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Objective: To investigate and quantify age-related changes in lower limb muscle stiffness in typically developing children and adolescents using acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography. Materials and methods: Shear wave velocities of bilateral rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius muscles at rest were obtained in typically developing children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years. The participants were classified into three age groups: Group 1 (children), 3 to 7 years old; Group 2, 8 to 12 (pre-adolescent); and Group 3 (adolescent), 13 to 18. The shear wave velocities of muscle were compared across the three age groups, as well as compared between right- and left-side limbs. The correlation between shear wave velocities and body weight or body mass index was assessed. Results: Of the 47 participants, 21 were in Group 1, 17 in Group 2, and 9 in Group 3. There were no significant differences among the three age groups' shear wave velocities of bilateral lower limb muscles, and no significant differences between right and left sides. There was no correlation between muscle stiffness and body weight or body mass index. Conclusion: The present pilot study applied acoustic radiation force impulse shear wave elastography to quantify lower limb muscle stiffness in typically developing children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years, suggesting no marked change in muscle stiffness occurs as they develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(lactide acid) (PLA) foams have shown considerable promise as eco-friendly alternatives to nondegradable plastic foams, such as polystyrene (PS) foams. Nevertheless, PLA foam typically suffers from low heat-resistance and poor cellular structure stemming from its inherent slow crystallization rate and low melt strength. In this study, a high-performance PLA foam with well-defined cell morphology, exceptional strength and enhanced heat-resistance was successfully fabricated via a core-back microcellular injection molding (MIM) process. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results revealed that the added hydrazine-based nucleating agent (HNA) significantly increased the crystallization temperature and accelerated the crystallization process of PLA. Remarkably, the addition of a 1.5 wt% of HNA led to a significant reduction in PLA's cell size, from 43.5 µm to 2.87 µm, and a remarkable increase in cell density, from 1.08×107 cells/cm3 to 2.15×1010 cells/cm3. This enhancement resulted in a final crystallinity of approximately 55.7% for the PLA blend foam, a marked improvement compared to the pure PLA foam. Furthermore, at 1.5 wt% HNA concentration, the tensile strength and tensile toughness of PLA blend foams demonstrated remarkable improvements of 136% and 463%, respectively. Additionally, the Vicat softening temperature of PLA blend foam increased significantly to 134.8 °C, whereas the pure PLA foam exhibited only about 59.7 °C. These findings underscore the potential for the preparation of lightweight injection-molded PLA foam with enhanced toughness and heat-resistance, which offers a viable approach for the production of high-performance PLA foams suitable for large-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to understand and meet the multi-dimensional affective image needs of users for product form in a user demand-oriented product development model. Multi-objective evolutionary algorithms based on decomposition will be introduced into the field of kansei engineering to carry out research on product form optimisation design based on multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. A constrained multi-objective discrete optimisation model was established using the kansei engineering prediction model constructed through machine learning techniques as the objective function, and a reference vector guided evolutionary algorithm was used to solve it. The superiority of this method was verified by comparing it with other commonly used solving methods in this field. Combining entropy weight method and TOPSIS, select the optimisation design scheme that best meets the multi-dimensional affective needs of users from the obtained pareto set. Taking the train as an example, the proposed method was explained. The results indicate that the optimisation scheme obtained by this method can achieve the improvement and optimisation of product form in multiple affective dimensions. Meanwhile, a comparative study on the applicability of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms in the form optimisation problem of different affective dimensions is carried out to provide reference and suggestions for subsequent product design research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new isochromenes, 1-(8-methoxy-3-methyl-1H-isochromen-6-yl)propan-1-one (1) and 3-hydroxy-1-(8- methoxy-3-methyl-1H-isochromen-7-yl)propan-1-one (2), along with five known ones, (3–7) were isolated from the fermentation products of a cigar tobacco-derived endophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against Pseudomonas syringae (the main pathogenic sources of tobacco angular spot disease). Compounds 1 and 2 showed activity with MIC50 values of 6.8 and 8.4 μg/mL, respectively, whereas the MIC50 value of the positive control (agricultural streptomycin) is 2.2 μg/mL. The efficiencies of 1 and 2 are lower than that of the positive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two new naphthoquinones, 6-isopropyl-7-methoxy-2-(2-oxopropyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione (1) and 7-hydroxy-6-isopropyl-2-(2-oxopropyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione (2), together with five known new naphthoquinones (3–7) were isolated from the cigar-tobacco-derived endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum. Their structures were determined by means of HR-ESI-MS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested for their anti-SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) activity. The results showed that compound 1 exhibited potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity with IC50 of 18.2 μM for the Delta strain and 24.6 μM for Omicron BA.1 strain, compound 2 also showed potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity with IC50 of 14.6 μM for the Delta strain and 18.0 μM for Omicron BA.1 strain, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between glaucoma and B vitamin dietary intake. A total of 5025 enrolled individuals participated in self-reported glaucoma questionnaire and 3264 participated in International Society Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) criteria. In self-reported glaucoma, the risk of having self-reported glaucoma was lower in the third quartile of vitamin B1 intake (odds ratio [odds ratio [OR] 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.97), and P trend (P trend = 0.004) for vitamin B12 was significant; in males, the third quartile of vitamin B1 intake (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24–0.83) and the fourth quartile of vitamin B2 intake (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17–0.89) were associated with a lower risk. In glaucoma based on ISGEO criteria, the increase of niacin intake (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89–0.99) was negatively associated with the odds of self-reported glaucoma. After sex-stratified analysis, the third quartile of vitamin B6 intake (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08–0.60) in males were associated with reduced odds of glaucoma. The restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a nonlinear association of vitamin B2 (p for nonlinearity = 0.04) and B9 (p for nonlinearity = 0.024) intake with glaucoma diagnosed by ISGEO criteria in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent mitochondria‐targeting photosensitizers (PSs) hold great potential for efficient image‐guided cancer phototherapy, but it remains challenging to develop PSs concurrently integrating high‐contrast NIR‐II fluorescence imaging and efficient therapeutic capabilities. Herein, a heptamethine cyanine (HCy) PS (termed I2HCy‐TPE nanoparticles (NPs)) by a molecular engineering strategy combining the heavy atom effect and structural distortion is reported. The heavy atom iodine is introduced to boost the intersystem crossing process, and the bulky tetraphenylethylene (TPE) moiety placed at the meso‐position of the heptamethine chain creates a highly distorted conformation in I2HCy‐TPE, theoretically verified by density functional theory calculations. This strategy synergistically promotes the 1O2 generation efficiency and assure the strong NIR fluorescence emission in aggregated states. Combining with the intrinsic mitochondria‐targeting capability, I2HCy‐TPE NPs are able to cause mitochondria‐targeted damage of cancer cells via the PDT and immunogenetic cell death‐triggered immune responses under NIR laser irradiation. In vivo experiments demonstrate that the biocompatible I2HCy‐TPE NPs present exceptional capability for in vivo NIR‐II fluorescence bioimaging of whole‐body and blood vessels, and exert efficient NIR‐II fluorescence‐guided photodynamic immunotherapy against triple‐negative breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether the return to level I sports, concomitant injuries, foot-related problems, and other factors would increase the risk of knee reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: This study used a prospective cohort study design. Online enrolment from August 2018 to January 2019 in ACL Community Indonesia recruited 148 patients who had undergone ACLR less than one month prior to injury. Knee injury occurrence after ACLR was diagnosed through a physical examination and positive MRI or arthroscopic findings. Results: During the study, 55 knee reinjuries occurred. The proportional hazards model analysis revealed that the risk of knee reinjury at 12 and 24 months for patients who returned to level I sports (hazards ratio (HR)=3.17 and HR=3.90, respectively) was significantly higher than that of the patients who did not return to sports and that the risk for those who returned to level II/III sports did not significantly increase at 12 or 24 months. Patients with concomitant meniscus injury had a significantly higher risk of knee reinjury at 12 and 24 months (HR=3.33 and HR=2.25, respectively) than those without, and the risk of knee reinjury for patients with concomitant posterior cruciate ligament injury was significantly higher at 12 months (HR=3.05) but not at 24 months. Fewer knee symptoms after ACLR were significantly associated with a lower risk of knee reinjury (HR=0.98) at 12 and 24 months. Conclusions: The return to level I sports, concomitant meniscus and posterior cruciate ligament injury, and knee symptoms after ACLR may increase the risk of knee reinjury for post-ACLR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enhanced communication in end-of-life care (EOL) improves preparation and treatment decisions for patients with advanced cancer, affecting their quality of life at the end of life. Question prompt list (QPL) has been shown to enhance physician–patient communication in patients with cancer, but there is a lack of systematic review and meta-analysis for those with advanced cancer. Enhanced communication in end-of-life care improves preparation and treatment decisions for patients with advanced cancer, affecting their quality of life at the end of life. Objective: To review the effectiveness of QPL intervention on physician–patient communication and health outcomes during consultation in patients with advanced cancer. Methods: CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases were undertaken using inclusion criteria for relevant articles up to August 2021. Pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. We used the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool and modified Jadad scale to assess the quality of the studies. Results: Seven RCTs with 1059 participants were included, of which six studies were eligible for the meta-analysis. The pooled meta-analysis results indicated that QPL in patients with advanced cancer had a significant positive effect on the total number of questions asked (SMD, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.28 to 1.18; I2 = 83%) and on the patients’ expectations for the future (SMD, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.08 to 1.25; I2 = 88%). There were no significant improvements in health-related outcomes such as end of life, anxiety, and quality of life. Conclusions: Using QPL in advanced cancer consultations boosts patient questions which helps communication but not health-related indicators. Optimal results depend on full reading, but timing varies. Future research should examine the relationship between communication and health outcomes, including patient/physician behavior and social context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sertoli cell (SC) proliferation plays an important role in sperm production and quality; however, the regulatory mechanism of SC proliferation is not well understood. This study investigated the role of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the regulation of immature boar SC activity. Cell counting kit-8, Seahorse XFe96, mitochondrial respiratory enzyme-related assay kits, and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect SC proliferative viability, oxygen consumption rate (OCR), mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity, and the ultrastructure of primary cultured SCs in vitro from the testes of 21-day-old boars. A dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to determine the miRNA-mRNA target interaction. Western blotting was used to analyze cell proliferation-related protein expression of p38, p21, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), Cyclin D3, and phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (Rb). Each experiment had a completely randomized design, with three replicates in each experiment. The results showed that the AMPK inhibitor (Compound C, 20 μM-24 h) increased cell proliferation viability, ATP production, and maximal respiration of SCs by 0.64-, 0.12-, and 0.08-fold (p < 0.05), respectively; increased the SC protein expression of PCNA, CDK4, Cyclin D3, and p-Rb by 0.13-, 0.09-, 0.88-, and 0.12-fold (p < 0.05), respectively; and decreased the SC protein expression of p38 and p21 by 0.36- and 0.27-fold (p < 0.05), respectively. The AMPK agonist AICAR (2 mM-6 h) significantly inhibited SC ultrastructure, OCR, mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity, and cell proliferation-related protein levels. AMPK was validated to be a target gene of miR-1285 based on the result in which the miR-1285 mimic inhibited the luciferase activity of wild-type AMPK by 0.54-fold (p < 0.001). MiR-1285 mimic promoted the OCR of SCs, with 0.45-, 0.15-, 0.21-, and 0.30-fold (p < 0.01) increases in ATP production, basal and maximal respiration, and spare capacity, respectively. MiR-1285 mimic increased the mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity of SCs, with 0.63-, 0.70-, and 0.97-fold (p < 0.01) increases in NADH-Q oxidoreductase, cytochrome c oxidase, and ATP synthase, respectively. Moreover, the miR-1285 mimic increased the protein expression of PCNA, CDK4, Cyclin D3, and p-Rb by 0.24-, 0.30-, 0.22-, and 0.13-fold (p < 0.05), respectively, and reduced the protein expression of p38 and p21 by 0.58- and 0.66-fold (p < 0.001). MiR-1285 inhibitor showed opposite effects on the above indicators and induced numerous autophagosomes and large lipid droplets in SCs. A high dose of estradiol (10 μM-6 h, showed a promotion of AMPK activation in a previous study) significantly inhibited SC ultrastructure, mitochondrial function, and proliferation-related pathways, while these adverse effects were weakened by Compound C treatment or miR-1285 mimic transfection. Our findings suggest that the activation and inhibition of AMPK induced by specific drugs or synthesized targeted miRNA fragments could regulate immature boar SC proliferative activity by influencing the CDK4/Cyclin D3 pathway and mitochondrial function; this helps to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of male sterility in clinical practice. • Compound C increases immature boar SC proliferative activity. • MiR-1285 mimic can target and inhibit AMPK. • AMPK inhibition increases SC mitochondrial function and CDK4/Cyclin D3 pathway. • AMPK activation damages SC ultrastructure. • AMPK inhibition reduces adverse effects of estradiol on SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Little is known about the efficacy and safety of exercise training on juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This study aims to investigate the effect of exercise on health, quality of life, and different exercise capacities in individuals with JIA. Method: A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was conducted from database inception to October, 2023. Included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the effects of exercise on JIA patients. Two independent reviewers assessed the literature quality using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were combined using random or fixed effects models. The level of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Result: Five RCTs met the inclusion criteria, containing 216 female participants and 90 males. The meta-analysis results showed that exercise had no significant effect on JIA patients based on the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) (SMD=-0.32, 95%CI: -0.83, 0.19; I2 = 73.2%, P = 0.011) and Quality of Life (QoL) (SMD = 0.27, 95%CI: -0.04, 0.58; I2 = 29.4%, P = 0.243) and no significant effect on peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). However, exercise significantly reduced visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores in JIA patients (SMD = 0.50, 95%CI: -0.90, -0.10; I2 = 50.2%, P = 0.134). The quality of evidence assessed by GRADE was moderate to very low. Conclusion: Exercise does not significantly affect the quality of life and exercise capacity in JIA patients but may relieve pain. More RCTs are needed in the future to explore the effects of exercise on JIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess the association of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the use of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) versus long‐acting insulins (LAIs), which are the two commonly prescribed injectable glucose‐lowering agents (GLAs) for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) after the failure of multiple oral GLAs. Methods: We emulated a target trial using the nationwide data of a Taiwanese cohort with T2D. Incident new users of GLP‐1RAs and LAIs during 2013–2018 were identified, and propensity score (PS) matching was applied to ensure between‐group comparability in baseline patient characteristics. The primary outcome was the composite liver disease including cirrhosis or HCC. Each patient was followed until the occurrence of a study outcome, death, or the end of 2019, whichever came first. Subdistribution hazard models were employed to assess the treatment‐outcome association. Sensitivity (e.g., stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, time‐dependent analysis), E‐value, and negative control outcome analyses were performed to examine the robustness of study findings. Results: We included 7171 PS‐matched pairs of GLP‐1RA and LAI users with no significant between‐group differences at baseline. Compared with LAIs, the use of GLP‐1RAs was associated with significantly reduced risks of composite liver disease (subdistribution hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.56 [0.42–0.76]), cirrhosis (0.59 [0.43–0.81]), and HCC (0.47 [0.24–0.93]). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses and among patients with different baseline characteristics. Conclusion: Among T2D patients who require injectable GLAs, the use of GLP‐1RAs versus LAIs was associated with lower risks of cirrhosis and HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study that analyzed the bacterial load in meconium and second-pass feces of newborn infants. The researchers used the spike-in plasmid method to obtain quantitative results and found that the abundance of bacteria in meconium samples was 1.14 x 10^7 copies/g, while in second-pass feces samples it was 1.59 x 10^9 copies/g. The mode of delivery was found to significantly influence the composition of gut bacteria in newborns within 72 hours. The study also examined the differences in microbial composition between infants born via C-section and eutocia. The findings contribute to our understanding of the early colonization of the gut microbiota in infants. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Poor functional status relating to heart failure (HF) negatively affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Patients with HF, especially those with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV HF, often exhibit poor HRQOL because of physical limitations and HF-related symptoms. Although sense of coherence (SOC) has been reported to be a determinant of HRQOL, its role as a mediator between functional status and HRQOL remains unclear, and few studies have explored the prevalence of HF in patients in NYHA Classes I and II. Purpose: This study was designed to investigate SOC as a mediator between different functional status classes and HRQOL in patients with HF. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with HF recruited from a hospital in northern Taiwan from April 2020 to September 2020. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire and a questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics; functional classification in terms of NYHA Classes I, II, and III; and SOC were administered. The PROCESS v3.5 (by Andrew F. Hayes) macro was applied to analyze the effects, and Model 4 was used to examine the mediating role of SOC on the relationship between NYHA functional class and HRQOL. Results: Of the 295 participants, SOC was found to mediate the effects of functional status on HRQOL more significantly in patients in Class II than those in Class III but not more significantly in patients in Class I than those in Class III. A weaker mediating effect of SOC was noted on the relationship between functional status and HRQOL in patients with HF in NYHA Class II than those in Class III. Conclusions: In patients with HF, poor functional status often reduces HRQOL significantly. SOC mediates the relationship between functional status and HRQOL more significantly in those in NYHA Class II than those in Class III. Nursing staff should work to increase patients' SOC by strengthening their coping capacity and improving their functional status to improve their HRQOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies utilizing the discrepancy model of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4) have commonly used the cognitive and physical domains to estimate self-awareness. This study included other aspects of self-awareness such as awareness of one's social and emotional status and daily functioning to explore their effects on caregiver burden for ABI survivors. We studied 64 patient-caregiver pairs up to 29 years post-discharge from a holistic, milieu-oriented outpatient neurorehabilitation program. Discrepancy scores between ABI survivors' and caregivers' reports on the MPAI-4 subscales (i.e. Abilities, Adjustment, and Participation) and Total Score were used to determine self-awareness. Caregiver burden was measured using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Exploratory linear regression analyses revealed that caregiver burden derived from the ZBI was predicted by the discrepancy scores generated from the Abilities (p < 0.0001), Adjustment (p < 0.01), Participation subscales (p = 0.01), and Total Score (p < 0.001), respectively. Among the exploratory models generated, the Total Score model had the highest predictive value (R2 =.33) for caregiver burden. Measures of self-awareness should be comprehensive by considering diverse components of self-awareness. Increasing ABI survivors' self-awareness in different domains has the potential to effectively alleviate caregiver burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV or MCPyV) is an alphapolyomavirus causing human Merkel cell carcinoma and encodes four tumor (T) antigen proteins: large T (LT), small tumor (sT), 57 kT, and middle T (MT)/alternate LT open reading frame proteins. We show that MCV MT is generated as multiple isoforms through internal methionine translational initiation that insert into membrane lipid rafts. The membrane-localized MCV MT oligomerizes and promiscuously binds to lipid raft-associated Src family kinases (SFKs). MCV MT-SFK interaction is mediated by a Src homology (SH) 3 recognition motif as determined by surface plasmon resonance, coimmunoprecipitation, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. SFK recruitment by MT leads to tyrosine phosphorylation at a SH2 recognition motif (pMTY114), allowing interaction with phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLCγ1). The secondary recruitment of PLCγ1 to the SFK-MT membrane complex promotes PLCγ1 tyrosine phosphorylation on Y783 and activates the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Mutations at either the MCV MT SH2 or SH3 recognition sites abrogate PLCγ1-dependent activation of NF-κB signaling and increase viral replication after MCV genome transfection into 293 cells. These findings reveal a conserved viral targeting of the SFK-PLCγ1 pathway by both MCV and murine polyomavirus (MuPyV) MT proteins. The molecular steps in how SFK-PLCγ1 activation is achieved, however, differ between these two viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical approaches are useful for studying the electronic and spin structure of materials. Here, based on the tight-binding model and linear response theory, we investigate the magneto-optical Kerr and Faraday effects in two-dimensional second-order topological insulators (SOTI) with external magnetization. We find that orbital-dependent Zeeman term induces band crossings for SOTI phase, which are absent for trivial phase. In the weak-magnetization regime, these crossings give rise to giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity) for SOTI phase. In the strong-magnetization regime, we find that two nearly flat bands are formed at the high-symmetry point of Brillouin zone of SOTI phase. These flat bands give rise to two successive giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity). These phenomena provide new possibilities to characterize and detect the two-dimensional SOTI phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although significant progress in the development of functional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as effective porous adsorbents for capturing radioactive iodine has been achieved, a systematic study on regulating the iodine adsorption performance of COFs by tuning the proportion of monomers is extremely scarce. Herein, a series of two- and three-component β-ketoenamine-linked COFs denoted as NH2-ThX-Mth1−X-Tfp (X = 1, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, and 0) with different contents of free amino groups have been synthesized by tuning the proportion of three monomers, 2-aminoterephthalohydrazide (NH2-Th), 2,5-bis(2-methylbutoxy) dihydrazide terephthalate (Mth) and 1,3,5-trihydroxy phloroglycerol (Tfp). Then, these NH2-ThX-Mth1−X-Tfp COFs have been utilized as adsorbents for iodine vapour capture. Apparently, owing to the change of the proportion of monomers, the content of amino groups, crystallinity and the specific surface area of the obtained COFs are different, which have remarkable regulation effects on their adsorption performances toward iodine vapour. With the decrease of the content of NH2-Th, the crystallinity and specific surface area of COFs increased gradually. And the adsorption capacities of five NH2-ThX-Mth1−X-Tfp COF materials (X = 1, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, and 0) were determined to be 1.21, 1.32, 1.55, 2.30 and 1.73 g g−1, respectively. Significantly, the NH2-Th0.25-Mth0.75-Tfp COF containing 25% NH2-Th exhibited the largest adsorption capacity for iodine vapour among the five as-synthesized COFs, and still maintained 70% adsorption capacity after six cycles. Moreover, the iodine adsorption kinetics of NH2-ThX-Mth1−X-Tfp COFs (X = 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75) were consistent with the pseudo-second-order simulations, while that of the NH2-Th-Tfp COF fitted better with the pseudo-first-order simulations. This study uncovered that regulating the COF structures by tuning the proportion of monomers could greatly improve their iodine adsorption performances, which provided a reference for the design and development of new high-performance COF-based absorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] An abundance of early warning graphene-based nano-materials and sensors have been developed to avoid and prevent the critical fire risk of combustible materials. However, there are still some limitations that should be addressed, such as the black color, high-cost and single fire warning response of graphene-based fire warning materials. Herein, we report an unexpected montmorillonite (MMT)-based intelligent fire warning materials that have excellent fire cyclic warning performance and reliable flame retardancy. Combining phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) molecules, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) nanofiber (PBONF), and layers of MMT to form a silane crosslinked 3D nanonetwork system, the homologous PTES decorated MMT-PBONF nanocomposites are designed and fabricated via a sol–gel process and low temperature self-assembly method. The optimized nanocomposite paper shows good mechanical flexibility (good recovery after kneading or bending process), high tensile strength of ∼81 MPa and good water resistance. Furthermore, the nanocomposite paper exhibits high-temperature flame resistance (almost unchanged structure and size after 120 s combustion), sensitive flame alarm response (∼0.3 s response once exposure onto a flame), cyclic fire warning performance (>40 cycles), and adaptability to complex fire situations (several fire attack and evacuation scenarios), showing promising applications for monitoring the critical fire risk of combustible materials. Therefore, this work paves a rational way for design and fabrication of MMT-based smart fire warning materials that combine excellent flame shielding and sensitive fire alarm functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People with dementia often experience behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), which are a major cause of caregiver burden and institutionalization. Therefore, we conducted a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of blue-enriched light therapy for BPSD in institutionalized older adults with dementia. Methods: Participants were enrolled and randomly allocated into blue-enriched light therapy (N = 30) or the conventional light group (N = 30) for 60 min in 10 weeks with five sessions per week. The primary outcome was sleep quality measured by actigraphy and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The secondary outcome was overall BPSD severity (Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory [CMAI] and Neuropsychiatric Inventory [NPI-NH]). The outcome indicators were assessed at baseline, mid-test, immediate posttest, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. The effects of the blue-enriched light therapy were examined by the generalized estimating equation model. Results: Blue-enriched light therapy revealed significant differences in the objective sleep parameters (sleep efficiency: β = 5.81, Waldχ2 = 32.60, CI: 3.82; 7.80; sleep latency: β = −19.82, Waldχ2 = 38.38, CI:−26.09; −13.55), subjective sleep quality (PSQI: β = −2.07, Waldχ2 = 45.94, CI: −2.66; −1.47), and overall BPSD severity (CMAI: β = −0.90, Waldχ2 = 14.38, CI: −1.37; −0.44) (NPI-NH: β = −1.67, Waldχ2 = 30.61, CI: −2.26; −1.08) compared to conventional phototherapy immediate posttest, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. Furthermore, the effects for sleep efficiency and sleep latency lasted for up to 6 months. In the subscale analysis, the differences of the behavioral symptoms changed significantly between the groups in physical/nonaggressive (CI: −1.01; −0.26) and verbal/nonaggressive (CI: −0.97; −0.29). Conclusions: Blue-enriched light therapy is a feasible low-cost intervention that could be integrated as a comprehensive therapy program for BPSD among older adults with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM), a prevalent and malignant brain tumor, poses a challenge in surgical resection due to its invasive nature within the brain parenchyma. CDKN1A (p21, Waf-1), a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, plays a pivotal role in regulating cell growth arrest, terminal differentiation, and apoptosis. The existence of natural variants of CDKN1A has been associated with specific cancer types. In this retrospective study, our objective was to identify polymorphic variants of CDKN1A, specifically c.93C > A (codon 31 Ser31Arg), and investigate its potential impact within the scope of bevacizumab therapy for glioblastoma multiforme. This study involved a cohort of 139 unrelated adult Chinese GBM patients in Taiwan. Genomic DNA extracted from tumor samples was utilized for genotyping using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR–RFLP analysis). Through unconditional logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Our findings unveiled that among these GBM patients, the distribution of codon 31 polymorphisms was as follows: 23.02% were Serine homozygotes (Ser/Ser), 27.34% were Arginine homozygotes (Arg/Arg), and 49.64% were Serine/Arginine heterozygotes (Ser/Arg). While CDKN1A c.93C > A polymorphisms did not exhibit a direct association with overall survival in GBM patients, noteworthy survival benefits emerged among individuals with Arg/Arg and Arg/Ser genotypes who received combined concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and bevacizumab treatment compared to those who underwent CCRT alone. Our findings indicate a significant involvement of the CDKN1A c.93C > A polymorphism in the development and onset of GBM, offering potential implications for the early prognostication of bevacizumab therapy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that 1.95% and 5.55% of adults in China suffer from subclinical thyroid diseases, which is difficult to diagnose and treat. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the development and prognosis of subclinical thyroid diseases to provide a reference from our single center experience. METHODS: A total of 240 cases from April 2019 to August 2021 in the laboratory information system database of Huanghua Development Boai Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Binary logistic regression was conducted to analyze odds ratio (OR) of subclinical thyroid disease types returning to a normal state. RESULTS: Among the patients hypothyroidism Ia and hyperthyroidism Ia were the most common type with conversion to the normal state (P < 0.001). TSH level of patients with conversion to a normal state was significantly lower than that of those who developed to abnormal disease (P = 0.015). The OR values of hyperthyroidism Ia and hypothyroidism Ia that returned to a normal state compared with hyperthyroidism Ib were 2.659 (1.159 ∼ 6.096, P = 0.021) and 3.138 (1.1.278 ∼ 7.709, P = 0.013), respectively. The OR value of hypothyroidism Ib that returned to normal compared with hyperthyroidism Ib was 0.629 (0.131 ∼ 3.010, P = 0.561). Thyroid hormone levels, age, and gender at first diagnosis were not impact factor for prognosis of subclincal thyroid disease (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cases with grade hypothyroidism Ia and hyperthyroidism Ia are more likely to revert to normal state than other subclinical thyroid diseases. TSH reference range should be explored for diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Epidemiological evidence on the relationship between exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), both single and mixed, and serum lipid levels is limited, and their relationship remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the associations of exposure to VOCs with serum lipid levels in the US adult population. Methods and results: The study examined the association of 16 VOC levels (2-methylhippuric acid, 3- and 4-methylhippuric acid, N-acetyl-S-(2-carbamoylethyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)-L-cysteine, 2-aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid, N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(n-propyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(2-carboxyethyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(3,4-dihydroxybutyl)-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine. N-Acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine, mandelic acid, N-acetyl-S-(4-hydroxy-2-butenyl)-L-cysteine, phenylglyoxylic acid and N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)-L-cysteine) with total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2011 and 2015, and a total of 1410 adults were enrolled. The association was evaluated by Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), multiple linear regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. In BKMR analysis, exposure to VOCs is positively correlated with levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C. However, statistical significance was observed only for the impact on TG. Our linear regression analysis and WQS regression generally support the BKMR results. Several VOCs were positively associated with serum lipid profiles (e.g., the ln-transformed level of mandelic acid (MA) displayed an increase in estimated changes of 7.01 (95% CIs: 2.78, 11.24) mg/dL for TC level), even after the effective number of tests for multiple testing (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Exposure to VOCs was associated with serum lipids, and more studies are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical approaches are useful for studying the electronic and spin structure of materials. Here, based on the tight-binding model and linear response theory, we investigate the magneto-optical Kerr and Faraday effects in two-dimensional second-order topological insulators (SOTI) with external magnetization. We find that orbital-dependent Zeeman term induces band crossings for SOTI phase, which are absent for trivial phase. In the weak-magnetization regime, these crossings give rise to giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity) for SOTI phase. In the strong-magnetization regime, we find that two nearly flat bands are formed at the high-symmetry point of Brillouin zone of SOTI phase. These flat bands give rise to two successive giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity). These phenomena provide new possibilities to characterize and detect the two-dimensional SOTI phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal sulfides/selenides have been reported as promising materials for alkali‐ion batteries owing to their high pseudocapacitive effects and large capacities. However, these materials undergo large volume expansion, which results in poor cycling retention. Hence, in this study, an amorphous bimetallic chalcogenide, MoSnSe1.5S1.5 (MSSS), is synthesized to mitigate the volume expansion. By introducing an amorphous structure, MSSS can reach high capacities of 805 mAh g‒1 in Li‐ion batteries (LIBs) and 526 mAh g‒1 in Na‐ion batteries (NIBs) at a current density of 0.1 A g‒1. Moreover, amorphous MSSS can tolerate a high current density of 20 A g‒1 and possess high percentages of capacitance contributions in both LIBs and NIBs. To explore fundamentals, in situ/operando measurements, such as X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission X‐ray microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, are utilized to investigate real‐time phenomena and consequently establish the reaction mechanisms for amorphous MSSS electrodes in alkali‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel Bonwill⁃Hawley method (Bonwill⁃Hawley arch form based on CBCT image) for the assessment of dental crowding, and to investigate and compare the accuracy and eligibility with the conventional brass wire and caliper methods under different crowding conditions. Material and methods: Sixty patients with the pair of plaster casts and CBCT data were collected. All the casts were marked and transformed into digital models using iTero scanner, and imported into OrthoCAD software to measure the required space. Using the conventional brass wire (M1) and caliper methods (M2), the available space and dental crowding were measured and calculated basing on digital models, respectively. Correspondingly, the axial planes in the level of dental arches were oriented and captured from the CBCT images to draw the Bonwill⁃Hawley arch forms (M3), which were used to measure and calculate the available space and dental crowding. For each method, intra and inter-examiner reliabilities were evaluated with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Wilcoxon test and Kruskal–Wallis test were performed for statistically analyzing the discrepancy among different groups. Results: Both intra- and inter-examiner reliability were generally excellent for all parameters obtained by the three methods, except for the dental crowding measured using M1(ICC: 0.473/0.261). The dental crowding measured using M2 were significantly increased in mild, moderate and severe-crowding groups compared with M1. However, no significant difference was detected between M1 and M3 in severe-crowding group (maxilla, p = 0.108 > 0.05; mandible, p = 0.074 > 0.05). With the deterioration of crowding condition, the discrepancy of dental crowding between M1 and M2, or M1 and M3 were significantly decreased (maxilla, M2-M1, mild VS serve, p = 0.003 < 0.05; maxilla, M3-M1, mild VS serve, p = 0.003 < 0.05; mandible, M2-M1, mild VS serve, p = 0.000 < 0.001; mandible, M3-M1, mild VS serve, p = 0.043 < 0.05). Conclusion: Dental crowding measured using the novel Bonwill⁃Hawley method was relatively greater than the caliper method, but not exceeding the brass wire method, which wound gradually come close to the brass wire method with the deterioration of crowding condition. Clinical relevance: The Bonwill⁃Hawley method basing on CBCT image proved to be a reliable and acceptable choice for orthodontists to analyze the dental crowding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major purposes of this study is to investigate the potential impact of gender and information and computer technology (ICT) resources on students' computational thinking (CT) competencies. To this end, the Computational Thinking Test for Junior High Students (CTT-JH) was developed and validated. Research participants included 437 junior high school students in Taiwan. The surveyed schools were categorized into more or fewer ICT resources. Then, discrimination analyses and Rasch modeling for item analyses and two-way ANOVA were conducted. Results showed that the final version of CTT-JH is of good item quality. Students in schools with more ICT resources had higher CT test mean scores regardless of gender. Nevertheless, at schools with limited resources, male students had significantly lower CT test mean scores than female students did. This study provides new insights into how gender and ICT resources can interact with and impact on students' CT competencies. It also provides a valid and reliable tool for assessing young adolescents' CT abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating evidence shows that high expression of casein kinase 2 (CK2) and phosphorylated acetyl CoA carboxylase (pACC) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) correlates with decreased survival rates. Computational analysis has shown that ACC is a potential substrate for CK2, and its inhibition can suppress ACC phosphorylation in vitro. CX-4945, also known as silmitasertib, is an orally administered, highly specific, ATP-competitive inhibitor of CK2 and is under clinical investigation as a treatment for malignancies. We hypothesize that inhibition of CK2 by CX-4945 can reduce CK2-downstream phosphorylation of ACC as a therapeutic strategy against SCCHN.Methods: Three aggressive SCCHN cell lines (OSC-19, FaDu and HN31) were cultured to investigate the anticancer mechanism of the CK2 inhibitor, CX-4945. Cell cycle analysis, Annexin V/PI staining, and cleavage of PARP were performed to detect apoptosis. Western blot, electron microscopy and analysis of acidic vesicular organelle development were used to detect autophagy. Interference with cellular metabolism by CX-4945 treatment was determined by Seahorse XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer and mass spectrometry.Results: Cellular metabolism was impeded by CX-4945 in aggressive SCCHN cells by Seahorse XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer and mass spectrometry, and consequently time- and dose-dependent lipid droplet accumulation and non-apoptotic cell death were observed. The lipogenic enzyme ACC was demonstrated to be associated with CK2, and its repressive phosphorylation could be removed by the CK2 inhibitor CX-4945. Overexpression of ACC resulted in impaired cell survival following transient transfection.Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that CK2 inhibition impairs normal cellular energy metabolism and may be an attractive therapy for treating aggressive SCCHN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We often experience dreams of strong irrational and negative emotional contents with postural muscle paralysis during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but how REM sleep is generated and its function remain unclear. In this study, we investigate whether the dorsal pontine sub‐laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (SLD) is necessary and sufficient for REM sleep and whether REM sleep elimination alters fear memory. Methods: To investigate whether activation of SLD neurons is sufficient for REM sleep induction, we expressed channelrhodopsin‐2 (ChR2) in SLD neurons by bilaterally injecting AAV1‐hSyn‐ChR2‐YFP in rats. We next selectively ablated either glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons from the SLD in mice in order to identify the neuronal subset crucial for REM sleep. We finally investigated the role of REM sleep in consolidation of fear memory using rat model with complete SLD lesions. Results: We demonstrate the sufficiency of the SLD for REM sleep by showing that photo‐activation of ChR2 transfected SLD neurons selectively promotes transitions from non‐REM (NREM) sleep to REM sleep in rats. Diphtheria toxin‐A (DTA) induced lesions of the SLD in rats or specific deletion of SLD glutamatergic neurons but not GABAergic neurons in mice completely abolish REM sleep, demonstrating the necessity of SLD glutamatergic neurons for REM sleep. We then show that REM sleep elimination by SLD lesions in rats significantly enhances contextual and cued fear memory consolidation by 2.5 and 1.0 folds, respectively, for at least 9 months. Conversely, fear conditioning and fear memory trigger doubled amounts of REM sleep in the following night, and chemo‐activation of SLD neurons projecting to the medial septum (MS) selectively enhances hippocampal theta activity in REM sleep; this stimulation immediately after fear acquisition reduces contextual and cued fear memory consolidation by 60% and 30%, respectively. Conclusion: SLD glutamatergic neurons generate REM sleep and REM sleep and SLD via the hippocampus particularly down‐regulate contextual fear memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leptotrombidium scutellare is one of the six main vectors of scrub typhus in China and is a putative vector of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). This mite constitutes a large portion of the chigger mite community in southwest China. Although empirical data on its distribution are available for several investigated sites, knowledge of the species' association with human well-being and involvement in the prevalence of mite-borne diseases remains scarce. Methods: Occurrence data on the chigger mite were obtained from 21 years (2001–2021) of field sampling. Using boosted regression tree (BRT) ecological models based on climate, land cover and elevation variables, we predicted the environmental suitability for L. scutellare in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces. The potential distribution range and shifts in the study area for near-current and future scenarios were mapped and the scale of L. scutellare interacting with human activities was evaluated. We tested the explanatory power of the occurrence probability of L. scutellare on incidences of mite-borne diseases. Results: Elevation and climate factors were the most important factors contributing to the prediction of the occurrence pattern of L. scutellare. The most suitable habitats for this mite species were mainly concentrated around high-elevation areas, with predictions for the future showing a trend towards a reduction. Human activity was negatively correlated with the environmental suitability of L. scutellare. The occurrence probability of L. scutellare in Yunnan Province had a strong explanatory power on the epidemic pattern of HFRS but not scrub typhus. Conclusions: Our results emphasize the exposure risks introduced by L. scutellare in the high-elevation areas of southwest China. Climate change may lead to a range contraction of this species towards areas of higher elevation and lessen the associated exposure risk. A comprehensive understanding of the transmission risk requires more surveillance efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, the double-diffusive convection (or the DDC) generated through the interaction between horizontal temperature and concentration gradients had been investigated by both experimental and computational studies. In the present study, we employ a theoretical approach by performing linear stability analysis to examine the stability characteristics of the DDC under a wide range of physical parameters. Results show that, under the competition between the two gradients, the stability can be discerned into thermal, salt-finger, and diffusive types, where all are influenced by both the Prandtl number Pr and Lewis number Le. The onset of instability can be the stationary shear mode (or the SSM) or the oscillatory buoyant mode (or the OBM), depending on both Pr and Le. Specifically, for the solute Grashof number Gs < 10, the onset of instability changes from SSM to OBM at the transition boundary Pr = 12.5; for the thermal Grashof number Gt < 10, the transition boundary is governed by the relation Pr = 12.5Le−1.11 + 0.46. We compare the present results with those of previous studies to justify the linear stability analysis's correctness and infer that the DDCs observed by previous experiments and nonlinear computations are nonlinear salt-finger convection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linalool is an aromatic oil with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-UVB-induced skin damage effects. The aim of this study was to develop a linalool-loaded microemulsion formulation for topical application. In order to quickly obtain an optimal drug-loaded formulation, statistical tools of the response surface methodology and a mixed experimental design with four independent variables of oil (X1), mixed surfactant (X2), cosurfactant (X3) and water (X4) were used to design a series of model formulations in order to analyze the effect of the composition on the characteristics and permeation capacity of linalool-loaded microemulsion formulations and to obtain an appropriate drug-loaded formulation. The results showed that the droplet size, viscosity and penetration capacity of linalool-loaded formulations were significantly affected by formulation component proportions. The skin deposition amount of the drug and flux of such formulations expressively increased about 6.1-fold and 6.5-fold, respectively, when compared to the control group (5% linalool dissolved in ethanol). After 3 months of storage, the physicochemical characteristics and drug level did not show a significant change. The linalool formulation-treated rat skin showed non-significant irritation compared to skin treatments in the distilled-water-treated group. The results showed that specific microemulsion applications might be considered as potential drug delivery carriers for essential oil topical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the various concentrations of AuNP (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 ppm) were prepared to investigate the biocompatibility, biological performances and cell uptake efficiency via Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells and rat model. The pure AuNP, AuNP combined with Col (AuNP-Col) and FITC conjugated AuNP-Col (AuNP-Col-FITC) were characterized by Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) assays. For in vitro examinations, we explored whether the Wharton's jelly MSCs had better viability, higher CXCR4 expression, greater migration distance and lower apoptotic-related proteins expression with AuNP 1.25 and 2.5 ppm treatments. Furthermore, we considered whether the treatments of 1.25 and 2.5 ppm AuNP could induce the CXCR4 knocked down Wharton's jelly MSCs to express CXCR4 and reduce the expression level of apoptotic proteins. We also treated the Wharton's jelly MSCs with AuNP-Col to investigate the intracellular uptake mechanisms. The evidence demonstrated the cells uptake AuNP-Col through clathrin-mediated endocytosis and the vacuolar-type H+-ATPase pathway with good stability inside the cells to avoid lysosomal degradation as well as better uptake efficiency. Additionally, the results from in vivo examinations elucidated the 2.5 ppm of AuNP attenuated foreign body responses and had better retention efficacy with tissue integrity in animal model. In conclusion, the evidence demonstrates that AuNP shows promise as a biosafe nanodrug delivery system for development of regenerative medicine coupled with Wharton's jelly MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The clinical presentations of essential thrombocythemia (ET) may be quite similar to early/prefibrotic primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), especially in pre-PMF presenting with thrombocytosis (pre–PMF-T), but may be associated with a different outcome. It is very important to distinguish these two entities. The aim of this study was to address the clinical and prognostic relevance of distinguishing pre–PMF-T from ET. Methods All patients, including 258 with ET and 105 with pre–PMF-T, received JAK2 V617F, MPL (exon 10), and CALR (exon 9) mutation analysis and allele burden measurement for JAK2 V617F and CALR mutants. Results Patients with pre–PMF-T had an older age and higher leukocyte and platelet counts but lower hemoglobin levels than patients with ET. Patients with pre–PMF-T had a shorter overall, leukemia-free, and thrombosis-free survival compared with patients with ET. Patients with ET had a higher rate of cerebral ischemic stroke, whereas patients with pre–PMF-T tended to have splanchnic vein thrombosis. The frequencies of JAK2 V617F, CALR , and MPL mutations and CALR allele burden were no different, but JAK2 V617F allele burden was significantly higher in pre–PMF-T. Patients with pre–PMF-T with the JAK2 V617F mutation had an inferior overall survival and thrombosis-free survival, whereas the status of driver gene mutations did not influence the outcomes of patients with ET. Conclusions ET and pre–PMF-T were two distinct disease entities and exhibited different clinical phenotype, genotype, and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is characterized by the presence of reactive microglia. However, its precise involvement in stroke etiology is still unknown. We used metabolic profiling and showed that chemokine like factor 1 (CKLF1) causes acute microglial inflammation and metabolic reprogramming from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, which was reliant on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)–mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)–hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) signaling pathway. Once activated, microglia enter a chronic tolerant state as a result of widespread energy metabolism abnormalities, which reduces immunological responses, including cytokine release and phagocytosis. Metabolically dysfunctional microglia were also found in mice using genome-wide RNA sequencing after chronic administration of CKLF1, and there was a decrease in the inflammatory response. Finally, we showed that the loss of CKLF1 reversed the defective immune response of microglia, as indicated by the maintenance its phagocytosis to neutrophils, thereby mitigating the long-term outcomes of ischemic stroke. Overall, CKLF1 plays a crucial role in the relationship between microglial metabolic status and immune function in stroke, which prepares a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research has shown that students’ epistemic beliefs can be a strong predictor of their academic performance, cognitive abilities, or self-efficacy, studies of this topic in computer education are rare. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it aimed to validate a newly developed questionnaire for measuring students’ epistemic beliefs about computer programming at middle school level. Second, the study aimed to understand how students’ epistemic beliefs predict their computational thinking disposition and computer programming self-efficacy. A total of 406 middle school students completed a survey consisting of three research instruments: the Computer Programming Epistemic Belief Inventory (CPEBI), the Computational Thinking Scale (CTS), and the Computer Programming Self-Efficacy Scale (CPSES). The results indicated that the epistemic belief of “uncertainty” was a significant and positive predictor of the “abstraction” and “generalization” dimensions of computational thinking dispositions. In addition, the belief of “complexity” was an antecedent to three dimensions of computational thinking, namely, “algorithmic thinking,” “evaluation,” and “generalization.” Only the “evaluation” dimension of CT disposition had significant and positive relationships with “programming self-efficacy.” The roles of “uncertainty” and “complexity” of computer programming epistemic beliefs are discussed. Implications and suggestions for future computer programming education, especially for young students, are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Red-tail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides) is an important commercially farmed catfish in southern China. Males of red-tail catfish grow faster than females, suggesting that all-male catfish will produce more significant economic benefits in aquaculture practice. However, little research has been reported on sex determination and gonadal development in red-tail catfish. Results: In this study, we performed the first transcriptomic analysis of male and female gonads at four developmental stages at 10, 18, 30, and 48 days post hatching (dph) using RNA-seq technology. A total of 23,588 genes were screened in 24 sequenced samples, of which 28, 213, 636, and 1381 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at four developmental stages, respectively. Seven candidate genes of sex determination and differentiation were further identified. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) further confirmed that anti-Mullerian hormone (amh), growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a), testis-specific gene antigen 10 (tsga10), and cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A (cyp17a) were highly expressed mainly in the male, while cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A polypeptide 1b (cyp19a1b), forkhead box L2 (foxl2), and hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 1 (hsd17b1) were highly expressed in the female. The KEGG pathway enrichment data showed that these identified DEGs were mainly involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis and TGF-β signaling pathways. Conclusions: Based on RNA-seq data of gonads at the early developmental stages, seven DEGs shared by the four developmental stages were identified, among which amh and gdf6a may be the male-biased expression genes, while foxl2, cyp19a1b and hsd17b1 may be the female-biased expression genes in red-tail catfish. Our study will provide crucial genetic information for the research on sex control in red-tail catfish, as well as for exploring the evolutionary processes of sex determination mechanisms in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensional rheology of a variety of linear and branched polymer melts is investigated using entry flow measurements and 15:1 axisymmetric contraction flow simulations. Using a Cogswell model analysis, we show that log−log plots of entrance pressure drop versus wall shear stress display three distinct power-law regimes, the intermediate one of which is observed beyond a critical stress associated with the onset of chain stretching effects. Our observations suggest that this stress threshold is a chain architecture-dependent property characteristic of entangled polymers. Converging flow methods are used to analyze the excess pressure losses to predict the uniaxial extensional viscosity. As the temperature is increased, the progressive shift of the kink to higher strain rates seen in the flow curves can be captured by a proposed Trouton ratio model, where the characteristic time of the fluid is assumed to follow the empirical William–Landel–Ferry (WLF) equation. Experimental pressure drops in converging flows for Weissenberg numbers up to about 105 are used to evaluate predictions of an extended generalized Newtonian fluid (GNF-X) model, where a weighted viscosity for mixed flows has recently been derived and a weighting function classifies flows intermediate between shear and shearfree flows. Judging from its success in predicting the nonlinear extensional response of both linear and branched polymers, as well as its ability to differentiate the respective flow patterns, the GNF-X model should be useful for simulations of commercial polymer processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the kidneys and constitutes about 90% of all renal malignancies.[1] Renal cell carcinoma has an abundant blood supply and is thought to spread by lymphatic, hematogenous, and transcoelomic metastasis, or through direct invasion. Renal cell carcinoma is mostly diagnosed at an advanced stage, with a median survival time of only 6-12 months.[3] Gastric metastasis of renal cell carcinoma is extremely rare. A metastatic clear cell adenocarcinoma of renal origin was considered, which showed the same cellular subtype as her previous clear cell renal cell carcinoma (Figure 3). [Extracted from the article]

The article presents a study that explores the solar-powered multi-organism symbiont mimic system for beyond natural synthesis of polypeptides from carbon-dioxide (CO2) and Nitrogen (N2) as carbon and nitrogen sources based on enhanced direct interspecific substance and electron transfer (DISET) through conducting polymers. It mentions the importance of achieving the carbon neutrality.

The emotion analysis of hotel online reviews is discussed by using the neural network model BERT, which proves that this method can not only help hotel network platforms fully understand customer needs but also help customers find suitable hotels according to their needs and affordability and help hotel recommendations be more intelligent. Therefore, using the pretraining BERT model, a number of emotion analytical experiments were carried out through fine-tuning, and a model with high classification accuracy was obtained by frequently adjusting the parameters during the experiment. The BERT layer was taken as a word vector layer, and the input text sequence was used as the input to the BERT layer for vector transformation. The output vectors of BERT passed through the corresponding neural network and were then classified by the softmax activation function. ERNIE is an enhancement of the BERT layer. Both models can lead to good classification results, but the latter performs better. ERNIE exhibits stronger classification and stability than BERT, which provides a promising research direction for the field of tourism and hotels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-adjuvanting protein vaccines have been proved to be highly immunogenic with efficient codelivery of adjuvant and antigen. Current protein vaccines with built-in adjuvants are all modified at the peptide backbone of antigen protein, which could not achieve minor epitope interference and adjuvant multivalency at the same time. Herein, we developed a new conjugate strategy to construct effective adjuvant-protein vaccine with adjuvant cluster effect and minimal epitope interference. The toll-like receptor 7 agonist (TLR7a) is covalently conjugated on the terminal sialoglycans of SARS-CoV-2-S1 protein, leading to intracellular release of the small-molecule stimulators with greatly reduced risks of systemic toxicity. The resulting TLR7a-S1 conjugate elicited strong activation of immune cells in vitro , and potent antibody and cellular responses with a significantly enhanced Th1-bias in vivo. TLR7a-S1-induced antibody also effectively cross-neutralized all variants of concern. This sialoglycoconjugation approach to construct protein conjugate vaccines will have more applications to combat SARS-CoV-2 and other diseases. A new conjugating strategy was developed to construct effective self-adjuvanting protein vaccines through sialoglycoconjugation. The resulting adjuvant-glycoprotein conjugate (TLR7a-S1) induced effective anti-virus humoral and cellular immunity. [Display omitted] • TLR7a-S1 conjugate vaccine was developed by a novel sialoglycoconjugation approach. • Sialic acids on the glycoprotein were used as linkage sites for conjugating adjuvants onto antigens. • The conjugated TLR7a reduces potential toxicities by impeding its diffusion to the whole body. • TLR7a-S1 elicited potent antibody and cellular responses with a significantly enhanced Th1-bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To assess the concurrent validity between logbooks and a single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurement for patients with stroke. Agreement between caregivers and patients and between caregivers and physical therapists regarding a single‐item measurement was investigated, and its predictive validity was explored. Background: Adherence to therapy is a primary determinant of treatment success. There are no standard instruments for measuring rehabilitation adherence available for stroke patients. Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Methods: Seventy‐five patients with stroke were recruited, measured four times and followed for 6 months. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was used to ensure comprehensive reporting. Adherence was documented in logbooks, and single‐item measurements were compared. Predictive validity was explored by assessing associations between adherence levels, self‐care ability and health‐related quality of life. The Spearman's correlation coefficients, weighted kappa, and generalised estimating equations statistics were used to explore the concurrent validity, measurement agreement, and predictive validity, respectively. Results: Logbook records had a fair correlation (rs =.23, p =.04) with the single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements. There was moderate agreement (kappa = 0.42, p <.001) between caregiver and patient assessments and fair agreement (kappa = 0.29, p =.017) between caregiver and physical therapist assessments of patients' rehabilitation adherence levels. Perfect rehabilitation adherence, based on the logbook and single‐item measurements, predicted better scores for self‐care ability and quality of life than imperfect rehabilitation adherence during 6 months after inclusion. Conclusions: There was fair concurrent validity between logbooks and single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements and moderate and fair adherence measure agreement between caregivers and patients and caregivers and physical therapists, respectively. Logbooks and single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements had adequate predictive validity. Relevance to clinical practice: Single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurement is a workable and straightforward method to assess stroke patients' rehabilitation adherence in busy clinical care settings. Caregivers can represent stroke patients regarding their reported rehabilitation adherence. Patient or public contribution: Patients were diagnosed with stroke in the study hospital. Rehabilitation physicians transferred patients to a research nurse who then screened them for the inclusion criteria and invited them and their family caregivers to participate in this study if they met the requirements. We also recruited seven physical therapists responsible for the physical therapy of the study participants. After participants signed informed consent, the research nurse encouraged participants to respond to research questions face to face, including rehabilitation adherence data, daily physical function, and quality of life. Each participant was measured four times at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months after inclusion in this study. Physical therapists had to score their patients' rehabilitation adherence levels before discharge. Trial registration details: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sparc/osteonectin, cwcv, and kazal-like domains proteoglycan 1 (SPOCK1) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in certain cancer types; however, the role of SPOCK1 in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains elusive. Here, higher SPOCK1 transcript and protein levels were observed in ccRCC tissues compared to normal tissues and correlated with advanced clinical stages, larger tumor sizes, and lymph node and distal metastases. Knockdown and overexpression of SPOCK1 in ccRCC cells led to decreased and increased cell clonogenic and migratory/invasive abilities in vitro as well as lower and higher tumor growth and invasion in vivo, respectively. Mechanistically, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) database was used to identify the gene set of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways enriched in ccRCC samples with high SPOCK1 expression. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that SPOCK1 triggered the Snail/Slug–matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 axis to promote EMT and cell motility. Clinical ccRCC samples revealed SPOCK1 to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS), and positive correlations of SPOCK1 with MMP-2 and mesenchymal-related gene expression levels were found. We observed that patients with SPOCK1high/MMP2high tumors had the shortest OS times compared to others. In conclusion, our findings reveal that SPOCK1 can serve as a useful biomarker for predicting ccRCC progression and prognosis, and as a promising target for treating ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze alterations of the liver appearance during the hepatobiliary phase of individuals with type 2 diabetes who are receiving gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fifty-seven individuals who received Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and had normal liver and renal function but did not have (control group) or have type 2 diabetes (observation group) were retrospectively included in this study. The liver enhancement ratio (LER) and contrast between liver parenchyma and portal vein (LPC) were calculated from hepatobiliary phase images. Utilizing liver to kidney signal intensity, signs of the biliary system, and signs of the portal vein, a functional liver imaging score (FLIS) was calculated. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to assess the between-group differences in LER, LPC, and FLIS. FLIS constituent ratios between the two groups were tested using the χ2 test. The effectiveness of LER, LPC, and FLIS for identifying type 2 diabetes was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs). The interobserver consistency of FLIS was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficients. The observation group's LER and LPC were lower than the control group. The constituent ratio of the FLIS score (liver to kidney signal intensity, p = 0.011) showed a significant between-group difference. According to ROCs, LER and LPC were associated with the identification of type 2 diabetes. LER = 0.54 and LPC = 1.46 were the optimal cutoff for identifying type 2 diabetes, respectively. FLIS demonstrated excellent inter-reader agreement. The relative signal intensity of the liver during the hepatobiliary phase is decreased in patients with type 2 diabetes. This should be considered when individuals with type 2 diabetes undergo Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI to avoid misdiagnoses, such as small hepatocellular carcinoma or abnormal liver function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TGF-β superfamily signaling is indispensable for bone homeostasis. However, the global expression profiles of all the genes that make up this signaling module in bone and bone-related diseases have not yet been well characterized. Methods: Transcriptomic datasets from human bone marrows, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSCs of primary osteoporotic patients were used for expression profile analyses. Protein treatments, gene quantification, reporter assay and signaling dissection in MSC lines were used to clarify the interactive regulations and feedback mechanisms between TGF-β superfamily ligands and antagonists. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used for network construction. Results: We identified TGFB1 in the ligand group that carries out SMAD2/3 signaling and BMP8A, BMP8B and BMP2 in the ligand group that conducts SMAD1/5/8 signaling have relatively high expression levels in normal bone marrows and MSCs. Among 16 antagonist genes, the dominantly expressed TGF-β superfamily ligands induced only NOG, GREM1 and GREM2 via different SMAD pathways in MSCs. These induced antagonist proteins further showed distinct antagonisms to the treated ligands and thus would make up complicated negative feedback networks in bone. We further identified TGF-β superfamily signaling is enriched in MSCs of primary osteoporosis. Enhanced expression of the genes mediating TGF-β-mediated SMAD3 signaling and the genes encoding TGF-β superfamily antagonists served as significant features to osteoporosis. Conclusion: Our data for the first time unveiled the transcription landscape of all the genes that make up TGF-β superfamily signaling module in bone. The feedback mechanisms and regulatory network prediction of antagonists provided novel hints to treat osteoporosis. 3vrgH_v5FiqyUZTyTihmKD Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectrum of light captured by a camera can be reconstructed using the interpolation method. The reconstructed spectrum is a linear combination of the reference spectra, where the weighting coefficients are calculated from the signals of the pixel and the reference samples by interpolation. This method is known as the look-up table (LUT) method. It is irradiance-dependent due to the dependence of the reconstructed spectrum shape on the sample irradiance. Since the irradiance can vary in field applications, an irradiance-independent LUT (II-LUT) method is required to recover spectral reflectance. This paper proposes an II-LUT method to interpolate the spectrum in the normalized signal space. Munsell color chips irradiated with D65 were used as samples. Example cameras are a tricolor camera and a quadcolor camera. Results show that the proposed method can achieve the irradiance independent spectrum reconstruction and computation time saving at the expense of the recovered spectral reflectance error. Considering that the irradiance variation will introduce additional errors, the actual mean error using the II-LUT method might be smaller than that of the ID-LUT method. It is also shown that the proposed method outperformed the weighted principal component analysis method in both accuracy and computation speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhitya, IPGS, Yu, W-Y, Bass, P, Kinandana, GP, and Lin, M-R. Effects of Kinesio taping and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with active stretching on hamstring flexibility. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3087–3092, 2022—Active stretching (AS), Kinesio taping (KT), and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are frequently used to ameliorate pain and improve the ranges of motion (ROM) of athletes; however, the effectiveness of KT and TENS combined with AS in ameliorating short hamstring syndrome is yet to be determined. In this single-blinded randomized trial, 135 male soccer players with bilateral short hamstring syndrome were assigned to 3 intervention groups—AS, KT + AS, and TENS + AS—through block randomization. Each subject received the intervention twice per week for 4 weeks. The ROM of both legs was assessed through passive knee extension and straight leg raising tests at baseline and the end of the intervention. After the 4-week intervention, significant ROM changes in both legs were detected in the AS (9.5°–18.4°), KT + AS (14.9°–22.4°), and TENS + AS (14.9°–22.3°) groups. Compared with the AS group, both the KT + AS (3.8°–5.7°) and TENS + AS (3.9°–5.7°) groups showed significantly increased ROM in both legs over the intervention period, and no significant differences were observed in ROM changes between the KT + AS and TENS + AS groups. In conclusion, both KT and TENS in combination with AS may increase ROM more than AS alone, and the improvements obtained using KT with AS and TENS with AS may be similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence is a highly complex and coordinated process that involves ordered and continuous changes in the external environment and endogenous signaling pathways. Alternative oxidase (AOX), a key enzyme in the respiratory pathway, is involved in the regulation of plant senescence. Salicylic acid (SA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), two significant inducers of plant senescence, also play an important role in plant senescence, but the relationship between AOX, ROS and SA is unclear. In this study, an RNA interference and overexpression transgenic strain of AOX was constructed using tomato as experimental material. It was found that AOX was able to reduce the accumulation of ROS during dark-induced plant senescence, and that AOX suppressed the synthetic gene SALICYLIC ACID INDUCTION DEFICIENT 2 (SID2) in the SA signaling pathway and salicylate receptor gene NONEXPRESSER OF PR GENES 1 (NPR1), decreasing endogenous SA content and blunting SA perception in plant leaf cells, thereby inhibiting SA-induced leaf senescence. Also, spraying the plants with ROS and ROS scavengers revealed that the synthesis of endogenous SA was affected and that AOX eliminated excess ROS, which in turn affected the SA content and delayed plant senescence. Based on these results, we propose that AOX mediates SA synthesis by balancing ROS content and plays a key role in leaf senescence. • Expression of AOX can reduce leaf damage by ROS. • Expression of AOX can decrease the effect of SA on plant senescence. • AOX acts as a key node to regulate plant senescence by affecting ROS and SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]