The role of Interleukin-22 in severe acute pancreatitis.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) begins with premature activation of enzymes, promoted by the immune system, triggering a potential systemic inflammatory response that leads to organ failure with increased mortality and a bleak prognosis. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a cytokine that may have a significant role in SAP. IL-22, a member of the IL-10 cytokine family, has garnered growing interest owing to its potential tissue-protective properties. Recently, emerging research has revealed its specific effects on pancreatic diseases, particularly SAP. This paper provides a review of the latest knowledge on the role of IL-22 and its viability as a therapeutic target in SAP.

Finite element analysis of a new preoperative traction for cervical kyphosis: suspensory traction.

A finite element model of cervical kyphosis was established to analyze the stress of cervical spine under suspensory traction and to explore the mechanism and effect of it. A patient with typical cervical kyphosis (C2-C5) underwent CT scan imaging, and 3D slicer was used to reconstruct the C2 to T2 vertebral bodies. The reconstructed data was imported into Hypermesh 2020 and Abaqus 2017 for meshing and finite element analysis. The changes of the kyphotic angle and the von Mises stress on the annulus fibrosus of each intervertebral disc and ligaments were analyzed under suspensory traction conditions. With the increase of suspensory traction weight, the overall kyphosis of cervical spine showed a decreasing trend. The correction of kyphosis was mainly contributed by the change of kyphotic segments. The kyphotic angle of C2-C5 was corrected from 45° to 13° finally. In cervical intervertebral discs, the stress was concentrated to anterior and posterior part, except for C4-5. The stress of the anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) decreased from the rostral to the caudal, and the high level von Mises stress of the kyphotic segments appeared at C2-C3, C3-C4, and C4-C5. The roles of the other ligaments were not obvious. The kyphotic angle was significantly reduced by the suspensory traction. Shear effect due to the high von Mises stress in the anterior and posterior parts of annulus fibrosus and the tension on the anterior longitudinal ligament play a role in the correction of cervical kyphosis.

Hedgehog ligand and receptor cooperatively regulate EGFR stability and activity in non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The hyperactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a crucial role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers, however, its function in NSCLC cells remains controversial. Herein, we present a novel finding that challenges the current understanding of Hh signaling in tumor growth. METHODS: Expression of Hh ligands and receptor were assessed using TCGA datasets, immunoblotting and immunohistochemical. Biological function of Hh ligands and receptor in NSCLC were tested using colony formation, cell count kit-8 (CCK-8) and xenograft assays. Biochemical effect of Hh ligands and receptor on regulating EGFR stability and activity were checked via immunoblotting. RESULTS: Expression of Hh ligands and receptor was suppressed in NSCLC tissues, and the lower expression levels of these genes were associated with poor prognosis. Ptch1 binds to EGFR and facilitates its poly-ubiquitylation and degradation independent of downstream transcriptional signaling. Moreover, Hh ligands cooperate with Ptch1 to regulate the protein stability and activity of EGFR. This unique mechanism leads to a suppressive effect on NSCLC tumor growth. CONCLUSION: Non-canonical Hh signaling pathway, involving cooperation between Hh ligands and their receptor Ptch1, facilitates the degradation of EGFR and attenuates its activity in NSCLC. These findings provide novel insights into the regulation of EGFR protein stability and activity, offer new diagnostic indicators for molecular typing of NSCLC and identify potential targets for targeted therapy of this challenging disease.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant patients on TNFα inhibitor: Real-life data with a review of literature.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is involved in the occurrence of negative pregnancy outcomes. The study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the immunosuppressive TNFα inhibitors (TNFαi) in the treatment of patients with a history of recurrent reproductive failure in the context of COVID-19 pandemics. We reviewed 85 patients who received TNFαi (certolizumab pegol) during Mainland China's first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, from 21st Nov 2022-11 th Jan 2023. We also collected corresponding data from 130 pregnant patients who never used TNFαi for comparison. There were no significant differences in the history of previous pregnancy loss, miscarriage, embryo implantation failure, comorbidities and doses of COVID-19 vaccination. 82.2% and 87.7% pregnant patients contracted primary COVID-19 with symptoms in TNFαi group and no-TNFαi group. Duration of symptoms was significantly longer in TNFαi group and the incidences of cough and lethargy was significantly higher in TNFαi group. Both groups reported similar severity to same-aged close contacts, similar rates of other symptoms and hospitalization. No deaths were reported. In the in vitro fertilization (IVF) subgroup, we achieved a biochemical pregnancy loss rate of 17.4%, miscarriage rate of 21.7%, ongoing pregnancy rate and live birth rate of 34.2%. COVID-19 did not influence the live birth rate. We concluded that TNFαi administration in pregnancy was not associated with increased susceptivity to and severity of COVID-19. However, TNFαi users showed more prominent symptoms and longer recovery time. The pregnancy outcomes with TNFαi in such high-risk group for pregnancy loss was satisfactory.

Classification and prognostic factors of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy after surgical treatment: a cluster analysis.

Identifying potential prognostic factors of CSM patients could improve doctors' clinical decision-making ability. The study retrospectively collected the baseline data of population characteristics, clinical symptoms, physical examination, neurological function and quality of life scores of patients with CSM based on the clinical big data research platform. The modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score and SF-36 score from the short-term follow-up data were entered into the cluster analysis to characterize postoperative residual symptoms and quality of life. Four clusters were yielded representing different patterns of residual symptoms and quality of patients' life. Patients in cluster 2 (mJOA RR 55.8%) and cluster 4 (mJOA RR 55.8%) were substantially improved and had better quality of life. The influencing factors for the better prognosis of patients in cluster 2 were young age (50.1 ± 11.8), low incidence of disabling claudication (5.0%) and pathological signs (63.0%), and good preoperative SF36-physiological function score (73.1 ± 24.0) and mJOA socre (13.7 ± 2.8); and in cluster 4 the main influencing factor was low incidence of neck and shoulder pain (11.7%). We preliminarily verified the reliability of the clustering results with the long-term follow-up data and identified the preoperative features that were helpful to predict the prognosis of the patients. This study provided reference and research basis for further study with a larger sample data, extracting more patient features, selecting more follow-up nodes, and improving clustering algorithm.

Ultrasound-assisted fermentation of Porphyra yezoensis sauce at different growth stages using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: Metabolic response and biological activity.

This study first employed ultrasonic-assisted fermentation of seaweed foot material with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum to produce Porphyra yezoensis sauce. The aim was to examine L. plantarum's growth and metabolism of nutritional components at different growth stages under low- (133.99 W/L) and high-ultrasonic power densities (169.17 W/L). After 24-h fermentation, L. plantarum exhibited a 21.32 % increase in the sonicated P. yezoensis sauce at 133.99 W/L and the logarithmic growth phase compared to that at 169.17 W/L. In addition, compared to the non-sonicated sauce, total phenolic and flavonoid contents increased by around 58 % and 27 % in sonicated sauce at 133.99 W/L, reaching 92.38 mg GEA/g DW and 111.08 mg RE/g DW, respectively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the evaluation criteria for different fermentation stages under 133.99 W/L power ultrasonication revealed that the P. yezoensis sauce generated more phenolic compounds and exhibited stronger antioxidant capabilities in the sonicated sample at the logarithmic phase of L. plantarum. Compared to the traditional treated P. yezoensis sauce, the content of free amino acids was significantly increased in sonicated sauce, especially for logarithmic phase. Finally, GC-IMS analysis demonstrated that the ultrasonication at logarithmic phase released more volatile compounds compared to the non-sonicated sauce. This led to a reduction in the fishy odour of the Porphyra yezoensis sauce and an improved release of favourable flavour compounds.

Effects of "two-heart" nursing mode on the psychological state and quality of life of stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based nursing (EBN) intervention is a nursing approach that uses credible scientific research findings as evidence, in conjunction with patient needs, to provide personalized nursing care tailored to the specific needs of patients. EBN has been widely applied in clinical practice and has achieved remarkable results. However, there are limited studies evaluating the efficacy of EBN on cognitive impairment, psychological disorders, and quality of life in stroke patients. This study aims to explore the clinical effects of the EBN, which we call "two-heart" nursing mode on cognitive function, limb function, mental state, and quality of life of stroke patients. METHODS: A total of 92 stroke patients were divided into two groups: the traditional group (n = 46) and the two-heart group (n = 46). The traditional group received conventional nursing care, while the two-heart group received the double-heart nursing mode in addition to conventional nursing care. The cognitive function, limb function, living ability, mental state, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction of both groups were compared. RESULTS: The cognitive function in the two-heart group (26.81 ± 3.15 points) was better than the traditional group (23.61 ± 3.74 points; P = 001); limb function in the two-heart group (86.16 ± 6.73 points) was improved compared to the traditional group (79.57 ± 5.19 points; P = 0.002), and the living ability of patients in the two-heart group (68.53 ± 5.87 points) was superior to the traditional group (60.79 ± 5.96 points; P = 0.003). Similarly, the quality of life of patients in the two-heart group (81.13 ± 6.69 points) was higher than the traditional group (70.78 ± 6.63 points; P = 0.003), and the mental state of patients in the two-heart group (43.61 ± 4.13 points, 43.19 ± 4.16 points) was better than that in the traditional group (50.59 ± 3.76 points, 51.49 ± 4.43 points; P = 0.003). However, the nursing satisfaction score in the two-heart group (97.83%) was slightly higher than the traditional group (95.65%; P = 0.068). CONCLUSIONS: The two-heart nursing mode can improve cognitive function, limb function, and mental state, as well as enhance the quality of life of stroke patients. This approach is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

The relationship between gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and glucolipid metabolism in pregnant women with large for gestational age infants.

AIM: To elucidate the association between gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and glucolipid metabolism in women with large for gestational age (LGA) infants. METHODS AND RESULTS: A single-center, observational prospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary hospital in Wenzhou, China. Normal pregnant women were divided into LGA group and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) group according to the neonatal birth weight. Fecal samples were collected from each subject before delivery for the analysis of gut microbiota composition (GMC) and SCFAs. Blood samples were obtained at 24-28 weeks of gestation age to measure fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin levels, as well as just before delivery to assess serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein. The GMC exhibited differences at various taxonomic levels. Within the Firmicutes phylum, genus Lactobacillus, genus Clostridium, species Lactobacillus agil, and species Lactobacillus salivarius were enriched in the LGA group. Microbispora at genus level, Microbispora rosea at species level belonging to the Actinobacteria phylum, Neisseriales at order level, Bartonellaceae at family level, Paracoccus aminovorans, and Methylobacterium at genus level from the Proteobacteria phylum were more abundant in the LGA group. In contrast, within the Bacteroidetes phylum, Prevotella at genus level and Parabacteroides distasonis at species level were enriched in the AGA group. Although there were few differences observed in SCFA levels and most glucolipid metabolism indicators between the two groups, the serum HDL level was significantly lower in the LGA group compared to the AGA group. No significant relevance among GMC, SCFAs, and glucolipid metabolism indicators was found in the LGA group or in the AGA group. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple different taxa, especially phylum Firmicutes, genus Prevotella, and genus Clostridium, might play an important role in excessive fetal growth, and LGA might be associated with the lower serum HDL level.

Congenital Cervical Scoliosis Treated with Concave Side Distraction with Three-Dimensional Printed Titanium Cage.

STUDY DESIGN: Single-center, retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: Hemivertebra resection is the only treatment option for congenital cervical scoliosis (CCS). However, this procedure is complex and technically demanding. It often requires a considerably long operation, and there is substantial intraoperative bleeding. Therefore, we have attempted to treat CCS with a concave side distraction comprising a three-dimensional (3D) printed titanium cage. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this technique for the treatment of patients with CCS. METHODS: A series of 22 patients with CCS who underwent a concave side distraction technique between 2019 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Radiological measurements included the Cobb angle of the distraction segments, the kyphosis angle, the range of movement, and the distraction correction angle. Student's t-test and Spearman correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study included 12 males and 10 females whose ages ranged from 6 to 14 years old (9.8 ± 2.1 years old). Follow-up times ranged from 15 to 30 months (25.8 ± 3.6 months). Among 22 patients, two patients developed a postoperative C5 nerve root palsy and recovered after being treated with conservative treatment for 6 months. The duration of surgery ranged from 229 to 756 min (389 ± 112 min), and the estimated volume of blood loss ranged from 100 to 600mL (235 ± 121 mL). The coronal Cobb angle (p < 0.001), kyphosis angle (p < 0.05), and range of movement (p < 0.001) between the last follow-up and preoperative period were significantly different. A total of 28 segments were distracted, and the Cobb angle of the distraction segment ranged from 2.4 to 14.1° (8.5 ± 3.0°). There were six upper cervical spines (8.9 ± 1.9°) and 22 lower cervical spines (8.4 ± 3.2°) with no significant difference between them (p = 0.130). In addition, there was no correlation between the angle of the concave side distraction and patients' age (r = 0.018, p = 0.315). The fusion was solid between the bone and the customized 3D-printed pore metal cage at the final follow-up. CONCLUSION: The concave side distraction comprising a customized 3D-printed titanium cage implantation can provide satisfactory correction results and is a safe and reliable procedure for treating CCS.

[Solid Tumors With Cold Agglutinins:Report of Two Cases and Literature Review].

Cold agglutinins(CA),autoantibodies against the antigen I or i on the surface of red blood cells,are mainly of IgM class,and the majority have κ light chains.They can lead to red blood cell agglutination at decreased body temperature and are usually associated with infections,drug reactions,autoimmune diseases,and hematological malignancies.However,solid tumors with CA are rare.We reported two cases of CA in the peripheral blood of patients with solid tumors.Peripheral complete blood cell count of the patients at admission showed reduced erythrocyte count and hematocrit,mismatching between erythrocyte count and hemoglobin,abnormally elevated levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean cell hemoglobin concentration.Peripheral blood smear showed erythrocyte aggregation.After the sample was preheated at 37 ℃ for 30 min,the reversibility of red blood cell aggregation was observed,and the erythrocyte parameters were corrected.

Predictive Value of Preoperative Short Form-36 Survey Scale for Postoperative Axial Neck Pain in Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of the preoperative Short Form-36 survey (SF-36) scale for postoperative axial neck pain (ANP) in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) who underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) surgery. METHODS: This study enrolled patients with DCM who underwent ACDF surgery at author's Hospital between May 2010 and June 2016. RESULTS: Out of 126 eligible patients, 122 completed the 3-month follow-up and 117 completed the 1-year follow-up. The results showed that the preoperative social functioning (SF) subscale score of the SF-36 scale was significantly lower in patients with moderate-to-severe postoperative ANP than in those with no or mild postoperative ANP at both follow-up timepoints (P < .05). ACDF at C4-5 level resulted in a higher ANP rate than ACDF at C5-6 or C6-7 level, both at 3-month (P = .019) and 1-year (P = .004) follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that the preoperative social functioning subscale score was an independent risk factor for moderate-to-severe postoperative ANP at 3 months and 1 year after surgery, and preoperative NRS was an independent risk factor at 1-year follow-up. No other demographic, clinical, or radiographic factors were found to be associated with postoperative ANP severity (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative social functioning subscale score of SF-36 scale might be a favorable predictive tool for postoperative ANP in DCM patients who underwent ACDF surgery.

Associations between the size and duration of asymptomatic subchorionic hematoma and pregnancy outcomes in women with singleton pregnancies.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the size and duration of asymptomatic subchorionic hematoma and pregnancy outcomes in women with singleton pregnancies. METHODS: This was a retrospective study that enrolled 701 singleton pregnant women who were diagnosed with asymptomatic subchorionic hematoma by ultrasound at 5-10 gestational weeks. The control group recruited 640 normal pregnant women without subchorionic hematoma who were matched with subchorionic hematoma group on baseline characteristics. The pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups, and the associations of the size and duration of subchorionic hematoma with pregnancy outcomes were analyzed by logistic regression model. RESULTS: Compared with the normal pregnancy group, the incidence of, gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational thrombocytopenia, placenta adhesion, fetal growth restriction, macrosomia in subchorionic hematoma group were higher (all P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, the hematoma size was positively associated with the occurrence of gestational hypothyroidism (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.029[1.004-1.054]), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.095[1.047-1.146]), term premature rupture of membranes (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.044[1.005-1.085]), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.030[1.0004-1.060]), gestational thrombocytopenia (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.078 [1.045-1.113]), placenta adhesion (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.054 [1.027-1.082]), and the duration of hematoma was positively associated with the incidence of term premature rupture of membranes (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.070[1.027-1.115]), gestational diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.938 [1.886-1.993]) and fetal growth restriction (adjusted OR[95%CI]: 1.194 [1.124-1.268]). CONCLUSIONS: The presence, size and duration of a first-trimester asymptomatic subchorionic hematoma may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes at later gestations such as term premature rupture of membranes and fetal growth restriction.

Inhibition of PPARγ by BZ26, a GW9662 derivate, attenuated obesity-related breast cancer progression by inhibiting the reprogramming of mature adipocytes into to cancer associate adipocyte-like cells.

Obesity has been associated with the development of 13 different types of cancers, including breast cancer. Evidence has indicated that cancer-associated adipocytes promote the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer. However, the mechanisms that link CAAs to the progression of obesity-related cancer are still unknown. Here, we found the mature adipocytes in the visceral fat of HFD-fed mice have a CAAs phenotype but the stromal vascular fraction of the visceral fat has not. Importantly, we found the derivate of the potent PPARγ antagonist GW9662, BZ26 inhibited the reprogramming of mature adipocytes in the visceral fat of HFD-fed mice into CAA-like cells and inhibited the proliferation and invasion of obesity-related breast cancer. Further study found that it mediated the browning of visceral, subcutaneous and perirenal fat and attenuated inflammation of adipose tissue and metabolic disorders. For the mechanism, we found that BZ26 bound and inhibited PPARγ by acting as a new modulator. Therefore, BZ26 serves as a novel modulator of PPARγ activity, that is, capable of inhibiting obesity-related breast cancer progression by inhibiting of CAA-like cell formation, suggesting that inhibiting the reprogramming of mature adipocytes into CAAs or CAA-like cells may be a potential therapeutic strategy for obesity-related cancer treatment.

Risk Factors for Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage After Extradural Spine Surgery: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is 1 of the common complications of spine surgery and is largely caused by intraoperative or postoperative dural tears. Associations of different factors with postoperative CSF leakage have not been consistent. In this study we aimed to identify demographic, disease-related, and surgical risk factors for CSF leakage after extradural spine surgery in a systematic review and meta-anlysis. METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Wanfang data, Chinese Weipu Database, and SinoMed databases were searched from inception until October 24, 2022. Fixed-effects or random-effects models were used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The quality of observational studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale instrument. RESULTS: A total of 15 observational studies with 1,719,923 participants were included in this systematic review. All studies had a Newcastle-Ottawa scale score greater than or equal to 6. Age older than 70 years, smoking, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, adhesion of spinal dura, spinal canal stenosis, cervical fracture, spondylolisthesis, revision surgery, and multiple surgical segments were all related to CSF leakage in the pooled analysis. Obesity and disease duration>1 year were not associated with the leakage of CSF. CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide a reference for the identification of patients at high risk of developing CSF leakage, which suggests clinicians to strengthen the observation of drainage fluid in high-risk groups.

DC Magnetic Field Sensitivity Optimization of Spin Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride.

Spin defects existing in van der Waals materials attract wide attention thanks to their natural advantages for in situ quantum sensing, especially the negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-) centers in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). Here we systematically investigate the laser and microwave power broadening in continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of the VB- ensemble in h-BN, by revealing the behaviors of ODMR contrast and line width as a function of the laser and microwave powers. The experimental results are well explained by employing a two-level simplified model of ODMR dynamics. Furthermore, with optimized power, the DC magnetic field sensitivity of VB- ensemble is significantly improved up to 2.87 ± 0.07 µT/Hz. Our results provide important suggestions for further applications of VB- centers in quantum information processing and ODMR-based quantum sensing.

Quantum-metric-induced nonlinear transport in a topological antiferromagnet.

The Berry curvature and quantum metric are the imaginary part and real part, respectively, of the quantum geometric tensor, which characterizes the topology of quantum states1. The Berry curvature is known to generate a number of important transport phenomena, such as the quantum Hall effect and the anomalous Hall effect2,3; however, the consequences of the quantum metric have rarely been probed by transport measurements. Here we report the observation of quantum-metric-induced nonlinear transport, including both a nonlinear anomalous Hall effect and a diode-like non-reciprocal longitudinal response, in thin films of a topological antiferromagnet, MnBi2Te4. Our observations reveal that the transverse and longitudinal nonlinear conductivities reverse signs when reversing the antiferromagnetic order, diminish above the Néel temperature and are insensitive to disorder scattering, thus verifying their origin in the band-structure topology. They also flip signs between electron- and hole-doped regions, in agreement with theoretical calculations. Our work provides a means to probe the quantum metric through nonlinear transport and to design magnetic nonlinear devices.

DLP printed hDPSC-loaded GelMA microsphere regenerates dental pulp and repairs spinal cord.

Dental pulp regeneration is ideal for irreversible pulp or periapical lesions, and in situ stem cell therapy is one of the most effective therapies for pulp regeneration. In this study, we provided an atlas of the non-cultured and monolayer cultured dental pulp cells with single-cell RNA sequencing and analysis. Monolayer cultured dental pulp cells cluster more closely together than non-cultured dental pulp cells, suggesting a lower heterogeneous population with relatively consistent clusters and similar cellular composition. We successfully fabricated hDPSC-loaded microspheres by layer-by-layer photocuring with a digital light processing (DLP) printer. These hDPSC-loaded microspheres have improved stemness and higher multi-directional differentiation potential, including angiogenic, neurogenic, and odontogenic differentiation. The hDPSC-loaded microspheres could promote spinal cord regeneration in rat spinal cord injury models. Moreover, in heterotopic implantation tests on nude mice, CD31, MAP2, and DSPP immunofluorescence signals were observed, implying the formation of vascular, neural, and odontogenetic tissues. In situ experiments in minipigs demonstrated highly vascularized dental pulp and uniformly arranged odontoblast-like cells in root canals of incisors. In short, hDPSC-loaded microspheres can promote full-length dental pulp regeneration at the root canals' coronal, middle, and apical sections, particularly for blood vessels and nerve formation, which is a promising therapeutic strategy for necrotic pulp.

Influence of Gut Microbiota on Metabolism of Bisphenol A, a Major Component of Polycarbonate Plastics.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a major component of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. While many studies have investigated the effect BPA exposure has upon changes in gut microbial communities, the influence of gut microbiota on an organism's ability to metabolize BPA remains comparatively unexplored. To remedy this, in this study, Sprague Dawley rats were intermittently (i.e., at a 7-day interval) or continuously dosed with 500 µg BPA/kg bw/day for 28 days, via oral gavage. In the rats which underwent the 7-day interval BPA exposure, neither their metabolism of BPA nor their gut microbiota structure changed greatly with dosing time. In contrast, following continuous BPA exposure, the relative level of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in the rats' guts significantly increased, and the alpha diversity of the rats' gut bacteria was greatly reduced. Meanwhile, the mean proportion of BPA sulfate to total BPA in rat blood was gradually decreased from 30 (on day 1) to 7.4% (by day 28). After 28 days of continuous exposure, the mean proportion of BPA glucuronide to total BPA in the rats' urine elevated from 70 to 81%, and in the rats' feces the mean proportion of BPA gradually decreased from 83 to 65%. Under continuous BPA exposure, the abundances of 27, 25, and 24 gut microbial genera were significantly correlated with the proportion of BPA or its metabolites in the rats' blood, urine, and feces, respectively. Overall, this study principally aimed to demonstrate that continuous BPA exposure disrupted the rats' gut microbiota communities, which in turn altered the rats' metabolism of BPA. These findings contribute to the better understanding of the metabolism of BPA in humans.

Noise Prediction and Reduction of Single Electron Spin by Deep-Learning-Enhanced Feedforward Control.

Noise-induced control imperfection is an important problem in applications of diamond-based nanoscale sensing, where measurement-based strategies are generally utilized to correct low-frequency noises in realtime. However, the spin-state readout requires a long time due to the low photon-detection efficiency. This inevitably introduces a delay in the noise-reduction process and limits its performance. Here we introduce the deep learning approach to relax this restriction by predicting the trend of noise and compensating for the delay. We experimentally implement feedforward quantum control of the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond to protect its spin coherence and improve the sensing performance against noise. The new approach effectively enhances the decoherence time of the electron spin, which enables exploration of more physics from its resonant spectroscopy. A theoretical model is provided to explain the improvement. This scheme could be applied in general sensing schemes and extended to other quantum systems.

Injectable spontaneous hydrogen-releasing hydrogel for long-lasting alleviation of osteoarthritis.

Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplifies pro-inflammatory pathways and exacerbates immune responses, and is a key factor in the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Therapeutic hydrogen gas (H2) with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, has a potential for OA alleviation, but the targeted delivery and sustained release of H2 are still challenging. Herein, we develop an injectable calcium boride nanosheets (CBN) loaded hydrogel platform (CBN@GelDA hydrogel) as a high-payload and sustainable H2 precursor for OA treatment. The CBN@GelDA hydrogel could maintain constant physiological pH conditions which further promotes more H2 release than the CBN alone and lasts more than one week. The biocompatibility of this hydrogel with macrophages and chondrocytes is effectively enhanced. The experiments show that the CBN@GelDA hydrogel holds the ROS scavenging ability, reducing the expression of related inflammatory cytokines, lessening M1 macrophages but stimulating M2 phenotype, and thereby decreasing chondrocyte apoptosis, which facilitates to breaking of the vicious circle of OA progression. Furthermore, a single-time injection of the CBN@GelDA hydrogel markedly reduces joint destruction in OA rats. From what has been discussed above, this injectable spontaneous H2-releasing hydrogel is promising for OA treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Oxidative stress and inflammation play the key role in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis (OA). The system of a hydrogel loaded with H2 precursor calcium boride nanosheet (CBN), which is the first to use as an H2 precursor, integrates superior injectable and biocompatible of hydrogel and the selection of antioxidant properties of H2. This system can improve H2 release behavior and achieve a single injection into the articular cavity to alleviate the progression of OA in rats. This study of the combination of a convenient long-acting injectable hydrogel and a safe therapeutic gas is of great value for improving the quality of life of clinical patients.