Decreased sagittal slope of the medial tibial spine and deep concavity of the lateral tibial spine are risk factors for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the relationship between the geometric features of tibial eminence and susceptibility to noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. METHODS: Patients with unilateral noncontact knee injuries between 2015 and 2021 were consecutively enroled in this study. Based on knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and arthroscopic visualisation, patients were categorised into the case group (ACL rupture) and control group (ACL intact). Using MRI, the geometric features of tibial eminence were characterised by measuring the sagittal slopes, depth of concavity and coronal slopes of the inclined surfaces of the tibial spines. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to explore independent associations between quantified geometric indices of tibial eminence and the risk of noncontact ACL injuries. RESULTS: This study included 187 cases and 199 controls. A decreased sagittal slope of the medial tibial spine (MTSSS) (combined group: odds ratio [OR]: 0.87 [0.82, 0.92], p < 0.001; females: OR: 0.88 [0.80, 0.98], p = 0.020; males: OR: 0.87 [0.81, 0.93], p < 0.001) and an increased depth of concavity in the lateral tibial spine (LTSD) (combined group: OR: 1.51 [1.24, 1.85], p < 0.001; females: OR: 1.65 [1.12, 2.43], p = 0.012; males: OR: 1.44 [1.11, 1.89], p = 0.007) were independent risk factors for noncontact ACL injuries. Moreover, a steeper coronal slope of the inclined surface of the medial tibial spine was a significant predictor of noncontact ACL injuries for males (MTSCS: OR: 1.04 [1.01, 1.08], p = 0.015) but not for females. CONCLUSION: Geometric features of tibial eminence, particularly a decreased MTSSS and an increased LTSD, were identified as independent risk factors for noncontact ACL injuries. These findings will help clinicians identify individuals at high risk of ACL injury and facilitate the development of targeted prevention strategies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Selective Oxidation of Methane to Methanol over Au/H-MOR.

Selective oxidation of methane to methanol by dioxygen (O2) is an appealing route for upgrading abundant methane resource and represents one of the most challenging reactions in chemistry due to the overwhelmingly higher reactivity of the product (methanol) versus the reactant (methane). Here, we report that gold nanoparticles dispersed on mordenite efficiently catalyze the selective oxidation of methane to methanol by molecular oxygen in aqueous medium in the presence of carbon monoxide. The methanol productivity reaches 1300 µmol gcat-1 h-1 or 280 mmol gAu-1 h-1 with 75% selectivity at 150 °C, outperforming most catalysts reported under comparable conditions. Both hydroxyl radicals and hydroperoxide species participate in the activation and conversion of methane, while it is shown that the lower affinity of methanol on gold mainly accounts for higher methanol selectivity.

Bone mineral density is associated with composite dietary antioxidant index among US adults: results from NHANES.

This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) and individual dietary antioxidant intakes, including vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and carotenoids, and bone mineral density (BMD) in the US population aged 20 years older. We found a positive correlation between CDAI and femoral BMD. Moreover, higher intakes of vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and carotenoids were associated with higher femoral BMD. INTRODUCTION: While individual dietary antioxidants have shown beneficial effects on bone metabolism, the diverse and potentially interacting nature of dietary components may limit the accuracy of evaluating their impact on bone health. Thus, this study aims to investigate the association between CDAI and BMD. Additionally, we explore the relationship between the intake of individual components of the CDAI and BMD. METHODS: The CDAI is a novel index evaluating total dietary antioxidant intake, considering vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, and carotenoids. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from participants aged ≥ 20 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2010, 2013-2014, and 2017-2018). We utilized multivariate linear regression models to examine the relationship between CDAI, individual dietary antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, carotenoids, and femoral BMD. RESULTS: The final analysis included 10,584 participants with a mean age of 50.73 ± 16.65 years. After multivariate adjustment, the second to fourth quartiles of CDAI (- 2.00-0.04, 0.04-2.54, and 2.54-70.78) exhibited higher femoral BMD compared to the first quartile of CADI (- 7.34 to - 2.00). Multiple regression analysis revealed that higher intakes of vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and carotenoids were associated with higher femoral BMD. CONCLUSIONS: CDAI serves as a comprehensive tool for evaluating the overall antioxidant capacity of antioxidants in diets. Additionally, our study shows a positive correlation between CDAI and BMD, which indicates that the combined intake of dietary antioxidants may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis in adults.

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease and bone mineral density: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018.

This research is a cross-sectional study based on the participants aged 50 years and older from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. The metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) population has higher BMD and a lower risk of osteoporosis than those without MAFLD. INTRODUCTION: MAFLD is a new definition presented by panel of experts based on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in 2020. However, the link between MAFLD and bone mineral density (BMD) is uncertain. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between MAFLD and BMD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included subjects aged ≥ 50 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018. Multivariate linear regression models were performed to investigate the association between MAFLD and BMD. Moreover, the relationship between MAFLD and osteoporosis was assessed using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Finally, 817 participants (non-MAFLD, n = 436; MAFLD, n = 381) were included in the final analysis. The results demonstrated that participants with MAFLD showed higher femoral BMDs than those without MAFLD, especially among males aged ≥ 50 years and females aged ≥ 65 years. Moreover, the results showed that obese men (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with MAFLD had higher femoral BMDs than the control group according to subgroup analyses stratified by BMI, but this trend was not present in women. In addition, multiple logistic regression models showed that participants with MAFLD had no increased risks of osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: The present study found that the MAFLD population has higher BMD and a lower risk of osteoporosis than those without MAFLD. Because the present study was a cross-sectional study, we could not identify the cause-effect relation between MAFLD and BMD. Therefore, additional research needs to be performed to explore the influences of MAFLD on bone metabolism in the future.

Radiographic OA, bone marrow lesions, higher body mass index and medial meniscal root tears are significantly associated with medial meniscus extrusion with OA or medial meniscal tears: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Medial meniscus extrusion (MME) refers to the protrusion of the medial meniscus beyond the tibial edge by more than 3 mm, leading to a deficiency of the hoop strain. MME commonly occurs in conjunction with osteoarthritis (OA) or medial meniscal tears (MMT). However, factors associated with concomitant MME in patients with OA or MMT have not been systematically reviewed. This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify factors associated with concomitant MME in OA or MMT. METHODS: The systematic review of the literature was performed according to PRISMA. A literature search was conducted in 4 databases. All original human studies that reported the available evidence on factors associated with concomitant MME in patients with OA or MMT were included. Pooled binary variables were analyzed by odds ratios (OR) and 95% CIs, and pooled continuous variables were evaluated by mean difference (MD) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: Ten studies on OA (5993 patients) and eight studies on MMT (872 patients) met the inclusion criteria. The overall pooled incidence of MME was 43% (95% CI, 37-50%) for OA, 61% (95% CI 43-77%) for MMT, and 85% (95% CI 72-94%) for medial meniscal root tears (MMRT). For the population with OA, Factors significantly associated with MME included radiographic OA [OR 4.24; 95% CI 3.07-5.84; P < 0.0001], bone marrow lesions [OR, 3.35; 95% CI 1.61-6.99; P = 0.0013], cartilage damage [OR, 3.25; 95% CI 1.60-6.61; P = 0.0011], and higher body mass index (BMI) [MD, 1.81; 95% CI 1.15-2.48; P < 0.0001]. Factors strongly associated with increased risk of MME for MMT included medial meniscal root [OR, 8.39; 95% CI 2.84-24.82; P < 0.0001] and radial tears [OR, 2.64; 95% CI 1.18-5.92; P < 0.0001]. CONCLUSION: Radiographic OA, bone marrow lesions, cartilage damage, and higher BMI were significantly associated with concomitant MME with OA. Furthermore, medial meniscal root and radial tears were significantly associated with an increased risk of MME in patients with MMT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

High-Resolution Low-Power Hyperspectral Line-Scan Imaging of Fast Cellular Dynamics Using Azo-Enhanced Raman Scattering Probes.

Small-molecule Raman probes for cellular imaging have attracted great attention owing to their sharp peaks that are sensitive to environmental changes. The small cross section of molecular Raman scattering limits dynamic cellular Raman imaging to expensive and complex coherent approaches that acquire single-channel images and lose hyperspectral Raman information. We introduce a new method, dynamic azo-enhanced Raman imaging (DAERI), to couple the new class of azo-enhanced Raman probes with a high-speed line-scan Raman imaging system. DAERI achieved high-resolution low-power imaging of fast cellular dynamics resolved at ∼270 nm along the confocal direction, 75 µW/µm2 and 3.5 s/frame. Based on the azo-enhanced Raman probes with characteristic signals 102-104 stronger than classic Raman labels, DAERI was not restricted to the cellular Raman-silent region as in prior work and enabled multiplex visualization of organelle motions and interactions. We anticipate DAERI to be a powerful tool for future studies in biophysics and cell biology.

Nocturnal sleep duration and bone mineral density: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2014.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep duration and bone mineral density (BMD) and determine whether vitamin D (VD) status influenced the association between sleep duration and BMD. METHODS: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2014 participants aged ≥ 40 years were included in this study. BMD testing was conducted with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry examinations. Moreover, all individuals were divided into four groups according to self-reported nocturnal sleep duration (7-8 h; 6 h; < 6 h; and > 8 h). In addition, the differences in BMD between the normal sleep duration group and other groups were calculated using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Overall, the median age of the overall study population was 55.00 years old, with 46.97% of men distributed. Participants sleeping > 8 h/night had lower BMDs than those sleeping 7-8 h/night. Moreover, the association between unhealthy sleep duration (especially > 8 h/night) and low BMD was more pronounced in older individuals, men, postmenopausal women, and subjects with inadequate VD intakes (< 15.00 µg/day) or deficient/insufficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (< 75.00 nmol/L). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, unhealthy sleep duration, especially long sleep duration, was associated with decreased BMD, particularly among individuals aged > 60 years, men, or postmenopausal women. Moreover, VD status might influence the association between sleep duration and BMD, especially in the context of inadequate VD intake or deficient/insufficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. However, given the limitations of the present study, further investigation is warranted to confirm this association and to explore potential mechanisms.

Vibrational Fingerprint Analysis of an Azo-based Resonance Raman Scattering Probe for Imaging Proton Distribution in Cellular Lysosomes.

Due to the fundamental mechanism of vibrational state transitions for chemical bonds, the spectra of Raman scattering are narrow-banded and photostable signals capable of probing specific reactions. In the case of protonation/deprotonation reactions, certain chemical bonds are broken and new bonds are formed. Based on the changes of the vibrational modes for the corresponding bonds, fingerprint analysis of multiple Raman bands may allow for the in situ visualization of proton distribution in live cells. However, Raman scattering faces the well-known challenge of low sensitivity. To perform the vibrational fingerprint analysis of Raman scattering by overcoming this challenge, we developed an azo-based resonance Raman pH probe. It was an azobenzene-featured small molecule responsive to protons with the inherent Raman signal ∼104-fold more intense than that of the conventional alkyne-type Raman reporter 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine. Through the substitution of the electron-donating and -withdrawing entities to the azobenzene group, the effect of resonance Raman scattering and fluorescence quenching was obtained. This effect resulted in a significant Raman enhancement factor of ∼103 compared to the counterpart molecules without the molecular design. Based on the enhanced Raman sensitivity of the azo-based resonance Raman pH probe, the identification of vibrational fingerprint changes at the azo group was achieved during the protonation/deprotonation reactions, and the vibrational fingerprint analysis resolved a pH difference of less than 0.2 unit. The method enabled sensitive hyperspectral cell imaging that clearly visualized the change of proton distribution in autophagic cells.

High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Is Negatively Correlated with Bone Mineral Density and Has Potential Predictive Value for Bone Loss.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that lipids play important roles in bone metabolism. However, the association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and bone mineral density (BMD) is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the linear or nonlinear relation between HDL-C levels and BMD and addressed whether the HDL-C levels had the potential values for predicting the risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia. METHODS: Two researchers independently extracted all information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Participants over 20 years of age with available HDL-C and BMD data were enrolled in the final analysis. The linear relationship between HDL-C levels and BMD was assessed using multivariate linear regression models. Moreover, the nonlinear relationship was also characterized by fitted smoothing curves and generalized additive models. In addition, the odds ratio (OR) for osteopenia and osteoporosis was evaluated with multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: The weighted multivariable linear regression models demonstrated that HDL-C levels displayed an inverse association with BMD, especially among females and subjects aged 30 to 39 or 50 to 59. Moreover, the nonlinear relationship characterized by smooth curve fittings and generalized additive models suggested that (i) HDL-C levels displayed an inverted U-shaped relationship with BMD among women 30 to 39 or over 60 years of age; (ii) HDL-C levels exhibited a U-shaped association with BMD among women 20 to 29 or 50 to 59 years of age. In addition, females with high HDL levels (62-139 mg/dL) had an increased risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that HDL-C levels exhibit an inverse correlation with BMD. Especially in females, clinicians need to be alert to patients with high HDL-C levels, which may indicate an increased risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia. For these patients, close monitoring of BMD and early intervention may be necessary.

Advancing universal health coverage in China and Vietnam: lessons for other countries.

BACKGROUND: China and Vietnam have made impressive progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) through government-led health insurance reforms. We compared the different pathways used to achieve UHC, to identify the lessons other countries can learn from China and Vietnam. METHODS: This was a mixed method study which included a literature review, in-depth interviews and secondary data analysis. We conducted a literature search in English and Chinese databases, and reviewed policy documents from internal contacts. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 policy makers, government bureaucrats, health insurance scholars in China and Vietnam. Secondary data was collected from National Health Statistics Reports, Health Insurance Statistical Reports and National Health Household Surveys carried out in both countries. We used population insurance coverage, insurance policies, reimbursement rates, number of households experiencing catastrophic heath expenditure (CHE) and incidence of impoverishment due to health expenditure (IHE) to measure the World Health Organization's three dimensions of UHC: population coverage, service coverage, and financial coverage. RESULTS: China has increased population coverage through strong political commitment and extensive government financial subsidies to expand coverage. Vietnam expanded population coverage gradually, by prioritizing the poor and the near-poor in an incremental way. In China, insurance service packages varied across regions and schemes and were greatly determined by financial contributions, resulting in limited service coverage in less developed areas. Vietnam focused on providing a comprehensive and universal service packages for all enrollees thereby approaching UHC in a more equitable manner. CHE rate decreased in Vietnam but increased in China between 2003 and 2008. While Vietnam has decreased the CHE gap between urban and rural populations, China suffers from persistent disparities among population income levels and geographic location. CHE and CHE rates were still high in lower income groups. CONCLUSION: Political commitment, sustainable financial sources and administrative capacity are strong driving factors in achieving UHC through health insurance reform. Health insurance schemes need to consider covering essential health services for all beneficiaries and providing government subsidies for vulnerable populations' in order to help achieve health for all.

A smart preparation strategy for point-of-care cellular counting of trace volumes of human blood.

Blood counting is one of the most commonly ordered clinical assays, and is often part of the basis for initial diagnosis and screening for disease. While substantial prior research has shown the ability of portable instruments to accurately produce blood counts through image- or flow-based cytometry, these methods require complex sample preparation using either costly commercial imaging chambers or complicated reagents. To address these issues, in this paper we developed a method to prepare trace volumes of whole blood aimed at portable blood counting. The strategy is based on pre-storing dry-form reagents and fabricating a specifically designed cell counter. In order to obtain total cell counts for red blood cells, platelets, and 3-part differentials of white blood cells, two parallel counting chambers with different depths are made from cost- and environmentally friendly materials using soft lithography. As little as 1 µl of whole blood is prepared with pre-stored reagents in centrifuge vials, whereas red blood cells are sphered and white blood cells are stained at the same time. Driven by the capillary force, prepared blood samples enter the hydrophilic chambers automatically. Monolayers of cells are formed when the blood dilution factors and the chamber depths are co-optimized. Combined with our previous custom-built instrument and automated analysis algorithm, the sample preparation strategy allows producing counting results with excellent agreement to a gold-standard clinical hematology instrument. The success of this preparation method may further advance applications of our technology for global use in low-resource settings where central hematology laboratories are not accessible. Graphical abstract Graphical Abstract.

Single-Bead Quantification of Peptide Loading Distribution for One-Bead One-Compound Library Synthesis Using Confocal Raman Spectroscopy.

We report an analytical method to determine peptide loading of "one-bead one-compound" (OBOC) combinatorial peptide libraries at single-bead level. The quantification is based on a linear relationship between the amount of N-terminal amino groups on individual peptide beads and the intensity of Raman signal obtained from a specifically designed reporter labeled on amino groups. Confocal Raman spectroscopy was employed to characterize peptide loading of beads with defined peptide sequences and from OBOC combinatorial peptide libraries. Although amine loading of blank TentaGel beads was found to be uniform, peptide loading among beads of OBOC peptide libraries varied substantially, particularly for those libraries with long sequences. Construction of OBOC libraries can be monitored with this novel analytical technique so that synthetic conditions can be optimized for the preparation of high-quality OBOC peptide libraries. As the variability of peptide loading of individual library beads can significantly influence the screening results, quantitative information obtained by this method will allow us to gain insight into the complexity and challenge of OBOC library synthesis and screening.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome with esophagus involvement and six-year follow-up: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare, noninherited disease characterized by gastrointestinal polyposis with diarrhea and ectodermal abnormalities. CCS polyps are distributed through the whole digestive tract, and they are common in the stomach and colon but very uncommon in the esophagus. CASE SUMMARY: Here, we present a case of a 63-year-old man with skin hyperpigmentation accompanied by diarrhea, alopecia, and loss of his fingernails. Laboratory data indicated anemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypocalcemia, hypokalemia, and positive fecal occult blood. Endoscopy showed numerous polyps scattered throughout the digestive tract, including the esophagus. He was treated with nutritional support and glucocorticoids with remission of his symptoms. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive treatment led by hormonal therapy can result in partial or full remission of clinical symptoms. Treatment should be individualized for each patient according to their therapy response. Surveillance endoscopy is necessary for assessing mucosal disease activity and detecting malignant transformation.

Association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cohort study.

Background: Chronic inflammation is implicated in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammation that has been linked to cardiovascular and diabetic kidney diseases. However, the link between NLR and DR remains unclear. As such, this study investigated the association between NLR and DR in Chinese patients. Method: A total of 857 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without DR at baseline between 2018 and 2021, from a single center in Ningbo, China, were included. Baseline clinical data, including age, sex, T2DM duration, hypertension, smoking, drinking, glycated hemoglobin level, lipid profile, renal function, and NLR, were recorded and analyzed. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to assess the association between NLR and the risk for incident DR. Results: During a median follow-up of 3.0 years, 140 patients developed DR. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident DR across ascending NLR quartiles (≤1.46 [reference], 1.47-1.90, 1.91-2.45 and > 2.45) were 1.000, 1.327 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.754-2.334), 1.555 (95% CI 0.913-2.648) and 2.217 (95% CI 1.348-3.649), respectively. For each 1-standard deviation increase in NLR, the risk for DR increased by 29.2% (HR 1.292 [95% CI 1.112-1.501) after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusion: Results revealed that a higher NLR at baseline was associated with an increased risk for incident DR. NLR has the potential to be an inexpensive, reliable, and valuable clinical measure that merits further exploration in future studies.

Associations of the serum vitamin D with mortality in postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE: Current evidence on the association of serum vitamin D with mortality in postmenopausal women is limited and inconsistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum vitamin D and mortality in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In this study, we used data from the NHANES (2001-2018) and conducted a multivariate Cox regression model to examine associations between serum vitamin D and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality (CVD), and cancer mortality. RESULTS: In a median follow-up period of 8.3 years, 1905 deaths of all causes were reported, 601 were due to CVD, and 385 deaths were due to cancer. After multivariable adjustment, higher serum vitamin D levels were significantly associated with a reduced risk of death. Compared to participants with lower vitamin D levels (<25 nmol/L), those with higher vitamin D levels (≥75.0 nmol/L) had a lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.60, 95 % confidence interval 0.49 to 0.74), a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality (0.51, 0.35 to 0.74), and a lower risk of cancer mortality (0.43, 0.28 to 0.67). Moreover, we observed an L-shaped dose-response relationship of serum vitamin D levels with all-cause mortality, and cancer mortality, with this inflexion point being 55.9 nmol/L, and 51.2 nmol/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concentrations of serum vitamin D substantially correlated with a reduction in mortality risk from all-cause, CVD, and cancer in postmenopausal women. These results imply that upholding adequate vitamin D levels may help prevent premature death in postmenopausal women.

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and chronic low back pain.

Background: The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has become a major public health problem globally. However, no studies have specifically examined the relationship between SSB intake and chronic low back pain (CLBP). Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between SSB intake and the risk of CLBP. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants aged 20 to 69 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CLBP was defined as persistent LBP for a consecutive three-month period. Furthermore, SSB intake was assessed and calculated based on dietary recall interviews. Moreover, survey-weighted logistic regression models were employed to evaluate the association between SSB intake and the risk of CLBP, while the restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to determine whether there were nonlinear associations between SSB intake and CLBP risk. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed using stratification and interaction analysis for all covariates. Results: A total of 4,146 participants (mean age: 43.405 years) were enrolled in the final analysis. The results of survey-weighted logistic regression models showed that SSB consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of CLBP among individuals aged 20 to 69 years. Moreover, the results of subgroup analysis and interaction analysis demonstrated that the association between SSB intake and the risk of CLBP was modified by smoking status and hypertension. Specifically, the SSB intake-associated CLBP risk was more pronounced among current smokers or individuals with hypertension. Conclusion: Reduction of SSB consumption might contribute to the prevention of CLBP for individuals aged 20 to 69 years. Moreover, current smokers or individuals with hypertension should be more vigilant about the SSB intake-associated CLBP risk. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when interpreting the results of this study, as further research is necessary to explore the association between SSB consumption and CLBP, given the limitations of the current study.

Electrodynamic interaction between tumor treating fields and microtubule electrophysiological activities.

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) are a type of sinusoidal alternating current electric field that has proven effective in inhibiting the reproduction of dividing tumor cells. Despite their recognized impact, the precise biophysical mechanisms underlying the unique effects of TTFields remain unknown. Many of the previous studies predominantly attribute the inhibitory effects of TTFields to mitotic disruption, with intracellular microtubules identified as crucial targets. However, this conceptual framework lacks substantiation at the mesoscopic level. This study addresses the existing gap by constructing force models for tubulin and other key subcellular structures involved in microtubule electrophysiological activities under TTFields exposure. The primary objective is to explore whether the electric force or torque exerted by TTFields significantly influences the normal structure and activities of microtubules. Initially, we examine the potential effect on the dynamic stability of microtubule structures by calculating the electric field torque on the tubulin dimer orientation. Furthermore, given the importance of electrostatics in microtubule-associated activities, such as chromosome segregation and substance transport of kinesin during mitosis, we investigate the interaction between TTFields and these electrostatic processes. Our data show that the electrodynamic effects of TTFields are most likely too weak to disrupt normal microtubule electrophysiological activities significantly. Consequently, we posit that the observed cytoskeleton destruction in mitosis is more likely attributable to non-mechanical mechanisms.

Bead-based spontaneous Raman codes for multiplex immunoassay.

In the immunoassay process, for fulfilling the need to identify multiple analytes in a small amount of complex sample matrix, it is desirable to develop highly efficient and specific multiplex suspension array technology. Raman coding strategy offers an attractive solution to code the suspension arrays by simply combing narrow spectral bands with stable signal intensities through solid-phase synthesis on the resin beads. Based on this strategy, we report the bead-based spontaneous Raman codes for multiplex immunoassay. The study resulted in superior selectivity of the Raman-encoded beads for binding with single and multiple analytes, respectively. With the use of mixed types of Raman-encoded immunoassay beads, multiple targets in small amounts of samples were identified rapidly and accurately. By confirming the feasibility of bead-based spontaneous Raman codes for multiplex immunoassay, we anticipate this novel technology to be widely applied in the near future.

Acne-induced pathological scars: pathophysiology and current treatments.

Acne is a common chronic inflammatory dermatosis that can lead to pathological scars (PSs, divided into hypertrophic scars and keloids). These kinds of abnormal scars seriously reduce the quality of life of patients. However, their mechanism is still unclear, resulting in difficult clinical prevention, unstable treatment effects and a high risk of recurrence. Available evidence supports inflammatory changes caused by infection as one of the keys to abnormal proliferation of skin fibroblasts. In acne-induced PSs, increasing knowledge of the immunopathology indicates that inflammatory cells directly secrete growth factors to activate fibroblasts and release pro-inflammatory factors to promote the formation of PSs. T helper cells contribute to PSs via the secretion of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, the pro-inflammatory factors; while regulatory T cells have anti-inflammatory effects, secrete IL-10 and prostaglandin E2, and suppress fibrosis production. Several treatments are available, but there is a lack of combination regimens to target different aspects of acne-induced PSs. Overall, this review indicates that the joint involvement of inflammatory response and fibrosis plays a crucial role in acne-induced PSs, and also analyzes the interaction of current treatments for acne and PS.