Unlocking the night: Exploring the health impacts of night-time walking environments on health outcomes of older adults.

Walking remains the primary form of physical activity for many older adults in China, and the quality of the walking environment at night may determine the frequency and duration of evening outings. This study reveals how night-time environmental features influence the health outcomes of older adults. Using the medical check-up records of 87,578 older adults from a public health service in the Beilin district of Xi'an city, China, the role of the night-time walking environment in managing chronic conditions was examined. A favorable night-time walking environment reduced the prevalence of chronic conditions and comorbidities among older adults. However, the health effects stemming from the night-time walking environment exhibited heterogeneity, with significant impacts only on metabolic conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, while the effects on other conditions were not significant. Our findings supplement the theory of healthy aging by highlighting the potential value of the environment in managing chronic conditions, which may serve as a cost-effective health intervention for aging societies.

Target-inhibited MCOF-Apt-AuNPs self-assembly for multicolor colorimetric detection of Salmonella Typhimurium.

Pathogens detection is a crucial measure in the prevention of foodborne diseases. This study developed a novel multicolor colorimetric assay to visually detect Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), by utilizing the etching process of gold nanorods (AuNRs) with TMB2+. The strategy involved the construction of nanozyme by assembling magnetic covalent organic framework (MCOF) with aptamer-conjugated AuNPs (Apt-AuNPs), exhibiting remarkable peroxidase-like activity to catalyze the oxidation of TMB/H2O2 and inducing the etching of AuNRs. The presence of S. Typhimurium could inhibit this process, resulting in the generation of vivid colors. The multicolor colorimetric assay could specifically determine S. Typhimurium from 102 to 108 CFU mL-1 in 60 min with visual detection limit of 102 CFU mL-1, and instrumental detection limit of 2.3 CFU mL-1. Moreover, detecting S. Typhimurium in chicken, milk, pork and lettuce samples has shown promise in practical applications.

Effect of pH on the surface charges of permanently/variably charged soils and clay minerals.

Traditionally, the surface charge number (SCN) of permanently charged soils/clay minerals is believed to be unaffected by environmental pH. However, recent studies have revealed the occurrence of polarization-induced covalent bonding between H+ and the surface O atoms of permanently charged clay minerals. This discovery challenges the traditional notions of "permanently charged soil" and "permanently charged clay mineral". The purpose of this study is to confirm that there are no true "permanently charged clay" or "permanently charged soil". In this study, the SCNs of two permanently charged clay minerals, two variably charged clay minerals, five permanently charged soils (temperate soils), and four variably charged soils (tropical or subtropical soils) were measured at different pH values using the universal determination method of SCN. The results showed that: (1) The SCNs of the permanently/variably charged soils and clay minerals decreased significantly with decreasing pH; (2) the SCN of montmorillonite decreased less with decreasing pH than the SCNs of variably charged minerals, whereas the SCN of illite decreased to nearly the same extent, indicating strong polarization-induced covalent bonding between H+ and the surface O atoms of illite; (3) the SCNs of permanently charged soils decreased to a similar extent as those of variably charged soils with decreasing pH. This study demonstrated that the concepts, "permanently charged clay mineral" or "permanently charged soil", are questionable because of the polarization-induced covalent bonding between H+ and the surface O atoms of clay minerals.

On-site burn severity assessment using smartphone-captured color burn wound images.

Accurate assessment of burn severity is crucial for the management of burn injuries. Currently, clinicians mainly rely on visual inspection to assess burns, characterized by notable inter-observer discrepancies. In this study, we introduce an innovative analysis platform using color burn wound images for automatic burn severity assessment. To do this, we propose a novel joint-task deep learning model, which is capable of simultaneously segmenting both burn regions and body parts, the two crucial components in calculating the percentage of total body surface area (%TBSA). Asymmetric attention mechanism is introduced, allowing attention guidance from the body part segmentation task to the burn region segmentation task. A user-friendly mobile application is developed to facilitate a fast assessment of burn severity at clinical settings. The proposed framework was evaluated on a dataset comprising 1340 color burn wound images captured on-site at clinical settings. The average Dice coefficients for burn depth segmentation and body part segmentation are 85.12 % and 85.36 %, respectively. The R2 for %TBSA assessment is 0.9136. The source codes for the joint-task framework and the application are released on Github (https://github.com/xjtu-mia/BurnAnalysis). The proposed platform holds the potential to be widely used at clinical settings to facilitate a fast and precise burn assessment.

Durable Photo-Pyroelectric Detection in a Diamine-Constructed Lead-Free Hybrid Perovskite Ferroelectric.

As a subcategory of pyroelectric materials, hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics possess substantial pyroelectric properties and exceptional light absorption characteristics, demonstrating significant potential in the photo-pyroelectric (PPE) detection field. Despite the significant advantages of hybrid perovskite ferroelectric materials for PPE detection, both the lead issue and the weak stability from van der Waals interactions in monoamines have hindered their further application. Here, 1D lead-free ferroelectric (BDA)SbBr5 (1, where BDA is 1,4-butanediammonium) is fabricated to achieve PPE detection. Compound 1 exhibits significant symmetry breaking attributed to the order-disorder transition of organic cations and octahedral distortions. Specifically, compound 1 enables broad-spectrum PPE detection from UV to near-infrared (377-980 nm) and further realizes switchable pyroelectric current after polarization. More importantly, the stability of the pyroelectric current is preserved without degradation over three months, attributed to the hydrogen bonding interactions of butanediamide. Further theoretical calculations of compound 1 reveal a more negative energy of formation than its monoamine homologs (BA)2SbBr5 (where BA is n-butylammonium), which is evidence of its stability. These findings highlight 1 as a promising candidate for high-stability and environmentally friendly PPE wide-spectrum detection, representing a noteworthy advancement in the ferroelectric field.

A case report of congenital hepatoblastoma.

INTRODUCTION: Reports of congenital hepatoblastoma are rare, and there is limited experience in its management. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a challenging case of congenital hepatoblastoma that was large at the time of presentation, occupying the first and second hepatic portals and deemed inoperable. Although liver tumors was detected in the child during the mother's pregnancy, the initial diagnosis was hepatic hemangioma. The diagnosis of hepatoblastoma was ultimately confirmed after a biopsy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, guided by 3D visual analysis based on enhanced CT, enabled successful block resection of the tumor. Despite a transient cholestatic parcel effusion post-operation, the child achieved good therapeutic outcomes with subsequent drainage and chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: Regular monitoring of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and performing abdominal ultrasounds are useful for the differential diagnosis of liver tumors; however, pathology remains the gold standard for confirming malignancy. Chemotherapy is safe and effective for treating congenital hepatoblastoma in the perinatal period. 3D visual analysis is valuable tools in performing surgeries on children with large, strategically positioned tumors. Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP (AFP-L3) has been assessed for its adjuvant therapeutic efficacy in adult hepatocellular carcinoma, and we have preliminarily investigated its potential role in evaluating the treatment efficacy of congenital hepatoblastoma. CONCLUSION: Puncture biopsy is a definitive and safe diagnostic method for congenital hepatoblastoma, while neoadjuvant chemotherapy is effective and facilitates subsequent complete tumor resection. Additionally, 3D visual analysis shows significant potential in the surgical treatment of pediatric liver masses.

Recent Advances in Natural-Polymer-Based Hydrogels for Body Movement and Biomedical Monitoring.

In recent years, the interest in medical monitoring for human health has been rapidly increasing due to widespread concern. Hydrogels are widely used in medical monitoring and other fields due to their excellent mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and adhesion. However, some of the non-degradable materials in hydrogels may cause some environmental damage and resource waste. Therefore, organic renewable natural polymers with excellent properties of biocompatibility, biodegradability, low cost and non-toxicity are expected to serve as an alternative to those non-degradable materials, and also provide a broad application prospect for the development of natural-polymer-based hydrogels as flexible electronic devices. This paper reviews the progress of research on many different types of natural-polymer-based hydrogels such as proteins and polysaccharides. The applications of natural-polymer-based hydrogels in body movement detection and biomedical monitoring are then discussed. Finally, the present challenges and future prospects of natural polymer-based hydrogels are summarized.

Structural analysis and biological activity of cell wall polysaccharides and enzyme-extracted polysaccharides from pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.).

Pomelo peel is a valuable source of pectin, but research on its cell wall polysaccharides is limited. This study compared the cell wall polysaccharides of pomelo peel, enzyme-extracted polysaccharides of pomelo peel, and enzyme-extracted polysaccharides of whole pomelo fruit. Cell wall polysaccharides, including water-soluble pectin (WSP), chelator-soluble pectin (CSP), sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (NSP), 1 mol/L KOH soluble hemicellulose (KSH-1), and 4 mol/L KOH soluble hemicellulose (KSH-2), were obtained by sequence-extraction method. Total polysaccharides from whole pomelo fruit (TP) and peel-polysaccharides from pomelo pericarps (PP) were obtained using enzyme-extraction method. The structural, thermal, rheological, antioxidant properties, and wound healing effect in vitro were described for each polysaccharide. WSP had a uniform molecular weight distribution and high uronic acid (UA) content, suitable for commercial pectin. NSP had the highest Rhamnose (Rha)/UA ratio and a rich side chain with highest viscosity and water retention. PP displayed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing capacity at 0.1 to 2.0 mg/mL concentration range, with an IC50 of 1.05 mg/mL for DPPH free radicals. NSP also demonstrated the highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and promoted Human dermal keratinocyte proliferation and migration at 10 µg/mL, suggesting potential applications in daily chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Exploring the gut microbiome and immunological landscape in kidney cancer: a Mendelian randomization analysis.

Introduction: Kidney cancer (KC) is a significant health burden globally, with over 400,000 new cases estimated in 2020. The prognosis of KC is influenced by various factors, including tumor spread, pathological characteristics, and molecular genetic changes. Recent studies have emphasized the involvement of gut microbiota and the immune system's contribution in the onset of KC. This extensive research endeavor sought to investigate the potential associations between diverse immune cell phenotypes, specific gut microbiota species, and their impact on the risk of developing KC, alongside the examination of circulating inflammatory proteins. Methods: Adhering to the STROBE-MR guidelines, our investigation involved a two-stage Mendelian randomization (2SMR) analysis grounded on three fundamental assumptions: relevance, independence, and exclusion restriction. The exposure data utilized in this study originated from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) specifically designed to explore immune traits, inflammatory proteins, and gut microbiota compositions. Results: Our analysis identified 25 immune phenotypes, 4 circulating inflammatory proteins, and 12 gut microbiota features that exhibited significant causal associations with KC (P < 0.05). 10 immune phenotypes were protective against KC, while 15 were risk factors. Among the inflammatory proteins, CCL28 and IL-2 were protective, whereas FGF-23 and ß-NGF were risk factors. Gut microbiota features associated with reduced KC risk included biosynthetic pathways involving amino acids and specific bacterial genera, whereas others, like Butyrivibrio crossotus and Odoribacter splanchnicus, were risk factors. Conclusion: Immune, inflammatory, and gut microbiota factors impact KC development. Identified factors hint at biomarkers and therapeutic targets. It is very important to understand the relationship between these factors and KC.

Direct Writing of SERS Substrates Using Femtosecond Laser Pulses.

Achieving a high-density, repeatable, and uniform distribution of "hotspots" across the entire surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is a current challenge in facilitating the efficient preparation of large-area SERS substrates. In this study, we aim to produce homogeneous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on the strong interaction between femtosecond laser pulses and a thin film of colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The SERS substrate we obtained consists of irregularly shaped and sharp-edged gold nanoparticle aggregates with specially extruding features; meanwhile, a large number of three-dimensional AuNP stacks are produced. The advantages of such configurations lie in the production of a high density of hotspots, which can significantly improve the SERS performance. When the laser fluence is 5.6 mJ/cm2, the substrate exhibits the best SERS enhancement effect, and a strong SERS signal can still be observed when testing the concentration of R6G at 10-8 mol/L. The enhancement factor of such SERS substrates prepared using femtosecond laser direct writing is increased by 3 orders of magnitude compared to the conventional furnace annealing process. Furthermore, the relative standard deviation for the intensities of the SERS signals was measured to be 5.1% over an area of 50 × 50 µm2, indicating a highly homogeneous SERS performance and excellent potential for practical applications.

Alginate-based active and intelligent packaging: Preparation, properties, and applications.

Alginate-based packaging materials have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics due to their biodegradability, renewability, and versatile functionalities. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the recent advances in the development and application of alginate-based films and coatings for food packaging. The composition and fabrication methods of alginate-based packaging materials are discussed, highlighting the incorporation of various functional compounds to enhance their physicochemical properties. The mechanisms of action and the factors influencing the release and migration of active compounds from the alginate matrix are explored. The application of alginate-based packaging materials for the preservation of various food products, including meat, fish, dairy, fruits, and vegetables, is reviewed, demonstrating their effectiveness in extending shelf-life and maintaining quality. The development of alginate-based pH-sensitive indicators for intelligent food packaging is also discussed, focusing on the colorimetric response of natural pigments to spoilage-related pH changes. Furthermore, the review highlights the challenges and future perspectives of alginate-based packaging materials, emphasizing the need for novel strategies to improve their performance, sustainability, and industrial adoption.

A High-Throughput Visual Screen for the Directed Evolution of C ß -stereoselectivity of L-threonine Aldolase.

L-Threonine aldolase (L-TA) is a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reversible condensation of glycine and aldehydes to form ß-hydroxy-α-amino acids. The combination of directed evolution and efficient high-throughput screening methods is an effective strategy for enhancing the enzyme's catalytic performance. However, few feasible high-throughput methods exist for engineering the Cß-stereoselectivity of L-TAs. Here, we present a novel method of screening for variants with improved Cß-stereoselectivity; this method couples an L-threo-phenylserine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the specific oxidation of L-threo-4-methylsulfonylphenylserine (L-threo-MTPS), with the concurrent synthesis of NADPH, which is easily detectable via 340-nm UV absorption. This enables the visual detection of L-threo-MTPS produced by L-TA through the measurement of generated NADPH. Using this method, we discover an L-TA variant with significantly higher diastereoselectivity, increasing from 0.98% de (for the wild-type) to 71.9% de.

What are the home care needs of Chinese healthcare workers: a latent class analysis.

Background: The aging population has led to a surge in demand for home care, which has developed rapidly in China in recent years. However, there has been less empirical research into the needs of healthcare workers about providing home care. The purpose of this study was to explore the latent classes of healthcare workers' needs in primary health care institutions and to identify associated factors. Methods: From August 2021 to June 2022, a convenience sampling method was adopted to conduct a questionnaire survey on the workers of 62 primary healthcare institutions in Sichuan Province. Latent class analysis was used to categorize home care needs by Mplus 8.3. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was adopted to explore the influencing factors using SPSS 25.0. Results: A total of 1,152 healthcare workers were included in the study. Their needs for home care were classified into four latent classes: overall high need group (18.0%); overall low need group (34.8%); high training and low support need group (29.9%), and the high security and low training need group (17.3%). The factors influencing the different need categories included working area, professional title, role of medical workers, had participated in training about home care, and feelings about home care, with Class 1 as the reference group. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that primary healthcare workers have multifaceted needs for providing home care. Paying attention to their diverse needs can help optimize home care and enhance service capacity. Exploring the factors affecting needs can provide targeted support to healthcare workers to ensure the quality and continuity of home care services.

Self-enhanced PTX@HSA-HA loaded functionalized injectable hydrogel for effective local chemo-photothermal therapy in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that poses a significant threat to women's health and single therapy fails to play a good oncological therapeutic effect. Synergistic treatment with multiple strategies may make up for the deficiencies and has gained widespread attention. In this study, sulfhydryl-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) was covalently crosslinked with polydopamine (PDA) via a Michael addition reaction to develop an injectable hydrogel, in which PDA can be used not only as a matrix but also as a photothermal agent. After HSA and paclitaxel were spontaneously organized into nanoparticles via hydrophobic interaction, hyaluronic acid with low molecular weight was covalently linked to HSA, thus conferring effectively delivery. This photothermal injectable hydrogel incorporates PTX@HSA-HA nanoparticles, thereby initiating a thermochemotherapeutic response to target malignancy. Our results demonstrated that this injectable hydrogel possesses consistent drug delivery capability in a murine breast cancer model, collaborating with photothermal therapy to effectively suppress tumor growth, represented by low expression of Ki-67 and increasing apoptosis. Photothermal therapy (PTT) can effectively stimulate immune response by increasing IL-6 and TNF-α. Notably, the treatment did not elicit any indications of toxicity. This injectable hydrogel holds significant promise as a multifaceted therapeutic agent that integrates photothermal and chemotherapeutic modalities.

Polarization of Macrophages in Tumor Microenvironment Using High-Throughput Single-Cell Metabolomics.

Macrophages consist of a heterogeneous population of functionally distinct cells that participate in many physiological and pathological processes. They exhibit prominent plasticity by changing their different functional phenotypes represented by proinflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) in response to different environmental stimuli. Emerging evidence illustrates the importance of intracellular metabolic pathways in macrophage polarizations and functions. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), macrophages tend to M2 polarization, which promotes tumor growth and leads to adverse physiological effects. Due to the lack of highly specific antigens in M1 and M2 macrophages, significant challenges present in isolating these subtypes from clinical samples or in vitro coculture models of tumor-immune cells. In reverse, the single-cell technique provides the possibility to investigate the factors influencing macrophage polarization in the TME. In this research, we employed inertial microfluidic chip-mass spectrometry (IMC-MS) to conduct single-cell metabolomics analysis of macrophages polarized into the two major phenotypes, respectively, and 213 metabolites were identified in total. Subsequently, differential metabolites between macrophage phenotypes were analyzed using volcano plots and binary logistic regression models. Glutamine was pinpointed as a key metabolite for the M1 and M2 phenotypes. Experimental results from both monoculture and coculture cell models demonstrated that M1 polarization is more reliant on the presence of glutamine in the culture environment than M2 polarization. Glutamine deficiency resulted in failed M1 polarization, while its absence had a less pronounced effect on M2 polarization. Replenishing an appropriate amount of glutamine during the intermediate stages of coculture models significantly enhanced the proportion of M1 polarization and suppressed the growth of tumor cells. This research elucidated glutamine as a key factor influencing macrophage polarization in the TME via single-cell metabolomics based on IMC-MS, offering promising insights and targets for tumor therapies.