Feasibility of spectral CT-derived extracellular volume fraction for differentiating aldosterone-producing from nonfunctioning adrenal nodules.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of spectral CT-derived extracellular volume (ECV) for differentiating aldosterone-producing nodules (APN) from nonfunctioning adrenal nodules (NFN). METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with biochemically and histologically confirmed unilateral APN (34) and NFN (35) as well as 23 patients with bilateral APN (19) and NFN (27) confirmed biochemically and by adrenal vein sampling (AVS) were enrolled in this retrospective study from October 2020 to April 2022. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal glands with a 10-min delayed phase. The haematocrit level was measured within 2 days of CT. An iodine density map was derived from the delayed CT. The ECV fractions of the APN and NFN were calculated and compared in the test cohort of 69 patients with unilateral adrenal nodules. The optimal cut-off value was determined to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the ECV fraction for differentiating APN from NFN in the validation cohort of 23 patients with bilateral adrenal nodules. RESULTS: The ECV fractions of the APN (11.17 ± 4.57%) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that of the NFN (24.79 ± 6.01%) in the test cohort. At cut-off ECV value of 17.16%, the optimal area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.974 (95% confidence interval: 0.942-1) with 91.4% sensitivity, 93.9% specificity, and 92.8% accuracy in the test cohort and 89.5% sensitivity, 96.3% specificity, and 93.5% accuracy in the validation cohort for differentiating APN from NFN. CONCLUSION: The spectral CT-derived ECV fraction can differentiate APN from NFN with high diagnostic performance. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Spectral CT-derived extracellular volume fraction could accurately differentiate between adrenal aldosterone-producing nodules and nonfunctioning nodules. It might serve as a noninvasive alternative to adrenal vein sampling in primary aldosteronism patients with bilateral adrenal nodules. KEY POINTS: • Conventional CT cannot differentiate aldosterone-producing adrenal nodules from nonfunctioning nodules. • Extracellular volume of adrenal aldosterone-producing nodules was significantly lower than that of nonfunctioning nodules and normal adrenal glands. It can accurately differentiate between aldosterone-producing and nonfunctioning adrenal nodules. • Extracellular volume may be a novel, noninvasive biomarker alternative to adrenal vein sampling for determining the functional status of bilateral adrenal nodules in patients with primary aldosteronism.

Healthcare services efficiency and its intrinsic drivers in China: based on the three-stage super-efficiency SBM model.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to examine the development of healthcare services efficiency in China since the reform of the healthcare system. By examining the development environment of healthcare services in China and examining the driving factors affecting the efficiency of healthcare services, we provide a reference for the future high-quality development of healthcare services in China. METHODS: A three-stage super-efficient slack-based measure (SBM) model with undesirable outputs was used to measure the efficiency of healthcae services in 31 Chinese provinces from 2009 to 2021, and a global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) index was used to assess their spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and internal influencing mechanisms of healthcare services efficiency. RESULTS: The empirical results showed that the efficiency of China's healthcare services changed significantly from 2009-2014 and then remained stable. During the study period, the efficiency of healthcare services in the eastern region was higher than the national level, while it was lower in the western region. The results of the analysis of environmental factors indicated that an increase in population density reduced the redundancy of healthcare input resources and that economic development as well as an increase in government subsidies, contributed to an increase in the redundancy of healthcare input resources. The main contribution to the growth of healthcare sercices efficiency in China came from the technological innovation effect, and the growth was most significant in the western region. CONCLUSION: From 2009 to 2021, the efficiency of national healthcare services generally showed a slow upward trend, and the efficiency of healthcare services varied widely among regions. Under the existing environmental constraints, relevant departments in each region should strengthen technological innovation in healthcare services, completely focus on the regional catch-up effect, and promote the balanced development of regional health.

Strain Transfer Mechanism in Surface-Bonded Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors under Different Strain Fields.

Mastering the strain transfer mechanism in distributed fiber optic (DFO) sensors holds the key to analyzing strain measurement errors from DFO sensing systems. However, the impact of the monitored structure's strain distribution on the strain transfer mechanism in DFO sensors has often been overlooked in the existing research. To address this issue, a strain transfer model of surface-bonded DFO sensors with multilayered structures was established based on the shear lag theory. The closed-form solutions of the strain transfer coefficient of DFO sensors subjected to uniform, parabolic, single-linear gradient, and bilinear gradient strains were obtained. With a high-accuracy optical frequency-domain reflectometer (OFDR), the theoretical model was validated by laboratory tests. Upon parametric analysis, suggestions were further offered about designing and installing DFO sensors.

[Association between HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphisms and genetic susceptibility of early-onset severe preeclampsia]. / HLA-DRB1åŸºå› å¤šæ€æ€§ä¸Žæ—©å‘åž‹é‡åº¦å­ç—«å‰æœŸé—ä¼ æ˜“æ„Ÿæ€§çš„ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of rs3135388, rs114293611 and rs142804168 of HLA-DRB1 gene and early-onset severe preeclampsia (sPE). METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 102 early-onset sPE mothers and their neonates (sPE group), as well as 120 normotensive mothers and their neonates (control group). Sanger sequencing was performed to compare the genotype distribution, allele frequencies, and differences in genotype distribution after maternal-infant compatibility between the two groups. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in genotype distribution at rs114293611 of HLA-DRB1 gene were observed between sPE and control groups in both mothers and neonates (P<0.05). The frequency of the T allele at rs114293611 was higher in the sPE group of neonates than that in the control group (P<0.05), while no significant difference was found between the two groups of mothers (P>0.05). The maternal-infant genotype compatibility analysis showed significant differences in genotype distribution between sPE and control groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequencies at rs3135388 and rs142804168 of HLA-DRB1 gene between the two groups of mothers and neonates (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The SNP at rs114293611 of HLA-DRB1 gene may be associated with the development of early-onset sPE in mothers. Maternal-infant genotype compatibility abnormality at rs114293611 of HLA-DRB1 gene may be a predisposition factor for the development of sPE.

Improvement and Performance Evaluation of a Dual-Probe Heat Pulse Distributed Temperature Sensing Method Used for Soil Moisture Estimation.

Large-scale measurements of soil moisture play a critical role in many fields, such as agriculture, hydrology, and engineering. The distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology, based on a dual-probe heat pulse (DPHP), is a novel approach to realizing large-scale soil moisture estimation. However, the application of the method is limited by the complex optical cable layout, calculation algorithm, and lack of standardized heating strategy. In this paper, an improved DPHP-DTS method considering the soil bulk density was proposed. The measurement accuracy of the DPHP-DTS method under different heating strategies was studied in laboratory experiments, and its long-term stability in regard to the monitoring of soil moisture during natural evaporation in different soils was tested. The results show that the improved DPHP-DTS method can accurately measure the soil moisture, and the fitting algorithm can reduce the error caused by the accuracy of the DTS temperature measurement under the low-power heating strategy. Its measurement accuracy increases with the increase in the heating strength and duration. In addition, the improved DPHP-DTS method can describe soil evaporation in both sand and loess with good reliability and stability.

An ectopic ureter inserting into epididymis combined with ipsilateral duplex kidney in a boy diagnosed by MRI: report of a rare case.

We present the first case of a right ectopic ureter ending in epididymis combined with an ipsilateral complete duplex kidney, presenting with painless right scrotal mass and demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The boy was initially diagnosed as right testicular teratoma by ultrasound, and then underwent surgical treatment. Because of recurrence of right scrotal swelling 1 year later, MR scan was performed. MR images with body coil displayed the entire ectopic ureter, and MR images with small surface coil clearly showed anatomic details of right ureteral ectopia into epididymis. Delayed-enhanced MRI showed contrast agent in the right dilated epididymis. The boy finally received the curative right upper pole nephronureterectomy.

A Fiber Bragg-Grating-Based Miniature Sensor for the Fast Detection of Soil Moisture Profiles in Highway Slopes and Subgrades.

A fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based aluminum oxide tube packed sensor (ATPS) was developed for the fast detection of the soil moisture profile in highway slopes and subgrades. The novel ATPS consists of an aluminum oxide tube with a diameter of 5 mm, an optical fiber containing a quasi-distributed FBG sensors, a "U"-shaped resistance wire, and a flange. There are four 0.9-mm diameter holes in the ATPS. Laboratory experiments were carried out to calibrate the relationship between the thermal response of ATPS and the soil moisture content. Two laboratory rainfall validation model tests were performed to validate the ATPS for capturing the soil moisture profile in highway slopes and subgrades. During the validations, the accuracy of the ATPS was quantified, and water infiltration through grassy and grassless ground surfaces were investigated. The calibrations indicate that the ATPS can detect and record real-time changes in the highway slope and subgrade moisture after rainfall, and reveal the most dangerous zones that occur at the connection between different construction materials. The average measurement accuracy of soil moisture monitoring was 0.015 m³/m³. Please note that the connection is where cracks form easily and the soil hydraulic conductivity increases significantly. The test results also indicate that grassy cover (lawn) significantly prevents water infiltration during the first few minutes of rainfall (twelve minutes in this study), after which, however, the infiltration rate drops sharply. The influence of lawn on water infiltration depends on the soil structure, hydraulic conductivity, and rainfall time. In summary, due to its small size and fast detection, the ATPS is a portable probe that can be used for moisture monitoring in highway slopes and subgrades.

Determining ideal offsets of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy for transcutaneous measurements-A Monte Carlo study.

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is valuable for noninvasive bone assessment but requires a clearer understanding of how offset distances influence detection depth. To address this, our study devised a forward-adjoint Monte Carlo multi-layer (MCML) model to simulate photon paths in SORS, aiming to determine optimal offsets for various tissue types. We examined photon migration at offsets between 0 and 15 mm against layered phantoms of differing thicknesses and compositions to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio for bone layers. The findings highlight that optimal offsets are contingent on tissue characteristics: a metacarpal beneath 2.5 mm of tissue had an ideal offset of 6.7 mm, while a tibia with 5 mm of soft tissue required 10-11 mm. This precise calibration of SORS via MCML modeling promises substantial improvements in bone health diagnostics and potential for expansive medical applications.

Dual regulation of thermal conductivity and mechanical performance of nano cellulose-based composite via mimicking plant cell wall structure.

Combining thermal conductive fillers and flexible polymers is an agile approach to fabricating composites with heat-conducting performance. However, the thermal conductivity of the composites is hard to reach an equal level to the functional fillers. The mainspring is that the thermally conductive pathways within the composite could not be well-constructed due to the air-induced interface thermal resistance. Herein, inspired by the plant cell wall structure, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with abundant hydroxyl groups was adopted as a binder for boosting the thermally conductive pathways construction between cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and alkalized hexagonal boron nitride (BN-OH), also for strengthening the mechanical performance of the composite. The results showed that the tensile strength and through-plane thermal conductivity of the composite were high up to 91.0 MPa and 2.2 W m-1 K-1 at 40 wt% PVA content, exhibiting 121 % and 450 % enhancements compared to pure CNF film (41.2 MPa and 0.4 W m-1 K-1). Moreover, the composite also presented high thermal stability (decomposition temperature of onset was 218 °C) and good hydrophobicity properties. Overall, this study innovatively proposes an idea for enhancing the thermal conductivity and improving the mechanical properties of the composite, which is indispensable for developing thermal management materials for next-generation electronics.

Unlocking high-efficiency charge storage: Co-assembled nanoparticles of lignin and polyaniline molecules.

Redox-active lignin rich in phenolic hydroxyl groups is an ingenious charge storage material. However, its insulating nature limits the storage/release of electrons and requires the construction of electron transfer channels within it. Herein, nanoparticles (PANI/DKL-NPs) are prepared by co-assembly via π-π interactions between conducting polyaniline (PANI) and demethylated Kraft lignin (DKL) molecules for the first time, and rapid electron transfer inside DKL is achieved. The co-assembled PANI/DKL-NPs consist of interpenetrating structures of PANI and DKL at the molecular scale, and the content of PANI molecules interspersed within them is controllable. Meanwhile, the extensive and abundant mesoporous structure in nanoscale PANI/DKL-NPs facilitates ion transport and electron storage. Based on this favorable microstructure, the specific capacitance of PANI/DKL-NPs at 1 A·g-1 is as high as 532 F·g-1, which is 780 % and 90.68 % higher compared to DKL-NPs and PANI-NPs, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate performance of PANI/DKL-NPs is significantly enhanced than that of DKL-NPs (33.11 %) and comparable to that of PANI-NPs (more than 69 %). Furthermore, the symmetric supercapacitor (PANI/DKL-NPs//PANI/DKL-NPs) assembled from it achieves a high energy density of 27.49 Wh·kg-1 at 400 W·kg-1 power density, and superb flexibility and mechanical stability. Therefore, the co-assembly of DKL and PANI will effectively stimulate the energy storage potential of lignin, providing a practical pathway to promote the development of biopolymers in energy storage.

Enzymatic hydrolysis pretreatment combined with glycosylation for soybean protein isolate applying in dual-protein yogurt.

This research investigated the viability of replacing milk protein with glycosylated soybean protein isolate (SPI) treated with different enzymatic hydrolysis times (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min) in yogurt. The results showed that enzymatic hydrolysis pretreatment combined with glycosylation for SPI exhibited elevated grafting and solubility. Additionally, the high solubility of SPI (94.77 %) at 40 min facilitates the preparation of dual-protein yogurt (DPY). Compared to ESPI0-G, DPY that incorporates ESPI40-G through partial substitution of milk protein is capable of forming a denser and more stable gel matrix. Especially, the syneresis of DPY40 was reduced by 7.61 % compared to DPY0, which more closely approximates the texture properties of traditional yogurt. Meanwhile, glycosylated SPI treated with enzymatic hydrolysis can effectively degrade the beany flavor and slightly bitter taste in DPY. This study could provide a solid theoretical basis for the broader application and industrialization of plant-based yogurt.

Raman spectroscopic analysis for osteoporosis identification in humans with hip fractures.

Osteoporosis is a significant health concern. While multiple techniques have been utilized to diagnose this condition, certain limitations still persist. Raman spectroscopy has shown promise in predicting bone strength in animal models, but its application to humans requires further investigation. In this study, we present an in vitro approach for predicting osteoporosis in 10 patients with hip fractures using Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra were acquired from exposed femoral heads collected during surgery. Employing a leave-one-out cross-validated linear discriminant analysis (LOOCV-LDA), we achieved accurate classification (90 %) between osteoporotic and osteopenia groups. Additionally, a LOOCV partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis based on the complete Raman spectra demonstrated a significant prediction (r2 = 0.84, p < 0.05) of bone mineral density as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first successful demonstration of Raman spectroscopy correlating with osteoporotic status in humans.

Morphology, surface characteristics and tribological properties of whey protein/chitosan composite particles and their fat replacing effect in O/W emulsion.

Whey protein isolate (WPI) and chitosan were used to fabricate WPI/chitosan composite particles at temperatures of 75 °C (WPI/chitosan-75) and 95 °C (WPI/chitosan-95). The morphologic structure, surface properties, and the resulting tribological characteristics of the particles were investigated. The composite particles showed larger particle size than pure WPI particles (WPI-75) (~ 509 nm), with WPI/chitosan-95 the largest (932 nm). WPI/chitosan-75 showed complete core-shell structure from microstructure results. The dispersion of WPI/chitosan-75 exhibited higher surface hydrophobicity but lower viscosity compared to WPI/chitosan-95. Tribological analysis revealed that WPI/chitosan composite particles showed dramatically lower friction coefficient (µ) than pure WPI particles at sliding speed <10 mm/s and WPI/chitosan-75 demonstrated superior lubrication effects. With the presence of artificial saliva, the µ of WPI-75 was greatly lowered at sliding speed <16 mm/s, while the values of WPI/chitosan-75 only showed a slight decrease at sliding speed <1 mm/s. Chitosan might have played the similar role as artificial saliva in lubricating on the hydrophobic surface. Moreover, the incorporation of 0.5 % WPI/chitosan-75 in the low-fat (5 %) oil-in-water emulsion led to even lower µ than full-fat (20 %) emulsion at sliding speed <10 mm/s. Hence, WPI/chitosan-75 exhibited promising potential as a fat replacement and biolubricant.

Growth of ZnO nanorods/flowers on the carbon fiber surfaces using sodium alginate as medium to enhance the mechanical properties of composites.

The chemical inertness of the carbon fiber (CF) surface results in suboptimal mechanical properties of the prepared composites. To address this issue, we employed a combination of tannic acid and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane mixture (TA-APTES) grafted sodium alginate (SA) as a medium to enhance the interfacial properties of composites through the growth of ZnO nanoparticles on CF surfaces. ZnO nanolayers with rod-like and flower-like structures were obtained by adjusting the pH of the reaction system (pH = 10 and 12, respectively). Characterization results show that in comparison with the untreated CF composites, in the flexural strength, flexural modulus, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the as-prepared CF/TA-APTES/SA/ZnO10 (nanorods) composites were improved by 40.8 %, 58.4 %, 44.9 % and 47.8 %, respectively. The prepared CF/TA-APTES/SA/ZnO12 (nanoflowers) composite showed an increase in flexural strength, flexural modulus, ILSS and IFSS by 39.8 %, 63.6 %, 47.3 % and 48.2 %, respectively. These positive results indicate that the ZnO nanolayers increase the interfacial phase area and fiber surface roughness, thereby enhancing mechanical interlocking and load transfer between the fibers and resin matrix. This work provides a novel interfacial modification method for preparing CF composites used in longer and more durable wind turbine blades.

Acidic biofilm microenvironment-responsive ROS generation via a protein nanoassembly with hypoxia-relieving and GSH-depleting capabilities for efficient elimination of biofilm bacteria.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are widely considered to the effective therapeutics for fighting bacterial infections especially those associated with biofilm. However, biofilm microenvironments including hypoxia, limited H2O2, and high glutathione (GSH) level seriously limit the therapeutic efficacy of ROS-based strategies. Herein, we have developed an acidic biofilm microenvironment-responsive antibacterial nanoplatform consisting of copper-dopped bovine serum albumin (CBSA) loaded with copper peroxide (CuO2) synthesized in situ and indocyanine green (ICG). The three-in-one nanotherapeutics (CuO2/ICG@CBSA) are capable of releasing Cu2+ and H2O2 in a slightly acidic environment, where Cu2+ catalyzes the conversion of H2O2 into hydroxyl radical (•OH) and consumes the highly expressed GSH to disrupt the redox homeostasis. With the assistance of an 808 nm laser, the loaded ICG not only triggers the production of singlet oxygen (1O2) by a photodynamic process, but also provides photonic hyperpyrexia that further promotes the Fenton-like reaction for enhancing •OH production and induces thermal decomposition of CuO2 for the O2-self-supplying 1O2 generation. The CuO2/ICG@CBSA with laser irradiation demonstrates photothermal-augmented multi-mode synergistic bactericidal effect and is capable of inhibiting biofilm formation and eradicating the biofilm bacteria. Further in vivo experiments suggest that the CuO2/ICG@CBSA can effectively eliminate wound infections and accelerate wound healing. The proposed three-in-one nanotherapeutics with O2/H2O2-self-supplied ROS generating capability show great potential in treating biofilm-associated bacterial infections. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Here, we have developed an acidic biofilm microenvironment-responsive nanoplatform consisting of copper-dopped bovine serum albumin (CBSA) loaded with copper peroxide (CuO2) synthesized in situ and indocyanine green (ICG). The nanotherapeutics (CuO2/ICG@CBSA) are capable of releasing Cu2+ and H2O2 in an acidic environment, where Cu2+ catalyzes the conversion of H2O2 into •OH and consumes the overexpressed GSH to improve oxidative stress. With the aid of an 808 nm laser, ICG provides photonic hyperpyrexia for enhancing •OH production, and triggers O2-self-supplying 1O2 generation. CuO2/ICG@CBSA with laser irradiation displays photothermal-augmented multi-mode antibacterial and antibiofilm effect. Further in vivo experiments prove that CuO2/ICG@CBSA effectively eliminates wound infection and promotes wound healing. The proposed three-in-one nanotherapeutics show great potential in treating biofilm-associated bacterial infections.

Artemisinin attenuates perinatal inflammation and consequent oxidative stress in oligodendrocyte precursor cells by inhibiting IRAK-4 and IRAK-1.

BACKGROUND: The main causes of abnormal white matter development (periventricular leukomalacia) in premature infants are perinatal inflammation and the consequent oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs); however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this work, a rat model of prenatal inflammation was used to examine the mechanism by which artemisinin (ART) protects against white matter dysplasia. METHODS: We established a primary OPC model and rat model of perinatal inflammation. ART was identified from the FDA-approved medicinal chemical library to be beneficial for treating OPC inflammation in model systems. Based on bioinformatics analysis of protein interactions and molecular docking analysis, we further identified the possible targets of ART and evaluated its specific effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Following inflammatory stimulation, ART strongly promoted the maturation of OPCs and the development of white matter in the brain. A Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) demonstrated that interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4 (IRAK-4) and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-1 (IRAK-1) may be targets of ART, which was consistent with the findings from molecular modelling with Autodock software. Experiments conducted both in vivo and in vitro demonstrated the activation of the IRAK-4/IRAK-1/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway and the production of inflammatory factors (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α) in OPCs were greatly suppressed in the group treated with ART compared to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated group. Moreover, ART dramatically decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in OPCs while increasing nuclear factor e2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that ART can significantly reduce OPC perinatal inflammation and consequent oxidative stress. The targeted inhibition of IRAK-4 and IRAK-1 by ART may be a potential therapeutic strategy for alleviating abnormalities in white matter development in premature newborns.

The association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants one month after birth. Methods: Preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2017 to 2022 were divided into ROP and non-ROP groups based on ROP occurrence any stage. Serum 25(OH)D levels and clinical data were compared between the two groups at 1 month after birth, and the relationship between vitamin D levels and ROP was analyzed. Results: Among the 217 premature infants included, 55 (25.35%) were in the ROP group, and 162 (74.65%) were in the non-ROP group. The ROP group had lower gestational age and birth weight, longer invasive ventilation (IV), non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and oxygen therapy times compared to the non-ROP group. Apgar scores, cesarean delivery, and antenatal steroids ratios were lower in the ROP group, while sepsis and pulmonary surfactant utilization ratios were higher (all p < 0.05). Significant differences in serum 25-(OH)D levels were observed among children in the non-ROP group (14.20 ± 5.07 ng/ml), ROP treated group (7.891 ± 1.878 ng/ml), and untreated group (12.168 ± 4.354 ng/ml) (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis identified antenatal steroids as protective factors and lower birth weight, serum 25-(OH)D levels, long-term invasive mechanical ventilation, and sepsis as independent risk factors for ROP in premature infants. Conclusion: Vitamin D, lower birth weight, long-term invasive mechanical ventilation, and sepsis were associated with incidence of ROP in preterm infants. Vitamin D was associated with the severity of ROP, emphasizing the importance of prudent vitamin D supplementation and regular monitoring of serum 25-(OH)D levels.

Application of soy protein isolate-naringenin complexes as fat replacers in low-fat cream: Based on protein conformational changes, aggregation states and interfacial adsorption behavior.

In this study, changes in the structural and functional properties of soybean protein isolate (SPI)-naringenin (NG) complexes under different amounts of naringenin treatments were explored, elucidating the effect of the complexes as fat replacers at the 15 % substitution level on the properties of low-fat cream. Finally, the correlation between the structure and function of the complex and the properties of low-fat cream was further analyzed. The addition of NG promotes the increase of SPI aggregation and particle size, and reduces the interfacial tension of the complex. Meanwhile, at the mass ratio of 48:3, NG and SPI formed a dendritic network structure suitable for stabilizing cream. The fat properties of cream indicate that low-fat creams stabilized by appropriate proportions of SPI-NG complexes displayed small and dense fat crystal network structures. In addition, low-fat cream stabilized by the SPI-NG complexes have improved whipping time, overrun, firmness, storage stability and rheological properties compared to natural SPI. It is worth noting that the overall quality of the cream stabilized by the SPI-NG complex with a mass ratio of 48:3 was almost close to that of full-fat cream. Therefore, this study promotes the potential applications of protein-polyphenol complexes as fat replacers in the food industry.

Epidemiology, microbiology and antibiotic treatment of bacterial and fungal meningitis among very preterm infants in China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal meningitis significantly contributes to neonatal morbidity and mortality, yet large-scale epidemiological data in developing countries, particularly among very preterm infants (VPIs), remain sparse. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of meningitis among VPIs in China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using the Chinese Neonatal Network database from 2019 to 2021. SETTING: 79 tertiary neonatal intensive care units in China. PATIENTS: Infants with gestational age <32 weeks or birth weight <1500 g. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, pathogen distribution, antimicrobial use and outcomes of bacterial and fungal meningitis. RESULTS: Of 31 915 VPIs admitted, 122 (0.38%) infants were diagnosed with culture-confirmed meningitis, with 14 (11.5%) being early-onset (≤6 days of age) and 108 (88.5%) being late-onset (>6 days of age). The overall in-hospital mortality was 18.0% (22/122). A total of 127 pathogens were identified, among which 63.8% (81/127) were Gram-negative bacteria, 24.4% (31/127) were Gram-positive bacteria and 11.8% (15/127) were fungi. In terms of empirical therapy (on the day of the first lumbar puncture), the most commonly used antibiotic was meropenem (54.9%, 67/122). For definitive therapy (on the sixth day following the first lumbar puncture, 86 cases with available antibiotic data), meropenem (60.3%, 35/58) and vancomycin (57.1%, 16/28) were the most used antibiotics for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial meningitis, respectively. 44% of infants with Gram-positive bacterial meningitis and 52% with Gram-negative bacterial meningitis received antibiotics for more than 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: 0.38% of VPIs in Chinese neonatal intensive care units were diagnosed with meningitis, experiencing significant mortality and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Gram-negative bacteria were the predominant pathogens, with fungi emerging as a significant cause.

Controllable synthesis of lignin nanoparticles with antibacterial activity and analysis of its antibacterial mechanism.

As a kind of polyphenol substance, lignin is considered to have good biological activity and certain antibacterial properties. However, it is difficult to be applied because of its uneven molecular weight and difficulty in separation. In this study, by way of fractionation and antisolvent, we obtained lignin fractions with different molecular weight. Moreover, we increased the content of active functional groups and regulated microstructure of lignin, thereby increased lignin's antibacterial property. The classification of chemical components and the control of particle morphology also provided convenience for the exploration of lignin's antibacterial mechanism. The results showed that acetone with high hydrogen bonding ability could collect lignin with different molecular weights and increase the content of phenolic hydroxyl groups, up to 31.2 %. By adjusting the ratio of water/solvent (v/v) and stirring rate during the process of antisolvent, lignin nanoparticles (sphere 40-300 nm) with regular shape and uniform size can be obtained. Through observing the distribution of lignin nanoparticles in vivo and in vitro after co-incubation for different time, it could be found that lignin nanoparticles firstly damage structural integrity of bacterial cells externally, and then are swallowed into cells to affect their protein synthesis, which constitutes a dynamic antibacterial process.