The association between uric acid and erectile dysfunction in US adults: NHANES 2001-2004.

BACKGROUND: -Recent evidence suggests that hyperuricemia may act as independent risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED), in addition to the already established factors. The current evidence supporting this relationship remains insufficient. METHODS AND RESULTS: -A total of 3,810 participants from the NHANES pool between 2001 and 2004 were included in our study, comprising 1,093 individuals with ED and 2,717 individuals without ED. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between uric acid (UA) and the prevalence of ED. In the fully adjusted model, no significant association was observed between UA and ED (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.84-1.24), and no significant differences were noted among the various UA levels (p = 0.5). In our sensitivity analyses, employing a stricter definition for ED, no significant results were found in the fully adjusted model (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.60-1.19). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed among the various UA levels (p = 0.083). CONCLUSIONS: -Our study did not establish a correlation between UA levels and ED. Nonetheless, further research with larger sample cohorts is required to verify these findings.

One and five-year efficacy of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) abbrevo and TVT-obturator in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical interventions are more effective than nonsurgical approaches in providing a cure for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). In this study, we aimed to assess the benefits of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) abbrevo by comparing its efficacy and complications to those of TVT obturator. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 and 47 patients at The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 2013 and December 2016 were included in the TVT-O and TVT-A groups, respectively. We evaluate the success rate and perioperative complications associated with TVT-O and TVT-A. A questionnaire that utilized the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) Scale was employed to assess the impact of surgery. Patients were followed up at 1 year, and 5 years after surgery. There were no statistically significant differences found in the efficacy of the TVT-A group and TVT-O group during both the one-year (p = 0.4) and five-year (p = 0.32) follow-up periods. In the period of one-year follow-up, 95.9% (n = 47) of patients in the TVT-O group and 95.8% (n = 45) of patients in the TVT-A group demonstrated improvement. During the period of five-year follow-up, 87.8% (n = 43) of patients in the TVT-O group and 93.6% (n = 44) of patients in the TVT-A group demonstrated improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, TVT-A and TVT-O procedures exhibited similarly high success rates and low frequencies of complications.

A Fruit-Expressed MYB Transcription Factor Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Atropa belladonna.

Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoid pigments that play a crucial role in plant growth and metabolism. They serve as attractants for animals by providing plants with red, blue, and purple pigments, facilitating pollination and seed dispersal. The fruits of solanaceous plants, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena), primarily accumulate anthocyanins in the fruit peels, while the ripe fruits of Atropa belladonna (Ab) have a dark purple flesh due to anthocyanin accumulation. In this study, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor (TF), AbMYB1, was identified through association analysis of gene expression and anthocyanin accumulation in different tissues of A. belladonna. Its role in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis was investigated through gene overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi). Overexpression of AbMYB1 significantly enhanced the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, such as AbF3H, AbF3'5'H, AbDFR, AbANS, and Ab3GT, leading to increased anthocyanin production. Conversely, RNAi-mediated suppression of AbMYB1 resulted in decreased expression of most anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, as well as reduced anthocyanin contents in A. belladonna. Overall, AbMYB1 was identified as a fruit-expressed R2R3-MYB TF that positively regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in A. belladonna. This study provides valuable insights into the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Solanaceae plants, laying the foundation for understanding anthocyanin accumulation especially in the whole fruits of solanaceous plants.

Satellite mapping reveals phytoplankton biomass's spatio-temporal dynamics and responses to environmental factors in a eutrophic inland lake.

Chlorophyll a (Chla) concentration can be used as an indicator of algal biomass, and the accumulation of algal biomass in water column is essential for the emergence of surface blooms. By using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data, a machine learning algorithm was previously developed to assess algal biomass within the euphotic depth (Beu). Here, a long-term Beu dataset of Lake Taihu from 2003 to 2020 was generated to examine its spatio-temporal dynamics, sensitivity to environmental factors, and variations in comparison to the surface algal bloom area. During this period, the daily Beu (total Beu within the whole lake) exhibited temporal fluctuations between 40 and 90 t Chla, with an annual average of 63.32 ± 5.23 t Chla. Notably, it reached its highest levels in 2007 (72.34 t Chla) and 2017 (73.57 t Chla). Moreover, it demonstrated a clear increasing trend of 0.197 t Chla/y from 2003 to 2007, followed by a slight decrease of 0.247 t Chla/y after 2017. Seasonal variation showed a bimodal annual cycle, characterized by a minor peak in March âˆ¼ April and a major peak in July âˆ¼ September. Spatially, the average pixel-based Beu (total Beu of a unit water column) ranged from 21.17 to 49.85 mg Chla, with high values predominantly distributed in the northwest region and low values in the central region. The sensitivity of Beu to environmental factors varies depending on regions and time scales. Temperature has a significant impact on monthly variation (65.73%), while the level of nutrient concentrations influences annual variation (55.06%). Wind speed, temperature, and hydrodynamic conditions collectively influence the spatial distribution of Beu throughout the entire lake. Algal bloom biomass can capture trend changes in two mutant years as well as bimodal phenological changes compared to surface algal bloom area. This study can provide a basis for scientific evaluation of water environment and a reference for monitoring algal biomass in other similar eutrophic lakes.

H-NMR-based metabolomics study on the effects of raw and processed radix Wikstroemia indica on endogenous metabolites in rat plasma.

Based on metabolomics, to study the mechanism of Radix Wikstroemia indica (RWI) "Sweat soaking method" processing detoxification. The raw drug group and processed products was given raw RWI and processed RWI respectively by gavage. The control group was given the same amount of 1% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose distilled water by gavage. After 7 days of continuous gavage, blood samples were collected. The blood samples of rats in each group were analyzed by 1H-NMR technology to explore the changes of endogenous metabolism and the possible metabolic pathways to rats before and after processing. Compared with the control group, the raw RWI could significantly reduce 16 metabolites and increase 10 metabolites. The processed RWI can increase the levels of most metabolites that decrease to the raw RWI, such as 13 metabolites such as alanine, L-glutamine, L-valine, L-serine, betaine and glutamic acid; At the same time, the metabolites that increased in the level of crude products were down-regulated, such as asparagine, lactic acid, 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, sucrose, glucose and D-glucose. Compared with raw products, RWI treated with "Sweat soaking method" can reversely regulate or reduce amino acid, choline metabolism, energy and carbohydrate metabolism, thereby reducing hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

Bioactive Constituents from the Bryophyta Hypnum plumaeforme.

Chemical investigation of the secondary metabolites of the whole plant of bryophyte Hypnum plumaeforme Wilson led to the isolation of a new pimarane-type diterpenoid, momilactone F (1), along with seventeen known compounds. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on massive spectroscopic data. The allelopathic and antifungal properties were evaluated. Among them, momilactone F (1), acrenol (2),[11] momilactones A (3) and B (4) showed significant allelopathic activity against Samolus parviflorus Raf. and Lactuca sativa L. var. angustana Irish, as well as selected antifungal property against crop pathogenic fungi strains. On the other hand, 8(14)-podocarpen-13-on-18-oic acid (8) exhibited strong promoting activity on the growth of L. sativa L. var. angustana Irish. The present investigation provided new insights for developing of H. plumaeforme for further application as a potential agricultural tool.

New 4,5-seco-20(10→5)-abeo-Abietane Diterpenoids with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Isodon lophanthoides var. graciliflorus (Benth.) H.Hara.

Three new 4,5-seco-20(10→5)-abeo-abietane diterpenoids, 16-hydroxysalvilenone (1), 15-hydroxysalprionin (2), and 11ß,15-dihydroxysalprionin-12-one (3), and nine known abietane diterpenoids, 4-12, along with one known sempervirane diterpenoid, hispidanol A (13), were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon lophanthoides var. graciliflorus. The structures of compounds 1-3 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods including extensive analysis of NMR and mass spectroscopic data. All diterpenoids were tested for their TNF-α inhibitory effects on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Compound 9 (16-acetoxyhorminone) was the most potent with an IC50 value of 3.97±0.70 µm.

Parental characteristics and the risk of schizophrenia in a Chinese population: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic studies have provided convergent results indicating that schizophrenia is a polygenic disorder with a heritability estimate of ∼60-80%. The propensity for schizophrenia is ∼10 times higher in individuals with first-degree relatives with schizophrenia when compared to the general population. AIM: To identify associations between parental characteristics and the risk of schizophrenia in a Chinese population. METHODS: Participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited along with healthy controls (HCs) matched for age and gender from Weifang, China. Logistic regression models and generalized linear models were used to explore the associations between parental characteristics with the risk and age at onset of schizophrenia. In total, 414 cases and 639 HCs were recruited for the study. RESULTS: We observed an inverse association between levels of paternal and maternal education and risk of schizophrenia after controlling for potential confounders (Paternal: OR = 1.525, 95% CI: 1.080-2.153, p = .017; Maternal: OR = 1.984, 95% CI: 1.346-2.924, p = .001). Younger paternal and maternal childbearing age were associated with a higher risk of diagnosis of schizophrenia. We furtherly observed that individuals with earlier age at onset of schizophrenia had fewer siblings (p = .007) and had higher rates of parental marital disharmony (p = .033). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that parental years of education and age of childbearing are associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia in a Chinese population. Age of onset of schizophrenia was positively associated with a greater number of siblings and negatively associated with parental marital disharmony.

Healthcare-based on Cloud Electrocardiogram System: A Medical Center Experience in Middle Taiwan.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) as one of the best methods to measure irregular heartbeats is a dispensable method for doctor to diagnose Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients. Most medical centers in Taiwan implement the reduction of Door to Balloon (D2B) time, which is defined as the time interval starting when an Acute-Myocardial-Infarction patient arrives at the Emergency Department, and ending when a catheter guide wire crosses the culprit lesion as the acute-myocardial-infarction treatment on the patient in the cardiac catheterization room. Generally, when a patient with acute-chest pain is sent into a hospital (always to Emergency Department), the hospital will collect his/her ECG which needs to be evaluated by a cardiologist to ensure that the patient really has Acute Myocardial Infarction. Then the medical workers deliver the patient to the cardiac catheterization room to operate balloon angioplasty. In previous years, the cardiologist must utilize a PC to connect to the Intranet of the hospital and employ a special PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) image browser before he/she can check the patient's ECG. But this will prolong the D2B time since the doctor may stay outdoors and he/she needs some time to find a PC and network. Of course, if the PC has not installed the PACS image browser, the doctor has to download and install it. Consequently, the D2B time should be worsened, thus possibly impacting the patient's life. Therefore, in this paper, we introduce a Cloud-based Electrocardiogram System, with which cardiologists can directly utilize their smart phones to browse the patient's ECG so as to shorten the D2B time. This system has been online in a medical center in middle Taiwan for more than one year. The shortened D2B time is longer than 10 min, i.e., receiving fine results.

Survival and prevalence of Clostridium difficile in manure compost derived from pigs.

Pigs, particularly piglets, have been identified as reservoir hosts of Clostridium difficile. To examine the survival ability of this pathogen in pig feces-based manure compost, C. difficile spores, which were prepared to contain as few vegetative cells as possible, were artificially inoculated into pig feces and incubated at different temperatures. While C. difficile survived in the feces incubated at temperatures below 37 °C for over 30 days, cell numbers gradually decreased at thermophilic temperatures (over 55 °C; p < 0.05). Next, to clarify the prevalence of C. difficile in field manure compost, we isolated and characterized C. difficile from the final products of manure compost products of 14 pig farms. A total of 11 C. difficile strains were isolated from 5 of 14 (36% positive rate) samples tested. Of these 11 strains, 82% were toxigenic, with ribotype 078 being the most prevalent. Thus, the application of composted manure to land therefore poses a possible risk of C. difficile transfer to the food chain.

Cloud Image Data Center for Healthcare Network in Taiwan.

This paper investigates how a healthcare network in Taiwan uses a practical cloud image data center (CIDC) to communicate with its constituent hospital branches. A case study approach was used. The study was carried out in the central region of Taiwan, with four hospitals belonging to the Veterans Hospital healthcare network. The CIDC provides synchronous and asynchronous consultation among these branches. It provides storage, platforms, and services on demand to the hospitals. Any branch-client can pull up the patient's medical images from any hospital off this cloud. Patients can be examined at the branches, and the images and reports can be further evaluated by physicians in the main Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) to enhance the usage and efficiency of equipment in the various branches, thereby shortening the waiting time of patients. The performance of the CIDC over 5 years shows: (1) the total number of cross-hospital images accessed with CDC in the branches was 132,712; and (2) TVGH assisted the branches in keying in image reports using the CIDC 4,424 times; and (3) Implementation of the system has improved management, efficiency, speed and quality of care. Therefore, the results lead to the recommendation of continuing and expanding the cloud computing architecture to improve information sharing among branches in the healthcare network.

[Orthogonal Experiment for Optimization of the Sample Pretreatment Conditions for the Serum Cholesterol and Markers Determination by GC-MS].

The objective is to use orthogonal experiment to optimize the pretreatment on the determination of serum cholesterol and its markers by GC-MS. And then the method is evaluated in a methodological perspective. The methodis to Use L16(211) orthogonal experiment design to observe the influence of three key steps，althogether seven factors of pretreatment, which are saponification (KOH ethanol solution concentration, temperature and time), extraction (dose) and derivatization (temperature , time and dose). As for the results，the conditions of optimal pretreatment are as follows：the ethanol solution is 1 mol·L-1 KOH, the saponification temperature is 70 ℃;the saponification time is 60 min;the Solvent quantity is 2 mL;the derivatization temperature is 70 ℃;the derivatization time is 60 min，and the derivatization agent is 100 µL. Through the optimization by orthogonal design and methodological evaluation, the determination of serum cholesterol and its markers by GC-MS is excellent in terms of accuracy and precision, and methodological evaluation indexes are better than those reported in other papers.

Regioselective direct C-3 arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with aryl tosylates and mesylates promoted by palladium-phosphine complexes.

Direct C-3 arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with aryl tosylates and mesylates has been accomplished by employing palladium(II) acetate associated with SPhos (2-dicyclohexylphosphino-2',6'-dimethoxybiphenyl) or L1 (2-(2-(diisopropylphosphino)phenyl)-1-methyl-1H-indole). This catalyst system can be applied to a wide range of aryl sulfonates and shows excellent C-3 regioselectivity of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine. These results represent the first examples of using tosylate- and mesylate-functionalized arenes as the electrophile partners for this regioselective direct arylation.

Charge collection enhancement by incorporation of gold-silica core-shell nanoparticles into P3HT:PCBM/ZnO nanorod array hybrid solar cells.

In this work, gold-silica core-shell (Au@silica) nanoparticles (NPs) with various silica-shell thicknesses are incorporated into P3HT:PCBM/ZnO nanorod (NR) hybrid solar cells. Enhancement in the short-circuit current density and the efficiency of the hybrid solar cells is attained with the appropriate addition of Au@silica NPs regardless of the silica-shell thickness. Compared to the P3HT:PCBM/ZnO NR hybrid solar cell, a 63% enhancement in the efficiency is achieved by the P3HT:PCBM/Au@silica NP/ZnO NR hybrid solar cell. The finite difference time domain simulations indicate that the strength of the Fano resonance, i.e., the electric field of the quasi-static asymmetric quadrupole, on the surface of Au@silica NPs in the P3HT:PCBM/ZnO NR hybrid significantly decreases with increasing thickness of the silica shell. Raman characterization reveals that the degree of P3HT order increases when Au@silica NPs are incorporated into the P3HT:PCBM/ZnO NR hybrid. The charge separation at the interface between P3HT and PCBM as well as the electron transport in the active layer are retarded by the electric field of the Fano resonance. Nevertheless, the prolongation of the electron lifetime and the reduction of the electron transit time in the P3HT:PCBM/ZnO NR hybrid solar cells, which result in an enhancement of electron collection, are achieved by the addition of Au@silica NPs. This may be attributed to the improvement in the degree of P3HT order and connectivity of PCBM when Au@silica NPs are incorporated into the P3HT:PCBM active layer.

The pro-enzyme C-terminal processing domain of Pholiota nameko tyrosinase is responsible for folding of the N-terminal catalytic domain.

Pholiota nameko (Pholiota microspore) tyrosinase is expressed as a latent 67-kDa pro-tyrosinase, comprising a 42-kDa N-terminal catalytic domain with a binuclear copper centre and a 25-kDa C-terminal domain and is activated by proteolytic digestion of the C-terminal domain. To investigate the role of the C-terminal processing domain of pro-tyrosinase, we constructed a recombinant tyrosinase lacking the C-terminal domain and four recombinant pro-tyrosinase mutants (F515G, H539N, L540G and Y543G) carrying substituted amino acid residues on the C-terminal domain. The recombinant tyrosinase lacking the C-terminal domain had no catalytic activity; whereas the mutant L540G was copper depleted, the other mutants had copper contents similar to that of the wild-type pro-tyrosinase. Proteolytic digestion activated the mutants H539N and Y543G following release of the C-terminal domain, and the resulting tyrosinases had higher K m values for t-butyl catechol than the wild-type pro-tyrosinase. The mutants F515G and L540G were degraded by proteolytic digestion and yielded smaller proteins with no activity. These data suggest that the C-terminal processing domain of P. nameko pro-tyrosinase is essential for correct folding of the N-terminal catalytic domain and acts as an intramolecular chaperone during assembly of the active-site conformation.

[Inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicinal authentication].

Chinese medicinal authentication is fundamental for the standardization and globalization of Chinese medicine. The discipline of authentication addresses difficult issues that have remained unresolved for thousands of years, and is essential for preserving safety. Chinese medicinal authentication has both scientific and traditional cultural connotations; the use of scientific methods to elucidate traditional experience-based differentiation carries the legacy of Chinese medicine forward, and offers immediate practical significance and long-term scientific value. In this paper, a path of inheritance and innovation is explored through the scientific exposition of Chinese medicinal authentication, featuring a review of specialized publications, the establishment of a Chinese medicine specimen center and Chinese medicinal image databases, the expansion of authentication technologies, and the formation of a cultural project dedicated to the Compedium of Materia Medica.

Topological considerations for the design of molecular donors with multiple absorbing units.

The molecule AT1, with two weakly conjugated chromophores, was designed, synthesized, and examined within the context of its film forming tendencies. While the addition of the second chromophore to the central core enables broadening of the absorption spectrum, this change is mostly apparent in films that are grown slowly. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) analysis indicates that these spectral characteristics correspond to an increase in solid state ordering. This information, in combination with differential scanning calorimetry, suggests that the overall molecular shape provides a kinetic barrier to crystallization. As a result, one finds the absence of molecular order when AT1 is combined with PC71BM in solution-cast blends. These findings highlight the importance of molecular topology when designing molecular components for solar cell devices.

Sensitized solar cells with colloidal PbS-CdS core-shell quantum dots.

We report on the fabrication of PbS-CdS (core-shell) quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells by direct adsorption of core-shell QDs on mesoporous TiO2 followed by 3-mercaptopropionic acid ligand exchange. PbS-CdS QD-sensitized solar cells show 4 times higher efficiency with respect to solar cells sensitized with PbS QDs. The significantly enhanced mean electron lifetime and electron diffusion length provide crucial evidence for the higher efficiency of the cell. The average electron lifetime increases with the thickness of the CdS shell, demonstrating that the CdS shell plays an important role in preventing carrier recombination. However, owing to the barrier provided by the offset between the conduction bands of CdS and the PbS core, the CdS shell also hinders carrier injection from PbS to TiO2. Herein, we studied the effect of the shell thickness on cell's performance, showing a power conversion efficiency of 1.28% for PbS QDs with a 0.5 nm CdS shell. In addition, we demonstrate that the CdS shell effectively prevents photo-corrosion of PbS, resulting in devices with highly stable photocurrent.

High performance photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation and solar cells with a double type II heterojunction.

We report on the fabrication of CdSe quantum dot (QD) sensitized electrodes by direct adsorption of colloidal QDs on mesoporous TiO2 followed by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) ligand exchange. High efficiency photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation is demonstrated by means of these electrodes. The deposition of ZnS on TiO2/CdSe further improves the external quantum efficiency from 63% to 85% at 440 nm under -0.5 V vs. SCE. Using the same photoelectrodes, solar cells with the internal quantum efficiency approaching 100% are fabricated. The ZnS deposition increases the photocurrent and chemical stability of the electrodes. Investigation of the carrier dynamics of the solar cells shows that ZnS enhances the exciton separation rate in CdSe nanocrystals, which we ascribe to the formation of a type II heterojunction between ZnS and CdSe QDs. This finding is confirmed by the dynamics of the CdSe photoluminescence, which in the presence of ZnS becomes noticeably faster.

Whole tumor antigen vaccines.

Although cancer vaccines with defined antigens are commonly used, the use of whole tumor cell preparations in tumor immunotherapy is a very promising approach and can obviate some important limitations in vaccine development. Whole tumor cells are a good source of TAAs and can induce simultaneous CTLs and CD4(+) T helper cell activation. We review current approaches to prepare whole tumor cell vaccines, including traditional methods of freeze-thaw lysates, tumor cells treated with ultraviolet irradiation, and RNA electroporation, along with more recent methods to increase tumor cell immunogenicity with HOCl oxidation or infection with replication-incompetent herpes simplex virus.