A finite element analysis of patellofemoral joint biomechanics: Exploring potential causes of postoperative anterior knee pain following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: Anterior knee pain is a common complication following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of anterior knee pain after UKA by examining the biomechanical characteristics of the patellofemoral joint. Methods: This study employs the finite element analysis method. A healthy model of the right lower limb was created using CT scans of an intact right lower limb from a healthy woman. Based on this model, a preoperative pathological model was generated by removing the meniscus and part of the articular cartilage. The UKA prosthesis was then applied to this model with five different bearing thicknesses: 5 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, and 13 mm. To simulate various degrees of knee joint flexion, the femur was rotated relative to the knee joint's rotational axis, producing lower limb models at flexion angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. We applied a constant force from the center of the femoral head to the center of the ankle joint to simulate lower limb loading during squatting. The simulations were conducted using Ansys 17.0. Results: Both overstuffing and understuffing increased the peak stress on the patellar cartilage, with overstuffing having a more pronounced effect. Compared to healthy and balanced models, overstuffed and understuffed models exhibited abnormal stress distribution and stress concentration in the patellar cartilage during knee flexion. Conclusion: Overstuffing and understuffing lead to residual varus or valgus deformities after UKA, causing mechanical abnormalities in the patellofemoral joint. These abnormalities, characterized by irregular stress distribution and excessive stress, result in cartilage damage, exacerbate wear in the patellofemoral joint and consequently lead to the occurrence of anterior knee pain.

Room-Temperature Flexible CNT/Fe2O3 Film Sensor for ppb-Level H2S Detection.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) had room temperature response, large surface area, and excellent mechanical properties, making them favorable for the design of flexible, wearable, and portable gas sensors. However, CNTs were lacking in response and selective response to different gases, such as H2S. Here, we demonstrated a flexible H2S ppb-level gas sensor based on a carbon nanotube/amorphous Fe2O3 (CNT/Fe2O3) film at room temperature, which was fabricated via a simple one-step solvent-thermal method. The CNT/Fe2O3 film gas sensor exhibited a high selective response to H2S (with a response of 55.1% to 100 ppb H2S), rapid reversible response at room temperature (with a response time of ∼127 s to 100 ppb H2S), and low limit of detection to about 2 ppb. Additionally, the CNT/Fe2O3 film maintained good sensing performance under various bending conditions and could be further fabricated into the fiber gas sensor device via wet stretching, retaining response at the ppb level (with a response of 18.6% to 100 ppb H2S). This research on a flexible gas sensor device based on the CNT film/fiber opened up new possibilities for wearable portable electronic device applications.

Photoelectron-promoted metabolism of sulphate-reducing microorganisms in substrate-depleted environments.

Sulphate-reducing microorganisms, or SRMs, are crucial to organic decomposition, the sulphur cycle, and the formation of pyrite. Despite their low energy-yielding metabolism and intense competition with other microorganisms, their ability to thrive in natural habitats often lacking sufficient substrates remains an enigma. This study delves into how Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20, a representative SRM, utilizes photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite (ZnS), a semiconducting mineral that often coexists with SRMs, for its metabolism and energy production. Batch experiments with sphalerite reveal that the initial rate and extent of sulphate reduction by G20 increased by 3.6 and 3.2 times respectively under light conditions compared to darkness, when lactate was not added. Analyses of microbial photoelectrochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data suggest that in the absence of lactate, G20 extracts photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite through cytochromes, nanowires, and electron shuttles. Genes encoding movement and biofilm formation are upregulated, suggesting that G20 might sense redox potential gradients and migrate towards sphalerite to acquire photoelectrons. This process enhances the intracellular electron transfer activity, sulphur metabolism, and ATP production of G20, which becomes dominant under conditions of carbon starvation and extends cell viability in such environments. This mechanism could be a vital strategy for SRMs to survive in energy-limited environments and contribute to sulphur cycling.

[A new secoiridoid from Cornus officinalis].

The chemical constituents from Cornus officinalis were isolated and purified by various techniques such as macroporous adsorption resin, silica gel, octadecylsilyl(ODS), Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The structures of the isolates were determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques such as high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), one-dimensional(1D) and two-dimensional(2D) nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy. Ten compounds were isolated from the aqueous extract of C. officinalis and identified as(±)-cornuscone(1),(-)-(Z)-4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylpropene 4-O-ß-L-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)-ß-D-glucopyranoside(2), kaempferol 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(3), kampferol(4), myricetin(5), trifolin(6), quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(7), quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucuronide-6″-methyl ester(8), quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucuronide-6″-ethyl ester(9) and pyrogallol(10). Compound 1 is a new secoiridoid, named(±)-cornuscone with a rare methyl substitution at the C-1 position. The anti-inflammatory activity of 1 was evaluated in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells in mice. The results showed the median inhibition concentration(IC_(50)) of 1 was(31.15±1.29)µmol·L~(-1), which demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory activity of 1 was significantly superior to that of indomethacin [IC_(50) value of(48.32±1.66)µmol·L~(-1)].

[Research progress on C_(20)-diterpenoid alkaloids and their bioactivities in Ranunculaceae].

C_(20)-diterpenoid alkaloids are mainly distributed in plants of genus Aconitum, Delphinium, and Consolida in the Ranunculaceae. Their chemical structures are mainly categorized into nine types such as atisines, denudatines, hetidines, and hetisines. Bioactivity studies have shown that C_(20)-diterpenoid alkaloids have exhibited superior anti-tumor, analgesic, antiarrhythmic, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, the chemical structures and biological activities of 190 C_(20)-diterpenoid alkaloids reported in the Ranunculaceae from 2002 to the present were summarized, so as to provide a reference for the subsequent research on C_(20)-diterpenoid alkaloids in plants of Ranunculaceae.

A capsule-based scaffold incorporating decellularized extracellular matrix and curcumin for islet beta cell therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The transplantation of islet beta cells offers an alternative to heterotopic islet transplantation for treating type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the use of systemic immunosuppressive drugs in islet transplantation poses significant risks to the body. To address this issue, we constructed an encapsulated hybrid scaffold loaded with islet beta cells. This article focuses on the preparation of the encapsulated structure using 3D printing, which incorporates porcine pancreas decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) to the core scaffold. The improved decellularization method successfully preserved a substantial proportion of protein (such as Collagen I and Laminins) architecture and glycosaminoglycans in the dECM hydrogel, while effectively removing most of the DNA. The inclusion of dECM enhanced the physical and chemical properties of the scaffold, resulting in a porosity of 83.62% ± 1.09% and a tensile stress of 1.85 ± 0.16 MPa. In teams of biological activity, dECM demonstrated enhanced proliferation, differentiation, and expression of transcription factors such as Ki67, PDX1, and NKX6.1, leading to improved insulin secretion function in MIN-6 pancreatic beta cells. In the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion experiment on day 21, the maximum insulin secretion from the encapsulated structure reached 1.96 ± 0.08 mIU ml-1, representing a 44% increase compared to the control group. Furthermore, conventional capsule scaffolds leaverage the compatibility of natural biomaterials with macrophages to mitigate immune rejection. Here, incorporating curcumin into the capsule scaffold significantly reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) secretion by RAW264.7 macrophages and T cells in T1DM mice. This approach protected pancreatic islet cells against immune cell infiltration mediated by inflammatory factors and prevented insulitis. Overall, the encapsulated scaffold developed in this study shows promise as a natural platform for clinical treatment of T1DM.

Association of Right Ventricular Dysfunction with Risk of Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Infants with Pulmonary Hypertension.

(1) Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) increases pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular (RV) afterload. Assessment of RV systolic function in PH using RV fractional area change (RV FAC) as a marker directly correlates with mortality and the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, few studies have assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes. We hypothesize that cardiac RV systolic dysfunction with lower RV FAC is associated with worse neurodevelopmental impairment (NI). (2) Methods: Retrospective study of 42 subjects with PH to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes in the first two years of life based on (i) subjective assessment of RV systolic function and (ii) RV FAC, a specific echocardiographic marker for RV function. (3) Results: Subjects from the initial study cohort (n = 135) with PH who had long-term follow-up were divided into RV dysfunction (study, n = 20) and non-RV dysfunction (control, n = 22) groups. RV FAC in the study vs. control group (0.18 vs. 0.25) was lower (p = 0.00017). There was no statistically significant difference in NI either with RV dysfunction or lower RV FAC. Although not significant, RV dysfunction was associated with longer mean duration of mechanical ventilation, time on ECMO, and length of stay. In the initial cohort (135), mortality was 16.3% and the percentage of NI was 62%. (4) Conclusions: Neonatal pulmonary hypertension is associated with a high degree of neurodevelopment impairment. Early RV systolic dysfunction, as identified by RV FAC, was not an optimal predictive biomarker for infants with PH and neurodevelopmental impairment.

Pancreatic agenesis and altered m6A methylation in the pancreas of PDX1-mutant cynomolgus macaques.

As an essential transcriptional activator, PDX1 plays a crucial role in pancreatic development and ß-cell function. Mutations in the PDX1 gene may lead to type 4 maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY4) and neonatal diabetes mellitus. However, the precise mechanisms underlying MODY4 remain elusive due to the paucity of clinical samples and pronounced differences in pancreatic architecture and genomic composition between humans and existing animal models. In this study, three PDX1-mutant cynomolgus macaques were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, all of which succumbed shortly postpartum, exhibiting pancreatic agenesis. Notably, one tri-allelic PDX1-mutant cynomolgus macaque (designated as M4) developed a pancreas, whereas the two mono-allelic PDX1-mutant cynomolgus macaques displayed no anatomical evidence of pancreatic formation. RNA sequencing of the M4 pancreas revealed substantial molecular changes in both endocrine and exocrine functions, indicating developmental delay and PDX1 haploinsufficiency. A marked change in m6A methylation was identified in the M4 pancreas, confirmed through cultured PDX1-mutant islet organoids. Notably, overexpression of the m6A modulator METTL3 restored function in heterozygous PDX1-mutant islet organoids. This study highlights a novel role of m6A methylation modification in the progression of MODY4 and provides valuable molecular insights for preclinical research.

Response of aerobic granular sludge to salinity fluctuations in formation, stability and microbial community structures.

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) exhibits excellent resistance to adverse environment due to its unique layered structure. However, the mechanism about how salinity fluctuations in municipal wastewater impact AGS formation and its physicochemical properties has not been thoroughly revealed. In this study, AGS was cultivated under additional 0 % salinity (R1), additional 1.5 % constant salinity (R2), and additional 0-1.5 % fluctuant salinity (R3), respectively. The results indicate that increased salinity can enhance extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production and improve sludge settleability, thereby facilitate AGS formation. However, the AGS experienced frequent environmental conversion between dehydration and swell due to salinity fluctuations, resulting in higher content of loosely-bond EPS and low settleability, which delayed the maturation of AGS for over 14 days. Additional salinity significantly inhibited the nitrification process, but the formation of AGS promoted the recovery of ammonia oxidation activity and facilitated the construction of short-range nitrification denitrification processes, resulting in over 16.0 % higher total nitrogen removal efficiency than R1. The microbial community analysis revealed that Thauera played an important role in the granulation process under salinity stress, due to its salt tolerance and EPS secretion abilities. As expected, the formation of AGS enhanced the salt resistance of microorganisms, allowing for the enrichment of functional bacteria, such as Flavobacterium and Candidatus_Competibacter. Generally, microorganisms required extended adaptation periods to cope with salinity fluctuations. Nevertheless, the resulting AGS proved stable and efficient wastewater treatment performance.

Single-ion-conducted covalent organic framework serving as Li-ion pump in polyethylene oxide-based electrolyte for robust solid-state Li-S batteries.

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes are widely used for building solid-state lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries but suffer from poor lithium-ion (Li+) transportation kinetics. Here, a lithium-sulfonated covalent organic framework (TpPa-SO3Li) was synthesized and functionalized as a Li+ pump in a PEO-based solid-state electrolyte to fabricate robust Li-S batteries. The designed TpPa-SO3, Li with its porous skeleton and abundant lithium sulfonate groups not only provided iontransport channels but also enhanced the fast migration of Li+. The PEO composite electrolyte containing 5 %-TpPa-SO3Li exhibited a notable ionic conductivity of 6.28 × 10-4 S cm-1 and an impressive Li+ transference number of 0.78 at 60 °C. As a result, Li-Li symmetric batteries with the optimized PEO/TpPa-SO3Li composite electrolyte stably cycled for 300 h, with a minimal overpotential of only 100 mV at 0.5 mA cm-2. Moreover, the customized solid-state Li-S batteries based on PEO/TpPa-SO3Li were stable for 600 cycles at 60 oC with a high Coulombic efficiency of approximately 98 %. This study provides a promising strategy for introducing covalent-organic-framework (COF)-based Li+ pumps to build robust solid-state Li-S batteries.

Prognostic and diagnostic value of circulating IGFBP2 in pancreatic cancer.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) is overexpressed in tumor tissues of several malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. Because of its role in tumor progression, IGFBP2 has been investigated as a tumor biomarker. However, little is known about its utility in pancreatic cancer. Plasma IGFBP2 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 75 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), 73 matched healthy controls, and 17 chronic pancreatitis patients. Our results showed that the plasma IGFPB2 level was significantly higher in PDAC patients than in patients with chronic pancreatitis and healthy controls. At a cut-off value of 333.9 ng/mL, the specificity and sensitivity were 78.08 and 65.33%, respectively. IGFBP2 level alone did not outperform carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in diagnostic accuracy, but it successfully identified 9 out of 24 PDAC patients who were misidentified by CA19-9. The combination of IGFBP2 and CA19-9 was more accurate in the detection of PDAC than CA19-9 alone. IGFBP2 was more accurate than the other in discriminating between chronic pancreatitis and PDAC. Plasma IGFBP2, rather than CA19-9, was higher in the new-onset diabetes, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis subgroups. IGFBP2 level was notably higher in stage IV cases than in stage I/II or stage III disease. However, CA19-9 did not show a difference between stages. After adjusting for lymph node involvement and distant metastasis, plasma IGFBP2 was identified as an independent prognostic marker for PDAC. The median survival time for patients with an IGFBP2 level ≥333.9 ng/mL was significantly shorter than that for patients with an IGFBP2 level <333.9 ng/mL. Marked elevation of plasma IGFBP2 in PDAC is associated with poorer survival. IGFBP2 may be considered as a supplementary biomarker for the diagnosis and prognostic prediction in Chinese pancreatic cancer patients.

AFK-PD alleviated osteoarthritis progression by chondroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent cartilage degenerative and low-grade inflammatory disease of the whole joint. However, there are currently no FDA-approved drugs or global regulatory agency-approved treatments OA disease modification. Therefore, it's essential to explore novel effective therapeutic strategies for OA. In our study, we investigated the effects of AFK-PD, a novel pyridone agent, on the development of OA induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) in vivo, and its impact on the function of chondrocytes treated with IL-1ß in vitro. Our results demonstrated AFK-PD alleviated OA progression through inhibiting cartilage degeneration, articular inflammation and osteophyte formation. Notably, AFK-PD inhibited chondrocyte inflammation and synovial macrophage M1 polarization, leading to the attenuation of articular inflammation. Additionally, AFK-PD promoted chondrocyte anabolism while mitigating catabolism and apoptosis, effectively inhibiting cartilage degeneration. Mechanistically, AFK-PD suppressed the expression of key signaling molecules involved in the MAPK pathway, such as p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK, as well as the NF-κB signaling molecule p-p65, in IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes. These findings suggest AFK-PD ameliorates the development of OA by protecting chondrocyte functions and inhibiting articular inflammation in chondrocytes and synovial macrophages. Overall, our study highlights AFK-PD as a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of OA.

Blast phase of chronic myeloid leukemia presenting as early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

OBJECTIVES: The blasts in most cases of chronic myeloid leukemia blast phase (CML-BP) have a myeloid or precursor-B immunophenotype, with only a small subset having T-cell or natural killer-cell lineage. Patients with CML-BP having early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) are extremely rare. METHODS: We report the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features and outcome of 3 patients with CML-BP who had ETP-ALL, with a review of the literature. RESULTS: Only patient 1 had a history of chronic myeloid leukemia chronic phase. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed BCR::ABL1 rearrangement in cells with round nuclei (blasts) and cells with segmented nuclei (neutrophils) in cases 2 and 3, supporting a diagnosis of CML-BP rather than de novo Ph+ ETP-ALL. The blasts were positive for cytoplasmic CD3, CD7, CD33, and CD117; were negative for CD1a and CD8; and had dim CD5 expression in 2 cases. Next-generation sequencing showed a TET2 mutation in case 1 and BCOR, RUNX1, and STAG2 mutations in case 3. All patients received chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Patients 2 and 3 died 33 days and 39 days, respectively, after diagnosis. Patient 1 received stem cell transplantation and was alive 14 months after blast phase. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CML-BP may have ETP-ALL. These patients usually have an aggressive clinical course, requiring intensive therapy, and may benefit from stem cell transplantation.

Air stable and fast-charging cathode material for all climate sodium-ion batteries.

The off-stoichiometric compound Na3.12Fe2.44(P2O7)2 (NFPO) is a highly promising, cost-effective, and structurally robust cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the slowing Na-ion migration kinetics and poor interface stability have seriously limited its rate capability and air stability. In this work, we successfully synthesis a sodium titanium pyrophosphate (NaTiP2O7 donated as NTPO) coating NFPO (denoted as NFPO-NTPO) cathode material via a liquid phase coating method for SIBs. After optimizing NTPO content, at 0.1C, NFPO-NTPO-4 % cathode achieves a reversible specific capacity of 108.4 mAh g-1. Remarkably, it maintains 88.39 % capacity at 10C comparing to 0.1C and stabilizes over 3000 cycles with 92.66 % retention rate. Moreover, it retains 88.89 % capacity after 5000 cycles at 20C, even after 28 days of air exposure. The NFPO-Ti cathode, alongside the complete battery system, exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance across a broad temperature range spanning from -40 to 60 ℃.

Manipulation of anisotropic Zhang-Rice exciton in NiPS3 by magnetic field.

The effect of external magnetic fields on the behavior of the Zhang-Rice exciton in NiPS3, which captures the physics of spin-orbital entanglement in 2D XY-type antiferromagnets, remains unclear. This study presents systematic study of angle-resolved and polarization-resolved magneto-optical photoluminescence spectra of NiPS3 in the Voigt geometry. We observed highly anisotropic, non-linear Zeeman splitting and polarization rotation of the Zhang-Rice exciton, which depends on the direction and intensity of the magnetic field and can be attributed to the spin-orbital coupling and field-induced spin reorientation. Furthermore, above the critical magnetic field, we detected additional splitting of the exciton peaks, indicating the coexistence of various orientations of Néel vector. This study characterizes orbital change of Zhang-Rice exciton and field-induced spin-reorientation phase transitions in a 2D hexagonal XY-type antiferromagnet, and it further demonstrates the continuous manipulation of the spin and polarization of the Zhang-Rice exciton.

A novel nomogram based on the number of positive lymph nodes can predict the overall survival of patients with pancreatic head cancer after radical surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to construct a novel nomogram based on the number of positive lymph nodes to predict the overall survival of patients with pancreatic head cancer after radical surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 2271 and 973 patients in the SEER Database were included in the development set and validation set, respectively. The primary clinical endpoint was OS (overall survival). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to screen independent risk factors of OS, and then independent risk factors were used to construct a novel nomogram. The C-index, calibration curves, and decision analysis curves were used to evaluate the predictive power of the nomogram in the development and validation sets. RESULTS: After multivariate Cox regression analysis, the independent risk factors for OS included age, tumor extent, chemotherapy, tumor size, LN (lymph nodes) examined, and LN positive. A nomogram was constructed by using independent risk factors for OS. The C-index of the nomogram for OS was 0.652 [(95% confidence interval (CI): 0.639-0.666)] and 0.661 (95%CI: 0.641-0.680) in the development and validation sets, respectively. The calibration curves and decision analysis curves proved that the nomogram had good predictive ability. CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram based on the number of positive LN can effectively predict the overall survival of patients with pancreatic head cancer after surgery.

Posterior Eye Shape in Myopia.

Purpose: To explore prevalence and associated factors of abnormalities of the posterior eye shape in dependence of axial length. Design: Population-based study. Participants: Of the participants (n = 3468) of the Beijing Eye Study, we included all eyes with an axial length of ≥25 mm, and a randomized sample of eyes with an axial length of <25 mm. Methods: Using 30°-wide, serial horizontal, and fovea-centered radial, OCT images, we examined location and depth of the most posterior point of the retinal pigment epithelium/Bruch's membrane line (PP-RPE/BML). Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence and depth of an extrafoveal PP-RPE/BML. Results: The study included 366 eyes (314 individuals). On the radial OCT scans, the PP-RPE/BML was located in the foveola in 190 (51.9%) eyes, in 121 (33.1%) eyes in the 6 o'clock part of the vertical meridian (distance to foveola: 1.73 ± 0.70 mm), and in 54 (14.8%) eyes in the 12 o'clock part of the vertical meridian (fovea distance: 2.01 ± 0.66 mm). On the horizontal OCT scans, the PP-RPE/BML was located in the foveola in 304 (83.1%) eyes, between foveola and optic disc in 36 (9.8%) eyes (fovea distance: 1.59 ± 0.76 mm), and temporal to the foveola in 26 (7.1%) eyes (fovea distance: 1.20 ± 0.60 mm). Higher prevalence of an extrafoveal PP-RPE/BML correlated with longer axial length (odds ratio [OR]: 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28, 1.89), higher corneal astigmatism (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.79), and female sex (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.30, 5.77). The curvature of the RPE/BML at the posterior pole was similar to the RPE/BML curvature outside of the posterior pole in 309 (84.4%) eyes, and it was steeper (i.e., smaller curvature radius) in 57 (15.6%) eyes. In these eyes, axial length was longer (24.41 ± 1.78 mm versus 27.74 ± 1.88 mm; P < 0.001). Conclusions: With longer axial length, the foveola is more often located outside of the geometrical posterior pole. It may be of importance for biometric axial length measurements. An extrafoveal location of the PP-RPE/BML may be due to an axial elongation-associated, meridionally asymmetric enlargement of Bruch's membrane in the fundus midperiphery. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Plasma cytokine levels as markers of pathogenesis and treatment response in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.

We investigated the value of plasma cytokine levels as markers of pathogenesis and treatment response in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease. Plasma cytokine levels were measured and compared among patients with NTM pulmonary disease (n=111), tuberculosis (TB) patients (n=50), and healthy individuals (n=40). Changes during treatment were monitored at 3 and 6 months after treatment. According to the treatment response, NTM patients were classified as 'resistance' or 'sensitivity' responders. The results revealed that five out of twelve cytokines exhibited significantly higher levels in NTM patients compared to controls. Among these, interleukin (IL)-6 demonstrated the strongest discriminating capacity for NTM. Furthermore, when combined with IL-1ß, they efficiently distinguished between NTM drug-resistant and drug-sensitive patients, as well as between NTM and TB groups. Additionally, IL-6 levels initially rose and then decreased in the NTM drug-resistant group during the six months of treatment, similar to the behavior of IL-1ß in the NTM drug-sensitive group. Subgroup analyses of the sensitive group with differential treatment responses revealed an increase in IL-10 levels in the six-month treatment responders. A high IL-6/IL-10 ratio was associated with increased disease severity of NTM and TB. Collectively, combinations of various plasma cytokines, specifically IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-10, effectively distinguished NTM patients with varying mycobacterial burdens, with IL-6 and IL-10 emerging as potential biomarkers for early treatment response. The combination of IL-6 and IL-1ß demonstrated the highest discriminatory value for distinguishing between NTM-resistant and NTM-sensitive groups as well as between NTM and TB groups.

Effects of dietary supplementation with medicinal plant mixtures and immunostimulants on the immune response, antioxidant capacity, and hepatopancreatic health of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of tea polyphenols (TP) and medicinal plant mixtures (Astragalus membranaceus + Lonicera japonica, Rheum officinale Bail + Scutellaria baicalensis + Platycladus orientalis) combined with astaxanthin (AST), benzoic acid (BA), and yeast complex on the health status of Eriocheir sinensis. Method: A total of 630 crabs (male crabs: 41.51 ± 1.63 g; female crabs: 47.27 ± 0.79 g) were randomly distributed into seven groups with three replicates (male: female, 1:1). These crabs were fed as follows for 8 weeks: basal diet (M1), M2 (M1 + 100 mg/kg TP), M3 (M1 + 2.0 g/kg A. membranaceus + 20 g/kg L. japonica), M4 (M1 + 2.5 g/kg R. officinale Bail + 1.5 g/kg S. baicalensis + 1.0 g/kg P. orientalis), and M5, M6, M7 (M2, M3 and M4 with 600 mg/kg AST +1.0 g/kg BA + 20 mg/kg yeast complex added, respectively). Results and discussion: The results showed that the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and lysosome (LZM) in the hemolymph were significantly increased in M5, M6, and M7 (P < 0.05), and the highest phagocytosis index (PI) and LZM activity were observed in M7 of female crabs. Moreover, the antioxidant indicators superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) of hepatopancreas were also significantly improved in M5, M6, and M7 (P < 0.05), while the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents showed an opposite trend. Furthermore, a morphological examination also showed the improved histological structure of hepatopancreas in M7, especially as seen in the clear lumens, no vacuolation, and integrity of the basal membrane of the hepatopancreatic tubule. Taken together, these results suggested that 2.5 g/kg R. officinale Bail, 1.5 g/kg S. baicalensis, and 1.0 g/kg P. orientalis in combination with 600 mg/kg AST, 1.0 g/kg BA, and 20 mg/kg yeast complex could improve the non-specific immunity, antioxidant capacity, and hepatopancreatic health of E. sinensis.

A Customized Strategy Realizes Stable Cycle of Large-Capacity and High-Voltage Layered Cathode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

High-voltage P2-Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2 layered oxide cathode exhibits significant potential for sodium-ion batteries, owing to the elevated operating voltage and theoretical energy density beyond lithium iron phosphate, but the large-volume phase transition is the devil. Currently, this type cathode still suffers from stability-capacity trade-off dilemma. Herein, a concept of customized strategy via multiple rock-forming elements trace doping is presented to address the mentioned issue. The customized Mg-Al-Ti trace doped cathode maintains a notable capacity of 140.3 mAh g - 1 with an energy density approaching 500 Wh kg - 1, and shows good cycle stability, retaining 89.0% of its capacity after 50 cycles at 0.1C. Additionally, the full cell, paired with a hard carbon anode, achieves an advanced energy density of 303.3 Wh kg-1. The multiple characterizations reveal the failure mechanism of contrast sample involving severe intragranular cracks coupled with layer to rock salt transformation, which reduces active substance and increases charge transfer resistance. The doped sample with increased sliding energy barrier well suppresses this phenomenon. Impressively, the customized strategy can be extended to Mg-Fe-Ti system. This research provides a novel concept for the design of high energy sodium-ion cathode.