Medial-pivot total knee arthroplasty enhances tibiofemoral axial rotation stability in weight-bearing mid-range flexion compared to posterior-stabilised system.

PURPOSE: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) stands as a primary intervention for severe knee ailments, yet concerns remain regarding postoperative patient satisfaction and flexion instability. This study aims to evaluate the in-vivo kinematics of medial-pivot (MP) and posterior-stabilised (PS) designs during step-up activity, in comparison to the kinematics of the nonoperated contralateral knee. METHODS: Sixteen patients with PS-TKA and 14 with MP-TKA were retrospectively examined. Clinical outcomes were assessed using patient-completed questionnaires. Motion during step-up was captured using a dual fluoroscopic system. Statistical analysis was applied to evaluate the in-vivo tibiofemoral six-degree-of-freedom kinematics and articular contact positions between the two groups. RESULTS: Despite being older, patients in the MP group reported higher postoperative subjective scores for weight-bearing functional activities. The axial rotation centres of MP-TKA located on the medial tibial plateau exhibited less variance compared to PS-TKA and contralateral knees. Compared to the contralateral knee (contralateral to medial-pivot [C-MP] or contralateral to posterior-stabilised [C-PS]), the MP group exhibited limited range of motion in terms of anteroposterior translation (MP: 3.6 ± 1.3 mm vs. C-MP: 7.4 ± 2.5 mm, p < 0.01) and axial rotation (MP: 6.6 ± 1.9° vs. C-MP: 10.3 ± 4.9°, p = 0.02), as well as in the PS group for anteroposterior translation (PS: 3.9 ± 1.7 mm vs. C-PS: 7.2 ± 3.7 mm, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The MP group with better postoperative ratings demonstrated a more stable MP axial rotation pattern during step-up activity compared to the PS group, underscoring the pivotal role of prosthetic design in optimising postoperative rehabilitation and functional recovery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

A novel in-situ dynamic mechanical analysis for human plantar soft tissue: The device design, definition of characteristics, test protocol, and preliminary results.

The in-situ mechanical characterization of elastomers is not highly regarded due to the existence of a well-established set of sample-based standard tests for research and industry. However, there are certain situations or materials, like biological soft tissue, where an in-situ approach is necessary due to the impossibility of sampling from a living body. We have developed a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)-like device to approach in-vivo and in-situ multidimensional stress-strain properties of human plantar soft tissues. This work elucidates the operational mechanism of the novel measurement, with the definition of a new set of moduli, test standardization and protocol. Exploratory results of a volunteer's living plantar, silica rubber samples are presented with well preciseness and consistence as expected.

[Determination of 12 prohibited veterinary drug residues in pig urine by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A method was established for the simultaneous detection of 12 prohibited veterinary drugs, including ß2-receptor agonists, nitrofuran metabolites, nitroimidazoles, chlorpromazine, and chloramphenicol, in pig urine. The sample was pretreated by enzymolysis, acid hydrolysis/derivatization, and liquid-liquid extraction combined with solid-phase extraction. Detection was performed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Ammonium acetate solution (0.2 mol/L, 4.5 mL) and ß-glucuronidase/aryl sulfatase (40 µL) were added to the sample, which was subsequently enzymolized at 37 ℃ for 2 h. Then, 1.5 mL of 1.0 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution and 100 µL of 0.1 mol/L o-nitrobenzaldehyde solution were added to the sample. The mixture was incubated at 37 ℃ for 16 h, and the analytes were extracted with 8 mL of ethyl acetate by liquid-liquid extraction. The lower aqueous phase obtained after extraction was extracted and purified using a mixed cation-exchange solid-phase extraction column. The extracts were combined, the extraction solution was blow-dried with nitrogen, and the residue was redissolved for determination. The samples were analyzed under multiple-reaction monitoring mode with both positive and negative electrospray ionization, and quantified using an isotope internal standard method. The correlation coefficients (r) of the 12 compounds were >0.99. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) of chloramphenicol were 0.05 and 0.1 µg/L, respectively, and the LODs and LOQs of the other compounds were 0.25 and 0.5 µg/L, respectively. The mean recoveries and RSDs at 1, 2, and 10 times the LOQ were 83.6%-115.3% and 2.20%-12.34%, respectively. The proposed method has the advantages of high sensitivity, good stability, and accurate quantification; thus, it is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the 12 prohibited veterinary drug residues in pig urine.

Highly efficient Mn2+, Mg2+, and NH4+ recovery from electrolytic manganese residue via leaching, solvent extraction, coprecipitation, and atmospheric oxidation.

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR), a solid waste generated during electrolytic manganese production, exhibits substantial leaching toxicity owing to its elevated levels of soluble Mn2+ and NH4+. The leaching and recovery of valuable metal ions and NH4+ from EMR are key to the hazard-free treatment and resource utilization of EMR. In this study, two-stage countercurrent leaching with water was used to leach Mn2+, Mg2+, and NH4+ from EMR. Subsequently, two-stage countercurrent extraction was conducted using α-hydroxy-2-ethylhexyl phosphinic acid (α-H-2-EHA) as an extractant to enrich Mn2+, and Mg2+, and NH4+ were recovered via coprecipitation. Based on the calculations for a single leaching-extraction process, the recoveries of Mn2+, Mg2+, and NH4+ ions exceeded 80%, 99%, and 90%, respectively. In addition, high-purity Mn3O4 with an Mn content of 71.61% and struvite were produced. This process represents a win-win strategy that facilitates the hazard-free treatment of EMR while simultaneously recovering valuable Mn2+, Mg2+, and NH4+ resources from waste. Thus, this study provides a novel approach to the hazard-free and resourceful management of solid waste. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR), a solid waste generated during electrolytic manganese production, poses significant environmental risks due to its soluble heavy metals and ammonia nitrogen content. Efforts have been made to address this issue, but there has been no mature industrial application due to cost or processing capacity constraints. In this work, solvent extraction was first used to enrich Mn2+ from EMR leachate, and a novel α­hydroxy­2­ethylhexyl phosphinic acid was used as extractant. High purity Mn3O4 and struvite was synthesized through this process. The win­win strategy offers a novel approach for the hazard­free and resourceful utilization of solid waste.

China's "coal-to-gas" policy had large impact on PM1.0 distribution during 2016-2019.

Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 1 µm (PM1.0) can be extremely hazardous to human health, so it is imperative to accurately estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of PM1.0 and analyze the impact of related policies on it. In this study, a stacking generalization model was trained based on aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from satellite observations, combined with related data affecting aerosol concentration such as meteorological data and geographic data. Using this model, the PM1.0 concentration distribution in China during 2016-2019 was estimated, and verified by comparison with ground-based stations. The coefficient of determination (R2) of the model is 0.94, and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) is 8.49 µg/m3, mean absolute error (MAE) is 4.10 µg/m3, proving that the model has a very high performance. Based on the model, this study analyzed the PM1.0 concentration changes during the heating period (November and December) in the regions where the "coal-to-gas" policy was implemented in China, and found that the proposed "coal-to-gas" policy did reduce the PM1.0 concentration in the implemented regions. However, the lack of natural gas due to the unreasonable deployment of the policy in the early stage caused the increase of PM1.0 concentration. This study can provide a reference for the next step of urban air pollution policy development.

Da-Chai-Hu-Tang Formula inhibits the progression and metastasis in HepG2 cells through modulation of the PI3K/AKT/STAT3-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Da-Chai-Hu-Tang (DCHT), a Chinese traditional herbal compound, has been utilized for the treatment of Hepatic diseases in China for over 1800 years. The DCHT formula contains eight herbals: Bupleurum chinense DC. (chaihu), Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (huangqin), Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (baishao), Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino (banxia), Rheum officinale Baill. (dahuang), Citrus × aurantium L. (zhishi), Zingiber officinale Roscoe (shengjiang), Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (dazao). Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of DCHT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its ability to enhance the immunity of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. A total of 20 Chinese articles have been published on the use of DCHT in treating HCC. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to validate the effect of DCHT in HCC cells and to identify related targets (TP53, AKT1, BCL2, STAT3) in treating HCC by DCHT in vitro experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell proliferation and migration were investigated in vitro. Flow cytometry analysis was used to evaluate the cell cycle and apoptosis. Apoptotic bodies in HepG2 cells were observed using a confocal microscope. Biochemical detection was employed to analyze LDH release, MDA levels, and SOD levels. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict core targets between DCHT and HCC, as well as potential signaling pathways. The protein levels of metastasis-associated, apoptosis, and PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, and STAT3 were further determined through Western blotting. RESULTS: Following treatment with DCHT, the inhibition of viability, migration, and G2/M arrest was observed in HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry analysis and Morphological apoptosis studies provided evidence that DCHT could induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Biochemical detection revealed that DCHT could increase LDH release and the level of MDA, and inhibit the viability of the SOD. Bioinformatics analysis identified key targets such as TP53, AKT1, BCL2, STAT3. The PI3K/AKT/STAT3 signaling pathway emerged as a critical pathway in the KEGG enrichment analysis. Western blotting results indicated that DCHT could enhance the expression of E-cadherin, p53, and Bax, while reducing the content of N-cadherin, Bcl-2, PI3K, p-AKT, AKT1, and STAT3. CONCLUSIONS: The results proved that DCHT could inhibit the progression and metastasis of HCC by regulating the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, PI3K, p-AKT, AKT, and STAT3 through the PI3K/AKT/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Strictosamide promotes wound healing through activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Nauclea officinalis, as a Chinese medicine in Hainan province, had the effect of treating lower limb ulcers, burn infections. In this paper, we studied the effect of Strictosamide (STR), the main bioactive compound in Nauclea officinals, on wound healing and explored its internal mechanism. Firstly, the wound healing potential of STR was evaluated in a rat model, demonstrating its ability to expedite wound healing, mitigate inflammatory infiltration, and enhance collagen deposition. Additionally, immunofluorescence analysis revealed that STR up-regulated the expression of CD31 and PCNA. Subsequently, target prediction, protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO), and pathway enrichment analyses were used to obtain potential targets, specific biological processes, and molecular mechanisms of STR for the potential treatment of wound healing. Furthermore, molecular docking was conducted to predict the binding affinity between STR and its associated targets. Additionally, in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that STR could increase the expression of P-PI3K, P-AKT and P-mTOR by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In summary, this study provided a new explanation for the mechanism by which STR promotes wound healing through network pharmacology, suggesting that STR may be a new candidate for treating wound.

Use of a pH-responsive imatinib mesylate sustained-release hydrogel for the treatment of tendon adhesion by inhibiting PDGFRß/CLDN1 pathway.

Adhesion after tendon injury, which can result in limb movement disorders, is a common clinical complication; however, effective treatment methods are lacking. Hyaluronic acid hydrogels are a new biomedical material used to prevent tendon adhesion owing to their good biocompatibility. In addition, potential drugs that inhibit adhesion formation have gradually been discovered. The anti-adhesion effects of a combination of loaded drugs into hydrogels have become an emerging trend. However, current drug delivery systems usually lack specific regulation of drug release, and the effectiveness of drugs for treating tendon adhesions is mostly flawed. In this study, we identified a new drug, imatinib mesylate (IM), that prevents tendon adhesion and explored its related molecular pathways. In addition, we designed a pH-responsive sustained-release hydrogel for delivery. Using the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 as a drug carrier, we achieved controlled drug release to increase the effective drug dose at the peak of adhesion formation to achieve better therapeutic effects. The results showed that IM blocked the formation of peritendon adhesions by inhibiting the PDGFRß/ERK/STAT3/CLDN1 pathway. Furthermore, the hydrogel with ZIF-8 exhibited better physical properties and drug release curves than the hydrogel loaded only with drugs, showing better prevention and treatment effects on tendon adhesion.

Innovation and entrepreneurship of Chinese returning migrant workers in their home region.

This study aims to investigate the influence of pre-entrepreneurial career mobility frequency and job changes among returning migrant workers (RMWs) on the innovation level of enterprises, with a particular focus on the mediating role of urban social capital accumulated by RMWs. Using data from the "current entrepreneurial status of RMWs", we applied an ordered probit model to validate our hypotheses. To address endogeneity, a recursive bivariate probit model was used, and stepwise regression combined with bootstrap methods was employed to ascertain the mediating influence of urban social capital. Our results demonstrate a significant positive correlation (P < 0.01) between pre-entrepreneurial career mobility frequency and the innovation level of enterprises among RMWs. However, there's a notable negative correlation (P < 0.01) between experiences as elementary workers and enterprise innovation level, while technical and marketing roles correlate positively (P < 0.01) with enterprise innovation level. Urban social capital mediates the relationship between career mobility and enterprise innovation level, suggesting that career mobility enhance urban social capital accumulation, influencing RMWs' enterprise innovation levels. This empirical evidence holds even after robustness tests. We further observed that RMWs with fewer than three career moves lean towards low level of enterprise innovation, while those with three or more gravitate towards high level of enterprise innovation. This study advances the theory of career mobility and enriches the understanding of enterprise innovation levels. Additionally, it provides critical theoretical insights for prospective RMWs entrepreneurs in strategizing their career mobility and job changes. Policy implications suggest that, in addition to providing entrepreneurial support, the government should facilitate pre-entrepreneurial career mobility channels for migrant workers and consider the transition from rural to urban employment as a socialized ritual for RMWs engaging in entrepreneurship.

Suitability of the MP1000 Platform for Robot-assisted Prostatectomy: A Prospective Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background and objective: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is widely used because of the many advantages of a robotic approach. The da Vinci Si robot is one of the most commonly used surgical robot systems, but it may be associated with higher costs owing to the use of consumable surgical supplies. Our aim was to conduct a preliminary investigation of the capability of the MP1000 system for RARP. Methods: In this prospective, multicentre, single-blinded study, we randomly assigned 42 patients scheduled to undergo RARP between April and September 2021 to a da Vinci Si group (control) or an MP1000 group (intervention). Patients underwent RARP performed using the assigned robotic system and were followed up at 3-mo intervals. The primary outcome was the rate of conversion to open/laparoscopic surgery. Secondary outcomes were installation and operation times, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative surgical margin status, hospital stay, incontinence, complications, safety indicators, and surgeon ergonomics. Key findings and limitations: All procedures were successfully completed without conversion to open/laparascopic surgery or major complications. Secondary outcomes, including oncological and ergonomic indicators, did not differ significantly between the groups over the study period. One patient in the control group experienced dysuria (Clavien-Dindo grade 3). No patients had incontinence at 3 mo. A limitation of the study is the small sample size. Conclusions and clinical implications: RARP with the MP1000 system is feasible, safe, and effective in the management of localised prostate cancer. Patient summary: We assessed the effectiveness and safety of the new MP1000 robot system for robot-assisted removal of the prostate in comparison to the da Vinci Si robot. We found no difference in effectiveness or safety among 42 patients with prostate cancer who were assigned randomly to one of the two systems. We conclude that the MP1000 is a suitable robot for this surgery.

Wearable laser Doppler flowmetry for non-invasive assessment of diabetic foot microcirculation: methodological considerations and clinical implications.

Significance: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global health concern with significant implications for vascular health. The current evaluation methods cannot achieve effective, portable, and quantitative evaluation of foot microcirculation. Aim: We aim to use a wearable device laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) to evaluate the foot microcirculation of T2DM patients at rest. Approach: Eleven T2DM patients and twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. The wearable LDF was used to measure the blood flows (BFs) for regions of the first metatarsal head (M1), fifth metatarsal head (M5), heel, and dorsal foot. Typical wavelet analysis was used to decompose the five individual control mechanisms: endothelial, neurogenic, myogenic, respiratory, and heart components. The mean BF and sample entropy (SE) were calculated, and the differences between diabetic patients and healthy adults and among the four regions were compared. Results: Diabetic patients showed significantly reduced mean BF in the neurogenic (p=0.044) and heart (p=0.001) components at the M1 and M5 regions (p=0.025) compared with healthy adults. Diabetic patients had significantly lower SE in the neurogenic (p=0.049) and myogenic (p=0.032) components at the M1 region, as well as in the endothelial (p<0.001) component at the M5 region and in the myogenic component at the dorsal foot (p=0.007), compared with healthy adults. The SE in the myogenic component at the dorsal foot was lower than at the M5 region (p=0.050) and heel area (p=0.041). Similarly, the SE in the heart component at the dorsal foot was lower than at the M5 region (p=0.017) and heel area (p=0.028) in diabetic patients. Conclusions: This study indicated the potential of using the novel wearable LDF device for tracking vascular complications and implementing targeted interventions in T2DM patients.

Yeast Platforms for Production and Screening of Bioactive Derivatives of Rauwolscine.

Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) make up a highly bioactive class of metabolites produced by a range of tropical and subtropical plants. The corynanthe-type MIAs are a stereochemically complex subclass with therapeutic potential against a large number of indications including cancer, psychotic disorders, and erectile dysfunction. Here, we report yeast-based cell factories capable of de novo production of corynanthe-type MIAs rauwolscine, yohimbine, tetrahydroalstonine, and corynanthine. From this, we demonstrate regioselective biosynthesis of 4 fluorinated derivatives of these compounds and de novo biosynthesis of 7-chlororauwolscine by coexpression of a halogenase with the biosynthetic pathway. Finally, we capitalize on the ability of these cell factories to produce derivatives of these bioactive scaffolds to establish a proof-of-principle drug discovery pipeline in which the corynanthe-type MIAs are screened for bioactivity on human drug targets, expressed in yeast. In doing so, we identify antagonistic and agonistic behavior against the human adrenergic G protein-coupled receptors ADRA2A and ADRA2B, and the serotonergic receptor 5HT4b, respectively. This study thus demonstrates a proto-drug discovery pipeline for bioactive plant-inspired small molecules based on one-pot biocatalysis of natural and new-to-nature corynanthe-type MIAs in yeast.

Executive function deficits in patients with the first episode of late-life depression before and after SSRI treatment: A pilot fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Executive function deficits (EFD) in late-life depression (LLD) has been reported to be associated with antidepressant treatment resistance, increased disability, and poor quality of life. However, the underlying neutral mechanisms of EFD in patients with the first episode of LLD remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 27 patients with first-episode, drug-naive LLD and 27 non-depressed controls (NC) were recruited for the present research. Participants underwent the Trail Making Test, the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17) test, and task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans under the neutral Stroop task. LLD patients' executive functions, depressive symptoms, and brain activity were examined again after 6 months of antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: Of the 27 LLD patients, 16 cases completed 6-month follow-ups. Patients in the LLD baseline group spent more time on the Trail Making Test A test than those in the NC group (p < 0.05). In the presence of an incongruency between the word color and meaning, the accuracy rate of the neutral Stroop task in the LLD baseline group was lower, and the reaction time was greater than that in the NC group, with statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). The HAMD-17 score in the LLD follow-up group was significantly lower than that in the LLD baseline group (p < 0.05). More activated brain regions were present in the LLD baseline group than in the NC group when performing the neutral Stroop task. Compared with the LLD baseline group, abnormal activation of relevant brains in the cingulate-prefrontal-parietal network of LLD patients still existed in the LLD follow-up group. CONCLUSIONS: LLD patients engaged more brain areas than the NC group while performing the neutral Stroop task. Abnormal activation of the cingulate-prefrontal-parietal network could be a contributing factor to EFD in LLD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100042370 (Date of registration: 21/01/2021). LIMITS: We didn't enroll enough first-episode, LLD patients, the robustness of the findings need to be confirmed by large sample clinical trials.

Development and application of haploid embryonic stem cells.

Haploid cells are a kind of cells with only one set of chromosomes. Compared with traditional diploid cells, haploid cells have unique advantages in gene screening and drug-targeted therapy, due to their phenotype being equal to the genotype. Embryonic stem cells are a kind of cells with strong differentiation potential that can differentiate into various types of cells under specific conditions in vitro. Therefore, haploid embryonic stem cells have the characteristics of both haploid cells and embryonic stem cells, which makes them have significant advantages in many aspects, such as reproductive developmental mechanism research, genetic screening, and drug-targeted therapy. Consequently, establishing haploid embryonic stem cell lines is of great significance. This paper reviews the progress of haploid embryonic stem cell research and briefly discusses the applications of haploid embryonic stem cells.

Five new eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes from the fresh roots of Rehmannia glutinosa.

Five undescribed eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes, remophilanetriols E-I (1-5), along with seven known compounds (6-12) were isolated from the fresh roots of Rehmannia glutinosa. Their structures were characterized by extensive spectroscopic data analysis and their absolute configurations were determined by comparing their calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and experimental ECD spectra. The anti-pulmonary fibrosis activities of all compounds were evaluated in vitro by MTT methods, and compounds 2, 8, 10, and 12 exhibited excellent anti-pulmonary fibrosis activities. In addition, compound 2 can reduce the levels of ROS and apoptosis in TGF-ß1-induced BEAS-2B cells.

Preliminary investigation on the causes of red tides in Qinhuangdao coastal areas in 2022.

To explore the causes of red tides in Qinhuangdao coastal water, we conducted surveys on both water quality and red tides during April to September of 2022 and analyzed the relationships between main environmental factors and red tide organisms through the factor analysis and canonical correspondence analysis. The results showed that there were eight red tides along the coast of Qinhuangdao in 2022, with a cumulative blooming area of 716.1 km2. The red tides could be divided into three kinds based on the major blooming organisms and occurrence time, Noctiluca scintillans bloom, diatom-euglena (Skeletonema costatum, Eutreptiella gymnastica, Pseudo-nitzschia spp.) bloom, and dinoflagellate (Scrippsiella trochoidea and Ceratium furca) bloom. Seasonal factor played roles mainly during July to September, while inorganic nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus influenced the blooms mainly in April and July. The canonical correspondence analysis suggested that N. scintillans preferred low temperature, and often bloomed with high concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and dissolved inorganic phosphorus. S. costatum, E. gymnastica, and Pseudo-nitzschia spp. could tolerate broad ranges of various environmental factors, but favored high temperature and nitrogen-rich seawater. C. furca and S. trochoidea had higher survival rate and competitiveness in phosphate-poor waters. Combined the results from both analyses, we concluded that the causes for the three kinds of red tide processes in Qinhuangdao coastal areas in 2022 were different. Adequate diet algae and appropriate water temperature were important factors triggering and maintaining the N. scintillans bloom. Suitable temperature, salinity and eutrophication were the main reasons for the diatom-euglena bloom. The abundant nutrients and seawater disturbance promoted the germination of S. trochoidea cysts, while phosphorus limitation caused the blooming organism switched to C. furca and maintained the bloom hereafter.

Root-mediated acidification, phosphatase activity and the phosphorus-cycling microbial community enhance phosphorus mobilization in the rhizosphere of wetland plants.

Rhizoremediation of wetland plants is an environmentally friendly strategy for sediment phosphorous (P) removal, the basic underlying principle of which is the complex interactions between roots and microorganisms. This study investigated the immobilization and mobilization mechanisms of P in the rhizosphere of wetland plants using high-resolution spatial visualization techniques and metagenomic sequencing. Two-dimensional visualization of the spatial distribution of P, iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) indicated that the sequestration of Fe-oxides rather than Mn-oxides caused the depletion of labile P, resulting in an increase in the Fe-adsorbed P fraction. Plants altered the rhizospheric environments and P-cycling microbial community to mobilize low-availability P from sediments. Mineral P solubilization and organic P mineralization were enhanced by local acidification and increased phosphatase activity, respectively. Microbial P mobilization also increased with increasing relative abundances of P solubilization and mineralization genes (gcd and phnW) and decreasing P transportation genes (ugpA, ugpB, and pit) genes in the rhizosphere. These processes led to the remobilization of 10.04 % of inorganic P, and 15.23 % of organic P, in the rhizosphere during the incubation period. However, the resupply of P via the above processes did not compensate for the depletion of rhizospheric P via root uptake and mineral sequestration. Our results provide novel insights into the mechanisms of rhizospheric P cycling, which will help to inform future phytoremediation strategies.

Transrectal versus transperineal prostate biopsy for cancer detection in patients with gray-zone prostate-specific antigen: a multicenter, real-world study.

Knowledge about the effect of different prostate biopsy approaches on the prostate cancer detection rate (CDR) in patients with gray-zone prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is limited. We performed this study to compare the CDR among patients who underwent different biopsy approaches and had rising PSA levels in the gray zone. Two hundred and twenty-two patients who underwent transrectal prostate biopsy (TRB) and 216 patients who underwent transperineal prostate biopsy (TPB) between June 2016 and September 2022 were reviewed in this study. In addition, 110 patients who received additional targeted biopsies following the systematic TPB were identified. Clinical parameters, including age, PSA derivative, prostate volume (PV), and needle core count, were recorded. The data were fitted via propensity score matching (PSM), adjusting for potential confounders. TPB outperformed TRB in terms of the CDR (49.6% vs 28.3%, P = 0.001). The clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection rate was not significantly different between TPB and TRB (78.6% vs 68.8%, P = 0.306). In stratified analysis, TPB outperformed TRB in CDR when the age of patients was 65-75 years (59.0% vs 22.0%, P < 0.001), when PV was 25.00-50.00 ml (63.2% vs 28.3%, P < 0.001), and when needle core count was no more than 12 (58.5% vs 31.5%, P = 0.005). The CDR (P = 0.712) and detection rate of csPCa (P = 0.993) did not significantly differ among the systematic, targeted, and combined biopsies. TPB outperformed TRB in CDR for patients with gray-zone PSA. Moreover, performing target biopsy after systematic TPB provided no additional benefits in CDR.

Subregional thalamic functional connectivity abnormalities and cognitive impairments in first-episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have documented thalamic functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities in schizophrenia, typically examining the thalamus as a whole. The specific link between subregional thalamic FC and cognitive deficits in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) remains unexplored. METHODS: Using data from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared whole-brain FC with thalamic subregions between patients and HCs, and analyzed FC changes in drug-naïve patients separately. We then examined correlations between FC abnormalities with both cognitive impairment and clinical symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 33 FES patients (20 drug-naïve) and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included. Compared to HCs, FES patients exhibited increased FC between specific thalamic subregions and cortical regions, particularly bilateral middle temporal lobe and cuneus gyrus, left medial superior frontal gyrus, and right inferior/superior occipital gyrus. Decreased FC was observed between certain thalamic subregions and the left inferior frontal triangle. These findings were largely consistent in drug-naïve patients. Notably, deficits in social cognition and visual learning in FES patients correlated with increased FC between certain thalamic subregions and cortical regions involving the right superior occipital gyrus and cuneus gyrus. The severity of negative symptoms was associated with increased FC between a thalamic subregion and the left middle temporal gyrus. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest FC abnormalities between thalamic subregions and cortical areas in FES patients. Increased FC correlated with cognitive deficits and negative symptoms, highlighting the importance of thalamo-cortical connectivity in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.