Pilomatricoma Located at the Identical Position in the Right Upper Limb of the Twins: A Rare Case Report.

Introduction: Rare studies have reported pilomatricoma in twins, and extremely rare cases showed lesions in the same part of the body position. We reported a case of monozygotic twins with pilomatricoma in the same location on the skin of the right upper extremity. Case Presentation: Seven-year-old monozygotic twins presented to our department with a palpable, painless, and solid mass in the subcutaneous tissue of the right upper limb. A 1.5-cm diameter nodule was seen on the anterolateral aspect of the right upper extremity of the twins. The node was irregular in shape, and upon palpation, the patients reported no noticeable tenderness. Following the administration of local anesthesia, the twins underwent surgical procedure to excise the solid mass. Finally, they were diagnosed with pilomatricoma based on the clinical and histopathological features. Complete surgical resection followed by primary closure was performed. During a follow-up period of three years, there has been no recurrence observed in the twins. Conclusion: We reported a case of monozygotic twins with pilomatricoma in the same location on the skin of the right upper arm. Our findings underscore the requirement of considering genetic factors in the diagnosis and treatment of the rare conditions.

Enhancing the Quality of Low-Salt Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Surimi Gel Using Psyllium Husk Powder: An Orthogonal Experimental Approach.

Low-salt surimi production is crucial as it addresses health concerns related to sodium intake while maintaining the quality and shelf-life of seafood products. This research focused on optimizing the gelation conditions for silver carp surimi with the addition of psyllium husk powder at low salt concentrations (0.5% and 1%, w/w) to investigate the effects of psyllium husk powder concentration, temperature, and time on gel strength and water-holding capacity. The quality was assessed in terms of gel strength and water-holding capacity. Following a single-factor exploration, a three-level orthogonal experiment was designed to evaluate the influence of these three variables using a combined scoring system. Results indicated that psyllium husk powder levels between 0.1% and 0.3% (w/w) enhanced gel strength and water-holding capacity. The optimal conditions were identified as follows: 1% (w/w) NaCl with 0.2% (w/w) psyllium husk powder for 2.5 h at 35 °C, and 0.5% (w/w) NaCl with 0.3% (w/w) psyllium husk powder for 3 h at 35 °C. Texture profile analysis revealed that psyllium husk powder increased the hardness of the surimi gel, promoting myosin cross-linking and denser gel structure. Compared to traditional surimi gel, which relies on ionic bonds, the optimized gel showed higher levels of disulfide cross-linking and enhanced hydrophobic interactions, resulting in a stronger gel structure. Sensory evaluation suggested that surimi gels with psyllium husk powder were perceived as better than those without psyllium husk powder. The study concludes that selecting the appropriate psyllium husk powder quantity and thermal processing conditions based on salt concentration can significantly improve the quality of low-salt surimi gels. Error analysis using one-way ANOVA was performed on all experimental data and (p < 0.05) indicated the significant difference.

Single-cell epigenomics and spatiotemporal transcriptomics reveal human cerebellar development.

Human cerebellar development is orchestrated by molecular regulatory networks to achieve cytoarchitecture and coordinate motor and cognitive functions. Here, we combined single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics and single cell chromatin accessibility states to systematically depict an integrative spatiotemporal landscape of human fetal cerebellar development. We revealed that combinations of transcription factors and cis-regulatory elements (CREs) play roles in governing progenitor differentiation and cell fate determination along trajectories in a hierarchical manner, providing a gene expression regulatory map of cell fate and spatial information for these cells. We also illustrated that granule cells located in different regions of the cerebellar cortex showed distinct molecular signatures regulated by different signals during development. Finally, we mapped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of disorders related to cerebellar dysfunction and discovered that several disorder-associated genes showed spatiotemporal and cell type-specific expression patterns only in humans, indicating the cellular basis and possible mechanisms of the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Bowen's Disease of the Nipple and Areola: Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction: Bowen's disease (BD) commonly occurs in sites of chronic sunlight exposure such as head, neck and extremities. It rarely distributes on the nipple and areola. Case Presentation: A 59-year-old female presented with crusted plaque on the right breast for over 1 month. Physical examination found an asymptomatic plaque (5 cm × 5 cm) with irregular shape on the right breast. Histopathological examination suggested irregularly acanthotic epidermis and atypical epidermal cells. Dermis showed inflammatory cell infiltration. Immunohistochemical staining showed negative staining for cytokeratin 7 and cytokeratin 20, and positive staining for Ki67 (60%). The mass was excised and no recurrence occurred in the follow-up. Additionally, we reviewed the literature about BD of the breast and summarized the clinical manifestations, histological features, and treatment options. Conclusion: We reported a rare BD case involving nipple and areola. Wide local excision and complete nipple excision are effective for patients with BD of the nipple and areola.

Bivalent mRNA vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

BACKGROUND: Sequential infections with SARS-CoV-2 variants such as Alpha, Delta, Omicron and its sublineages may cause high morbidity, so it is necessary to develop vaccines that can protect against both wild-type (WT) virus and its variants. Mutations in SARS-CoV-2's spike protein can easily alter viral transmission and vaccination effectiveness. METHODS: In this study, we designed full-length spike mRNAs for WT, Alpha, Delta, and BA.5 variants and integrated each into monovalent or bivalent mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccines. A pseudovirus neutralization assay was conducted on immunized mouse sera in order to examine the neutralizing potential of each vaccine. RESULTS: Monovalent mRNA vaccines were only effective against the same type of virus. Interestingly, monovalent BA.5 vaccination could neutralize BF.7 and BQ.1.1. Moreover, WT, Alpha, Delta, BA.5, and BF.7 pseudoviruses were broadly neutralized by bivalent mRNA vaccinations, such as BA.5 + WT, BA.5 + Alpha, and BA.5 + Delta. In particular, BA.5 + WT exhibited high neutralization against most variants of concern (VOCs) in a pseudovirus neutralization assay. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that combining two mRNA sequences may be an effective way to develop a broadly protective SARS-CoV-2 vaccine against a wide range of variant types. Importantly, we provide the optimal combination regimen and propose a strategy that may prove useful in combating future VOCs.

The single-cell and spatial transcriptional landscape of human gastrulation and early brain development.

The emergence of the three germ layers and the lineage-specific precursor cells orchestrating organogenesis represent fundamental milestones during early embryonic development. We analyzed the transcriptional profiles of over 400,000 cells from 14 human samples collected from post-conceptional weeks (PCW) 3 to 12 to delineate the dynamic molecular and cellular landscape of early gastrulation and nervous system development. We described the diversification of cell types, the spatial patterning of neural tube cells, and the signaling pathways likely involved in transforming epiblast cells into neuroepithelial cells and then into radial glia. We resolved 24 clusters of radial glial cells along the neural tube and outlined differentiation trajectories for the main classes of neurons. Lastly, we identified conserved and distinctive features across species by comparing early embryonic single-cell transcriptomic profiles between humans and mice. This comprehensive atlas sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying gastrulation and early human brain development.

Ferrodifferentiation regulates neurodevelopment via ROS generation.

Iron is important for life, and iron deficiency impairs development, but whether the iron level regulates neural differentiation remains elusive. In this study, with iron-regulatory proteins (IRPs) knockout embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that showed severe iron deficiency, we found that the Pax6- and Sox2-positive neuronal precursor cells and Tuj1 fibers in IRP1-/-IRP2-/- ESCs were significantly decreased after inducing neural differentiation. Consistently, in vivo study showed that the knockdown of IRP1 in IRP2-/- fetal mice remarkably affected the differentiation of neuronal precursors and the migration of neurons. These findings suggest that low intracellular iron status significantly inhibits neurodifferentiation. When supplementing IRP1-/-IRP2-/- ESCs with iron, these ESCs could differentiate normally. Further investigations revealed that the underlying mechanism was associated with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production caused by the substantially low level of iron and the down-regulation of iron-sulfur cluster protein ISCU, which, in turn, affected the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. Thus, the appropriate amount of iron is crucial for maintaining normal neural differentiation that is termed ferrodifferentiation.

Correction of severe lower extremity deformity with digital hexapod external fixator based on CT data.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to examine the therapeutic effect of a self-designed digital six-axis external fixator technique for the correction of severe lower extremity deformities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2017 and December 2020, our institution employed self-developed digital hexapod external fixator technology (QSF), based on CT data, to gradually correct 28 severe tibial deformities, and 15 femurs underwent osteotomy and internal fixation. The mean patient age was 32.6 ± 14.3 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 27.4 ± 16.1 months. We also recoded and analyzed the values of preoperative and final follow-up MAD, mFTA, MPTA, LLD, mLDFA, LEFS, KSS, and functional score. RESULTS: The QSF adjustment duration was 21.4 ± 10.8 days, and the healing duration of the tibial osteotomy site was 17.6 ± 7.0 weeks. The preoperative MAD, mFTA, and MPTA were 54.1 ± 26.2 mm, 167.7 ± 15.7°, and 75.2 ± 12.0°, respectively. At the last follow-up, the MAD was 8.2 ± 9.9 mm, mFTA was 177.6 ± 3.4°, and MPTA was 87.6 ± 2.4°. Based on these data, we achieved significant improvement post operation. The preoperative LLD and mLDFA values were 13.8 ± 18 mm and 83.7 ± 10.8°, respectively, and the values were 7.6 ± 7.6 mm and 87.8 ± 2.6°, respectively, at the last follow-up. This indicated no significant difference in these values before and after the operation. Finally, the LEFS, KSS, and functional scores improved from preoperative 51.6 ± 11.2, 68.5 ± 11.7, and 67.8 ± 11.2 to postoperative 72.3 ± 6.1, 92.9 ± 3.4, and 94.2 ± 6.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our analyses, the QSF technique accurately corrected severe multiplanar tibial deformities in adults. When combined with femoral osteotomy, satisfactory lower extremity alignment was obtained while correcting for femoral deformity. This technology has the advantages of simple operation, reliable fixation, less trauma, and less complications.

Post-discharge experiences of patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To explore the life experiences of patients who have been discharged after undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. METHODS: Patients who have undergone ECMO support and have been discharged were recruited. Thirteen participants were involved in this study. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview and analyzed using the Colaizzi method. FINDINGS: Four major themes in life experiences were reported by the participants: changes in physical function, changes in psychological state, active adaptation to daily life, and substantial rehabilitation needs. CONCLUSION: Different, continuous, and convenient post-discharge physical and mental interventions, social support, spiritual support, and rehabilitation services should be provided according to the patient's circumstances. We also call on the government to increase the patient reimbursement rate for ECMO treatment. These measures may help to improve the quality of life of patients.

Microglia in motor neuron disease: Signaling evidence from last 10 years.

Motor neuron disease (MND), including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy and others, involved the upper or lower motor neurons selective loss, is characterized by neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, in conjunction with microglia. We summarized that pathways and key mediators are associated with microglia, such as fractalkine signaling, purinergic signaling, NF-κB signaling, p38 MAPK signaling, TREM2-APOE signaling, ROCK signaling, C1q signaling, and Ion channel, which are involved in the activation, proliferation, and inflammation of microglia. This review aims to identify the microglia-related molecular target and explore potential treatment strategies for MND based on that target.

Transcriptome dynamics of hippocampal neurogenesis in macaques across the lifespan and aged humans.

Whether adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) persists in adult and aged humans continues to be extensively debated. A major question is whether the markers identified in rodents are reliable enough to reveal new neurons and the neurogenic trajectory in primates. Here, to provide a better understanding of AHN in primates and to reveal more novel markers for distinct cell types, droplet-based single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) is used to investigate the cellular heterogeneity and molecular characteristics of the hippocampi in macaques across the lifespan and in aged humans. All of the major cell types in the hippocampus and their expression profiles were identified. The dynamics of the neurogenic lineage was revealed and the diversity of astrocytes and microglia was delineated. In the neurogenic lineage, the regulatory continuum from adult neural stem cells (NSCs) to immature and mature granule cells was investigated. A group of primate-specific markers were identified. We validated ETNPPL as a primate-specific NSC marker and verified STMN1 and STMN2 as immature neuron markers in primates. Furthermore, we illustrate a cluster of active astrocytes and microglia exhibiting proinflammatory responses in aged samples. The interaction analysis and the comparative investigation on published datasets and ours imply that astrocytes provide signals inducing the proliferation, quiescence and inflammation of adult NSCs at different stages and that the proinflammatory status of astrocytes probably contributes to the decrease and variability of AHN in adults and elderly individuals.

Physicochemical properties and microstructure of composite surimi gels: The effects of ultrasonic treatment and olive oil concentration.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of extra virgin olive (EVO) oil incorporation on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of surimi gels subjected to ultrasound-assisted water-bath heating. As the oil content was increased from 0 to 5 g/100 g, the breaking force and gel strength of the surimi gels significantly decreased, while the whiteness level exhibited the opposite tendency irrespective of the heating method. Compared with the traditional water-bath heating method, the ultrasonic heating promoted the unfolding of the α-helix structure and intensified the formation of ß-sheet content and non-covalent bonds (ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, and disulfide bonds), especially disulfide bonds, which contributed to the further crosslinking of the proteins and to gelation, thereby improving the gels' strength. In addition, smaller cavities and compact microstructures were observed in the low-oil (≤3 g/100 g) surimi gels under ultrasonic treatment, which effectively prevented water migration in the gel network and resulted in a high water holding capacity and uniform water distribution. However, the ultrasonic treatment barely remedied the poor microstructures of the high-oil (>3 g/100 g) surimi gels owing to oil coalescence, which weakened the protein-protein interaction. In conclusion, ultrasonic treatment combined with water-bath heating significantly improved the gelation properties of the low-oil surimi gels, although it did not remarkably improve those of the high-oil gels. The choice of a suitable oil concentration could be of great importance for the production and functioning of surimi products via ultrasound-assisted treatments.

S-Scheme BiOCl/MoSe2 Heterostructure with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity for Dyes and Antibiotics Degradation under Sunlight Irradiation.

Semiconductor photocatalysis is considered to be a promising technique to completely eliminate the organic pollutants in wastewater. Recently, S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts have received much attention due to their high solar efficiency, superior transfer efficiency of charge carriers, and strong redox ability. Herein, we fabricated an S-scheme heterostructure BiOCl/MoSe2 by loading MoSe2 nanosheets on the surface of BiOCl microcrystals, using a solvothermal method. The microstructures, light absorption, and photoelectrochemical performances of the samples were characterized by the means of SEM, TEM, XRD, transient photocurrents, electrochemical impedance, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The photocatalytic activities of BiOCl, MoSe2, and the BiOCl/MoSe2 samples with different MoSe2 contents were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and antibiotic sulfadiazine (SD) under simulated sunlight irradiation. It was found that BiOCl/MoSe2 displayed an evidently enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to single BiOCl and MoSe2, and 30 wt.% was an optimal loading amount for obtaining the highest photocatalytic activity. On the basis of radical trapping experiments and energy level analyses, it was deduced that BiOCl/MoSe2 follows an S-scheme charge transfer pathway and •O2-, •OH, and h+ all take part in the degradation of organic pollutants.

miRNA-142-3p functions as a potential tumor suppressor directly targeting FAM83D in the development of ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: FAM83D (family with sequence similarity 83, member D) is of particular interest in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women all over the world. This study aims to research the association between FAM83D and ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS: The gene expression data of OC and normal samples (GSE81873 and GSE27651) was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. The bioinformatics analysis was performed to distinguish two differentially expressed genes (DEGs), prognostic candidate genes and functional enrichment pathways. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR), and luciferase reporter assays were utilized for further study. RESULTS: There were 56 DEMs and 63 DEGs in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. According to the km-plot software, hsa-miR-142-3p and FAM83D were associated with the overall survival of patients with OC. Besides, Multivariate analysis included that hsa-miR-142-3p and FAM83D were independent risk factors for OC patients. Furthermore, qPCR demonstrated that miRNA-142-3p and FAM83D were differentially expressed in normal ovarian tissues (NOTs) and ovarian cancer tissues (OCTs). IHC results indicated that FAM83D was overexpressed in OCTs compared with NOTs. Last but not least, luciferase reporter assays verified that FAM83D was a direct target of hsa-miRNA-142-3p in OC cells. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic model based on the miRNA-mRNA network could provide predictive significance for the prognosis of OC patients, which would be worthy of clinical application. Our results concluded that miR-142-3p and its targets gene FAM83D may be potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for patients with OC.

Study on partial discharge characteristics of C6F12O mixed gas.

The greenhouse effect of SF6 increasingly limits its application in various gas insulated equipment. C6F12O combines the advantages of insulation resistance, safety and environmental protection. When mixed with buffer gas, C6F12O is considered to have potential application prospects in medium and low voltage equipment. In this paper, about the partial discharge characteristics of the mixed gas, an experimental study was carried out. The partial discharge initiation voltage and discharge extinction voltage of mixed gas under power frequency voltage are measured and compared with the breakdown voltage. The results show that the breakdown voltage is greatly improved after adding C6F12O, with the increase of mixing ratio, the partial discharge initiation voltage and extinction voltage of mixed gas gradually increase, and the effect of gas pressure on high mixing ratio is obvious. The difference between the partial discharge inception voltage and the breakdown voltage is larger than that of pure N2. The research in this paper can provide an important reference for the application, operation and protection of C6F12O mixed gas in medium and low voltage equipment.

Bioinspired dynamic soaring simulation system with distributed pressure sensors.

Inspired by the albatross, this paper presents the construction of a dynamic soaring simulation system with distributed pressure sensors. The advantage of our system lies in harvesting energy from the wind shear layer and estimating the wind information using a pressure-based sensor system. Specifically, the dynamic soaring simulation system contains an offline training stage and an online estimation and control stage. In the offline training stage, computational fluid dynamics simulations are conducted and used as the data source. A surrogate model is established to correlate the local flow conditions and the surface pressure at optimal sensor positions. In the online estimation and control stage, through sensing the pressure information, the real-time wind velocity and wind gradient are estimated by the surrogate model trained in the offline stage. Moreover, wind information is adopted in the simulation of dynamic soaring control. In this study, the simulation system was applied to linear and circular path-following tasks. It was found that the dynamic soaring simulation system with distributed pressure sensors provides an acceptable estimation of wind velocity and wind gradient with a certain time delay caused by numerical differentiation.

Deciphering the spatial-temporal transcriptional landscape of human hypothalamus development.

The hypothalamus comprises various nuclei and neuronal subpopulations that control fundamental homeostasis and behaviors. However, spatiotemporal molecular characterization of hypothalamus development in humans is largely unexplored. Here, we revealed spatiotemporal transcriptome profiles and cell-type characteristics of human hypothalamus development and illustrated the molecular diversity of neural progenitors and the cell-fate decision, which is programmed by a combination of transcription factors. Different neuronal and glial fates are sequentially produced and showed spatial developmental asynchrony. Moreover, human hypothalamic gliogenesis occurs at an earlier stage of gestation and displays distinctive transcription profiles compared with those in mouse. Notably, early oligodendrocyte cells in humans exhibit different gene patterns and interact with neuronal cells to regulate neuronal maturation by Wnt, Hippo, and integrin signals. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive molecular landscape of human hypothalamus development at early- and mid-embryonic stages and a foundation for understanding its spatial and functional complexity.

Application of SolidWorks software in preoperative planning of high tibial osteotomy.

Purpose: Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is a common surgical treatment for medial osteoarthritis in young and active patients. The accuracy of osteotomy is closely associated with postoperative efficacy. The accuracy of digital preoperative planning is higher than that of the preoperative manual measurement and several computer software with varying accuracy and convenience are used for digital preoperative planning. This study aimed to use the SolidWorks software for HTO preoperative planning and to determine its accuracy and reliability in HTO preoperative planning. Methods: We reviewed the data of 28 patients with 54 with medial compartment knee arthritis who underwent open-wedge HTO preoperative planning using SolidWorks between June 2019 and March 2021. The standard anteroposterior standing whole-leg radiographs were assessed before and 6 weeks after the surgery. The correction angle, weight-bearing line (WBL) ratio, mechanical femorotibial angle (mFTA), and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) before and after the surgery were compared. The clinical results were evaluated using the Knee Society score. Results: At 6 weeks after the surgery, the WBL ratio was corrected from 16.8% to 50.5%, mFTA was corrected from 6.4° varus to 1.2° valgus, and MPTA was corrected from 83.4° to 89.3°. No significant difference was observed between the predicted correction angle before the surgery and the correction angle measured 6 weeks after the surgery (t = -1.745, p = 0.087). The knee score and function score of Knee Society increased from 76.4 and 80.7 before surgery to 95.0 and 95.7, respectively. Conclusions: The SolidWorks software showed high accuracy and reliability in preoperative planning of open-wedge HTO in patients with medial compartment knee arthritis.

Interrogation of the microenvironmental landscape in spinal ependymomas reveals dual functions of tumor-associated macrophages.

Spinal ependymomas are the most common spinal cord tumors in adults, but their intratumoral cellular heterogeneity has been less studied, and how spinal microglia are involved in tumor progression is still unknown. Here, our single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses of three spinal ependymoma subtypes dissect the microenvironmental landscape of spinal ependymomas and reveal tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) subsets with distinct functional phenotypes. CCL2+ TAMs are related to the immune response and exhibit a high capacity for apoptosis, while CD44+ TAMs are associated with tumor angiogenesis. By combining these results with those of single-cell ATAC-sequencing data analysis, we reveal that TEAD1 and EGR3 play roles in regulating the functional diversity of TAMs. We further identify diverse characteristics of both malignant cells and TAMs that might underlie the different malignant degrees of each subtype. Finally, assessment of cell-cell interactions reveal that stromal cells act as extracellular factors that mediate TAM diversity. Overall, our results reveal dual functions of TAMs in tumor progression, providing valuable insights for TAM-targeting immunotherapy.

A single-cell transcriptome atlas of the aging human and macaque retina.

The human retina is a complex neural tissue that detects light and sends visual information to the brain. However, the molecular and cellular processes that underlie aging primate retina remain unclear. Here, we provide a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas based on 119 520 single cells of the foveal and peripheral retina of humans and macaques covering different ages. The molecular features of retinal cells differed between the two species, suggesting distinct regional and species specializations of the human and macaque retinae. In addition, human retinal aging occurred in a region- and cell-type-specific manner. Aging of human retina exhibited a foveal to peripheral gradient. MYO9A- rods and a horizontal cell subtype were greatly reduced in aging retina, indicating their vulnerability to aging. Moreover, we generated a dataset showing the cell-type- and region-specific gene expression associated with 55 types of human retinal disease, which provides a foundation to understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human retinal diseases. Such datasets are valuable to understanding of the molecular characteristics of primate retina, as well as molecular regulation of aging progression and related diseases.