Diet and lifestyle behaviours simultaneously act on frailty: it is time to move the threshold of frailty prevention and control forward.

BACKGROUND: To analyse the association among the simultaneous effects of dietary intake, daily life behavioural factors, and frailty outcomes in older Chinese women, we predicted the probability of maintaining physical robustness under a combination of different variables. METHODS: The Fried frailty criterion was used to determine the three groups of "frailty", "pre-frailty", and "robust", and a national epidemiological survey was performed. The three-classification decision tree model was fitted, and the comprehensive performance of the model was evaluated to predict the probability of occurrence of different outcomes. RESULTS: Among the 1,044 participants, 15.9% were frailty and 50.29% were pre-frailty; the overall prevalence first increased and then decreased with age, reaching a peak at 70-74 years of age. Through univariate analysis, filtering, and embedded screening, eight significant variables were identified: staple food, spices, exercise (frequency, intensity, and time), work frequency, self-feeling, and family emotions. In the three-classification decision tree, the values of each evaluation index of Model 3 were relatively average; the accuracy, recall, specificity, precision, and F1 score range were between 75% and 84%, and the AUC was also greater than 0.800, indicating excellent performance and the best interpretability of the results. Model 3 takes exercise time as the root node and contains 6 variables and 10 types, suggesting the impact of the comprehensive effect of these variables on robust and non-robust populations (the predicted probability range is 6.67-93.33%). CONCLUSION: The combined effect of these factors (no exercise or less than 0.5 h of exercise per day, occasional exercise, exercise at low intensity, feeling more tired at work, and eating too many staple foods (> 450 g per day) are more detrimental to maintaining robustness.

Upregulated lncRNA PRNT promotes progression and oxaliplatin resistance of colorectal cancer cells by regulating HIPK2 transcription.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and a significant cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Resistance to chemotherapy, especially during CRC treatment, leads to reduced effectiveness of drugs and poor patient outcomes. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in various pathophysiological processes of tumor cells, including chemotherapy resistance, yet the roles of many lncRNAs in CRC remain unclear. AIM: To identify and analyze the lncRNAs involved in oxaliplatin resistance in CRC and to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms influencing this resistance. METHODS: Gene Expression Omnibus datasets GSE42387 and GSE30011 were reanalyzed to identify lncRNAs and mRNAs associated with oxaliplatin resistance. Various bioinformatics tools were employed to elucidate molecular mechanisms. The expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs were assessed via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Functional assays, including MTT, wound healing, and Transwell, were conducted to investigate the functional implications of lncRNA alterations. Interactions between lncRNAs and transcription factors were examined using RIP and luciferase reporter assays, while Western blotting was used to confirm downstream pathways. Additionally, a xenograft mouse model was utilized to study the in vivo effects of lncRNAs on chemotherapy resistance. RESULTS: LncRNA prion protein testis specific (PRNT) was found to be upregulated in oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cell lines and negatively correlated with homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) expression. PRNT was demonstrated to sponge transcription factor zinc finger protein 184 (ZNF184), which in turn could regulate HIPK2 expression. Altered expression of PRNT influenced CRC cell sensitivity to oxaliplatin, with overexpression leading to decreased sensitivity and decreased expression reducing resistance. Both RIP and luciferase reporter assays indicated that ZNF184 and HIPK2 are targets of PRNT. The PRNT/ZNF184/HIPK2 axis was implicated in promoting CRC progression and oxaliplatin resistance both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that PRNT is upregulated in oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cells and modulates the expression of HIPK2 by sponging ZNF184. This regulatory mechanism enhances CRC progression and resistance to oxaliplatin, positioning PRNT as a promising therapeutic target for CRC patients undergoing oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

Microplastics shaped performance, microbial ecology and community assembly in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal process.

The widespread use of microplastics (MPs) has led to an increase in their discharge to wastewater treatment plants. However, the knowledge of impact of MPs on macro-performance and micro-ecology in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal (SNDPR) systems is limited, hampering the understanding of potential risks posed by MPs. This study firstly comprehensively investigated the performance, species interactions, and community assembly under polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) exposure in SNDPR systems. The results showed under PS (1, 10 mg/L) and PVC (1, 10 mg/L) exposure, total nitrogen removal was reduced by 3.38-10.15 %. PS and PVC restrained the specific rates of nitrite and nitrate reduction (SNIRR, SNRR), as well as the activities of nitrite and nitrate reductase enzymes (NIR, NR). The specific ammonia oxidation rate (SAOR) and activity of ammonia oxidase enzyme (AMO) were reduced only at 10 mg/L PVC. PS and PVC enhanced the size of co-occurrence networks, niche breadth, and number of key species while decreasing microbial cooperation by 5.85-13.48 %. Heterogeneous selection dominated microbial community assembly, and PS and PVC strengthened the contribution of stochastic processes. PICRUSt prediction further revealed some important pathways were blocked by PS and PVC. Together, the reduced TN removal under PS and PVC exposure can be attributed to the inhibition of SAOR, SNRR, and SNIRR, the restrained activities of NIR, NR, and AMO, the changes in species interactions and community assembly mechanisms, and the suppression of some essential metabolic pathways. This paper offers a new perspective on comprehending the effects of MPs on SNDPR systems.

New insights into substrates shaped nutrients removal, species interactions and community assembly mechanisms in tidal flow constructed wetlands treating low carbon-to-nitrogen rural wastewater.

A limited understanding of microbial interactions and community assembly mechanisms in constructed wetlands (CWs), particularly with different substrates, has hampered the establishment of ecological connections between micro-level interactions and macro-level wetland performance. In this study, CWs with distinct substrates (zeolite, CW_A; manganese ore, CW_B) were constructed to investigate the nutrient removal efficiency, microbial interactions, metabolic mechanisms, and ecological assembly for treating rural sewage with a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. CW_B showed higher removal of ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen by about 1.75-6.75 % and 3.42-5.18 %, respectively, compared to CW_A. Candidatus_Competibacter (denitrifying glycogen-accumulating bacteria) was the dominant microbial genus in CW_A, whereas unclassified_f_Blastocatellaceae (involved in carbon and nitrogen transformation) dominated in CW_B. The null model revealed that stochastic processes (drift) dominated community assembly in both CWs; however, deterministic selection accounted for a higher proportion in CW_B. Compared to those in CW_A, the interactions between microbes in CW_B were more complex, with more key microbes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus conversion; the synergistic cooperation of functional bacteria facilitated simultaneous nitrification-denitrification. Manganese ores favour biofilm formation, increase the activity of the electron transport system, and enhance ammonia oxidation and nitrate reduction. These results elucidated the ecological patterns exhibited by microbes under different substrate conditions thereby contributing to our understanding of how substrates shape distinct microcosms in CW systems. This study provides valuable insights for guiding the future construction and management of CWs.

Heightened neural reward responsiveness functions as a plasticity factor moderating the association between childhood emotional abuse and young adult depressive symptoms: Evidence of differential susceptibility.

As a neural indicator of reward responsiveness (RR), reward positivity (RewP) has been demonstrated to moderate the association between stress exposure and depressive symptoms. However, extant research has primarily (a) focused on life stress rather than early maltreatment, (b) ignored the time-frequency components, and (c) has been based on a traditional perspective of diathesis stress. The present study aimed to comprehensively examine whether and how neurophysiological (RewP and its time-frequency decomposition components) and self-reported measures of RR interact with childhood emotional abuse on young adult depressive symptoms. The sample of 192 Chinese university students aged 18-25 (Mage = 21.08 ± 1.91 years; 59.4% girls) completed self-reported questionnaires of emotional abuse, depressive symptoms and RR. The RewP and its time-frequency components delta and theta were elicited via a monetary reward task. The results demonstrated that RewP significantly moderated the association between emotional abuse and young adult depressive symptoms in a differential susceptibility but not diathesis-stress manner. However, gain-related delta, loss-related theta, or self-reported RR did not drive such moderation effects. These findings were robust and survived a series of rigorous sensitivity analyses. The current findings provide preliminary evidence that heightened RewP may function as a plasticity factor moderating the association between early maltreatment exposure and depression, and highlight the effect specific to emotional abuse. However, caution should be paid to the generalizability of these findings in high-risk clinical samples, in light of the current high-functioning sample features and low rates of high symptom and abuse levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Spatiotemporal drivers of urban water pollution: Assessment of 102 cities across the Yangtze River Basin.

Effective management of large basins necessitates pinpointing the spatial and temporal drivers of primary index exceedances and urban risk factors, offering crucial insights for basin administrators. Yet, comprehensive examinations of multiple pollutants within the Yangtze River Basin remain scarce. Here we introduce a pollution inventory for urban clusters surrounding the Yangtze River Basin, analyzing water quality data from 102 cities during 2018-2019. We assessed the exceedance rates for six pivotal indicators: dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total phosphorus (TP), and the permanganate index (CODMn) for each city. Employing random forest regression and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analyses, we identified the spatiotemporal factors influencing these key indicators. Our results highlight agricultural activities as the primary contributors to the exceedance of all six indicators, thus pinpointing them as the leading pollution source in the basin. Additionally, forest coverage, livestock farming, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, along with meteorological elements like precipitation and temperature, significantly impacted various indicators' exceedances. Furthermore, we delineate five core urban risk components through principal component analysis, which are (1) anthropogenic and industrial activities, (2) agricultural practices and forest extent, (3) climatic variables, (4) livestock rearing, and (5) principal polluting sectors. The cities were subsequently evaluated and categorized based on these risk components, incorporating policy interventions and administrative performance within each region. The comprehensive analysis advocates for a customized strategy in addressing the discerned risk factors, especially for cities presenting elevated risk levels.

Hemorrhage profile associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and a real-world study based on the FAERS database.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of hemorrhage associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and characterize its clinical features. METHODS: We systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of hemorrhage related to ICIs and calculated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pharmacovigilance studies were conducted by collecting ICIs-related hemorrhage cases from the FAERS database and assessing disproportionalities by reporting odds ratios (RORs) and information components (ICs). RESULTS: A total of 79 RCTs involving 45,100 patients were finally included in the systematic review, with four published RCTs (n = 1965) and 75 unpublished RCTs (n = 43135). The primary analysis showed no significant difference in ICIs compared to the control group (OR 1.18 [95% CI 1.00-1.38], p = 0.05). In subgroup analyses, anti-PD-L1 combined with anti-CTLA-4 increased the risk of hemorrhage (OR 1.95, p = 0.03), and anti-CTLA-4 increased the risk of hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal system (OR 2.23, p = 0.04). 3555 cases of hemorrhage from the FAERS database were included in the disproportionate analysis, and the result suggested that ICIs increased the risk of hemorrhage (IC025 = 0.23). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that ICIs increase the risk of hemorrhage, and in particular, anti-CTLA-4 significantly increases the risk of hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal system.

A microporous bismuth-based MOF for efficient separation of acetylene from carbon dioxide.

The separation of acetylene from carbon dioxide is challenging due to their almost identical molecular sizes and volatilities. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in general are strong candidates for the separation of gas mixtures owing to the presence of functional pore surfaces that can selectively capture specific target molecules. Herein, we report a stable and easily synthesized bismuth-based MOF, Bi-BTC, which can achieve the separation of acetylene and carbon dioxide. We performed a detailed analysis of the sorption properties of the Bi-MOF. Bi-BTC shows good adsorption capacities for C2H2 with a capacity of 53.8 cm3 g-1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar, and C2H2/CO2 selectivity of 5.14/7.69 at 298 K and 1.0/0.1 bar. IAST selectivity calculations indicate that Bi-BTC possesses good separation capacity, and dynamic breakthrough experiments were performed to prove the separation of C2H2 and CO2. Bi-MOFs as a group of relatively less studied types of MOFs have interesting adsorption characteristics, and this study on Bi-based MOF will enrich three-dimensional Bi-MOF adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation applications.

Biodegradation of various grades of polyethylene microplastics by Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus larvae: Effects on their physiology.

Polyethylene (PE) is the most productive plastic product and includes three major polymers including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) variation in the PE depends on the branching of the polymer chain and its crystallinity. Tenebrio obscurus and Tenebrio molitor larvae biodegrade PE. We subsequently tested larval physiology, gut microbiome, oxidative stress, and PE degradation capability and degradation products under high-purity HDPE, LLDPE, and LDPE powders (<300 µm) diets for 21 days at 65 ± 5% humidity and 25 ± 0.5 °C. Our results demonstrated the specific PE consumption rates by T. molitor was 8.04-8.73 mg PE ∙ 100 larvae-1⋅day-1 and by T. obscurus was 7.68-9.31 for LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE, respectively. The larvae digested nearly 40% of the ingested three PE and showed similar survival rates and weight changes but their fat content decreased by 30-50% over 21-day period. All the PE-fed groups exhibited adverse effects, such as increased benzoquinone concentrations, intestinal tissue damage and elevated oxidative stress indicators, compared with bran-fed control. In the current study, the digestive tract or gut microbiome exhibited a high level of adaptability to PE exposure, altering the width of the gut microbial ecological niche and community diversity, revealing notable correlations between Tenebrio species and the physical and chemical properties (PCPs) of PE-MPs, with the gut microbiome and molecular weight change due to biodegradation. An ecotoxicological simulation by T.E.S.T. confirmed that PE degradation products were little ecotoxic to Daphnia magna and Rattus norvegicus providing important novel insights for future investigations into the environmentally-friendly approach of insect-mediated biodegradation of persistent plastics.

Metabolic dysfunction, rather than obesity, is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease in Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic dysfunction and obesity are closely related to chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, studies on the relationship between various metabolic syndrome-body mass index (MetS-BMI) phenotypes and the risk of CKD in the Chinese population have not yet been explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 were analyzed in this study. This study enrolled 12,054 participants. Participants were divided into six distinct groups according to their MetS-BMI status. Across the different MetS-BMI groups, the odd ratios (ORs) for CKD were determined using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of CKD was higher in metabolically unhealthy groups than in the corresponding healthy groups. Moreover, the fully adjusted model showed that all metabolically unhealthy individuals had an increased risk of developing CKD compared to the metabolically healthy normal weight group (OR = 1.62, p = 0.002 for the metabolically unhealthy normal weight group; OR = 1.55, p < 0.001 for the metabolically unhealthy overweight group; and OR = 1.77, p < 0.001 for the metabolically unhealthy obesity group. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to evaluate the relationship between the MetS-BMI phenotype and renal prognosis in the Chinese population. Individuals with normal weights are at different risk of developing CKD depending on their different metabolic phenotypes.

Differences in ocular high order aberrations before and after small incision lenticule extraction for correction of myopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To examine the causes and factors that lead to high order aberration (HOA) during the treatment of myopia using small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), as well as the differences between SMILE and other corneal refractive surgeries through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic search was conducted from January 2015 to February 2023 in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases to gather relevant studies on SMILE and HOA. Studies meeting specific criteria were chosen, and clinical data was retrieved for analysis. Results: This meta-analysis resulted in the inclusion of 19 studies involving 1,503 eyes. Pooled results showed significant induction of total HOA (tHOA, d = -0.21, p < 0.001), spherical aberration (SA, d = -0.11, p < 0.001) and coma aberration (CA, d = -0.18, p < 0.001) after SMILE compared to pre-SMILE, while no significant change in trefoil aberration (TA) was observed (d = -0.00, p = 0.91). There was a significantly lower induction of tHOA after SMILE compared to femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK, d = 0.04, p < 0.001), and no significant difference was observed compared to wavefront aberration-guided (WFG) refractive surgery (d = 0.00, p = 0.75). There was also a significant association between different levels of myopia and astigmatism, duration of follow-up, lenticule thickness, and preoperative central corneal thickness (CCT) on the induction of tHOA after SMILE (p < 0.05), while the higher preoperative myopia group (sphere > -5D), lower preoperative astigmatism group (cylinder ≤ -1D), larger lenticule thickness group (lenticule thickness > 100 µm), shorter follow-up group (follow-up 1 month postoperatively) and the thicker CCT group (CCT > 550 µm) brought a significant induction of tHOA compared to the opposite comparison group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: While SMILE can induce HOA significantly, it induces less HOA than FS-LASIK. Postoperative HOA following SMILE can be affected by factors such as myopia, astigmatism, lenticule thickness, CCT, and duration of follow-up. Future research should continue to explore techniques to decrease the induction of HOA by using this methodology. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.

Molecular-Weight-Dependent Degradation of Plastics: Deciphering Host-Microbiome Synergy Biodegradation of High-Purity Polypropylene Microplastics by Mealworms.

The biodegradation of polypropylene (PP), a highly persistent nonhydrolyzable polymer, by Tenebrio molitor has been confirmed using commercial PP microplastics (MPs) (Mn 26.59 and Mw 187.12 kDa). This confirmation was based on the reduction of the PP mass, change in molecular weight (MW), and a positive Δδ13C in the residual PP. A MW-dependent biodegradation mechanism was investigated using five high-purity PP MPs, classified into low (0.83 and 6.20 kDa), medium (50.40 and 108.0 kDa), and high (575.0 kDa) MW categories to access the impact of MW on the depolymerization pattern and associated gene expression of gut bacteria and the larval host. The larvae can depolymerize/biodegrade PP polymers with high MW although the consumption rate and weight losses increased, and survival rates declined with increasing PP MW. This pattern is similar to observations with polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE), i.e., both Mn and Mw decreased after being fed low MW PP, while Mn and/or Mw increased after high MW PP was fed. The gut microbiota exhibited specific bacteria associations, such as Kluyvera sp. and Pediococcus sp. for high MW PP degradation, Acinetobacter sp. for medium MW PP, and Bacillus sp. alongside three other bacteria for low MW PP metabolism. In the host transcriptome, digestive enzymes and plastic degradation-related bacterial enzymes were up-regulated after feeding on PP depending on different MWs. The T. molitor host exhibited both defensive function and degradation capability during the biodegradation of plastics, with high MW PP showing a relatively negative impact on the larvae.

5G Indoor Positioning Error Correction Based on 5G-PECNN.

With the development of the mobile network communication industry, 5G has been widely used in the consumer market, and the application of 5G technology for indoor positioning has emerged. Like most indoor positioning techniques, the propagation of 5G signals in indoor spaces is affected by noise, multipath propagation interference, installation errors, and other factors, leading to errors in 5G indoor positioning. This paper aims to address these issues by first constructing a 5G indoor positioning dataset and analyzing the characteristics of 5G positioning errors. Subsequently, we propose a 5G Positioning Error Correction Neural Network (5G-PECNN) based on neural networks. This network employs a multi-level fusion network structure designed to adapt to the error characteristics of 5G through adaptive gradient descent. Experimental validation demonstrates that the algorithm proposed in this paper achieves superior error correction within the error region, significantly outperforming traditional neural networks.

Machine learning assisted combined systems of wastewater treatment plants with constructed wetlands optimal decision-making.

This study proposed an efficient framework for optimizing the design and operation of combined systems of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and constructed wetlands (CW). The framework coupled a WWTP model with a CW model and used a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to identify trade-offs between energy consumption, effluent quality, and construction cost. Compared to traditional design and management approaches, the framework achieved a 27 % reduction in WWTP energy consumption or a 44 % reduction in CW cost while meeting strict effluent discharge limits for Chinese WWTP. The framework also identified feasible decision variable ranges and demonstrated the impact of different optimization strategies on system performance. Furthermore, the contributions of WWTP and CW in pollutant degradation were analyzed. Overall, the proposed framework offers a highly efficient and cost-effective solution for optimizing the design and operation of a combined WWTP and CW system.

Metagenomic insight to apprehend the fungal communities associated with leaf blight of Welsh onion in Taiwan.

Plants are associated with a large diversity of microbes, and these complex plant-associated microbial communities are critical for plant health. Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) is one of the key and oldest vegetable crops cultivated in Taiwan. The leaf of the Welsh onion is one of the famous spices in Taiwanese cuisine, thus, it is crucial to control foliar diseases. In recent years, Welsh onion cultivation in Taiwan has been severely threatened by the occurrence of leaf blight disease, greatly affecting their yield and quality. However, the overall picture of microbiota associated with the Welsh onion plant is still not clear as most of the recent etiological investigations were heavily based on the isolation of microorganisms from diseased plants. Therefore, studying the diversity of fungal communities associated with the leaf blight symptoms of Welsh onion may provide information regarding key taxa possibly involved in the disease. Therefore, this investigation was mainly designed to understand the major fungal communities associated with leaf blight to identify key taxa potentially involved in the disease and further evaluate any shifts in both phyllosphere and rhizosphere mycobiome assembly due to foliar pathogen infection by amplicon sequencing targeting the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) 1 region of the rRNA. The alpha and beta-diversity analyses were used to compare the fungal communities and significant fungal groups were recognized based on linear discriminant analyses. Based on the results of relative abundance data and co-occurrence networks in symptomatic plants we revealed that the leaf blight of Welsh onion in Sanxing, is a disease complex mainly involving Stemphylium and Colletotrichum taxa. In addition, genera such as Aspergillus, Athelia and Colletotrichum were abundantly found associated with the symptomatic rhizosphere. Alpha-diversity in some fields indicated a significant increase in species richness in the symptomatic phyllosphere compared to the asymptomatic phyllosphere. These results will broaden our knowledge of pathogens of Welsh onion associated with leaf blight symptoms and will assist in developing effective disease management strategies to control the progress of the disease.

Gastric metastasis from breast cancer: five cases and a single-institutional review.

Gastric metastasis from breast cancer has a high rate of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Data of patients who had gastric metastasis from breast cancer were retrieved from our hospital between 2014 and 2020. The gastric metastasis from breast cancer incidence was 0.04% (5/14,169 cases of breast cancer). Four patients had invasive lobular carcinoma, and the other patient had invasive ductal carcinoma. The time from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer to the appearance of gastric metastasis ranged from 0 to 12 years. One patient's endoscopic presentation was similar to mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and presented with gastric mucosal congestion and edema, widened wrinkles, mixed color fading, and redness. The initial pathological diagnosis of this patient was mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and breast cancer was finally confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Hormonal receptors were highly expressed in four patients with primary and metastasis lesions and were negative in one patient. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 was negative in all patients. Mammaglobin and GATA3 were positive in all patients. In conclusion, the gastric metastasis of breast cancer incidence rate is low, and misdiagnosis can lead to insufficient or excessive treatment. Multiple biopsies and immunohistochemistry should be performed to diagnose gastric metastasis of breast cancer.

Preparation and optimization of an eggshell membrane-based biomaterial for GTR applications.

OBJECTIVES: Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR) is a popular clinical procedure for periodontal tissue regeneration. However, its key component, the barrier membrane, is largely collagen-based and is still quite expensive, posing a financial burden to the patients as well as healthcare systems and negatively impacting the patient's decision-making. Thus, our aim is to prepare a novel biomimetic GTR membrane utilizing a natural biomaterial, soluble eggshell membrane protein (SEP), which is economical as it comes from an abundant industrial waste from food and poultry industries, unlike collagen. Additive polymer, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and a bioceramic, nano-hydroxyapatite (HAp), were added to improve its mechanical and biological properties. METHODS: For this barrier membrane preparation, we initially screened the significant factors affecting its mechanical properties using Taguchi orthogonal array design and further optimized the significant factors using response surface methodology. Furthermore, this membrane was characterized using SEM, EDAX, and ATR-FTIR, and tested for proliferation activity of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLFs). RESULTS: Optimization using response surface methodology predicted that the maximal tensile strength of 3.1 MPa and modulus of 39.9 MPa could be obtained at membrane composition of 8.9 wt% PLGA, 7.2 wt% of SEP, and 2 wt% HAp. Optimized PLGA/SEP/HAp membrane specimens that were electrospun on a static collector showed higher proliferation activity of HPLFs compared to tissue culture polystyrene and a commercial collagen membrane. SIGNIFICANCE: From the results observed, we can conclude that SEP-based nanofibrous GTR membrane could be a promising, environment-friendly, and cost-effective alternative for commercial collagen-based GTR membrane products.

Childhood maltreatment, multilocus HPA-axis genetic variation and adolescent comorbidity profiles of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Despite a growing body of evidence showing both genetic and environmental influences on adolescent depression and anxiety, the involved comorbid mechanisms regarding gene-by-environment (G × E) interaction remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: The current study was the first to investigate the extent to which multilocus hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis genetic variants moderated the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent comorbid depression and anxiety. METHODS: The participants were 827 Chinese Han adolescents (Mage = 16.45 ± 1.37 years; 50.2 % girls). A theory-driven multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) was computed by calculating alleles of core HPA-axis genes (CRHR1, NR3C1, NR3C2, and FKBP5) associated with heightened stress reactivity. Childhood maltreatment was retrospectively collected using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Comorbidity profiles of self-reported adolescent depressive and anxiety symptoms were constructed via person-centered latent profile analysis. RESULTS: Three heterogeneous comorbidity profiles of depressive and anxiety symptoms were identified: comorbid severe symptoms (9.7 %), comorbid moderate symptoms (46.4 %) and comorbid mild symptoms (43.9 %). The HPA-axis related MGPS significantly interacted with childhood maltreatment, especially emotional maltreatment (emotional abuse: OR = 1.14, 95 % CI [1.03, 1.26], p < .01; emotional neglect: OR = 1.07, 95 % CI [1.01, 1.13], p < .05), to distinguish the comorbid severe symptoms profile from the comorbid mild symptoms profile (OR = 1.03, 95 % CI [1.01, 1.06], p < .05). CONCLUSION: The HPA-axis related genes showed an additive polygenic sensitivity toward childhood maltreatment, which might be one of the polygenic G × E mechanisms underlying adolescent comorbid depression and anxiety.

Development of a chitosan and whey protein-based, biodegradable, colorimetric/fluorescent dual-channel monitoring label for real-time sensing of shrimp freshness.

To address the growing and urgent need for quick and accurate food spoilage detection systems as well as to reduce food resource wastage, recent research has focused on intelligent bio-labels using pH indicators. Accordingly, we developed a dual-channel intelligent label with colorimetric and fluorescent capabilities using black lycium anthocyanin (BLA) and 9,10-bis(2,2-dipyridylvinyl) anthracene (DSA4P) as colorimetric and fluorescent indicators within a composite film consisting of chitosan (Cs), whey protein (Wp), and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). The addition of STPP as a cross-linking agent significantly improved the hydrophobicity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the Cs/Wp composite films under low pH conditions. After the incorporation of BLA and DSA4P, the resulting dual-channel intelligent label (Cs/Wp/STPP/BLA/DSA4P) exhibited superior hydrophobicity, as indicated by a water contact angle of 78.03°. Additionally, it displayed enhanced mechanical properties, with a tensile strength (TS) of 3.04 MPa and an elongation at break (EAB) of 81.07 %, while maintaining a low transmittance of 28.48 % at 600 nm. After 25 days of burial in soil, the label was significantly degraded, which showcases its eco-friendly nature. Moreover, the label could visually detect color changes indicating volatile ammonia concentrations (25-25,000 ppm). The color of the label in daylight gradually shifted from brick-red to light-red, brownish-yellow, and finally light-green as the ammonia concentration increased. Correspondingly, its fluorescence transitioned from no fluorescence to green fluorescence with increasing ammonia concentration, gradually intensifying under 365-nm UV light. Furthermore, the label effectively monitored the freshness of shrimp stored at temperatures of 4 °C, 25 °C, and - 18 °C. Thus, the label developed in this study exhibits significant potential for enhancing food safety monitoring.

Reliability and validity of the translated Chinese version of comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes (CompACT-C) in breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: This study aimed to translate and validate a Chinese version of the Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy processes (CompACT-C), a 23-item questionnaire for measuring an individual's level of psychological flexibility among Chinese breast cancer survivors for utilisation of Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based interventions in breast cancer patients. Methods: Six translators translated the original English version into Chinese according to Brislin's Translation Model. Psychometric properties tests were conducted on the CompACT-C, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability (two-week interval), face validity, content validity, convergent validity with experiential avoidance, and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis). Results: 308 Chinese breast cancer survivors with mastectomies were conveniently recruited. The translated scale showed satisfactory test-retest reliability (two-week interval, r = 0.53-0.72, p < 0.001), face validity, and content validity (CVI-Scale/CVS-Item = 1.00). According to the confirmatory factor analysis results, the final Chinese version remained the 23 items and three dimensions, with the modification of item six from the dimension of openness to experience to behavioural awareness for better model fitness [structural equation model analysis, χ2 = 559.486, df = 226, NC (χ2/df) = 2.476, RMSEA = 0.069, CFI = 0.834, TLI = 0.815, SRMR = 0.079] and satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.71), convergent validity with AAQ-2 (r = -0.57, p < 0.001) in these breast cancer patients. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the CompACT showed good reliability and validity among Chinese breast cancer patients. Future research is suggested to confirm its psychometric properties with diverse breast and other cancer groups.