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Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as crucial indicators for tumor occurrence, progression, and prognosis monitoring. However, achieving high sensitivity and high purity capture of CTCs remains challenging. Additionally, in situ capture and synchronous clearance hold promise as methods to impede tumor metastasis, but further exploration is needed. In this study, biomimetic cell membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) were designed to address the issue of nonspecific adsorption of capture probes by the immune system during blood circulation. Membranes from human breast cancer cells (tumor cell membranes, TMs) and leukocytes (white blood cell membranes, WMs) were extracted and fused to form a hybrid membrane (HM), which was further modified onto the surface of porous magnetic NPs loaded with indocyanine green (ICG). The incorporation of TM enhanced the material's target specificity, thus increasing capture efficiency, while WM coating reduced interference from homologous white blood cells (WBCs), further enhancing capture purity. Additionally, in conjunction with our novel inverted microfluidic chip, this work introduces the first use of polymer photonic crystals as the capture interface for CTCs. Besides providing an advantageous surface structure for CTC attachment, the 808 nm photonic bandgap effectively amplifies the 808 nm excitation light at the capture surface position. Therefore, upon capturing CTCs, the ICG molecules in the probes facilitate enhanced photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) synergistic effects, directly inactivating the captured CTCs. This method achieves capture efficiency and purity exceeding 95% and permits in situ inactivation post-capture, providing an important approach for future research on impeding tumor metastasis in vivo., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Flexible protective armors are found in large animals such as fish skins, snake skins, and pangolin scales. For small-sized invertebrates, such armors are paid less attention and overlooked. Chitons, a type of marine mollusk, possess mineralized armors covering the whole dorsal body. The dorsal scales in the girdle tissue are well known, in this study, we reported hidden mineralized scales in the ventral side of chiton Acanthopleura loochooana girdles for the first time. The ventral surface is covered with scales with ca. 40 μm in length, forming continuous but overlapped scales. Additionally, scales are formed from aragonitic spicule-like and square-like scales, embedded in the cuticle layer. Nanoindentation testing results showed that the hardness and elastic modulus of ventral scales were ∼20 % higher compared to those in the dorsal scales, exhibiting good hardness and wear resistance. The combination of the ventral scales and cuticle, along with the regular arrangement of ventral scales, may allow chitons to simultaneously address complex and variable attachment interfaces while also providing wear-resistant protection. This study provides insights for designing protective structures that balance flexibility and durability. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Biomineralization is universal in nature and provides protection and support for animals. However, mineralization of dermal skin is not commonly seen. Herein, for the first time, we reported hidden minerals covering the whole ventral side of skin in a small marine animal, chitons. Calcium carbonate minerals are arranged regularly and manifest different morphology in different regions. Additionally, these minerals are embedded in a continuous cuticle layer covering the whole animal. The material also indicates a higher wear-resistant property. This study extends our understanding of the diverse functionality of biominerals and provides a prototype for designing wear-resistant materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the impact of male hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and serostatus on sperm quality, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes following intrauterine insemination for infertility., Design and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 962 infertile couples undergoing intrauterine insemination treatment at a single center. The case group comprised 212 infertile couples with male HBV infection, and the control group comprised 750 noninfected infertile couples. The couples were further divided into subgroups according to their hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)/anti-HBe status: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) + HBeAg - (group A), HBsAg + HBeAg + (group B), and HBsAg - HBeAg - (control group). The main outcome parameters, including the seminal parameters, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate, preterm delivery rate, multiple pregnancy rate, delivery type, birth weight, and sex ratio, were compared., Results: A lower sperm acrosin activity, higher cesarean rate, and newborn sex ratio were observed in the HBV-infected group and group A in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). However, the standard sperm parameters, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate, preterm delivery, and birth weight showed no statistically significant differences among the groups., Conclusion: Male HBV infection does not adversely impact standard sperm parameters or pregnancy outcomes but can influence sperm acrosin activity and some neonatal outcomes. Moreover, the effect may vary among different HBV serostatuses., (© 2024 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the yield and applicability of expanded carrier screening and propose carrier rate screening thresholds suitable for the Chinese population by comparing the current screening panel with the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommended panel of 113 genes., Methods: Using targeted next-generation sequencing, a customized panel with 334 genes was performed on 2168 individuals without clinical phenotypes for expanded carrier screening purpose. Variant interpretation followed the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. Carrier rates were calculated for each identified variant and each gene. At-risk couple rates were also assessed. The yield of expanded carrier screening was evaluated through calculating cumulative carrier rate., Results: Overall, 65.87% of the individuals were found to be carriers of at least 1 disease causing variants. The overall at-risk couple rate was 11.76%, of which the GJB2:c.109G > A related at-risk couple rate was 5.78%. The cumulative carrier rate of 334-panel was 65.53%. When screened genes with gene carrier rate ≥1/1000, the expanded carrier screening can cover over 90% of the cumulative carrier rate and at-risk couples. A total of 86 genes overlapped with American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Tier-3 genes and were attributed to the cumulative carrier rate of 47.33%., Conclusion: Expanded carrier screening using the 334-gene panel showed high screening efficiency. A threshold of gene carrier rate ≥1/1000 is recommended for selecting carrier screening genes in the Chinese Han population. This study highlights the importance of customizing screening panels based on the ACMG Tier-3 genes in conjunction with population-specific carrier frequencies to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of expanded carrier screening., (© 2024 The Author(s). Prenatal Diagnosis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A multifunctional sensor comprising flexible and transparent ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) with strain gauges based on Ag nanowire (AgNW)@ZnO nanorods (ZnONRs) was fabricated using a cost-effective, simple, and efficient method. High-aspect ratio silver nanowires were synthesized using the polyol method. An AgNW@ZnONR composite was formed via the hydrothermal method to ensure the multifunctional capability of the flexible sensors. After refining the process parameters, the size of the ZnO nanorods was decreased to fabricate pliable multifunctional sensors using AgNW@ZnONRs. At a deposition of 0.207 g of AgNW@ZnONRs, the sensor achieves its maximum switching ratio and fastest response time under conditions of 2000 μW/cm 2 UV optical power density. With a t on (rise time) of 2.7 s and a t off (fall time) of 2.3 s, the ratio of I on to I off current is 1151. Additionally, the sensor's maximum optical current value correlates linearly with UV light's power density. The maximum response current increased from 222.5 pA to 588.1 pA, an increase of 164.3%, when the bending angle was increased from 15° to 90° for the sensor with a deposition of 0.276 g of AgNW@ZnONRs. There was no degradation in the response of the sensors after 10,000 bending cycles, as they have excellent stability and repeatability, which means they can meet the requirements of wearable sensor applications. Therefore, there is great potential for the practical application of multifunctional AgNW@ZnONRs in flexible sensors.

The three-dimensional (3D) geometry of carotid atherosclerotic plaques is associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases. However, it is unknown if carotid plaques of different sizes are consistent in 3D geometry, with a lack of quantitative observation. We aim to evaluate the geometric consistency of carotid plaques using the correlations between multidimensional parameters. 42 cases with asymptomatic stenosis caused by atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery were included. Carotid plaques and calcifications were identified on computed tomography angiography images and 3D reconstructed. Multidimensional geometric parameters (length, surface area, volume, etc.) were measured on the reconstructed 3D structures. Linear and non-linear (power function) fittings were used to investigate the relationships between multidimensional parameters. The analysis was performed based on cases and plaques, respectively. Spearman rank correlation analysis, R-squared, and p-values were used to evaluate the significance of the relationship. Significant relationship was defined as R-squared >0.25 and p < 0.05. In total, 112 atherosclerotic plaques and 74 calcifications were extracted. In plaque-based analysis, significant correlations were widely observed between paired multidimensional parameters of carotid plaques, where non-linear fitting showed higher R-squared values. Plaque volume and surface area were significantly correlated with total volume and total surface area of intra-plaque calcifications. In subject-based analysis, triglycerides and total cholesterol were significantly correlated with carotid plaque size. There is a consistency in geometry among carotid atherosclerotic plaques of different sizes. The size of a carotid plaque is associated with the patient's lipid profile., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: McLeod syndrome (MLS) and chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) are exceedingly rare diseases characterized by a variety of movement disorders including chorea, dystonia, and Parkinsonism. Genetic analysis plays a key role in early and accurate diagnosis, but relevant variants are still under investigation. This study aims to explore new pathogenic variants in Chinese patients with MLS and ChAc and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the clinical heterogeneity among these patients., Methods: Eighteen Chinese patients who presented with choreatic movements with negative HTT genetic testing were identified and underwent targeted next-generation sequencing, verified by Sanger sequencing., Results: Two novel XK variants (c.970A>T, c.422&#95;423del) were identified in three index MLS patients and six novel VPS13A variants (c.9219C>A, c.3467T>A, c.4208dup, c.9243&#95;9246del, c.5364del, c.556-290&#95;697-483del) in five index ChAc patients. One copy number variant of VPS13A (g.79827595&#95;79828762del/c.556-290&#95;697-483del) was firstly described in Chinese population., Conclusion: As the currently largest descriptive study of MLS and ChAc patients in China, this study expands on the clinical and genetic spectrum of XK and VPS13A, contributing to the clinical diagnosis of MLS and ChAc., (© 2024 The Author(s). Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Data-free knowledge distillation (DFKD) improves the student model (S) by mimicking the class probability from a pre-trained teacher model (T) without training data. Under such setting, an ideal scenario is that T can help generate "good" samples from a generator (G) to maximally benefit S. However, existing arts suffer from the non-ideal generated samples under the disturbance of the gap (i.e., either too large or small) between the class probabilities of T and S; for example, the generated samples with too large gap may exhibit excessive information for S, while too small gap leads to the limited knowledge in the samples, resulting into the poor generalization. Meanwhile, they fail to judge the "goodness" of the generated samples for S since the fixed T is not necessarily ideal. In this paper, we aim to answer what is inside the gap box; together with how to yield "good" generated samples for DFKD? To this end, we propose a Gap-Sensitive Sample Generation (GapSSG) approach, by revisiting the empirical distilled risk from a data-free perspective, which confirms the existence of an ideal teacher (T * ), while theoretically implying: (1) the gap disturbance originates from the mismatch between T and T * , hence the class probabilities of T enable the approximation to those of T * ; and (2) "good" samples should maximally benefit S via T's class probabilities, owing to unknown T * . To this end, we unpack the gap box between T and S as two findings: inherent gap to perceive T and T * ; derived gap to monitor S and T * . Benefiting from the derived gap that focuses on the adaptability of generated sample to S, we attempt to track student's training route (a series of training epochs) to capture the category distribution of S; upon which, a regulatory factor is further devised to approximate T * over inherent gap, so as to generate "good" samples to S. Furthermore, during the distillation process, a sample-balanced strategy comes up to tackle the overfitting and missing knowledge issues between the generated partial and critical samples by training G. The theoretical and empirical studies verify the advantages of GapSSG over the state-of-the-arts.

Objective: To compare the risks of gastric cancer and other gastric diseases in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exposed to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4I) or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1a)., Design: This was a population-based cohort study of prospectively collected data on patients with T2DM prescribed SGLT2I, DPP4I or GLP1a between January 1st 2015 and December 31st 2020 from Hong Kong. The outcomes were new-onset gastric cancer, peptic ulcer (PU), acute gastritis, non-acute gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Propensity score matching (1:1) using the nearest neighbour search was performed, and multivariable Cox regression was applied. A three-arm comparison between SGLT2I, DPP4I and GLP1a was conducted using propensity scores with inverse probability of treatment weighting., Results: A total of 62,858 patients (median age: 62.2 years old [SD: 12.8]; 55.93% males; SGLT2I: n = 23,442; DPP4I: n = 39,416) were included. In the matched cohort, the incidence of gastric cancer was lower in SGLT2I (Incidence rate per 1000 person-year, IR: 0.32; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.23-0.43) than in DPP4I (IR per 1000 person-year: 1.22; CI 1.03-1.42) users. Multivariable Cox regression found that SGLT2I use was associated with lower risks of gastric cancer (HR 0.30; 95% CI 0.19-0.48), PU, acute gastritis, non-acute gastritis, and GERD (p < 0.05) compared to DPP4I use. In the three-arm analysis, GLP1a use was associated with higher risks of gastric cancer and GERD compared to SGLT2I use., Conclusions: The use of SGLT2I was associated with lower risks of new-onset gastric cancer, PU, acute gastritis, non-acute gastritis, and GERD after matching and adjustments compared to DPP4I use. SGLT2I use was associated with lower risks of GERD and gastric cancer compared to GLP1a use., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have accumulated significant interest due to their exceptional physicochemical properties and remarkable applications in biomedicine, electronics, and catalysis sensing. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth study of synthetic approaches such as biological synthesis, chemical synthesis, and physical synthesis with a detailed overview of their sub-methodologies, highlighting advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, structural properties affected by synthesis methods are discussed in detail by examining the dimensions and surface morphology. The review explores the distinctive properties of Ag NPs, including optical, electrical, catalytic, and antimicrobial properties, which render them beneficial for a range of applications. Furthermore, this review describes the diverse applications in several fields, such as medicine, environmental science, electronics, and optoelectronics. However, with numerous applications, several kinds of issues still exist. Future attempts need to address difficulties regarding synthetic techniques, environmental friendliness, and affordability. In order to ensure the secure utilization of Ag NPs, it is necessary to establish sustainability in synthetic techniques and eco-friendly production methods. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview of the synthesis, structural analysis, properties, and multifaceted applications of Ag NPs.

Tuberculosis is a serious global health burden, resulting in millions of deaths each year. Several circulating cell subsets in the peripheral blood are known to modulate the host immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection in different ways. However, the characteristics and functions of these subsets to varying stages of tuberculosis infection have not been well elucidated. Peripheral blood immune cells (PBICs) were isolated from healthy donors (HD group), individuals with mild tuberculosis (MI group), and individuals with severe tuberculosis (SE group). CD4+ naive T cells and CD8+ T cells were decreased in the SE and MI groups, while CD14+ monocytes were increased in the SE group. Further analysis revealed increased activated CD4+ T cells, transitional CD8+ T cells, memory-like NK cells, and IGHG3 high TTN high FCRL5 high B cells were increased in all patients with tuberculosis (SE and MI group). In contrast, Th17 cells, cytotoxic NK cells, and cytotoxic CD4+ T cells were decreased. Moreover, the increase of CD14+CD16+ monocytes correlated with severe tuberculosis, and the GBP5 high RSAD2 high neutrophils were unique to patients with severe tuberculosis. Cellular communication analysis revealed that CD8+ T cells exhibited the highest incoming interaction strength in the SE group. The increased CD8+ T cell incoming interactions are associated with the MHC-I and LCK pathways, with HLA-(A-E)-CD8A, HLA-(A-E)-CD8B, and LCK-(CD8A+CD8B) being ligand-receptor pairs. Patients with tuberculosis, especially severe tuberculosis, have profound changes in peripheral blood immune cell profiles. CD8+ T cells showed the highest incoming interaction strength in patients with severe tuberculosis, with the main signals being MHC-I and LCK pathways., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Nickel-based catalysts are regarded as the most excellent urea oxidation reaction (UOR) catalysts in alkaline media. Whatever kind of nickel-based catalysts is utilized to catalyze UOR, it is widely believed that the in situ-formed Ni 3+ moieties are the true active sites and the as-utilized nickel-based catalysts just serve as pre-catalysts. Digging the pre-catalyst effect on the activity of Ni 3+ moieties helps to better design nickel-based catalysts. Herein, five different anions of OH - , CO 3 2- , SiO 3 2- , MoO 4 2- , and WO 4 2- were used to bond with Ni 2+ to fabricate the pre-catalysts β -Ni(OH) 2 , Ni-CO 3 , Ni-SiO 3 , Ni-MoO 4 , and Ni-WO 4 . It is found that the true active sites of the five as-fabricated catalysts are the same in situ-formed Ni 3+ moieties and the five as-fabricated catalysts demonstrate different UOR activity. Although the as-synthesized five catalysts just serve as the pre-catalysts, they determine the quantity of active sites and activity per active site, thus determining the catalytic activity of the catalysts. Among the five catalysts, the amorphous nickel tungstate exhibits the most superior activity per active site and can catalyze UOR to reach 158.10 mA·cm -2 at 1.6 V, exceeding the majority of catalysts. This work makes for a deeper understanding of the pre-catalyst effect on UOR activity and helps to better design nickel-based UOR catalysts.

Objectives: PTEN-Long is a translational variant of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). This study aimed to assess the effect of PTEN-Long on the biological characteristics of glioma cells and related mechanisms., Methods: A vector stably expressing PTEN-Long was established and transfected into cells, serving as the overexpression group, while a set of empty vectors served as the negative control group. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were used to detect the expression of PTEN-Long and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Protein kinase B, andnuclear factor-κB (PI3K-AKT-NF-κB). Cell proliferation was assessed with the Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assay, migration through the scratch test, and invasion by the transwell chamber assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry. The volume and weight of subcutaneous tumors in nude mice were also evaluated., Results: PTEN-Long expression led to downregulation of p-Akt, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, and Bcl-xl, and up-regulation of IκBα. In addition, it inhibited glioma cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, and reduced cell migration and invasion. Moreover, PTEN-Long inhibited the growth of subcutaneous glioma in nude mice., Conclusions: PTEN-Long inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion and induces apoptosis in glioma cells by inhibiting PI3K-AKT-NF-κb signaling, implying that PTEN-Long may be a new target for glioma treatment., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2024.)

Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most lethal infectious diseases, especially for infants and the elderly. Given the variety of causative agents, the accurate early detection of pneumonia is an active research area. To the best of our knowledge, scoping reviews on diagnostic techniques for pneumonia are lacking. In this scoping review, three major electronic databases were searched and the resulting research was screened. We categorized these diagnostic techniques into four classes (i.e., lab-based methods, imaging-based techniques, acoustic-based techniques, and physiological-measurement-based techniques) and summarized their recent applications. Major research has been skewed towards imaging-based techniques, especially after COVID-19. Currently, chest X-rays and blood tests are the most common tools in the clinical setting to establish a diagnosis; however, there is a need to look for safe, non-invasive, and more rapid techniques for diagnosis. Recently, some non-invasive techniques based on wearable sensors achieved reasonable diagnostic accuracy that could open a new chapter for future applications. Consequently, further research and technology development are still needed for pneumonia diagnosis using non-invasive physiological parameters to attain a better point of care for pneumonia patients.

Adaptation to hypoxia is a major challenge for the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in vivo. Interferon (IFN)-γ-producing CD8 + T cells contribute to control of Mtb infection, in part by promoting antimicrobial activities of macrophages. Whether Mtb counters these responses, particularly during hypoxic conditions, remains unknown. Using metabolomic, proteomic and genetic approaches, here we show that Mtb induced Rv0884c (SerC), an Mtb phosphoserine aminotransferase, to produce D-serine. This activity increased Mtb pathogenesis in mice but did not directly affect intramacrophage Mtb survival. Instead, D-serine inhibited IFN-γ production by CD8 + T cells, which indirectly reduced the ability of macrophages to restrict Mtb upon co-culture. Mechanistically, D-serine interacted with WDR24 and inhibited mTORC1 activation in CD8 + T cells. This decreased T-bet expression and reduced IFN-γ production by CD8 + T cells. Our findings suggest an Mtb evasion mechanism where pathogen metabolic adaptation to hypoxia leads to amino acid-dependent suppression of adaptive anti-TB immunity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Arterial compliance (AC) plays a crucial role in vascular aging and cardiovascular disease. The ability to continuously estimate aortic AC or its surrogate, pulse pressure (PP), through wearable devices is highly desirable, given its strong association with daily activities. While the single-site photoplethysmography (PPG)-derived arterial stiffness indices show reasonable correlations with AC, they are susceptible to noise interference, limiting their practical use. To overcome this challenge, our study introduces a noise-resistant indicator of AC: Katz's fractal dimension (KFD) of PPG signals. We showed that KFD integrated the signal complexity arising from compliance changes across a cardiac cycle and vascular structural complexity, thereby decreasing its dependence on individual characteristic points. To assess its capability in measuring AC, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation using both in silico studies with 4374 virtual human data and real-world measurements. In the virtual human studies, KFD demonstrated a strong correlation with AC ( r = 0.75), which only experienced a slight decrease to 0.66 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 15dB, surpassing the best PPG-morphology-derived AC measure ( r = 0.41) under the same noise condition. In addition, we observed that KFD's sensitivity to AC varied based on the individual's hemodynamic status, which may further enhance the accuracy of AC estimations. These in silico findings were supported by real-world measurements encompassing diverse health conditions. In conclusion, our study suggests that PPG-derived KFD has the potential to continuously and reliably monitor arterial compliance, enabling unobtrusive and wearable assessment of cardiovascular health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xing, Hong, Alastruey, Long, Liu and Dong.)

Pueraria lobata ( P. lobata ), a traditional anti-diabetic medicine mainly composed of flavonoids and isoflavones, has a long history in diabetes treatment in China. However, the anti-diabetic active component is still unclear. Recently, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been a hot therapeutic target by negatively regulating insulin signaling pathways. In this study, the spectrum-effect relationship analysis method was first used to identify the active components of P. lobata that inhibit PTP1B. The fingerprints of 12 batches of samples were established using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and sixty common peaks were identified. Meanwhile, twelve components were identified by a comparison with the standards. The inhibition of PTP1B activity was studied in vitro by using the p-nitrophenol method, and the partial least squares discriminant analysis, grey relational analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and cluster analysis were used to analyze the bioactive compounds in P. lobata . Peaks 6, 9 (glycitin), 11 (genistin), 12 (4'-methoxypuerarin), 25, 34, 35, 36, 53, and 59 were considered as potentially active substances that inhibit PTP1B. The in vitro PTP1B inhibitory activity was confirmed by glycitin, genistin, and 4'-methoxypuerarin. The IC 50 s of the three compounds were 10.56 ± 0.42 μg/mL, 16.46 ± 0.29 μg/mL, and 9.336 ± 0.56 μg/mL, respectively, indicating the obvious PTP1B inhibitory activity. In brief, we established an effective method to identify PTP1B enzyme inhibitors in P. lobata , which is helpful in clarifying the material basis of P. lobata on diabetes. Additionally, it is evident that the spectrum-effect relationship method serves as an efficient approach for identifying active compounds, and this study can also serve as a reference for screening bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicine.

Background: Epicanthal folds (EFs) are skin folds located at the medial canthus in Asians. However, the anatomical structure of EFs remains unclear. The authors discovered a fibrous band connected to the medial canthal tendon (MCT) and referred to it as the medial canthal fibrous band (MCFB). This study aimed to verify whether the MCFB is different from the MCT and whether its unique anatomical relationship with the MCT plays an important role in EF formation., Methods: Forty patients who underwent epicanthoplasty from February of 2020 to October of 2021 were included. EFs from 11 patients underwent biopsy and were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, and Weigert stains to reveal their composition. Expression of collagens I and III and elastin was determined through immunohistochemical staining, and their mean optical density was measured. Preoperative and immediate exposed lacrimal caruncle area (ELCA) was measured after removing the MCFB., Results: The MCFB is a fibrous tissue located in the EF and above the MCT. The orientation and composition of collagen fibers of the MCFB are different from those of the MCT ( P < 0.001). The MCFB also has more elastin fibers than the MCT ( P < 0.05). Immediate ELCA was significantly higher than before ELCA ( P < 0.001) once the MCFB was removed., Conclusions: The MCFB is composed of collagen fibers different from those in the MCT and plays a role in EF formation. Removing the MCFB during epicanthoplasty can result in a more attractive appearance postoperatively., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Guar gum (GG) as a polymer biopolymer is widely used in the field of bio-based packaging. However, its poor mechanical properties, barrier properties and high viscosity greatly hinder its use as an effective packaging material. Therefore, this study introduced CPTES to improve the mechanical (16.58-27.39 MPa) and tensile properties (26.80 %-30.67 %). The FTIR and XRD results indicated a strong interaction between the biofilm fractions modified by CPTES, CPTES bound to the hydroxyl groups on GG and formed a dense polysiloxane network through adsorption and grafting. OM and AFM reflect a denser and flatter film structure on the surface of the G30 film, which has the best film formation. Based on this, the pH of the solution was further adjusted to reach an alkaline environment, disrupting the intermolecular binding through electrostatic repulsion. The rheological behavior indicates that the viscosity and viscoelasticity of film solution gradually decrease with the increase in pH. OM and AFM results show that the G30/8 film has the best compact properties, while the nonporous compact film structure further improves the mechanical, barrierand and thermodynamic properties of the film. Accordingly, the findings of this study had a certain value for regulating the low viscoelasticity of GG emulsion and enhancing the stability of film formation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no declarations of interest in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Superficial temporal artery (STA)-middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass surgery has been widely adopted in treating moyamoya disease (MMD). Geometric variations including high tortuosity and stenosis exist in many cases, but the hemodynamic effects have not been comprehensively evaluated. We aim to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of bypass geometry variations based on patient-specific data., Methods: In total, 17 patients with MMD who underwent STA-MCA bypass surgery with highly tortuous bypass geometry were included. For each patient, the original 3-dimensional structure of STA-MCA bypass was reconstructed from clinical imaging data. The bypass structure was virtually improved by removing the tortuosity and stenosis. Computational fluid dynamics simulation was performed on both bypass structures under identical patient-specific condition. The simulated hemodynamic parameters of the bypass and its distal branches were compared between the original and virtually improved bypass geometries in all cases using paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The changes of hemodynamic parameters were compared between the cases with and without mild-to-moderate stenosis (44.0-70.3% in diameter) in the bypass using t-test or Mann-Whitney U test., Results: The virtual improvement of bypass geometry significantly increased the flow rate of the bypass and its distal branches (P < 0.05) and decreased the transcranial flow resistance (P < 0.05). The hemodynamic changes in cases with stenosis removal were significantly greater than those without stenosis (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: High tortuosity and stenosis can significantly change the hemodynamics of STA-MCA bypass, and the optimization of bypass geometry deserves further consideration., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Artery-to-artery embolism (AAE) is a common stroke mechanism in intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD), associated with a considerable risk of recurrent stroke. We aimed to investigate cerebral hemodynamic features associated with AAE in symptomatic ICAD. Patients with anterior-circulation, symptomatic ICAD confirmed in CT angiography (CTA) were recruited. We classified probable stroke mechanisms as isolated parent artery atherosclerosis occluding penetrating artery, AAE, hypoperfusion, and mixed mechanisms, largely based on infarct topography. CTA-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were built to simulate blood flow across culprit ICAD lesions. Translesional pressure ratio (PR = Pressure post-stenotic /Pressure pre-stenotic ) and wall shear stress ratio (WSSR = WSS stenotic-throat /WSS pre-stenotic ) were calculated, to reflect the relative, translesional changes of the two hemodynamic metrics. Low PR (PR ≤ median) and high WSSR (WSSR ≥ 4th quartile) respectively indicated large translesional pressure and elevated WSS upon the lesion. Among 99 symptomatic ICAD patients, 44 had AAE as a probable stroke mechanism, 13 with AAE alone and 31 with coexisting hypoperfusion. High WSSR was independently associated with AAE (adjusted OR = 3.90; P = 0.022) in multivariate logistic regression. There was significant WSSR-PR interaction on the presence of AAE (P for interaction = 0.013): high WSSR was more likely to associate with AAE in those with low PR (P = 0.075), but not in those with normal PR (P = 0.959). Excessively elevated WSS in ICAD might increase the risk of AAE. Such association was more prominent in those with large translesional pressure gradient. Hypoperfusion, commonly coexisting with AAE, might be a therapeutic indicator for secondary stroke prevention in symptomatic ICAD with AAE., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Recently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been used to simulate blood flow of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (sICAS) and investigate the clinical implications of its haemodynamic features, which were systematically reviewed in this study., Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statements, we searched PubMed and Embase up to March 2024 and screened for articles reporting clinical implications of haemodynamic parameters in sICAS derived from CFD models., Results: 19 articles met the inclusion criteria, all studies recruiting patients from China. Most studies used CT angiography (CTA) as the source image for vessel segmentation, and generic boundary conditions, rigid vessel wall and Newtonian fluid assumptions for CFD modelling, in patients with 50%-99% sICAS. Pressure and wall shear stress (WSS) were quantified in almost all studies, and the translesional changes in pressure and WSS were usually quantified with a poststenotic to prestenotic pressure ratio (PR) and stenotic-throat to prestenotic WSS ratio (WSSR). Lower PR was associated with more severe stenosis, better leptomeningeal collaterals, prolonged perfusion time and internal borderzone infarcts. Higher WSSR and other WSS measures were associated with positive vessel wall remodelling, regression of luminal stenosis and artery-to-artery embolism. Lower PR and higher WSSR were both associated with the presence and severity of cerebral small vessel disease. Moreover, translesional PR and WSSR were promising predictors for stroke recurrence in medically treated patients with sICAS and outcomes after acute reperfusion therapy, which also provided indicators to assess the effects of stenting treatment on focal haemodynamics., Conclusions: CFD is a promising tool in investigating the pathophysiology of ICAS and in risk stratification of patients with sICAS. Future studies are warranted for standardisation of the modelling methods and validation of the simulation results in sICAS, for its wider applications in clinical research and practice., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

In this paper, a wide-band, low-profile antenna is presented for a high-integration phased array system. The proposed antenna, implemented using a tightly coupled array, operates over roughly the X-K frequency band and is performant at 8 GHz-18.5 GHz. The antenna can scan to ±60 degrees in both the E- and H-planes. Compared to previous tightly coupled antennas with smaller element spacing, the antenna in this paper reaches 9.4 mm, which corresponds to 0.58 λ of high frequency, suitable for engineering application conditions in production. The antenna can be soldered to BGA T/R chips in this space. Additionally, to facilitate flexible assembly for large arrays, the antenna is manufactured modularly using four elements and its parasitic radiation is analyzed. Then, a method for repressing parasitic radiation is presented. Finally, the antenna is fabricated and measured in a microwave chamber, exhibiting an excellent pattern and scanning radiation. The measured performance agrees with the full-wave finite array simulations.

In this work, phase-apodized silicon grating filters with varying sidewall corrugation width and location were investigated, while the resonance wavelength, extinction ratio, and rejection bandwidth were tuned flexibly. The grating filters with a waveguide width of 500 nm and grating period of 400 nm were fabricated and characterized as a proof of concept. The resonance wavelength of the device can be shifted by 4.54 nm by varying the sidewall corrugation width from 150 to 250 nm. The corresponding rejection bandwidth can be changed from 1.19 to 2.03 nm by applying a sidewall corrugation location offset from 50 to 200 nm. The experimental performances coincide well with the simulation results. The presented sidewall corrugation-modulated apodized grating can be expected to have great application prospects for optical communications and semiconductor lasers.

Background: The epicanthal fold (EF) is a semilunar skin fold located in the medial canthus in most Asians. The medial canthus fibrous band (MCFB) reportedly plays a critical role in EF formation. Variations in MCFB shape and size affect the severity and type of EF., Objectives: We aimed to analyze MCFB variations in different types and severities of EF and explore the effect of the MCFB resection epicanthoplasty technique (MCFB epicanthoplasty)., Methods: Surgical videos of 40 patients undergoing MCFB epicanthoplasty in our department were reviewed. The MCFB (area), transverse dimension, vertical dimension, upper eyelid direction length (UEDL), and lower eyelid direction length (LEDL) were measured. For aesthetic assessment, 37 patients were followed up for 6 months; intercanthal distance (ICD) and horizontal lid fissure length (HLFL) were measured. Preoperative and postoperative ICD/HLFL ratios were compared. Postoperative scar recovery was evaluated with the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. Statistical significance was set at P < .05., Results: The MCFB diameter and area were larger for severe EF than for moderate EF (P < .01). Patients with severe EF had larger LEDL than UEDL (P < .01). The tarsalis type had a larger LEDL than the palpebralis type with the same severity (P < .01). MCFB epicanthoplasty yielded favorable postoperative cosmetic effects and scar recovery. Postoperative ICD decreased, while HLFL increased compared to preoperative values (P < .001). The ICD/HLFL ratio was significantly lower postoperatively than preoperatively (P < .001). Postoperative ICD/HLFL ratio was 1.2:1., Conclusions: The MCFB affects the severity and type of EF. MCFB epicanthoplasty effectively corrected moderate to severe EF., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Aesthetic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Type I interferon (IFN) production is crucial in tuberculosis pathogenesis, yet the bacterial factors initiating this process are incompletely understood. CpsA, protein of Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis , plays a key role in maintaining bacterial virulence and inhibiting host cell LC3-associated phagocytosis. By utilizing CpsA full deletion mutant studies, we re-verified its essential role in infection-induced pathology and revealed its new role in type I IFN expression. CpsA deficiency hindered IFN production in infected macrophages in vitro as well as zebrafish and mice in vivo . This effect was linked to the cGAS-TBK1-IRF3 pathway, as evidenced by decreased TBK1 and IRF3 phosphorylation in CpsA-deficient bacterial strain-infected macrophages. Moreover, we further show that CpsA deficiency cause decreased cytosolic DNA levels, correlating with impaired phagosomal membrane rupture. Our findings reveal a new function of mycobacterial CpsA in type I IFN production and offer insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying mycobacterial infection pathology., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Flexible tactile sensors have become important as essential tools for facilitating human and object interactions. However, the materials utilized for the electrodes of capacitive tactile sensors often cannot simultaneously exhibit high conductivity, low modulus, and strong adhesiveness. This limitation restricts their application on flexible interfaces and results in device failure due to mechanical mismatch. Herein, we report an ultra-low modulus, highly conductive, and adhesive elastomer and utilize it to fabricate a microstructure-coupled multifunctional flexible tactile sensor. We prepare a supramolecular conductive composite film (SCCF) as the electrode of the tactile sensor using a supramolecular deep eutectic solvent, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), and MXene suspension. We employ a polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) film containing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM:TFSI) as the dielectric layer to fabricate capacitive sensors with an electrical double layer structure. Furthermore, we enhance the performance of the device by incorporating coupled pyramid and dome microstructures, which endow the sensor with multi-directional force detection. Our SCCF exhibits extremely high conductivity (reaching 710 S cm -1 ), ultra-low modulus (0.8 MPa), and excellent interface adhesion strength (>120 J m -2 ). Additionally, due to the outstanding conductivity and unique structure of the SCCF, it possesses remarkable electromagnetic shielding ability (>50 dB). Moreover, our device demonstrates a high sensitivity of up to 1756 kPa -1 and a wide working range reaching 400 kPa, combining these attributes with the requirements of an ultra-soft human-machine interface to ensure optimal contact between the sensor and interface materials. This innovative and flexible tactile sensor holds great promise and potential for addressing various and complex demands of human-machine interaction.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body and serves vital functions such as sensation, thermal management, and protection. While electronic skin (E-skin) has made significant progress in sensory functions, achieving adaptive thermal management akin to human skin has remained a challenge. Drawing inspiration from squid skin, we have developed a hybrid electronic-photonic skin (hEP-skin) using an elastomer semi-embedded with aligned silver nanowires through interfacial self-assembly. With mechanically adjustable optical properties, the hEP-skin demonstrates adaptive thermal management abilities, warming in the range of +3.5°C for heat preservation and cooling in the range of -4.2°C for passive cooling. Furthermore, it exhibits an ultra-stable high electrical conductivity of ∼4.5×10 4 S/cm, even under stretching, bending or torsional deformations over 10,000 cycles. As a proof of demonstration, the hEP-skin successfully integrates stretchable light-emitting electronic skin with adaptive thermal management photonic skin., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been associated with gastric carcinogenesis. However, the precise involvement of LRP8, the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8, in H. pylori pathogenesis and gastric cancer (GC) remains poorly understood., Objectives: To investigate the potential role of LRP8 in H. pylori infection and gastric carcinogenesis., Methods: Three-dimensional human-derived gastric organoids (hGO) and gastric cancer organoids (hGCO) were synthesized from the tissues obtained from human donors. In this work, multi-omics combined with in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to investigate the potential involvement of LRP8 in H. pylori-induced GC., Results: We found that H. pylori infection significantly upregulated the expression of LRP8 in human GC tissues, cells, organoids, and mouse gastric mucous. In particular, LRP8 exhibited a distinct enrichment in cancer stem cells (CSC). Functionally, silencing of LRP8 affected the formation and proliferation of tumor spheroids, while increased expression of LRP8 was associated with increased proliferation and stemness of GC cells and organoids. Mechanistically, LRP8 promotes the binding of E-cadherin to β-catenin, thereby promoting nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of β-catenin. Furthermore, LRP8 interacts with the cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) to form the CagA/LRP8/β-catenin complex. This complex further amplifies H. pylori-induced β-catenin nuclear translocation, leading to increased transcription of inflammatory factors and CSC markers. Clinical analysis demonstrated that abnormal overexpression of LRP8 is correlated with a poor prognosis and resistance to 5-Fluorouracil in patients with GC., Conclusion: Our findings provide valuable information on the molecular intricacies of H. pylori-induced gastric carcinogenesis, offering potential therapeutic targets and prognostic markers for GC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The correction of severe blepharoptosis is one of the most challenging surgeries in plastic surgery. This study introduces a novel self-reinforced fixation technique combining the levator complex with conjoint fascial sheath for the correction of severe blepharoptosis and reviews the postoperative results over the preceding 12 years., Methods: This retrospective review included all patients who underwent self-reinforced fixation with or without conjoint fascial sheath at the authors' center between 2010 and 2022. The clinical data of the two groups were collected and evaluated., Results: All patients were followed up for 6 months to 8 years postoperatively. The mean postoperative MRD1 and LF increased significantly in both groups. Sufficient correction of ptosis was achieved in 32 (65.31%) and 84 (81.56%) eyelids in Groups I and II, respectively. The mean eyelid lagophthalmos was 1.27± 0.91 mm and 0.85 ± 0.89 mm in Groups I and II, respectively. The most common complication was undercorrection of ptosis, which was observed in 14 eyelids (28.57%) and 15 eyelids (14.56%) in Groups I and II, respectively., Conclusions: The self-reinforced fixation technique was effective in correcting severe congenital ptosis in Chinese patients. The clinical effect was consistent in the long-term follow-up cases, and the recurrence rate was low. Thus, this technique can enhance the strength of the levator muscle and maintain appropriate elasticity of eye closure., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV., Competing Interests: Financial Disclosure Statement: Following the PRS Conflict of Interest Disclosure Guidelines, the authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Hand-wrist radiography is the most common and accurate method for evaluating children's bone age. To reduce the scattered radiation of radiosensitive organs in bone age assessment, we designed a small X-ray instrument with radioprotection function by adding metal enclosure for X-ray shielding. We used a phantom operator to compare the scattered radiation doses received by sensitive organs under three different protection scenarios (proposed instrument, radiation personal protective equipment, no protection). The proposed instrument showed greater reduction in the mean dose of a single exposure compared with radiation personal protective equipment especially on the left side which was proximal to the X-ray machine (≥80.0% in eye and thyroid,  ≥99.9% in breast and gonad). The proposed instrument provides a new pathway towards more convenient and efficient radioprotection., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) comparative efficacy of treatments using video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) in the long term remains uncertain in patients with palmar hyperhidrosis (PHH). This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of RFA and VATS in patients with PHH. We recruited patients aged ≥ 14 years with diagnosed PHH from 14 centres in China. The treatment options of RFA or VATS were assigned to two cohort in patients with PHH. The primary outcome was the efficacy at 1-year. A total of 807 patients were enrolled. After propensity score matching, the rate of complete remission was lower in RFA group than VATS group (95% CI 0.21-0.57; p < 0.001). However, the rates of palmar dryness (95% CI 0.38-0.92; p = 0.020), postoperative pain (95% CI 0.13-0.33; p < 0.001), and surgery-related complications (95% CI 0.19-0.85; p = 0.020) were lower in RFA group than in VATS group, but skin temperature rise was more common in RFA group (95% CI 1.84-3.58; p < 0.001). RFA had a lower success rate than VATS for the complete remission of PHH. However, the symptom burden and cost are lower in patients undergoing RFA compared to those undergoing VATS.Trial Registration: ChiCTR2000039576, URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx ., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

There may be different mechanisms underlying internal (IBZ) and cortical (CBZ) borderzone infarcts in intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. In 84 patients with symptomatic, 50-99% atherosclerotic stenosis of M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA-M1) with acute borderzone infarcts in diffusion-weighted imaging, we classified the infarct patterns as isolated IBZ (n = 37), isolated CBZ (n = 31), and IBZ+CBZ (n = 16) infarcts. CT angiography-based computational fluid dynamics models were constructed to quantify translesional, post-stenotic to pre-stenotic pressure ratio (PR) in the MCA-M1 lesion. Those with IBZ infarcts were more likely to have a low PR (indicating impaired antegrade flow across the lesion) than those without (p = 0.012), and those with CBZ infarcts were more likely to have coexisting small cortical infarcts (indicating possible embolism) than those without (p = 0.004). In those with isolated IBZ or CBZ infarcts, low PR was independently associated with isolated IBZ infarcts (adjusted odds ratio = 4.223; p = 0.026). These two groups may also have different trajectories in the stroke risks under current medical treatment regimen, with a higher risk of same-territory ischemic stroke recurrence within 3 months in patients with isolated IBZ infarcts than isolated CBZ infarcts (17.9% versus 0.0%; log-rank p = 0.023), but similar risks later in 1 year., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The hard shells of mollusks are products of biomineralization, a distinctive feature of the Cambrian explosion. Despite our understanding of shell structure and mechanical properties, their origin remains mysterious. In addition to their shell plates, most chitons have calcium deposits on their girdles. However, the similarity of these two mineralized structures still needs to be determined, limiting our comprehension of their origins. In our study, we analyzed the matrix proteins in the spicules of chiton (Acanthopleura loochooana) and compared them with the matrix proteins in the shells of the same species. Proteomics identified 96 unique matrix proteins in spicules. Comparison of biomineralization-related matrix proteins in shell plates and spicules revealed shared proteins, including carbonic anhydrases, tyrosinase-hemocyanin, von Willebrand factor type A, cadherin, and glycine-rich unknown proteins. Based on similarities in key matrix proteins, we propose that spicules and shell plates originated from a common mineralization system in their ancestral lineage, suggesting the existence of a common core or toolkit of matrix proteins among calcifying organisms. SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we try to understand the types and diversity of matrix proteins in the biomineralization of chiton shell plates and spicules. Through a comparative analysis, we seek insights into the core biomineralization toolkit of ancestral mollusks. To achieve this, we conducted LC-MS/MS and RT-qPCR analyses to identify the types and relative expression levels of matrix proteins in both shell plates and spicules. The analysis revealed 96 matrix proteins in the spicules. A comparison of biomineralization-related matrix proteins in shell plates and spicules from the same species revealed shared proteins including many unknown proteins unique to chitons. Blast searching reveals a universal conservation of these proteins among other chitons. Hence, we propose that spicules and shell plates originated from a common mineralization system in their ancestral lineage. Our work provides a molecular basis for studying biomineralization in polyplacophoran mollusks and understanding biomineralization evolution. In addition, it identifies potential matrix proteins that could be applied to control crystal growth., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://qims.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/qims-23-1425/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

As a canonical cytoplasmic DNA sensor, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) plays a key role in innate immunity. In recent years, a growing number of studies have shown that cGAS can also be located in the nucleus and plays new functions such as regulating DNA damage repair, nuclear membrane repair, chromosome fusion, DNA replication, angiogenesis and other non-canonical functions. Meanwhile, the mechanisms underlying the nucleo-cytoplasmic transport and the regulation of cGAS activation have been revealed in recent years. Based on the current understanding of the structure, subcellular localization and canonical functions of cGAS, this review focuses on summarizing the mechanisms underlying nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, activity regulation and non-canonical functions of cGAS in the nucleus. We aim to provide insights into exploring the new functions of cGAS in the nucleus and advance its clinical translation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lu, Zhao, Chen, Wang, Liu and Liu.)

Based on the key factor of spontaneous modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)-gas permeability, a spontaneous MAP film was created for the preservation of Agaricus bisporus by delaying the senescence of white mushrooms. Compared with other mixed films, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)/pueraria (P)-2 showed better mechanical properties, barrier properties and thermal stability energy. Applying the HPMC/P-2 film for preserving white mushrooms can spontaneously adjust the internal gas environment. Moreover, the O 2 concentration in the package remained stable at 1-2 %, and the CO 2 concentration was between 8 % and 14 %. The film can effectively reduce the respiration rate of white mushrooms, inhibit enzymatic browning, maintain their good color and texture, and delay their aging. In conclusion, the HPMC/P-2 film can be used not only for fruit and vegetables preservation but also provide theoretical basis for sustainable food packaging., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Janus particles with different compositions and properties segmented to different regions on the surface of one objector provide more opportunities for interfacial engineering. As a novel interfacial active material, Janus particles integrate the amphiphilic properties of molecular surfactants and the Pickering effect of homogeneous particles. In this research, the outstanding properties of Janus particles on various interfaces are examined from both theoretical and practical perspectives, and the advantages of Janus particles over molecular surfactants and homogeneous particle surfactants are analyzed. We believe that Janus particles are ideal tools for interface regulation and functionalization in the future., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Various quantitative and quality assessment tools are currently used in nursing to evaluate a patient's physiological, psychological, and socioeconomic status. The results play important roles in evaluating the efficiency of healthcare, improving the treatment plans, and lowing relevant clinical risks. However, the manual process of the assessment imposes a substantial burden and can lead to errors in digitalization. To fill these gaps, we proposed an automatic nursing assessment system based on clinical decision support system (CDSS). The framework underlying the CDSS included experts, evaluation criteria, and voting roles for selecting electronic assessment sheets over paper ones., Methods: We developed the framework based on an expert voting flow to choose electronic assessment sheets. The CDSS was constructed based on a nursing process workflow model. A multilayer architecture with independent modules was used. The performance of the proposed system was evaluated by comparing the adverse events' incidence and the average time for regular daily assessment before and after the implementation., Results: After implementation of the system, the adverse nursing events' incidence decreased significantly from 0.43 % to 0.37 % in the first year and further to 0.27 % in the second year (p-value: 0.04). Meanwhile, the median time for regular daily assessments further decreased from 63 s to 51 s., Conclusions: The automatic assessment system helps to reduce nurses' workload and the incidence of adverse nursing events., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Radium-223 ( 223 Ra) is the first-in-class alpha-emitter to mediate tumor eradication, which is commonly thought to kill tumor cells by directly cleaving double-strand DNA. However, the immunogenic characteristics and cell death modalities triggered by 223 Ra remain unclear. Here, it is reported that the 223 Ra irradiation induces the pro-inflammatory damage-associated molecular patterns including calreticulin, HMGB1, and HSP70, hallmarks of tumor immunogenicity. Moreover, therapeutic 223 Ra retards tumor progression by triggering pyroptosis, an immunogenic cell death. Mechanically, 223 Ra-induced DNA damage leads to the activation of stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-mediated DNA sensing pathway, which is critical for NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis and subsequent DCs maturation as well as T cell activation. These findings establish an essential role of STING in mediating alpha-emitter 223 Ra-induced antitumor immunity, which provides the basis for the development of novel cancer therapeutic strategies and combinatory therapy., (© 2023 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) commonly exists in patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease (sICAD). We aimed to investigate the associations of hemodynamic features of sICAD lesions with imaging markers and overall burden of CSVD., Patients and Methods: Patients with anterior-circulation sICAD (50%-99% stenosis) were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Hemodynamic features of a sICAD lesion were quantified by translesional pressure ratio (PR = Pressure post-stenotic /Pressure pre-stenotic ) and wall shear stress ratio (WSSR = WSS stenotic-throat /WSS pre-stenotic ) via CT angiography-based computational fluid dynamics modeling. PR ⩽median was defined as low ("abnormal") PR, and WSSR ⩾ fourth quartile as high ("abnormal") WSSR. For primary analyses, white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), lacunes, and cortical microinfarcts (CMIs) were assessed in MRI and summed up as overall CSVD burden, respectively in ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres to sICAD. Enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVSs) and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) were assessed for secondary analyses., Results: Among 112 sICAD patients, there were more severe WMHs, more lacunes and CMIs, and more severe overall CSVD burden ipsilaterally than contralaterally (all p  < 0.05). Abnormal PR and WSSR (vs normal PR and WSSR) was significantly associated with moderate-to-severe WMHs (adjusted odds ratio = 10.12, p  = 0.018), CMI presence (5.25, p  = 0.003), and moderate-to-severe CSVD burden (12.55; p  = 0.033), ipsilaterally, respectively independent of contralateral WMHs, CMI(s), and CSVD burden. EPVSs and CMBs were comparable between the two hemispheres, with no association found with the hemodynamic metrics., Discussion and Conclusion: There are more severe WMHs and CMI(s) in the hemisphere ipsilateral than contralateral to sICAD. The hemodynamic significance of sICAD lesions was independently associated with severities of WMHs and CMI(s) ipsilaterally., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Progressive cerebral infarction (PCI) is a common complication in patients with ischemic stroke that leads to poor prognosis. Blood pressure (BP) can indicate post-stroke hemodynamic changes which play a key role in the development of PCI. The authors aim to investigate the association between BP-derived hemodynamic parameters and PCI. Clinical data and BP recordings were collected from 80 patients with cerebral infarction, including 40 patients with PCI and 40 patients with non-progressive cerebral infarction (NPCI). Hemodynamic parameters were calculated from the BP recordings of the first 7 days after admission, including systolic and diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure (PP), with the mean values of each group calculated and compared between daytime and nighttime, and between different days. Hemodynamic parameters and circadian BP rhythm patterns  were compared between PCI and NPCI groups using t-test or non-parametric equivalent for continuous variables, Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and binary logistic regression analysis for potential risk factors. In PCI and NPCI groups, significant decrease of daytime systolic BP appeared on the second and sixth days, respectively. Systolic BP and fibrinogen at admission, daytime systolic BP of the first day, nighttime systolic BP of the third day, PP, and the ratio of abnormal BP circadian rhythms were all higher in the PCI group. PCI and NPCI groups were significantly different in BP circadian rhythm pattern. PCI is associated with higher systolic BP, PP and more abnormal circadian rhythms of BP., (© 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Respiratory rate (RR) is a critical vital sign that can provide valuable insights into various medical conditions, including pneumonia. Unfortunately, manual RR counting is often unreliable and discontinuous. Current RR estimation algorithms either lack the necessary accuracy or demand extensive window sizes. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a novel method for continuously estimating RR from photoplethysmogram (PPG) with a reduced window size and lower processing requirements. To evaluate and compare classical and deep learning algorithms, this study leverages the BIDMC and CapnoBase datasets, employing the Respiratory Rate Estimation (RRest) toolbox. The optimal classical techniques combination on the BIDMC datasets achieves a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.9 breaths/min. Additionally, the developed neural network model utilises convolutional and long short-term memory layers to estimate RR effectively. The best-performing model, with a 50% train-test split and a window size of 7 s, achieves an MAE of 2 breaths/min. Furthermore, compared to other deep learning algorithms with window sizes of 16, 32, and 64 s, this study's model demonstrates superior performance with a smaller window size. The study suggests that further research into more precise signal processing techniques may enhance RR estimation from PPG signals.

Crustaceans are the champions of mineral mobilization and deposition in the animal kingdom due to their unique ability to rapidly and periodically mineralize and demineralize their exoskeletons. They are commonly covered with mineralized exoskeletons for protection and regularly molt throughout their lives. Mineralized crustacean exoskeletons are formed under the control of macromolecules especially matrix proteins but the types of matrix proteins are understudied compared to those in molluscan shells. This gap hinders our understanding of their evolutionary paths compared with those of molluscs. Here, we comprehensively analyzed matrix proteins in the exoskeleton of two crabs, one shrimp, and one crayfish and resulted in a major improvement (∼10-fold) in the identification of biomineralization proteins compared to conventional methods for decapod crustaceans. By a comparison with well-studied molluscan biomineralization proteins, we found that decapod crustaceans evolved novel proteins to form mineralized exoskeletons while sharing some proteins with those of molluscs. Our study sheds light on their evolution and adaption to different environment for exoskeleton formation and provides a foundation for further studies of mineralization in crustaceans under normal and climate-changed conditions. SIGNIFICANCE: Most crustaceans have mineralized exoskeletons as protection. How they form these hierarchical structures is still unclear. This is due partially to the understudied matrix proteins in the minerals. This study filled such a gap by using proteomic analysis of matrix proteins from four decapod crustacean exoskeletons. Many novel proteins were discovered which enabled a solid comparison with those of molluscs. By comparison, we proposed that crustaceans evolved novel proteins to form mineralized exoskeletons while sharing some proteins with those of molluscs. This is useful for us to understand the evolution of two major biomineralized phylum., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

For our special issue on stress, we asked scientists about recovering from the stress of the pandemic, including some who shared insights with us in mid-2020. They discuss the importance of teamwork, reassessing priorities, and the added stresses of the cost-of-living crisis, funding cuts, and retaining scientists in academia., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests B.A.S. is a member of the scientific advisory board of Biotheryx and is a co-inventor of intellectual property related to DCN1 inhibitors licensed to Cinsano. K.H.V. is a member of the Molecular Cell Advisory Board and is funded by and an advisor for Cancer Research UK., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In recent years, the number of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis has been increasing, and traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and combinations have been applied to treat Hashimoto's thyroiditis to increase efficacy and reduce side effects during the treatment process., Objective: Shutiao Qiji Decoction is one of the Chinese traditional medicine prescriptions, which is commonly used to treat cancer, tumor, etc. It is also used for thyroid-related diseases in the clinic. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. In this study, the mechanism of Shutiao Qiji Decoction in treating Hashimoto's thyroiditis was studied through network pharmacology and molecular docking verification., Method: Each Chinese medicine ingredient of Shutiao Qiji Decoction was retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. The related genes of HT were searched from the UniProt and GeneCards databases. Meanwhile, we used Cytoscape to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) visual network analysis, and used the search tool to search the database of Interacting Genes (STRING) to build a PPI network. These key proteins were enriched and analyzed by molecular docking validation, Gene Ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Hashimoto's thyroiditis disease model was established in SD rats, and SQD was administered by gavage after the successful establishment of the model. After 6 weeks of continuous administration of the drug by gavage, tissue samples were collected and the thyroid and spleen tissues were visualized by HE staining to verify the therapeutic effect., Results: The results showed that there were 287 TCM active ingredients, 1920 HT-related disease targets, and 176 drug and disease targets in SQD. Through PPI analysis, GP analysis, and KEGG analysis of the common targets of drugs and diseases, we found their pathways of action to be mainly cancer action pathway, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and T-cell action pathway. The active ingredients of the drugs in SQD, malvidin, stigmasterol, porin-5-en-3bta-ol, and chrysanthemum stigmasterol, were docked with the related target proteins, MAPK, GSK3β, TSHR, and NOTCH molecules. The best binding energies obtained from docking were mairin with TSHR, stigmasterol with TSHR, poriferast-5-en-3beta-ol with MAPK, and chryseriol with GSK3β, with binding energies of -6.84 kcal/mol, -6.53 kcal/mol, -5.03 kcal/mol, and -5.05 kcal/mol, respectively. HE staining sections of rat thyroid and spleen tissues showed that SQD had a therapeutic effect on Hashimoto's thyroiditis and restored its immune function., Conclusion: It is verified by molecular docking results that Shutiao Qiji Decoction has a potential therapeutic effect on Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the MAPK/TSHR/NOTCH signal pathway, and that the main components, mairin, stigmasterol, poriferast-5-en-3beta-ol, and chryseriol play a role in it. SQD has been shown to have a good therapeutic effect on Hashimoto's thyroiditis., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Lung cancer is the second most common malignancy in the world, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in particular is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Endothelin converting enzyme 1 (ECE1) is a membrane-bound metalloprotease involved in endothelin-1 (ET-1) processing and regulates vasoconstriction. However, very few studies have reported the involvement of ECE1 in regulating tumor cell proliferation, and the mechanism remains poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine the role of ECE1 in lung cancer development., Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas database and Kaplan-Meier plotter were used to assess the association between ECE1 and lung cancer. The expression of ECE1 was detected using immunohistochemistry staining and western blotting. A variety of in vitro assays were performed to evaluate the effects of ECE1 on the colony formation, proliferation, migration and invasion using ECE1 knockdown lung cancer cells. The gene expression profiles regulated by ECE1 were investigated by RNA sequencing. An immunoprecipitation assay and immunofluorescence assay were used to evaluate the mechanism underlying the regulatory effect of ECE1 on protein kinase B (AKT). The effect of ECE1 on tumor development was assessed by xenografted lung cancer cells in either C57BL/6 mice or nude mice., Results: ECE1 was upregulated in LUAD and correlated with the poor prognosis of patients with LUAD. Functional studies showed that knockdown of ECE1 retarded the progression of tumors formed by lung cancer cells at least partly by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. Moreover, ECE1 accelerated tumor cell proliferation through promoting AKT activation dispensable of its canonical target ET-1. Mechanically, ECE1 interacted with the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT and facilitated its translocation to the plasma membrane for activation. Furthermore, the inhibition of AKT activity counteracted the lung cancer cell growth inhibition observed both in vitro and in xenografts caused by ECE1 suppression., Conclusions: The present study reveals a non-canonical function of ECE1 in regulating AKT activation and cell proliferation, which provides the basis for the development of a novel strategy for the intervention of cancer including LUAD by abrogating ECE1-AKT signaling., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Routinely collected electronic health records (EHRs) data contain a vast amount of valuable information for conducting epidemiological studies. With the right tools, we can gain insights into disease processes and development, identify the best treatment and develop accurate models for predicting outcomes. Our recent systematic review has found that the number of big data studies from Hong Kong has rapidly increased since 2015, with an increasingly common application of artificial intelligence (AI). The advantages of big data are that i) the models developed are highly generalisable to the population, ii) multiple outcomes can be determined simultaneously, iii) ease of cross-validation by for model training, development and calibration, iv) huge numbers of useful variables can be analyzed, v) static and dynamic variables can be analyzed, vi) non-linear and latent interactions between variables can be captured, vii) artificial intelligence approaches can enhance the performance of prediction models. In this paper, we will provide several examples (cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome) to illustrate efforts from a multi-disciplinary team to identify data from different modalities to develop models using territory-wide datasets, with the possibility of real-time risk updates by using new data captured from patients. The benefit is that only routinely collected data are required for developing highly accurate and high-performance models. AI-driven models outperform traditional models in terms of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic and precision-recall curve, and F1 score. Web and/or mobile versions of the risk models allow clinicians to risk stratify patients quickly in clinical settings, thereby enabling clinical decision-making. Efforts are required to identify the best ways of implementing AI algorithms on the web and mobile apps., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate the actions of amlodipine-folic acid (amlodipine-FA) preparation on hypertension and cardiovascular in renal hypertensive rats with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), so as to provide experimental basis for clinical research of amlodipine folic acid tablets., Methods: Rats model of renal hypertension with HHcy were established. The rats were randomly divided into groups of model, amlodipine, folic acid (FA) and amlodipine-FA of various dosages. Normal rats were used as normal control group. Blood pressure, Hcy as well as plasma NO, ET-1 and hemodynamics were assayed. Histological alterations of heart and abdominal aorta were also examined., Results: Compared with the normal group, blood pressure, plasma Hcy, and NO of the rats in model group were significantly increased, while the plasma ET-1 was decreased. Compared with the normal group, the animals in the model group had reduced cardiac function, thickened wall of the aorta and narrowed lumen. In FA group and amlodipine group, the rat plasma NO was increased while ET-1 was decreased, the protective effect of amlodipine-FA group on endothelial cells was further enhanced. In amlodipine group, the rat hemodynamics (LVSP, LVEDP and ±dp/dt max , et al.) and vascular damage were significantly reduced, while in amlodipine-FA group, the heart function were further improved, and myocardial and vascular hypertrophy were significantly reduced., Conclusions: As compared to amlodipine alone, amlodipine -FA can lower both blood pressure and plasma Hcy, significantly enhancing vascular endothelial function to protect the heart and blood vessel in renal hypertensive rats with HHcy.

To establish an objective and comprehensive methodology to analyse the connections and differences between horned gallnut (HG) and bellied gallnut (BG) in Galla Chinensis (GC). The HPLC fingerprints from 15 batches of HG and 15 batches of BG were performed, and chemometric analysis including similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) was also set up. The results showed that the similarity of all batch samples was more than 0.9. In fingerprint analysis, 8 distinct common peaks were detected, among which gallic acid (GA), 1,3,6-tri-O-galloyl- β -D-glucose (TGG), and 1,2,3,4,6-O-galloyl-D-glucose (PGG) were identified by comparing with the standard compounds. Meanwhile, samples were clearly grouped into two classifications corresponding to HG and BG. This study demonstrated that HPLC fingerprints coupled with chemometric analysis could be applied to discriminate HG and BG and evaluate the qualities of HG and BG rapidly, which provided a certain experimental basis for the selection of GC raw materials and subsequent use., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Xiaomei Long et al.)