Stretchable Photonic Crystal-Assisted Glycoprotein Identification for Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis.

Photonic crystals with specific wavelengths can realize surface-enhanced excitation and emission intensities of fluorophores and enhance the fluorescence signals of fluorescent molecules. Herein, stretchable photonic crystals with good mechanochromic properties provide continuously adjustable forbidden wavelengths by stretching to change the lattice spacing, with reflectance peaks blue-shifted up to 110 nm to match indicators of different wavelengths and produce differentiated optical enhancement effects. Glycoproteins are significantly identified as clinical markers. However, the wide participation of glycoproteins in various life processes poses enormous complexity and critical challenges for rapid, facile, high-throughput, and accurate clinical analysis or health assessment. In this work, we proposed a stretchable photonic crystal-assisted glycoprotein identification approach for early ovarian cancer diagnosis. Stretchable photonic crystals can provide rich optical information to efficiently identify glycoproteins in complex matrices. A double-indicator fluorescence sensor was designed to respond to the protein trunk and oligosaccharide segment of glycoproteins separately for improved recognition accuracy. Seven typical glycoproteins could be discriminated from proteins, saccharides, or mixture interferents. Clinical ovarian cancer samples for early, intermediate, and advanced ovarian cancer and healthy subjects were verified with 100% accuracy. This strategy of stretchable photonic crystal-assisted glycoprotein identification provides an effective method for accurate, rapid ovarian cancer diagnosis and timely clinical treatment.

The Naples prognostic score serves as a predictor and prognostic indicator for cancer survivors in the community.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation, malnutrition, and cancer are intricately interconnected. Despite this, only a few studies have delved into the relationship between inflammatory malnutrition and the risk of death among cancer survivors. This study aimed to specifically investigate the association between the categorically defined Naples prognostic score (NPS) and the prognosis of cancer survivors. METHODS: Data from 42,582 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2018) were subjected to analysis. Naples prognostic scores (NPS) were computed based on serum albumin (ALB), total cholesterol (TC), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), and participants were stratified into three groups accordingly. Cancer status was ascertained through a self-administered questionnaire, while mortality data were sourced from the National Death Index up to December 31, 2019. Multiple logistic regression was employed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) between NPS and cancer prevalence within the U.S. community population. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Log-rank test were utilized to compare survival disparities among the three groups. Additionally, Cox proportional regression was utilized to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% CI. RESULTS: The incidence of cancers was 9.86%. Among the participants, 8140 individuals (19.1%) were classified into Group 0 (NPS 0), 29,433 participants (69.1%) into Group 1 (NPS 1 or 2), and 5009 participants (11.8%) into Group 2 (NPS 3 or 4). After adjusting for confounding factors, the cancer prevalence for the highest NPS score yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 1.64 (95% CI: 1.36, 1.97) (P(for trend) < 0.05). In comparison to cancer survivors in Group 0, those with the highest NPS had adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.57 (95% CI: 1.73, 3.84) for all-cause mortality, 3.44 (95% CI: 1.64, 7.21) for cardiovascular mortality, 1.60 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.56) for cancer mortality, and 3.15 (95% CI: 1.74, 5.69) for other causes of mortality (All P(for trend) < 0.05). These associations remained consistent when stratified by age, sex, race, and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the Naples prognostic score (NPS), serving as a novel prognostic metric integrating inflammation and nutritional status, is closely linked to cancer prognosis within the general population.

Nanozyme as a rising star for metabolic disease management.

Nanozyme, characterized by outstanding and inherent enzyme-mimicking properties, have emerged as highly promising alternatives to natural enzymes owning to their exceptional attributes such as regulation of oxidative stress, convenient storage, adjustable catalytic activities, remarkable stability, and effortless scalability for large-scale production. Given the potent regulatory function of nanozymes on oxidative stress and coupled with the fact that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a vital role in the occurrence and exacerbation of metabolic diseases, nanozyme offer a unique perspective for therapy through multifunctional activities, achieving essential results in the treatment of metabolic diseases by directly scavenging excess ROS or regulating pathologically related molecules. The rational design strategies, nanozyme-enabled therapeutic mechanisms at the cellular level, and the therapies of nanozyme for several typical metabolic diseases and underlying mechanisms are discussed, mainly including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, diabetic wound healing, and others. Finally, the pharmacokinetics, safety analysis, challenges, and outlooks for the application of nanozyme are also presented. This review will provide some instructive perspectives on nanozyme and promote the development of enzyme-mimicking strategies in metabolic disease therapy.

Pre-pubertal sublingual immunotherapy is more effective than immunotherapy during puberty in allergic rhinitis and asthma.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of sublingual-specific immunotherapy (SLIT) and pulmonary function in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma before and after puberty. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 136 patients aged 4-18 years with allergic asthma and rhinitis who received two years of SLIT treatment. Patients were divided into two groups based on age: the prepubertal group (4-10 years old) and the pubertal group (11-18 years old). After half a year, one year, and two years of SLIT, the total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total rhinitis medication score (TRMS), daytime asthma symptom score (DASS), nighttime asthma symptom score (NASS), total asthma medication score (TAMS), asthma control test (ACT), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF%) were evaluated and compared with the baseline before treatment. RESULTS: In both groups, TNSS, TRMS, DASS, NASS, TAMS, ACT, and PEF% improved significantly after half a year, one year, and two years of SLIT treatment. After half a year of treatment, prepubertal patients showed better therapy for TNSS, DASS, NASS, and TAMS compared to the pubertal group. The TAMS of the pubertal group was higher than that of the prepubertal group after one year of treatment. Finally, the PEF% showed better therapy compared to the pubertal group. CONCLUSION: SLIT treatment with Dermatophagoides farinae drops can effectively control the symptoms of rhinitis and asthma in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma before and after puberty, reduce the use of symptomatic drugs, significantly improve the pulmonary function of patients, and have better effects on asthma in prepubertal children than in adolescents.

Risk factors for sternal wound infection after median sternotomy: A nested case-control study and time-to-event analysis.

Although potential risk factors for sternal wound infection (SWI) have been extensively studied, the onset time of SWI and different risk factors for superficial and deep SWI were rarely reported. This nested case-control study aims to compare the onset time and contributors between superficial and deep SWI. Consecutive adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery through median sternotomy in a single center from January 2011 to January 2021 constituted the cohort. The case group was those who developed SWI as defined by CDC and controls were matched 6:1 per case. Kaplan-Meier analysis, LASSO and univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were performed. A simple nomogram was established for clinical prediction of the risk of SWI. The incidence of SWI was 1.1% (61 out of 5471) in our cohort. Totally 366 controls were matched to 61 cases. 26.2% (16 of 61) SWI cases were deep SWI. The median onset time of SWI was 35 days. DSWI had a longer latency than SSWI (median time 46 days vs. 32 days, p = 0.032). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed different time-to-SWI between patients with and without DM (p = 0.0011) or MI (p = 0.0019). Multivariate Cox regression showed that BMI (HR = 1.083, 95% CI: 1.012-1.116, p = 0.022), DM (HR = 2.041, 95% CI: 1.094-3.805, p = 0.025) and MI (HR = 2.332, 95% CI: 1.193-4.557, p = 0.013) were independent risk factors for SWI. Superficial SWI was only associated with BMI (HR = 1.089, 95% CI: 1.01-1.175, p = 0.027), while deep SWI was associated with DM (HR = 3.271, 95% CI: 1.036-10.325, p = 0.043) and surgery time (HR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.001-1.008, p = 0.027). The nomogram for SWI prediction had an AUC of 0.67, good fitness and clinical effectiveness as shown by the calibration curve and decision curve analyses. BMI, DM and MI were independent risk factors for SWI. DSWI had a longer latency and different risk factors compared to SSWI. The nomogram showed a fair performance and good effectiveness for the clinical prediction of SWI.

Rapid Thermal Drying Synthesis of Nonthiolated Spherical Nucleic Acids with Stability Rivaling Thiolated DNA.

Attaching DNA oligonucleotides to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to prepare spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) has offered tremendous insights into biointerface chemistry with resulting bioconjugates serving as critical reagents in biosensors and nanotechnology. While thiolated DNA is generally required to achieve stable conjugates, we herein communicate that using a thermal drying method, a high DNA density and excellent SNA stability was achieved using nonthiolated DNA, rivaling the performance of thiolated DNA such as surviving 1 M NaCl, 2 month stability in 0.3 M NaCl and working in 50% serum. A poly-adenine block with as few as two consecutive terminal adenine bases is sufficient for anchoring on AuNPs. By side-by-side comparison with the salt-aging method, the conjugation mechanism was attributed to competitive adenine adsorption at high temperature along with an extremely high DNA concentration upon drying. Bioanalytical applications of the nonthiolated SNAs were validated in both solution and paper-based sensor platforms, facilitating cost-effective applications for SNAs.

Synergistic Action of Benzyl Isothiocyanate and Sorafenib in a Nanoparticle Delivery System for Enhanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a therapeutic challenge due to its complex pathology and limited treatment options. Addressing this challenge, our study focuses on the effectiveness of combination therapy, which has recently become a critical strategy in cancer treatment, improving therapeutic outcomes and combating drug resistance and metastasis. We explored a novel combination therapy employing Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and Sorafenib (SOR) and their nanoformulation, aiming to enhance therapeutic outcomes against TNBC. Through a series of in vitro assays, we assessed the cytotoxic effects of BITC and SOR, both free and encapsulated. The BITC-SOR-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using an amphiphilic copolymer, which demonstrated a uniform spherical morphology and favorable size distribution. The encapsulation efficiencies, as well as the sustained release profiles at varied pH levels, were quantified, revealing distinct kinetics that were well-modeled by the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation. The NP delivery system showed a marked dose-dependent cytotoxicity towards TNBC cells, with an IC50 of 7.8 µM for MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating improved efficacy over free drugs, while exhibiting minimal toxicity toward normal breast cells. Furthermore, the NPs significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion in TNBC models, surpassing the effects of free drugs. These findings underscore the potential of BITC-SOR-NPs as a promising therapeutic approach for TNBC, offering targeted delivery while minimizing systemic toxicity.

Unveiling the Nutritional Veil of Sulforaphane: With a Major Focus on Glucose Homeostasis Modulation.

Abnormal glucose homeostasis is associated with metabolic syndromes including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity, highlighting the significance of maintaining a balanced glucose level for optimal biological function. This highlights the importance of maintaining normal glucose levels for proper biological functioning. Sulforaphane (SFN), the primary bioactive compound in broccoli from the Cruciferae or Brassicaceae family, has been shown to enhance glucose homeostasis effectively while exhibiting low cytotoxicity. This paper assesses the impact of SFN on glucose homeostasis in vitro, in vivo, and human trials, as well as the molecular mechanisms that drive its regulatory effects. New strategies have been proposed to enhance the bioavailability and targeted delivery of SFN in order to overcome inherent instability. The manuscript also covers the safety evaluations of SFN that have been documented for its production and utilization. Hence, a deeper understanding of the favorable influence and mechanism of SFN on glucose homeostasis, coupled with the fact that SFN is abundant in the human daily diet, may ultimately offer theoretical evidence to support its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

A 3D-Printed Integrated Handheld Biosensor for the Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is one of the important seafood-borne pathogens that cause a serious gastrointestinal disorder in humans. Recently, biosensors have attracted serious attention for precisely detecting and tracking risk factors in foods. However, a major consideration when fabricating biosensors is to match the low cost of portable devices to broaden its application. In this study, a 3D-printed integrated handheld biosensor (IHB) that combines RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a, a lateral flow strip (LFS), and a handheld device was developed for the ultrasensitive detection of V. parahaemolyticus. Using the preamplification of RPA on tlh gene of V. parahaemolyticus, a specific duplex DNA product was obtained to activate the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a, which was then utilized to cleave the ssDNA probe. The ssDNA probe was then detected by the LFS, which was negatively correlated with the content of amplified RPA products of the tlh gene. The IHB showed high selectivity and excellent sensitivity for V. parahaemolyticus detection, and the limit of detection was 4.9 CFU/mL. The IHB also demonstrated great promise for the screening of V. parahaemolyticus in samples and had the potential to be applied to the rapid screening of other pathogen risks for seafood and marine environmental safety.

Intelligent Biosensors Promise Smarter Solutions in Food Safety 4.0.

Food safety is closely related to human health. However, the regulation and testing processes for food safety are intricate and resource-intensive. Therefore, it is necessary to address food safety risks using a combination of deep learning, the Internet of Things, smartphones, quick response codes, smart packaging, and other smart technologies. Intelligent designs that combine digital systems and advanced functionalities with biosensors hold great promise for revolutionizing current food safety practices. This review introduces the concept of Food Safety 4.0, and discusses the impact of intelligent biosensors, which offer attractive smarter solutions, including real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, enhanced traceability, and consumer empowerment, helping improve risk management and ensure the highest standards of food safety.

Analgesia nociception index is an indicator of laparoscopic trocar insertion-induced transient nociceptive stimuli.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether analgesia nociception index (ANI) could be an indicator of perioperative pain during laparoscopic trocar insertion. Methods: A total of 280 participants of anesthesia receiving laparoscopic surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia induction and maintenance were performed using the Marsh model for target propofol and the Minto model for remifentanil. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR), and ANI were recorded at skin incision, the first-, second, the last-trocar insertion, and 5 min after the last trocar insertion. Results: ANI was significantly different among the five groups in the last four time points (all P < 0.05). Pearson's correlation showed that ANI was negatively correlated with SBP (r = -0.114, P = 0.077) and HR (r = -0.247, P < 0.001). The area under the curve of ANI was positively correlated with those of SBP (r = 0.493, P < 0.001) and HR (r = -0.420, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the ANI was an independent factor associated with intraoperative hemodynamic adverse events only at 5 min after the last trocar insertion. Conclusions: Under general anesthesia, the change in ANI was consistent with changes in the balance between analgesia and nociceptive stimuli. The ANI can reflect the extent of transient pain but had a poor predictive performance for hemodynamic adverse events.

Executive function measures of participants with mild cognitive impairment: Systematic review and meta-analysis of event-related potential studies.

OBJECTIVE: Objective measurements of executive functions using event-related potential (ERP) may be used as markers for differentiating healthy controls (HC) from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). ERP is non-invasive, cost-effective, and affordable. Older adults with MCI demonstrate deteriorated executive function, serving as a potentially valid neurophysiological marker for identifying MCI. We aimed to review published ERP studies on executive function in older adults with MCI and summarize the performance differences by component between healthy older adults and older adults with MCI. METHODS: Eight electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, American Psychological Association PsycNet, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Ovid) were searched for the study. Articles published from January 1 to December 31, 2022, were considered for this review. A random-effects meta-analysis and between-study heterogeneity analysis were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.0 software. RESULTS: We identified 7829 articles of which 28 met the full inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and analyses. Our pooled analysis suggested that participants with MCI can be differentiated from HC by significant P200, P300, and N200 latencies. The P100 and P300 amplitudes were significantly smaller in participants with MCI when compared with those in the HCs, and the patients with MCI showed increased N200 amplitudes. Our findings provide new insights into potential electrophysiological biomarkers for diagnosing MCI.

Comparative efficacy of totally thoracoscopic, mini-thoracotomy, and mini-sternotomy approaches in aortic valve replacement.

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is a critical procedure for patients with aortic valve diseases. This study compares the effectiveness of three minimally-invasive surgical approaches for AVR: totally thoracoscopic (TT), right anterior mini-thoracotomy, and upper mini-sternotomy. We analyzed retrospective data from 130 patients who underwent one of these surgeries, focusing on various factors such as duration of hospital stay, operation time, times for cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping, postoperative complications, levels of cardiac biomarkers, pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale, and mid-term survival rates. Results show that while the TT method had the longest operation times, it also had the shortest hospital stays and faster pain reduction post-surgery. Although the TT group initially showed higher cardiac biomarker levels after surgery, these levels normalized by the third day, similar to the other groups. There were no significant differences in mid-term survival and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) rates among the groups. These findings suggest that the TT method, despite longer surgical times, offers a quicker initial recovery, making it a viable option for AVR.

Visual Gustation via Regulable Elastic Photonic Crystals.

The unique structural sensitivity of photonic crystals (PCs) endows them with stretchable or elastic tunability for light propagation and spontaneous emission modulation. Hydrogel PCs have been demonstrated to have biocompatibility and flexibility for potential human health detection and environmental security monitoring. However, current elastic PCs still possess a fixed elastic modulus and uncontrollable structural colors based on a tunable elastic modulus, posing considerable challenges for in situ detection, particularly in wearable or portable sensing devices. In this work, we introduced a novel chemo-mechanical transduction mechanism embedded within a photonic crystal nanomatrix, leading to the creation of structural colors and giving rise to a visual gustation sensing experience. By utilizing the captivating structural colors generated by the hydrogel PC, we employ abundant optical information to identify various analytes. The finite element analysis proved the electric field distribution in the PC matrix during stretch operations. The elastic-optical behaviors with various chemical cosolvents, including cations, anions, saccharides, or organic acids, were investigated. The mechanism of the Hofmeister effect regulating the elasticity of hydrogels was demonstrated with the network nanostructure of the hydrogels. The hydrogel PC matrix demonstrates remarkable capability in efficiently distinguishing a wide range of cations, anions, saccharides, and organic acids across various concentrations, mixtures, and even real food samples, such as tastes and soups. Through comprehensive research, a precise relationship between the structural colors and the elastic modulus of hydrogel PCs has been established, contributing to the biomatching elastic-optics platform for wearable devices, a dynamic environment, and clinical or health monitoring auxiliary.

The influence of biological rhythms on the initial onset of status epilepticus in critically ill inpatients and the study of its predictive Model.

This study aims to explore the relationship between the circadian rhythms of critically ill patients and the incidence of Status Epilepticus (SE), and to develop a predictive model based on circadian rhythm indicators and clinical factors. We conducted a diurnal rhythm analysis of vital sign data from 4413 patients, discovering significant differences in the circadian rhythms of body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate between the SE and non-SE groups, which were correlated with the incidence of SE. We also employed various machine learning algorithms to identify the ten most significant variables and developed a predictive model with strong performance and clinical applicability. Our research provides a new perspective and methodology for the study of biological rhythms in critically ill patients, offering new evidence and tools for the prevention and treatment of SE. Our findings are consistent or similar to some in the literature, while differing from or supplementing others. We observed significant differences in the vital signs of epileptic patients at different times of the day across various diagnostic time groups, reflecting the regulatory effects of circadian rhythms. We suggest heightened monitoring and intervention of vital signs in critically ill patients, especially during late night to early morning hours, to reduce the risk of SE and provide more personalized treatment plans.

A decavalent composite mRNA vaccine against both influenza and COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a persistent and significant impact on global public health for 4 years. Recently, there has been a resurgence of seasonal influenza transmission worldwide. The co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza viruses results in a dual burden on communities. Additionally, the pandemic potential of zoonotic influenza viruses, such as avian Influenza A/H5N1 and A/H7N9, remains a concern. Therefore, a combined vaccine against all these respiratory diseases is in urgent need. mRNA vaccines, with their superior efficacy, speed in development, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, offer a promising solution for such infectious diseases and potential future pandemics. In this study, we present FLUCOV-10, a novel 10-valent mRNA vaccine created from our proven platform. This vaccine encodes hemagglutinin (HA) proteins from four seasonal influenza viruses and two avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential, as well as spike proteins from four SARS-CoV-2 variants. A two-dose immunization with the FLUCOV-10 elicited robust immune responses in mice, producing IgG antibodies, neutralizing antibodies, and antigen-specific cellular immune responses against all the vaccine-matched viruses of influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Remarkably, the FLUCOV-10 immunization provided complete protection in mouse models against both homologous and heterologous strains of influenza and SARS-CoV-2. These results highlight the potential of FLUCOV-10 as an effective vaccine candidate for the prevention of influenza and COVID-19.IMPORTANCEAmidst the ongoing and emerging respiratory viral threats, particularly the concurrent and sequential spread of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, our research introduces FLUCOV-10. This novel mRNA-based combination vaccine, designed to counteract both influenza and COVID-19, by incorporating genes for surface glycoproteins from various influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 variants. This combination vaccine was highly effective in preclinical trials, generating strong immune responses and ensuring protection against both matching and heterologous strains of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2. FLUCOV-10 represents a significant step forward in our ability to address respiratory viral threats, showcasing potential as a singular, adaptable vaccine solution for global health challenges.

[Risk analysis of serum chemical residues for metabolic associated fatty liver disease based on exposome-lipidome wide association study].

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common liver disease with a prevalence of up to 25%; it not only adversely affects human health but also aggravates the economic burden of society. An increasing number of studies have suggested that the occurrence of chronic noncommunicable diseases is affected by both environmental exposures and genetic factors. Research has also shown that environmental pollution may increase the risk of MAFLD and promote its occurrence and development. However, the relationship between these concepts, as well as the underlying exposure effects and mechanism, remains incompletely understood. Lipidomics, a branch of metabolomics that studies lipid disorders, can help researchers investigate abnormal lipid metabolites in various disease states. Lipidome-exposome wide association studies are a promising paradigm for investigating the health effects of cumulative environmental exposures on biological responses, and could provide new ideas for determining the associations between metabolic and lipid changes and disease risk caused by chemical-pollutant exposure. Hence, in this study, targeted exposomics and nontargeted lipidomics studies based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) were used to characterize exogenous chemical pollutants and endogenous lipid metabolites in the sera of patients with MAFLD and healthy subjects. The results demonstrated that fipronil sulfone, malathion dicarboxylic acid, and monocyclohexyl phthalate may be positively associated with the disease risk of patients diagnosed as simple fatty liver disease (hereafter referred to as MAFLD(0)). Moreover, fipronil sulfone, acesulfame potassium, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), 4-hydroxybenzophenone, and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (DBPOB) may be positively associated with the disease risk of patients diagnosed as fatty liver complicated by single or multiple metabolic disorders. Association analysis was carried out to explore the lipid metabolites induced by chemical residues. Triglyceride (TG) and diglyceride (DG) were significantly increased in MAFLD and MAFLD(0). The numbers of carbons of significantly changed DGs and TGs were mainly in the ranges of 32-40 and 35-60, respectively, and both were mainly characterized by changes in polyunsaturated lipids. Most of the lipid-effect markers were positively correlated with chemical residues and associated with increased disease risk. Our research provides a scientific basis for studies on the association and mechanism between serum chemical-pollutant residues and disease outcomes.

Potential mediation effect of insulin resistance on the association between iron metabolism indicators and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVES: Iron metabolism and insulin resistance (IR) are closely related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the interplay between them on the occurrence and progression of NAFLD is not fully understood. We aimed to disentangle the crosstalk between iron metabolism and IR and explore its impact on NAFLD. METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 to evaluate the association between serum iron metabolism indicators (ferritin, serum iron, unsaturated iron-binding capacity [UIBC], total iron-binding capacity [TIBC], transferrin saturation, and transferrin receptor) and NAFLD/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Mediation analysis was conducted to explore the role of IR played in these relationship. RESULTS: A total of 4812 participants were included, among whom 43.7% were diagnosed with NAFLD and 13.2% were further diagnosed with NASH. After adjusting the covariates, the risk of NAFLD increases with increasing serum ferritin (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-2.14), UIBC (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.17-1.79), and TIBC (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11-1.68). Higher levels of serum ferritin (aOR 3.70, 95% CI 2.25-6.19) and TIBC (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.13-2.56) were also positively associated with NASH. Participants with IR were more likely to have NAFLD/NASH. Moreover, IR-mediated efficacy accounted for 85.85% and 64.51% between ferritin and NAFLD and NASH, respectively. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of serum ferritin and TIBC are closely associated with the occurrence of NAFLD and NASH. IR may be considered a possible link between NAFLD or NASH and increased serum ferritin levels.

Application value of multimodal MRI combined with PET metabolic parameters in temporal lobe epilepsy with dual pathology.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the application value of multimodal MRI combined with PET metabolic parameters in detecting temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with dual pathology (DP) and the prediction effect of post-surgical outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients with TLE-DP who underwent surgery at our hospital between January 2016 and December 2021 and collected the demographics, clinical characteristics, video-electroencephalography (v-EEG), neuroimaging, and surgical data. Seizure outcome data were collected during a regular follow-up of at least 12 months and were graded using Engel scores. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the differences in DP detection rates of various diagnostic modalities. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the prognostic factors for predicting seizure outcomes post-surgery. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients, 20 were males. The median age was 30, the median age at first seizure was 14, and the median duration was ten years. Voxel-based morphometry-PET statistical parametric mapping-PET/MRI (VBM-PSPM-PET/MRI) had the highest detection rate, followed by PET/MRI, VBM analysis, and PET-SPM. Regardless of follow-up duration, v-EEG, PET, image post-processing methods, and VBM-PSPM-PET/MRI statistically correlated with seizure outcomes using the log-rank test in the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that VBM-PSPM-PET/MRI was an independent predictor of TLE-DP (hazard ratio (HR) = 15.674, 95 % CI = 0.002-0.122, P < 0.00 1). CONCLUSIONS: Our study illustrates that VBM-PSPM-PET/MRI has the highest detection value in patients with TLE-DP and can provide independent prognostic information for patients who undergo surgery. This approach has the most substantial potential for the selection of candidates for patients who undergo surgical treatment and for prognostic stratification.

Sleep Duration and Insomnia with Comorbid Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: Depression and anxiety are two highly prevalent mental disorders that commonly coexist. However, little is known about the association between sleep and comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms (CDAS). Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between sleep duration, insomnia and CDAS. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 22,004 community adults who participated in the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study. Chinese version of Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 were used to screen CDAS in community adults. A positive score on each scale was considered indicative of CDAS. All participants received face-to-face interviews, medical examinations, and biochemical examinations to assess sleep duration and insomnia and collect covariates. The self-reported sleep duration was divided into three groups: <7 hr, 7-9 hr and >9 hr groups. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between sleep duration, insomnia and CDAS. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to explore the dose-response relationship between sleep duration and CDAS. Stratified analysis based on gender and age was conducted. Results: Overall, 2.8% (95% CI 2.6%~3.0%) of participants reported having CDAS. After adjusting the potential covariates, sleep duration <7 hr (OR=1.635, 95% CI=1.335~2.004) was significantly associated with CDAS, compared with sleep 7-9 hr. After RCS analysis, there was a nonlinear relationship between sleep duration and CDAS. The increase in the number of types of insomnia, the greater the likelihood of CDAS (p for trend<0.05). In sensitivity analysis, it was found that the results were consistent with those of the main analysis. After stratification by gender and age, the association between sleep duration and CDAS was only observed in female and young and middle-aged adults, not in men and older adults. Conclusion: Both insufficient sleep duration and insomnia are associated with a higher prevalence of CDAS in Chinese adults.