Laser-driven electron emission and expansion for the generation and guidance of giant EMPs.

High-power laser interacting with matter generates intense electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), which are closely associated with laser and target parameters. In this study, EMPs induced by picosecond (ps) laser coupling with solid targets are recorded at the XG-III laser facility. Gold wire targets produce more intense EMPs with a maximum EMP value of 608 kV/m compared to some planar targets. EMP propagation in the normal direction is highly coincident with the expansion of detected hot electrons, which is verified by the particle-in-cell simulations. This work is expected to pave, to our knowledge, a new avenue for directional guidance of laser-driven EMPs.

A deep learning system for myopia onset prediction and intervention effectiveness evaluation in children.

The increasing prevalence of myopia worldwide presents a significant public health challenge. A key strategy to combat myopia is with early detection and prediction in children as such examination allows for effective intervention using readily accessible imaging technique. To this end, we introduced DeepMyopia, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled decision support system to detect and predict myopia onset and facilitate targeted interventions for children at risk using routine retinal fundus images. Based on deep learning architecture, DeepMyopia had been trained and internally validated on a large cohort of retinal fundus images (n = 1,638,315) and then externally tested on datasets from seven sites in China (n = 22,060). Our results demonstrated robustness of DeepMyopia, with AUCs of 0.908, 0.813, and 0.810 for 1-, 2-, and 3-year myopia onset prediction with the internal test set, and AUCs of 0.796, 0.808, and 0.767 with the external test set. DeepMyopia also effectively stratified children into low- and high-risk groups (p < 0.001) in both test sets. In an emulated randomized controlled trial (eRCT) on the Shanghai outdoor cohort (n = 3303) where DeepMyopia showed effectiveness in myopia prevention compared to NonCyc-based model, with an adjusted relative reduction (ARR) of -17.8%, 95% CI: -29.4%, -6.4%. DeepMyopia-assisted interventions attained quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.04) per person and avoided blindness years of 13.54 (95% CI: 9.57, 18.83) per 1 million persons compared to natural lifestyle with no active intervention. Our findings demonstrated DeepMyopia as a reliable and efficient AI-based decision support system for intervention guidance for children.

Eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma with aggressive behavior: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic solid and cystic (ESC) renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a unique and emerging subtype of RCC, has an indolent nature; in some rare instances, it may exhibit metastatic potential. Current cases are inadequate to precisely predict the clinical outcome of ESC RCC and determine treatment choices. CASE SUMMARY: Herein, we report two patients with ESC RCC. Patient 1 was a young woman with classical pathological characteristics. Patient 2 was a 52-year-old man with multifocal metastases, involving the pulmonary hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, liver, brain, mesosternum, vertebra, rib, femur, and symphysis pubis. Awareness of ESC RCC, along with its characteristic architecture and immunophenotype, would contribute to making a definitive diagnosis, even on core biopsy samples. CONCLUSION: The discovery of ESC RCC molecular signatures may provide new therapeutic strategies in the future.

Protein multi-level structure feature-integrated deep learning method for mutational effect prediction.

Through iterative rounds of mutation and selection, proteins can be engineered to enhance their desired biological functions. Nevertheless, identifying optimal mutation sites for directed evolution remains challenging due to the vastness of the protein sequence landscape and the epistatic mutational effects across residues. To address this challenge, we introduce MLSmut, a deep learning-based approach that leverages multi-level structural features of proteins. MLSmut extracts salient information from protein co-evolution, sequence semantics, and geometric features to predict the mutational effect. Extensive benchmark evaluations on 10 single-site and two multi-site deep mutation scanning datasets demonstrate that MLSmut surpasses existing methods in predicting mutational outcomes. To overcome the limited training data availability, we employ a two-stage training strategy: initial coarse-tuning on a large corpus of unlabeled protein data followed by fine-tuning on a curated dataset of 40-100 experimental measurements. This approach enables our model to achieve satisfactory performance on downstream protein prediction tasks. Importantly, our model holds the potential to predict the mutational effects of any protein sequence. Collectively, these findings suggest that our approach can substantially reduce the reliance on laborious wet lab experiments and deepen our understanding of the intricate relationships between mutations and protein function.

Effect of Organic, Nano, and Inorganic Zinc Sources on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Function, and Intestinal Health of Young Broilers.

The study aimed to determine the effects of different zinc sources on growth performance, antioxidant function, and intestinal health of broilers. In total, 240 Ross 308 male broilers with similar weight were randomly assigned to 4 treatments, including zinc sulfate, methionine zinc (Zn-Met), glycine zinc (Zn-Gly), and nano-zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs), with 80 mg zinc/kg diet supplementation. The experiment lasted for 21 days. Results showed dietary supplemental Zn-Gly and Zn-Met increased average daily gain during 1-14 days (P = 0.011), and Zn-Gly, Zn-Met, and ZnO-NP supplementation decreased the ratio of feed to gain during 1-21 days (P = 0.003) compared to zinc sulfate. ZnO-NPs supplementation tended to increase total SOD activity (P = 0.068) and had higher serum IgA content and lower MDA level than the other three groups (P < 0.05). Compared with zinc sulfate, Zn-Met and ZnO-NP supplementation decreased TNF-α mRNA expression (P = 0.048). However, serum biochemical indices, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction proteins were not affected by different zinc sources (P > 0.05). A differential trend was observed in the beta diversity of bacterial communities among four groups (P = 0.082). The LEfSe analysis showed that bacterial genera Blautia, Ruminococcaceae, Clostridia, Anaerostipes, Eubacterium_ventriosum, Merdibacter, and Oscillospira were enriched in the ZnSO4 group, and the genera Eubacterium_hallii and Anaerotruncus were enriched in the Zn-Gly group. The genera UCG-009 and UCG010 were enriched in ZnO-NPs and Zn-Met groups, respectively. It should be stated dietary supplemental Zn-Met improved growth performance, ZnO-NPs promoted IgA production and reduced occurrences of oxidative stress and inflammation, and different zinc sources enriched different jejunal bacteria genera.

Real-world safety profile of eculizumab: an analysis of FDA adverse event reporting system and systematic review of case reports.

BACKGROUND: Most of the safety data regarding eculizumab came from clinical trials, while its safety information in the real world is still limited. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The data of eculizumab in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database (from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2023) was collected and analyzed. The case reports of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to eculizumab in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science before May 2023 were systematically reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 464 ADRs of eculizumab were identified in the FAERS database. The top five ADRs with the highest proportional reporting ratio (PRR) are total complement activity decreased, extravascular hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, total complement activity increased and breakthrough hemolysis. Fifty-one cases of ADR related to eculizumab were identified from 44 publications. The number of reported cases of eculizumab associated Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in case reports was observed to be comparable to the number of cases of Neisseria meningitidi infection. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians must pay close attention to the risk of infections in patients receiving eculizumab, including severe N. meningitidis infection and other potentially fatal infections such as N. gonorrhoeae infection. In addition, The possible emergence of new ADRs should be vigilant during clinical medication.

Glycoside hydrolase PpGH28BG1 modulates benzaldehyde metabolism and enhances fruit aroma and immune responses in peach.

Benzaldehyde (BAld) is one of the most widely distributed volatiles that contributes to flavor and defense in plants. Plants regulate BAld levels through various pathways, including biosynthesis from trans-cinnamic acid (free BAld), release from hydrolysis of glycoside precursors (BAld-H) via multiple enzymatic action steps, and conversion into downstream chemicals. Here, we show that BAld-H content in peach (Prunus persica) fruit is up to 100-fold higher than that of free BAld. By integrating transcriptome, metabolomic and biochemical approaches, we identified glycoside hydrolase PpGH28BG1 as being involved in the production of BAld-H through the hydrolysis of glycoside precursors. Overexpressing and silencing of PpGH28BG1 significantly altered BAld-H content in peach fruit. Transgenic tomatoes heterologously expressing PpGH28BG1 exhibited a decrease in BAld-H content and an increase in SA accumulation, while maintaining fruit weight, pigmentation, and ethylene production. These transgenic tomato fruits displayed enhanced immunity against Botrytis cinerea compared to wild type (WT). Induced expression of PpGH28BG1 and increased SA content were also observed in peach fruit when exposed to Monilinia fructicola infection. Additionally, elevated expression of PpGH28BG1 promoted fruit softening in transgenic tomatoes, resulting in a significantly increased emission of BAld compared to WT. Most untrained taste panelists preferred the transgenic tomatoes over WT fruit. Our study suggests that it is feasible to enhance aroma and immunity in fruit through metabolic engineering of PpGH28BG1 without causing visible changes in the fruit ripening process.

Recent progresses in the cyclization and oxidation of polyketide biosynthesis.

Polyketides represent an important class of natural products, renowned for their intricate structures and diverse biological activities. In contrast to common fatty acids, polyketides possess relatively more rigid carbon skeletons, more complex ring systems, and chiral centers. These structural features are primarily achieved through distinctive enzymatic cyclizations and oxidations as tailoring steps. In this opinion, we discuss the recent progress in deciphering the mechanisms of cyclization and oxidation within polyketide biosynthesis. By shedding light on these enzymatic processes, this article seeks to motivate the community to unravel the remaining mysteries surrounding cyclase and oxidase functionalities and to explore novel polyketide natural products through genome mining.

Brazing of TC4 Alloy Using Ti-Zr-Ni-Cu-Sn Amorphous Braze Fillers.

In order to address the issues of excessive brittle intermetallic compounds (IMC) formation in the TC4 brazed joints, two types of novel Ti-Zr-Cu-Ni-Sn amorphous braze fillers were designed. The microstructure and shear strength of the TC4/Ti-Zr-Ni-Cu-Sn/TC4 brazed joints were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and electronic universal materials testing machine. The results show that the optimized Ti35Zr25Ni15Cu20Sn5 braze filler whose chemical composition is closer to the eutectic point possesses a lower melting point compared with the equiatomic Ti23.75Zr23.75Ni23.75Cu23.75Sn5. This was beneficial to the sufficient diffusion of Cu and Ni elements with the base metal during brazing and reduces the residual (Ti,Zr)2(Ni,Cu) content in the joint, which helps to improve the joint performance. The room-temperature and high-temperature shear strength of the TC4 brazed joints using the near eutectic component Ti35Zr25Ni15Cu20Sn5 filler reached a maximum of 472 MPa and 389 MPa at 970 °C/10 min, which was 66% and 48% higher than that of the TC4 joints brazed with the equiatomic Ti23.75Zr23.75Ni23.75Cu23.75Sn5 braze filler. Microstructural evolution and the corresponding mechanical response were in-depth discussed.

A Flexible and High-Efficient Anti-Icing/Deicing Coating Based on Carbon Nanomaterials.

Anti-icing/deicing coatings with low energy consumption and superior flexibility could better fit application requirements in practical engineering. In this paper, an active-passive-integrated anti-icing/deicing coating based on carbon nanomaterials is prepared, which not only possesses various functions of electrothermal conversion, photothermal conversion, and superhydrophobicity but also shows a large deformability to accommodate curved surfaces. The coating consists of a sandwich-structured bottom part and top layer, the former of which includes a core conductive layer made of densely mixed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene and two polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) wrapping layers, while the latter is a polymeric composite filled with TiN and SiO2 nanoparticles. Experimental studies show that, when the present coating works under an electric field alone, a 90% conversion of electric energy to thermal energy can be realized, only a 2 V voltage is enough to unfreeze the surface at minus 20 degrees within 400 s, and a slightly larger voltage of 2.5 V leads to a significant temperature increase of more than 100 °C within 200 s. Such required voltages are significantly smaller than their counterparts in existing electrothermal-based methods to achieve the same heating effects, which could be further diminished with the auxiliary action of sunlight illumination. A fast and complete deicing/defrosting can be consequently achieved with a small energy input. Furthermore, the water repellency function, electric property, and electrothermal conversion performance of the coating remain almost unchanged after either a large bending deformation or many bending cycles, thus ensuring an outstanding anti-icing/deicing effect on both flat and curved surfaces. All of the results demonstrate apparent advantages of the present coating including high efficiency, low energy consumption, all-weather adaptability, and excellent flexibility, which should be of great practical value for the freeze protection of differently shaped industrial equipment.

Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Glycerol to Formate Coupled with Nitrate Reduction over Cu-doped NiCo Alloy Supported on Nickel Foam.

Electrooxidation of biomass-derived glycerol which is regarded as a main byproduct of industrial biodiesel production, is an innovative strategy to produce value-added chemicals, but currently showcases slow kinetics, limited Faraday efficiency, and unclear catalytic mechanism. Herein, we report high-efficiency electrooxidation of glycerol into formate via a Cu doped NiCo alloy catalyst supported on nickel foam (Cu-NiCo/NF) in a coupled system paired with nitrate reduction. The designed Cu-NiCo/NF delivers only 1.23 V vs. RHE at 10 mA cm-2, and a record Faraday efficiency of formate of 93.8%. The superior performance is ascribed to the rapid generation of NiIII-OOH and CoIII-OOH and favorable coupling of surface *O with reactive intermediates. Using Cu-NiCo/NF as a bifunctional catalyst, the coupled system synchronously produces NH3 and formate, showing 290 mV lower than the coupling of hydrogen evolution reaction, together with excellent long-term stability for up to 144 h. This work lays out new guidelines and reliable strategies from catalyst design to system coupling for biomass-derived electrochemical refinery.

Polyphenol-Reinforced Glycocalyx-Like Hydrogel Coating Induced Myocardial Regeneration and Immunomodulation.

Although minimally invasive interventional occluders can effectively seal heart defect tissue, they still have some limitations, including poor endothelial healing, intense inflammatory response, and thrombosis formation. Herein, a polyphenol-reinforced medicine/peptide glycocalyx-like coating was prepared on cardiac occluders. A coating consisting of carboxylated chitosan, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), tanshinone IIA sulfonic sodium (TSS), and hyaluronic acid grafted with 3-aminophenylboronic acid was prepared. Subsequently, the mercaptopropionic acid-GGGGG-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val peptide was grafted by the thiol-ene "click" reaction. The coating showed good hydrophilicity and free radical-scavenging ability and could release EGCG-TSS. The results of biological experiments suggested that the coating could reduce thrombosis by promoting endothelialization, and promote myocardial repair by regulating the inflammatory response. The functions of regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis and metabolism were confirmed, and the inflammatory regulatory functions of the coating were mainly dependent on the NF-kappa B and TNF signaling pathway.

Schisandrin B alleviates testicular inflammation and Sertoli cell apoptosis via AR-JNK pathway.

Bacterial testicular inflammation is one of the important causes of male infertility. Using plant-derived compounds to overcome the side effects of antibiotics is an alternative treatment strategy for many diseases. Schizandrin B (SchB) is a bioactive compound of herbal medicine Schisandra chinensis which has multiple pharmacological effects. However its effect and the mechanism against testicular inflammation are unknown. Here we tackled these questions using models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mice and -Sertoli cells (SCs). Histologically, SchB ameliorated the LPS-induced damages of the seminiferous epithelium and blood-testicular barrier, and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in mouse testes. Furthermore, SchB decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and inhibited the nuclear factor kB (NF-κB) and MAPK (especially JNK) signaling pathway phosphorylation in LPS-induced mSCs. The bioinformatics analysis based on receptor prediction and the molecular docking was further conducted. We targeted androgen receptor (AR) and illustrated that AR might bind with SchB in its function. Further experiments indicate that the AR expression was upregulated by LPS stimulation, while SchB treatment reversed this phenomenon; similarly, the expression of the JNK-related proteins and apoptotic-related protein were also reversed after AR activator treatment. Together, SchB mitigates LPS-induced inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the AR-JNK pathway.

Timing offset calibration for TOF PET using stationary line source scans at multiple positions.

Background. Accurate timing offset calibration is crucial for time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) to mitigate image artifacts and improve quantitative accuracy. However, existing methods are often time-consuming, complex, or costly.Objective. This paper presents a method for TOF PET timing offset calibration that eliminates the need for costly equipment, phantoms, short-half-life sources, and precise source positioning.Approach. We estimate channel timing offsets using stationary scans of a68Ge line source, typically used for routine quality control, at a minimum of three non-coplanar positions, with each position scanned for two minutes. The line source positions are determined accurately from reconstructed images using a simple algorithm, allowing precise calculation of arrival time differences. Channel timing offsets are estimated by solving a least squares problem. This method is assessed through analyses of phantoms and patient images using a RAYSOLUTION DigitMI 930 scanner.Main results. The estimated timing offsets ranged from -500 ps to 500 ps across all channels. Calibration with a minimum of three scanned positions was sufficient to correct these offsets, achieving less than a 1% discrepancy across various metrics of the image quality (IQ) phantom compared to 12 positions. This calibration significantly reduced edge artifacts in TOF reconstruction of both phantoms and patients. Furthermore, the IQ phantom displayed a 13% increase in average contrast recovery (CR), a 68% reduction in average background variability (BV) across all spheres, and an 80% reduction in average residual error. Consistent with the phantom results, patient data revealed enhancements in maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) from 14% to 55% for lesions measuring 6 mm to 14 mm. The calibration also improved lesion-to-background contrast and eliminated artifacts caused by the spillover effect of the kidneys and bladder.Significance. The proposed method is fast, user-friendly, and cost-effective, effectively improving lesion detection and diagnostic accuracy.

The high electron mobility for spin-down channel of two-dimensional spin-polarized half-metallic ferromagnetic EuSi2N4 monolayer.

The two-dimensional (2D) monolayer material MoSi2N4 was successfully synthesized in 2020[Hong et al., Science 369, 670, (2020)], exhibiting a plethora of new phenomena and unusual properties, with good stability at room temperature. However, MA2Z4 family monolayer materials involve primarily transition metal substitutions for M atoms. In order to address the research gap on lanthanide and actinide MA2Z4 materials, this work conducts electronic structure calculations on novel 2D MSi2N4 (M = La, Eu) monolayer materials by employing first-principles methods and CASTEP. High carrier mobility is discovered in the indirect bandgap semiconductor 2D LaSi2N4 monolayer (~5400 cm2 V-1 s-1) and in the spin (spin-down channel) carrier mobility of the half-metallic ferromagnetic EuSi2N4 monolayer (~2800 cm2 V-1 s-1). EuSi2N4 monolayer supplements research on spin carrier mobility in half-metallic ferromagnetic monolayer materials at room temperature and possesses a magnetic moment of 5 µB, which should not be underestimated. Furthermore, due to the unique electronic band structure of EuSi2N4 monolayer (with the spin-up channel exhibiting metallic properties and the spin-down channel exhibiting semiconductor properties), it demonstrates a 100% spin polarization rate, presenting significant potential applications in fields such as magnetic storage, magnetic sensing, and spintronics.

Skeletal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Promote Meniscal Tear Healing and Ameliorate Secondary Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The self-repair ability after meniscal tears is poor, leading to the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Promoting the repair of meniscal injuries remains a great challenge, especially in the avascular region. HYPOTHESIS: Local delivery of skeletal stem cell (SSC)-derived exosomes (SSC-Exos) would promote meniscal healing and prevent secondary osteoarthritis progression. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: SSCs were isolated from bone marrow and exosomes were extracted via ultracentrifugation. The cell migration capabilities after incubation with exosomes were validated through in vitro cell culture. Full-thickness longitudinal medial meniscal tears were performed in the avascular region of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats and 20 male New Zealand White rabbits, which were randomly divided into 2 groups: group treated with phosphate-buffered saline (GCON) and group treated with exosomes (GExosome). The effects of these treatments on meniscal healing and secondary osteoarthritis were evaluated by gross inspection, biomechanical testing, and histological assessment. RNA sequencing of in vitro cell cultures was performed to explore the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Exosomes were successfully extracted and identified. These exosomes significantly promoted cell migration capabilities in vitro (P < .01). The GExosome exhibited greater cell proliferation and tissue regeneration with type 2 collagen secretion, and a significantly higher meniscal repair score than that of the GCON at 8 weeks postoperatively (P < .05). In contrast to the degenerative changes in both the meniscus and articular cartilage of the GCON, meniscal tissue in the GExosome exhibited restoration of normal morphology with a smooth and glossy white surface and better mechanical strength at 8 weeks after meniscal repair. Both degeneration scores and synovitis scores were significantly higher in the GCON than in the GExosome (P < .05). Compared with the GCON, the expression of key genes related to cell migration, such as the chemokine family, was enhanced by exosome injection, leading to an upregulation of extracellular matrix expression while downregulating the expression of inflammation-related genes such as CD68 and the matrix metalloproteinase family. CONCLUSION: The administration of SSC-Exos effectively promoted meniscal healing in the avascular region and ameliorated secondary osteoarthritis. The effect might be attributed to inflammation modulation, promotion of cell migration, and secretion of extracellular matrix components. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Injection of SSC-Exos represents a promising therapeutic option for promoting meniscal healing in the avascular region.

Characterization and immune role of class B scavenger receptor member 1 in spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus).

Scavenger receptors (SRs) are integral to the innate immune system and function as pattern-recognition receptors that facilitate pathogen clearance and mediate anti-inflammatory responses. However, the role of SRs in the immune response of Lateolabrax maculatus against Aeromonas veronii is unclear. Here, we cloned scavenger receptor B1 from L. maculatus (LmSRB1) and performed bioinformatics analysis to study its potential functions. The open reading frame spans 1530 base pairs and encodes a 509-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 57.44 kDa. Comparative analysis revealed high sequence conservation among fish species. Expression profiling revealed strong LmSRB1 transcription in various tissues, especially in head kidney and spleen. Following A. veronii exposure, LmSRB1 expression initially increased, peaking after 4-8 h, with a notable secondary peak at 72 h. Fluorescence in situ hybridization indicated that LmSRB1 mainly localized to the cytoplasm, and subcellular-localization studies confirmed LmSRB1 protein expression in the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay data showed dose-dependent binding of LmSRB1 to A. veronii. Modulating LmSRB1 expression significantly altered the levels of IL-8, IL-1ß, TRAF6, and NIK. These results highlight the crucial role of LmSRB1 in L. maculatus's innate immune response to A. veronii and offer insights into improving the management of bacterial infections in aquaculture.

A qualitative study on the disease coping experiences of pancreatic cancer patients and their spouses.

Cancer affects patients as well as their spouses. Patients and their spouses use different strategies to cope with cancer and the associated burden. This study aimed to gain a deeper and more differentiated understanding of support systems for patients and their spouses. This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted in China. The study was based on 20 semistructured face-to-face interviews. Ten pancreatic cancer patients and their spouses were interviewed. The interviews took place at a tertiary hospital from June 2023 to December 2023. The data were analysed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke's methodology. This study was guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. Twenty participants of different ages (patients: range = 49-75 years; spouses: range = 47-73 years) participated. Patients with different cancer stages (e.g., potentially resectable, borderline resectable, locally advanced) and cancer types (initial diagnosis or relapse) participated in the study. Five themes emerged from the data, namely, denial and silence, fear and worry, struggle, coping strategies and cherishing the present. Active dyadic coping is conducive to promoting disease adaptation, and spouses seem to need more psychological support to improve their own well-being. Health care providers should pay attention to pancreatic cancer patients and their spouses in terms of five themes: denial and silence, fear and worry, struggle, coping strategies and cherishing the present. Future studies should use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to explore dyadic coping in greater depth.

Recurrent Pulmonary Tuberculosis in China, 2005 to 2021.

Importance: Despite posing a significant challenge to global tuberculosis (TB) elimination efforts, recurrent TB remains understudied due to the challenges of long-term observation. Objective: To investigate the burden of recurrent TB using data from patients with pulmonary TB (PTB) in China. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included all bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed PTB cases reported to the Tuberculosis Information Management System with completed or successful treatment outcomes from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2021. Data were analyzed from July 15, 2022, to October 28, 2023. Exposures: Newly diagnosed PTB was classified into primary, hematogenous disseminated, or secondary PTB. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the annual recurrence rate, stratified by disease classification, over the 17-year observation period. The recurrence rate for year n was calculated by dividing the number of patients with recurrent TB in year n by observed person-years in year n. The secondary outcome was the annual proportion of recurrent TB among reported cases and associated risk factors. Results: Of 13 833 249 patients with TB reported to the Tuberculosis Information Management System, 10 482 271 with PTB met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 68.9% were male, 22.3% were 65 years or older, 89.6% were of Han ethnicity, and 68.4% were agricultural workers. A total of 413 936 patients experienced a recurrent TB episode after successful treatment, resulting in an overall recurrence rate of 0.47 (95% CI, 0.47-0.48) per 100 person-years. The recurrence rate for patients with primary PTB was 0.24 (95% CI, 0.22-0.26) per 100 person-years; for hematogenous disseminated PTB, 0.37 (95% CI, 0.36-0.38) per 100 person-years; and for secondary PTB, 0.48 (95% CI, 0.47-0.48) per 100 person-years. The cumulative proportion of recurrences within the first 2 years accounted for 48.9% of all recurrent cases. The proportion of recurrent cases among notified incident cases increased 1.9-fold from 4.7% in 2015 to 8.8% in 2021. Among other factors, ages 45 to 64 years (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.77 [95% CI, 1.65-1.89]) and having completed treatment (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.14-1.18]) were identified as associated with recurrence. Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study, the PTB recurrence rate was substantially higher than the incidence, and the proportion of recurrent cases increased. Almost half of the recurrence occurred within the first 2 years, suggesting that routine posttreatment follow-up may represent an important strategy for accelerating TB elimination.

Smartphone-assisted ratiometric fluorescent sensor for visual detection of chlortetracycline.

The development of a highly selective and sensitive method for detecting chlortetracycline (CTC) is crucial for safeguarding public health and food safety. Herein, a novel ratiometric fluorescence sensor called SiC@ZIF-8@MIP was constructed to specifically recognize and sensitively detect CTC. The sensor has the advantages of fast response speed (7 min), wide linear range (0.1-18 µg mL-1), and low limit of detection (4.56 ng mL-1). With the addition of CTC, the fluorescence of SiC@ZIF-8@MIP is quenched at 410 nm due to the internal filtration effect (IFE) and a new fluorescence signal is generated at 515 nm by CTC due to the aggregation induced emission effect (AIE). Additionally, for rapid on-site detection of CTC, a smartphone is applied to digitize fluorescence images of SiC@ZIF-8@MIP, helping individuals read and analyze the images. This detection method is a promising strategy for on-site assessments of food safety and public health safety.