In response to a wide range of stimulations, host cells activate pyroptosis, a kind of inflammatory cell death which is provoked by the cytosolic sensing of danger signals and pathogen infection. In manipulating the cleavage of gasdermins (GSDMs), researchers have found that GSDM proteins serve as the real executors and the deterministic players in fate decisions of pyroptotic cells. Whether inflammatory characteristics induced by pyroptosis could cause damage the host or improve immune activity is largely dependent on the context, timing, and response degree. Here, we systematically review current points involved in regulatory mechanisms and the multidimensional roles of pyroptosis in several metabolic diseases and the tumor microenvironment. Targeting pyroptosis may reveal potential therapeutic avenues.

Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease, results from the uncultivable pathogen Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), and usually progresses to peripheral neuropathy and permanent progressive deformity if not treated. Previously published genetic studies have identified 18 gene/loci significantly associated with leprosy at the genome-wide significant level. However as a complex disease, only a small proportion of leprosy risk could be explained by those gene/loci. To further identify more susceptibility gene/loci, we hereby performed a three-stage GWAS comprising 8,156 leprosy patients and 15,610 controls of Chinese ancestry. Four novel loci were identified including rs6807915 on 3p25.2 (P=1.94 × 10−8, OR=0.89), rs4720118 on 7p14.3 (P=3.85 × 10−10, OR=1.16), rs55894533 on 8p23.1 (P=5.07 × 10−11, OR=1.15) and rs10100465 on 8q24.11 (P=2.85 × 10−11, OR=0.85). Altogether, these findings have provided new insight and significantly expanded our understanding of the genetic basis of leprosy.

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Some types of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in human diseases, including cancer. However, the overall biological roles and clinical significances of most lncRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) are not fully understood. First, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was analyzed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs between CRC tissues and noncancerous tissues. We identified that LINC02418 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Next, we evaluated the effect of LINC02418 on CRC tumorigenesis and its regulatory functions of absorbing microRNA and indirectly stimulating protein expression by acting as a ceRNA. Mechanistically, LINC02418 acted as a ceRNA to upregulate MELK expression by absorbing miR-1273g-3p. In addition, the diagnostic performance of cell-free LINC02418 and exosomal LINC02418 were both evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve (AUC). Exosomal LINC02418 could distinguish the patients with CRC from the healthy controls (AUC = 0.8978, 95% confidence interval = 0.8644–0.9351) better than cell-free LINC02418 (AUC = 0.6784, 95% confidence interval = 0.6116–0.7452). Collectively, we determined that LINC02418 was significantly overexpressed in CRC and that the LINC02418–miR-1273g-3p–MELK axis played a critical role in CRC tumorigenesis. Finally, exosomal LINC02418 is a promising, novel biomarker that can be used for the clinical diagnosis of CRC.

Background: With population aging (PA), the healthcare expenditure (HE) increases. The aim of this study is to analyze the HE of different age groups and the effect of age on HE among different age groups. Methods: Combining PA and HE data, this study used the fixed effect model and parameter estimation method to evaluate the influence of different age groups on HE from 2008 to 2014. Results: The age effect of HE for the population aged 65 or over was the most significant among the different age groups. Based on PA and HE data, HE per capita of the age group 65 years or over is 7.25 times as much as the population aged < 25 years, 1.61 times as much as the population aged 25~59 years, and 3.47 times as much as the population aged 60~64 years. Based on the result of the fixed effect model, HE per capita of the age group <25 years was 218.39 Yuan (CNY) (USD $31.2). HE per capita of the age group 25~59 years old increased to 1,548.62 Yuan (CNY) (USD $221.2). HE per capita of the 60~64 years age group will be 921.56 Yuan (CNY) (USD $131.7), 4.22 times as much as that of the age group < 25 years. HE per capita in the age group of 65 years or over is 2,538.88 Yuan (CNY) (USD $362.7), 11.63 times as much as that of the age group <25 years. Conclusion: The results suggest that PA in China is intensifying. In order to control the rising of HE, the government should not only address the supply side such as reforming medical insurance payment, developing new technologies, but also focusing on solving the demand side such as improving the quality of healthcare services, solving environmental pollution, and improving the residents' health.

Daytime radiative cooling technology can release heat into outer space without consuming any electricity during the day while reflecting as much solar radiation as possible. This characteristic gives radiative cooling materials considerable application potential in the fields of energy-saving buildings, fabrics, and photovoltaic cells. The radiative cooling coating (RC coating) applied to a building should cover a large area of the building surface, so a RC coating was prepared by spraying. The RC coating consisted of highly near-infrared reflective yttrium oxide (Y2O3), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The RC coating could reach a high solar reflectance of 92.2% and a high atmospheric window emissivity of 94.9%. The complementary reflectivity of TiO2 and Y2O3 was the key to obtaining high reflectivity for RC coatings. The results of field tests showed that the cavity where the RC coating is cooled was 7.7 °C lower than the ambient temperature under direct sunlight. Moreover, the average radiative cooling power of the RC coating was 72.5 W/m2 on a hot summer day. In addition, the RC coating has good stability and thus can be used in various conditions, such as on outdoor buildings.

Currently, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common chronic lung diseases. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by progressive loss of lung function due to chronic inflammatory responses in the lungs caused by repeated exposure to harmful environmental stimuli. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a persistent disease, with an estimated 384 million people worldwide living with COPD. It is listed as the third leading cause of death. Exosomes contain various components, such as lipids, microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs), and proteins. They are essential mediators of intercellular communication and can regulate the biological properties of target cells. With the deepening of exosome research, it is found that exosomes are strictly related to the occurrence and development of COPD. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the unique role of immune-cell-derived exosomes in disease through complex interactions and their potentials as potential biomarkers new types of COPD.

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