Perinatal complications and neonatal outcomes in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a propensity score matching cohort study.

Background: The utilization of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) has witnessed a significant increase in recent years. However, the comparative perinatal and neonatal outcomes compared to natural pregnancies are unclear. This study aims to compare the outcomes of pregnancies from IVF and ICSI with natural pregnancies. Methods: This retrospective, propensity score-matched cohort study was conducted at the First People's Hospital of Shangqiu and The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, involving 5,628 patients from February 2019 to December 2022. It compared pregnancies achieved through IVF/ICSI with those conceived naturally. The primary outcomes assessed were perinatal complications and neonatal health parameters. Propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed to adjust for potential confounders and identify independent associations. Results: After propensity score matching, the IVF/ICSI group demonstrated significantly higher rates of placental adherence (12.1% vs. 7.4%, p < 0.001) and postpartum hemorrhage (11.1% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.002) compared to the NP group. Neonates in the IVF/ICSI group had a lower gestational age (38.21 ± 2.12 weeks vs. 38.63 ± 2.29 weeks, p < 0.001), reduced birth weight (3159.42 ± 722.75 g vs. 3211.31 ± 624.42 g, p = 0.032), and an increased preterm delivery rate (11.2% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.017). Multivariate analysis further confirmed these findings, highlighting the independent associations between IVF/ICSI and these adverse outcomes. Conclusion: This study suggests a potential correlation between the use of IVF/ICSI and unfavorable perinatal and neonatal outcomes. These findings underscore the critical need for ongoing monitoring and research efforts to enhance the safety and effectiveness of these reproductive technologies.

Endoscopic polidocanol foam sclerobanding for the treatment of grade II-III internal hemorrhoids: A prospective, multi-center, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic rubber band ligation (ERBL) is a nonsurgical technique for the treatment of symptomatic internal hemorrhoids but is limited by recurrence and post-procedural pain. AIM: To evaluate satisfaction, long-term recurrence, and post-procedural pain in managing internal hemorrhoids using a combination of polidocanol foam sclerotherapy and ERBL. METHODS: This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized study. A total of 195 consecutive patients diagnosed with grade II-III internal hemorrhoids were enrolled from four tertiary hospitals and randomly divided into a cap-assisted endoscopic polidocanol foam sclerobanding (EFSB) or an ERBL group. All patients were followed-up for 12 months. Symptom-based severity and post-procedural pain were assessed using a hemorrhoid severity score (HSS) and a visual analog scale (VAS). Continuous variables were reported as medians and interquartile range. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-five patients were enrolled, with 98 in the EFSB group. HSS was lower in the EFSB group than in the ERBL group at 8 weeks [4.0 (3.0-5.0) vs 5.0 (4.0-6.0), P = 0.003] and 12-month [2.0 (1.0-3.0) vs 3.0 (2.0-3.0), P < 0.001] of follow-up. The prolapse recurrence rate was lower in the EFSB group at 12 months (11.2% vs 21.6%, P = 0.038). Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that EFSB treatment [B = -0.915, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.301 to -0.530, P = 0.001] and rubber band number (B = 0.843, 95%CI: 0.595-1.092, P < 0.001) were negatively and independently associated with the VAS score 24 hours post-procedure. The median VAS was lower in the EFSB group than in the ERBL [2.0 (1.0-3.0) vs 3.0 (2.0-4.0), P < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: Cap-assisted EFSB provided long-term satisfaction and effective relief from the recurrence of prolapse and pain 24 hours post-procedure.

Correlates of Frailty in Hospitalized Older Adults with Hypertension and Its Influence on Clinical Prognosis.

Objective: This study aims to explore the correlates of frailty in hospitalized elderly hypertensive patients and its impact on clinical prognosis, and to construct a predictive model for the occurrence of frailty in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional and prospective observational cohort study was conducted, involving 312 elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed at the institution from January to June 2022. Frailty was diagnosed using the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FP), while the Charlson Comorbidities Index (CCI) assessed the presence of chronic conditions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted with frailty as the dependent variable to identify risk factors. Patients were followed for one year to monitor readmission rates and all-cause mortality. Results: Multivariate logistic regression identified CCI grade (P=0.030), gender (OR=21.618, 95% CI: 4.062-115.061, P < 0.001), age (OR=1.147, 95% CI: 1.086-1.211, P < 0.001), bedridden state (OR=11.620, 95% CI: 3.282-41.140, P < 0.001), arrhythmia (OR=14.414, 95% CI: 4.558-45.585, P < 0.001), heart failure (OR=5.439, 95% CI: 1.029-28.740, P < 0.05), along with several biochemical markers, as independent predictors of frailty. A predictive model was developed, demonstrating a robust discriminative ability with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.915. Statistically significant differences in readmission rates and all-cause mortality were observed among the frail, pre-frail, and non-frail groups (P<0.001), with the frail group exhibiting the highest incidence of these adverse outcomes. Notably, frailty emerged as a significant predictor of readmission (P<0.05) but not of all-cause mortality in this cohort. Conclusion: This study establishes a robust frailty prediction model for elderly hypertensive patients, highlighting the influence of CCI grade, gender, age, and other clinical and biochemical factors on frailty. The model offers a valuable tool for healthcare providers to identify at-risk elderly individuals, facilitating targeted intervention strategies for cardiovascular disease management.

Establishment of cerebral perfusion in a rat model with extracorporeal life support.

Background: Extracorporeal life support echniques as an Adjunct to Advanced Cardiac Life Support is usually suitable for complex heart surgery such as cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Cerebral perfusion is a clinically feasible neuroprotective strategy; however, the lack of a reliable small animal model.Methods: Based on the rat model of ECLS we evaluate the effects of ECLS-CP using HE staining, Nissl staining, TUNEL staining and ELISA.Result: We found that ECLS combined with the cerebral perfusion model did not cause brain injury and immune inflammation. There was no difference between the two by a left carotid artery or right carotid artery CP.Conclusion: These experimental results can provide the experimental basis for selecting blood vessels for ECLS patients and clinical CP to offers a trustworthy animal model for future exploration of applying brain perfusion strategies during ECLS-CP.

First-principles study of phase-dependent carrier transport mechanism for MASnI3Sn-based halide perovskite.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted tremendous attentions owing to their excellent properties as next-generation photovoltaic devices. With soft covalent framework, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites exhibit different phases at different temperatures. The band-edge features of perovskites are mainly contributed by inorganic framework, which means the structural differences between these phases would lead to complex carrier transport. We investigated the carrier transport of Sn-based organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite CH3NH3SnI3(MASnI3), considering acoustic deformation potential scattering, ionized impurity scattering, and polar optical phonon scattering. It is found that the electron mobility of each phase of MASnI3is strongly correlated with the Sn-I-Sn bond angle and there is in-plane/out-of-plane anisotropy. The projected crystal orbital Hamilton population analysis suggested that the tilt and rotation of the [SnI6]4-octahedron influence the Sn(p)-I(p) orbital electron coupling and the electron transport, leading to different band-edge features in multiple phases. The carrier mobility with respect to temperature was further calculated for each phase of MASnI3in respective temperature intervals, showing lower carrier mobility in high temperature. Comparing the contribution of different scattering mechanisms, it was found that the dominant scattering mechanism is polar optical phonon scattering, while multiple scattering mechanisms compete in individual cases.

Resistance training boosts lactate transporters and synaptic proteins in insulin-resistance mice.

Background: This investigation delineates the influence of resistance training on the expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampi of insulin-resistant mice and explores the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Six-week-old male C57BL/6 J mice were stratified into a control group and a high-fat diet group to induce insulin resistance over a 12-week period. Subsequently, the mice were further divided into sedentary and resistance training cohorts, with the latter engaging in a 12-week ladder-climbing regimen. Post-intervention, blood, and hippocampal specimens were harvested for analytical evaluation. Results: In the insulin-resistant mice, elevated blood lactate levels were observed alongside diminished expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs), and reduced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). In contrast, the expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 E-binding protein 2 was significantly augmented. Resistance training mitigated insulin resistance, decreased blood lactate levels, and enhanced the expression and phosphorylation of mTOR, regulatory-associated protein of mTOR, MCTs, and synaptic plasticity-related proteins. Conclusions: Resistance training mitigates insulin resistance and improves hippocampal synaptic plasticity by normalizing blood lactate levels and enhancing mTOR, MCTs, and synaptic plasticity-related proteins. It may also activate mTORC1 via the PI3K/Akt pathway, promote lactate utilization, and enhance synaptic plasticity proteins, potentially alleviating peripheral insulin resistance. Further research is needed to confirm these mechanisms.

Shape-position perceptive fusion electronic skin with autonomous learning for gesture interaction.

Wearable devices, such as data gloves and electronic skins, can perceive human instructions, behaviors and even emotions by tracking a hand's motion, with the help of knowledge learning. The shape or position single-mode sensor in such devices often lacks comprehensive information to perceive interactive gestures. Meanwhile, the limited computing power of wearable applications restricts the multimode fusion of different sensing data and the deployment of deep learning networks. We propose a perceptive fusion electronic skin (PFES) with a bioinspired hierarchical structure that utilizes the magnetization state of a magnetostrictive alloy film to be sensitive to external strain or magnetic field. Installed at the joints of a hand, the PFES realizes perception of curvature (joint shape) and magnetism (joint position) information by mapping corresponding signals to the two-directional continuous distribution such that the two edges represent the contributions of curvature radius and magnetic field, respectively. By autonomously selecting knowledge closer to the user's hand movement characteristics, the reinforced knowledge distillation method is developed to learn and compress a teacher model for rapid deployment on wearable devices. The PFES integrating the autonomous learning algorithm can fuse curvature-magnetism dual information, ultimately achieving human machine interaction with gesture recognition and haptic feedback for cross-space perception and manipulation.

Endoscopic variceal ligation combined with sclerotherapy for management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in pediatric patients: a single-center retrospective study.

Objectives: Portal hypertension (PH) frequently gives rise to severe and life-threatening complications, including hemorrhage accompanied by the rupture of esophageal and gastric varices. In contrast to the guidelines for the management of PH in adults, the optimal endoscopic management of variceal bleeding for secondary prophylaxis in children remains unclear. The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) to control gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in children. Methods: This retrospective study included children with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding who underwent EST or EVL at Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, between February 2013 and March 2020. Short-term hemostasis rate and long-term rebleeding rate were evaluated. Adverse events related to the procedures, such as esophageal ulcer, esophageal stricture, abnormal embolization, pneumonia and perforation, were also recorded. Results: EVL (n = 8) and EST (n = 13) were performed successfully in all pediatric patients diagnosed with moderate to severe esophageal varices concurrent with gastric varices. Hemostasis was achieved during episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The mean volume of each single aliquot of cyanoacrylate injected was 0.3 ± 0.1 ml (range: 0.1-0.5 ml). Varices were eradicated in six (75%) of the eight patients who underwent EVL after a median 2 (range: 1-4) procedures and a median time of 3.40 months (range: 1.10-13.33 months). Eleven (52.4%) of the 21 patients developed rebleeding events, with the mean duration of hemostasis being 11.1 ± 11.6 months (range 1.0-39.2 months). No treatment-related complications, for example, distal embolism, occurred except for abdominal pain in one patient (4.8%). Conclusions: EST, alone or in combination with EVL, is an effective and safe method of managing gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage in children undergoing secondary prophylaxis.

A Tunable Threshold Colorimetric DNA Logic Gate for Intuitive Assessment of Chemical Contaminant Exceedance.

Current molecular logic gates are predominantly focused on the qualitative assessment of target presence, which has certain limitations in scenarios requiring quantitative assessment, such as chemical contaminant monitoring. To bridge this gap, we have developed a novel DNA logic gate featuring a tunable threshold, specifically tailored to the limits of contaminants. At the core of this logic gate is a DNA-gold nanoparticle (AuNP) hybrid film that incorporates aptamer sequences to selectively bind to acetamiprid (ACE) and atrazine (ATR). Upon interaction with these contaminants, the film degrades, releasing AuNPs that, in the presence of Hg2+, catalyze the oxidation of TMB, resulting in a visible blue coloration on test paper. This aptamer-enabled process effectively establishes an OR logic gate, with ACE and ATR as inputs and the appearance of blue color as the output. A key innovation of our system is its tunable input threshold. By adjusting the concentration of Hg2+, we can fine-tune the color mutation points to match the input threshold to predefined limits, such as Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). This alignment allows semiquantitative assessment of contaminant levels, providing intuitive visual feedback of contaminant exceedance. Validation experiments with spiked samples confirm its accuracy and reliability by closely matching HPLC results. Therefore, our colorimetric DNA logic gate is emerging as a promising tool for easy and semiquantitative monitoring of chemical contaminants across diverse applications.

Correlation between circulating advanced glycation end products and thioredoxin-interacting protein levels and renal fat content in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to explore the clinical relevance of the associations of serum levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE), and thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) with the renal fat fraction (RFF) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A total of 133 patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study. RFF, which represents the renal fat level, was determined utilizing Dixon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Serum levels of AGEs, sRAGE, TXNIP, and other biochemical parameters were measured in patients who fasted. RESULTS: RFF in T2DM patients was positively correlated with the fasting levels of C-peptide (CP), triglycerides (TG), AGEs, TXNIP, and sRAGE (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) level (P < 0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that the serum levels of AGEs, sRAGE, and TXNIP were interrelated and positively correlated (P < 0.05). Then, all patients were assigned to four groups according to the RFF quartile. The HC, CP, TG, AGEs, sRAGE, TXNIP, and DKD percentages tended to increase as the RFF quartiles increased, while the HDL-c level tended to decrease (p for trend < 0.05). Next, multiple linear regression analysis was performed using RFF as the dependent variable. After controlling for covariates related to RFF, the results showed that the serum levels of AGEs and TXNIP were still significantly correlated with RFF. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that circulating AGEs and TXNIP levels may be associated with ectopic fat accumulation in the kidneys of T2DM patients and may serve as indicators of the severity of renal fat deposition.

Disturbance of bile acids profile aggravates the diarrhea induced by capecitabine through inhibiting the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

INTRODUCTION: Diarrhea is the primary dose-limiting side effect of capecitabine(Cap) hindering its clinical application, but the mechanism is unclear. Clarifying this mechanism may enhance the patient compliance and improve the treatment outcome. OBJECTIVES: To assess if the endogenous metabolic profile could prodict the diarrhea induced by Cap and explore and validate underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Untargeted and targeted bile acids(BAs) metabolomics were performed to analyzed the metabolic profile of baseline samples from colorectal cancer(CRC) patients and the association with the diarrhea induced by Cap was assessed. The toxicity of BAs and Cap and its metabolites alone or their combinations to the human normal intestinal epithelial cell(HIEC) was assessed, and the key genes that mediated the BAs-enhanced toxicity of Cap were discovered by RNA-seq and then validated. A mouse model with high exposure levels of BAs was constructed and then treated with Cap to verify the Cap-induced diarrhea enhanced by BAs. RESULTS: The baseline endogenous metabolic profile showed obviously difference between diarrhea and non-diarrhea CRC patients, and the differential metabolites mainly enriched in BAs metabolism; the deoxycholic acid(DCA) and lithocholic acid(LCA) were selected to be the key BAs that enhanced the toxicity of Cap metabolite 5-FU to the HIEC cell; the DCA and LCA could inhibit the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, which then suppressed the P-glycoprotein and increased the exposure level of 5-FU in the HIEC cell. The results of animal experiment verified that the excessive DCA and LCA could aggravate the Cap-induced diarrhea through inhibiting Wnt/ß-catenin-P-glycoprotein pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The disordered BAs metabolic profile showed close relationship with diarrhea induced by Cap, and excessive DCA and LCA were proved to be the key BAs, which could aggravate the Cap-induced diarrhea through inhibiting Wnt/ß-catenin-P-glycoprotein pathway.

Colorectal cancer cells with high metastatic potential drive metastasis by transmitting exosomal miR-20a-3p through modulating NF1/MAPK pathway.

Cancer cells exhibit heterogenous metastatic potential, and high metastatic subclones can enhance metastatic potential of low metastatic subclones by transmitting some factors. Exosomal miRNAs play a pivotal role in the crosstalk of heterogenous metastatic subclones. This study discovered that miR-20a-3p was upregulated in colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRA), correlated with metastasis, and potentially served as a prognostic indicator for CRA. miR-20a-3p could promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRA cells. Interestingly, high metastatic CRA cells could promote malignant phenotypes of low metastatic CRA cells by transmitting exosomal miR-20a-3p. Mechanically, miR-20a-3p could inhibit NF1, thereby activate the RAS-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway to drive the metastasis of CRA. In summary, our study provided the evidence that colorectal cancer cells with high metastatic potential drive metastasis by transmitting exosomal miR-20a-3p through modulating NF1/MAPK pathway.

Unveiling the Pharmacological Mechanisms of Davidiin's Anti-Diabetic Efficacy in Streptozotocin-Treated Rats: A Comprehensive Analysis of Serum Metabolome.

Background: Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don (P. capitatum), a traditional herb used in Miao medicine, is renowned for its heart-clearing properties. Davidiin, the primary bioactive component (approximately 1%), has been used to treat various conditions, including diabetes. Given its wide range of effects and the diverse biomolecular pathways involved in diabetes, there is a crucial need to study how davidiin interacts with these pathways to better understand its anti-diabetic properties. Materials and Methods: Diabetic rats were induced using a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) administered intraperitoneally at 35 mg/kg. Out of these, 24 rats with blood glucose levels ≥ 11.1 mmol/L and fasting blood glucose levels ≥ 7.0 mmol/L were selected for three experimental groups. These groups were then treated with either metformin (gavage, 140 mg/kg) or davidiin (gavage, 90 mg/kg) for four weeks. After the treatment period, we measured body weight, blood glucose levels, and conducted untargeted metabolic profiling using UPLC-QTOF-MS. Results: Davidiin has been shown to effectively treat diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels from 30.2 ± 2.6 mmol/L to 25.1 ± 2.4 mmol/L (P < 0.05). This effect appears stronger than that of metformin, which lowered glucose levels to 26.5 ± 2.6 mmol/L. The primary outcomes of serum metabolomics are significant changes in lipid and lipid-like molecular profiles. Firstly, davidiin may affect phosphatide metabolism by increasing levels of phosphatidylinositol and sphingosine-1-phosphate. Secondly, davidiin could influence cholesterol metabolism by reducing levels of glycocholic acid and glycochenodeoxycholic acid. Lastly, davidiin might impact steroid hormone metabolism by increasing hepoxilin B3 levels and decreasing prostaglandins. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that davidiin modulates various lipid-related metabolic pathways to exert its anti-diabetic effects. These findings offer the first detailed metabolic profile of davidiin's action mechanism, contributing valuable insights to the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the context of diabetes treatment.

Enhanced detection of acetamiprid via a gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric aptasensor integrated with a hybridization chain reaction.

This study presents a novel colorimetric aptasensor, which seamlessly integrates gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the amplification potential of the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for enhanced detection of acetamiprid. The aptamer, hybridized with a partially complementary strand that is covalently linked to AuNPs, serves as the recognition element for acetamiprid. The free end sequence of the aptamer, distal from the AuNP surface, functions as the initiating strand for the HCR, triggering the amplification process. In the absence of acetamiprid, the HCR efficiently occurs, conferring robust salt tolerance to the AuNPs and maintaining their characteristic red coloration. However, in the presence of acetamiprid, the aptamer preferentially binds to its target, disrupting the double-stranded structure and leading to the dissociation of the aptamer from the AuNPs. This dissociation results in a decrease in the HCR product, subsequently diminishing the salt tolerance of AuNPs and triggering a colorimetric transition from red to gray. This integration enhances sensitivity to 3.14 nM. Additionally, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) transduce colorimetric signals to fluorescent ones, further boosting the sensitivity to 0.24 nM. The aptasensor exhibits excellent selectivity and robustness. Real-world testing on tomato, peach, and lettuce shows recoveries of 98.50% to 100.36% with low standard deviations, validating its utility for pesticide residue analysis and food safety. This study provides a powerful tool for rapid and accurate pesticide detection, crucial for food safety.

Ultrasonic-assisted nanofiltration separation recovering salvianolic acid B from ethanol wastewater.

The transformation of salvianolic acid B brought on by heat treatment recovery of ethanol eluent, which is a difficult problem in pharmaceutical technology, affects the purity of raw material when the medicinal raw material salvianolic acid B is purified by resin. Ultrasonic-assisted nanofiltration separation (UANS) was first employed to improve efficiency of resource utilization by regulating rejection and separating salvianolic acid B and rosmarinic acid from organic pharmaceutical wastewater. The rejection was related to three variables: ultrasonic power, pH, and ethanol concentration. But there were differences in the effects of variables on the rejections of salvianolic acid B and rosmarinic acid. The rejections of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B showed a decreasing trend with an increase in ultrasonic power or a decrease in pH; however, when the concentration of ethanol was increased from 5 % to 35 %, the salvianolic acid B rejection increased from 84.96 % to 96.60 % and the rosmarinic acid rejection decreased from 35.09 % to 17.51 %. On the basis of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal UANS parameters for solution conditions involving different ethanol concentrations are as follows: 10 % ethanol solution (ultrasonic power 500 W and pH 6.15), 20 % ethanol solution (ultrasonic power 500 W and pH 6.54), and 30 % ethanol solution (ultrasonic power 460 W and pH 6.34). The molecular proportions of salvianolic acid B were 10.75 %, 7.13 %, and 8.27 % in 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % ethanol wastewater, while the molecular proportions of rosmarinic acid were 40.52 %, 33.83 %, and 69.87 %, respectively. And the recoveries of salvianolic acid B in 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % ethanol wastewater were 93.56 %, 95.04 %, and 97.30 %, respectively, while the recoveries of rosmarinic acid were 3.19 %, 2.27 %, and 0.56 %. The molecular proportion and the rejection are correlated exponentially. In comparison with conventional nanofiltration separation (CNS), UANS is able to resolve the conflict between rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B in pharmaceutical wastewater, as well as enhance resource recycling and separation efficiency to prevent pollution of the environment from pharmaceutical wastewater. Experiments using UANS at different power intensities suggest that the ultrasonic at a power intensity of 46-50 W/L and the power density of 0.92-1.00 W/cm2 may resolve the separation conflict between rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B. This work suggests that UANS may be a significant advancement in the field of ultrasonic separation and has several potential uses in the water treatment industry.

Autophagy regulates bone loss via the RANKL/RANK/OPG axis in an experimental rat apical periodontitis model.

AIM: Autophagy is involved in human apical periodontitis (AP). However, it is not clear whether autophagy is protective or destructive in bone loss via the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)/RANK/osteoprotegerin (OPG) axis. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of autophagy via the RANKL/RANK/OPG axis during the development of AP in an experimental rat model. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, experimental AP (EAP) + saline, and EAP + 3-methyladenine (An autophagy inhibitor, 3-MA) groups. The control group did not receive any treatment. The EAP + saline group and the EAP + 3-MA group received intraperitoneal injections of saline and 3-MA, respectively, starting 1 week after the pulp was exposed. Specimens were collected for microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) scanning, histological processing, and immunostaining to examine the expression of light chain 3 beta (LC3B), RANK, RANKL, and OPG. Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (p < .05). RESULTS: Micro-CT showed greater bone loss in the EAP + 3-MA group than in the EAP + saline group, indicated by an elevated trabecular space (Tb.Sp) (p < .05). Inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in the EAP + saline and EAP + 3-MA groups. Compared with EAP + saline group, the EAP + 3-MA group showed weaker expression of LC3B (p < .01) and OPG (p < .05), more intense expression of RANK (p < .01) and RANKL (p < .01), and a higher RANKL/OPG ratio (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Autophagy may exert a protective effect against AP by regulating the RANKL/RANK/OPG axis, thereby inhibiting excessive bone loss.

Efficient biosynthesis of transglutaminase in Streptomyces mobaraensis via systematic engineering strategies.

Transglutaminases (TGases) have been widely used in food, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and other industries because of their ability to catalyze deamidation, acyl transfer, and crosslinking reactions between Ƴ-carboxamide groups of peptides or protein-bound glutamine and the Ɛ-amino group of lysine. In this study, we demonstrated an efficient systematic engineering strategy to enhance the synthesis of TGase in a recombinant Streptomyces mobaraensis smL2020 strain in a 1000-L fermentor. Briefly, the enzymatic properties of the TGase TGL2020 from S. mobaraensis smL2020 and TGase TGLD from S. mobaraensis smLD were compared to obtain the TGase TGLD with perfected characteristics for heterologous expression in a recombinant S. mobaraensis smL2020ΔTG without the gene tgL 2020. Through multiple engineering strategies, including promoter engineering, optimizing the signal peptides and recombination sites, and increasing copies of the expression cassettes, the final TGLD activity in the recombinant S. mobaraensis smL2020ΔTG: (PL2020-spL2020-protgLD-tgLD)2 (tgL2020and BT1) reached 56.43 U/mL and 63.18 U/mL in shake flask and 1000-L fermentor, respectively, which was the highest reported to date. With the improvement of expression level, the application scope of TGLD in the food industry will continue to expand. Moreover, the genetic stability of the recombinant strain maintained at more than 20 generations. These findings proved the feasibility of multiple systematic engineering strategies in synthetic biology and provided an emerging solution to improve biosynthesis of industrial enzymes.

Ozonated Hydrotherapy Combined with LED Yellow Light Irradiation and Oral Minocycline Treatment for Mild to Moderate Papulopustular Rosacea: A Comparative Retrospective Study.

Objective and Design: The treatment of recurrent rosacea has always been a problem. Oral minocycline has been widely used in the treatment of rosacea. However, the efficacy and safety of ozonated hydrotherapy combined with LED yellow light irradiation and oral minocycline for mild to moderate papulopustular rosacea (PPR) has not been thoroughly studied. Methods: Patients with rosacea who met the criteria and had complete clinical statistic admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively collected and divided into combined therapy group and oral only group. The patients in the two groups were treated with minocycline for 8 weeks. In addition, the patients in combined therapy group were treated with ozone hydrotherapy once a week, followed by LED yellow light irradiation for a total of 4 weeks. The Investigator' s global assessment (IGA) score was used to assess the condition. The efficacy was evaluated using the patients' subjective symptom scores. Skin lesion images and adverse reactions were recorded. The recurrence rate was observed after 24 weeks of follow-up. Results: A total of 39 patients included in the study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the effective rate was 90% in combined therapy group and 52.63% in oral only group (p<0.05). After 8 weeks of treatment, the total score of the patients' subjective symptom scores and the scores of itching and burning sensation in combined therapy group were lower than those in oral only group (p<0.05). After 24 weeks of follow-up, the recurrence rate of combined therapy group was 5%, and that of oral only group was 26.32%. The mild adverse reactions experienced by both groups disappeared during follow-up. Conclusion: This combination therapy has a significant, rapid and safe therapeutic effect, especially in relieving itching and burning sensations, and may reduce the recurrence rate.

Surgical Myectomy and Myotomy for Refractory Blepharospasm in Meige Syndrome Patients: A Case Report.

Meige syndrome is a rare neurological disease characterized by segmental dystonia, specifically blepharospasm and oromandibular dystonia. These symptoms are often accompanied by complex movements of the eyelids, lower facial muscles, mandible, and neck muscles. Bilateral blepharospasm is the most common feature of this disease. In this case report, we present the successful treatment of refractory blepharospasm in a 72-year-old woman with Meige syndrome via 2 incisions resulting from myectomy and in situ surgery.