Oriented cellulose hydrogel: Directed tissue regeneration for reducing corneal leukoplakia and managing fungal corneal ulcers.

Fungal corneal ulcer is one of the leading causes of corneal blindness in developing countries. Corneal scars such as leukoplakia are formed due to inflammation, oxidative stress and non-directed repair, which seriously affect the patients' subsequent visual and life quality. In this study, drawing inspiration from the oriented structure of collagen fibers within the corneal stroma, we first proposed the directional arrangement of CuTA-CMHT hydrogel system at micro and macro scales based on the 3D printing extrusion method combined with secondary patterning. It played an antifungal role and induced oriented repair in therapy of fungal corneal ulcer. The results showed that it effectively inhibited Candida albicans, Aspergillus Niger, Fusarium sapropelum, which mainly affects TNF, NF-kappa B, and HIF-1 signaling pathways, achieving effective antifungal functions. More importantly, the fibroblasts interacted with extracellular matrix (ECM) of corneal stroma through formation of focal adhesions, promoted the proliferation and directional migration of cells in vitro, induced the directional alignment of collagen fibers and corneal stromal orthogonally oriented repair in vivo. This process is mainly associated with MYLK, MYL9, and ITGA3 molecules. Furthermore, the downregulation the growth factors TGF-ß and PDGF-ß inhibits myofibroblast development and reduces scar-type ECM production, thereby reducing corneal leukoplakia. It also activates the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, promoting corneal healing. In conclusion, the oriented CuTA-CMHT hydrogel system mimics the orthogonal arrangement of collagen fibers, inhibits inflammation, eliminates reactive oxygen species, and reduces corneal leukoplakia, which is of great significance in the treatment of fungal corneal ulcer and is expected to write a new chapter in corneal tissue engineering.

Association between medication complexity and follow-up care attendance: insights from a retrospective multicenter cohort study across 1,223 Chinese hospitals.

Background: Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) frequently face substantial medication burdens. Follow-up care on medication management is critical in achieving disease control. This study aimed to analyze the complexity of COPD-specific medication and determine how it impacted patients' attendance on follow-up care. Methods: This multicenter study includes patients with COPD from 1,223 hospitals across 29 provinces in China from January 2021 to November 2022. The medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) score was used to measure COPD-specific medication complexity. The association between medication complexity and follow-up care attendance was evaluated using the Cox Proportional Hazard Model. Results: Among 16,684 patients, only 2,306 (13.8%) returned for follow-up medication management. 20.3% of the patients had high complex medication regimen (MRCI score >15.0). The analysis revealed that compared to those with less complex regimens, patients with more complex medication regimens were significantly less likely to attend the follow-up medication care, with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.82 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.74-0.91). Specifically, patients with more complex dosage forms were 51% less likely to attend the follow-up care (95% CI, 0.43-0.57). This pattern was especially marked among male patients, patients younger than 65 years, and those without comorbid conditions. Conclusion: Higher medication complexity was associated with a decreased likelihood of attending follow-up care. To promote care continuity in chronic disease management, individuals with complex medication regimens should be prioritized for enhanced education. Furthermore, pharmacists collaborating with respiratory physicians to deprescribe and simplify dosage forms should be considered in the disease management process.

Complementary therapy with Chinese aromatic herbs to promote awakening in a comatose patient: A case report.

RATIONALE: Traumatic brain injury frequently leads to prolonged coma, posing significant medical management challenges. Complementary therapies, including traditional Chinese herbal medicine, have been investigated as potential interventions in comatose patients. Chinese aromatic herbs, such as Borneolum (Bingpian), Moschus (Shexiang), and Acori tatarinowii rhizoma (Shichangpu), have long been believed to be "resuscitation with aromatics" based on traditional Chinese medicines theory. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 16-year-old male was admitted to the intensive rehabilitation unit for further treatment due to prolonged coma and frequent seizures following traumatic brain injury. DIAGNOSES: Western medicine diagnosed the patient as coma, diffuse axonal injury, and epilepsy. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, the syndrome differentiation indicates a Yin-closed disease. INTERVENTIONS: According to the patient's condition, we use the Chinese aromatic herbs as a complementary therapy. OUTCOMES: Following a month-long administration, the patient's consciousness and electroencephalogram (EEG) background progressively improved. A 6-month follow-up demonstrated full arousal, though with ambulatory EEG revealing mild to moderate abnormality in the background. LESSONS: The addition of Chinese aromatic herbs appears to have a beneficial effect on the patient's consciousness and EEG background. This could be attributed to the herbs' inherent pharmacological properties, as well as their potential to enhance the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to other drugs. This makes them a promising option for complementary therapy.

Identification and quantitative detection of illegal additives in wheat flour based on near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics.

As a common food raw material in daily life, the quality and safety of wheat flour are directly related to people's health. In this study, a model was developed for the rapid identification and detection of three illegal additives in flour, namely azodicarbonamide (ADA), talcum powder, and gypsum powder. This model utilized a combination of near-infrared spectroscopy with chemometric methods. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network was used to reduce data dimensionality, while a support vector machine was applied for non-linear classification to identify illegal additives in flour. The model achieved a calibration set F1 score of 99.38% and accuracy of 99.63%, with a validation set F1 score of 98.81% and accuracy of 98.89%. Two cascaded wavelength selection methods were introduced: The first method involved backward interval partial least squares (BiPLS) combined with an improved binary particle swarm optimization algorithm (IBPSO). The second method utilized the CARS-IBPSO algorithm, which integrated competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) with IBPSO. The two cascade wavelength selection methods were used to select feature wavelengths associated with additives and construct partial least squares quantitative detection models. The models constructed using CARS-IBPSO selected feature wavelengths for detecting ADA, talcum powder, and gypsum powder exhibited the highest overall performance. The model achieved validation set determination coefficients of 0.9786, 0.9102, and 0.9226, with corresponding to root mean square errors of 0.0024%, 1.3693%, and 1.6506% and residual predictive deviations of 6.8368, 3.5852, and 3.9253, respectively. Near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with convolutional neural network dimensionality reduction and support vector machine classification enabled rapid identification of various illegal additives. The combination of CARS-IBPSO feature wavelength selection and partial least squares regression models facilitated rapid quantitative detection of these additives. This study introduces a new approach for rapidly and accurately identifying and detecting illegal additives in flour.

Enhancing kiwifruit flower pollination detection through frequency domain feature fusion: a novel approach to agricultural monitoring.

The pollination process of kiwifruit flowers plays a crucial role in kiwifruit yield. Achieving accurate and rapid identification of the four stages of kiwifruit flowers is essential for enhancing pollination efficiency. In this study, to improve the efficiency of kiwifruit pollination, we propose a novel full-stage kiwifruit flower pollination detection algorithm named KIWI-YOLO, based on the fusion of frequency-domain features. Our algorithm leverages frequency-domain and spatial-domain information to improve recognition of contour-detailed features and integrates decision-making with contextual information. Additionally, we incorporate the Bi-Level Routing Attention (BRA) mechanism with C3 to enhance the algorithm's focus on critical areas, resulting in accurate, lightweight, and fast detection. The algorithm achieves a m A P 0.5 of 91.6% with only 1.8M parameters, the AP of the Female class and the Male class reaches 95% and 93.5%, which is an improvement of 3.8%, 1.2%, and 6.2% compared with the original algorithm. Furthermore, the Recall and F1-score of the algorithm are enhanced by 5.5% and 3.1%, respectively. Moreover, our model demonstrates significant advantages in detection speed, taking only 0.016s to process an image. The experimental results show that the algorithmic model proposed in this study can better assist the pollination of kiwifruit in the process of precision agriculture production and help the development of the kiwifruit industry.

[Diagnostic Value of Ultrasound for Thyroid Nodules With a Spoke-Wheel Blood Flow Pattern].

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of ultrasound for thyroid nodules with a spoke-wheel blood flow pattern.Methods The clinical data of the patients with thyroid nodules presenting a spoke-wheel blood flow pattern examined by ultrasound were collected,and the gray-scale ultrasound features of the nodules were recorded.The diagnostic performance of the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System by American College of Radiology (ACR TI-RADS),Chinese Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (C-TIRADS),and combined specific indicators for the thyroid nodules with a spoke-wheel blood flow pattern was evaluated by comparison with the pathological results,which was regarded as the gold standard.Results A total of 64 patients with thyroid nodules were finally included,including 47 patients with malignant nodules and 17 patients with benign nodules.In addition to the general ultrasound features,central scar mostly appeared in malignant nodules (χ2=5.968,P=0.015),while central coarse calcification was more common in benign nodules (χ2=10.899,P=0.001).After the combination of central scar and central gross calcification,the diagnostic performance of ACR TI-RADS and C-TIRADS was improved (both P<0.001).Conclusions When the thyroid nodule shows a spoke-wheel blood flow pattern,one should be cautious of the possibility of malignancy.Combining central scar and central coarse calcification can improve the accuracy of ultrasonic diagnosis.

Experimental and DFT calculation study on the efficient removal of high fluoride wastewater from metallurgical wastewater by kaolinite.

Fluoride pollution and water scarcity are urgent issues. Reducing fluoride concentration in water is crucial. Kaolinite has been used to study adsorption and fluoride removal in water and to characterize material properties. The experimental results showed that the adsorption capacity of kaolinite decreased with increasing pH. The highest adsorption of fluoride occurred at pH 2, with a capacity of 11.1 mg/g. The fluoride removal efficiency remained high after four regeneration cycles. The fitting results with the Freundlich isotherm model and the external diffusion model showed that the non-homogeneous adsorption of kaolinite fit the adsorption behavior better. Finally, the adsorption mechanism was analyzed by FT-IR and XPS. The binding energies of various adsorption sites and the chemical adsorption properties of atomic states were discussed in relation to DFT calculations. The results showed that Al and H sites were the main binding sites, and the bonding stability for different forms of fluoride varies, with the size of Al-F (-7.498 eV) > H-F (-6.04 eV) > H-HF (-3.439 eV) > Al-HF (-3.283 eV). Furthermore, the density of states and Mulliken charge distribution revealed that the 2p orbital of F was found to be active in the adsorption process and was the main orbital for charge transfer.

A bulged-type enzyme-free recognition strategy designed for single nucleotide polymorphisms integrating with label-free electrochemical biosensor.

Compared to conventional nucleic acid detection methods, label-free single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection presents challenging due to the necessity of discerning single base mismatches, especially in the field of enzyme-free detection. In this study, we introduce a novel bulged-type DNA duplex probe designed to significantly amplify single-base differences. This probe is integrated with programmable DNA-based nanostructures to develop a sensitive, label-free biosensor for nonenzymatic SNP detection. The duplex probe with one bulge could selectively identify wild-typed DNA (WT) and mutant-type DNA (MT) based on a competitive strand displacement reaction mechanism. The hyperbranched HCR (HHCR) by incorporating of hairpin DNA into the DNA tetrahedron and surface-tethering on the portable screen printing electrode (SPCE) significantly favor the formation of negatively charged DNA nanostructure. We harnessed strong repulsion of DNA nanostructure towards the electroactive [Fe(CN)6]³â»/4⁻ in combination with electrochemical technique to create a label-free biosensor. This simple, enzyme-free and label-free biosensor could detect MT with a detection limit of 56 aM, even in multiple sequence backgrounds. The study served as the proof-of-concept for the integration of enzyme-free competitive mechanism and label-free strategy, which can be extended as a powerful tool to various fields.

Individual and interaction effects of monounsaturated fatty acids on their associations with hypertension in Chinese residents.

Currently, associations between dietary intakes of individual monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and hypertension were not well disclosed, and the interaction effects of MUFAs on their associations with hypertension were unknown. Obesity was correlated with both MUFAs and hypertension, while if anthropometric obesity indices performed mediating roles in associations between MUFAs and hypertension remained underdetermined. In our study, 8509 Chinese adults investigated from 2004 to 2011 were included. Dietary information collection and physical examinations were performed at baseline and each timepoint of follow-up. As we found, inverse associations of MUFA17, MUFA18 and MUFA20 with hypertension were statistically significant after adjustments, hazard ratios (HRs) were 0.87, 0.90 and 0.91, respectively. MUFA15 was positively associated with hypertension, with an HR of 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.12). By performing principal component analysis (PCA) to estimate the joint effects of MUFAs on hypertension, the PCA score of MUFAs was only inversely associated with blood pressure. No joint effect was observed in g-computation analyses. Both linear and nonlinear interactions of MUFAs on their associations with hypertension were estimated using restricted cubic spline analysis. The association between MUFA15 and hypertension was interacted by MUFA17, and the association between MUFA20 and hypertension was interacted by MUFA18. The mediation effects of body mass index and waist circumference were found on associations of hypertension with MUFA15, MUFA17 and MUFA20. Our findings suggested that associations with hypertension were different among individual MUFAs, and mutual interactions existed, implying that the utility of individual MUFAs might be recommended for estimating relationships between MUFAs and diseases. Moreover, fat accumulation might potentially underlie associations between MUFAs and hypertension.

Identification of DNA motif pairs on paired sequences based on composite heterogeneous graph.

Motivation: The interaction between DNA motifs (DNA motif pairs) influences gene expression through partnership or competition in the process of gene regulation. Potential chromatin interactions between different DNA motifs have been implicated in various diseases. However, current methods for identifying DNA motif pairs rely on the recognition of single DNA motifs or probabilities, which may result in local optimal solutions and can be sensitive to the choice of initial values. A method for precisely identifying DNA motif pairs is still lacking. Results: Here, we propose a novel computational method for predicting DNA Motif Pairs based on Composite Heterogeneous Graph (MPCHG). This approach leverages a composite heterogeneous graph model to identify DNA motif pairs on paired sequences. Compared with the existing methods, MPCHG has greatly improved the accuracy of motifs prediction. Furthermore, the predicted DNA motifs demonstrate heightened DNase accessibility than the background sequences. Notably, the two DNA motifs forming a pair exhibit functional consistency. Importantly, the interacting TF pairs obtained by predicted DNA motif pairs were significantly enriched with known interacting TF pairs, suggesting their potential contribution to chromatin interactions. Collectively, we believe that these identified DNA motif pairs held substantial implications for revealing gene transcriptional regulation under long-range chromatin interactions.

Further screening of SNP loci of eggshell translucency related genes and evaluation of genetic effects.

Eggshell translucency is a widespread issue in the field of egg quality. Previous research has established that the heritability of eggshell translucency is relatively low or moderate. Scientists have also successfully identified SNP loci related to eggshell translucency on different chromosomes by using gene chips and single-variant GWAS. However, the specific impact of single or multiple genes on the trait of eggshell translucency remains unknown. In an effort to investigate this, we examined 170 SNPs associated with eggshell translucency obtained by our research group. We selected 966 half-sibling laying hens from 2 generations in 3 pure lines: Dwarf Layer-White, Rhode Island Red-White Strain, and Rhode Island Red. Eggs were collected from each hen over a period of 5 consecutive days, and eggshell translucency was measured using a grading method in which the hens were divided into 2 groups: an opaque group and a translucent group. We collected blood samples from the laying hens and extracted DNA. Time of flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) was used for genotyping to identify SNP loci that influence the trait of eggshell translucency. The results of our analysis revealed that using TOF-MS in 3 chicken strains, we were able to eliminate loci with low gene polymorphism, genetic effect contribution less than 1%, and deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Ultimately, 5 SNPs (Affx-50362599, rs15050262, rs312943734, rs316121113, and rs317389181) were identified on chromosomes 1, 5, and 19. Additionally, nine candidate genes (DCN, BTG1, ZFP92, POU2F1, NUCB2, FTL, GGNBP2, ACACA, and TADA2A) were found to be associated with these SNPs. No linkage disequilibrium relationship was observed between the 2 pairs of SNP loci on chromosomes 1 and 19. Based on previous studies on the formation mechanism of eggshell translucency, we hypothesize that NUCB2, FTL, and ACACA genes may be affecting the eggshell structure through different mechanisms, such as increase the water permeability or make thin of eggshell membrane, which promote moisture or part of other egg contents and ultimately lead to the formation of eggshell translucency. These findings validate and identify five SNP loci that regulate the translucency trait, and provide molecular markers for breeding non-translucent populations. Furthermore, this study serves as a reference for further investigation of the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying eggshell translucency.

Programmable and resilient metamaterials with anisotropic and non-linear mechanical responses composed exclusively of stiff constituents.

Recently, significant progress has been made in the field of flexible bulk metamaterials composed of soft and elastic materials, unlocking the potential for achieving programmable non-linear mechanical responses, such as shape morphing, energy absorption, and information processing. However, the majority of these metamaterials utilize expensive hyperelastic materials and require complex fabrication processes. Additionally, constructing eco-friendly stiff constituents for these metamaterials remains challenging due to their limited elastic limit strains (<0.1). Here, we propose a systematic design strategy by combining curved beams with chiral metastructures to generate a family of three-dimensional programmable resilient mechanical metamaterials without relying on flexible or hyperelastic constituents. These tiled metamaterials demonstrate robust, anisotropic and non-linear resilience under large elastic compression strains (>0.75), while exhibiting a programmable effective modulus reduction of nearly 6 orders of magnitude compared to the native stiff components. Furthermore, leveraging their stable resilience under high-frequency stimuli, we successfully developed a meter-scale soft robot capable of traversing complex narrow scenarios on demand without the need for flexible materials or sophisticated pipelines. We anticipate that these mechanical metamaterials could serve as a universal platform for programmable active dampers, modular flexible robots, and medical rehabilitation equipment at various scales.

Role of sRNAs protein molecules in extracellular vesicles derived from Lactobacillus plantarum rejuvenate against ultraviolet B-induced photoaging in human keratinocytes.

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation accelerates the aging process of skin cells by triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of sRNAs and protein molecules in the regenerative extracellular vesicles of Lactobacillus plantarum against the UVB-induced photoaging process of human keratinocytes. The extracellular vesicles regenerated by Lactobacillus plantarum were isolated and purified to identify sRNAs and protein components. Human keratinocytes were treated with UVB radiation to simulate the photoaging model. The effects of different concentrations of vesicle extract on cell survival rate, oxidative stress index and inflammatory marker expression were evaluated in control group and treatment group. The results showed that the regenerated extracellular vesicles of L. plantarum significantly improved the survival rate of keratinocytes after UVB radiation, and delayed the aging process of skin cells by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory response.

Toxoplasma gondii infection supports the infiltration of T cells into brain tumors.

Few T cells infiltrate into primary brain tumors, fundamentally hampering the effectiveness of immunotherapy. We hypothesized that Toxoplasma gondii, a microorganism that naturally elicits a Th1 response in the brain, can promote T cell infiltration into brain tumors despite their immune suppressive microenvironment. Using a mouse genetic model for medulloblastoma, we found that T. gondii infection induced the infiltration of activatable T cells into the tumor mass and led to myeloid cell reprogramming toward a T cell-supportive state, without causing severe health issues in mice. The study provides a concrete foundation for future studies to take advantage of the immune modulatory capacity of T. gondii to facilitate brain tumor immunotherapy.

Whole genome resequencing reveals the adaptability of native chickens to drought, tropical and frigid environments in Xinjiang.

Chickens exhibit extensive genetic diversity and are distributed worldwide. Different chicken breeds have evolved to thrive in diverse environmental conditions. However, research on the genetic mechanisms underlying chicken adaptation to extreme environments, such as tropical, frigid and drought-prone regions, remains limited. In this study, we conducted whole-genome sequencing of 240 individuals from six native chicken breeds in Xinjiang, China, as well as 4 publicly available chicken breeds inhabiting regions with varying annual precipitations, temperatures, and altitudes. Our analysis revealed several genetic variants among the examined breeds. Furthermore, we investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of breeds residing in extreme drought and temperature environments by comparing them. Notably, native chicken breeds exhibited different genetic diversity and population structures. Moreover, we identified candidate genes associated with chicken adaptability to the environment, such as CORO2A, CTNNA3, AGMO, GRID2, BBOX1, COL3A1, INSR, SOX5, MAP2 and PLPPR1. Additionally, pathways such as lysosome, cysteine and methionine metabolism, glycosaminoglycan degradation, and Wnt signaling may be play crucial roles in regulating chicken adaptation to drought environments. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the genetic mechanisms governing chicken adaptation to extreme environments, and also offer insights for enhancing the resilience of chicken breeds to different climatic conditions.

Simultaneous screening of overexpressed genes in breast cancer for oncogenic drivers and tumor dependencies.

There are hundreds of genes typically overexpressed in breast cancer cells and it's often assumed that their overexpression contributes to cancer progression. However, the precise proportion of these overexpressed genes contributing to tumorigenicity remains unclear. To address this gap, we undertook a comprehensive screening of a diverse set of seventy-two genes overexpressed in breast cancer. This systematic screening evaluated their potential for inducing malignant transformation and, concurrently, assessed their impact on breast cancer cell proliferation and viability. Select genes including ALDH3B1, CEACAM5, IL8, PYGO2, and WWTR1, exhibited pronounced activity in promoting tumor formation and establishing gene dependencies critical for tumorigenicity. Subsequent investigations revealed that CEACAM5 overexpression triggered the activation of signaling pathways involving ß-catenin, Cdk4, and mTOR. Additionally, it conferred a growth advantage independent of exogenous insulin in defined medium and facilitated spheroid expansion by inducing multiple layers of epithelial cells while preserving a hollow lumen. Furthermore, the silencing of CEACAM5 expression synergized with tamoxifen-induced growth inhibition in breast cancer cells. These findings underscore the potential of screening overexpressed genes for both oncogenic drivers and tumor dependencies to expand the repertoire of therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment.

In silico bioactivity prediction of proteins interacting with graphene-based nanomaterials guides rational design of biosensor.

Graphene-based nanomaterials have attracted significant attention for their potentials in biomedical and biotechnology applications in recent years, owing to the outstanding physical and chemical properties. However, the interaction mechanism and impact on biological activity of macro/micro biomolecules still require more concerns and further research in order to enhance their applicability in biosensors, etc. Herein, an integrated method has been developed to predict the protein bioactivity performance when interacting with nanomaterials for protein-based biosensor. Molecular dynamics simulation and molecular docking technique were consolidated to investigate several nanomaterials: C60 fullerene, single-walled carbon nanotube, pristine graphene and graphene oxide, and their effect when interacting with protein. The adsorption behavior, secondary structure changes and protein bioactivity changes were simulated, and the results of protein activity simulation were verified in combination with atomic force spectrum, circular dichroism spectrum fluorescence and electrochemical experiments. The best quantification alignment between bioactivity obtained by simulation and experiment measurements was further explored. The two proteins, RNase A and Exonuclease III, were regarded as analysis model for the proof of concept, and the prediction accuracy of protein bioactivity could reach up to 0.98. The study shows an easy-to-operate and systematic approach to predict the effects of graphene-based nanomaterials on protein bioactivity, which holds guiding significance for the design of protein-related biosensors. In addition, the proposed prediction model is not limited to carbon-based nanomaterials and can be extended to other types of nanomaterials. This facilitates the rapid, simple, and low-cost selection of efficient and biosafe nanomaterials candidates for protein-related applications in biosensing and biomedical systems.

Developmental effects and lipid disturbances of zebrafish embryos exposed to three newly recognized bisphenol A analogues.

Bisphenol G (BPG), bisphenol M (BPM) and bisphenol TMC (BPTMC), are newly recognized analogues of bisphenol A (BPA), which have been detected in multiple environmental media. However, the understanding of their negative impacts on environmental health is limited. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to BPA and the three analogues (0.1, 10, and 1000 µg/L) to identify their developmental toxic effects. According to our results, all of the three analogues induced significant developmental disorders on zebrafish embryos including inhibited yolk sac absorption, altered heart rate, and teratogenic effects. Oil Red O staining indicated lipid accumulation in the yolk sac region of zebrafish after bisphenol analogues exposure, which was consistent with the delayed yolk uptake. Untargeted lipidomic analysis indicated the abundance of triacylglycerols, ceramides and fatty acids was significantly altered by the three analogues. The combined analysis of lipidomics and transcriptomics results indicated BPG and BPM affected lipid metabolism by disrupting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor pathway and interfering with lipid homeostasis and transport. This partly explained the morphological changes of embryos after bisphenol exposure. In conclusion, our study reveals that BPG, BPM and BPTMC possess acute and developmental toxicity toward zebrafish, and the developmental abnormalities are associated with the disturbances in lipid metabolism.

Association between screen time and self-reported balance disorders in middle-aged and older adults: national health and nutrition examination survey.

BACKGROUND: Balance disorders can give rise to sensations of instability, lightheadedness, vertigo, disequilibrium, or syncope, ultimately leading to grave medical, physical, emotional, and societal ramifications. These conditions are highly prevalent among individuals aged 40 and above. Screen time encompasses activities associated with television viewing, video game playing, and non-work-related computer usage. Prolonged screen exposure may engender a spectrum of health issues and even elevate overall mortality rates. However, the available evidence on the potential link between excessive screen time and balance dysfunction remains limited. AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to explore the possible association between prolonged screen exposure and impaired balance function. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from participants who completed a comprehensive questionnaire in the NHANES database between 1999 and 2002, all of whom were aged over 40 and under 85 years. Participants' screen time was categorized into two groups (< 4 h/d and ≥4 h/d) for subsequent data analysis. Logistic regression, combined with propensity score matching (PSM), was employed to investigate the correlation between screen time and balance disorders. RESULTS: A total of 5176 participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 2,586 men and 2,590 women, with a prevalence rate of balance disorders at 25.7% (1331/5176). The incidence of balance disorders was found to be significantly higher among individuals who spent 4 hours or more per day on screen time compared to those with less screen time (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis conducted on the unmatched cohort revealed a significant association between screen time and balance disorders, with an odds ratio (OR) 1.8 (95%CI 1.57 ∼ 2.05). These findings remained consistent even after adjusting for confounding factors, yielding an OR 1.43 (95%CI 1.24 ∼ 1.66). Moreover, the association persisted when employing various multivariate analyses such as propensity score matching adjusted model, standardized mortality ratio weighting model and pairwise algorithmic model; all resulting in ORs ranging from 1.38 to 1.43 and p-values < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for all covariates, screen time (watching TV, playing video games, and using computers outside of work) was associated with balance dysfunction among middle-aged and older adults. This finding may offer a possible idea for the prevention of dizziness and balance disorders. Nevertheless, additional research is imperative to further validate these results.

Genetic Foundation of Male Spur Length and Its Correlation with Female Egg Production in Chickens.

Spurs, which mainly appear in roosters, are protrusions near the tarsometatarsus on both sides of the calves of chickens, and are connected to the tarsometatarsus by a bony core. As a male-biased morphological characteristic, the diameter and length of spurs vary significantly between different individuals, mainly related to genetics and age. As a specific behavior of hens, egg-laying also varies greatly between individuals in terms of traits such as age at first egg (AFE), egg weight (EW), and so on. At present, there are few studies on chicken spurs. In this study, we investigated the inheritance pattern of the spur trait in roosters with different phenotypes and the correlations between spur length, body weight at 18 weeks of age (BW18), shank length at 18 weeks of age (SL18), and the egg-laying trait in hens (both hens and roosters were from the same population and were grouped according to their family). These traits related to egg production included AFE, body weight at first egg (BWA), and first egg weight (FEW). We estimated genetic parameters based on pedigree and phenotype data, and used variance analysis to calculate broad-sense heritability for correcting the parameter estimation results. The results showed that the heritability of male left and right spurs ranged from 0.6 to 0.7. There were significant positive correlations between left and right spur length, BW18, SL18, and BWA, as well as between left and right spur length and AFE. We selected 35 males with the longest spurs and 35 males with the shortest spurs in the population, and pooled them into two sets to obtain the pooled genome sequencing data. After genome-wide association and genome divergency analysis by FST, allele frequency differences (AFDs), and XPEHH methods, we identified 7 overlapping genes (CENPE, FAT1, FAM149A, MANBA, NFKB1, SORBS2, UBE2D3) and 14 peak genes (SAMD12, TSPAN5, ENSGALG00000050071, ENSGALG00000053133, ENSGALG00000050348, CNTN5, TRPC6, ENSGALG00000047655,TMSB4X, LIX1, CKB, NEBL, PRTFDC1, MLLT10) related to left and right spur length through genome-wide selection signature analysis and a genome-wide association approach. Our results identified candidate genes associated with chicken spurs, which helps to understand the genetic mechanism of this trait and carry out subsequent research around it.