Broadband and fabrication-tolerant 3-dB couplers with topological valley edge modes.

3-dB couplers, which are commonly used in photonic integrated circuits for on-chip information processing, precision measurement, and quantum computing, face challenges in achieving robust performance due to their limited 3-dB bandwidths and sensitivity to fabrication errors. To address this, we introduce topological physics to nanophotonics, developing a framework for topological 3-dB couplers. These couplers exhibit broad working wavelength range and robustness against fabrication dimensional errors. By leveraging valley-Hall topology and mirror symmetry, the photonic-crystal-slab couplers achieve ideal 3-dB splitting characterized by a wavelength-insensitive scattering matrix. Tolerance analysis confirms the superiority on broad bandwidth of 48 nm and robust splitting against dimensional errors of 20 nm. We further propose a topological interferometer for on-chip distance measurement, which also exhibits robustness against dimensional errors. This extension of topological principles to the fields of interferometers, may open up new possibilities for constructing robust wavelength division multiplexing, temperature-drift-insensitive sensing, and optical coherence tomography applications.

Creating similar food boluses as that in vivo using a novel in vitro bio-inspired oral mastication simulator (iBOMS-â ¢): The cases with cooked rice and roasted peanuts.

Food bolus is the major outcome of oral processing of foods. Its structure and properties are crucial for safe swallowing and subsequent gastric digestion. However, collecting the ready-to-swallow bolus for further analysis in either normal or deficient human subjects is difficult, regulatorily or practically. Here, a novel in vitro bio-inspired oral mastication simulator (iBOMS-Ⅲ) was developed to be capable of replicating food boluses comparable to those in vivo. Cooked rice and roasted peanuts were used as the model foods (soft and hard) respectively. Particle size distribution, moisture content and rheology of the food boluses produced in the iBOMS-Ⅲ were assessed. A conventional food blender was also employed as a non-consequential comparation. Eighteen healthy young volunteers of the ages from 20-30 years (10 male and 8 female) were invited to provide the in vivo data. For cooked rice boluses produced by the iBOMS-Ⅲ with 10, 12, 14, and 20 chewing number of cycles, the moisture content exhibited minimal variation (68.3-68.8 wt%), aligning closely with values obtained from the average value of the human subjects (67.5 wt%). Similarly, the boluses from roasted peanut displayed similar moisture contents across masticatory number of cycles (36, 40, and 44 number of cycles), averaging at 35.3 %, mirroring the average in vivo results (33.8 wt%). Furthermore, the shear viscosity of both cooked rice and roasted peanut boluses exhibited minimal variations with iBOMS-Ⅲ chewing number of cycles. The particle size distributions of the boluses produced with 14 and 44 chewing number of cycles matched well with the in vivo data for cooked rice and roasted peanuts, with median particle size (d50) being 1.07 and 0.78 mm, respectively. The physical properties of the food boluses collected from the food blender, with varying grinding times, differed significantly. This study demonstrates the value of the iBOMS-Ⅲ in achieving realistic boluses with two very different food textures.

Inhibition of EGFR attenuates EGF-induced activation of retinal pigment epithelium cell via EGFR/AKT signaling pathway.

AIM: To explore the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition by erlotinib and EGFR siRNA on epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced activation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. METHODS: Human RPE cell line (ARPE-19 cells) was activated by 100 ng/mL EGF. Erlotinib and EGFR siRNA were used to intervene EGF treatment. Cellular viability, proliferation, and migration were detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) staining assay and wound healing assay, respectively. EGFR/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway proteins and N-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and vimentin were tested by Western blot assay. EGFR was also determined by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: EGF treatment for 24h induced a significant increase of ARPE-19 cells' viability, proliferation and migration, phosphorylation of EGFR/AKT proteins, and decreased total EGFR expression. Erlotinib suppressed ARPE-19 cells' viability, proliferation and migration through down regulating total EGFR and AKT protein expressions. Erlotinib also inhibited EGF-induced an increase of proliferative and migrative ability in ARPE-19 cells and clearly suppressed EGF-induced EGFR/AKT proteins phosphorylation and decreased expression of N-cadherin, α-SMA, and vimentin proteins. Similarly, EGFR inhibition by EGFR siRNA significantly affected EGF-induced an increase of cell proliferation, viability, and migration, phosphorylation of EGFR/AKT proteins, and up-regulation of N-cadherin, α-SMA, and vimentin proteins. CONCLUSION: Erlotinib and EGFR-knockdown suppress EGF-induced cell viability, proliferation, and migration via EGFR/AKT pathway in RPE cells. EGFR inhibition may be a possible therapeutic approach for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Enhancing rheology and reducing lipid digestion of oil-in-water emulsions using controlled aggregation and heteroaggregation of soybean protein isolate-peach gum microspheres.

There is a growing interest in developing highly viscous lipid foods using plant protein and polysaccharide gum-based emulsion technology. However, gaps remain in understanding the rheological, microstructural, and digestive properties of plant proteins like soybean protein isolate (SPI) in combination with various gums. This study investigates how combining SPI and peach gum (PG) affects rheology and lipolysis of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions containing 20 wt% soybean oil. Emulsions with varying SPI and PG compositions including SPI-PG single and SPI/PG mixed droplet systems were prepared. Heating induced alterations in viscosity (e.g., SPI-PG from 14.88 to 90.27 Pa·s and SPI/PG from 9.66 to 85.32 Pa·s) and microstructure revealing aggregate formation at oil-water interface. The viscosity decreased significantly from the oral to intestinal phase (SPI-PG: 28.10 to 0.19 Pa·s, SPI/PG: 21.27 to 0.10 Pa·s). These changes affected lipid digestion, notably in SPI-PG and SPI/PG emulsions where a compact interface hindered lipolysis during digestion. Interestingly, free fatty acid (FFA) release during small intestinal phase followed a different order: SPI (82.51 %) > SPI-PG (70.77 %) > SPI/PG (63.60 %) > PG (56.09 %). This study provides insights into creating highly viscous O/W spreads with improved rheology, stability, and delayed lipid digestion, offering potential benefits in food product formulation.

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes retinal pigment epithelium cell activity through MET/AKT signaling pathway.

AIM: To explore the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell behaviors. METHODS: The human adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line-19 (ARPE-19) were treated by HGF or mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) inhibitor SU11274 in vitro. Cell viability was detected by a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Cell proliferation and motility was detected by a bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay and a wound healing assay, respectively. The expression levels of MET, phosphorylated MET, protein kinase B (AKT), and phosphorylated AKT proteins were determined by Western blot assay. The MET and phosphorylated MET proteins were also determined by immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: HGF increased ARPE-19 cells' viability, proliferation and migration, and induced an increase of phosphorylated MET and phosphorylated AKT proteins. SU11274 significantly reduced cell viability, proliferation, and migration and decreased the expression of MET and AKT proteins. SU11274 suppressed HGF-induced increase of viability, proliferation, and migration in ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, SU11274 also blocked HGF-induced phosphorylation of MET and AKT proteins. CONCLUSION: HGF enhances cellular viability, proliferation, and migration in RPE cells through the MET/AKT signaling pathway, whereas this enhancement is suppressed by the MET inhibitor SU11274. HGF-induced MET/AKT signaling might be a vital contributor of RPE cells survival.

Locationally activated PRP via an injectable dual-network hydrogel for endometrial regeneration.

Enhancing the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for endometrial regeneration is challenging, due to its limited mechanical properties and burst release of growth factors. Here, we proposed an injectable interpenetrating dual-network hydrogel that can locationally activate PRP within the uterine cavity, sustained release growth factors and further address the insufficient therapeutic efficacy. Locational activation of PRP is achieved using the dual-network hydrogel. The phenylboronic acid (PBA) modified methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAMA) dispersion chelates Ca2+ by carboxy groups and polyphenol groups, and in situ crosslinked with PRP-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) dispersion by dynamic borate ester bonds thus establishing the soft hydrogel. Subsequently, in situ photo-crosslinking technology is employed to enhance the mechanical performance of hydrogels by initiating free radical polymerization of carbon-carbon double bonds to form a dense network. The PRP-hydrogel significantly promoted the endometrial cell proliferation, exhibited strong pro-angiogenic effects, and down-regulated the expression of collagen deposition genes by inhibiting the TGF-ß1-SMAD2/3 pathway in vitro. In vivo experiments using a rat intrauterine adhesion (IUA) model showed that the PRP-hydrogel significantly promoted endometrial regeneration and restored uterine functionality. Furthermore, rats treated with the PRP-hydrogel displayed an increase in the number of embryos, litter size, and birth rate, which was similar to normal rats. Overall, this injectable interpenetrating dual-network hydrogel, capable of locational activation of PRP, suggests a new therapeutic approach for endometrial repair.

Evolution Characterization and Pathogenicity of an NADC34-like PRRSV Isolated from Inner Mongolia, China.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a pathogen that causes severe abortions in sows and high piglet mortality, resulting in huge economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. The emerging and novel PRRSV isolates are clinically and biologically important, as there are likely recombination and pathogenic differences among PRRSV genomes. Furthermore, the NADC34-like strain has become a major epidemic strain in some parts of China, but the characterization and pathogenicity of the latest strain in Inner Mongolia have not been reported in detail. In this study, an NADC34-like strain (CHNMGKL1-2304) from Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia was successfully isolated and characterized, and confirmed the pathogenicity in pigs. The phylogenetic tree showed that this strain belonged to sublineage 1.5 and had high homology with the strain JS2021NADC34. There is no recombination between CHNMGKL1-2304 and any other domestic strains. Animal experiments show that the CHNMGKL1-2304 strain is moderately virulent to piglets, which show persistent fever, weight loss and high morbidity but no mortality. The presence of PRRSV nucleic acids was detected in both blood, tissues, nasal and fecal swabs. In addition, obvious pathological changes and positive signals were observed in lung, lymph node, liver and spleen tissues when subjected to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). This report can provide a basis for epidemiological investigations and subsequent studies of PRRSV.

Esophageal cancer screening, early detection and treatment: Current insights and future directions.

Esophageal cancer ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors globally, primarily due to its highly aggressive nature and poor survival rates. According to the 2020 global cancer statistics, there were approximately 604000 new cases of esophageal cancer, resulting in 544000 deaths. The 5-year survival rate hovers around a mere 15%-25%. Notably, distinct variations exist in the risk factors associated with the two primary histological types, influencing their worldwide incidence and distribution. Squamous cell carcinoma displays a high incidence in specific regions, such as certain areas in China, where it meets the cost-effectiveness criteria for widespread endoscopy-based early diagnosis within the local population. Conversely, adenocarcinoma (EAC) represents the most common histological subtype of esophageal cancer in Europe and the United States. The role of early diagnosis in cases of EAC originating from Barrett's esophagus (BE) remains a subject of controversy. The effectiveness of early detection for EAC, particularly those arising from BE, continues to be a debated topic. The variations in how early-stage esophageal carcinoma is treated in different regions are largely due to the differing rates of early-stage cancer diagnoses. In areas with higher incidences, such as China and Japan, early diagnosis is more common, which has led to the advancement of endoscopic methods as definitive treatments. These techniques have demonstrated remarkable efficacy with minimal complications while preserving esophageal functionality. Early screening, prompt diagnosis, and timely treatment are key strategies that can significantly lower both the occurrence and death rates associated with esophageal cancer.

Topological Nature of Radiation Asymmetry in Bilayer Metagratings.

Manipulating radiation asymmetry of photonic structures is of particular interest in many photonic applications such as directional optical antenna, high efficiency on-chip lasers, and coherent light control. Here, we proposed a term of pseudopolarization to reveal the topological nature of radiation asymmetry in bilayer metagratings. Robust pseudopolarization vortex with an integer topological charge exists in P-symmetry metagrating, allowing for tunable directionality ranging from -1 to 1 in synthetic parameter space. When P-symmetry breaking, such vortex becomes pairs of C points due to the conservation law of charge, leading to the phase difference of radiation asymmetry from π/2 to 3π/2. Furthermore, topologically enabled coherent perfect absorption is robust with customized phase difference at will between two counterpropagating external light sources. This Letter can not only enrich the understanding of two particular topological photonic behaviors, i.e., bound state in the continuum and unidirectional guided resonance, but also provide a topological view on radiation asymmetry, opening an unexplored avenue for asymmetric light manipulation in on-chip laser, light-light switch, and quantum emitters.

Propofol improves survival in a murine model of sepsis via inhibiting Rab5a-mediated intracellular trafficking of TLR4.

BACKGROUND: Propofol is a widely used anesthetic and sedative, which has been reported to exert an anti-inflammatory effect. TLR4 plays a critical role in coordinating the immuno-inflammatory response during sepsis. Whether propofol can act as an immunomodulator through regulating TLR4 is still unclear. Given its potential as a sepsis therapy, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory activity of propofol. METHODS: The effects of propofol on TLR4 and Rab5a (a master regulator involved in intracellular trafficking of immune factors) were investigated in macrophage (from Rab5a-/- and WT mice) following treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in vitro and in vivo, and peripheral blood monocyte from sepsis patients and healthy volunteers. RESULTS: We showed that propofol reduced membrane TLR4 expression on macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Rab5a participated in TLR4 intracellular trafficking and both Rab5a expression and the interaction between Rab5a and TLR4 were inhibited by propofol. We also showed Rab5a upregulation in peripheral blood monocytes of septic patients, accompanied by increased TLR4 expression on the cell surface. Propofol downregulated the expression of Rab5a and TLR4 in these cells. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that Rab5a regulates intracellular trafficking of TLR4 and that propofol reduces membrane TLR4 expression on macrophages by targeting Rab5a. Our study not only reveals a novel mechanism for the immunomodulatory effect of propofol but also indicates that Rab5a may be a potential therapeutic target against sepsis.

Injectable "Homing-Like" Bioactive Short-Fibers for Endometrial Repair and Efficient Live Births.

The prevalence of infertility caused by endometrial defects is steadily increasing, posing a significant challenge to women's reproductive health. In this study, injectable "homing-like" bioactive decellularized extracellular matrix short-fibers (DEFs) of porcine skin origin are innovatively designed for endometrial and fertility restoration. The DEFs can effectively bind to endometrial cells through noncovalent dipole interactions and release bioactive growth factors in situ. In vitro, the DEFs effectively attracted endometrial cells through the "homing-like" effect, enabling cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation on their surface. Furthermore, the DEFs effectively facilitated the proliferation and angiogenesis of human primary endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and inhibited fibrosis of pretreated HESCs. In vivo, the DEFs significantly accelerated endometrial restoration, angiogenesis, and receptivity. Notably, the deposition of endometrial collagen decreased from 41.19 ± 2.16% to 14.15 ± 1.70% with DEFs treatment. Most importantly, in endometrium-injured rats, the use of DEFs increased the live birth rate from 30% to an impressive 90%, and the number and development of live births close to normal rats. The injectable "homing-like" bioactive DEFs system can achieve efficient live births and intrauterine injection of DEFs provides a new promising clinical strategy for endometrial factor infertility.

Deep Cracking of Bulky Hydrocarbons into Light Products via Tandem Catalysis over Uniform Interconnected ZSM-5@AlSBA-15 Composites.

Deep cracking of bulky hydrocarbons on zeolite-containing catalysts into light products with high activity, desired selectivity, and long-term stability is demanded but challenging. Herein, the efficient deep cracking of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene (TIPB) on intimate ZSM-5@AlSBA-15 composites via tandem catalysis is demonstrated. The rapid aerosol-confined assembly enables the synthesis of the composites composed of a continuous AlSBA-15 matrix decorated with isolated ZSM-5 nanoparticles. The two components at various ZSM-5/AlSBA-15 mass ratios are uniformly mixed with chemically bonded pore walls, interconnected pores, and eliminated external surfaces of nanosized ZSM-5. The typical composite with a ZSM-5/AlSBA-15 mass ratio of 0.25 shows superior performance in TIPB cracking with outstanding activity (≈100% conversion) and deep cracking selectivity (mass of propylene + benzene > 60%) maintained for a long time (> 6 h) under a high TIPB flux (2 mL h-1), far better (several to tens of times higher) than the single-component and physically mixed catalysts and superior to literature results. The high performance is attributed to the cooperative tandem catalytic process, that is, selective and timely pre-cracking of TIPB to isopropylbenzene (IPB) in AlSBA-15 and subsequently timely diffusion and deep cracking of IPB in nanosized ZSM-5.

In vitro release and bioaccessibility of oral solid preparations in a dynamic gastrointestinal system simulating fasted and fed states: A case study of metformin hydrochloride tablets.

Food and formulation characteristics are crucial factors affecting the gastrointestinal release and absorption kinetics of oral solid preparations. In the present study, the dynamic continuous release and bioaccessibility of metformin hydrochloride immediate-release (IR) and sustained-release (SR) tablets were investigated in the dynamic human stomach-intestine (DHSI-IV) system simulating fasted and fed states in healthy adults. Both tablet formulations (particularly IR tablet) exhibited a postponed release in the fed state compared to the fasted state. Correspondingly, the bioaccessible fraction of metformin from IR tablets in the presence of high-fat meal was significantly reduced to 76.2 % of the fasted state. However, the in vitro bioaccessibility was less impaired by food for SR tablets with a fed/fasted ratio of 95.5 %. A convolution-based approach was used to convert in vitro bioaccessibility results to plasma concentration data. The predicted plasma concentration curve showed good agreement with human data in terms of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. In the fasted state, the predicted Cmax, Tmax and AUC0-24h of IR tablets were 943.9 ± 25.7 ng/mL, 2.0 ± 0.4 h and 7090.7 ± 112.0 ng.h/mL, respectively, mirroring values observed in healthy subjects. Overall, the DHSI-IV system has demonstrated potential to assess and predict the impact of meal intake on the in vivo release and absorption behaviors of oral solid preparations.

Therapeutic value of lymph node dissection for Siewert type II and III adenocarcinoma: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagogastric junction presents an increasing incidence. Surgical resection with lymphadenectomy is the only curative treatment modality at the present time, but the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy is debatable. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to estimate the therapeutic value of each nodal station. METHODS: Studies reporting the therapeutic value index of each nodal station in Siewert types II/III oesophagogastric junction (EGJ) were searched in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase up to October 2022. This index was calculated by multiplication of metastatic incidence and 5-year overall survival rate at each nodal station. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Pooled metastatic incidence and therapeutic value index were calculated using RevMan 5.4. RESULTS: Twelve studies involving 3513 patients were included. Nodes No. 3, 1, 7 and 2 were routinely dissected and achieved a high (≥10) or moderate (5-10) therapeutic value index in decreasing order, due to their high metastatic incidence and favourable survival rate. The index was relatively low (2-5) in suprapancreatic nodes No. 9, 11p and 8a. The index for nodes No. 4d and 10 was relatively low in Siewert type Ⅲ EGJ but very low (<2) in type Ⅱ. The index was very low for nodes No. 5, 6, 11d and 12a, due to their low metastatic incidence and poor survival if positive. Para-aortic, parahiatal and mediastinal nodes were dissected only in highly selected cases. Dissection of the lower mediastinal nodes, especially No. 110, could improve survival rates in type Ⅱ EGJ. CONCLUSION: These data could help assess the optimal extent of lymphadenectomy for EGJ. Nodes No. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8a, 9 and 11p need routine dissection in both Siewert types Ⅱ/Ⅲ EGJ; nodes around the lower oesophagus (especially No. 110) in Siewert type Ⅱ EGJ and nodes No. 4d and 10 in Siewert type Ⅲ EGJ might be considered for dissection.

On-Chip Topological Photonic Crystal Nanobeam Filters.

We present an on-chip filter with a broad tailorable working wavelength and a single-mode operation. This is realized through the application of topological photonic crystal nanobeam filters employing synthesis parameter dimensions. By introducing the translation of air holes as a new synthetic parameter dimension, we obtained nanobeams with tunable Zak phases. Leveraging the bulk-edge correspondence, we identify the existence of topological cavity modes and establish a correlation between the cavity's interface morphology and working wavelength. Through experiments, we demonstrate filters with adjustable filtering wavelengths ranging from 1301 to 1570 nm. Our work illustrates the use of the synthetic translation dimension in the design of on-chip filters, and it holds potential for applications in other devices such as microcavities.

Novel Signaling Pathway and NSC689534 as a Potential Drug Candidate for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common malignancy of the skin, and its incidence is increasing annually. Once cSCC becomes metastatic, its associated mortality rate is much higher than that of cSCC in situ. However, the current treatments for progressive cSCC have several limitations. The aim of this study was to suggest a potential compound for future research that may benefit patients with cSCC. METHODS: In this study, we screened the following differentially expressed genes from the Gene Expression Omnibus database: GSE42677, GSE45164, GSE66359, and GSE98767. Using strategies such as protein-protein interaction network analysis and the CYTOSCAPE plugin MCODE, key modules were identified and then verified by Western blotting. Subsequently, related signalling pathways were constituted in the SIGNOR database. Finally, molecular docking analyses and cell viability assay were used to identify a potential candidate drug and verify its growth inhibition ability to A431 cell line. RESULTS: Fifty-one common differentially expressed genes were screened and two key modules were identified. Among them, three core genes were extracted, constituting two signalling pathways, both of which belong to the module associated with mitotic spindles and cell division. A pathway involving CDK1, the TPX2-KIF11 complex, and spindle organization was validated in a series of analyses, including analyses for overall survival, genetic alteration, and molecular structure. Molecular docking analyses identified the pyridine 2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (NSC689534), which interacts with TPX2 and KIF11, as a potential candidate for the treatment of cSCC. CONCLUSIONS: NSC689534 might be a candidate drug for cSCC targeting TPX2 and KIF11, which are hub genes in cSCC.

Changes in oral health during aging in a novel non-human primate model.

Oral health plays a significant role in the quality of life and overall well-being of the aging population. However, age-related changes in oral health are not well understood due to challenges with current animal models. In this study, we analyzed the oral health and microbiota of a short-lived non-human primate (i.e., marmoset), as a step towards establishing a surrogate for studying the changes that occur in oral health during human aging. We investigated the oral health of marmosets using cadaveric tissues in three different cohorts: young (aged ≤6 years), middle-aged, and older (>10 years) and assessed the gingival bacterial community using analyses of the V3-V4 variable region of 16S rRNA gene. The oldest cohort had a significantly higher number of dental caries, increased dental attrition/erosion, and deeper periodontal pocket depth scores. Oral microbiome analyses showed that older marmosets had a significantly greater abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Propionibacterium, and a lower abundance of Agrobacterium/Rhizobium at the genus level. Alpha diversity of the microbiome between the three groups showed no significant differences; however, principal coordinate analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that samples from middle-aged and older marmosets were more closely clustered than the youngest cohort. In addition, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEFSe) identified a higher abundance of Esherichia-Shigella as a potential pathogenic biomarker in older animals. Our findings confirm that changes in the oral microbiome are associated with a decline in oral health in aging marmosets. The current study suggests that the marmoset model recapitulates some of the changes in oral health associated with human aging and may provide opportunities for developing new preventive strategies or interventions which target these disease conditions.

Ligamentum Teres Tears and Increased Combined Anteversion Are Associated With Hip Microinstability in Patients With Borderline Dysplasia.

PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in the prevalence of ligamentum teres (LT) tears and other radiographic measurements in borderline dysplasia of the hip (BDDH) with/without microinstability and to evaluate the associations between these imaging findings and the prevalence of microinstability in patients with BDDH. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of symptomatic patients with BDDH (18° ≤ lateral center-edge angle <25°) treated with arthroscopy in our hospital between January 2016 and December 2021. These patients were divided into the BDDH with microinstability (mBDDH) group and the stable BDDH (nBDDH) group. The radiographic parameters associated with hip joint stability, such as the state of LT, acetabular versions, femoral neck version, Tönnis angle, combined anteversions, and anterior/posterior acetabular coverage, were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 54 patients (49 female/5 male, 26.7 ± 6.9 years) in the mBDDH group and 81 patients (74 female/7 male, 27.2 ± 7.7 years) in the nBDDH group. The mBDDH group had greater LT tear (43/54 vs 5/81) and general laxity rates, increased femoral neck version, acetabular version and combined anteversion (52.4 ± 5.9 vs 41.5 ± 7.1 at 3-o'clock level) than the nBDDH group. Binary logistic regression showed that LT tears (odds ratio 6.32, 95% confidence interval 1.38-28.8; P = .02; R2 = .458) and combined anteversion at the 3-o'clock level (odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.84; P < .01; R2 = .458) were independent predictors of microinstability in patients with BDDH. The cutoff value of combined anteversion at 3-o'clock level was 49.5°. In addition, LT tear was correlated with increased combined anteversion at 3-o'clock level in patients with BDDH (P < .01, η2 = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: LT tears and increased combined anteversion at the 3-o'clock level on the acetabular clockface were associated with hip microinstability in patients with BDDH, suggesting that patients with BDDH and LT tears might have a greater prevalence of anterior microinstability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, case‒control study.

Study of molecular interaction and texture characteristics of hydrocolloid-mixed alginate microspheres: As a shell to encapsulate multiphase oil cores.

This work investigates the molecular interaction of hydrocolloids (xanthan gum (XG), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carbomer (CBM) and hymagic™-4D (HA)) with sodium alginate (SA) in microspheres in detail. The molecular interaction of hydrocolloids with SA are demonstrated by the rheological property analysis of the mixed solutions as well as the morphology structure and texture characteristics studies of the microspheres. It is found that the hydrocolloids (XG, HEC and CBM) with branches or capable to coil are able to form complex networks with SA through molecular interactions which hinders the free diffusion of calcium ions and changes the texture characteristics of microspheres. In addition, the mixed solutions (SA-XG and SA-HEC) with complex networks and do not have a chelating effect on calcium ions are used to form the shell of the microcapsules through droplet microfluidic technology, and stable with soft microcapsules encapsulating multiphase oil cores have been successfully prepared. At the same time, the textural properties of microcapsules are quantized, which are related to human sensory properties. The developed stable and soft microcapsules which have the properties of sensory comfort are expected to be applied in the personal care industry and a variety of fields.

Intestinal barrier in inflammatory bowel disease: A bibliometric analysis.

The primary objective of this investigation was to examine the evolving trajectories and pivotal focal points within the domain of research on intestinal barriers with regard to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Publications germane to the intestinal barrier in the context of IBD were procured from the Science Citation Index Expanded within the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric scrutiny and visualization were executed employing the R package "bibliometrix" through the R software platform (version: 4.3.0). A comprehensive compilation of 7344 English-language articles spanning from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2021 was meticulously identified and included in the analysis. Remarkably, China emerged as the preeminent force in the realm of intestinal barrier research in relation to IBD. The significance of the intestinal barrier in the context of IBD has been progressively and comprehensively acknowledged. This recognition has ushered in a fresh therapeutic perspective that offers the promise of enhancing the management of inflammation and prognostication.