Promoted Stability and Reaction Kinetics in Ni-Rich Cathodes via Mechanical Fusing Multifunctional LiZr2(PO4)3 Nanocrystals for High Mass Loading All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

Sulfide all-solid-state lithium battery (ASSLB) with nickel-rich layered oxide as the cathode is promising for next-generation energy storage system. However, the Li+ transport dynamic and stability in ASSLB are hindered by the structural mismatches and the instabilities especially at the oxide cathode/sulfide solid electrolyte (SE) interface. In this work, we have demonstrated a simple and highly effective solid-state mechanofusion method (1500 rpm for 10 min) to combine lithium conductive NASICON-type LiZr2(PO4)3 nanocrystals (∼20 nm) uniformly and compactly onto the surface of the single crystallized LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2, which can also attractively achieve Zr4+ doping in NCM811 and oxygen vacancies in the LZPO coating without solvent and annealing. Benefiting from the alleviated interface mismatches, sufficient Li+ ion flux through the LZPO coating, promoted structural stabilities for both NCM811 and sulfide SE, strong electronic coupling effect between the LZPO and NCM811, and enlarged (003) d-spacing with enriched Li+ migration channels in NCM811, the obtained LZPO-NCM811 exhibits superior stability (185 mAh/g at 0.1C for 200 cycles) and rate performance (105 mAh/g at 1C for 1300 cycles) with high mass loading of 27 mgNCM/cm2 in sulfide ASSLB. Even with a pronounced 54 mgNCM/cm2, LZPO-NCM811 manifests a high areal capacity of 9.85 mAh/cm2. The convenient and highly effective interface engineering strategy paves the way to large-scale production of various coated cathode materials with synergistic effects for high performance ASSLBs.

Complementary Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment is Associated with a Reduction of Surgical Rate in Patients with Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding: A Propensity-Score Matched Cohort Study.

Background: Many patients with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) seek traditional medicine consultations. This study intended to investigate the association of complementary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) with the surgery rate in patients with DUB in Taiwan. Methods: We enrolled 43,027 patients with newly diagnosed DUB (ICD-9-CM codes 626.8) from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan during the period of 1997 to 2010. Among them, 38,324 were CHM users, and 4703 did not receive CHM treatment. After performing a 1:1 propensity-score match based on patients' age (per 5 years), comorbidities, conventional drugs, childbirth status, duration from the diagnosis year of DUB and index year, there were an equal number (n=4642) of patients in the CHM cohort and non-CHM cohort. The outcome measurement was the comparison of incidences of surgical events, including hysterectomy and endometrial ablation, in the two cohorts before the end of 2013. Results: CHM users had a lower incidence of surgery than non-CHM users (adjusted HR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.22-0.33). The cumulative incidence of surgery was significantly lower in the CHM cohort during the follow-up period (Log rank test, p < 0.001). A total of 146 patients in the CHM cohort (4.99 per 1000 person-years) and 485 patients in the non-CHM cohort (20.19 per 1000 person-years) received surgery (adjusted HR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.22-0.33). CHM also reduced the risk of surgery in DUB patients with or without comorbidities. Regardless of childbirth status or whether patients took NSAIDs, tranexamic acid or progesterone, fewer patients in the CHM cohort underwent surgery than in the non-CHM cohort. The most commonly prescribed single herb and formula were Yi-Mu-Cao (Herba Leonuri) and Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, respectively. Conclusion: The real-world data revealed that CHM is associated with a reduced surgery rate in DUB patients. This information may be provided for further clinical investigations and policy-making.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Intramolecular Markovnikov Hydrocarbonylation of Unactivated Alkenes via Hydrogen Atom Transfer.

A cobalt-catalyzed intramolecular Markovnikov hydroalkoxycarbonylation and hydroaminocarbonylation of unactivated alkenes has been developed, enabling highly chemo- and regioselective synthesis of α-alkylated γ-lactones and α-alkylated γ-lactams in good yields. The mild reaction conditions allow use of mono-, di- and trisubstituted alkenes bearing a variety of functional groups. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest the reaction proceeds through a CO-mediated hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and radical-polar crossover (RPC) process, in which a cationic acylcobalt(IV) complex is proposed as the key intermediate.

3D Slicer and 3D printing localization combined with neuroendoscopic surgery for the treatment of deep cerebral cavernous hemangioma.

To explore the advantages and disadvantages of 3D Slicer reconstruction and 3D printing localization combined with transcranial neuroendoscope in the surgical treatment of deep cerebral micro cavernous hemangiomas. Method The clinical data of patients with deep cerebral micro cavernous hemangiomas treated by our hospital from June 2022 to February 2023 using 3D Slicer reconstruction and 3D printing localization technology combined with transcranial endoscopic surgery were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 5 cases with complete data were collected, including 2 males and 3 females, aged 9-59 years. All 5 patients had deep supratentorial cavernous hemangiomas with a diameter of less than 1.5 cm, and had clinical symptoms such as headache or epilepsy, and had been diagnosed by CT or MRI. Repeated bleeding from small cavernous hemangiomas in the deep brain can lead to clinical symptoms such as recurrent headache and epilepsy, and is required surgical treatment. However, cavernous hemangiomas often have smaller lesions and are difficult to locate in the deep part. Without neuronavigation, surgery can become extremely difficult. Our team's newly developed 3D Slicer reconstruction and 3D printing localization technology which could provide new options for surgical treatment of small cavernous hemangiomas or other small lesions in the deep brain, but its accuracy and safety still need to be verified by further clinical research.

Antihyperlipidemic drugs mitigate the elevated incidence of peptic ulcer disease caused by Hyperlipidemia: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Several risk factors for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) have been identified; however, the recurrence rates of PUD are still high even with standard ulcer treatments. A high cholesterol level has been proposed as a risk factor for PUD, but clinical evidence remains limited. Therefore, this database study investigated whether hyperlipidemia increases PUD risk and whether antihyperlipidemic drugs reduce this risk. METHODS: A long-term cohort design was adopted, and Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database was used to enroll patients diagnosed as having hyperlipidemia between 2000 and 2016. Patients without hyperlipidemia were randomly matched based on variables such as age and gender to establish a comparison cohort at a 1:1 ratio. Another cohort study was conducted to determine whether antihyperlipidemic drugs or red yeast rice prescriptions (LipoCol Forte®) can reduce the incidence of PUD in patients with hyperlipidemia. RESULTS: The overall incidence of PUD was 1.48 times higher in the hyperlipidemia cohort (203,235 patients) than in the nonhyperlipidemia cohort (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.46-1.50; p < 0.001). Among the patients with hyperlipidemia, those who used antihyperlipidemic drugs with or without red yeast rice prescriptions exhibited a lower risk of developing PUD relative to those who did not use them; the adjusted hazard ratios were 0.33 (95% CI, 0.21-0.52) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.84), respectively. When the cumulative exposure to antihyperlipidemic drugs and red yeast rice prescriptions increased, the risk of developing PUD showed a decreasing trend, which was statistically significant for antihyperlipidemic drugs but not for red yeast rice. CONCLUSION: Hyperlipidemia is associated with a higher risk of PUD, which can be reduced through antihyperlipidemic drugs with or without red yeast rice prescriptions administration.

Evaluating the risk of new-onset glaucoma in chronic kidney disease patients: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of the association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and glaucoma is required to optimize clinical outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with new diagnoses of glaucoma over time from January 2009 to December 2019. METHOD: This retrospective propensity-matched cohort study utilizing Taiwanese electronic health records examined the incidence of newly diagnosed glaucoma in patients with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD). The exposure variable was the diagnosis of CKD, identified through diagnostic codes. The primary outcome was the incidence of new-onset glaucoma. Subgroup analyses on glaucoma risk included age, gender, comorbidities, glaucoma subtypes, and dialysis status. Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards models, and Poisson regression models, with the associated hazard ratios and confidence intervals reported. RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty-three thousand two hundred sixteen patients with CKD (42.3% female; mean [SD] age at index, 66.3 [15.6] years) and 723,216 patients without CKD (42.3% female; mean [SD] age at index, 66.3 [15.7]) were recruited. We showed a significantly increased risk of glaucoma irrespective of subtypes in CKD patients compared to those without CKD (HR: 1.29 [CI: 1.26-1.32], p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves revealed a significantly increased glaucoma risk in both the dialytic subtype and non-dialytic CKD patients when compared to their non-CKD counterparts (p < 0.001). We also showed that all genders (aHR 1.17 [CI: 1.13-1.21] for females vs. aHR 1.39 [CI:1.35-1.43] for males), all ages (< = 49: aHR 1.49 [CI: 1.37-1.62]; 50-59: aHR 1.48 [CI: 1.40-1.56]; 60-69: aHR 1.30 [CI: 1.25-1.6]; 70-79: aHR 1.21 [CI: 1.17-1.26]; > 80: aHR 1.29 [CI: 1.21-1.37]); all income brackets and all urbanization status were associated with significantly increased risk of glaucoma from among the CKD cohort when compared to their respective non-CKD cohort (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our cohort study spanning 12 years showed an elevated glaucoma risk following a CKD diagnosis compared to a frequency-matched non-CKD cohort. Our findings have relevance for the clinical practice of at-risk CKD patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Due to the retrospective nature of the study, no registration was necessary.

Design, synthesis and inhibition evaluation of novel chalcone amide α-glucosidase inhibitors.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to design and synthesize a series of novel chalcone amide α-glucosidase (AG) inhibitors (L1-L10) based on virtual screening and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Materials & methods: Target compounds (L1-L10) were synthesized from 2-hydroxyacetophenone and methyl 4-formylbenzoate. Results: In vitro activity test shows that most compounds have good AG inhibition. Specially, compound L4 (IC50 = 8.28 ± 0.04 µM) had the best inhibitory activity, superior to positive control acarbose (IC50 = 8.36 ± 0.02 µM). Molecular docking results show that the good potency of L4 maybe attributed to strong interactions between chalcone skeleton and active site, and the torsion of carbon nitrogen bond in amide group. Conclusion: Compound L4 maybe regard as a good anti-Type II diabetes candidate to preform further study.

[Box: see text].

Nanosecond laser annealing processed surface-structured hyperdoped silicon for efficient near-infrared detection.

Surface-structured engineering of hyperdoped silicon can effectively facilitate the absorption of sub-bandgap photons of pristine single-crystal silicon (sc-Si). Here, we conducted different annealing approaches of ordinary thermal annealing (OTA) and nanosecond laser annealing (NLA) on modification of titanium-hyperdoped silicon (Si:Ti) surface structure, to achieve efficient near-infrared detection. It is presented that both OTA and NLA process can improve the crystallinity of Si:Ti samples. In detail, atomic-resolved STEM characterization illustrates that NLA treatment will further eliminate the amorphous phase on Si:Ti surface to varying degrees. While one-dimensional periodic stacking fault structure of 9R-Si phase is formed at the surface of sc-Si and embedded in the Si matrix during the OTA process, which reveals the seamless interface of 9R-Si/sc-Si along with [1"1" ̅0] direction. Due to the high sub-bandgap light absorption and good crystal structure, the Si:Ti photodetector after NLA treatment with an energy density of 2.6 J/cm² exhibited the highest responsivity, reaching 151 mA/W at 1550 nm even at a low operating voltage of 1 V. We assume the performance enhancement of NLA processed Si:Ti photodetectors can be attributed to two aspects, the one is NLA can reduce the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers in amorphous surface layer by improving crystallization, and the other is that NLA process can weaken the diffusion of titanium impurities due to the extremely rapid treatment rates. This study presents prospects towards surface-structured silicon in infrared light detection.

Melatonin modulates TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway to ameliorate cognitive impairment in sleep-deprived rats.

Sleep deprivation (SD) is commonplace in today's fast-paced society. SD is a severe public health problem globally since it may cause cognitive decline and even neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Melatonin (MT) is a natural chemical secreted by the pineal gland with neuroprotective effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of MT on chronic sleep deprivation-induced cognitive impairment. A 3-week modified multi-platform method was used to create the SD rat model. The Morris water maze test (MWM), Tissue staining (including Hematoxylin and Eosin (H & E) staining, Nissl staining, and immunofluorescence), Western blot, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of MT in ameliorating cognitive impairment in SD rats. The results showed that MT (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly improved cognitive function in rats, as evidenced by a shortening of escape latency and increased time of crossing the platform and time spent in the quadrant. Additionally, MT therapy alleviated hippocampus neurodegeneration and neuronal loss while lowering levels of pathogenic factors (LPS) and inflammatory indicators (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, and COX2). Furthermore, MT treatment reversed the high expression of Aß42 and Iba1 as well as the low expression of ZO-1 and occludin, and inhibited the SD-induced TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, MT ameliorated spatial recognition and learning memory dysfunction in SD rats by reducing neuroinflammation and increasing neuroprotection while inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. Our study supports the use of MT as an alternate treatment for SD with cognitive impairment.

Catalytic Mode and Product Specificity of an α-Agarase Reveal Its Direct Catalysis for the Production of Agarooligosaccharides.

Many α-agarases have been characterized and are utilized for producing agarooligosaccharides through the degradation of agar and agarose, which are considered valuable for applications in the food and medicine industries. However, the catalytic mechanism and product transformation process of α-agarase remain unclear, limiting further enzyme engineering for industrial applications. In this study, an α-agarase from Catenovulum maritimus STB14 (Cm-AGA) was employed to degrade agarose oligosaccharides (AGOs) with varying degrees of polymerization (DPs) to investigate the catalytic mechanism of α-agarases. The results demonstrated that Cm-AGA could degrade agarose into agarotetraose and agarohexaose. The reducing ends of agarotetraose and agarohexaose spontaneously release unstable 3,6-anhydro-α-l-galactose molecules, which were further degraded into agarotriose and agaropentose. Cm-AGA cannot act on α-1,3-glucoside bonds in agarotriose, agarotetraose, neoagarobiose, and neoagarotetraose but can act on AGOs with a DP greater than four. The product analysis was further verified by ß-galactosidase hydrolysis, which specifically cleaves the non-reducing glycosidic bond of agarooligosaccharides. Multiple sequence alignment results showed that two conserved residues, Asp994 and Glu1129, were proposed as catalytic residues and were further identified by site-directed mutagenesis. Molecular docking of Cm-AGA with agaroheptose revealed the potential substrate binding mode of the α-agarase. These findings enhance the understanding of Cm-AGA's catalytic mode and could guide enzyme engineering for modulating the production of agarooligosaccharides.

Genome-Wide Identification, Expression, and Interaction Analysis of the Auxin Response Factor and AUX/IAA Gene Families in Vaccinium bracteatum.

BACKGROUND: Auxin, a plant hormone, plays diverse roles in the modulation of plant growth and development. The transport and signal transduction of auxin are regulated by various factors involved in shaping plant morphology and responding to external environmental conditions. The auxin signal transduction is primarily governed by the following two gene families: the auxin response factor (ARF) and auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (AUX/IAA). However, a comprehensive genomic analysis involving the expression profiles, structures, and functional features of the ARF and AUX/IAA gene families in Vaccinium bracteatum has not been carried out to date. RESULTS: Through the acquisition of genomic and expression data, coupled with an analysis using online tools, two gene family members were identified. This groundwork provides a distinguishing characterization of the chosen gene families in terms of expression, interaction, and response in the growth and development of plant fruits. In our genome-wide search of the VaARF and VaIAA genes in Vaccinium bracteatum, we identified 26 VaARF and 17 VaIAA genes. We analyzed the sequence and structural characteristics of these VaARF and VaIAA genes. We found that 26 VaARF and 17 VaIAA genes were divided into six subfamilies. Based on protein interaction predictions, VaIAA1 and VaIAA20 were designated core members of VaIAA gene families. Moreover, an analysis of expression patterns showed that 14 ARF genes and 12 IAA genes exhibited significantly varied expressions during fruit development. CONCLUSION: Two key genes, namely, VaIAA1 and VaIAA20, belonging to a gene family, play a potentially crucial role in fruit development through 26 VaARF-IAAs. This study provides a valuable reference for investigating the molecular mechanism of fruit development and lays the foundation for further research on Vaccinium bracteatum.

Emergency Medical Retrieval Services in Remote Indigenous Islands: Experiences in Lanyu, Taiwan.

Emergency medical retrieval services (EMRS) in remote Indigenous islands is rarely investigated. We analyzed the characteristics of patients who underwent EMRS in Lanyu, an offshore island of Taiwan, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2021. The need for EMRS for Lanyu Indigenous residents (N=132, 3.83‰) was almost 1.5-fold and 100-fold for non-Indigenous residents (N=16, 2.64‰) and tourists (N=40, 0.04‰), respectively. The resident group had a longer hospitalization (12.0 ± 12.9 vs. 5.9 ± 11.7 days, p=.007). The tourist group had more near-drowning or decompression sickness (44.0% vs. 3.0%, p<.001) and secondary transfers (20.0% vs. 5.4%, p=.003). All the patients (N=12) that required multiple retrievals were Lanyu Indigenous residents. The Lanyu Indigenous residents, compared with the non-Indigenous residents, had fewer admissions to intensive care units (47.7% vs. 80.0%) and more in-hospital mortalities (10.6% vs. 0.0%). Multifaceted approaches should be initiated to improve the health care system in remote Indigenous islands.

Lactate promotes microglial scar formation and facilitates locomotor function recovery by enhancing histone H4 lysine 12 lactylation after spinal cord injury.

Lactate-derived histone lactylation is involved in multiple pathological processes through transcriptional regulation. The role of lactate-derived histone lactylation in the repair of spinal cord injury (SCI) remains unclear. Here we report that overall lactate levels and lactylation are upregulated in the spinal cord after SCI. Notably, H4K12la was significantly elevated in the microglia of the injured spinal cord, whereas exogenous lactate treatment further elevated H4K12la in microglia after SCI. Functionally, lactate treatment promoted microglial proliferation, scar formation, axon regeneration, and locomotor function recovery after SCI. Mechanically, lactate-mediated H4K12la elevation promoted PD-1 transcription in microglia, thereby facilitating SCI repair. Furthermore, a series of rescue experiments confirmed that a PD-1 inhibitor or microglia-specific AAV-sh-PD-1 significantly reversed the therapeutic effects of lactate following SCI. This study illustrates the function and mechanism of lactate/H4K12la/PD-1 signaling in microglia-mediated tissue repair and provides a novel target for SCI therapy.

Chinese formula Guben-Jiannao Ye alleviates the dysfunction of circadian and sleep rhythms in APP/PS1 mice implicated in activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Chinese formula Guben-Jiannao Ye (GBJNY) formula has a long history of usage in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of learning and memory disorders as well as senile insomnia. This formulation is derived from Sun Simiao's five tonic pills. Furthermore, modern pharmacological investigations have revealed its ability to improve cognitive impairment and ameliorate sleep-wake circadian rhythm disorders. However, the precise mechanism underlying its efficacy remains elusive. AIM OF THE STUDY: The current research explored the modulatory effects and possible mechanisms of GBJNY in circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease using transcriptome sequencing and experimental validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The LC-MS/MS tandem technology was utilized to qualitatively discern the active components present in GBJNY. The APP/PS1 mice received continuous treatment with GBJNY or Melatonin for 3 months. The learning and memory abilities of mice were assessed utilizing the Morris water maze (MWM) test, while sleep changes were studied utilizing the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG). Concurrently, mice's hippocampus clock gene rhythmicity was investigated. Subsequently, we employed HE staining, Golgi staining, and immunofluorescence to observe GBJNY's impact on synaptic damage and neuronal loss. We performed high-throughput sequencing to analyze the mRNA expression profiles of mice, aiming to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, we conducted GO and KEGG enrichment analyses to explore associated signaling pathways. Furthermore, we evaluated the expression levels of proteins involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and Aß deposition in the hippocampus of mice. Through this comprehensive approach, we sought to elucidate and validate the potential mechanisms of action of GBJNY in APP/PS1 mice. RESULTS: Results showed 216 DEGs. Following this, we conducted GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses to delve deeper into the distinctions and fundamental functions of the mRNA target genes. The enrichment analysis underscored the prominence of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway as the most pivotal among them. Through in vivo experiments, it was further demonstrated that the administration of GBJNY enhanced memory and learning capacities in APP/PS1 mice. Additionally, GBJNY treatment resulted in alterations in the sleep-wake circadian rhythm, characterized by reduced wakefulness and an increase in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Moreover, alterations in the peak expression of Per1, Per2, Clock, Cry1, Cry2, and Bmal1 mRNA were noted in the hippocampus of treated mice. Particularly noteworthy were the observed reductions in amyloid-beta (Aß) deposition within the hippocampus, improvements in neuronal synaptic integrity, and upregulation of mTOR, Akt, and PI3K protein expression in the hippocampal region. These findings underscore the critical involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in mitigating disturbances in sleep-wake circadian rhythms. CONCLUSIONS: GBJNY enhanced the cognitive performance of APP/PS1 mice and altered clock gene expression patterns, alleviating sleep-wake circadian rhythm disruptions. The fundamental mechanism appears to be linked to the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulation, offering a foundation for potential clinical applications.

Health outcomes of COVID-19 patients from Wuhan, China 3-year after hospital discharge: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in health outcomes between years 2 and 3 after discharge following COVID-19 and to identify risk factors for poor health 3-year post-discharge. DESIGN: This is a multicentre observational cohort study. SETTING: This study was conducted in two centres from Wuhan, China. PARTICIPANTS: Eligibility screening has been performed in 3988 discharged laboratory-confirmed adult COVID-19 patients. Exclusion criteria were refusal to participate, inability to contact and death before follow-up. The WHO COVID-19 guidelines on defining disease severity were adopted. RESULTS: 1594 patients participated in the 1-year, 2-year and 3-year follow-ups, including 796 (49.9%) male patients, and 422 (26.5%) patients were classified in the severe disease group. 3 years after discharge, 182 (11.4%) patients still complained of at least one symptom. The most common symptoms were fatigue, myalgia, chest tightness, cough, anxiety, shortness of breath and expectoration. Fatigue or myalgia, the most common symptom cluster, frequently coexisted with chest symptoms and anxiety. Symptom persistence between years 2 and 3 was reported in 70 patients (4.4%) for which intensive care unit (ICU) admission was a risk factor (p=0.038). Of the 1586 patients who completed the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT), 97 (6.1%) scored ≥10, with older age being associated with CAT ≥10 (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Between years 2 and 3 after SARS-CoV-2 infection, most patients returned to an asymptomatic state, and only a few were still symptomatic. ICU admission was a risk factor for symptom persistence.

Depression fully mediates the effects of problematic internet use on nonsuicidal self-injury among adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic threatened adolescents' mental health and livelihoods, which can worsen their non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors. With the significant increase of total online time use, adolescents become more prone to problematic internet use (PIU). This study examined whether depression mediated the relationship between PIU and NSSI among adolescence during the COVID-19 outbreak. Constructed with a cross-sectional design during the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan, 1060 participants were drawn from junior high schools through stratified and cluster sampling, and completed a set of comprehensive surveys. The mediation model demonstrated a good fit to the data, GFI = .96, CFI = .97, NFI = .97, NNFI = .95, IFI = .97, and SRMR = .02. The overall fit of the mediational model was adequate. The path from PIU to depression, ß = .41, p < .001, and the path from depression to NSSI, ß = .40, p < .001, were both significant. Moreover, the effect of PIU to NSSI decreased from .23 (p < .001) to .05 (p = .099) when depression was incorporated into the analysis. Moreover, results in bootstrapping analysis displayed that the indirect effect (PIU on NSSI via depression) was statistically significant (p < .001) and the direct effect (PIU on NSSI) was statistically non-significant (p = .134). The full mediation model was confirmed. The findings of the structure equation modeling and bootstrap analysis showed that PIU significantly and positively predicted NSSI, and that depression fully mediated this relationship.

Chewing characteristics of rice and reasons for differences between three rice types with different amylose contents.

This study investigated the physicochemical structural changes in different types of rice (japonica rice [JR], indica rice [IR], and waxy rice [WR]) during oral digestion and explored the reasons for differences in oral digestion between the three different types. The results showed that, compared with JR (42.41 ± 3.06 mg/g) and WR (26.82 ± 0.67 mg/g), IR had the highest amylose content (49.95 ± 3.33 mg/g) and, related to this, hydrolysis rate. A correlation analysis showed that, the higher the amylose content, the harder the texture of rice, leading to longer chewing times and, as a result, a greater degree of hydrolysis. In addition, the higher the amylose content, the lower the exudate content and viscosity of rice, which affects chewing time and frequency, thereby affecting the degree of hydrolysis. Both X-ray computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy indicated that cooked IR had the loosest structure and the most pores, that were conducive to chewing and crushing and therefore contributed to the high hydrolysis rate. Analysis of the exudate structure showed that the amount of exudate affected rice pores. More exudates lead to pore coverage and a tight structure.

Adjunctive aspiration technique for the surgical management of deep orbital cavernous hemangioma.

ABSTRACT: To propose a needle aspiration technique for the surgical removal of orbital cavernous hemangioma. In this retrospective case series, we enrolled 13 patients with orbital cavernous hemangioma, who underwent excisional surgery assisted with needle aspiration technique from June 2013 to April 2022. Preoperative symptoms, clinical examination, and imaging features were recorded. Surgical outcomes, including the improvement of visual acuity, proptosis, and ocular motility, were assessed. Postoperative complications were also reported. There were 11 female and two male patients, with a mean age of 50.2 ± 8.0 years (range: 38-61 years). The most common symptom was proptosis (12 cases, 92%), followed by blurred vision (6 cases, 46%). The diameter of the lesions was between 1.8 and 3.2 cm on preoperative imaging. The surgical approaches included sub-brow orbitotomy in 11 patients and the inferior transconjunctival approach in two cases. All the tumors were removed successfully after needle aspiration of 1-3 cc of intralesional blood to reduce the tumor size. Preoperative proptosis, blurred vision, and diplopia improved after the surgery in all cases. There were no serious complications or recurrence of orbital hemangioma. The study presented an effective application of the needle aspiration technique in the surgical management of orbital cavernous hemangioma. Such an innovative method can bring significant benefits, especially for those with large cavernous hemangioma within the deep orbital region.

Exploring the mechanism by which Angelica sinensis improves haematopoietic function in aplastic anaemia.

Angelica sinensis (AS) can improve the haematopoietic function, but the treatment mechanism is unknown. Transfusion dependency was estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional-hazard model in AS treated apalstic anemia (AA) patients. After that, the AA GEO database was analysed, the up differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AA were combined with AS targets for the intersection of targets. After the AA mouse model was established, the effect of AS was confirmed by haematopoietic function tests. The same experiment plus mitochondrial apoptotic pathway tests in vivo were performed in Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP)-treated mice, the key ingredient in AS. For in vitro experiment, bone marrow nucleated cells (BMNCs) were tested. Clinical data confirmed that the level of transfusion dependency and IL17A were lower in AS-users compared to non-AS users (p < 0.001). The intersection of targets between AA and AS most concentrated on inflammation and apoptosis. Then, the same effect was found in AS treated AA mice model. In both in vivo and in vitro tests, ASP demonstrated the ability to mitigate P38/MAPK-induced Bax-associated mitochondrial apoptosis, while also reducing the levels of activated Th17 cells and alleviating abnormal cytokine levels. So, the protective effect of AS and ASP on hematopoietic function lies in their ability to prevent apoptosis.