Association between a metabolic score for insulin resistance and hypertension: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2016 analyses.

Background: The Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR) offers a promising and reliable non-insulin-based approach to assess insulin resistance and evaluate cardiometabolic risk. However, evidence for the association between METS-IR and hypertension was still limited. Methods: Participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database from 2007-2016 were selected for weighted multivariable regression analyses, subgroup analyses and restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling to assess the association between the METS-IR and hypertension, as well as systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Results: This study enrolled 7,721 adults aged ≥20 years, 2,926 (34.03%) of whom was diagnosed as hypertension. After adjusting for all potential covariates, an increased METS-IR (log2 conversion, denoted as log2METS-IR) was independently associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (odd ratio [OR] 3.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.19~5.01). The OR for hypertension in subjects with the highest quartile of METS-IR was 3.89-fold (OR 3.89, 95% CI 3.06~4.94) higher than that in those with the lowest quartile of METS-IR. This positive correlation became more significant as METS-IR increased (p for trend < 0.001). Log2METS-IR was significantly correlated with increase in SBP (ß 6.75, 95% CI 5.65~7.85) and DBP (ß 5.59, 95% CI 4.75~6.43) in a fully adjusted model. Consistent results were obtained in subgroup analyses. Hypertension, SBP and DBP all exhibited a non-linear increase with the rise in METS-IR. The minimal threshold for the beneficial association of METS-IR with hypertension, SBP and DBP were all identified to be 46.88. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed a significant positive association between METS-IR and hypertension among US adults, suggesting METS-IR as a potential tool for assessing hypertension risk.

Seminal plasma S100A8/A9 as a potential biomarker of genital tract inflammation.

ABSTRACT: Infections and inflammatory reactions in the male genital tract are the leading causes of male infertility with a prevalence of 6%-10%, primarily affecting testicular and epididymal function and ultimately compromising sperm quality. However, most infertile patients with genital infection/inflammation are asymptomatic and easily overlooked. Traditional indicators, including white blood cells, elastase, and other components in semen, can reflect inflammation of the genital tract, but there is still a lack of a uniform standard method of detection. Therefore, it is necessary to explore reliable markers in semen that reflect the inflammatory status of the genital tract. Using the experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) model to simulate noninfectious chronic orchitis, we successfully collected ejaculated seminal fluid from EAO rats using optimized electrical stimulation devices. Proteomic analysis was performed using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Compared to the control group, 55 upregulated and 105 downregulated proteins were identified in seminal plasma samples from the EAO group. In a preliminary screening, the inflammation-related protein S100A8/A9 was upregulated. We further verified that S100A8/A9 was increased in seminal plasma and highly expressed in testicular macrophages of the EAO model. In patients with oligoasthenospermia and genital tract infections, we also found that S100A8/A9 levels were remarkably increased in seminal plasma and testicular macrophages. S100A8/A9 in semen may be a potential biomarker for chronic genital inflammation. Our study provides a new potential biomarker for early diagnosis and further understanding of male infertility caused by genital inflammation.

Boosting Upconversion Efficiency in Optically Inert Shelled Structures with Electroactive Membrane through Electron Donation.

This study innovatively addresses challenges in enhancing upconversion efficiency in lanthanide-based nanoparticles (UCNPs) by exploiting Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a microorganism capable of extracellular electron transfer. Electroactive membranes, rich in c-type cytochromes, are extracted from bacteria and integrated into membrane-integrated liposomes (MILs), encapsulating core-shelled UCNPs with an optically inactive shell, forming UCNP@MIL constructs. The electroactive membrane, tailored to donate electrons through the inert shell, independently boosts upconversion emission under near-infrared excitation (980 nm or 1550 nm), bypassing ligand-sensitized UCNPs. The optically inactive shell restricts energy migration, emphasizing electroactive membrane electron donation. Density functional theory calculations elucidate efficient electron transfer due to the electroactive membrane hemes' highest occupied molecular orbital being higher than the valence band maximum of the optically inactive shell, crucial for enhancing energy transfer to emitter ions. The introduction of a SiO2 insulator coating diminishes light enhancement, underscoring the importance of unimpeded electron transfer. Luminescence enhancement remains resilient to variations in emitter or sensitizing ions, highlighting the robustness of the electron transfer-induced phenomenon. However, altering the inert shell material diminishes enhancement, emphasizing the role of electron transfer. This methodology holds significant promise for diverse biological applications. UCNP@MIL offers an advantage in cellular uptake, which proves beneficial for cell imaging. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Mediator Med23 controls a transcriptional switch for muscle stem cell proliferation and differentiation in muscle regeneration.

Muscle stem cells (MuSCs) contribute to a robust muscle regeneration process after injury, which is highly orchestrated by the sequential expression of multiple key transcription factors. However, it remains unclear how key transcription factors and cofactors such as the Mediator complex cooperate to regulate myogenesis. Here, we show that the Mediator Med23 is critically important for MuSC-mediated muscle regeneration. Med23 is increasingly expressed in activated/proliferating MuSCs on isolated myofibers or in response to muscle injury. Med23 deficiency reduced MuSC proliferation and enhanced its precocious differentiation, ultimately compromising muscle regeneration. Integrative analysis revealed that Med23 oppositely impacts Ternary complex factor (TCF)-targeted MuSC proliferation genes and myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)-targeted myogenic differentiation genes. Consistently, Med23 deficiency decreases the ETS-like transcription factor 1 (Elk1)/serum response factor (SRF) binding at proliferation gene promoters but promotes MRTF-A/SRF binding at myogenic gene promoters. Overall, our study reveals the important transcriptional control mechanism of Med23 in balancing MuSC proliferation and differentiation in muscle regeneration.

Considerations for multidisciplinary management of synchronous primary breast cancer and primary lung cancer - Analysis of thirty-one patients.

BACKGROUND: The simultaneous (synchronous) presence of primary breast cancer and primary lung cancer diagnosed in a single individual is not an uncommon phenomenon. However, reference data for treatment strategy is scarce and "chaotic". In the present study we discuss the management strategy for this group of patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients in the primary breast cancer database of the Breast Center and the primary lung cancer database of the Thoracic Surgery Department I of Peking University Cancer Hospital. Patients with synchronous primary breast cancer and primary lung cancer who underwent surgery between December 2010 and December 2023 were included in the study. The sequence of outpatient visits, recommendations of multidisciplinary teams, perioperative treatment, and surgical procedures were reviewed. Meanwhile, survival analysis based on propensity score matching with 1:1 ratio was performed between the 31 patients and those with lung cancer only during the same period. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients with synchronous primary breast cancer and primary lung cancer were identified; all of the patients were women. The average age was 61 years. A total of 24 of the patients had visited the breast center first, and routine chest computed tomography (CT) showed evidence of primary lung cancer. The other seven patients had visited the thoracic surgery clinic first, and routine positron emission tomography (PET)-CT revealed the coexistence of primary breast cancer. All the patients had multidisciplinary team consultations, after which 20 patients were recommended to have preoperative treatment for breast cancer, two patients were recommended to have preoperative treatment for lung cancer, and nine patients were recommended to undergo surgery directly. After surgery, 23 patients received postoperative adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, and no patients needed postoperative adjuvant treatment for lung cancer. Survival analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the 31 patients and those with lung cancer only. CONCLUSION: Routine chest CT is needed for breast cancer patients before surgery, and PET-CT is required for the accurate staging of lung cancer patients. A multidisciplinary expert team should manage synchronous primary breast cancer and primary lung cancer. Emphasis should be placed on patients who need preoperative treatment before surgery. Particularly, for patients who need preoperative chemotherapy, a regimen should be chosen that balances the treatment of lung cancer and breast cancer.

A Phase I Clinical Study Comparing the Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Immunogenicity of GB221 Injection and Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) in Healthy Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: GB221 is a recombinant humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic, safety, and immunogenicity of GB221 in healthy Chinese adults in comparison to trastuzumab (Herceptin®). METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, parallel-group phase I clinical trial, 88 subjects were randomized 1:1 to receive a single intravenous infusion (90-100 min) of GB221 or trastuzumab (6 mg/kg). The primary pharmacokinetic parameters-maximum observed serum concentration (Cmax), area under the serum concentration-time curve from zero to the last quantifiable concentration at time t (AUC0-t), and area under the serum concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC0-∞)-of GB221 and trastuzumab were compared to establish whether the 90% confidence interval (CI) attained the 80-125% bioequivalence standard. Safety and immunogenicity were also evaluated. RESULTS: The GB221 group (n = 43) and the trastuzumab group (n = 44) showed similar pharmacokinetic characteristics. The geometric mean ratios (90% CI) of Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ between the two groups were 107.53% (102.25-113.07%), 108.31% (103.57-113.26%), and 108.34% (103.57-113.33%), respectively. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was 83.7% (36/43) of the subjects in the GB221 group and 95.5% (42/44) of the subjects in the trastuzumab group. No subjects withdrew from the trial due to TEAEs, and there were no occurrences of serious adverse events. All subjects tested negative for antidrug antibodies (ADA). CONCLUSION: GB221 demonstrated similar pharmacokinetics to trastuzumab and comparable safety and immunogenicity in healthy Chinese adults.

Enhancing cancer therapy: The role of drug delivery systems in STAT3 inhibitor efficacy and safety.

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a member of the STAT family, resides in the nucleus to regulate genes essential for vital cellular functions, including survival, proliferation, self-renewal, angiogenesis, and immune response. However, continuous STAT3 activation in tumor cells promotes their initiation, progression, and metastasis, rendering STAT3 pathway inhibitors a promising avenue for cancer therapy. Nonetheless, these inhibitors frequently encounter challenges such as cytotoxicity and suboptimal biocompatibility in clinical trials. A viable strategy to mitigate these issues involves delivering STAT3 inhibitors via drug delivery systems (DDSs). This review delineates the regulatory mechanisms of the STAT3 signaling pathway and its association with cancer. It offers a comprehensive overview of the current application of DDSs for anti-STAT3 inhibitors and investigates the role of DDSs in cancer treatment. The conclusion posits that DDSs for anti-STAT3 inhibitors exhibit enhanced efficacy and reduced adverse effects in tumor therapy compared to anti-STAT3 inhibitors alone. This paper aims to provide an outline of the ongoing research and future prospects of DDSs for STAT3 inhibitors. Additionally, it presents our insights on the merits and future outlook of DDSs in cancer treatment.

CAP-UDF: Learning Unsigned Distance Functions Progressively from Raw Point Clouds with Consistency-Aware Field Optimization.

Surface reconstruction for point clouds is an important task in 3D computer vision. Most of the latest methods resolve this problem by learning signed distance functions from point clouds, which are limited to reconstructing closed surfaces. Some other methods tried to represent open surfaces using unsigned distance functions (UDF) which are learned from ground truth distances. However, the learned UDF is hard to provide smooth distance fields due to the discontinuous character of point clouds. In this paper, we propose CAP-UDF, a novel method to learn consistency-aware UDF from raw point clouds. We achieve this by learning to move queries onto the surface with a field consistency constraint, where we also enable to progressively estimate a more accurate surface. Specifically, we train a neural network to gradually infer the relationship between queries and the approximated surface by searching for the moving target of queries in a dynamic way. Meanwhile, we introduce a polygonization algorithm to extract surfaces using the gradients of the learned UDF. We conduct comprehensive experiments in surface reconstruction for point clouds, real scans or depth maps, and further explore our performance in unsupervised point normal estimation, which demonstrate non-trivial improvements of CAP-UDF over the state-of-the-art methods.

Broad-spectrum Delta-BA.2 tandem-fused heterodimer mRNA vaccine delivered by lipopolyplex.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, continues to mutate and generates new variants with increasingly severe immune escape, urging the upgrade of COVID-19 vaccines. Here, based on a similar dimeric RBD design as our previous ZF2001 vaccine, we developed a novel broad-spectrum COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, SWIM516, with chimeric Delta-BA.2 RBD dimer delivered by lipopolyplex (LPP). Unlike the popular lipid nanoparticle (LNP), this LPP-delivered mRNA expresses only in the injection site, which avoids potential toxicity to the liver. We demonstrated the broad-spectrum humoral and cellular immunogenicity of this vaccine to Delta and Omicron sub-variants in naïve mice and as booster shots. When challenged with Delta or Omicron live virus, vaccinated human angiotensin-converting enzyme (hACE2) transgenic mice and rhesus macaques were both protected, displaying significantly reduced viral loads and markedly relieved pathological damages. We believe the SWIM516 vaccine qualifies as a candidate for the next-generation broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccine.

[Mechanism of Shenling Baizhu Powder on treatment of alcoholic liver disease by regulating TLR4/NLRP3 pathway].

This study aims to investigate the regulatory effects of Shenling Baizhu Powder(SBP) on cellular autophagy in alcoholic liver disease(ALD) and its intervention effect through the TLR4/NLRP3 pathway. A rat model of chronic ALD was established by gavage of spirits. An ALD cell model was established by stimulating BRL3A cells with alcohol. High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was utilized for the compositional analysis of SBP. Liver tissue from ALD rats underwent hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and oil red O staining for pathological evaluation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was applied to quantify lipopolysaccharides(LPS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta(IL-1ß), and interleukin-18(IL-18) levels. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) was conducted to evaluate the mRNA expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) and Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4). The effect of different drugs on BRL3A cell proliferation activity was assessed through CCK-8 analysis. Western blot analysis was performed to examine the protein expression of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3(NLRP3), nuclear factor-kappa B P65(NF-κB P65), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B P65(p-P65), caspase-1, P62, Beclin1, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3Ⅱ). The results showed that SBP effectively ameliorated hepatic lipid accumulation, reduced liver function, mitigated hepatic tissue inflammation, and reduced levels of LPS, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-18. Moreover, SBP exhibited the capacity to modulate hepatic autophagy induced by prolonged alcohol intake through the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway. This modulation resulted in decreased expression of LC3Ⅱ and Beclin1, an elevation in P62 expression, and the promotion of autolysosome formation. These research findings imply that SBP can substantially enhance liver function and mitigate lipid irregularities in the context of chronic ALD. It achieves this by regulating excessive autophagic responses caused by prolonged spirit consumption, primarily through the inhibition of the TLR4/NLRP3 pathway.

Biomarker-Driven DNA-Functionalized Colloidal Programmed Simultaneous Assembly and Disassembly in Cells.

Complex structures and devices, both natural and artificial, can often undergo assembly and disassembly. Assembly and disassembly allow multiple stimuli to initiate, for example, the assembly and disassembly of primary cilia under the control of E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. Although biology relies on such schemes, they are rarely available in materials science. Here, we demonstrate a DNA-functionalized colloidal Au response to endogenous biomarkers to trigger simultaneous assembly and disassembly techniques. Colloidal Au is initially inert because the starting DNA strands are paired and prehybridized. TK1 mRNA competes to bind one of the paired strands and release its complement. The released complement binds to the next colloidal Au to initiate assembly, and APE1 can shear the colloidal Au assembly binding site to initiate disassembly. Our strategy provides temporal and spatial logic control during colloidal Au assembly and disassembly, and this simultaneous assembly and disassembly process can be used for sequential detection and cellular imaging of two biomarkers, effectively reducing signal false-positive results and shortening detection time. This work highlights biomarker-controlled colloidal Au simultaneous assembly and disassembly in ways that are simple and versatile, with the potential to enrich the application scope of DNA nanotechnology and provide an idea for the application of precision medicine testing.

Behaviors and Mechanisms of Adsorption of MB and Cr(VI) by Geopolymer Microspheres under Single and Binary Systems.

Geopolymers show great potential in complex wastewater treatment to improve water quality. In this work, general geopolymers, porous geopolymers and geopolymer microspheres were prepared by the suspension curing method using three solid waste products, coal gangue, fly ash and blast furnace slag. The microstructure, morphology and surface functional groups of the geopolymers were studied by SEM, XRD, XRF, MIP, FTIR and XPS. It was found that the geopolymers possess good adsorption capacities for both organic and inorganic pollutants. With methylene blue and potassium dichromate as the representative pollutants, in order to obtain the best removal rate, the effects of the adsorbent type, dosage of adsorbent, concentration of methylene blue and potassium dichromate and pH on the adsorption process were studied in detail. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency of the geopolymers for methylene blue and potassium dichromate was in the order of general geopolymers < porous geopolymers < geopolymer microspheres, and the removal rates were up to 94.56% and 79.46%, respectively. Additionally, the competitive adsorption of methylene blue and potassium dichromate in a binary system was also studied. The mechanism study showed that the adsorption of methylene blue was mainly through pore diffusion, hydrogen bond formation and electrostatic adsorption, and the adsorption of potassium dichromate was mainly through pore diffusion and redox reaction. These findings demonstrate the potential of geopolymer microspheres in adsorbing organic and inorganic pollutants, and, through five cycles of experiments, it is demonstrated that MGP exhibits excellent recyclability.

The effects of repeated freezing and thawing on bovine sperm morphometry and function.

Refreezing the remaining genetic resources after in vitro fertilization (IVF) can conserve genetic materials. However, the precise damage inflicted by repeated freezing and thawing on bovine sperm and its underlying mechanism remain largely unexplored. Thus, this study investigates the impact of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on sperm. Our findings indicate that such cycles significantly reduce sperm viability and motility. Furthermore, the integrity of the sperm plasma membrane and acrosome is compromised during this process, exacerbating the advanced apoptosis triggered by oxidative stress. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy exposed severe damage to the plasma membranes of both the sperm head and tail. Notably, the "9 + 2" structure of the tail was disrupted, along with a significant decrease in the level of the axonemal protein DNAH10, leading to reduced sperm motility. IVF outcomes revealed that repeated freeze-thaw cycles considerably impair sperm fertilization capability, ultimately reducing the blastocyst rate. In summary, our research demonstrates that repeated freeze-thaw cycles lead to a decline in sperm viability and motility, attributed to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and DNAH10-related dynamic deficiency. As a result, the utility of semen is compromised after repeated freezing.

Multicomponent nickel-molybdenum-tungsten-based nanorods for stable and efficient alkaline seawater splitting.

The electrolysis of seawater for hydrogen production holds promise as a sustainable technology for energy generation. Developing water-splitting catalysts with low overpotential and stable operation in seawater is essential. In this study, we employed a hydrothermal method to synthesize NiMoWOX microrods (NiMoWOX@NF). Subsequently, an annealing process yielded a composite N-doped carbon-coated Ni3N/MoO2/WO2 nanorods (NC@Ni3N/MoO2/WO2@NF), preserving the ultrahigh-specific surface area of the original structure. A two-electrode electrolytic cell was assembled using NC@Ni3N/MoO2/WO2@NF as the cathode and NiMoWOX@NF as the anode, demonstrating exceptional performance in seawater splitting. The cell operated at a voltage of 1.51 V with a current density of 100 mA·cm-2 in an alkaline seawater solution. Furthermore, the NC@Ni3N/MoO2/WO2@NF || NiMoWOX@NF electrolytic cell exhibited remarkable stability, running continuously for over 120 h at a current of 1100 mA·cm-2 without any observable delay. These experimental results are corroborated by density functional theory calculations. The NC@Ni3N/MoO2/WO2@NF || NiMoWOX@NF electrolyzer emerges as a promising option for industrial-scale hydrogen production through seawater electrolysis.

Polystyrene exposure induces lamb gastrointestinal injury, digestive disorders and inflammation, decreasing daily gain, and meat quality.

Microplastics (MPs), recognized as an emerging environmental menace, have been extensively investigated in both marine and terrestrial fauna. This study is comprehensive to investigate how polystyrene (PS) affects ruminant animals. The experimental design comprised 24 individually housed lambs, divided into a CON group (diet without PS) and three PS-exposed (25 µm, 50 µm, 100 µm) groups, each with six lambs, the exposure of PS was 100 mg/day, and the duration of exposure was 60 days. The study yielded noteworthy results: (ⅰ) PS leads to a decrease in average daily gain along with an increase in feed conversion rate. (ⅱ) PS decreases rumen ammonia nitrogen. The rumen microbiota diversity remains consistent. However, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria increased in the PS-exposed groups, while the relative abundance of Coriobacteriales_incertae_Sedis and Prevotellaceae_YAB2003_group decreased. (ⅲ) PS leads to decrease in hemoglobin, thrombocytocrit, and albumin levels in lamb blood, thus triggering oxidative stress accumulation, along with swelling of the kidneys and liver. (ⅳ) PS inflicts severe damage to jejunum, consequently impacting digestion and absorption. (ⅴ) PS reduces meat quality and the nutritional value. In conclusion, PS-exposure inhibited lambs' digestive function, adversely affects blood and organs' health status, reducing average daily gain and negatively influencing meat quality. PS particles of 50-100 µm bring worse damage to lambs. This research aims to fill the knowledge void concerning MPs' influences on ruminant animals, with a specific focus on the meat quality of fattening lambs.

Roles of AhR/CYP1s signaling pathway mediated ROS production in uremic cardiomyopathy.

PURPOSE: Uremic cardiomyopathy (UCM) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) related mortality. Uremic toxins including indoxyl sulfate (IS) play important role during the progression of UCM. This study was to explore the underlying mechanism of IS related myocardial injury. METHODS: UCM rat model was established through five-sixths nephrectomy to evaluate its effects on blood pressure, cardiac impairment, and histological changes using echocardiography and histological analysis. Additionally, IS was administered to neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) and the human cardiomyocyte cell line AC16. DHE staining and peroxide-sensitive dye 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) was conducted to assess the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was estimated using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining and immunofluorescence. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) translocation was observed by immunofluorescence. The activation of AhR was evaluated by immunoblotting of cytochrome P450 1 s (CYP1s) and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analysis of AHRR and PTGS2. Additionally, the pro-oxidative and pro-hypertrophic effects were evaluated using the AhR inhibitor CH-223191, the CYP1s inhibitor Alizarin and the ROS scavenger N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). RESULTS: UCM rat model was successfully established, and cardiac hypertrophy, accompanied by increased blood pressure, and myocardial fibrosis. Further research confirmed the activation of the AhR pathway in UCM rats including AhR translocation and downstream protein CYP1s expression, accompanied with increasing ROS production detected by DHE staining. In vitro experiment demonstrated a translocation of AhR triggered by IS, leading to significant increase of downstream gene expression. Subsequently study indicated a close relationship between the production of ROS and the activation of AhR/CYP1s, which was effectively blocked by applying AhR inhibitor, CYP1s inhibitor and siRNA against AhR. Moreover, the inhibition of AhR/CYP1s/ROS pathway collectively blocked the pro-hypertrophic effect of IS-mediated cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the AhR/CYP1s pathway is activated in UCM rats, and this activation is correlated with the uremic toxin IS. In vitro studies indicate that IS can stimulate the AhR translocation in cardiomyocyte, triggering to the production of intracellular ROS via CYP1s. This process leads to prolonged oxidative stress stimulation and thus contributes to the progression of uremic toxin-mediated cardiomyopathy.

Identification of a disulfidptosis-related lncRNA signature for the prognostic and immune landscape prediction in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Disulfidptosis, a newly identified form of cell death, is triggered by disulfide stress. Herein, a unique signature was developed based on disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs (DRlncRNAs) for the prognostic and immune landscape prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: Transcriptome, somatic mutation, and clinical data were acquired at The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Individuals were partitioned into training and test cohorts at a 1:1 ratio to facilitate the development of a DRlncRNA signature using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operation method. Based on the median risk score, all HNSCC individuals were stratified into the high-risk group (HRG) and low-risk group (LRG). Kaplan-Meier survival and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to estimate the prognostic value, and a nomogram was generated for survival prediction. To provide a more comprehensive assessment, the tumor microenvironment, functional enrichment, immune cell infiltration, and immunotherapeutic sensitivity were explored between LRG and HRG. RESULTS: A DRlncRNA signature was established with 10 DRlncRNAs. The corresponding values of areas under the ROC curves for 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival were 0.710, 0.692, and 0.640. A more favorable prognosis was noted in the patients with lower risk, along with higher immune scores, increased immune-related functions, and immune cell infiltration, as well as improved response to the immunotherapeutic intervention in comparison with individuals at higher risk. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that the developed DRlncRNA signature holds promise as a reliable prognostic marker and predictor of immunotherapy response in HNSCC patients.

[Experience of Providing Intensive Rehabilitation Care to a School-Aged Child With Living-Donor Lobar Lung Transplantation].

The post-operative intensive care experience of a school-aged child who received living-donor bilateral lobar lung transplantation due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis is discussed in this paper. The patient received lungs donated by her parents in a "living-donor bilateral lobar lung transplantation" due to severe lung function impairment. The patient felt anxious due to her long-term hospitalization for preoperative evaluation, various invasive treatments, and postoperative rehabilitation. During the care period from October 25th, 2022, to December 29th, 2022, the author collected data via direct care, interviews, medical record reviews, and interactions with the patient and her family. An assessment of the patient's physical, mental, and social integrity was made, and the collected data were organized and analyzed to identify health issues such as lack of activity endurance, imbalanced nutrition below bodily requirements, and anxiety. After the lung transplantation operation, the interdisciplinary team worked collaboratively to develop a care plan to improve cardiopulmonary endurance and enhance the quality of care for the patient through early care and rehabilitation via proactive care. This care plan included encouraging the patient and her parents to express their fears and feelings and using flashcards to teach them about dietary management and the proper performance of lung rehabilitation. These measures encouraged the parents to engage in care, properly prepare for discharge care, and receive care education. As this is the first case of living-donor lobar lung transplantation in Taiwan, this valuable nursing experience is expected to provide future care teams with a reference on the related nursing process and care experience for similar cases.

Wide Field of View Under-Panel Optical Lens Design for Fingerprint Recognition of Smartphone.

Fingerprint recognition is a widely used biometric authentication method in LED-backlight smartphones. Due to the increasing demand for full-screen smartphones, under-display fingerprint recognition has become a popular trend. In this paper, we propose a design of an optical fingerprint recognition lens for under-display smartphones. The lens is composed of three plastic aspheric lenses, with an effective focal length (EFL) of 0.61 mm, a field of view (FOV) of 126°, and a total track length (TTL) of 2.54 mm. The image quality of the lens meets the target specifications, with MTF over 80% in the center FOV and over 70% in the 0.7 FOV, distortion less than 8% at an image height of 1.0 mm, and relative illumination (RI) greater than 25% at an image height of 1.0 mm. The lens also meets the current industry standards in terms of tolerance sensitivity and Monte Carlo analysis.

Revolutionizing lymph node metastasis imaging: the role of drug delivery systems and future perspectives.

The deployment of imaging examinations has evolved into a robust approach for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis (LNM). The advancement of technology, coupled with the introduction of innovative imaging drugs, has led to the incorporation of an increasingly diverse array of imaging techniques into clinical practice. Nonetheless, conventional methods of administering imaging agents persist in presenting certain drawbacks and side effects. The employment of controlled drug delivery systems (DDSs) as a conduit for transporting imaging agents offers a promising solution to ameliorate these limitations intrinsic to metastatic lymph node (LN) imaging, thereby augmenting diagnostic precision. Within the scope of this review, we elucidate the historical context of LN imaging and encapsulate the frequently employed DDSs in conjunction with a variety of imaging techniques, specifically for metastatic LN imaging. Moreover, we engage in a discourse on the conceptualization and practical application of fusing diagnosis and treatment by employing DDSs. Finally, we venture into prospective applications of DDSs in the realm of LNM imaging and share our perspective on the potential trajectory of DDS development.