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Jia-Wei Liu, Yan Tan, Tian Chen, Wei Liu, Yue-Tong Qian, Dong-Lai Ma Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dong-Lai Ma, Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-10-69151543, Fax +86-10-69151502, Email mdonglai@sohu.comBackground: Vitiligo is the most common depigmentation disorder. This disease causes disfiguration and induces psychological burdens, leading to significantly impaired quality of life. Limited research about disease-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) has been conducted in vitiligo patients.Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of post-traumatic stress in vitiligo patients.Methods: This case-control study was performed from January 2021 to April 2021. A survey questionnaire including baseline information, post-traumatic stress symptoms evaluation, life quality evaluation was conducted. According to the severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms, patients were grouped and compared. The logistic regression model was conducted to analyze the risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Results: A total of 337 patients were included. A 30.3% of vitiligo patients (102/337) in present cohort had PTS and 12.5% patients (42/337) were confirmed for developing into PTSD. The multivariate logistic regression revealed educational level

Jia-Wei Liu, Yan Tan, Tian Chen, Wei Liu, Yue-Tong Qian, Dong-Lai Ma Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Dong-Lai MaDepartment of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-10-69151543Fax +86-10-69151502Email mdonglai@sohu.comBackground: Vitiligo can cause disfiguration, impair the social function of the patients and induce physiological burdens. However, limited research about the health-related quality of life has been conducted in vitiligo patients’ sleeping conditions.Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of insomnia in vitiligo patients.Methods: This case–control study was performed in March 2021. An online survey questionnaire including baseline information and the sleep-related instrument was sent to 762 vitiligo patients. The vitiligo-related evaluation was conducted by online video interview. According to whether having insomnia or not, patients were grouped and compared their clinical and demographic characteristics. The logistic regression model was conducted to analyze the risk factors for insomnia.Results: A total of 409 patients were included. About 49.9% of patients (204/409) experienced insomnia. About 55.9% (114/204) of the insomnia in vitiligo patients was adjustment sleep disorder caused by vitiligo. Development, aggravation, or recurrence of vitiligo were deemed as the first reason for insomnia in 71.1% of the sample (81/114). There were significant differences in age (32.1± 4.1 vs 27.9± 4.2 years, P < 0.001), the percentage of female (62.8% vs 49.3%, P=0.006) and working in the urban areas (77.0% vs 66.3%, P = 0.017), vitiligo in face and neck (67.2% vs 48.8%, P < 0.001), progression in vitiligo (65.7% vs 49.3%, P=0.001), oral corticosteroids (25.0% vs 16.6%, P=0.036) and depression (5.4% vs 0.5%, P = 0.003) between groups. After adjusting for gender, age and comorbidity, the multivariate logistic regression revealed that vitiligo in face and neck (OR=2.62; P=0.032), progression in vitiligo (OR=2.50; P=0.002), and oral corticosteroids (OR=2.71; P=0.021) remained risk factors for insomnia in vitiligo patients.Conclusion: Insomnia is prevalent in vitiligo patients. Dermatologists should identify this condition carefully, especially humanistic factors in social life, and perform individualized “non-drug” treatment.Keywords: vitiligo, sleep disorder, insomnia, risk factors, insomnia severity index, psychodermatology

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is prevalent among men, but its relationship with dietary habits is uncertain. The aim of our study was to assess whether dietary patterns enhance erectile function by reviewing the literature published before August 1, 2022, via PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. The data compiled included author details; publication dates, countries, treatments, patient numbers, ages, follow-ups, and clinical trial outcomes, such as ED cases, odds ratios (ORs), confidence intervals (CIs), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores with means and standard deviations. An analysis of 14 studies with 27 389 participants revealed that plant-based diets (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66-0.75; P < 0.00001), low-fat diets (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.53; P = 0.0002), and alternative diets such as intermittent fasting and organic diets (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36-0.80; P = 0.002) significantly reduced ED risk. High-protein low-fat diets (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12-1.64; P < 0.00001) and high-carb low-fat diets (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.55-1.04; P < 0.00001) improved IIEF-5 scores. Combined diet and exercise interventions decreased the likelihood of ED (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.85; P = 0.01) and increased the IIEF-5 score (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.69-5.11; P < 0.0001). Diets abundant in fruits and vegetables (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; P < 0.00001) and nuts (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37-0.80; P = 0.002) were also correlated with lower ED risk. Our meta-analysis underscores a strong dietary-ED association, suggesting that low-fat/Mediterranean diets rich in produce and nuts could benefit ED management., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: ©The Author(s)(2024).)

Telangiectasia macularis multiplex acquisita is an acquired cutaneous telangiectasis of unknown aetiology, and it lacks both effective and cost-efficient treatment. This study aims to identify a novel potential associated factor of the disease and explore feasible therapeutic interventions. In this retrospective case series study, 46 Chinese patients diagnosed with telangiectasia macularis multiplex acquisita between 1 January 2007 and 18 May 2023 were included. The median age of onset was 43 years (23 to 60 years), and the male to female ratio was 10.5:1. Besides previously reported associations including chronic liver disorders, alcohol consumption, and smoking, a potential association was found between use of calcium channel blockers and development of telangiectasia macularis multiplex acquisita. Twenty-two of 27 hypertensive patients took calcium channel blockers, with 17 followed up. Ten out of 17 displayed a range of improvements following the cessation of calcium channel blockers; 1 patient reported no lesion change post-discontinuation of calcium channel blockers; 1 patient continued their medication but showed partial improvement after 2 pulsed dye laser treatments; 1 patient observed lesion colour lightening without altering hypertensive medication or other specific treatments; and another 4 kept their previous hypertensive regimen due to blood pressure stability concerns, with no change in their lesions. The study proposes that cessation of calcium channel blockers can be a novel therapeutic approach for affected individuals.

Objectives: This systematic review aims to (1) summarize the clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of Palmar Fasciitis and Polyarthritis Syndrome (PFPAS) patients and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of three electronic databases (Scopus, Embase, and PubMed) from inception to December 31, 2023. We presented demographic and clinical features, along with laboratory factors and imaging examinations of PFPAS patients. Additionally, we outline main treatments and evaluate therapeutic effectiveness., Results: A total of 121 patients were included in the analysis, with a mean onset age of 61.4 years. Swelling or thickening (49.6%, n=60/121) and pain (41.3%, n=50/121) were characteristic musculoskeletal symptoms of the hands. The median time between onset of PFPAS symptoms and detection of malignancy was 4 months, with a median survival of 13.0 months (range=2 to 69). The abnormal rate of ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and bone scan of the musculoskeletal system was more than 80%. Effective therapeutic responses were observed in 66.0% (n=33/50) of cases treated with chemotherapies and 79.2% (n=19/24) with operations. Two patients who received biologics achieved partial remission., Conclusion: PFPAS is a rare paraneoplastic condition, and early recognition of its distinctive symptoms may lead to the detection of underlying malignancy and timely treatments, potentially saving lives., (Copyright © 2024 Sociýtý Franýaise de Rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) wear debris, which is often composed of different types of structures, is generated from DLC-modified artificial joints in the human body, and its biocompatibility evaluation is especially important to prevent wear-debris-induced implant failure. Here, RAW 264.7 macrophages (inflammatory-reaction assay) and primary mouse osteoblasts (osteoblastogenesis assay) were employed to investigate the toxicity of DLC wear particles (DWPs) by evaluation of cell viability and morphology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Relevant histopathological analysis of rat joints was also performed in vivo . We found that DWPs with a relatively high sp 2 /sp 3 ratio (graphite-phase tendency) manifested a higher cytotoxicity and significant inhibition of osteoblastogenesis. DWPs with a relatively low sp 2 /sp 3 ratio (diamond-phase tendency) showed good biocompatibility in vivo . The DWPs exhibiting a low sp2/sp3 ratio demonstrated reduced secretion of TNF-α and IL-6, along with increased secretion of TIMP-1, resulting in the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and upregulation of interleukin-10 (IL-10), thereby attenuating the inflammatory response. Moreover, coculturing osteoblasts with DWPs exhibiting a low sp 2 /sp 3 ratio resulted in an elevated OPG/RANKL ratio and increased expression of OPG mRNA. Because of the absence of electrostatic repulsion, DWPs with a relatively low sp 2 /sp 3 ratio enhanced bovine serum albumin adsorption, which favored cellular activities. Cytotoxicity assessment of DWPs can help establish an evaluation system for particle-related joint disease and can facilitate the clinical application of DLC-coated prostheses.

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Introduction: To address issues related to shallow soil tillage, low soil nutrient content, and single tillage method in maize production in the Western Inner Mongolia Region, this study implemented various tillage and straw return techniques, including strip cultivation, subsoiling, deep tillage, no-tillage, straw incorporation with strip cultivation, straw incorporation with subsoiling, straw incorporation with deep tillage, and straw incorporation with no tillage, while using conventional shallow spinning by farmers as the control., Methods: We employed Xianyu 696 (XY696) and Ximeng 6 (XM6) as experimental materials to assess maize 100-grains weight, grain filling rate parameters, and grain nutrient quality. This investigation aimed to elucidate how tillage and straw return influence the accumulation of grain material in different maize varieties., Results and Discussion: The results indicated that proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the 100-grains weight of both varieties. In comparison to CK (farmer's rotary rotation), the most notable rise in 100-grains weight was observed under the DPR treatment (straw incorporation with deep tillage), with a maximum increase of 4.84% for XY696 and 6.28% for XM6. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return in the field resulted in discernible differences in the stages of improving the grain filling rates of different maize varieties. Specifically, XY696 showed a predominant increase in the filling rate during the early stage (V1), while XM6 exhibited an increase in the filling rates during the middle and late stages (V2 and V3). In comparison to CK, V1 increased by 1.54% to 27.56% in XY696, and V2 and V3 increased by 0.41% to 10.42% in XM6 under various tillage and straw return practices. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the nutritional quality of the grains in each variety. In comparison to CK, the DPR treatment resulted in the most pronounced decrease in the soluble sugar content of grains by 25.43% and the greatest increase in the crude fat content of grains by 9.67%., Conclusion: Ultimately, the proper implementation of soil tillage and straw return facilitated an increase in grain crude fat content and significantly boosted grain weight by improving the grouting rate parameters at all stages for various maize varieties. Additionally, the utilization of DPR treatment proved to be more effective. Overall, DPR is the most promising strategy to improve maize yield and the nutritional quality of grain in the long term in the Western Inner Mongolia Region., 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 Wang, Yu, Gao, Ma, Liu and Hu.)

Importance: Treatments are needed to slow progression of or reduce incidence of myopia., Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of daily 650-nm low-level red light (LLRL) for myopia treatment., Design, Setting, and Participants: Single-masked, randomized clinical trial at 1 site in China. Baseline measurements were completed from August to September 2021. Participants were children aged 6 to 12 years with spherical equivalent error (SER) of -6 diopters (D) to 3 D. Data were analyzed from March to July 2023., Interventions: Irradiation daily with 650-nm LLRL for 3 minutes twice daily 4 or more hours apart or no intervention., Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were changes in cycloplegia SER and axial length (AL) at 6- and 12-month follow-up visits. Safety was assessed on masked fundus photograph evaluations., Results: A total of 336 children were randomly allocated into the LLRL group or control group in a 1:1 ratio. The control group contained 86 female patients (51.2%), and the treatment group contained 90 female patients (53.6%). The mean (SD) age, SER, and AL were 9.0 (1.9) years, -1.3 (1.5) D, and 23.8 (1.0) mm for all patients. A total of 161 (95.8%) in the LLRL group and 159 (94.6%) in the control group returned for the 6-month follow-up. A total of 157 (93.5%) in the LLRL group and 152 (90.5%) in the control group returned for the 12-month follow-up. Mean (SD) changes in SER were 0.15 (0.16) D and -0.26 (0.21) D for the LLRL group and the control group, respectively (difference, -0.41 D; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.34 D; P < .001), at 6 months and 0.24 (0.27) D and -0.65 (0.33) D for the LLRL group and the control group, respectively (difference, -0.89 D; 95% CI, -0.95 to -0.83 D; P < .001), at 12 months. Mean (SD) changes in AL were -0.06 (0.08) mm and 0.13 (0.12) mm for the LLRL group and control group, respectively (difference, 0.19 mm; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.22 mm; P < .001), at 6 months and -0.11 (0.10) mm and 0.26 (0.16) mm for the LLRL group and control group, respectively (difference, 0.37 mm; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.40 mm; P < .001). Masked fundus photograph review did not identify retinal changes in either group., Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest daily use of 650-nm LLRL for 1 year can slow progression of SER and AL without safety concerns identified. Confirmation of these findings at independent sites seems warranted, as well as determining whether these effects can be sustained with or without continued treatment and whether LLRL has any effect on pathological myopia., Trial Registration: ChiCTR2200058963.

Background: Ichthyosis is a common keratotic skin disease with high clinical, etiological and genetic heterogeneity. There are four types of non-syndromic hereditary ichthyoses, among which autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is a heterogeneous group of recessive Mendelian disorders. ARCI present with different phenotypes and ABCA12 pathogenic variants have been shown to cause complex ARCI phenotypes, including harlequin ichthyosis (HI), lamellar ichthyosis (LI) and congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE)., Methods: A sporadic male patient, clinically diagnosed with CIE, was enrolled in this study. Exome sequencing was combined with Sanger sequencing to confirm the diagnosis and identify the pathogenic variants. In silico predictions were made using multiple software programs, and the identified variants were interpreted using the ACMG guidelines. A review of all literature reported ABCA12 variants was performed to explore genotype-phenotype correlations., Results: Compound heterozygous ABCA12 variants [c.5381+1G>A and c.5485G>C (p.Asp1829His)] (NM&#95;173076) were identified. The two variants were not detected in the public database. c.5381+1G>A is predicted to affect ABCA12 mRNA splicing and Asp1829 is highly conserved among various species. In silico analysis suggested that these two variants were responsible for the phenotype of the patient. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis showed that biallelic truncation variants and/or exon/amino acid deletions in ABCA12 are the most common causes of HI. Biallelic missense variants are most common in LI and CIE., Conclusions: The compound heterozygous ABCA12 variants caused the CIE phenotype observed in the patient. The spectrum of ABCA12 pathogenic variants were broaden. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis provided detailed evidence which can be used in future prenatal diagnosis and can inform the need for genetic counselling for patients with ABCA12-related ARCIs., (© 2024 The Authors. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging probes are a promising tool for the diagnosis and image-guided surgery of prostate cancer (PCa). However, PSMA-specific luminescence probes for PCa detection and heterogeneity studies with high imaging contrast are lacking. Here, we report the first near-infrared (NIR) iridium(III) complex for the wash-free and specific imaging of PSMA in PCa cells and spheroids. The conjugation of a PSMA inhibitor, Lys-urea-Glu, to an iridium(III) complex synergizes the PSMA-specific affinity and biocompatibility of the inhibitor with the desirable photophysical properties of the iridium(III) complex, including NIR emission (670 nm), high photostability and a large Stokes shift. The cellular impermeability of the probe along with its strong binding affinity to PSMA enhances its specificity for PSMA, enabling the washing-free luminescent imaging of membrane PSMA with lower cytotoxicity. The probe was successfully applied for selectively visualizing PSMA-expressing cells and for the imaging of PSMA in a multicellular PCa model with good imaging penetration, indicating its potential use in complicated and heterogeneous tumor microenvironments. Furthermore, the probe showed good imaging performance in the PCa-bearing tumor mice via targeting PSMA in vivo. This work provides a novel strategy for the development of highly sensitive and specific NIR probes for PSMA in biological systems in vitro, which is of great significance for the precise diagnosis of PCa and for elucidating PCa heterogeneity., 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 Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate whether the six-month repeated irradiation of 650 nm low-level red light (LLRL) decreases the risk of myopia onset in children., Methods: This was a single-masked, randomized controlled trial. A total of 112 children (aged 6-12 years) were enrolled and randomized to the treatment group or control group in a 1:1 ratio. The cycloplegic spherical equivalent error (SER) of children at baseline was -0.5 diopter (D) to 3D. Children in the treatment group were irradiated with the 650 nm LLRL for 6 min daily. No intervention was given to the control. The primary outcomes are myopia incidence, change in cycloplegic SER, and change in axial length (AL)., Results: For the treatment group and control group, the six-month myopia incidence rates were 1.8% (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.2-4.9%) and 12.5% (95% CI: 5.5-21.9%), respectively. The difference was significant (p = 0.028). The median changes in AL for the treatment group and control group were -0.02 (interquartile range, IQR: -0.12 to 0.06) mm, and 0.09 (IQR: 0-0.18) mm, respectively. The difference was significant (p < 0.001). The median changes in cycloplegic SER for the treatment group and control group were 0 (IQR: 0-0.25) D, and -0.125 (IQR: -0.375 to 0) D, respectively. The difference was significant (p < 0.001). There was no adverse event., Conclusion: The repeated irradiation of 650 nm LLRL may have a strong effect for myopia prevention in children, without risk of adverse events., Trial Registration: this trial is retrospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/ ), the registration number is ChiCTR2200058963., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Histone methylation plays a key function in modulating gene expression, and preserving genome integrity and epigenetic inheritance. However, aberrations of histone methylation are commonly observed in human diseases, especially cancer. Lysine methylation mediated by histone methyltransferases can be reversed by lysine demethylases (KDMs), which remove methyl marks from histone lysine residues. Currently, drug resistance is a main impediment for cancer therapy. KDMs have been found to mediate drug tolerance of many cancers via altering the metabolic profile of cancer cells, upregulating the ratio of cancer stem cells and drug-tolerant genes, and promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastatic ability. Moreover, different cancers show distinct oncogenic addictions for KDMs. The abnormal activation or overexpression of KDMs can alter gene expression signatures to enhance cell survival and drug resistance in cancer cells. In this review, we describe the structural features and functions of KDMs, the KDMs preferences of different cancers, and the mechanisms of drug resistance resulting from KDMs. We then survey KDM inhibitors that have been used for combating drug resistance in cancer, and discuss the opportunities and challenges of KDMs as therapeutic targets for cancer drug resistance., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest . The authors: No reported conflicts of interest. Both authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.

Inhibition of immunocyte infiltration and activation has been suggested to effectively ameliorate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B (PirB) and its human ortholog receptor, leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B (LILRB2), are immune-inhibitory receptors. However, their role in NASH pathogenesis is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PirB/LILRB2 regulates the migration of macrophages during NASH by binding with its ligand angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8). Hepatocyte-specific ANGPTL8 knockout reduces MDM infiltration and resolves lipid accumulation and fibrosis progression in the livers of NASH mice. In addition, PirB -/- bone marrow (BM) chimeras abrogate ANGPTL8-induced MDM migration to the liver. And yet, PirB ectodomain protein could ameliorate NASH by sequestering ANGPTL8. Furthermore, LILRB2-ANGPTL8 binding-promoted MDM migration and inflammatory activation are also observed in human peripheral blood monocytes. Taken together, our findings reveal the role of PirB/LILRB2 in NASH pathogenesis and identify PirB/LILRB2-ANGPTL8 signaling as a potential target for the management or treatment of NASH., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Lentigines are well-defined, small, brown macules resulting from the accumulation of melanin content in the basement membrane zone with an increase in the number of melanocytes. Hereditary multiple lentigines (ML) can be associated with multiple genes and are not commonly encountered in clinical practice. Patients can solely have skin involvement or present with multisystemic deformative phenotypes. This study aimed to describe four unrelated Chinese families presenting with ML as their first visit symptom. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing on all patients and immediate family members for precise molecular diagnosis. Two novel variants c.1548 T > A (p.Ser516Arg) and c.1811C > A (p.Thr604Lys) in SASH1, and two recurrent variants c.1403C > T (p.Thr468Met) and c.1493G > T (p.Arg498Leu) in PTPN11, were identified in these four families. We also summarized the genes associated with ML and differential diagnosis of pigment abnormality. We suggested that the molecular diagnosis of ML should be emphasized because it can help in the clinical differential diagnosis and further genetic counseling and prognosis., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Picosecond lasers are widely used in dermatologic and cosmetic practice. In clinical practice, informed consent for laser treatments is critical to ensure patients' understanding of health information., Objectives: To evaluate whether video-based informed consent improves patient comprehension and satisfaction., Methods: The study was performed from August 1 to November 30, 2022. Solar lentigines patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included. Before October 1, 2022, traditional informed consent methods were performed. In the subsequent 2 months, a video-based informed consent was used as an adjunct to traditional consenting methods. Finally, patient comprehension of relevant knowledge about laser treatment and client satisfaction were assessed., Results: A total of 106 patients were included. The mean number of correct answers in the comprehension assessment in the video-based informed consent group was significantly higher than that in the traditional informed consent group (4.4 ± 1.2 vs. 3.4 ± 1.1, p < 0.001). Compared to the traditional informed consent group, more correct answers in the video-based informed consent group were provided by older patients (3.9 ± 1.2 vs. 2.9 ± 1.1, p  = 0.004) and patients with lower education levels (4.1 ± 1.1 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2, p < 0.001). The mean satisfaction score in the video-based informed consent group was significantly higher than that in the traditional informed consent (27.8 ± 5.7 vs. 24.3 ± 6.2, p  = 0.003)., Conclusion: Video-based informed consent helps patients learn clinical literacy more effectively and improves patient satisfaction, especially in those with lower education levels and older ages., 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 © 2023 Liu, Tan, Chen, Qian and Ma.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of interests TC and D-LM declare no competing interests.

Common reference methods for COVID-19 variant diagnosis include viral sequencing and PCR-based methods. However, sequencing is tedious, expensive, and time-consuming, while PCR-based methods have high risk of insensitive detection in variant-prone regions and are susceptible to potential background signal interference in biological samples. Here, we report a loop-mediated interference reduction isothermal nucleic acid amplification (LM-IR-INA) strategy for highly sensitive single-base mutation detection in viral variants. This strategy exploits the advantages of nicking endonuclease-mediated isothermal amplification, luminescent iridium(III) probes, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES). Using the LM-IR-INA strategy, we established a luminescence platform for diagnosing COVID-19 D796Y single-base substitution detection with a detection limit of 2.01 × 10 5 copies/μL in a linear range of 6.01 × 10 5 to 3.76 × 10 8 copies/μL and an excellent specificity with a variant/wild-type ratio of significantly less than 0.0625%. The developed TRES-based method was also successfully applied to detect D796Y single-base substitution sequence in complicated biological samples, including throat and blood, and was a superior to steady-state technique. LM-IR-INA was also demonstrated for detecting the single-base substitution D614G as well as the multiple-base mutation H69/V70del without mutual interference, indicating that this approach has the potential to be used as a universal viral variant detection strategy., 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., (© 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Searching the cost-effective organic semiconductors is strongly needed in order to facilitate the practice of organic solar cells (OSCs), yet to be fulfilled. Herein, we have succeeded in developing two non-fused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs), leading to the highest efficiency of 16.2 % for the NFREA derived OSCs. These OSCs exhibit the superior operational stabilities under one sun equivalent illumination without ultraviolet (UV) filtration. It is revealed that the modulation of halogen substituents on aromatic side chains, as the new structural tool to tune the intermolecular interaction and optoelectronic properties of acceptors, not only promotes the interlocked tic-tac-toe frame of three-dimensional stacks in solid, but also improves charge dynamics of acceptors to enable high-performance and stable OSCs., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) indicates that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is considered the consequence produced by Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome (KDS-Yang), which has similar clinical characteristics to glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome. Ginsenoside Re (G-Re) has been found to ameliorate the symptoms and pathological impairments of AD. However, it's not clear whether G-Re could protect memory and synapse lesions against kidney deficiency dementia., Methods: Subcutaneous injection of hydrocortisone for 14 days was used to produce KDS-Yang. On the 15th day, Aβ 25-35 peptide was injected into the intracerebroventricular (icv) of KDS-Yang rats. Spine density was analyzed by Golgi staining and the ultrastructural morphology of the synapse was detected using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Western blot was used to examine the expression of pS396, pS404, Tau-5, tGSK-3β, pS9GSK-3β, Syt, Syn I, GluA1, GluN2B, PSD93, PSD95, β 2 -AR and pS346-b 2 -AR., Results: Hyperphosphorylation of tau in Aβ 25-35 -injected rats with KDS-Yang was stronger than in Aβ 25-35 -injected rats at the sites of Ser396 and Ser404. G-Re improved spatial memory damage detected by Morris water-maze (MWM), enhanced spines density, the thickness of postsynaptic density (PSD) and increased the expression of Syt, Syn I, GluA1, GluN2B, PSD93 and PSD95. Moreover, GRe decreased the hyperphosphorylation of β 2 -AR at serine 346 in Aβ 25-35 -injected rats with KDS-Yang., Conclusion: KDS-Yang might exacerbate AD pathological lesions. Importantly, G-Re is a potential ingredient for protecting against memory and synapse deficits in kidney deficiency dementia., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a complicated disease which can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma; however, there is a lack of satisfactory therapeutics. Dehydroeburicoic acid (DEA) ( 1 ), a triterpenoid isolated from Antrodia cinnamomea , has been reported to act against ALD, but its mechanisms of action are still not clear. In this study, we report for the first time the use of DEA ( 1 ) as a dual inhibitor of the Keap1-Nrf2 protein-protein interaction (PPI) and GSK3β in an in vitro ALD cell model. DEA ( 1 ) engages Keap1 to disrupt the Keap1-Nrf2 PPI and inhibits GSK3β to restore Nrf2 activity in a Keap1-independent fashion. DEA ( 1 ) promotes Nrf2 nuclear translocation to activate downstream antioxidant genes. Importantly, DEA ( 1 ) restores the mitochondrial dysfunction induced by ethanol and generates antioxidant activity in the ALD cell model with minimal toxicity. We anticipate that DEA ( 1 ) could be a potential scaffold for the further development of clinical agents for treating ALD.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: The BMJ has judged that there are no disqualifying financial ties to commercial companies. The authors declare the following other interests: none.

Boron trifluoride (BF 3 ) is a potential environmental pollutant, and excess exposure to it may cause human diseases. However, the sensitive, rapid and accurate detection of BF 3 for on-site purposes is still a challenge. In this work, we developed the first NIR iridium(III)-based probe with dual emission and a Stokes shift of 370 nm for self-calibrated and luminogenic detection of BF 3 . This probe exhibited a strong luminescence enhancement at around 650 nm to BF 3 (0-100 μM) with almost no change in luminescence at 475 nm, displaying a 220-fold I 650 nm /I 475 nm enhancement at 100 μM of BF 3 with a detection limit of 0.35 μM. Moreover, the probe showed a fast response time of less than 5 s to BF 3 along with an obvious color change under UV irradiation for visual detection. Importantly, the desirable photophysical properties of the iridium(III)-based probe can be harnessed for time-resolved detection of BF 3 in the presence of the fluorescence background. The applicability of the probe was further verified in an organic solvent waste-spiked system and on a glass pane. This work will provide a solid basis for the development of sensitive and on-site BF 3 sensing toolkits for environmental monitoring., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: To evaluate the 6-month efficacy and safety of 650 nm low-level red light (LLRL) for myopia control in children., Methods: This was a single-center, single-masked randomized controlled trial. A total of 224 children aged 6-12 years with spherical equivalent error (SER) of - 6 diopter (D) to - 0.5 D were enrolled, and were randomized to LLRL group or control group. Children in the LLRL group underwent treatment twice daily, each lasting for 3 min, there was an interval of at least 4 h between treatments. Children in both groups were allowed to wear single-vision spectacles; no additional intervention was given to the control. The primary outcomes included change in cycloplegic SER and change in axial length (AL) during 6 months., Results: The median 6-month changes in AL of the LLRL and control groups were - 0.06 mm (interquartile range, IQR - 0.15, 0) and 0.14 mm (IQR 0.07, 0.22), respectively. The difference between groups was significant (Z = 10.021, p < 0.001). The median 6-month changes in SER were 0.125 D (IQR 0, 0.375) and - 0.25 D (IQR - 0.5, 0) for the LLRL and control groups, respectively. The difference between groups was significant (Z = 8.827, p < 0.001). Compared with the control, the proportion of children with hyperopic shift in the LLRL group was higher (51.65% vs. 3.41%, p < 0.001), and the proportion of children with shortened AL in the LLRL group was higher (63.74% vs. 2.27%, p < 0.001). No adverse event was observed., Conclusion: 650 nm LLRL significantly slowed down the myopia progression in children aged 6-12 years, and there was no observable side effect in the short term., (© 2022. The Author(s).)