A Systematic Literature Review of Predictors of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Failure in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are the first-line treatment option for anemia in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS). A systematic literature review was conducted to identify evidence of the association between prognostic factors and ESA response/failure in LR-MDS. MEDLINE, Embase, and relevant conferences were searched systematically for studies assessing the association between prognostic factors and ESA response/failure in adult patients. Of 1566 citations identified, 38 were included. Patient risk status in studies published from 2000 onwards was commonly assessed using the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) or revised IPSS. ESA response was generally assessed using the International Working Group MDS criteria. Among the included studies, statistically significant relationships were found, in both univariate and multivariate analyses, between ESA response and the following prognostic factors: higher hemoglobin levels, lower serum erythropoietin levels, and transfusion independence. Furthermore, other prognostic factors such as age, bone marrow blasts, serum ferritin level, IPSS risk status, and karyotype status did not demonstrate statistically significant relationships with ESA response. This systematic literature review has confirmed prognostic factors of ESA response/failure. Guidance to correctly identify patients with these characteristics could be helpful for clinicians to provide optimal treatment.

The Intersection of cerebral cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer's disease: Mechanisms and therapeutic prospects.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly, the exact pathogenesis of which remains incompletely understood, and effective preventive and therapeutic drugs are currently lacking. Cholesterol plays a vital role in cell membrane formation and neurotransmitter synthesis, and its abnormal metabolism is associated with the onset of AD. With the continuous advancement of imaging techniques and molecular biology methods, researchers can more accurately explore the relationship between cholesterol metabolism and AD. Elevated cholesterol levels may lead to vascular dysfunction, thereby affecting neuronal function. Additionally, abnormal cholesterol metabolism may affect the metabolism of ß-amyloid protein, thereby promoting the onset of AD. Brain cholesterol levels are regulated by multiple factors. This review aims to deepen the understanding of the subtle relationship between cholesterol homeostasis and AD, and to introduce the latest advances in cholesterol-regulating AD treatment strategies, thereby inspiring readers to contemplate deeply on this complex relationship. Although there are still many unresolved important issues regarding the risk of brain cholesterol and AD, and some studies may have opposite conclusions, further research is needed to enrich our understanding. However, these findings are expected to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of AD and provide important insights for the future development of AD treatment strategies targeting brain cholesterol homeostasis.

Self-esteem, depression, anxiety and sexual function in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome with neovagina: A case series.

BACKGROUND: The Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a rare condition with significant psychological implications. However, our understanding of its impact on postoperative sexual function and mental health is still limited. AIM: Evaluate the mental health status and sexual functioning of women with MRKH syndrome after vaginoplasty surgery. METHODS: We enrolled 53 cases with MRKH syndrome who underwent artificial vaginoplasty. The participants were asked to participate in a two-round survey conducted between February 2021 during the covid-19 period and March 2023. The survey included questionnaires to measure depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and sexual functioning. Differences between scores over time were analysed using a paired sample t-test, and we assessed the correlation between mental health and sexual functioning. RESULTS: In the first round, patients' mean ± SD age at surgery was 23.6 ± 4.5 years old, and the mean ± SD time that had elapsed since surgery at the time of the survey was 34.2 ± 20.8 months. None of the patients reported low self-esteem, 45.3 % reported mild-to-moderate depression, and 34.0 % reported mild anxiety. Thirty patients have had vaginal intercourse during the last six months. The mean ± SD Female Sexual Functioning Index score was 24.6 ± 4.4, and 60.0 % had a score of 23.5 or higher, indicating high sexual functioning. The sexual functioning scores were positively correlated with self-esteem scores and negatively correlated with depression or anxiety scores (p < 0.05). There was no significant improvement in patient's mental health status and sexual function between the second round survey (71.3 ± 17.8 months after surgery) and the first round survey (p > 0.05). In contrast, the sexual arousal of FSFI were significantly higher in the second survey round (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Most patients undergoing vaginoplasty reported persisting mental health challenges. However, the majority reported good sexual functioning.

Strain-induced ferroelectric polarization reversal without undergoing geometric inversion in blue SiSe monolayer.

Ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) systems generally arises from phonons and has been widely investigated. On the contrary, electronic ferroelectricity in 2D systems has been rarely studied. Using first-principles calculations, the ferroelectric behavior of the buckled blue SiSe monolayer under strain are explored. It is found that the direction of the out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization can be reversed by applying an in-plane strain. And such polarization switching is realized without undergoing geometric inversion. Besides, the strain-triggered polarization reversal emerges in both biaxial and uniaxial strain cases, indicating it is an intrinsic feature of such a system. Further analysis shows that the polarization switching is the result of the reversal of the magnitudes of the positive and negative charge center vectors. And the variation of buckling is found to play an important role, which results in the switch. Moreover, a non-monotonic variation of band gap with strain is revealed. Our findings throws light on the investigation of novel electronic ferroelectric systems.

Klebsiella pneumoniae alters zebrafish circadian rhythm via inflammatory pathways and is dependent on light cues.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen causing severe infections. The circadian rhythm is the internal rhythm mechanism of an organism and plays an important role in coping with changes in the 24-h circadian rhythm. Disruption of the circadian rhythm can lead to immune, behavioral, mental, and other related disorders. Whether K. pneumoniae can disrupt the circadian rhythm after infection remains unclear. Here, we examined the effects of K. pneumoniae NTUH-K2044 infection on biological rhythm and inflammation in zebrafish using behavioral assays, quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR, neutrophil and macrophage transgenic fish, and drug treatment. The results showed that K. pneumoniae infection decreased the motor activity of zebrafish and reduced the circadian rhythm amplitude, phase, and period. The expression of core circadian rhythm-associated genes increased under light-dark conditions, whereas they were downregulated under continuous darkness. Analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae-mediated inflammation using Tg(mpx:EGFP) and Tg(mpeg:EGFP) transgenic zebrafish, expressing fluorescent neutrophils and macrophages, respectively, showed increased induction of inflammatory cells, upregulated expression of inflammatory factor genes, and stronger inflammatory responses under light-dark conditions. These effects were reversed by the anti-inflammatory drug G6PDi-1, and the expression of clock genes following K. pneumoniae treatment was disrupted. We determined the relationship among K. pneumoniae, inflammation, and the circadian rhythm, providing a theoretical reference for studying circadian rhythm disorders caused by inflammation.

Inkjet printer prediction under complicated printing conditions based on microscopic image features.

A novel technique is introduced to predict the printer model used to produce a given document. Samples containing only a few letters printed under varying conditions (i.e., different printing modes, letter types, fonts) were collected to establish a dataset of 41 inkjet printer models from common manufacturers, such as HP, Canon, and Epson. Morphological features were analyzed by extraction of image features using several algorithms in a series of microscopic images and a Wilcoxon test was used to measure the significance of variations between printed samples. Significant differences between various printing conditions might post potential challenge to questioned document examination. Discriminant analysis and the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm were also employed for source printer prediction under varying printing condition on 30% images with the rest images as training dataset. The results of a validation experiment demonstrated that while quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) achieved an accuracy of 96.3%, a combination of KNN and QDA reached 98.6%. As such, this technique could aid in the forensic examination of printed documents.

Salidroside Ameliorates Lung Injury Induced by PM 2.5by Regulating SIRT1-PGC-1α in Mice.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the intervention effect of salidroside (SAL) on lung injury caused by PM 2.5 in mice and illuminate the function of SIRT1-PGC-1ɑ axis. Methods: Specific pathogen-free (SPF) grade male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: control group, SAL group, PM 2.5 group, SAL+PM 2.5 group. On the first day, SAL was given by gavage, and on the second day, PM 2.5 suspension was given by intratracheal instillation. The whole experiment consist of a total of 10 cycles, lasting 20 days. At the end of treatment, blood samples and lung tissues were collected and analyzed. Observation of pathological changes in lung tissue using inverted microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The expression of inflammatory, antioxidants, apoptosis, and SIRT1-PGC-1ɑ proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results: Exposure to PM 2.5 leads to obvious morphological and pathologica changes in the lung of mice. PM 2.5 caused a decline in levels of antioxidant-related enzymes and protein expressions of HO-1, Nrf2, SOD2, SIRT1 and PGC-1ɑ, and an increase in the protein expressions of IL-6, IL-1ß, Bax, caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3. However, SAL reversed the aforementioned changes caused by PM 2.5 by activating the SIRT1-PGC-1α pathway. Conclusion: SAL can activate SIRT1-PGC-1ɑ to ameliorate PM 2.5-induced lung injury.

In-situ synthesis Fe3C@C/rGO as matrix for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries at room and low temperatures.

People have been focusing on how to improve the specific capacity and cycling stability of lithium-sulfur batteries at room temperature, however, on some special occasions such as cold cities and aerospace fields, the operating temperature is low, which dramatically hinders the performance of batteries. Here, we report an iron carbide (Fe3C)/rGO composite as electrode host, the Fe3C nanoparticles in the composite have strong adsorption and high catalytic ability for polysulfide. The rGO makes the distribution of Fe3C nanoparticles more disperse, and this specific structure makes the deposition of Li2S more uniform. Therefore, it realizes the rapid transformation and high performance of lithium-sulfur batteries at both room and low temperatures. At room temperature, after 100 cycles at 1C current density, the reversible specific capacity of the battery can be stabilized at 889 ± 7.1 mAh/g. Even at -40 °C, in the first cycle battery still emits 542.9 ± 3.7 mAh/g specific capacity. This broadens the operating temperature for lithium-sulfur batteries and also provides a new idea for the selection of host materials for sulfur in low-temperature lithium-sulfur batteries.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy-assisted biliary polypectomy for local palliative treatment of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct.

BACKGROUND: Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a premalignant biliary-type epithelial neoplasm with intraductal papillary or villous growth. Currently reported local palliative therapeutic modalities, including endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, stenting and biliary curettage, endoscopic biliary polypectomy, percutaneous biliary drainage, laser ablation, argon plasma coagulation, photodynamic therapy, and radiofrequency ablation to relieve mechanical obstruction are limited with weaknesses and disadvantages. We have applied percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS)-assisted biliary polypectomy (PTCS-BP) technique for the management of IPNB including mucin-hypersecreting cast-like and polypoid type tumors since 2010. AIM: To assess the technical feasibility, efficacy, and safety of PTCS-BP for local palliative treatment of IPNB. METHODS: Patients with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like or polypoid type IPNB and receiving PTCS-BP between September 2010 and December 2019 were included. PTCS-BP was performed by using a half-moon type snare with a soft stainless-steel wire, and the tumor was snared and resected with electrocautery. The primary outcome was its feasibility, indicated by technical success. The secondary outcomes were efficacy, including therapeutic success, curative resection, and clinical success, and safety. RESULTS: Five patients (four with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type and one with polypoid type IPNB) were included. Low- and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and recurrent IPNB with invasive carcinoma were observed in one, two, and two patients, respectively. Repeated cholangitis and/or obstructive jaundice were presented in all four patients with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type IPNB. All five patients achieved technical success of PTCS-BP. Four patients (three with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type and one with polypoid type IPNB) obtained therapeutic success; one with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type tumors in the intrahepatic small bile duct and HGIN had residual tumors. All four patients with mucin-hypersecreting IPNB achieved clinical success. The patient with polypoid type IPNB achieved curative resection. There were no PTCS-BP-related serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: PTCS-BP appears to be feasible, efficacious, and safe for local palliative treatment of both mucin-hypersecreting cast-like and polypoid type IPNB.

METTL5 promotes gastric cancer progression via sphingomyelin metabolism.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of gastric cancer (GC) has caused an enormous social burden worldwide. Accumulating studies have reported that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is closely related to tumor progression. METTL5 is a m6A methyltransferase that plays a pivotal role in maintaining the metabolic stability of cells. However, its aberrant regulation in GC has not been fully elucidated. AIM: To excavate the role of METTL5 in the development of GC. METHODS: METTL5 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed via The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and further verified via immunohistochemistry, western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in tissue microarrays and clinical samples. The tumor-promoting effect of METTL5 on HGC-27 and AGS cells was explored in vitro by Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, colony formation assays, scratch healing assays, transwell assays and flow cytometry. The tumor-promoting role of METTL5 in vivo was evaluated in a xenograft tumor model. The EpiQuik m6A RNA Methylation Quantification Kit was used for m6A quantification. Next, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to evaluate the association between METTL5 and sphingomyelin metabolism, which was confirmed by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and rescue tests. In addition, we investigated whether METTL5 affects the sensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin via colony formation and transwell experiments. RESULTS: Our research revealed substantial upregulation of METTL5, which suggested a poor prognosis of GC patients. Increased METTL5 expression indicated distant lymph node metastasis, advanced cancer stage and pathological grade. An increased level of METTL5 correlated with a high degree of m6A methylation. METTL5 markedly promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells in vitro. METTL5 also promotes the growth of GC in animal models. METTL5 knockdown resulted in significant changes in sphingomyelin metabolism, which implies that METTL5 may impact the development of GC via sphingomyelin metabolism. In addition, high METTL5 expression led to cisplatin resistance. CONCLUSION: METTL5 was found to be an oncogenic driver of GC and may be a new target for therapy since it facilitates GC carcinogenesis through sphingomyelin metabolism and cisplatin resistance.

Sexual Harassment Among Chinese Psychiatrists and Its Impact on Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objectives: Sexual harassment (SH) is a prevalent issue in various professional fields worldwide. The current study aims to investigate the incidence of SH targeting psychiatrists in China and explore its impact on quality of life (QOL). Methods: A consecutive recruitment of 1093 psychiatrists was conducted from 6 hospitals in China. The recorded data included participants' socio-demographic characteristics, experiences of workplace SH within the previous year, and their QOL. SH comprised verbal harassment, physical harassment, and displaying of sexual organs. The Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) was employed to assess QOL. We compared the demographic characteristics and QOL between the SH group and the non-SH group. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent demographic correlates of SH. Results: In total, 13.8% (n = 151) of the psychiatrists reported SH, with 5.8% reporting it once, 4.4% reporting it twice, and 3.6% reporting it three times or more. Psychiatrists who had encountered SH exhibited lower QOL across social, psychological, physical, and environmental domains. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that young physicians and those with shorter work experience had a higher likelihood of experiencing SH. Conclusion: The high prevalence of SH among Chinese psychiatrists is of concern. Given its detrimental effects on the well-being of physicians and the quality of medical care they provide, it is crucial to develop specialized employee training programs for this population to effectively manage workplace SH.

Introducing Internal Host Component to Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitter for Efficient NIR Nondoped Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

Developing thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) near-infrared (NIR) organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on nondoped emitting layers is intriguing yet challenging, limited by low exciton utilization and notorious concentration quenching. Herein, a facile strategy is proposed to address this issue by incorporating an internal host component onto a traditional donor (D)-acceptor (A)-type red TADF molecule. A proof-of-concept emitter with an internal host is accordingly developed as well as a control one without an internal host. In the case of their monomer states, both emitters exhibit similar emission spectra due to their identical D-A pairs. However, under nondoped conditions, significant improvement in exciton utilization and quenching-resistant features are observed for the molecule with the internal host. The corresponding nondoped OLED yielded a maximum external quantum efficiency of 2.4%, with NIR emission peaking at 765 nm, which was a nearly 10-fold improvement relative to the efficiency based on the control molecule without an internal host. To the best of our knowledge, this result is on par with those of state-of-the art nondoped NIR TADF OLEDs in a similar emission region. These results offer a feasible pathway for the design and development of high-efficiency NIR nondoped OLEDs.

Prognostic factors and novel prediction models for overall survival of patients with submandibular gland cancer: A population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: Accurately predicting the survival rate of submandibular gland cancer (SGC) is of significant importance for guiding treatment decision-making and improving patient outcomes. This study was aimed to identify the independent prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in SGC patients, and develop novel prediction models to aid clinicians in predicting the survival probability. Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed with primary SGC after the year 2010 were extracted from SEER database and then randomly allocated into training and test samples in a 7:3 ratio. Uni- and multi-variable COX analyses were employed using the training sample to ascertain independent prognostic factors for OS. Subsequently, graphic and online dynamic nomograms were established basing on the independent prognostic factors. We utilized C-index, calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under ROC curve (AUC) value to evaluate the discrimination capacity and the consistency between predicted and actual survival. Results: A total of 527 SGC patients were included (369 assigned to training group and 158 assigned to test group). The multivariable COX analysis showed that age, sex, marital status, tumor histology, summary stage, metastases to bone, and tumor size were independently associated with OS. Novel graphical and online dynamic (URL: https://yangxg1209.shinyapps.io/overall_survival_submandibular_gland_tumor/) nomograms were established. The C-indices (training: 0.77, 95%CI 0.71-0.84; test: 0.77, 95%CI 0.68-0.85) indicate favorable discrimination ability of the model, and the calibration curves demonstrated favorable consistency between the predicted and actual survival rates. Conclusions: Our study identified the independent prognostic factors influencing OS in patients with SGC, and successfully established and validated novel nomograms, which provide accurate prediction of survival rates and allows for personalized risk assessment.

Effect of tocilizumab plus corticosteroid on clinical outcome in patients hospitalized with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging viral hemorrhagic fever with high fatality rates. The blockade of pro-inflammatory cytokines presents a promising therapeutic strategy. METHODS: We conducted a randomized clinical trial at the 154th hospital, Xinyang, Henan Province. Eligible patients with severe SFTS disease were randomly assigned in a 1:2 ratio to receive either a single intravenous infusion of tocilizumab plus usual care; or usual care only. The primary outcome was the clinical status of death/survival at day 14, while secondary outcomes included improvement from baseline in liver and kidney damage and time required for hospital discharge. The efficacy of tocilizumab plus corticosteroid was compared to those receiving corticosteroid alone. The trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website (ChiCTR2300076317). RESULTS: 63 eligible patients were assigned to the tocilizumab group and 126 to the control group. The addition of tocilizumab to usual care was associated with a reduced death rate (9.5%) compared to those received only usual care (23.0%), with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 0.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15 to 0.91, P = 0.029). Combination therapy of tocilizumab and corticosteroids was associated with a significantly reduced fatality (aHR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.56; P = 0.002) compared to those receiving corticosteroids alone. CONCLUSIONS: A significant benefit of reducing fatality in severe SFTS patients was observed by using tocilizumab. A combined therapy of tocilizumab plus corticosteroids was recommended for the therapy of severe SFTS.

Geometric morphometric anatomy of the lacrimal punctum in normal population: Punctum update (PUP) study - Paper 5.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the geometric morphological differences of the lacrimal punctum by analyzing its shape in relation to age and sex in a normal population. METHODS: 960 high-magnification slit-lamp images were obtained from 320 puncta of normal asymptomatic Indian individuals across eight decades of life. Using advanced geometric morphometric techniques, including Elliptic Fourier Analysis and Principal Component Analysis, the intricate details of the lacrimal punctum's shape in a diverse population sample were categorized by age and sex. High-resolution images of the lacrimal punctum underwent standardization for scale and orientation, followed by precise landmark identification and coordinate data extraction. RESULTS: The geometric morphometry of the lacrimal punctum shows significant changes as one ages. However, the gender differences, in isolation, without consideration of age, remain subtle and are not pronounced. Interestingly, detailed Principal Component scores analysis revealed potential sex- and age-related variations specifically for the left and right lower puncta, which warrant further investigation. These changes could reflect unique aging changes in the proximal lacrimal drainage system. CONCLUSION: The study is a starting point for geometric morphometric analysis of the lacrimal punctum and provides valuable insights into the punctal changes in size, orientation, and overall morphology across different age groups and between sexes. These findings highlight the significance of considering individual age-wise anatomical variations to better understand the lacrimal punctum.

Customizable Zr-MOF nanoantidote-based multieffective arsenic detoxification and its extended low-toxic therapy.

Arsenic (As) poisoning has become a global public problem threatening human health. Chelation therapy (CT) is the preferred treatment for arsenic poisoning. Nevertheless, efficient and safe arsenic removal in vivo remains a daunting challenge due to the limitations of chelators, including weak affinity, poor cell membrane penetration, and short half-life. Herein, a mercapto-functionalized and size-tunable hierarchical porous Zr-MOF (UiO-66-TC-SH) is developed, which possesses abundant arsenic chemisorption sites, effective cell uptake ability, and long half-life, thereby efficiently removing toxic arsenic in vivo. Moreover, the strong binding affinity of UiO-66-TC-SH for arsenic reduces systemic toxicity caused by off-target effects. In animal trials, UiO-66-TC-SH decreases the blood arsenic levels of acute arsenic poisoning mice to a normal value within 48 h, and the efficacy is superior to clinical drugs 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid sodium salt (DMPS). Meanwhile, UiO-66-TC-SH also significantly mitigates the arsenic accumulation in the metabolic organs of chronic arsenic poisoning mice. Surprisingly, UiO-66-TC-SH also accelerates the metabolism of arsenic in organs of tumor-bearing mice and alleviates the side effects of arsenic drugs antitumor therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Arsenic (As) contamination has become a global problem threatening public health. The present clinical chelation therapy (CT) still has some limitations, including the weak affinity, poor cell membrane permeability and short half-life of hydrophilic chelators. Herein, a metal-organic framework (MOF)-based multieffective arsenic removal strategy in vivo is proposed for the first time. Mercapto-functionalized and size-tunable hierarchical porous Zr-MOF nanoantidote (denoted as UiO-66-TC-SH) is accordingly designed and synthesized. After injection, UiO-66-TC-SH can form Zr-O-As bonds and As-S bonds with arsenic, thus enhancing arsenic adsorption capacity, cycling stability and systemic safety simultaneously. The acute arsenic poisoning model results indicate that UiO-66-TC-SH shows superior efficacy to the clinical drug sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS). More meaningfully, we find that UiO-66-TC-SH also accelerates the metabolism of arsenic in organs of tumor-bearing mice and alleviates side effects of arsenic drugs anti-tumor therapy.

Multimodal neuroimaging network associated with executive function in adolescent major depressive disorder patients via cognition-guided magnetic resonance imaging fusion.

Adolescents are high-risk population for major depressive disorder. Executive dysfunction emerges as a common feature of depression and exerts a significant influence on the social functionality of adolescents. This study aimed to identify the multimodal co-varying brain network related to executive function in adolescent with major depressive disorder. A total of 24 adolescent major depressive disorder patients and 43 healthy controls were included and completed the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift Task. Multimodal neuroimaging data, including the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and gray matter volume from structural magnetic resonance imaging, were combined with executive function using a supervised fusion method named multimodal canonical correlation analysis with reference plus joint independent component analysis. The major depressive disorder showed more total errors than the healthy controls in the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift task. Their performance on the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift Task was negatively related to the 14-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety score. We discovered an executive function-related multimodal fronto-occipito-temporal network with lower amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and gray matter volume loadings in major depressive disorder. The gray matter component of the identified network was negatively related to errors made in Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift while positively related to stages completed. These findings may help to deepen our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in adolescent depression.

Low-intensity ultrasound ameliorates brain organoid integration and rescues microcephaly deficits.

Human brain organoids represent a remarkable platform for modeling neurological disorders and a promising brain repair approach. However, the effects of physical stimulation on their development and integration remain unclear. Here, we report that low-intensity ultrasound significantly increases neural progenitor cell proliferation and neuronal maturation in cortical organoids. Histological assays and single-cell gene expression analyses reveal that low-intensity ultrasound improves the neural development in cortical organoids. Following organoid grafts transplantation into the injured somatosensory cortices of adult mice, longitudinal electrophysiological recordings and histological assays reveal that ultrasound-treated organoid grafts undergo advanced maturation. They also exhibit enhanced pain-related gamma-band activity and more disseminated projections into the host brain than the untreated groups. Finally, low-intensity ultrasound ameliorates neuropathological deficits in a microcephaly brain organoid model. Hence, low-intensity ultrasound stimulation advances the development and integration of brain organoids, providing a strategy for treating neurodevelopmental disorders and repairing cortical damage.

Floating MIL-88A(Fe)@expanded perlites catalyst for continuous photo-Fenton degradation toward tetracyclines under artificial light and real solar light.

In this work, MIL-88A(Fe) was immobilized onto the expanded perlites to fabricate the floating MIL-88A(Fe)@expanded perlites (M@EP) catalyst via high throughput batch synthesis method under room temperature. The as-prepared M@EP could efficiently activate H2O2 to achieve 100% tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) removal under both artificial low power UV light (UVL) and real sunlight (SL) irradiation. The toxicological evaluation, growth experiment of mung beans and antimicrobial estimation revealed the decreasing aquatic toxicity of the TCs intermediates compared to those of the pristine TCs. A self-designed continuous bed reactor was employed to investigate the long-term operation of the M@EP. The findings demonstrated that the antibiotics mixture can be continuously degraded up to 7 days under UVL and 5 daytimes under SL irradiation, respectively. More importantly, ca. 76.9% and 81.6% of total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies were accomplished in continuous bed reactor under UVL and SL irradiation, respectively. This work advances the immobilized MOFs on floating supports for their practical application in large-scale wastewater purification through advanced oxidation processes. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: This work presented the high throughput production and photo-Fenton degradation application of floating MIL-88A(Fe)@expanded perlites (M@EP). Three tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) were selected as model pollutants to test the degradation ability of M@EP in batch experiment and continuous operation under artificial light and solar light. The complete TCs degradation could be accomplished in self-designed device up to 7 d under UV light and 5 d under real solar light. This work tapped a new door to push MOFs-based functional materials in the real water purification.

Care Needs of Older Adults With Urinary Incontinence: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: To explore care requirements of older adults with urinary incontinence (UI) and contributing factors. METHOD: This cross-sectional study used the Older Adults Urinary Incontinence Care Needs Inventory to survey participants with UI in three large-scale tertiary hospitals located in Guangzhou City, China, from January 2023 to November 2023. Statistical analyses, including analysis of variance, t tests, correlation analyses, and linear regression models, were conducted to assess factors influencing participants' care needs. RESULTS: A total of 530 older adults with UI participated in the survey and mean standardized score for overall care needs was 78.65 (SD = 5.01), with mean scores for each dimension ranging from 70.88 (SD = 10.55) for social participation needs to 82.45 (SD = 7.11) for health education needs. Factors that were found to influence incontinence care needs in older adults included age, literacy level, number of leaks, and type of disease (F = 37.07, adjusted R2 = 0.290, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive care for older adults with UI, encompassing physiological, psychological, and social aspects, is crucial. It is essential to tailor care to individual needs and characteristics, taking into account factors, such as age and education, to ensure effective care. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(5), 43-49.].