A Survey on the Design of Virtual Reality Interaction Interfaces.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has made remarkable progress in recent years and will be widely used in the future. As a bridge for information exchanges between users and VR systems, the interaction interface is pivotal for providing users with a good experience and has emerged as a key research focus. In this review, we conducted a comprehensive search of the Web of Science and CNKI databases from 2011 to 2023 to identify articles dedicated to VR interaction interface design. Through a meticulous analysis of 438 articles, this paper offers a substantial contribution to the emerging field of VR interactive interface research, providing an in-depth review of the principal research advancements. This review revealed that the majority of studies are centered on practical case analyses within specific application scenarios, employing empirical evaluation methods to assess objective or subjective metrics. We then concentrated on elucidating the foundational principles of interface design and their evaluation methodologies, providing a reference for future research endeavors. Additionally, the limitations, challenges, and future directions in VR interaction interface design research were discussed, highlighting the need for further research in design evaluation to continuously refine the development of standards and guidelines for VR interactive interface design. According to the findings of this review, there is a necessity to enhance research on information design for multi-channel interactive interfaces. Furthermore, it is essential to focus on the diverse characteristics of users to propose more inclusive design solutions. Adopting interdisciplinary approaches could lead to breakthroughs in the creation of personalized and adaptive VR interaction interfaces.

Unraveling the long-term gastrointestinal impact of perinatal perfluorobutane sulfonate exposure on rat offspring: Intestinal barrier dysfunction and Th17/Treg imbalance.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), especially long-chain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), are increasingly acknowledged as a potential inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) risk factor. Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), one kind of shorter chain alternative, has been reported to exhibit similar health hazards to those long-chain PFAS. However, the underlying mechanism underpinning PFBS-induced colonic inflammation has not been sufficiently elucidated. The T-helper-17 (Th17)/regulatory T (Treg) imbalance is a crucial event for the pathogenesis of colonic inflammation. In this study, we aimed to reveal whether and how perinatal PFBS exposure leads to the Th17/Treg imbalance and colonic inflammation in offspring. We firstly demonstrated in vivo that early-life PFBS exposure (0.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg) led to increased intestinal permeability and colonic inflammation accompanied by decreased expressions of tight junction protein 1 (Tjp1) and claudin-4 (Cldn4) and increased expressions of interleukin 17A (IL-17A) in colon of rat offspring. Further results indicated that PFBS exposure induces the Th17/Treg imbalance through upregulating the expression of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma t (Ror-γt) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) and downregulating of forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3) and IL-10 in colon. Moreover, metabolomics analyses indicated that bile secretion metabolism was significantly altered under PFBS exposure. The reduction of lithocholic acid and deoxycholic acid was closely related to the changes of TGF-ß and IL-10 in colon, and may contribute to the perturbation of Th17/Treg balance and colonic inflammation. These results provide evidences for the immunotoxicity of PFBS and reveal the potential contribution to colonic inflammation, which raises concern on the health effects and risk assessment of short-chain PFAS.

Improvement of thermal environment in the outdoor atrium by employing the spray system.

Outdoor atriums have recently been applied with increasing frequency for natural illumination, but they produce a harsh thermal environment easily in summer. Moreover, overheating of the outdoor atrium necessitates air-conditioning to moderate indoor thermal comfort. Simultaneously, the substantial heat emissions from air-conditioning outdoor units worsen the outdoor thermal environment, creating a vicious cycle. Traditional passive evaporative methods involving water and greenery, while capable of regulating the thermal environment, suffer from low evaporative efficiency and pose significant challenges. To improve thermal environment in outdoor atriums, the spray system was employed due to its high cooling efficiency, especially in open or semi-open spaces. In this study, a comparative experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of using a spray system for evaporative cooling in open outdoor spaces. Furthermore, employing high-efficiency evaporative cooling through spraying to disrupt the vicious cycle of indoor and outdoor thermal environments. The dual goals include regulating indoor and outdoor thermal conditions while also mitigating the local heat island effect. Temperature and humidity distribution within the atrium and adjacent hallways were monitored, along with the impact on air-conditioning operation consumption in neighboring offices. Results showed that the spray system significantly improved the thermal environment in the outdoor atrium, reducing the average and peak air temperatures by 0.94-2.83 °C and 2.92-5.21 °C, respectively. It also resulted in a drop in the average temperature by 0.56-1.62 °C and the peak temperature by 2.31-3.25 °C in adjacent hallways. This effectively eased the issue of overheating in these areas while raising the comfort level in adjacent office spaces. The predicted mean vote decreased from 1.46 to 0.87, indicating a significant improvement in thermal environment in neighboring offices. Furthermore, the daily energy consumption was reduced by 10.6-12.4% in neighboring offices. This study provided the valuable guidance for improving thermal environments within outdoor atrium.

Risk Factors Affecting the Outcomes of CT-Guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation of the T3 Sympathetic Nerve in the Treatment of Craniofacial Hyperhidrosis.

Background: Current studies mostly suggest that hyperhidrosis is caused by relative sympathetic hyperactivity. Sympathetic radiofrequency thermocoagulation is widely used in clinics. Previous studies have demonstrated that surgery at T3 is effective and safe compared with higher levels, so craniofacial hyperhidrosis in our hospital is selected to be treated at T3. However, some patients pursue repeat medical treatment due to an increase in hyperhidrosis at the original site after surgery. Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of Perfusion index (PI) value in the recurrence of palmar hyperhidrosis, but there is no relevant study on craniofacial hyperhidrosis. Methods: Clinical data from patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis, who underwent T3 sympathetic radiofrequency thermocoagulation at Jiaxing First Hospital (Jiaxing, China) between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021, were analyzed. Recurrence in patients 1 year after surgery was recorded through a case search and telephone follow-up system that registered patient information. Clinical data were analyzed using binary logistic regression analysis to investigate risk factors associated with recurrence in patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis 1 year after surgery. Results: Of 83 patients included in the present study, 34 (40%) experienced increased craniofacial sweating 1 year after surgery. Results of univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that computed tomography (CT) scan count, increase in pulse index (PI) at the fingertips, and differences in forehead temperature were potential risk factors for postoperative recurrence in patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis (p<0.2), and the results were consistent on both sides. Three potential risk factors were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis and results revealed that the risk for recurrence was reduced by 48% (left side) and 67% (right side) for every 1 unit increase in PI value. Conclusion: A small increase in PI was an independent risk factor for recurrence of hyperhidrosis in patients with craniofacial hyperhidrosis after undergoing T3 sympathetic radiofrequency thermocoagulation.

Understanding the global subnational migration patterns driven by hydrological intrusion exposure.

Amid the escalating global climatic challenges, hydrological risks significantly influence human settlement patterns, underscoring the imperative for an in-depth comprehension of hydrological change's ramifications on human migration. However, predominant research has been circumscribed to the national level. The study delves into the nonlinear effects of hydrological risks on migration dynamics in 46,776 global subnational units. Meanwhile, leveraging remote sensing, we procured globally consistent metrics of hydrological intrusion exposure, offering a holistic risk assessment encompassing hazard, exposure, and vulnerability dimensions, thus complementing previous work. Here, we show that exposure is the primary migration driver, surpassing socioeconomic factors. Surrounding disparities further intensified exposure's impact. Vulnerable groups, especially the economically disadvantaged and elderly, tend to remain in high-risk areas, with the former predominantly migrating within proximate vicinities. The nonlinear analysis delineates an S-shaped trajectory for hydrological exposure, transitioning from resistance to migration and culminating in entrapment, revealing dependence on settlement resilience and adaptability.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improves anxiety symptoms and cortical activity during verbal fluency task in Parkinson's disease with anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 20/4Hz transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on anxiety symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the potential neural mechanism. METHODS: In the current randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 30 PD patients with anxiety (PD-A), 30 PD patients without anxiety (PD-nA), and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. PD-A patients were randomly (1:1) allotted to real taVNS stimulation group (RS) or sham stimulation group (SS) to explore the efficacy of a two-week treatment of taVNS to promote anxiety recovery. Simultaneously, all participants were measured activation in the bilateral prefrontal cortex during verbal fluency task (VFT) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: PD-A patients showed significantly decreased oxyhemoglobin in the left triangle part of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during VFT, which was negatively related to the severity of anxiety symptoms. After two-week treatment of taVNS, the interaction of group and time had significant effect on HAMA scores (F = 18.476, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.398). In RS group, compared with baseline, HAMA scores decreased significantly in the post-treatment and follow-up condition (both p < 0.001). Meanwhile, in RS group, HAMA scores were lower than those in SS group in the post-treatment and follow-up condition (p = 0.006, <0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the 20/4Hz taVNS remarkably ameliorated anxiety symptoms in PD patients, directly correlated with the increased activation of the left triangle part of the IFG during VFT in RS group. CONCLUSION: Our results depicted that taVNS could ameliorate the anxiety symptoms of PD-A patients and regulated the function of the left triangle part of the IFG.

Perinatal exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate and the risk of hepatic inflammation in rat offspring: Perturbation of gut-liver crosstalk.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure is associated with harmful hepatic outcomes. Growing evidence indicates that crosstalk between the gut microbiome, immune system, and liver plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of PFOS exposure during pregnancy and lactation on hepatic inflammation in rat offspring. Features of hepatic inflammation and increased levels of aspartate-amino transferase (AST) were found in pups on postnatal day 28 (PND28) in PFOS-exposed groups. Gut microbiota analysis identified Chitinophaga, Ralstonia, and Alloprevotella as the key genera in distinguishing the PFOS-exposed group from the control group. Metabolic and transcriptomic analyses found that PFOS exposure resulted in 48 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in the serum, 62 DEMs in the liver, and 289 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver of PND28 pups. The immune response is significantly enriched in PFOS-exposed liver on PND28; multi-omics analysis indicated that PFOS might lead to immune response perturbation by disturbing the metabolic profiling in the liver. The changed gut microbiota was significantly related to the serum level of the liver function index. Specifically, Alloprevotella, Chitinophage, Ruminococcus, and Allobaculum were significantly associated with the metabolic abundance changes of 4-Hydroxydebrisoquine, L-Norvaline, and Eremopetasinorol, and the gene expression changes of Acat211, Msmol, Idi1, Sqle, and Gadd45b in the liver. These findings suggest that early-life PFOS exposure may be associated with adverse hepatic inflammation in young offspring via disruption of the gut-liver crosstalk, which may provide mechanistic clues for clarifying the hepatotoxicity in offspring associated with perinatal PFOS exposure.

Comparative study on the quality control effectiveness of AI-PBRTQC and traditional PBRTQC model in identifying quality risks.

Introduction: We compared the quality control efficiency of artificial intelligence-patient-based real-time quality control (AI-PBRTQC) and traditional PBRTQC in laboratories to create favorable conditions for the broader application of PBRTQC in clinical laboratories. Materials and methods: In the present study, the data of patients with total thyroxine (TT4), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), urea, and albumin (ALB) over five months were categorized into two groups: AI-PBRTQC group and traditional PBRTQC group. The Box-Cox transformation method estimated truncation ranges in the conventional PBRTQC group. In contrast, in the AI-PBRTQC group, the PBRTQC software platform intelligently selected the truncation ranges. We developed various validation models by incorporating different weighting factors, denoted as λ. Error detection, false positive rate, false negative rate, average number of the patient sample until error detection, and area under the curve were employed to evaluate the optimal PBRTQC model in this study. This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of AI-PBRTQC in identifying quality risks by analyzing quality risk cases. Results: The optimal parameter setting scheme for PBRTQC is TT4 (78-186), λ = 0.03; AMH (0.02-2.96), λ = 0.02; ALT (10-25), λ = 0.02; TC (2.84-5.87), λ = 0.02; urea (3.5-6.6), λ = 0.02; ALB (43-52), λ = 0.05. Conclusions: The AI-PBRTQC group was more efficient in identifying quality risks than the conventional PBRTQC. AI-PBRTQC can also effectively identify quality risks in a small number of samples. AI-PBRTQC can be used to determine quality risks in both biochemistry and immunology analytes. AI-PBRTQC identifies quality risks such as reagent calibration, onboard time, and brand changes.

Comparative efficacy of modified Noel's technique and matrix phenolization on onychocryptosis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Onychocryptosis is a common pathological condition requiring clinical intervention. Selecting an appropriate and effective treatment based on individual patient circumstances is crucial. METHODS: We compared the efficacy and safety of the modified Noel's technique and matrix phenolization in 107 participants with onychocryptosis. Participants were divided into two groups: 75 nails (73 patients) were treated with the modified Noel's technique (modified Noel's group), while 42 nails (34 patients) were treated with matrix phenolization (Phenol group). Outcomes on clinical cure rates and postoperative complications from both groups were collected. Additionally, the efficacy of the modified Noel's technique was assessed in 31 nails with stage IV onychocryptosis. RESULTS: After 18 months, among the remaining 102 patients (110 nails), the modified Noel's group exhibited fewer complications (5.88% vs. 45.2%, P < 0.001) with similar cure rates (P = 0.62). Furthermore, there was a shorter healing time in the modified Noel's group (13.5 ± 1.4 vs. 27.6 ± 2.3 days, P < 0.001). Postoperative pain was notable in the modified Noel's group on the first postoperative day (P < 0.001), with a significant decrease in the pain score 2 weeks after surgery (P = 0.407). Postoperative nail plate narrowing was observed in the Phenol group (33%). Moreover, the modified Noel's technique achieved a 100% cure rate in stage IV patients. CONCLUSIONS: The modified Noel's technique, offering precise excision of the proliferative nail fold and strategic suturing, is suitable for stage IV patients and for those who find significant aesthetic impact unacceptable following narrowed plate postmatrix phenolization.

[Rules of acupoint selection and pattern-acupoint relationship in treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion for endometriosis based on complex network analysis technology].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the rules of acupoint selection and pattern-acupoint relationship in treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion for endometriosis (EMs) based on complex network analysis technology. METHODS: The articles for clinical trial of EMs treated with acupuncture and moxibustion were searched from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library from the inception of the databases to December 14, 2022. Using Microsoft Excel 2019 software, the database was established to collect the use frequency of acupoint, meridian tropism, location and pattern-acupoint relationship. SPSS Modeler 18.0 Apriori algorithm was adopted to conduct the association rule analysis, Cytoscape3.7.2 software was used to plot the complex co-occurrence network map; and SPSS Statistics 26.0 was adopted to perform hierarchical cluster analysis on high-frequency acupoints and a tree diagram was drawn. RESULTS: A total of 163 articles were included, and 167 core acupoint prescriptions and 74 pattern-associated acupoint prescriptions were extracted, involving 92 acupoints, with a cumulative frequency of 1 223 times. The top five acupoints with the highest use frequency were Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Zigong (EX-CA 1) and Qihai (CV 6). The selected acupoints were mostly distributed in the chest, abdomen and lower limbs; and the involved meridians included the conception vessel, the spleen meridian of foot-taiyin and the stomach meridian of foot-yangming. The acupoint compatibility of high frequency referred to Guanyuan (CV 4) - Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) - Zhongji (CV 3), and Guanyuan (CV 4) - Zigong (EX-CA 1). The close association was presented among Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongji (CV 3), which had the strongest connection with the other acupoints; among the top 25 acupoints with the highest use frequency, 5 acupoint prescriptions with high frequency were obtained by the cluster analysis. Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zigong (EX-CA 1) and Zhongji (CV 3) were selected for cold and blood stagnation; Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Dahe (KI 12) and Taixi (KI 3) for kidney deficiency and blood stagnation; Zhongji (CV 3), Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Diji (SP 8) for qi and blood stagnation; Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), and Zigong (EX-CA 1) for qi deficiency and blood stagnation; Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Fenglong (ST 40), Zhongliao (BL 33), Ciliao (BL 32) and Xialiao (BL 34) for interaction of phlegm and stasis; and Daheng (SP 15), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Qihai (CV 6) and Zhongwan (CV 12) for retention of damp and heat. CONCLUSION: The core acupoints are Guanyuan (CV 4), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zhongji (CV 3), Qihai (CV 6) and Zigong (EX-CA 1) in treatment of endometriosis with acupuncture and moxibustion. Six patterns/syndromes are involved in clinical practice. In terms of the properties, functions and indications, the supplementary acupoints are selected on the basis of the core acupoints for different patterns/sydnromes of the disease.

Dynamically Cross-Linked Double-Network Hydrogels with Matched Mechanical Properties and Ideal Biocompatibility for Artificial Blood Vessels.

Vessel transplantation is currently considered the "gold standard" treatment for cardiovascular disease. However, ideal artificial vascular grafts should possess good biocompatibility and mechanical strength that match those of native autologous vascular tissue to promote in vivo tissue regeneration. In this study, a series of dynamic cross-linking double-network hydrogels and the resultant hydrogel tubes were prepared. The hydrogels (named PCO), composed of rigid poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), flexible carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), and a cross-linker of aldehyde-based ß-cyclodextrin (OCD), were formed in a double-network structure with multiple dynamical cross-linking including dynamic imine bonds, hydrogen bonds, and microcrystalline regions. The PCO hydrogels exhibited superior mechanical strength, good network stability, and fatigue resistance. Additionally, it demonstrated excellent cell and blood compatibility. The results showed that the introduction of CMCS/OCD led to a significant increase in the proliferation rate of endothelial cells seeded on the surface of the hydrogel. The hemolysis rate in the test was lower than 0.3%, and both protein adsorption and platelet adhesion were reduced, indicating an excellent anticoagulant function. The plasma recalcification time test results showed that endogenous coagulation was alleviated to some extent. When formed into blood vessels and incubated with blood, no thrombus formation was observed, and there was minimal red blood cell aggregation. Therefore, this novel hydrogel tube, with excellent mechanical properties, exhibits antiadhesive characteristics toward blood cells and proteins, as well as antithrombotic properties, making it hold tremendous potential for applications in the biomedical and engineering fields.

The Relationship between Quantitative Parameters of Dual-energy CT and HIF-1α Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between quantitative parameters of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and the relative expression of HIF-1α in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to preliminarily explore the value of DECT in evaluating the hypoxia of tumor microenvironment and tumor biological behavior and provide more information for the treatment of NSCLC. METHODS: This retrospective research included 36 patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC who underwent dual-energy enhanced CT scans. The quantitative parameters of DECT were analyzed, including iodine concentration, water concentration, the CT values corresponding to 40keV, 70keV, 100keV, and 130keV in arterial and venous phases, and the normalized iodine concentration and the slope of the energy spectrum curve were calculated. Postoperative specimens underwent HIF immunohistochemical staining by two pathologists. Spearman correlation analysis was adopted as the statistical methodology. The data were analyzed by SPSS26.0 statistical software. RESULTS: Water concentration (r=0.659, P<0.001 and r= 0.632, P<0.001, the CT values corresponding to 100keV (r=0.645, P<0.001 and r= 0.566, P<0.001) and 130keV (r=0.687, P<0.001 and r= 0.682, P<0.001) in arterial and venous phases, and CT value of 70keV in arterial phase (r=0.457, P=0.005) were positively correlated with HIF-1α expression level. There was no correlation among iodine concentration, standardized iodine concentration, CT value of 40keV, λHU, and HIF-1α expression in arterial and venous levels (P >0.05). CONCLUSION: The quantitative parameters of DECT have a certain correlation with HIF-1α expression in NSCLC. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that DECT can be used to predict hypoxia in tumor tissues and the prognosis of lung cancer patients.

54 K Spin Transition Temperature Shift in a Fe6L4 Octahedral Cage Induced by Optimal Fitted Multiple Guests.

Spin-crossover (SCO) coordination cages are at the forefront of research for their potential in crafting next-generation molecular devices. However, due to the scarcity of SCO hosts and their own limited cavities, the interplay between the SCO host and the multiple guests binding has remained elusive. In this contribution, we present a family of pseudo-octahedral coordination cages (M6L4, M = ZnII, CoII, FeII, and NiII) assembled from a tritopic tridentate ligand L with metal ions. The utilization of FeII ion leads to the successful creation of the Fe6L4-type SCO cage. Host-guest studies of these M6L4 cages reveal their capacity to encapsulate four adamantine-based guests. Notably, the spin transition temperature T1/2 of Fe6L4 is dependent on the multiple guests encapsulated. The inclusion of adamantine yields an unprecedented T1/2 shift of 54 K, a record shift in guest-mediated SCO coordination cages to date. This drastic shift is ascribed to the synergistic effect of multiple guests coupled with their optimal fit within the host. Through a straightforward thermodynamic cycle, the binding affinities of the high-spin (HS) and low-spin (LS) states are separated from their apparent binding constant. This result indicates that the LS state has a stronger binding affinity for the multiple guests than the HS state. Exploring the SCO thermodynamics of host-guest complexes allows us to examine the optimal fit of multiple guests to the host cavity. This study reveals that the T1/2 of the SCO host can be manipulated by the encapsulation of multiple guests, and the SCO cage is an ideal candidate for determining the multiple guest fit.

Role of intestinal flora in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children.

In China, 45% of adolescents with obesity develop fatty liver disease, a condition that increases the long-term risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although the factors triggering nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) vary in children, the composition of intestinal microflora has been found to play an increasingly important role. However, evidence is limited on the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in Chinese children. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the fecal microbiome of Chinese children with NAFLD and further analyze the potential of flora in regulating NAFLD-related symptoms and metabolic functions. Specifically, the study applied a 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing to the fecal samples of pediatric patients with NAFLD, NASH, and NAFL, as well as healthy controls, to explore the correlation among NAFLD-related indexes, metabolic pathways, and gut flora. The findings showed that some fecal microbiota had a negative correlation with body mass index, and various NAFLD-related bacteria, including Lachnoclostridium, Escherichia-Shigella, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, were detected. Consequently, the study concluded that the variation in gut microbiota might be more important in improving NAFLD/NASH compared with single species, providing a microbiota diagnostic profile of NAFLD/NASH.IMPORTANCEThis study aims to characterize the gut microbiota in Chinese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing. The results highlight the association between fecal microbiota and NAFLD in Chinese children, demonstrating distinct characteristics compared to adults and children from other countries. Based on the sequencing data from our cohort's fecal samples, we propose a microbiota model with a high area under the curve for distinguishing between NAFLD and healthy individuals. Furthermore, our follow-up study reveals that changes in the relative abundance of microbial biomarkers in this model are consistent with variations in patients' body mass index. These findings suggest the potential utility of the microbiota model and microbial biomarkers for diagnosing and treating NAFLD in children.

Isolation and identification of vapA-absent Aeromonas salmonicida in diseased snakehead Channa argus in China.

Aeromonas salmonicida is the typical pathogen causing furunculosis, reported widely in salmonids. Because of multiple serotypes, the control of A. salmonicida-caused disease has increasingly received much attention. Recently, A. salmonicida infection was reported in non-salmonid fish species. Here, a pathogenic A. salmonicida, named as As-s, was isolated from cultured snakehead (Channa argus) in a local fish farm in Shandong, China. As-s displayed clear hemolysis, amylase, and positive catalase activities, and grew at a wide range of temperatures (10-37 °C) and pH values (5.5-8.5). As-s was highly sensitive to cefuroxime sodium, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, piperacillin, and cefoperazone and also apparently sensitive to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and 25% cinnamaldehyde. The Virulence array protein gene cloning' results suggested that As-s has this gene compared with the other two vapA-containing strains, despite a close relationship of these strains via phylogenetic analysis. Severe ulcers on skin, muscle, and abnormal liver, and hemorrhage in pectoral/ventral fins and anal region were observed, and exophthalmos were also noticed in infected juvenile snakehead, as well as necrosis and infiltration of blood cells emerged in the internal organs using pathological section. In addition, As-s caused high mortality in snakehead, consistently with its immune gene response. This study reports the first isolation of vapA-absent A. salmonicida in snakehead.

Discovery and Development of 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase as a Novel Crop Fungicide Target.

Plant pathogenic fungi pose a significant threat to crop yields and quality, and the emergence of fungicide resistance has further exacerbated the problem in agriculture. Therefore, there is an urgent need for efficient and environmentally friendly fungicides. In this study, we investigated the antifungal activity of (+)-Usnic acid and its inhibitory effect on crop pathogenic fungal 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenases (HPPDs) and determined the structure of Zymoseptoria tritici HPPD (ZtHPPD)-(+)-Usnic acid complex. Thus, the antifungal target of (+)-Usnic acid and its inhibitory basis toward HPPD were uncovered. Additionally, we discovered a potential lead fungicide possessing a novel scaffold that displayed remarkable antifungal activities. Furthermore, our molecular docking analysis revealed the unique binding mode of this compound with ZtHPPD, explaining its high inhibitory effect. We concluded that HPPD represents a promising target for the control of phytopathogenic fungi, and the new compound serves as a novel starting point for the development of fungicides and dual-purpose pesticides.

[Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation training combined with psychological nursing intervention in the treatment of type â ¢B prostatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation training combined with psychological nursing intervention in the treatment of intractable type ⅢB prostatitis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 51 cases of intractable type ⅢB prostatitis treated from October 2020 to October 2022, which were randomly assigned to receive Tamsulosin medication (the control group, n = 24) or pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation training and psychological nursing in addition (the intervention group, n = 27), all for 8 weeks. We obtained NIH-CPSI, IIEF-5, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) scores, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores, the level of lecithin and the count of leukocytes in the prostatic fluid and the incidence of adverse events, and compared them between the two groups of patients before and after treatment. RESULTS: The total effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group (88.9% vs 62.5%, P < 0.05). Compared with the baseline, the NIH-CPSI, IIEF-5, SAS and SDS scores and the lecithin level were remarkably increased in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05), even more significantly in the intervention group than in the control (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the count of leukocytes before and after treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of Tamsulosin medication, the application of pelvic floor rehabilitation training combined with psychological care can significantly enhance the therapeutic effect on type IIIB prostatitis, effectively relieve prostatitis pain, improve erectile function, lessen anxiety and depression symptoms, increase the level of lecithosomes and promote the recovery of prostatic function.