Effects of Soil Conditioner (Volcanic Ash) on Yield Quality and Rhizosphere Soil Characteristics of Melon.

In this study, the effects of soil conditioners on the growth and development of melons and the rhizosphere soil environment were explored. The optimal amount of added soil conditioner was screened to solve the practical production problems of high-quality and high-yield thin-skinned melon. The melon variety "Da Shetou" was used as the material. Under the conditions of conventional fertilization and cultivation technology management, different soil conditioners were set up for potted melons. The effects of Pastoral soil (CK), 95% Pastoral soil + 5% volcanic ash soil conditioner (KT1), 85% Pastoral soil + 15% volcanic ash soil conditioner (KT2), 75% Pastoral soil + 25% volcanic ash soil conditioner (KT3), 65% Pastoral soil + 35% volcanic ash soil conditioner (KT4), and 55% Pastoral soil + 45% volcanic ash soil conditioner (KT5) on melon yield, quality, and rhizosphere soil characteristics were investigated. The soil microbial community was analyzed using Illumina MiSeq technology. Compared to CK, KT1, KT3, KT4, and KT5, the KT2 treatment could improve the single fruit yield of melon, increasing it by 4.35%, 2.48%, 2.31%, 5.92%, and 2.92%. Meanwhile, the highest contents of soluble protein, soluble solid, and soluble sugar in the KT2 treatment were 1.89 mg·100 g-1, 16.35%, and 46.44 mg·g-1, which were significantly higher than those in the control treatment. The contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, alkali-soluble nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, available potassium, and available phosphorus in melon rhizosphere soil were the highest in the KT2 treatment. Through Alpha diversity analysis, it was found that the Chao1 index, Shannon index, and ACE index were significantly higher in the KT1 treatment than in the control, while, among all groups, the Simpson index and coverage were not significantly different. The dominant bacteria in the six treated samples were mainly Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Myxomycota, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadota, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes, which accounted for 96.59~97.63% of the relative abundance of all bacterial groups. Through redundancy analysis (RDA), it was found that the organic matter, electrical conductivity, available phosphorus, and nitrate nitrogen of melon rhizosphere soil were the dominant factors of bacterial community change at the dominant genus level. In summary, 15% ash soil conditioner applied on melon was the selected treatment to provide a theoretical reference for the application of soil conditioner in facility cultivation.

Phase I clinical trial of intracerebral injection of lentiviral-ABCD1 for the treatment of cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy.

This was a single-arm, multicenter, open-label phase I trial. Lentiviral vectors (LV) carrying the ABCD1 gene (LV-ABCD1) was directly injected into the brain of patients with childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD), and multi-site injection was performed. The injection dose increased from 200 to 1600 µL (vector titer: 1×109 TU/mL), and the average dose per kilogram body weight ranges from 8 to 63.6 µL/kg. The primary endpoint was safety, dose-exploration and immunogenicity and the secondary endpoint was initial evaluation of efficacy and the expression of ABCD1 protein. A total of 7 patients participated in this phase I study and were followed for 1 year. No injection-related serious adverse event or death occurred. Common adverse events associated with the injection were irritability (71%, 5/7) and fever (37.2 â„ƒ-38.5 â„ƒ, 57%, 4/7). Adverse events were mild and self-limited, or resolved within 3 d of symptomatic treatment. The maximal tolerable dose is 1600 µL. In 5 cases (83.3%, 5/6), no lentivirus associated antibodies were detected. The overall survival at 1-year was 100%. The ABCD1 protein expression was detected in neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. This study suggests that the intracerebral injection of LV-ABCD1 for CCALD is safe and can achieve successful LV transduction in vivo; even the maximal dose did not increase the risk of adverse events. Furthermore, the direct LV-ABCD1 injection displayed low immunogenicity. In addition, the effectiveness of intracerebral LV-ABCD1 injection has been preliminarily demonstrated while further investigation is needed. This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/, registration number: ChiCTR1900026649).

Foxq1 activates CB2R with oleamide to alleviate POCD.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a major concern, particularly among older adults. This study used social isolation (ISO) and multiomics analyses in aged mice to investigate potential mechanisms underlying POCD development. Aged mice were divided into two groups: ISO and paired housing (PH). Oleamide and the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) antagonist AM630 were administered intraperitoneally, while Foxq1 adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector was injected directly into the hippocampus. Intramedullary tibial surgeries were subsequently performed to establish the POCD models. Behavioral tests comprising the Y-maze, open field test, and novel object recognition were conducted 2 days after surgery. Hippocampal and serum inflammatory cytokines were assessed. Following surgery, ISO mice demonstrated intensified cognitive impairments and escalated inflammatory markers. Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed elevated oleamide concentrations in the hippocampus and serum of PH mice, with associative investigations indicating a close relationship between the Foxq1 gene and oleamide levels. While oleamide administration and Foxq1 gene overexpression substantially ameliorated postoperative cognitive performance and systemic inflammation in mice, CB2R antagonist AM630 impeded these enhancements. The Foxq1 gene and oleamide may be crucial in alleviating POCD. While potentially acting through CB2R-mediated pathways, these factors may modulate neuroinflammation and attenuate proinflammatory cytokine levels within the hippocampus, substantially improving cognitive performance postsurgery. This study lays the groundwork for future research into therapeutic approaches targeting the Foxq1-oleamide-CB2R axis, with the ultimate goal of preventing or mitigating POCD.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Body Mass Index: a three-year follow up study in 6,156 Chinese college students.

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 as the most pervasive and consequential pandemic in recent years, has exerted significant impacts on human health, including aspects related to body weight. Objectives: This study aims to assess the influence of the lockdown measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese college students' Body Mass Index (BMI) through a three-year cohort study. Methods: We recruited 6156 college students (n = 4,248, 69% male, and n = 1,908, 31% female, with an average age of 18.68 ± 0.86 yr.) from a University in China to participate in this three-year cohort study. All of the subjects took the same physical fitness tests from 2019 to 2021 (pre-lockdown, during lockdown and post-lockdown). Participants' height and weight data were objectively measured by Tongfang Health Fitness Testing Products 5000 series. A paired t-test was performed in the analysis. Results: During the lockdown, there is 4.2% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). Moreover, males had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 4.74% (p<0.001) than females (2.86%, p<0.001). After the lockdown, there is 0.94% increase of BMI among the college student (p<0.001). However, females had a greater overall mean BMI rate increase of 1.49% (p<0.001) than males (0.72%, p<0.001). During this period, the obese and overweight group's growth rate from 2019 to 2020 was smaller than the normal and underweight group, which were 2.94% (p<0.001), 3.90% (p<0.001), 4.44% (p<0.001) and 5.25% (p<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: BMI increased both during and post-lockdown periods among Chinese college students. However, during the lockdown, participants with higher BMI groups appeared to have a diminished BMI growth rate compared to those with lower BMI. After the lockdown, participants with higher BMI levels appeared to have an augmented BMI growth rate. Public policy action is needed to increase the level of physical activity of Chinese college students and take action to improve students' physical fitness performance after the lockdown.

Corrigendum: Material basis and molecular mechanisms of Chaihuang Qingyi Huoxue Granule in the treatment of acute pancreatitis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking-based strategy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1353695.].

Metformin monotherapy versus predominantly older non-metformin antidiabetic medications for cerebrovascular risk in early type 2 diabetes management.

AIM: Choosing the initial treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D) is pivotal, requiring consideration of solid clinical evidence and patient characteristics. Despite metformin's historical preference, its efficacy in preventing cerebrovascular events lacked empirical validation. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between first-line monotherapy (metformin or non-metformin antidiabetic medications) and cerebrovascular complications in patients with T2D without diabetic complications. METHODS: We analysed 9090 patients with T2D without complications who were prescribed either metformin or non-metformin medications as initial therapy. Propensity score matching ensured group comparability. Cox regression analyses, stratified by initial metformin use, assessed cerebrovascular disease risk, adjusting for multiple covariates and using competing risk analysis. Metformin exposure was measured using cumulative defined daily doses. RESULTS: Metformin users had a significantly lower crude incidence of cerebrovascular diseases compared with non-users (p < .0001). Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) consistently showed an association between metformin use and a lower risk of overall cerebrovascular diseases (aHRs: 0.67-0.69) and severe events (aHRs: 0.67-0.69). The association with reduced risk of mild cerebrovascular diseases was significant across all models (aHRs: 0.73-0.74). Higher cumulative defined daily doses of metformin correlated with reduced cerebrovascular risk (incidence rate ratio: 0.62-0.94, p < .0001), indicating a dose-dependent effect. CONCLUSION: Metformin monotherapy is associated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular diseases in early-stage T2D, highlighting its dose-dependent efficacy. However, the observed benefits might also be influenced by baseline differences and the increased risks associated with other medications, such as sulphonylureas. These findings emphasize the need for personalized diabetes management, particularly in mitigating cerebrovascular risk in early T2D stages.

Risk assessment and prediction of occult uterine sarcoma in patients with presumed uterine fibroids before high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a diagnostic model for predicting occult uterine sarcoma in patients with presumed uterine fibroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 41631 patients with presumed uterine fibroids who presented for HIFU treatment in 13 hospitals between November 2008 and October 2023. Of these patients, 27 with occult uterine sarcoma and 54 with uterine fibroids were enrolled. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistics regression analysis were used to determine the independent risk factors for the diagnosis of occult uterine sarcoma. A prediction model was constructed based on the coefficients of the risk factors. RESULTS: The multivariate analysis revealed abnormal vaginal bleeding, ill-defined boundary of tumor, hyperintensity on T2WI, and central unenhanced areas as independent risk factors. A scoring system was created to assess for occult uterine sarcoma risk. The score for abnormal vaginal bleeding was 56. The score for ill-defined lesion boundary was 90. The scores for lesions with hypointensity, isointensity signal/heterogeneous signal intensity, and hyperintensity on T2WI were 0, 42, and 93, respectively. The scores for lesions without enhancement on the mass margin, uniform enhancement of tumor, and no enhancement in the center of tumor were 0, 20, and 100, respectively. Patients with a higher total score implied a higher likelihood of a diagnosis of occult uterine sarcoma than that of patients with a lower score. The established model showed good predictive efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that the diagnostic prediction model can be used to evaluate the risk of uterine sarcoma in patients with presumed uterine fibroids.

Lithium isotopic records of anthropogenic activity in the Xiaoqing River basin, eastern China.

The environmental impact of the discharge of lithium (Li) by anthropogenic activity has been overlooked. By analyzing Li concentrations and isotope compositions (δ7Li) of water and sediment samples, this study evaluates the influence of anthropogenic Li discharge on the Xiaoqing River and Laizhou Bay, which are heavily polluted areas in China. High Li concentrations of the river water (up to 7.8 µmol/L) should be linked to anthropogenic Li discharge. However, no profound δ7Li anomalies were observed, preventing identification of the exact discharge sources. In the river sediments, Li concentrations (19.0-45.0 µg/g) were weakly correlated with Zn, Cu, and Cr concentrations, whereas δ7Li values ranged from 0.6 ‰ to 13.9 ‰ with high values being accompanied by high contents of total organic carbon and heavy Cr isotope compositions (δ53Cr). All these point to significant influence of anthropogenic activity on the Li budget of river sediments. A simple mass balance calculation indicates that smelters, Li-bearing therapeutic drugs, and secondary Li-ion batteries are the main anthropogenic Li sources. In contrast to river sediments, marine sediments in the Laizhou Bay were broadly homogeneous at both spatial and temporal scales, indicating no significant influence of anthropogenic Li discharge. Overall, our data indicate that Li isotope systematics in river sediments, especially sediments near intense anthropogenic activity, are effective at tracing potential Li pollution and can help obtain accurate results for environmental inspection.

Pulmonary vascular stenosis scoring in fibrosing mediastinitis.

Aims: This study aims to develop a scoring system for evaluating the degree of pulmonary vascular stenosis in fibrosing mediastinitis (FM). Methods and results: A retrospective single-centre study was conducted on 56 patients with FM in China between April 2014 and August 2021. The involvement of pulmonary vessels in patients with FM was assessed using dual-phase computed tomography pulmonary angiography, and we found that 85.7% of the patients had both pulmonary artery (PA) and vein (PV) involvement. PA involvement was mainly located proximal to both the upper PA and the bilateral basal trunk levels in the lower lungs. The involvement of the superior PV was more common than that of the inferior PV, and the right inferior PV was the least involved. Most of these lesions exhibited moderate or severe stenosis. Additionally, a scoring system for evaluating the degree of pulmonary vascular stenosis was developed. A correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between the final pulmonary vascular score and the pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and maximum tricuspid regurgitation velocity. The calculated score of 17.1 was the best cut-off value for the diagnosis of mild and severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). Conclusion: We successfully developed a scoring system for pulmonary vascular stenosis that can be used to evaluate the severity of pulmonary vessel involvement and PH. This scoring system may be relevant in the future development of target-based strategies for percutaneous interventions.

Easily misdiagnosed X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

BACKGROUND: Addison's disease and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) (Addison's-only) are two diseases that need to be identified. Addison's disease is easy to diagnose clinically when only skin and mucosal pigmentation symptoms are present. However, X-ALD (Addison's-only) caused by ABCD1 gene variation is ignored, thus losing the opportunity for early treatment. This study described two patients with initial clinical diagnosis of Addison's disease. However, they rapidly developed neurological symptoms triggered by infection. After further genetic testing, the two patients were diagnosed with X-ALD. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed X-ALD patients admitted to our hospital. Clinical features, laboratory test results, and imaging data were collected. Whole-exome sequencing was used in molecular genetics. RESULTS: Two patients were included in this study. Both of them had significantly increased adrenocorticotropic hormone level and skin and mucosal pigmentation. They were initially clinically diagnosed with Addison's disease and received hydrocortisone treatment. However, both patients developed progressive neurological symptoms following infectious disease. Further brain magnetic resonance imaging was completed, and the results suggested demyelinating lesions. Molecular genetics suggested variations in the ABCD1 gene, which were c.109_110insGCCA (p.C39Pfs*156), c.1394-2 A > C (NM_000033), respectively. Therefore, the two patients were finally diagnosed with X-ALD, whose classification had progressed from X-ALD (Addison's-only) to childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD). Moreover, the infection exacerbates the demyelinating lesions and accelerates the onset of neurological symptoms. Neither the two variation sites in this study had been previously reported, which extends the ABCD1 variation spectrum. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with only symptoms of adrenal insufficiency cannot be simply clinically diagnosed with Addison's disease. Being alert to the possibility of ABCD1 variation is necessary, and complete genetic testing is needed as soon as possible to identify X-ALD (Addison's-only) early to achieve regular monitoring of the disease and receive treatment early. In addition, infection, as a hit factor, may aggravate demyelinating lesions of CCALD. Thus, patients should be protected from external environmental factors to delay the progression of cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy.

Predictive model for CAR-T cell therapy success in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in treating relapsed/refractory acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia (R/R B-ALL). However, a subset of patients does not benefit from CAR-T therapy. Our study aims to identify predictive indicators and establish a model to evaluate the feasibility of CAR-T therapy. Fifty-five R/R B-ALL patients and 22 healthy donors were enrolled. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analysed using flow cytometry. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) areas under the curve (AUC) were determined to evaluate the predictive values of the indicators. We identified B lymphocyte, regulatory T cell (Treg) and peripheral blood minimal residual leukaemia cells (B-MRD) as indicators for predicting the success of CAR-T cell preparation with AUC 0.936, 0.857 and 0.914. Furthermore, a model based on CD3+ T count, CD4+ T/CD8+ T ratio, Treg and extramedullary diseases (EMD) was used to predict the response to CAR-T therapy with AUC of 0.938. Notably, a model based on CD4+ T/CD8+ T ratio, B, Treg and EMD were used in predicting the success of CAR-T therapy with AUC 0.966 [0.908-1.000], with specificity (92.59%) and sensitivity (91.67%). In the validated group, the predictive model predicted the success of CAR-T therapy with specificity (90.91%) and sensitivity (100%). We have identified several predictive indicators for CAR-T cell therapy success and a model has demonstrated robust predictive capacity for the success of CAR-T therapy. These results show great potential for guiding informed clinical decisions in the field of CAR-T cell therapy.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from Food Matrices Using the CANARY Biosensor Assay.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) causes a wide spectrum of diseases including hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Previously, we developed a rapid, sensitive, and potentially portable assay that identified STEC by detecting Shiga toxin (Stx) using a B-cell based biosensor platform. We applied this assay to detect Stx2 present in food samples that have been implicated in previous STEC foodborne outbreaks (milk, lettuce, and beef). The STEC enrichment medium, modified Tryptone Soy Broth (mTSB), inhibited the biosensor assay, but dilution with the assay buffer relieved this effect. Results with Stx2a toxoid-spiked food samples indicated an estimated limit of detection (LOD) of ≈4 ng/mL. When this assay was applied to food samples inoculated with STEC, it was able to detect 0.4 CFU/g or 0.4 CFU/mL of STEC at 16 h post incubation (hpi) in an enrichment medium containing mitomycin C. Importantly, this assay was even able to detect STEC strains that were high expressors of Stx2 at 8 hpi. These results indicate that the STEC CANARY biosensor assay is a rapid and sensitive assay applicable for detection of STEC contamination in food with minimal sample processing that can complement the current Food Safety Inspection Service (US) methodologies for STEC.

Scalable weaving of resilient membranes with on-demand superwettability for high-performance nanoemulsion separations.

This study leverages the ancient craft of weaving to prepare membranes that can effectively treat oil/water mixtures, specifically challenging nanoemulsions. Drawing inspiration from the core-shell architecture of spider silk, we have engineered fibers, the fundamental building blocks for weaving membranes, that feature a mechanically robust core for tight weaving, coupled with a CO2-responsive shell that allows for on-demand wettability adjustments. Tightly weaving these fibers produces membranes with ideal pores, achieving over 99.6% separation efficiency for nanoemulsions with droplets as small as 20 nm. They offer high flux rates, on-demand self-cleaning, and can switch between sieving oil and water nanodroplets through simple CO2/N2 stimulation. Moreover, weaving can produce sufficiently large membranes (4800 cm2) to assemble a module that exhibits long-term stability and performance, surpassing state-of-the-art technologies for nanoemulsion separations, thus making industrial application a practical reality.

Risk factors affecting long-term efficacy of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for multiple uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the long-term efficacy of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) for multiple uterine fibroids and the factors associated with recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five hundred and forty-nine patients with multiple uterine fibroids treated with USgHIFU from June 2017 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart (PBAC) was used to assess menstrual blood loss. The patients were asked to undergo pre- and post-USgHIFU magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and complete routine follow-up after USgHIFU. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors associated with recurrence. RESULTS: The median number of fibroids per patient was 3 (interquartile range: 3-4), and a total of 1371 fibroids were treated. Among them, 446 patients completed 3 years follow-up. Recurrence, defined as PBAC score above or equal to 100 and/or the residual fibroid volume increased by 10%, was detected in 90 patients within 3 years after USgHIFU, with a cumulative recurrence rate of 20.2% (90/446). The multi-factor Cox analysis showed that age was a protective factor for recurrence. Younger patients have a greater chance of recurrence than older patients. Mixed hyperintensity of fibroids on T2WI and treatment intensity were risk factors for recurrence. Patients with hyperintense uterine fibroids and treated with lower treatment intensity were more likely to experience recurrence than other patients after USgHIFU. No major adverse effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: USgHIFU can be used to treat multiple uterine fibroids safely and effectively. The age, T2WI signal intensity and treatment intensity are factors related to recurrence.

Acoustofluidic-based microscopic examination for automated and point-of-care urinalysis.

Urinalysis is a heavily used diagnostic test in clinical laboratories; however, it is chronically held back by urine sediment microscopic examination. Current instruments are bulky and expensive to be widely adopted, making microscopic examination a procedure that still relies on manual operations and requires large time and labor costs. To improve the efficacy and automation of urinalysis, this study develops an acoustofluidic-based microscopic examination system. The system utilizes the combination of acoustofluidic manipulation and a passive hydrodynamic mechanism, and thus achieves a high throughput (1000 µL min-1) and a high concentration factor (95.2 ± 2.1 fold) simultaneously, fulfilling the demands for urine examination. The concentrated urine sample is automatically dispensed into a hemocytometer chamber and the images are then analyzed using a machine learning algorithm. The whole process is completed within 3 minutes with detection accuracies of erythrocytes and leukocytes of 94.6 ± 3.5% and 95.1 ± 1.8%, respectively. The examination outcome of urine samples from 50 volunteers by this device shows a correlation coefficient of 0.96 compared to manual microscopic examination. Our system offers a promising tool for automated urine microscopic examination, thus it has potential to save a large amount of time and labor in clinical laboratories, as well as to promote point-of-care urine testing applications in and beyond hospitals.

Enhancing Rab7 Activity by Inhibiting TBC1D5 Expression Improves Mitophagy in Alzheimer's Disease Models.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction exists in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, and damaged mitochondria need to be removed by mitophagy. Small GTPase Rab7 regulates the fusion of mitochondria and lysosome, while TBC1D5 inhibits Rab7 activation. However, it is not clear whether the regulation of Rab7 activity by TBC1D5 can improve mitophagy and inhibit AD progression. Objective: To investigate the role of TBC1D5 in mitophagy and its regulatory mechanism for Rab7, and whether activation of mitophagy can inhibit the progression of AD. Methods: Mitophagy was determined by western blot and immunofluorescence. The morphology and quantity of mitochondria were tracked by TEM. pCMV-Mito-AT1.03 was employed to detect the cellular ATP. Amyloid-ß secreted by AD cells was detected by ELISA. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to investigate the binding partner of the target protein. Golgi-cox staining was applied to observe neuronal morphology of mice. The Morris water maze test and Y-maze were performed to assess spatial learning and memory, and the open field test was measured to evaluate motor function and anxiety-like phenotype of experimental animals. Results: Mitochondrial morphology was impaired in AD models, and TBC1D5 was highly expressed. Knocking down TBC1D5 increased the expression of active Rab7, promoted the fusion of lysosome and autophagosome, thus improving mitophagy, and improved the morphology of hippocampal neurons and the impaired behavior in AD mice. Conclusions: Knocking down TBC1D5 increased Rab7 activity and promoted the fusion of autophagosome and lysosome. Our study provided insights into the mechanisms that bring new possibilities for AD therapy targeting mitophagy.

Terahertz Polarization Isolator Using Two-Dimensional Square Lattice Tellurium Rod Array.

A novel terahertz polarization isolator using a two-dimensional square lattice tellurium rod array is numerically investigated at the interesting band of 0.22 THz in this short paper. The isolator is designed by inserting six hexagonal tellurium rods into a fully polarized photonic crystals waveguide with high efficiency of -0.34 dB. The TE and TM photonic band gaps of the 7 × 16 tellurium photonic crystals are computed based on the plane wave expansion method, which happen to coincide at the normalized frequency domain from 0.3859(a/λ) to 0.4033(a/λ), corresponding to the frequency domain from 0.2152 to 0.2249 THz. The operating bandwidth of the tellurium photonic crystals waveguide covers 0.2146 to 0.2247 THz, calculated by the finite element method. The six hexagonal tellurium rods with smaller circumradii of 0.16a serve to isolate transverse electric waves and turn a blind eye to transverse magnetic waves. The polarization isolation function and external characteristic curves of the envisaged structure are numerically simulated, which achieves the highest isolation of -33.49 dB at the central frequency of 0.2104 THz and the maximum reflection efficiency of 98.95 percent at the frequency of 0.2141 THz. The designed isolator with a unique function and high performance provides a promising approach for implementing fully polarized THz devices for future 6G communication systems.

"Reservoir-law" synergistic reinforcement of electrostatic spun polylactic acid composites with cellulose nanocrystals and 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin for intelligent bioactive food packaging.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were obtained from the extraction and bleaching of jute cellulose as the enhancer, 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) as the carrier, the flavonoids-anthocyanidins and cinnamaldehyde as the bioactive agent, and finally a novel kind of polylactic acid (PLA)-based composite membrane was derived by electrostatic spun method. With the increasing concentration, HP-ß-CDs cooperated with CNCs to regulate or control the release rate of bioactive compounds, which had a synergistic effect on the performance of the PLA matrix. The mechanical strength of PLA-3.2 composite with tannic acid (TA) surface cross-linking was 29.6 % higher than neat PLA, and could also continuously protect cells from oxidative stress and free radicals. In addition, excellent cell biocompatibility was found, and attributed to the interaction between bioactive compounds and cell membrane. In addition, we also found two excellent properties from our experimental results: obvious intelligent color reaction and good antibacterial ability. Finally, PLA-3.2 composites could be degraded by soil and are conducive to plant root growth. Hence, this work could solve many of the current problems of biodegradability and functionality of biopolymers for potential applications in areas such as intelligent bioactive food packaging.

The impact of serum uric acid on psoriasis: NHANES 2005-2014 and Mendelian randomization.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease, and hyperuricemia is a common comorbidity in patients with psoriasis. However, the exact relationship between uric acid levels and psoriasis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between uric acid levels and psoriasis. Methods: Observational study participant data (≥16 years, n = 23,489) from NHANES 2003-2014. We conducted analyses using a weighted multiple logistic regression model. Genetic data sets for uric acid levels and psoriasis were obtained from the IEU database. We selected genetically independent loci closely associated with serum uric acid levels as instrumental variables and performed Mendelian randomization analyses using five complementary methods: inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode. Results: After adjusting for other covariates, the results revealed no significant association between serum uric acid levels and psoriasis (b = 0.999, 95% CI: 0.998, 1.001, p = 0.275). Subgroup analyses stratified by gender and ethnicity showed no significant association between sUA and psoriasis in any of the subgroups. Furthermore, the MR analysis involved the selection of 227 SNPs that were associated with both sUA and psoriasis. IVW results demonstrated no causal relationship between sUA and psoriasis (OR = 0.282, 95% CI: -0.094-0.657, p = 0.142). Conclusion: Our study suggests that uric acid levels are not significantly causally related to psoriasis. This finding provides valuable insights for the treatment and prevention of psoriasis, indicating that merely reducing uric acid levels may not be an effective strategy to reduce the risk of psoriasis onset.

Repeat biopsy versus initial biopsy in terms of complication risk factors and clinical outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a comparative study of 113 CT-guided needle biopsy of lung lesions.

Objectives: The safety and feasibility of repeat biopsy after systemic treatment for non-small cell lung cancer have received extensive attention in recent years. The purpose of this research was to compare complication rates between initial biopsy and rebiopsy in non-small cell lung cancer patients with progressive disease and to assess complication risk factors and clinical results after rebiopsy. Methods: The study included 113 patients initially diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent lung biopsy at initial biopsy and rebiopsy after progression while on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and/or chemotherapy from January 2018 to December 2021. We compared the incidence of complications between the initial biopsy and rebiopsy and analyzed the predictors factors that influenced complications in patients who underwent rebiopsy. Results: The successful rate of rebiopsy was 88.5% (100/113). With the exception of two cases where lung adenocarcinoma changed into small cell lung cancer with gefitinib treatment, 98 individuals retained their initial pathological type. The secondary EGFR T790M mutation accounts for 55.6% of acquired resistance. The total number of patients with complications in initial biopsy was 25 (22.1%) and 37 (32.7%) in the rebiopsy. The incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage increased from 7.1% at the initial biopsy to 10.6% at rebiopsy, while the incidence of pneumothorax increased from 14.2% to 20.4%. Compared with the initial biopsy, the incidence of overall complications, parenchymal hemorrhage, and pneumothorax increased by 10.6%, 3.5%, and 6.2%, respectively. In all four evaluations (pneumorrhagia, pneumothorax, pleural reaction, and overall complication), there were no significant differences between the rebiopsy and initial biopsy (all p > 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 5.064, p = 0.001), tumor size ≤ 2 cm (OR = 3.367, p = 0.013), EGFR-TKIs with chemotherapy (OR = 3.633, p =0.023), and transfissural approach (OR = 7.583, p = 0.026) were independent risk factors for overall complication after rebiopsy. Conclusion: Compared with the initial biopsy, the complication rates displayed a slight, but not significant, elevation in rebiopsy. Male sex, tumor size ≤ 2 cm, transfissural approach, and EGFR-TKIs combined with chemotherapy were independent risk factors for rebiopsy complications.