values (PVs), lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, fatty acid (FA) composition, and volatile substances. LOX activity and PV were determined in the gills, skin, and muscles throughout 9 days of storage in ascending order to the extended storage time. The highest level of LOX activity was found in the gills, whereas the highest PV was determined in the skin. FA content of all tissues decreased during the storage period. Oleic acid was the predominant monounsaturated fatty acid, whereas linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were the main polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 in all tissues. The fish gills were shown to have the highest level of volatile compounds followed by the skin and muscle, based on headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis indicated gradual changes in the volatile compound composition with increasing storage time. 2-Butanone and nonanal in the muscle, 6-methyl-2-heptanone and 2-nonenal in the gills, and 1-heptanol, and 1-nonanol in the skin were found to be the potential freshness indicators. In addition, hexanal could be a general potential marker for measuring the degree of lipid oxidation in all tissues. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Understanding the volatile compound formation related to lipid oxidation within storage time at various tissues of tilapia could be critical to the side-stream processing to yield the desired quality.

To do or not to do: Pyongyang’s seventh nuclear test calculations

ABSTRACT A nuclear test often is as political as it is technical. The intricacies of domestic and external politics play into Pyongyang’s decisions on nuclear testing, going far beyond the technical aspects of such tests. This article explores the repercussions of the second North Korea-US summit in Hanoi in 2019 across all policy realms in North Korea and how domestic and external factors could inform and shape Kim Jong-un’s decision on a seventh nuclear test. In order to delve into what to look out for in 2024 and beyond, this article focuses on Pyongyang’s approach to the civilian economy as opposed to national defense and the reorientation of its foreign and South Korea policies as potential key indicators of Kim’s thinking on nuclear testing.

Metabolomics analysis of physicochemical properties associated with freshness degradation in frozen Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba)

This study aimed to determine the effect of different frozen temperatures during storage on the quality of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and assess the change at the metabolite level via a combination of physicochemical property analysis, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based non–targeted metabolomics profiling. Regarding samples stored at –20 °C, the expressions of 7055 metabolites were elevated, while 2313 were downregulated. Lipids and lipid molecules had the highest proportion of differential metabolites. A total of 432 discriminatory metabolites with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) IDs was obtained. We also observed that the concentrations of differential bitter free amino acids (FAAs) and oxidation products of arachidonic and linoleic acid increased. Moreover, as the storage temperature increased, the freshness, umami, and sweetness components were considerably reduced. Furthermore, results indicated that the color, pH and water–holding capacity (WHC) were potential indicators of quality deterioration, while inosinic acid was a probable biomarker for umami degradation of frozen Antarctic krill. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that storage at lower temperatures can be beneficial for maintaining the freshness of Antarctic krill from macro and micro perspectives.

Integration of a facile sustainable resonance Rayleigh scattering switchable-based system for feasible determination of centrophenoxine, a nootropic and antioxidant agent; application to crude materials and dosage forms

The proposed research adheres to a certain methodology to ensure that the technique used for analyzing the centrophenoxine drug is sustainable and green. It is important to highlight that several tools that have been recently developed were utilized as potential indicators of environmental sustainability and applicability. The present research presents a novel and entirely innovative method utilizing ultrasensitive spectrofluorimetry for the detection of centrophenoxine (CPX) drug. The employed methodology in this study involved the utilization of one-step, one-pot, and direct spectrofluorimetric technique, which was found to be both efficient and environmentally sustainable in the validation and assessment of the drug. Simply, when CPX and erythrosine B reagent were combined in an acidic environment, the highly resonance Rayleigh scattering product was immediately produced. The sensitivity limits were observed to be within the range of 15–47 ng mL−1, whereas the linearity was assessed to be in the range of 50–2000 ng mL−1. The optimal settings for all modifiable parameters of the system were ascertained through an analysis of centrophenoxine-erythrosine B complexes. Moreover, the system demonstrated compliance with International Council for Harmonization (ICH) specifications without encountering any issues. The suggested process was then rated on different recent environmental safety measuring metrics to see how good it was for the environment. Fortunately, the WAC standards that combine ecological and functional elements utilizing the Green/Red/Blue (RGB 12) design also acclaimed the current analytical technique as a white one. Additionally, a new applicability evaluation tool (BAGI) was employed to estimate the practicability of the planned method in the analytical chemistry field.

Real-time quantitative detection of H2S for assessing fish freshness using a gas-controlled micro-drainage device

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a potential indicator of fish freshness, necessitates the development of rapid quantitative detection methods for ensuring food safety. Nevertheless, most of the current methods for H2S detection cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of ease-of-use and quantifiability. In this study, we introduce an innovative quantitative detection method of H2S that employs a gas-controlled micro-drainage device with an electronic balance as readout. When H2S, a product of fish spoilage, is present, it interacts with Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)-catalase nanozyme, affecting their catalytic activity and, subsequently, the weight of overflowed water. This allows for the conversion of H2S concentration into a measurable weight change signal. The sensor demonstrates an inverse correlation between the mass of overflowed water and H2S concentration (0–50 μM) with a detection limit of 0.43 μM. This device enables sensitive, real-time, and quantitative weighing analysis of H2S to assess fish freshness during storage, offering an effective solution to traditional limitations.