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Gastrointestinal motility symptoms may be closely related to thyroid diseases. Sometimes, such symptoms are the only thyroid disease-related clue although the degree of the symptoms may vary. The exact mechanism of action of thyroid hormones on gastrointestinal motility is not completely understood, however, a clue lies in the fact that muscle cell receptors can be directly acted upon by thyroxines. Both hypo- and hyperthyroidism can cause impairment of gastrointestinal motility, modifying structure and function of pharynx and esophagus, and regulating esophageal peristalsis through neuro-humoral interaction. In hyperthyroid patients, alterations of postprandial and basic electric rhythms have been observed at gastro-duodenal level, often resulting in slower gastric emptying. Gastric emptying may also be delayed in hypothyroidism, but an unrelated gastric mucosa-affecting chronic modification may also cause such pattern. Hyperthyroidism commonly show malabsorption and diarrhoea, while hypothyroidism frequently show constipation. In summary, it can be stated that symptoms of gastrointestinal motility dysfunction can be related to thyroid diseases, affecting any of the gastrointestinal segment. Clinically, the typical thyroid disease manifestations may be missing, borderline, or concealed because of intercurrent sicknesses. Motility-linked gastrointestinal problems may easily conceal a misdetected, underlying dysthyroidism that should be carefully analyzed. Here, we aim to elaborate on the associations between thyroid disorders and GI dysmotility and the common clinical manifestations associated with GI dysmotility.

Abstract Background The intensified global warming during grain filling deteriorated rice quality, in particular increasing the frequency of chalky grains which markedly impact market value. The formation of rice quality is a complex process influenced by multiple genes, proteins and physiological metabolic processes. Proteins responsive to stimulus can adjust the ability of plants to respond to unfavorable environments, which may be an important protein involved in the regulation of quality formation under elevated temperature. However, relatively few studies have hindered our further understanding of rice quality formation under elevated temperature. Results We conducted the actual field elevated temperature experiment and performed proteomic analysis of rice grains at the early stage of grain filling. Starting with the response to stimulus in GO annotation, 22 key proteins responsive to stimulus were identified in the regulation of grain filling and response to elevated temperature. Among the proteins responsive to stimulus, during grain filling, an increased abundance of signal transduction and other stress response proteins, a decreased abundance of reactive oxygen species-related proteins, and an increased accumulation of storage substance metabolism proteins consistently contributed to grain filling. However, the abundance of probable indole-3-acetic acid-amido synthetase GH3.4, probable indole-3-acetic acid-amido synthetase GH3.8 and CBL-interacting protein kinase 9 belonged to signal transduction were inhibited under elevated temperature. In the reactive oxygen species-related protein, elevated temperature increased the accumulation of cationic peroxidase SPC4 and persulfide dioxygenase ETHE1 homolog to maintain normal physiological homeostasis. The increased abundance of alpha-amylase isozyme 3E and seed allergy protein RA5 was related to the storage substance metabolism, which regulated starch and protein accumulation under elevated temperature. Conclusion Auxin synthesis and calcium signal associated with signal transduction, other stress responses, protein transport and modification, and reactive oxygen species-related proteins may be key proteins responsive to stimulus in response to elevated temperature. Alpha-amylase isozyme 3E and seed allergy protein RA5 may be the key proteins to regulate grain storage substance accumulation and further influence quality under elevated temperature. This study enriched the regulatory factors involved in the response to elevated temperature and provided a new idea for a better understanding of grain response to temperature.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (SCCT) is a rare thyroid gland malignancy, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literature, mostly as case reports or small sample studies. In the previous WHO classification, squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid was defined as a carcinoma composed entirely of squamous cells without differentiated carcinoma components. It was once included in the WHO tumor classification separately. However, the 2022 WHO classification of squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid was reclassified as a morphologic subtype of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). The squamous cell carcinoma pattern is similar to the other histologic types of ATC, but the phenotype associated has a poorer prognosis. The typical clinical manifestation of this condition is a cervical mass, accompanied by indications and symptoms of compression on adjacent structures such as the esophagus and trachea in advanced stages. Secondary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid may occur due to the spread of squamous carcinoma of the larynx or esophagus or distant metastases from other sites. Diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid includes neck Ultrasound (US), Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), puncture tissue biopsy, and full endoscopy to identify metastatic lesions from the nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, esophagus, or bronchi and to help with the initial staging of the tumor. Current treatment modalities include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. Because of the poor prognosis of patients with this disease, the short survival period, usually less than one year, and the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis, this article reviews the epidemiological features, origin, clinical features, pathological features, and differential diagnosis to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease by clinicians.

In view of insufficient security in the next generation passive optical network, an electro-optic hybrid encryption scheme based on MD5 message digest algorithm check is proposed in this paper. In the scheme, Baker scrambling algorithm and 256 bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption algorithm are used to encrypt the picture data. The Low Density Parity Check Code (LDPC) error correction and MD5 check are combined to perform the error correcting coding and check the consistency of the encrypted picture data. In order to strengthen the security of key and MD5 digest distribution, Super Structure Fiber Bragg Grating (SSFBG) is also used to encode them so that they are hidden under the system noise. The simulation results show that after SSFBG coding, the power of the coded signal is as low as-50 dBm, which can achieve the effect of data hidden transmission over the optical fiber channel. Due to the fact that the MD5 check of the received data is added in the scheme, the information changes caused by malicious access attacks cannot be decoded by AES, which improves the security and saves Central Processing Unit (CPU) resources at the same time. Finally, Error rate curve analysis results show that the receiver sensitivity can be effectively reduced by adding LDPC error correction.

Aiming at the current eavesdropping security issues in the physical layer of optical networks, a new hybrid optical encryption scheme based on Highly Nonlinear Fiber (HNLF) and Super Structured Fiber Bragg Grating (SSFBG) is proposed in this paper. In the scheme, degenerate Four Wave Mixing (FWM) is used to encrypt and decrypt user information, and optical coding technology is used to encode and decode the key information. Therefore, the encoding and secret transmission of the key signal can be realized simultaneously. The security of the system is measured by comparing the waveform of the encrypted signal transmitted in the channel with the waveform of the original transmitted signal, and the effectiveness of the system is measured by the bit error rate at the system receiver side. The simulation results show that the frequency and phase of the user data information are disturbed, and the optical power of the encoded key signal is as low as -34.4 dBm. Therefore, the eavesdropping channel cannot obtain effective data information nor detect the key signal, which demonstrates the safe transmission of Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) signal.

Due to the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the improvement of medical imaging equipment, radiomics has become a popular research in recent years. Radiomics can obtain various quantitative features from medical images, highlighting the invisible image traits and significantly enhancing the ability of medical imaging identification and prediction. The literature indicates that radiomics has a high potential in identifying and predicting thyroid nodules. So in this article, we explain the development, definition, and workflow of radiomics. And then, we summarize the applications of various imaging techniques in identifying benign and malignant thyroid nodules, predicting invasiveness and metastasis of thyroid lymph nodes, forecasting the prognosis of thyroid malignancies, and some new advances in molecular level and deep learning. The shortcomings of this technique are also summarized, and future development prospects are provided.

With the intensification of global warming, high temperatures during rice’s growth and development could further lead to a deterioration in rice yields. Therefore, it is particularly important to further clarify the response of the rice booting stage to high temperatures, and to explore reasonable countermeasures on this basis to reduce yield losses. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a derivative of jasmonates and is widely used for stress resistance. However, the role of MeJA in alleviating high temperatures during the rice booting stage has not been given enough attention. This study aimed to further evaluate the alleviation effect of methyl jasmonate on high-temperature stress during the key growth period of local conventional japonica rice. The results showed that high temperatures (37.5 °C/27.0 °C) at the booting stage had a significant impact on the antioxidant system of rice and also significantly reduced the photosynthetic capacity of the plant, resulting in a decrease in the final yields. The exogenous spraying of 0.1 mmol/L MeJA at the booting stage could effectively alleviate the influence of high-temperature stress on rice photosynthesis. Exogenous MeJA increased the stomatal conductance (Gs) of rice leaves under high-temperature stress, and correspondingly increased the transpiration rate (Tr) and decreased the organ temperature of rice plants, thereby reducing the damage to the actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII) caused by high temperatures. By increasing the carotenoid content (Car) and reducing the malondialdehyde content (MDA), the antioxidant capacity of the plants was restored to a certain extent under exogenous MeJA, and the yield factor showed an increase in the number of grains per panicle and the seed-setting rate of Wuyunjing 24, which alleviated the booting stage yield losses induced by high-temperature stress. In conclusion, the application of exogenous MeJA at the booting stage alleviated the negative consequences of high temperatures by enhancing the plants’ antioxidant and photosynthetic capacity. Therefore, MeJA may have a potential role in mitigating the challenges of global warming in rice production.

Electronic cigarette use is rising globally. Although it may represent a potential smoking cessation tool, amidst misinformation and social media promotion, there is a growing concern regarding the health risks associated with its usage. These risks include adverse effects on the genitourinary system. This commentary investigates the genitourinary effects of approved smoking cessation tools versus electronic cigarettes, urging urologists to prioritize established methods over electronic cigarettes due to their potential for multisystem toxicity and uncertain long-term health implications. Further research is warranted to evaluate comprehensively the genitourinary effects of these interventions.

Sustainable materials are key to the continual improvement of living standards on this planet with minimal environmental impacts. Nanocellulose combines the fascinating features of nanomaterials with favorable properties of the abundantly available cellulose biopolymer, which in recent years has gained much attention toward biomedical applications by virtue of its unique surface chemistry, remarkable physical features, and inherent biological attributes. Herein, the recent advances in nanocellulose‐based biomedical materials, with foci on biomolecule immobilization, drug delivery, cell culture and tissue engineering (TE), antimicrobial strategy, wound healing, and biomedical implants are summarized. Each topic is elaborated with representative examples to present the significance of nanocelluloses in their respective material design principles utilizing different sub‐types, including cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). The current state of large‐scale production of nanocellulose and accelerated development by artificial intelligence and machine learning are also briefly discussed, before ending with its future prospects and potential challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to present a framework for clinicians to use when discussing electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and its association with pre-diabetes. A communication tool was designed using evidence-based strategies from the academic literature. A four-step framework is presented, which includes: step (1) helping patients to understand the association between e-cigarette use and pre-diabetes; step (2) the synergistic health impacts of e-cigarette use and pre-diabetes; step (3) management of diabetes-related lifestyle factors; and step (4) stages of change assessment related to e-cigarette reduction. This communication tool provides support for clinicians to discuss the risk of pre-diabetes associated with e-cigarette use. Moving forward, implementation and evaluation of this model are needed.

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, the impact that electronic cigarettes have on the ocular surface is not well known. Therefore, the aim of this review is to explore the current literature on the acute and chronic sequelae of electronic cigarettes on the ocular surface. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was undertaken by keyword searching on the Embase, Medline, and Web of Science databases. Articles identified through the search underwent title/abstract screening, full-text screening, and data extraction. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in this review. Non-intended ocular surface exposures and intended exposures on the ocular surface were found to be associated with the use of electronic cigarettes. Conclusions: The impact of vaping on the ocular surface is not benign. There are significant risks that vaping can pose to the ocular surface. Hence, it is necessary to develop appropriate risk communication tools given the increasing popularity of this activity. Additionally, future long-term studies are needed to better understand the long-term impacts of vaping on the ocular surface given the lack of current data.

The use of electronic cigarettes among young people has been increasing in recent years. Electronic cigarettes are marketed in ways that attract young people and downplay the risks of these products. For example, electronic cigarettes are available in a variety of flavours, such as mint or chocolate, and it can be quite challenging for young people to understand the potential harms of these products when they are marketed through enticing advertisements under the veil of harmless flavours. Moreover, recent research has shown that electronic cigarette usage may be disproportionately higher for youth with lower socioeconomic status. It is well documented in the literature that electronic cigarettes can have a multitude of negative health impacts on young people. Electronic cigarette use affects all biopsychosocial domains, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, renal disease, mental health, substance use, and interpersonal relationships. Given the increase in electronic cigarette use and lower levels of understanding of the harms these products can have on health, it is essential to develop additional strategies to ensure that young people are made aware of the risks associated with the use of electronic cigarettes. We propose a five factor model that aims to provide support to policymakers, educators, health care professionals, families, and youth. For policymakers, it is necessary to develop policies that limit the access the youth have to electronic cigarettes. In educational settings, educators can incorporate education on electronic cigarettes in the classroom. Health care professionals should have access to tools to ensure they feel comfortable discussing the risks of electronic cigarettes with their young patients. Additionally, families should have access to evidence-based information on the risks associated with electronic cigarettes and on how to communicate with their children about electronic cigarettes. Finally, we should aim to directly reach youth and communicate the potential risks of electronic cigarette use through the social media platforms that they frequent. Ultimately, this paper provides a model that can be used by various stakeholders involved in the public health system. Moving forward, implementing and conducting short, intermediate and long-term evaluation of this model can provide insight into its effectiveness in communicating the risks associated with electronic cigarette use for young people.

Understanding the dynamics and underlying mechanism of carbon exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere is one of the key issues in global change research. In this study, we quantified the carbon fluxes in different terrestrial ecosystems in China, and analyzed their spatial variation and environmental drivers based on the long-term observation data of China FLUX sites and the published data from other flux sites in China. The results indicate that gross ecosystem productivity ( GEP), ecosystem respiration ( ER), and net ecosystem productivity ( NEP) of terrestrial ecosystems in China showed a significantly latitudinal pattern, declining linearly with the increase of latitude. However, GEP, ER, and NEP did not present a clear longitudinal pattern. The carbon sink functional areas of terrestrial ecosystems in China were mainly located in the subtropical and temperate forests, coastal wetlands in eastern China, the temperate meadow steppe in the northeast China, and the alpine meadow in eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The forest ecosystems had stronger carbon sink than grassland ecosystems. The spatial patterns of GEP and ER in China were mainly determined by mean annual precipitation ( MAP) and mean annual temperature ( MAT), whereas the spatial variation in NEP was largely explained by MAT. The combined effects of MAT and MAP explained 79%, 62%, and 66% of the spatial variations in GEP, ER, and NEP, respectively. The GEP, ER, and NEP in different ecosystems in China exhibited 'positive coupling correlation' in their spatial patterns. Both ER and NEP were significantly correlated with GEP, with 68% of the per-unit GEP contributed to ER and 29% to NEP. MAT and MAP affected the spatial patterns of ER and NEP mainly by their direct effects on the spatial pattern of GEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable materials are key to the continual improvement of living standards on this planet with minimal environmental impacts. Nanocellulose combines the fascinating features of nanomaterials with favorable properties of the abundantly available cellulose biopolymer, which in recent years has gained much attention toward biomedical applications by virtue of its unique surface chemistry, remarkable physical features, and inherent biological attributes. Herein, the recent advances in nanocellulose‐based biomedical materials, with foci on biomolecule immobilization, drug delivery, cell culture and tissue engineering (TE), antimicrobial strategy, wound healing, and biomedical implants are summarized. Each topic is elaborated with representative examples to present the significance of nanocelluloses in their respective material design principles utilizing different sub‐types, including cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). The current state of large‐scale production of nanocellulose and accelerated development by artificial intelligence and machine learning are also briefly discussed, before ending with its future prospects and potential challenges.