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Abstract Background Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. However, studies on the prevalence of respiratory viruses among children with acute respiratory infections in Kunming, China, are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory pathogens among children with acute respiratory infections in Kunming during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from 4956 children with acute respiratory infections at Yunnan Provincial First People’s Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022, patients with COVID-19 were excluded from the study. Multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect respiratory pathogens. Results The frequency of respiratory pathogens among children was significantly lower in 2020 than in 2021 and 2022. The following pathogens had the highest prevalence rates (in descending order) from 2020 to 2022: HRV > RSV > PIV > ADV > MP; HRV > RSV > HADV > PIV > MP and HRV > Mp > HADV > H3N2 > HMPV. The overall frequency of respiratory pathogens exhibited an inverted U-shape with increasing age among the children. Human bocavirus, human parainfluenza virus, and human respiratory syncytial virus were the dominant respiratory viruses in children aged ≤ 3 years, whereas Mycoplasma pneumoniae was the dominant respiratory pathogen in children aged > 3 years. HRV has the highest prevalence and is the main pathogen of mixed infection. The prevalence of the influenza A virus has decreased significantly, whereas HRSV and Mp are found to be seasonal. Conclusions Our findings offer an objective evaluation of transmission dynamics and epidemiological shifts in respiratory pathogens during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Kunming, serving as a basis for informed decision-making, prevention, and treatment strategies.

Abstract Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the role played by the oral microbiome in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and its potential implications for disease management and development holds significant importance. With the objective of exploring correlations between the oral microbiota and severe psoriasis, this study involved 72 severe psoriasis patients and 16 healthy individuals, whose clinical manifestations and living habits were carefully recorded. Cutting-edge techniques such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were employed to compare the microbial flora, investigating dynamic changes among severe plaque psoriasis patients, psoriatic arthritis patients and healthy individuals. The findings revealed noteworthy patterns including increased levels of Aggregatibacter in the psoriatic arthritis group, accompanied by a decrease in the level of Prevotella. Moreover, the enrichment o Capnocytandophaga (P = 0.009), Campylobacter (P = 0.0022), and Acetobacter (P = 0.0292) was notably more substantial in the psoriasis group compared to the control group, whereas certain bacterial species such as Bacteroides (P = 0.0049), Muribaculaceae (P = 0.0048) demonstrated decreased enrichment. Additionally, the psoriatic arthritis group exhibited significantly higher levels of Ralstonia, Bifidobacterium and Micromonospora. Based on these findings, it can be inferred that individuals with lower levels of Prevotella and higher levels of Corynebacterium may be more susceptible to psoriasis exacerbation.

Abstract This study investigates NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) involvement in iron-mediated astrocyte cell death in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) using single-cell sequencing data and transcriptomes. We analyzed AD single-cell RNA sequencing data, identified astrocyte marker genes, and explored biological processes in astrocytes. We integrated AD-related chip data with ferroptosis-related genes, highlighting NOX4. We validated NOX4’s role in ferroptosis and AD in vitro and in vivo. Astrocyte marker genes were enriched in AD, emphasizing their role. NOX4 emerged as a crucial player in astrocytic ferroptosis in AD. Silencing NOX4 mitigated ferroptosis, improved cognition, reduced Aβ and p-Tau levels, and alleviated mitochondrial abnormalities. NOX4 promotes astrocytic ferroptosis, underscoring its significance in AD progression.

Abstract Introduction Lower respiratory tract infections(LRTIs) in adults are complicated by diverse pathogens that challenge traditional detection methods, which are often slow and insensitive. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) offers a comprehensive, high-throughput, and unbiased approach to pathogen identification. This retrospective study evaluates the diagnostic efficacy of mNGS compared to conventional microbiological testing (CMT) in LRTIs, aiming to enhance detection accuracy and enable early clinical prediction. Methods In our retrospective single-center analysis, 451 patients with suspected LRTIs underwent mNGS testing from July 2020 to July 2023. We assessed the pathogen spectrum and compared the diagnostic efficacy of mNGS to CMT, with clinical comprehensive diagnosis serving as the reference standard. The study analyzed mNGS performance in lung tissue biopsies and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from cases suspected of lung infection. Patients were stratified into two groups based on clinical outcomes (improvement or mortality), and we compared clinical data and conventional laboratory indices between groups. A predictive model and nomogram for the prognosis of LRTIs were constructed using univariate followed by multivariate logistic regression, with model predictive accuracy evaluated by the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results (1) Comparative Analysis of mNGS versus CMT: In a comprehensive analysis of 510 specimens, where 59 cases were concurrently collected from lung tissue biopsies and BALF, the study highlights the diagnostic superiority of mNGS over CMT. Specifically, mNGS demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity and specificity in BALF samples (82.86% vs. 44.42% and 52.00% vs. 21.05%, respectively, p

PRKAG2 is required for the maintenance of cellular energy balance. PRKAG2-AS1, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), was found within the promoter region of PRKAG2. Despite the extensive expression of PRKAG2-AS1 in endothelial cells, the precise function and mechanism of this gene in endothelial cells have yet to be elucidated. The localization of PRKAG2-AS1 was predominantly observed in the nucleus, as revealed using nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionation and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The manipulation of PRKAG2-AS1 by knockdown and overexpression within the nucleus significantly altered PRKAG2 expression in a cis-regulatory manner. The expression of PRKAG2-AS1 and its target genes, PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, was down-regulated in endothelial cells subjected to oxLDL and Hcy-induced injury. This finding suggests that PRKAG2-AS1 may be involved in the mechanism behind endothelial injury. The suppression of PRKAG2-AS1 specifically in the nucleus led to an upregulation of inflammatory molecules such as cytokines, adhesion molecules, and chemokines in endothelial cells. Additionally, this nuclear suppression of PRKAG2-AS1 facilitated the adherence of THP1 cells to endothelial cells. We confirmed the role of nuclear knockdown PRKAG2-AS1 in the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and lumen formation through flow cytometry, TUNEL test, CCK8 assay, and cell scratching. Finally, it was determined that PRKAG2-AS1 exerts direct control over the transcription of PRKAG2 by its binding to their promoters. In conclusion, downregulation of PRKAG2-AS1 suppressed the proliferation and migration, promoted inflammation and apoptosis of endothelial cells, and thus contributed to the development of atherosclerosis resulting from endothelial cell injury.

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal nitrides and carbides (MXenes), represented by Ti3C2Tx, have broad applications in flexible electronics, electromechanical devices, and structural membranes due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Despite the Young’s modulus of 2D Ti3C2Tx has been theoretically predicted to be 0.502 TPa, which has not been experimentally confirmed so far due to the measurement is extremely restricted. Here, by optimizing the sample preparation, cutting, and transfer protocols, we perform the direct in-situ tensile tests on monolayer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets using nanomechanical push-to-pull equipment under a scanning electron microscope. The effective Young’s modulus is 0.484 ± 0.013 TPa, which is much closer to the theoretical value of 0.502 TPa than the previously reported 0.33 TPa by the disputed nanoindentation method, and the measured elastic stiffness is ~948 N/m. Moreover, during the process of tensile loading, the monolayer Ti3C2Tx shows an average elastic strain of ~3.2% and a tensile strength as large as ~15.4 GPa. This work corrects the previous reports by nanoindentation method and demonstrates that the Ti3C2Tx indeed keeps immense potential for broad range of applications.

The Southern Ocean connects the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, serving as a key hub for the global overturning circulation. The climate of the Southern Ocean is closely linked to the low-latitude equatorial Pacific, as well as the high-latitude regions of the North Atlantic, making it an important component of the global climate system. Due to the interactions of various processes such as atmospheric, oceanic, and ice cover, the Southern Ocean exhibits a complex and variable sea surface temperature structure. Satellite observations indicate that since 1980, the sea surface temperature of the Southern Ocean has been cooling, contrary to the global warming trend. However, due to the relatively short length of satellite observations, the specific mechanisms are not yet clear. Here, we used the EOF method to analyze sea surface temperature data since 1870 (HadISST1 and ERSSTV5), with three main separated modes explaining over 70% of the sea temperature variability. Among them, the first mode shows widespread positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the Southern Ocean, with a time series change consistent with global temperature anomalies, representing a mode of global warming. The second mode corresponds to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) but with a lag of approximately 4 years. The third mode is consistent with the variability of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Furthermore, our study indicates that despite the ongoing global warming since 1980, the negative phase of AMO and positive phase of ENSO may counteract the effects of global warming, leading to an overall cooling trend in the sea surface temperature of the Southern Ocean.

Objective Millions of people in the UK have asthma, yet 70% do not access basic care, leading to the largest number of asthma-related deaths in Europe. Chatbots may extend the reach of asthma support and provide a bridge to traditional healthcare. This study evaluates ‘Brisa’, a chatbot designed to improve asthma patients’ self-assessment and self-management. Methods We recruited 150 adults with an asthma diagnosis to test our chatbot. Participants were recruited over three waves through social media and a research recruitment platform. Eligible participants had access to ‘Brisa’ via a WhatsApp or website version for 28 days and completed entry and exit questionnaires to evaluate user experience and asthma control. Weekly symptom tracking, user interaction metrics, satisfaction measures, and qualitative feedback were utilised to evaluate the chatbot's usability and potential effectiveness, focusing on changes in asthma control and self-reported behavioural improvements. Results 74% of participants engaged with ‘Brisa’ at least once. High task completion rates were observed: asthma attack risk assessment (86%), voice recording submission (83%) and asthma control tracking (95.5%). Post use, an 8% improvement in asthma control was reported. User satisfaction surveys indicated positive feedback on helpfulness (80%), privacy (87%), trustworthiness (80%) and functionality (84%) but highlighted a need for improved conversational depth and personalisation. Conclusions The study indicates that chatbots are effective for asthma support, demonstrated by the high usage of features like risk assessment and control tracking, as well as a statistically significant improvement in asthma control. However, lower satisfaction in conversational flexibility highlights rising expectations for chatbot fluency, influenced by advanced models like ChatGPT. Future health-focused chatbots must balance conversational capability with accuracy and safety to maintain engagement and effectiveness.

Abstract The role of PRKAG2 in the maintenance of heart function is well established, but little is known about how PRKAG2 is regulated in cardiomyocytes. In this study, we investigated the role of the lncRNA PRKAG2-AS, which is present at the PRKAG2 promoter, in the regulation of PRKAG2 expression. PRKAG2-AS expression was predominantly nuclear, as determined by RNA nucleoplasmic separation and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Knockdown of PRKAG2-AS in the nucleus, but not the cytoplasm, significantly decreased the expression of PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d. Interestingly, we found that PRKAG2-AS and its target genes, PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, were reduced in the hearts of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, suggesting a potential role for PRKAG2-AS in myocardial ischemia. Indeed, knockdown of PRKAG2-AS in the nucleus resulted in apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. We further elucidated the mechanism by which PRKAG2-AS regulates PRKAG2 transcription by identifying 58 PRKAG2-AS interacting proteins. Among them, PPARG was selected for further investigation based on its correlation and potential interaction with PRKAG2-AS in regulating transcription. Overexpression of PPARG, or its activation with rosiglitazone, led to a significant increase in the expression of PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d in cardiomyocytes, which could be attenuated by PRKAG2-AS knockdown. This finding suggests that PRKAG2-AS mediates, at least partially, the protective effects of rosiglitazone on hypoxia-induced apoptosis. However, given the risk of rosiglitazone in heart failure, we also examined the involvement of PRKAG2-AS in this condition and found that PRKAG2-AS, as well as PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d, was elevated in hearts with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and that overexpression of PRKAG2-AS led to a significant increase in PRKAG2b and PRKAG2d expression, indicating that up-regulation of PRKAG2-AS may contribute to the mechanism of heart failure by promoting transcription of PRKAG2. Consequently, proper expression of PRKAG2-AS is essential for maintaining cardiomyocyte function, and aberrant PRKAG2-AS expression induced by hypoxia or other stimuli may cause cardiac dysfunction.

Many protein–protein interactions (PPIs) affect the ways in which small molecules bind to their constituent proteins, which can impact drug efficacy and regulatory mechanisms. While recent advances have improved our ability to independently predict both PPIs and ligand–protein interactions (LPIs), a comprehensive understanding of how PPIs affect LPIs is still lacking. Here, we examined 63 pairs of ligand–protein complexes in a benchmark dataset for protein–protein docking studies and quantified six typical effects of PPIs on LPIs. A multi-chain dynamics perturbation analysis method, called mcDPA, was developed to model these effects and used to predict small-molecule binding regions in protein–protein complexes. Our results illustrated that the mcDPA can capture the impact of PPI on LPI to varying degrees, with six similar changes in its predicted ligand-binding region. The calculations showed that 52% of the examined complexes had prediction accuracy at or above 50%, and 55% of the predictions had a recall of not less than 50%. When applied to 33 FDA-approved protein–protein-complex-targeting drugs, these numbers improved to 60% and 57% for the same accuracy and recall rates, respectively. The method developed in this study may help to design drug–target interactions in complex environments, such as in the case of protein–protein interactions.

Activating cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) holds great potential for cancer immunotherapy by eliciting type-I interferon (IFN-I) responses. Yet, current approaches to cGAS-STING activation rely on STING agonists, which suffer from difficult formulation, poor pharmacokinetics, and marginal clinical therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report nature-inspired oligonucleotide, Svg3, as a cGAS agonist for cGAS-STING activation in tumor combination immunotherapy. The hairpin-shaped Svg3 strongly binds to cGAS and enhances phase separation to form Svg3-cGAS liquid-like droplets. This results in cGAS-specific immunoactivation and robust IFN-I responses. Remarkably, Svg3 outperforms several state-of-the-art STING agonists in murine and human cells/tissues. Nanoparticle-delivered Svg3 reduces tumor immunosuppression and potentiates immune checkpoint blockade therapeutic efficacy of multiple syngeneic tumor models in wild-type mice, but in neither cGas−/− nor Sting−/− mice. Overall, these results demonstrate the great potential of Svg3 as a cGAS agonistic oligonucleotide for cancer combination immunotherapy.

Ionizable lipid nanocarriers have made historical contribution to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Here, we report ionizable polymeric nanoparticles that co-deliver bi-adjuvant and neoantigen peptides for cancer immunotherapy in combination with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Current cancer ICB benefits only a small subset of patients, largely due to a lack of pre-existing target cells and checkpoint targets for ICB, tumor antigenic heterogeneity, and tumor immunosuppression. Therapeutic vaccines hold the potential to enhance ICB therapeutic efficacy by expanding antitumor cell repertoires, upregulating immune checkpoint levels and hence sensitizing ICB, and reducing tumor immunosuppression. Chemically defined peptide vaccines are attractive, but their current therapeutic efficacy has been limited due to 1) poor vaccine delivery to immunomodulatory lymph nodes (LNs) and antigen (Ag)-presenting cells (APCs), 2) poor immunostimulant adjuvant efficacy with restricted target cell subsets in humans, 3) limited adjuvant/Ag codelivery to enhance Ag immunogenicity, and 4) limited ability to overcome tumor antigenic heterogeneity. Here, we developed nanovaccines (NVs) using pH-responsive polymeric micellular nanoparticles (NPs) for the codelivery of bi-adjuvant [Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 agonist R848 and TLR9 agonist CpG] and peptide neoantigens (neoAgs) to draining LNs for efficient Ag presentation in a broad range of APC subsets. These NVs potentiated the immunogenicity of peptide Ags and elicits robust antitumor T cell responses with memory, and remodeled the tumor immune milium with reduced tumor immunosuppression. As a result, NVs significantly enhanced ICB therapeutic efficacy for murine colorectal tumors and orthotopic glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). These results suggest marked potential of bi-adjuvant/neoAg-codelivering NVs for combination cancer immunotherapy.

As the risk of social security increases, it is crucial to develop flexible protective materials that combine flexibility with high protective performance. Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was selected as the raw material, and four types of flat-knitting cut-resistant fabrics were ultimately designed and prepared from a three-dimensional longitudinal dimension and concave–convex array structure based on rib knitting. A series of experiments must be conducted on fabrics in order to study the law of protection performance of different structural fabrics. They were thus subjected to comprehensive evaluation and theoretical analysis of cut resistance. The results demonstrate that the four structural fabrics exhibited resilience in abrasion tests, withstanding over 100,000 cycles without failure. A weighting algorithm was employed to determine the comprehensive cutting resistance of the S1, S2, S3, and S4 structural fabrics, resulting in values of 1939.9 gf, 2298.6 gf, 2577.1 gf, and 2822.2 gf, respectively. Therefore, S1 reached class A4, which is sufficient to address a medium cut hazard. Similarly, S2, S3, and S4 reached class A5, which is adequate to address a high cut hazard. The obtained fitting equation, with uniform yarn fineness T as the dependent variable, demonstrates that the cut resistance improved as the concave–convex density level increased.

Decision-level information fusion methods using radar and vision usually suffer from low target matching success rates and imprecise multi-target detection accuracy. Therefore, a robust target detection algorithm based on the fusion of frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar and a monocular camera is proposed to address these issues in this paper. Firstly, a lane detection algorithm is used to process the image to obtain lane information. Then, two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2D-FFT), constant false alarm rate (CFAR), and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) are used to process the radar data. Furthermore, the YOLOv5 algorithm is used to process the image. In addition, the lane lines are utilized to filter out the interference targets from outside lanes. Finally, multi-sensor information fusion is performed for targets in the same lane. Experiments show that the balanced score of the proposed algorithm can reach 0.98, which indicates that it has low false and missed detections. Additionally, the balanced score is almost unchanged in different environments, proving that the algorithm is robust.

Abstract Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a multifunctional protein that promotes or suppresses tumorigenesis, depending on intracellular location and conformational structure. Acyclic retinoid (ACR) is an orally administered vitamin A derivative that prevents hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence by targeting liver cancer stem cells (CSCs). In this study, we examined the subcellular location-dependent effects of ACR on TG2 activity at a structural level and characterized the functional role of TG2 and its downstream molecular mechanism in the selective depletion of liver CSCs. A binding assay with high-performance magnetic nanobeads and structural dynamic analysis with native gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography-coupled multi-angle light scattering or small-angle X-ray scattering showed that ACR binds directly to TG2, induces oligomer formation of TG2, and inhibits the transamidase activity of cytoplasmic TG2 in HCC cells. The loss-of-function of TG2 suppressed the expression of stemness-related genes, spheroid proliferation and selectively induced cell death in an EpCAM+ liver CSC subpopulation in HCC cells. Proteome analysis revealed that TG2 inhibition suppressed the gene and protein expression of exostosin glycosyltransferase 1 (EXT1) and heparan sulfate biosynthesis in HCC cells. In contrast, high levels of ACR increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations along with an increase in apoptotic cells, which probably contributed to the enhanced transamidase activity of nuclear TG2. This study demonstrates that ACR could act as a novel TG2 inhibitor; TG2-mediated EXT1 signaling is a promising therapeutic target in the prevention of HCC by disrupting liver CSCs.

Abstract Aim To develop and validate a questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, behaviour and care preference of family members of Chinese older adults related to palliative care. Design A descriptive study design and STROBE checklist were applied in this research. Methods The theoretical framework of the questionnaire was knowledge–attitude–behaviour model. An additional dimension of palliative care preference of family members was set up in the questionnaire. Items were generated from a rapid review of international literature and interviews with 61 family members of the older adults living either in an aged care service organization or the community. The content validity was examined by five experts. A preliminary questionnaire with 69 items was then set up, and its psychometric property was assessed. Results A final version of questionnaire with 42 items under four dimensions was constructed. The content validity index of the overall questionnaire was 0.93 and of each item ranged 0.80–1.00. The factor loading of all items was higher than 0.50 as per exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis; the average variance extracted for each dimension was higher than 0.50; the composite reliability was higher than 0.90; and the absolute value of the correlation coefficient of each dimension was

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease with pathogenic inflammation caused partly by excessive cell‐free DNA (cfDNA). Specifically, cfDNA is internalized into immune cells, such as macrophages in lymphoid tissues and joints, and activates pattern recognition receptors, including cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS), resulting in overly strong proinflammation. Here, nanomedicine‐in‐hydrogel (NiH) is reported that co‐delivers cGAS inhibitor RU.521 (RU) and cfDNA‐scavenging cationic nanoparticles (cNPs) to draining lymph nodes (LNs) for systemic immunosuppression in RA therapy. Upon subcutaneous injection, NiH prolongs LN retention of RU and cNPs, which pharmacologically inhibit cGAS and scavenged cfDNA, respectively, to inhibit proinflammation. NiH elicits systemic immunosuppression, repolarizes macrophages, increases fractions of immunosuppressive cells, and decreases fractions of CD4+ T cells and T helper 17 cells. Such skewed immune milieu allows NiH to significantly inhibit RA progression in collagen‐induced arthritis mice. These studies underscore the great potential of NiH for RA immunotherapy.

In order to solve the problems of slow real-time and poor detection of small targets that still exist in multi-sensor information fusion technology, a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar-vision fusion algorithm for target classification and localization is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the signal model of FMCW MIMO radar is established. Then, the target localization is performed using a forward-backward spatial smoothing (SS) based linear prediction-orthogonal propagator method (LP-OPM) to obtain information about the radar target. Next, the YOLOv7 and the visual ranging algorithms are used to identify and localize the target to get information about the camera target. In addition, a Kalman-weighted fusion algorithm is used to fuse the data from the two sensor targets for output. Finally, the performance of the method is proved to be superior by the experimental results.

Existing methods based on statistical models ignore the detail effect of the real environment on path loss, leading to some discrepancies with the actual results in real urban environments. In order to reduce the discrepancies and improve the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coverage effect, a multi-UAV coverage method based on deterministic radio wave propagation is proposed. First, the ray-tracing method, as one of the deterministic models, is used to simulate the path loss. Next, the cooperative search and coverage problem of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles is modeled as a potential game model, and the utility function is designed by path loss. After that action set is designed to constrain the motion of unmanned aerial vehicles. Then, the coverage problem is solved using a binary log-linear learning algorithm, which combines ray-tracing method and deterministic model. Finally, experiments are conducted in local areas of two cities, Haikou and Guangzhou by proposed method and statistic models. The experimental results show that the proposed method is capable of multi-UAV cooperative search and coverage tasks in urban areas and can achieve better performance than the statistical model-based methods.

BackgroundSepsis-associated liver dysfunction (SALD) has high incidence and mortality in patients with intra-abdominal infection (IAI). The associations between acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI), gut microbiota, and SALD were evaluated in patients with IAI.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted to assess the relationship between AGI and SALD in patients with IAI. Patients were divided into non-SALD and sepsis-induced cholestasis (SIC) groups, which is a subtype of SALD. SIC was defined as total bilirubin >2 mg/dL. AGI incidences between the two groups were compared using Chi-square test. Subsequently, a prospective study was conducted to investigate the gut microbiota differences between patients without SALD and those with SIC. Fecal samples were collected on days 1, 3, and 7 after admission to analyze changes in gut microbiota using 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing.ResultsOne hundred thirty-four patients with IAI were included retrospectively, with 77 SALD and 57 non-SALD cases. Among patients with SALD, 71 were diagnosed with SIC. Patients with SIC had a higher incidence of AGI compared to those without SALD (28.07% vs. 56.34%, p

BackgroundSleep disorders are common among the aging population and people with neurodegenerative diseases. Sleep disorders have a strong bidirectional relationship with neurodegenerative diseases, where they accelerate and worsen one another. Although one-to-one individual cognitive behavioral interventions (conducted in-person or on the internet) have shown promise for significant improvements in sleep efficiency among adults, many may experience difficulties accessing interventions with sleep specialists, psychiatrists, or psychologists. Therefore, delivering sleep intervention through an automated chatbot platform may be an effective strategy to increase the accessibility and reach of sleep disorder intervention among the aging population and people with neurodegenerative diseases. ObjectiveThis work aims to (1) determine the feasibility and usability of an automated chatbot (named MotivSleep) that conducts sleep interviews to encourage the aging population to report behaviors that may affect their sleep, followed by providing personalized recommendations for better sleep based on participants’ self-reported behaviors; (2) assess the self-reported sleep assessment changes before, during, and after using our automated sleep disturbance intervention chatbot; (3) assess the changes in objective sleep assessment recorded by a sleep tracking device before, during, and after using the automated chatbot MotivSleep. MethodsWe will recruit 30 older adult participants from West London for this pilot study. Each participant will have a sleep analyzer installed under their mattress. This contactless sleep monitoring device passively records movements, heart rate, and breathing rate while participants are in bed. In addition, each participant will use our proposed chatbot MotivSleep, accessible on WhatsApp, to describe their sleep and behaviors related to their sleep and receive personalized recommendations for better sleep tailored to their specific reasons for disrupted sleep. We will analyze questionnaire responses before and after the study to assess their perception of our proposed chatbot; questionnaire responses before, during, and after the study to assess their subjective sleep quality changes; and sleep parameters recorded by the sleep analyzer throughout the study to assess their objective sleep quality changes. ResultsRecruitment will begin in May 2023 through UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre organized community outreach. Data collection will run from May 2023 until December 2023. We hypothesize that participants will perceive our proposed chatbot as intelligent and trustworthy; we also hypothesize that our proposed chatbot can help improve participants’ subjective and objective sleep assessment throughout the study. ConclusionsThe MotivSleep automated chatbot has the potential to provide additional care to older adults who wish to improve their sleep in more accessible and less costly ways than conventional face-to-face therapy. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/45752

Red mud (RM) a solid waste generated by the bauxite smelting industry, is a rich source of metal resources, especially Ti, and its recycling can bring significant environmental and economic benefits. In this study, precious metal Ti was efficiently recovered from red mud using a coupled acid leaching and boiling route for the effective separation of low-value metals. The red mud which contained mainly 10.69% Si, 12.1% Al, 15.2% Ca, 10.99% Fe, and 4.37% Ti, was recovered in five steps. First, a nitric acid solution was used to leach the metals in multiple stages, resulting in an acidic leach solution with high concentrations of Fe, Al, Ti, and Ca ions 2.7 g/L, 4.7 g/L, 5.43 g/L, and 1.8 g/L, respectively. Then, a small amount of sucrose was added as a catalyst to recover Ti from the leach solution under hydrothermal conditions, resulting in the targeted recovery of 98.6% of Ti in the form of high-purity anatase while Fe, Al, and Ca remained in the solution. Next, the Fe in solution was separated as hematite products at a temperature of 110°C and a reaction time of 4 h. Similarly, the Al in the solution was separated and precipitated as boehmite by heating it at 260°C for a reaction time of 20 h. Finally, the remaining Ca in solution was recovered by simple pH regulation. Economic accounting assessment showed that the method yields $101.06 for 1 t of red mud treated, excluding labor costs. This study provides a novel approach to recover precious metals from metal wastes through the whole process resource recovery of solid waste red mud.

In this paper, we introduce a Reduced-Dimension Multiple-Signal Classification (RD-MUSIC) technique via Higher-Order Orthogonal Iteration (HOOI), which facilitates the estimation of the target range and angle for Frequency-Diverse Array Multiple-Input–Multiple-Output (FDA-MIMO) radars in the unfolded coprime array with unfolded coprime frequency offsets (UCA-UCFO) structure. The received signal undergoes tensor decomposition by the HOOI algorithm to get the core and factor matrices, then the 2D spectral function is built. The Lagrange multiplier method is used to obtain a one-dimensional spectral function, reducing complexity for estimating the direction of arrival (DOA). The vector of the transmitter is obtained by the partial derivatives of the Lagrangian function, and its rotational invariance facilitates target range estimation. The method demonstrates improved operation speed and decreased computational complexity with respect to the classic Higher-Order Singular-Value Decomposition (HOSVD) technique, and its effectiveness and superiority are confirmed by numerical simulations.

At present, the challenging issue of the compatibility between stab resistance and flexibility of materials frequently appears. Thus, this study proposes a novel method to enhance the comprehensive performance of the material matrix with stab resistance. Based on the stab-resistant mechanism analysis of the textile matrix, the influence of four factors on the performance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) knitted fabric was discussed. And, the optimal process conditions of material for achieving high stab resistance and high flexibility were obtained by the response surface method. A series of experiments proved that among all factors, the fabric structure had the greatest influence on the flexible stab-resistant knitted material. Following that, the thickness of the yarn also plays a significant role. Under the optimal process conditions, the stab peak force of the knitted material was promoted to 52.450 N, and the flexibility was enhanced to 93.6%. Meanwhile, through comparison with products that have undergone the same treatment, there was little difference in stab resistance but significantly improved flexibility. It achieves the initial stab resistance and comfortable wearing softness of the fabric through process optimization. This improvement in overall performance of the textile matrix enables further enhancement treatments.

Background: Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS) is a rare autoimmune disease, and despite our knowledge of SjS, we still lack effective treatments. Chloroquine drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases are still the primary medicine for SjS but increase the risk of chloroquine retinopathy. Objectives: The objective of this study is to use Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) images to monitor the microvascular changes in the fundus of SjS patients after hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment and the feasibility of using them as diagnostic indicators. Design: This is a retrospective observational cohort study. Methods: Twelve healthy controls (HCs group; 24 eyes), 12 SjS patients (SjS group; 24 eyes), and 12 SjS patients treated with HCQ (HCQ group; 24 eyes) were recruited. Three-dimensional OCTA images of the retina were collected, and microvascular density was calculated for each eye. OCTA image segmentation for analysis was conducted using the central wheel division method (C1–C6), hemisphere segmentation method (SR, SL, IL, and IR), and the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study method (ETDRS) (R, S, L, and I). Results: Retinal microvascular density was significantly lower in the SjS patients compared to the HCs group ( p

Abstract Background Previous studies have indicated that pain‐related diseases can result in significant functional alterations in the brain. However, differences in spontaneous brain activity in toothache (TA) patients remain unclear. Objective To investigate altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with TA and its underlying mechanisms using the resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging–fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (rsfMRI–fALFF) technique. Methods Twelve patients with TA and 12 non‐toothache controls (NTCs) (matched for sex, age, and level of education) were enrolled. Spontaneous cerebral activity variations were investigated using the rsfMRI–fALFF technique in all individuals. The mean fALFF values of the TA patients and NTCs were classified using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The correlations between fALFF signals of distinct brain regions and clinical manifestations of TA patients were evaluated using Pearson's correlation analysis. Results TA patients showed lower fALFF values in the left superior frontal gyrus, medial; right superior frontal gyrus, dorsolateral; and left median cingulate and paracingulate gyri (LDCG) than the NTCs. Moreover, ROC curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve of each cerebral region studied had high accuracy. Besides, in the TA group, the visual analog scale score was negatively correlated with fALFF signal values of the LDCG (r = .962, p

PurposeFamily environment has the major impact on children’s academic development. The aim of this study was to research the relationship between family capital and academic achievement in geography. Further, geospatial thinking, as a form of spatial thinking focusing on the scale of the geographical environment, is closely related to family environment and academic achievement in geography. Thus, the study was more specifically to apply a mediation model to explore the potential mediating role of geospatial thinking.MethodsA total of 1,037 upper-secondary-school students in Western China were surveyed using t the Family Capital Questionnaire and the Geospatial Thinking Test Questionnaire. SPSS (version 26.0) was used for descriptive statistical analysis and correlation analysis. The PROCESS plug-in (version 4.0) was used to test the mediating effect of geospatial thinking.Results(1) The correlation analysis showed that family capital has a positive effect on academic achievement in geography and is related to geospatial thinking. Moreover, geospatial thinking exerts a positive effect on academic achievement in geography. (2) The results of mediation analysis indicated that geospatial thinking plays mediating and buffering roles in the relationship between family capital and academic achievement in geography after controlling for family residence and gender. The direct and indirect effects accounted for 75.32% and 24.68% of the total effect, respectively.ConclusionThe results indicated that family capital not only affected academic achievement in geography directly but also indirectly through geospatial thinking. This finding provides some ideas for the development of geography education, which suggests that geography educators need to pay more attention to the influence of the family environment on students’ geography learning in curriculum design and teaching processes. Also, the mediating role of geospatial thinking further uncovers the mechanisms underlying the academic achievement in geography. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on both students’ family capital and geospatial thinking in the process of geography learning, and carry out more geospatial thinking training to improve academic achievement in geography.

Abstract This study proposes the use of the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) technique to investigate structural alterations of the cerebral cortex in patients with strabismus and amblyopia (SA). Sixteen patients with SA and sixteen healthy controls (HCs) underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Original whole brain images were analyzed using the VBM method. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between mean gray matter volume (GMV) and clinical manifestations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to classify the mean GMV values of the SA group and HCs. Compared with the HCs, GMV values in the SA group showed a significant difference in the right superior temporal gyrus, posterior and anterior lobes of the cerebellum, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, and left anterior cingulate cortex. The mean GMV value in the right superior temporal gyrus, posterior and anterior lobes of the cerebellum, and bilateral parahippocampal gyrus were negatively correlated with the angle of strabismus. The ROC curve analysis of each cerebral region confirmed the accuracy of the area under the curve. Patients with SA have reduced GMV values in some brain regions. These findings might help to reveal the potential pathogenesis of SA and its relationship with the atrophy of specific regions of the brain.

Purpose. To explore short-term changes in corneal astigmatism after combined silicone oil removal and cataract (SORC) surgery. Methods. We enrolled 89 patients (43 men and 46 women). Zeiss IOLMaster was used to measure corneal astigmatism status and axial length on the day before and after the SORC surgery. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded. The results were compared to the outcomes at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. Results. Compared to baseline, K1 decreased significantly at 3 days postoperatively (P=0.016), 1 week (P=0.009), and 1 month (P=0.035), while K2 increased significantly at 3 days postoperatively (P = 0.002), 1 week (P < 0.001), and 1 month (P = 0.001), as well as corneal astigmatism (all P < 0.001). Compared to that at the baseline, BCVA significantly improved at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively (all P

AIM: To explore the intrinsic brain activity variations in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) subjects by using the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) technique. METHODS: Twenty-one subjects with RVO and twenty-one healthy controls (HCs) were enlisted and underwent the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) examination. The spontaneous cerebrum activity variations were inspected using the DC technology. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was implemented to distinguish the DC values of RVOs from HCs. The relationships between DC signal of definite regions of interest and the clinical characteristics in RVO group were evaluated by Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: RVOs showed notably higher DC signals in right superior parietal lobule, middle frontal gyrus and left precuneus, but decreased DC signals in left middle temporal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulated (BAC) when comparing with HCs. The mean DC value of RVOs in the BAC were negatively correlated with the anxiety and depression scale. CONCLUSION: RVO is associated aberrant intrinsic brain activity patterns in several brain areas including pain-related as well as visual-related regions, which might assist to reveal the latent neural mechanisms.

Abstract Streamflow sensitivity to climate change is an important indicator for evaluating the effects of climate change on terrestrial water. This study analyzed the spatial pattern and seasonality of streamflow sensitivity to climate change for 425 catchments across China. The results indicate that precipitation is consistently a more important contributor than temperature to streamflow variability (mean streamflow sensitivity to annual precipitation [εP,a] = 0.92; absolute mean sensitivity to annual temperature [εT,a] = 0.05). Meanwhile, the seasonal sensitivity evaluation found that streamflow response to precipitation change in warm seasons (mean εP,w = 0.90) is significantly greater than in cool seasons (mean εP,c = 0.46), but the sensitivity of streamflow to changes in temperature was stronger in cool seasons than in warm seasons. The magnitude of streamflow sensitivity to temperature in cool seasons is significantly affected by elevation (Pearson's r = 0.31, P

Abstract Based on the finite scattering characters of the millimeter-wave multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel, the mmWave channel estimation problem can be considered as a sparse signal recovery problem. However, most traditional channel estimation methods depend on grid search, which may lead to considerable precision loss. To improve the channel estimation accuracy, we propose a high-precision two-stage millimeter-wave MIMO system channel estimation algorithm. Since the traditional expectation–maximization-based sparse Bayesian learning algorithm can be applied to handle this problem, it spends lots of time to calculate the E-step which needs to compute the inversion of a high-dimensional matrix. To avoid the high computation of matrix inversion, we combine damp generalized approximate message passing with the E-step in SBL. We then improve a refined algorithm to handle the dictionary matrix mismatching problem in sparse representation. Numerical simulations show that the estimation time of the proposed algorithm is greatly reduced compared with the traditional SBL algorithm and better estimation performance is obtained at the same time.

Few studies have examined how family capital affects the sense of place, and the effect of spatial thinking on the relationship between the two is unclear. This study constructs a mediation model to examine the impact of family capital on sense of place and the mediation effect of geospatial thinking. A total of 1,004 upper-secondary-school students were surveyed using the Family Capital Questionnaire, the Geospatial Thinking Test, and the Sense of Place Scale. The correlation analysis showed that family capital has a positive effect on both sense of place and geospatial thinking. Moreover, there is also a significant positive correlation between geospatial thinking and sense of place. The results of mediation analysis indicated that geospatial thinking plays mediating and buffering roles in the relationship between family capital and sense of place after controlling for gender and residential address. The direct and indirect effects accounted for 73.31 and 26.69% of the total effect, respectively. Specifically, family capital is a significant positive predictor of both sense of place and geospatial thinking, and geospatial thinking partially mediates the relationship between family capital and sense of place. Students from better family backgrounds are more likely to have a better geospatial thinking and sense of place, as well as geospatial thinking promotes the development of a sense of place. Therefore, both family capital and geospatial thinking should be considered when we want to examine and develop individuals’ level of sense of place.

PurposePrevious studies on monocular blindness (MB) have mainly focused on concept and impact. The present study measured spontaneous brain activity in MB patients using the percentage of amplitude fluctuation (PerAF) method.MethodsTwenty-nine patients with MB (21 male and 8 female) and 29 age-, gender-, and weight-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All participants underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The PerAF method was used to analyze the data and evaluate the spontaneous regional brain activity. The ability of PerAF values to distinguish patients with MB from HCs was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between PerAF values of brain regions and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores.ResultsPerAF values in Occipital_Mid_L/Occipital_Mid_R/Cingulum_ Mid_L were significantly lower in patients with MB than in controls. Conversely, values in the Frontal_Sup_Orb_L/Frontal_Inf_Orb_L/Temporal _Inf_L/Frontal_Inf_Oper_L were significantly higher in MB patients than in HCs. And the AUC of ROC curves were follows: 0.904, (p < 0.0001; 95%CI: 0.830–0.978) for Frontal_Sup_Orb_L/Frontal_Inf_Orb_L; Temporal_Inf_L 0.883, (p < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.794–0.972); Frontal_Inf_Oper_L 0.964, (p < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.924–1.000), and 0.893 (p < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.812–0.973) for Occipital_Mid_L; Occipital_Mid_R 0.887, (p < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.802–0.971); Cingulum_Mid_L 0.855, (p < 0.0001; 95% CI: 0.750–0.960).ConclusionThe results of our study show abnormal activity in some brain regions in patients with MB, indicating that these patients may be at risk of disorder related to these brain regions. These results may reflect the neuropathological mechanisms of MB and facilitate early MB diagnoses.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness worldwide, with limited medical treatment options. USH2A mutations are one of the most common causes of non-syndromic RP. In this study, we developed retinal organoids (ROs) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of RP patient to establish a sustainable in vitro RP disease model. RT-qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescent staining assessments showed that USH2A mutations induced apoptosis of iPSCs and ROs, and deficiency of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Transcriptomics and proteomics findings suggested that abnormal ECM-receptor interactions could result in apoptosis of ROs with USH2A mutations via the PI3K-Akt pathway. To optimize the culture conditions of ROs, we fabricated a microfluidic chip to co-culture the ROs with RPE cells. Our results showed that this perfusion system could efficiently improve the survival rate of ROs. Further, ECM components such as laminin and collagen IV of ROs in the RP group were upregulated compared with those maintained in static culture. These findings illustrate the potential of microfluidic chip combined with ROs technology in disease modelling for RP.

Current wound dressing based on hydrogel offers a promising way to accelerate the healing process, yet great challenges remain in the development of a highly integrated and efficient platform with the combination of therapeutic biomolecules and stem cells. Herein, a natural hydrogel wound dressing from egg white can be conveniently obtained by feasible physical crosslinking, the prepared hydrogel dressing features interconnected microporous channels, direct 3D printing, cytocompatibility, and intrinsic biomolecules to advance cell behavior. The 3D printed egg white hydrogels promote the adhesion and proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) without obvious cytotoxicity. In addition, this integrated hydrogel platform accompanied with adipose-derived stem cells accelerates wound healing through the enhancement of fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and collagen rearrangement in the wound bed. The egg white hydrogel provides an effective wound caring product possessing low cost, easy availability along with ready manufacturing, and advanced therapeutic effect, which may be extended for the management of chronic or other complicated wounds.

Abstract Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has significantly advanced cancer immunotherapy, yet its patient response rates are generally low. Vaccines, including immunostimulant‐adjuvanted peptide antigens, can improve ICB. The emerging neoantigens generated by cancer somatic mutations elicit cancer‐specific immunity for personalized immunotherapy; the novel cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) adjuvants activate stimulator of interferon genes (STING) for antitumor type I interferon (IFN‐I) responses. However, CDN/neoantigen vaccine development has been limited by the poor antigen/adjuvant codelivery. Here, pH‐responsive CDN/neoantigen codelivering nanovaccines (NVs) for ICB combination tumor immunotherapy are reported. pH‐responsive polymers are synthesized to be self‐assembled into multivesicular nanoparticles (NPs) at physiological pH and disassembled at acidic conditions. NPs with high CDN/antigen coloading are selected as NVs for CDN/antigen codelivery to antigen presenting cells (APCs) in immunomodulatory lymph nodes (LNs). In the acidic endosome of APCs, pH‐responsive NVs facilitate the vaccine release and escape into cytosol, where CDNs activate STING for IFN‐I responses and antigens are presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) for T‐cell priming. In mice, NVs elicit potent antigen‐specific CD8+ T‐cell responses with immune memory, and reduce multifaceted tumor immunosuppression. In syngeneic murine tumors, NVs show robust ICB combination therapeutic efficacy. Overall, these CDN/neoantigen‐codelivering NVs hold the potential for ICB combination tumor immunotherapy.

PurposeBased on fMRI technology, we explored whether children with strabismus and amblyopia (SA) showed significant change in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) values in specific brain regions compared with healthy controls and whether this change could point to the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of children with strabismus to a certain extent.MethodsWe enrolled 23 children with SA and the same number matched healthy controls in the ophthalmology department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, and the whole brain was scanned by rs-fMRI. The fALFF value of each brain area was derived to examine whether there is a statistical difference between the two groups. Meanwhile, the ROC curve was made in a view to evaluate whether this difference proves useful as a diagnostic index. Finally, we analyzed whether changes in the fALFF value of some specific brain regions are related to clinical manifestations.ResultsCompared with HCs, children with SA presented decreased fALFF values in the left temporal pole: the superior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, and right supplementary motor area. Meanwhile, they also showed higher fALFF values in specific brain areas, which included the left precentral gyrus, left inferior parietal, and left precuneus.ConclusionChildren with SA showed abnormal fALFF values in different brain regions. Most of these regions were allocated to the visual formation pathway, the eye movement-related pathway, or other visual-related pathways, suggesting the pathological mechanism of the patient.

Background: High expression of inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1) correlates with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC). Aberrant enhancer activation in regulating ID1 transcription is limited. Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting (WB) were used to determine the expression of ID1. CRISPR-Cas9 was used to generate ID1 or enhancer E1 knockout cell lines. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, chromosome conformation capture assay and ChIP-qPCR were used to determine the active enhancers of ID1. Cell Counting Kit 8, colony-forming, transwell assays and tumorigenicity in nude mice were used to investigate the biological functions of ID1 and enhancer E1. Results: Human CRC tissues and cell lines expressed a higher level of ID1 than normal controls. ID1 promoted CRC cell proliferation and colony formation. Enhancer E1 actively regulated ID1 promoter activity. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) bound to ID1 promoter and enhancer E1 to regulate their activity. The inhibitor of STAT3 Stattic attenuated ID1 promoter and enhancer E1 activity and the expression of ID1. Enhancer E1 knockout down-regulated ID1 expression level and cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Enhancer E1 is positively regulated by STAT3 and contributes to the regulation of ID1 to promote CRC cell progression and might be a potential target for anti-CRC drug studies.

Heteropolygonatum ginfushanicum is an endemic epiphytic herb in China. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of H. ginfushanicum is reported in this study. The total length of the cp genome is 155,508 bp with a typical quadripartite structure consisting of a large single copy region (LSC) of 84,552 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 18,528 bp, separated by a pair of 26,214 bp inverted repeats (IRs). It encodes a total of 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding, 30 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that H. ginfushanicum is sister to Heteropolygonatum marmoratum within subfamily Nolinoideae.

Abstract Previous neuroimaging studies demonstrated that patients with strabismus or amblyopia can show significant functional and anatomical changes in the brain, but alterations of interhemispheric functional connectivity (FC) have not been well studied in this population. The current study analyzed whole-brain changes of interhemispheric FC in children with strabismus and amblyopia (CSA) using voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC).A total of 24 CSA (16 males and 8 females) and 24 normal controls (NCs) consisting of 16 and 8 age-, sex, and education-matched males and females, respectively, underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans in the resting state. According to Gaussian random field theory, changes in the resting state FC (rsFC) between hemispheres were evaluated using the VMHC method. The relationships between mean VMHC values in multiple brain regions and behavioral performance were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis. In contrast to NCs, the CSA group showed significantly decreased VMHC values in the bilateral cerebellum, bilateral frontal superior orbital (frontal sup orb), bilateral temporal inferior(temporal inf),and bilateral frontal superior(frontal sup). CSA have abnormal interhemispheric FC in many brain regions, which may reflect dysfunction of eye movements and visual fusion. These findings might provide insight into the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of CSA.

This research investigates the characteristics of spontaneous brain activity in dysthyroid optic neuropathy patients using the regional homogeneity technique. Sixteen patients with dysthyroid optic neuropathy and 16 thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients without dysthyroid optic neuropathy were recruited, matched for weight, height, age, sex, and educational level. All participants underwent resting-state functional nuclear resonance imaging, and the characteristics of spontaneous brain activity were evaluated using the regional homogeneity technique. Each participant in the dysthyroid optic neuropathy group also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare brain activity between the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis evaluated the relationship between regional homogeneity and clinical manifestations in dysthyroid optic neuropathy patients. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and regional homogeneity. We found that the regional homogeneity values at the corpus callosum/cingulate gyrus and parietal lobe/middle frontal gyrus significantly decreased in dysthyroid optic neuropathy patients. Regional homogeneity values at the corpus callosum/cingulate gyrus and parietal lobe/middle frontal gyrus were negatively correlated with Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and disease duration. It was found that the regional homogeneity signal values were significantly lower than in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy without in dysthyroid optic neuropathy, which may indicate a risk of regional brain dysfunction in dysthyroid optic neuropathy. The results show that regional homogeneity has the potential for early diagnosis and prevent dysthyroid optic neuropathy. In addition, the findings suggest possible mechanisms of dysthyroid optic neuropathy optic nerve injury. They may provide a valuable basis for further research on the pathological mechanisms of dysthyroid optic neuropathy.

Abstract. Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disease that is often accompanied by obesity. An increasing amount of research has elucidated the pathophysiological link between psoriasis and obesity. Since 2005, interleukin (IL)-17-producing T helper 17 cells and their main effector cytokine IL-17A have been considered to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis; the marked effect of biotherapies targeting IL-17A on moderate and severe psoriasis has further established its role in psoriasis. Recent studies have found that obesity induces T helper 17 cells to secrete IL-17A and participate in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. IL-17A may be a crucial element in the association between psoriasis and obesity. This review discusses the association between psoriasis and obesity, with a focus on and the implications regarding the need to treat psoriasis.

Abstract This study investigated neurologic changes in patients with dry eye (DE) by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to used regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis to clarify the relationship between these changes and clinical features of DE. A total of 28 patients with DE and 28 matched healthy control (HC) subjects (10 males and 18 females in each group) were enrolled. fMRI scans were performed in both groups. We carried out ReHo analysis to assess differences in neural activity between the 2 groups, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the performance of ReHo values of specific brain areas in distinguishing DE patients from HCs. The relationship between average ReHo values and clinical characteristics was assessed by correlation analysis. ReHo values of the middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior frontal gyrus were significantly lower in DE patients compared to HCs. The ROC analysis showed that ReHo value had high accuracy in distinguishing between DE patients and HCs (P

ObjectiveTo investigate voxel-based morphometry (VBM) by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in meibomian gland dysfunction patients with severe obesity (PATs) and to explore the application of VBM in the early diagnosis, prevention of cognitive impairment and targeted treatment of this disease.MethodsSixteen PATs and 12 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and underwent MRI. Whole-head images were analyzed using VBM and data were compared between groups using an independent samples t-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to assess the diagnostic value of this approach. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores were used to assess cognitive impairment and were analyzed using an independent samples t-test.ResultsCompared with HCs, the VBM values in PATs were reduced in the left cerebellum and right thalamus but increased in the right brainstem, right precuneus and right paracentral lobule. The results of ROC curve analysis indicated that VBM may be useful in meibomian gland disease diagnosis. Comparison of MMSE scores between groups showed mild cognitive impairment in PATs.ConclusionPATs showed altered VBM values in some brain areas. These findings may provide information about the pathophysiology of meibomian gland dysfunction and may help to explain the underlying mechanisms of clinical manifestations in PATs, such as cognitive impairment. Abnormal VBM values in these brain areas may serve as predictive factors for development of meibomian gland disease in severely obese people and as indicators for individualized treatment.

PurposeTo explore alterations in macular retinal thickness (RT) and analyze correlation between macular RT and pterygium area, length in pterygium patients.MethodsTotally 13 patients with pterygium (left eye) and 13 healthy controls (left eye) were recruited. OCTA was applied to scan each eye to generate three-dimensional images. Based on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) method, each image was divided into nine subregions for the ETDRS: central (C); inner superior (IS); outer superior (OS); inner nasal (IN); outer nasal (ON); inner inferior (II); outer inferior (OI); inner temporal (IT); and outer temporal (OT). The macular RT in each subregion was measured. Furthermore, the correlation between RT and the area, length of pterygium was analyzed.ResultsThe visual acuity of pterygium patient was different from that of the control (P < 0.05). Besides, decreased intraretinal thickness of the IN and ON, increased intraretinal thickness of OT, decreased extraretinal thickness of OT, IN, ON, OS, and decreased retinal full layer thickness of medial superior, OS, IN, ON, and II subregions in pterygium group were observed. There was a negative correlation between RT of the IN and ON subregions and the length of pterygium (r = −0.5803 and r = −0.6013, P = 0.0376 and P = 0.0297). The RT of IN subregion was negatively correlated with pterygium area (r = −0.5844, P = 0.0359). According to the receiver operating characteristic analysis, in the ON subregion, the areas under the curve of the inner retinal thickness, outer retinal thickness and the whole retinal thickness were 1.0 (95% CI: 1.0), 0.882 (95% CI: 0.715 and 0.963), and 1.0 (95% CI: 1.0). The smallest area under the curve of retinal thickness in OT subregion was 0.018 (95% CI: 0–0.059).ConclusionRT of pterygium patients was significantly decreased, and the main alterations occurred in the temporal side suggesting there might exist retinal structural alterations in pterygium.

Polysaccharide hydrogels are widely used in tissue engineering because of their superior biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. However, many of these hydrogels are unrealistic for practical applications as the cost of raw materials is high, and the fabrication steps are tedious. This study focuses on the facile fabrication and optimization of agarose-polydopamine hydrogel (APG) scaffolds for skin wound healing. The first study objective was to evaluate the effects of polydopamine (PDA) on the mechanical properties, water holding capacity and cell adhesiveness of APG. We observed that APG showed decreased rigidity and increased water content with the addition of PDA. Most importantly, decreased rigidity translated into significant increase in cell adhesiveness. Next, the slow biodegradability and high biocompatibility of APG with the highest PDA content (APG3) was confirmed. In addition, APG3 promoted full-thickness skin defect healing by accelerating collagen deposition and promoting angiogenesis. Altogether, we have developed a straightforward and efficient strategy to construct functional APG scaffold for skin tissue engineering, which has translation potentials in clinical practice.