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1.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 16(28): 36063-36076, 2024 Jul 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38958208

ABSTRACT

The cell membrane separates the intracellular compartment from the extracellular environment, constraining exogenous molecules to enter the cell. Conventional electroporation typically employs high-voltage and short-duration pulses to facilitate the transmembrane transport of molecules impermeable to the membrane under natural conditions by creating temporary hydrophilic pores on the membrane. Electroporation not only enables the entry of exogenous molecules but also directs the intracellular distribution of the electric field. Recent advancements have markedly enhanced the efficiency of intracellular molecule delivery, achieved through the utilization of microstructures, microelectrodes, and surface modifications. However, little attention is paid to regulating the motion of molecules during and after passing through the membrane to improve delivery efficiency, resulting in an unsatisfactory delivery efficiency and high dose demand. Here, we proposed the strategy of regulating the motion of charged molecules during the delivery process by progressive electroporation (PEP), utilizing modulated electric fields. Efficient delivery of charged molecules with an expanded distribution and increased accumulation by PEP was demonstrated through numerical simulations and experimental results. The dose demand can be reduced by 10-40% depending on the size and charge of the molecules. We confirmed the safety of PEP for intracellular delivery in both short and long terms through cytotoxicity assays and transcriptome analysis. Overall, this work not only reveals the mechanism and effectiveness of PEP-enhanced intracellular delivery of charged molecules but also suggests the potential integration of field manipulation of molecular motion with surface modification techniques for biomedical applications such as cell engineering and sensitive cellular monitoring.


Subject(s)
Electroporation , Electroporation/methods , Humans , Cell Membrane/metabolism
2.
Sci Total Environ ; 946: 174423, 2024 Jul 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38969114

ABSTRACT

Exploring the influences of nitrogen deposition on soil carbon (C) flux is necessary for predicting C cycling processes; however, few studies have investigated the effects of nitrogen deposition on soil respiration (Rs), autotrophic respiration (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) across urban-rural forests. In this study, a 4-year simulated nitrogen deposition experiment was conducted by treating the experimental plots with 0, 50, or 100 kg·ha-1·year-1 of nitrogen to check out the mechanisms of nitrogen deposition on Rs, Ra, and Rh in urban-rural forests. Our finding indicated a positive association between soil temperature and Rs. Soil temperature sensitivity was significantly suppressed in the experimental plots treated with 100 kg·ha-1·year-1 of nitrogen only in terms of the urban forest Rs and Ra and the rural forest Ra. Nitrogen treatment did not significantly increase Rs and had different influencing mechanisms. In urban forests, nitrogen addition contributed to Rh by increasing soil microbial biomass nitrogen and inhibited Ra by increasing soil ammonium­nitrogen concentration. In suburban forests, the lack of response of Rh under nitrogen addition was due to the combined effects of soil ammonium­nitrogen and microbial biomass nitrogen; the indirect effects from nitrate­nitrogen also contributed to a divergent effect on Ra. In rural forests, the soil pH, dissolved organic C, fine root biomass, and microbial biomass C concentration were the main factors mediating Rs and its components. In summary, the current rate of nitrogen deposition is unlikely to result in significant increases in soil C release in urban-rural forests, high nitrogen deposition is beneficial for reducing the temperature sensitivity of Rs in urban forests. The findings grant a groundwork for predicting responses of forest soil C cycling to global change in the context of urban expansion.

3.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; : e2403059, 2024 Jun 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38840438

ABSTRACT

Plants have evolved diverse defense mechanisms encompassing physical and chemical barriers. Cotton pigment glands are known for containing various defense metabolites, but the precise regulation of gland size to modulate defense compound levels remains enigmatic. Here, it is discovered that the VQ domain-containing protein JAVL negatively regulates pigment gland size and the biosynthesis of defense compounds, while the MYC2-like transcription factor GoPGF has the opposite effect. Notably, GoPGF directly activates the expression of JAVL, whereas JAVL suppresses GoPGF transcription, establishing a negative feedback loop that maintains the expression homeostasis between GoPGF and JAVL. Furthermore, it is observed that JAVL negatively regulates jasmonate levels by inhibiting the expression of jasmonate biosynthetic genes and interacting with GoPGF to attenuate its activation effects, thereby maintaining homeostatic regulation of jasmonate levels. The increased expression ratio of GoPGF to JAVL leads to enlarged pigment glands and elevated jasmonates and defense compounds, enhancing insect and pathogen resistance in cotton. These findings unveil a new mechanism for regulating gland size and secondary metabolites biosynthesis, providing innovative strategies for strengthening plant defense.

4.
Plant Divers ; 46(3): 283-293, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38798729

ABSTRACT

The effect of evolutionary history on wood density variation may play an important role in shaping variation in wood density, but this has largely not been tested. Using a comprehensive global dataset including 27,297 measurements of wood density from 2621 tree species worldwide, we test the hypothesis that the legacy of evolutionary history plays an important role in driving the variation of wood density among tree species. We assessed phylogenetic signal in different taxonomic (e.g., angiosperms and gymnosperms) and ecological (e.g., tropical, temperate, and boreal) groups of tree species, explored the biogeographical and phylogenetic patterns of wood density, and quantified the relative importance of current environmental factors (e.g., climatic and soil variables) and evolutionary history (i.e., phylogenetic relatedness among species and lineages) in driving global wood density variation. We found that wood density displayed a significant phylogenetic signal. Wood density differed among different biomes and climatic zones, with higher mean values of wood density in relatively drier regions (highest in subtropical desert). Our study revealed that at a global scale, for angiosperms and gymnosperms combined, phylogeny and species (representing the variance explained by taxonomy and not direct explained by long-term evolution process) explained 84.3% and 7.7% of total wood density variation, respectively, whereas current environment explained 2.7% of total wood density variation when phylogeny and species were taken into account. When angiosperms and gymnosperms were considered separately, the three proportions of explained variation are, respectively, 84.2%, 7.5% and 6.7% for angiosperms, and 45.7%, 21.3% and 18.6% for gymnosperms. Our study shows that evolutionary history outpaced current environmental factors in shaping global variation in wood density.

5.
ACS Biomater Sci Eng ; 10(6): 4059-4072, 2024 06 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38748565

ABSTRACT

The silicon nitride (Si3N4) coating exhibits promising potential in oral applications due to its excellent osteogenic and antibacterial properties. However, a comprehensive investigation of Si3N4 coatings in the context of dental implants is still lacking, especially regarding their corrosion resistance and in vivo performance. In this study, Si3N4 coatings were prepared on a titanium surface using the nonequilibrium magnetron sputtering method. A systematic comparison among the titanium group (Ti), Si3N4 coating group (Si3N4-Ti), and sandblasted and acid-etched-treated titanium group (SLA-Ti) has been conducted in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that the Si3N4-Ti group had the best corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties, which were mainly attributed to the dense structure and chemical activity of Si-O and Si-N bonds on the surface. Furthermore, the Si3N4-Ti group exhibited superior cellular responses in vitro and new bone regeneration and osseointegration in vivo, respectively. In this sense, silicon nitride coating shows promising prospects in the field of dental implantology.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents , Coated Materials, Biocompatible , Dental Implants , Osteogenesis , Silicon Compounds , Titanium , Titanium/chemistry , Titanium/pharmacology , Silicon Compounds/chemistry , Silicon Compounds/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Osteogenesis/drug effects , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/chemistry , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/pharmacology , Animals , Surface Properties , Osseointegration/drug effects , Mice , Materials Testing , Corrosion
6.
Heliyon ; 10(7): e28792, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38586407

ABSTRACT

Background: Physical activity (PA) is widely recommended for preventing and combating obesity, but the most effective PA pattern for treating obesity remains unclear. Cardiometabolic index (CMI), derived from waist height ratio and triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio, is a novel indicator for evaluating obesity. However, the relationship between different PA patterns and CMI remains unelucidated. Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between different PA patterns and CMI in U.S. adults. Methods: Participants with complete information in CMI, PA patterns, and other covariates in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database (2007-2016) were included in this study. Multivariate linear regression models were utilized to explore the relationship between PA patterns and CMI. Moreover, stratified analyses, interaction tests and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis were used to investigate the stability and nonlinearity of the association, respectively. Results: A total of 16,442 adults were included in this study. After adjusting for all potential covariates, only the regularly active group was significantly associated with CMI reduction (ß = -0.13, 95% CI: 0.19 to -0.07, P < 0.0001), while the weekend warriors group did not achieve equivalent CMI reduction (ß = -0.09, 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.14, P = 0.4204). Subgroup analyses and interaction tests revealed that the CMI-PA association was more pronounced in the subgroup with age≤45 or >60, with higher education level, and who are current drinkers. Furthermore, RCS analysis indicated that total PA in a week was significantly, nonlinearly associated with CMI in non-inactive adults, and that a total of PA more than 330 min can reap favorable CMI reduction. Conclusion: Being regularly active is associated with significant CMI reduction, while being weekend warriors and insufficiently active do not achieve equivalent benefits. For non-inactive individuals, engaging in PA for more than 330 min weekly helps to reduce CMI effectively.

7.
Sheng Li Xue Bao ; 76(2): 233-246, 2024 Apr 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38658373

ABSTRACT

The high-order cognitive and executive functions are necessary for an individual to survive. The densely bidirectional innervations between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) play a vital role in regulating high-order functions. Pyramidal neurons in mPFC have been classified into several subclasses according to their morphological and electrophysiological properties, but the properties of the input-specific pyramidal neurons in mPFC remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to profile the morphological and electrophysiological properties of mPFC pyramidal neurons innervated by MD. In the past, the studies for characterizing the morphological and electrophysiological properties of neurons mainly relied on the electrophysiological recording of a large number of neurons and their morphologic reconstructions. But, it is a low efficient method for characterizing the circuit-specific neurons. The present study combined the advantages of traditional morphological and electrophysiological methods with machine learning to address the shortcomings of the past method, to establish a classification model for the morphological and electrophysiological properties of mPFC pyramidal neurons, and to achieve more accurate and efficient identification of the properties from a small size sample of neurons. We labeled MD-innervated pyramidal neurons of mPFC using the trans-synaptic neural circuitry tracing method and obtained their morphological properties using whole-cell patch-clamp recording and morphologic reconstructions. The results showed that the classification model established in the present study could predict the electrophysiological properties of MD-innervated pyramidal neurons based on their morphology. MD-innervated pyramidal neurons exhibit larger basal dendritic length but lower apical dendrite complexity compared to non-MD-innervated neurons in the mPFC. The morphological characteristics of the two subtypes (ET-1 and ET-2) of mPFC pyramidal neurons innervated by MD are different, with the apical dendrites of ET-1 neurons being longer and more complex than those of ET-2 neurons. These results suggest that the electrophysiological properties of MD- innervated pyramidal neurons within mPFC correlate with their morphological properties, indicating that the different roles of these two subclasses in local circuits within PFC, as well as in PFC-cortical/subcortical brain region circuits.


Subject(s)
Prefrontal Cortex , Pyramidal Cells , Pyramidal Cells/physiology , Pyramidal Cells/cytology , Prefrontal Cortex/physiology , Prefrontal Cortex/cytology , Animals , Rats , Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus/physiology , Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus/cytology , Male , Electrophysiological Phenomena , Neural Pathways/physiology , Neural Pathways/cytology , Machine Learning , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Patch-Clamp Techniques
8.
Gastrointest Endosc ; 2024 Apr 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38583541

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The impact of various categories of information on the prediction of Post Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis (PEP) remains uncertain. We aimed to comprehensively investigate the risk factors associated with PEP by constructing and validating a model incorporating multi-modal data through multiple steps. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,916 cases underwent ERCP were retrospectively collected from multiple centers for model construction. Through literature research, 49 electronic health record (EHR) features and one image feature related to PEP were identified. The EHR features were categorized into baseline, diagnosis, technique, and prevent strategies, covering pre-ERCP, intra-ERCP, and peri-ERCP phases. We first incrementally constructed models 1-4 incorporating these four feature categories, then added the image feature into models 1-4 and developed models 5-8. All models underwent testing and comparison using both internal and external test sets. Once the optimal model was selected, we conducted comparison among multiple machine learning algorithms. RESULTS: Compared with model 2 incorporating baseline and diagnosis features, adding technique and prevent strategies (model 4) greatly improved the sensitivity (63.89% vs 83.33%, p<0.05) and specificity (75.00% vs 85.92%, p<0.001). Similar tendency was observed in internal and external tests. In model 4, the top three features ranked by weight were previous pancreatitis, NSAIDS, and difficult cannulation. The image-based feature has the highest weight in model 5-8. Lastly, model 8 employed Random Forest algorithm showed the best performance. CONCLUSIONS: We firstly developed a multi-modal prediction model for identifying PEP with clinical-acceptable performance. The image and technique features are crucial for PEP prediction.

9.
J Gastroenterol Hepatol ; 39(7): 1343-1351, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38414305

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Early whitish gastric neoplasms can be easily misdiagnosed; differential diagnosis of gastric whitish lesions remains a challenge. We aim to build a deep learning (DL) model to diagnose whitish gastric neoplasms and explore the effect of adding domain knowledge in model construction. METHODS: We collected 4558 images from two institutions to train and test models. We first developed two sole DL models (1 and 2) using supervised and semi-supervised algorithms. Then we selected diagnosis-related features through literature research and developed feature-extraction models to determine features including boundary, surface, roundness, depression, and location. Then predictions of the five feature-extraction models and sole DL model were combined and inputted into seven machine-learning (ML) based fitting-diagnosis models. The optimal model was selected as ENDOANGEL-WD (whitish-diagnosis) and compared with endoscopists. RESULTS: Sole DL 2 had higher sensitivity (83.12% vs 68.67%, Bonferroni adjusted P = 0.024) than sole DL 1. Adding domain knowledge, the decision tree performed best among the seven ML models, achieving higher specificity than DL 1 (84.38% vs 72.27%, Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.05) and higher accuracy than DL 2 (80.47%, Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.001) and was selected as ENDOANGEL-WD. ENDOANGEL-WD showed better accuracy compared with 10 endoscopists (75.70%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We developed a novel system ENDOANGEL-WD combining domain knowledge and traditional DL to detect gastric whitish neoplasms. Adding domain knowledge improved the performance of traditional DL, which provided a novel solution for establishing diagnostic models for other rare diseases potentially.


Subject(s)
Deep Learning , Stomach Neoplasms , Humans , Stomach Neoplasms/diagnosis , Retrospective Studies , Diagnosis, Differential , Sensitivity and Specificity , Algorithms
10.
Fitoterapia ; 174: 105869, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38378132

ABSTRACT

Fourteen sesquiterpenes, including one undescribed sesquiterpene lactone, were isolated from Youngia japonica, and their structures were identified by NMR, HRESIMS, ECD and calculated ECD. Cytotoxic activities of all isolates against A549, HeLa, and 4 T1 cell lines were detected by CCK8 assay. Among them, 2 showed obvious cytotoxic activity against A549 cells. Subsequently, the production of ROS, and apoptosis of A549 cells treated with 2 were evaluated. The result showed that 2 distinctly increased the ROS level, and induced the apoptosis of A549 cells. Further anticancer mechanism studies showed that 2 increased the expression of cleaved caspase 3. Taken together, our results demonstrated that 2 might become potential leading compounds for the treatment of lung cancer.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents , Asteraceae , Sesquiterpenes , Humans , Cell Line, Tumor , Molecular Structure , Reactive Oxygen Species , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Apoptosis , Sesquiterpenes/pharmacology , Sesquiterpenes/chemistry
11.
J Affect Disord ; 351: 939-947, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38341157

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests a common pathophysiological basis for metabolic disorders and mental diseases. Despite the existence of reports suggesting a strong connection between dyslipidemia and depression, a comprehensive and reliable indicator to identify depression is still lacking. Cardiometabolic index (CMI) is an integrated index calculated from three vital metabolic indicators, including triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and waist height ratio (WHtR). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the association between CMI and depression. METHODS: Cross-sectional data of participants with complete information of CMI, depression, and other covariates were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Weighted student's t-test and Chi-square test were used to identify the differences between two groups. Weighted multivariate logistic regression model, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis, subgroup analysis and interaction tests were conducted to explore the association between CMI and depression. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis and area under the curve (AUC) were also utilized to evaluate the performance of CMI in identifying depression. RESULTS: A positive correlation between CMI and depression was observed in 3794 participants included in the study, which was further confirmed to be non-linear via RCS regression analysis, with two significant inflection points being identified, including 0.9522 and 1.58. In the crude or adjusted models, individuals with a CMI level ≥ 0.9522 exhibited remarkably increased risk for developing depression. CMI got an AUC of 0.748 in identifying depression. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests indicate that the association between CMI and depression remained consistent across different subgroups and was not modified by other covariates except drinking. Those who are current drinkers and with a high CMI are more susceptible to suffer depression. CONCLUSIONS: An elevated CMI is linked to increased risk for depression. Addressing dyslipidemia and improving lipid levels may potentially lower the risk for depression.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Dyslipidemias , Humans , Nutrition Surveys , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/epidemiology , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Dyslipidemias/epidemiology
12.
BMC Gastroenterol ; 24(1): 10, 2024 Jan 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38166722

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a standard method for diagnosing and treating small bowel disease. However, DBE may yield false-negative results due to oversight or inexperience. We aim to develop a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for the automatic detection and classification of small bowel abnormalities in DBE. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 5201 images were collected from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University to construct a detection model for localizing lesions during DBE, and 3021 images were collected to construct a classification model for classifying lesions into four classes, protruding lesion, diverticulum, erosion & ulcer and angioectasia. The performance of the two models was evaluated using 1318 normal images and 915 abnormal images and 65 videos from independent patients and then compared with that of 8 endoscopists. The standard answer was the expert consensus. RESULTS: For the image test set, the detection model achieved a sensitivity of 92% (843/915) and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947, and the classification model achieved an accuracy of 86%. For the video test set, the accuracy of the system was significantly better than that of the endoscopists (85% vs. 77 ± 6%, p < 0.01). For the video test set, the proposed system was superior to novices and comparable to experts. CONCLUSIONS: We established a real-time CAD system for detecting and classifying small bowel lesions in DBE with favourable performance. ENDOANGEL-DBE has the potential to help endoscopists, especially novices, in clinical practice and may reduce the miss rate of small bowel lesions.


Subject(s)
Deep Learning , Intestinal Diseases , Humans , Double-Balloon Enteroscopy/methods , Intestine, Small/diagnostic imaging , Intestine, Small/pathology , Intestinal Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Abdomen/pathology , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/methods , Retrospective Studies
13.
Dig Liver Dis ; 2024 Jan 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38246825

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The diagnosis and stratification of gastric atrophy (GA) predict patients' gastric cancer progression risk and determine endoscopy surveillance interval. We aimed to construct an artificial intelligence (AI) system for GA endoscopic identification and risk stratification based on the Kimura-Takemoto classification. METHODS: We constructed the system using two trained models and verified its performance. First, we retrospectively collected 869 images and 119 videos to compare its performance with that of endoscopists in identifying GA. Then, we included original image cases of 102 patients to validate the system for stratifying GA and comparing it with endoscopists with different experiences. RESULTS: The sensitivity of model 1 was higher than that of endoscopists (92.72% vs. 76.85 %) at image level and also higher than that of experts (94.87% vs. 85.90 %) at video level. The system outperformed experts in stratifying GA (overall accuracy: 81.37 %, 73.04 %, p = 0.045). The accuracy of this system in classifying non-GA, mild GA, moderate GA, and severe GA was 80.00 %, 77.42 %, 83.33 %, and 85.71 %, comparable to that of experts and better than that of seniors and novices. CONCLUSIONS: We established an expert-level system for GA endoscopic identification and risk stratification. It has great potential for endoscopic assessment and surveillance determinations.

14.
J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord ; 12(2): 101678, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37708938

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of customized graduated elastic compression stockings (c-GECSs) based on lower leg parameter models with standard GECSs (s-GECSs) in patients with chronic venous disease (CVD). METHODS: In this randomized, single-blind, controlled trial, 79 patients with stage C2 or C3 CVD were assigned to one of two groups: c-GECSs or s-GECSs. The primary outcome was change to Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study Quality of Life (VEINES-QOL) scores at months 1, 3, and 6 as compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes included compliance with wearing ECSs, interface pressure at the smallest circumference of the ankle (point B) and the largest circumference of the calf (point C), and calf volume (CV). RESULTS: There were 13 pairs of s-GECS and 2 pairs of c-GECS that showed pressure values higher than the standard at either point B or C. The c-GECSs were significantly superior to s-GECSs in terms of score improvement at all three time points (month 1, 8.47 [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.47-9.45] vs 5.89 [95% CI, 5.00-6.78]; month 3, 9.60 [95% CI, 8.47-10.72] vs 6.72 [95% CI, 5.62-7.83]; month 6, 7.09 [95% CI, 5.93-8.24] vs 3.92 [95% CI, 2.67-5.18]; P < .0001). Besides, at month 1, the mean daily use time of the c-GECS and s-GECS groups was 10.7 and 9.5 hours, respectively (P < .05). Correlation analysis indicated a negative relationship between local high pressure and daily duration in the s-GECS group (rpb = -0.388; n = 38; P < .05). Variances in pressure were greater in the s-GECSs group. The c-GECSs showed advantage in maintaining pressure. Both c-GECSs and s-GECSs effectively reduced CV (mL), with no significant differences between groups (month 1, 90.0 [95% CI, 71.4-108.5] vs 85.0 [95% CI, 65.6-104.2]; month 3, 93.8 [95% CI, 69.7-117.8] vs 85.9 [95% CI, 65.5-106.2]; month 6, 70.8 [95% CI, 46.5-95.2]) vs 60.8 [95% CI, 44.1-77.5]). CONCLUSIONS: The c-GECSs based on individual leg parameter models significantly improved VEINES-QOL scores and provided stable and enduring pressure as compared with s-GECSs for patients with stage C2 or C3 CVD. Although both c-GECSs and s-GECSs effectively reduced CV, the superior fit and comfort of c-GECSs improved patient compliance. Hence, c-GECSs are a viable alternative for patients who have difficulty tolerating s-GECSs.


Subject(s)
Stockings, Compression , Venous Insufficiency , Humans , Quality of Life , Single-Blind Method , Veins , Venous Insufficiency/therapy , Chronic Disease
15.
Small ; 20(14): e2306308, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37990392

ABSTRACT

Stable plating/stripping of Zn metal anode remains a great challenge owing to uncontrollable dendrite growth and side reactions. Ion-sieving separators is a unique and promising solution, that possess Zn2+ permeability and promote Zn2+ transport, can effectively alleviate the abovementioned problems. Ion-sieving on glass fiber separator by deposition of oxygen-deficient SiOx layer via active screen plasma technology is achieved. While having chemical composition similar to the glass fiber, the SiOx nanoparticles contain oxygen-rich vacancies that promoted dissociation of the adsorbed water and generation of the hydroxyl groups. The negatively-charged hydroxylated SiOx layer can repel SO4 2- and attract Zn2+, which can alleviate the side reactions. The strong interplay between hydroxyl groups and Zn2+ can boost Zn affinity and yield fast Zn2+ transport. Consequently, the SiOx-deposited GF separator enabled dendrite-free Zn deposition morphology, which displays lower overpotential of 18 mV and longer cycling life over 2000 h for Zn symmetric cell. Such a separator can also be easily scaled up to prepare the high-performance large-area (4 × 6 cm2) pouch Zn-based devices, showing remarkable flexibility and practicality.

16.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 102(50): e36234, 2023 Dec 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38115296

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: Patients who have myasthenia gravis or dermatomyositis show clinical signs of muscular weakening. Ocular muscle involvement is uncommon, and symmetrical proximal limb weakness is the typical presentation of dermatomyositis. However, the earliest and most noticeable sign in those with myasthenia gravis is extraocular muscular paralysis. Dermatomyositis is frequently complicated by malignancy, and the common malignancies associated with dermatomyositis vary by region and ethnicity, while thymoma is relatively rare. About 10% to 15% of people with myasthenia gravis have thymoma, which is involved in the etiology of the disease. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 68-year-old female presented with ocular muscle weakness for 10 days that manifested as bilateral blepharoptosis with the phenomenon of "light in the morning and heavy in the evening." Imaging examination showed anterior mediastinal thymic tumor with metastasis. DIAGNOSES: After a thorough physical examination, we discovered bilateral upper limbs with grade IV muscle strength and the typical rash of dermatomyositis. In combination with elevated serum kinase levels and electromyography suggesting myogenic damage, the patient was finally diagnosed as dermatomyositis with multiple metastases of thymoma. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received oral hydroxychloroquine sulfate, topical corticosteroids, and tacrolimus ointment, but these did not work very well. Subsequently, the patient underwent surgery combined with radiotherapy for the thymoma. OUTCOMES: Muscle weakness in the patient improved after effective treatment of tumor, and the rash mostly disappeared. CONCLUSION: Ocular muscle weakness and thymoma are more common in myasthenia gravis, but we cannot ignore the possibility of dermatomyositis. To further establish the diagnosis, a thorough physical examination and laboratory findings are required. Further tumor screening should be performed for patients with dermatomyositis. Early detection and management of possible tumors are essential to the treatment of dermatomyositis linked to malignancies.


Subject(s)
Dermatomyositis , Exanthema , Myasthenia Gravis , Thymoma , Thymus Neoplasms , Female , Humans , Aged , Thymoma/complications , Thymoma/diagnosis , Thymoma/surgery , Dermatomyositis/diagnosis , Dermatomyositis/complications , Myasthenia Gravis/drug therapy , Thymus Neoplasms/complications , Thymus Neoplasms/diagnosis , Thymus Neoplasms/surgery , Muscle Weakness , Exanthema/complications
17.
iScience ; 26(12): 108575, 2023 Dec 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38125027

ABSTRACT

The tumor-treating fields (TTFields) technology has revolutionized the management of recurrent and newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) cases. To ameliorate this treatment modality for GBM and other oncological conditions, it is necessary to understand the biophysical principles of TTFields better. In this study, we further analyzed the mechanism of the electromagnetic exposure with varying frequencies and electric field strengths on cells in mitosis, specifically in telophase. In reference to previous studies, an intuitive finite element model of the mitotic cell was built for electromagnetic simulations, predicting a local increase in the cleavage furrow region, which may help explain TTFields' anti-proliferative effects. Cell experiments confirmed that the reduction in proliferation and migration of glioma cell by TTFields was in a frequency- and field-strength-dependent manner. This work provides unique insights into the selection of frequencies in the anti-proliferative effect of TTFields on tumors, which could improve the application of TTFields.

18.
Int J Neurosci ; : 1-7, 2023 Dec 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38126309

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) for cerebral infarction. METHODS: 260 elderly patients with cerebral infarction were recruited and assigned to the stroke group, and 60 healthy elderly were identified as controls and included in the normal group. Serum samples of all subjects were collected at the time of admission for the determination of hs-CRP and Hcy levels. RESULTS: Patients with cerebral infarction exhibited significantly higher hs-CRP and Hcy levels than healthy controls. the patients were then categorized into mild-moderate and moderate-severe groups according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. No significant association was identified between Hcy levels and infarction severity, while more severe infarction was potentially related to higher hs-CRP levels, as evidenced by the higher hs-CRP levels observed in patients with moderate-severe infarction versus a milder severity. Patients with disease recurrence within 2 years were also included in a recurrence group, while those without recurrence were in a non-recurrence group. Results showed that patients with or without disease recurrence had similar hs-CRP and Hcy levels. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with cerebral infarction, serum hs-CRP, and Hcy levels are potentially promising markers for the diagnosis of stroke, assessment of stroke severity, and prediction of functional recovery. hs-CRP provides more benefits in diagnosing cerebral infarction, and Hcy is more conducive to the assessment of stroke severity and prediction of functional recovery. Combined detection of the two indices did not offer additional benefits in diagnostic and predictive efficacy.

19.
Microb Pathog ; 185: 106425, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37923181

ABSTRACT

Rabies, caused by the rabies virus (RABV), is the most fatal zoonotic disease. It is a neglected tropical disease which remains a major public health problem, causing approximately 59,000 deaths worldwide annually. Despite the existence of effective vaccines, the high incidence of human rabies is mainly linked to tedious vaccine immunisation procedures and the overall high cost of post-exposure prophylaxis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an effective vaccine that has a simple procedure and is affordable to prevent rabies infection in humans. RABV belongs to the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae. Previous phylogenetic analyses have identified seven major clades of RABV in China (China I-VII), confirmed by analysing nucleotide sequences from both the G and N proteins. This study evaluated the immunogenicity and protective capacity of SYS6008, an mRNA rabies vaccine expressing rabies virus glycoprotein, in mice and cynomolgus macaques. We demonstrated that SYS6008 induced sufficient levels of rabies neutralising antibody (RVNA) in mice. In addition, SYS6008 elicited strong and durable RVNA responses in vaccinated cynomolgus macaques. In the pre-exposure prophylaxis murine model, one or two injections of SYS6008 at 1/10 or 1/30 of dosage provided protection against a challenge with a 30-fold LD50 of rabies virus (China I and II clades). We also demonstrated that in the post-exposure prophylaxis murine model, which was exposed to lethal rabies virus (China I-VII clades) before vaccination, one or two injections of SYS6008 at both 1/10 and 1/30 dosages provided better protection against rabies virus challenge than the immunization by five injections of commercial vaccines at the same dosage. In addition, we proved that SYS6008-induced RVNAs could neutralise RABV from the China I-VII clades. Finally, 1/10 of the dosage of SYS6008 was able to stimulate significant RABV-G specificity in the T cell response. Furthermore, we found that SYS6008 induced high cellular immunity, including RABV-G-specific T cell responses and memory B cells. Our results imply that the SYS6008 rabies vaccine, with a much simpler vaccination procedure, better immunogenicity, and enhanced protective capacity, could be a candidate vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies infections.


Subject(s)
Rabies Vaccines , Rabies virus , Rabies , Humans , Animals , Mice , Rabies/prevention & control , Rabies Vaccines/genetics , Rabies virus/genetics , Post-Exposure Prophylaxis/methods , Disease Models, Animal , Phylogeny , Antibodies, Viral , Macaca
20.
Front Med (Lausanne) ; 10: 1253795, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37877023

ABSTRACT

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring hair loss disorder. Alopecia totalis (AT) and alopecia universalis (AU) are the severe subtypes of AA. Age of onset before 6 years of age, disease duration of more than 1 year, and extensive alopecia involving more than 50% of the scalp (including AT or AU) suggest a poorer prognosis. Topical corticosteroids are the preferred first-line treatment for pediatric AA. While some treatments, such as intralesional corticosteroids, systemic steroids, contact immunotherapy with squaric acid dibutyl ester, and JAK inhibitors, showed efficacy in adults with AA, their safety profiles limit their use in pediatric AA patients. Dupilumab is a biologic that effectively addresses the patho-physiology of Th2 allergic diseases, and treats atopic diseases by inhibiting the helper Th2 immune axis. AA has been reported to be significantly improved with dupilumab for atopic dermatitis (AD) in children and adults. We report hair regrowth over all of the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes after 10 months of dupilumab therapy in a 4-year-old AU patient resistant to baricitinib.

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