A Fe2O3/CNx cascade nanoreactor with dual-enzyme-mimetic activities for cancer hypoxia relief to amplify chemo/photodynamic therapy.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated therapeutic strategies, including chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and their combination, are effective for treating cancer. Developing a nanoreactor with combined functions of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) that can simultaneously convert excess H2O2 in tumors into O2 required for type II PDT and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) for CDT can help achieve combined therapy. Here, we reported on a safe Fe2O3/CNx nanoreactor with dual enzyme simulated activity, in which CNx sheet was the carrier and reducing agent to convert Fe2O3 to Fe2+. After modified by MgO2 and photosensitizer Ce6, MgO2-Fe2O3/CNx-Ce6 (MFCC) platform integrated multiple functions, including photosensitizer delivery, compensated H2O2 continuous supply, relieve of hypoxia, generation of •OH and consumption of GSH into a single formulation. Under 660 nm irradiation for 4 min, MFCC actives more ROS to conduct PDT/CDT, leading to the remarkable reduced survival rate of breast cancer cells to 14 %. Due to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, MFCC can retain and accumulate at the tumor site of mice for a longer period that inhibit the expression of tumor angiogenic factors, suppress tumor neovascularization, and suppress the proliferation and growth of tumor cells.

Spinosad blocks CHRNA5 mediated EGFR signaling pathway activation to inhibit lung adenocarcinoma proliferation.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with high incidence and low survival rates. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play an important role in the progression of LUAD. In this study, a screening of 17 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor allosteric agents revealed that spinosad effectively suppressed the proliferation of LUAD cells. The experiments demonstrated that spinosad induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and stimulated apoptosis, thereby impeding the growth of LUAD and enhancing the responsiveness to gefitinib in vitro and vivo. Mechanistic insights obtained through transcriptome sequencing, Co-IP, and protein immunoblots indicated that spinosad disrupted the interaction between CHRNA5 and EGFR, thereby inhibiting the formation of downstream complexes and activation of the EGFR signaling pathway. The supplementation of exogenous acetylcholine showed to mitigate the inhibition of LUAD cell proliferation induced by spinosad. This study elucidates the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of spinosad in LUAD, and offers a theoretical and experimental foundation for novel LUAD treatments.

Riverine seasonal rainfall event tracing of organic pollution sources using fluorescence fingerprint difference spectrum.

Elucidating the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) transport and transformation under seasonal rainfall events is essential for the conservation of riverine ecosystems, for mitigating the effects of climate change, and for crafting informed water management strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the evolutionary characteristics of organic pollution sources during consecutive rainfall events in early spring and to quantify their relative contributions to the process of surface water pollution. The results showed seasonal rainfall induces water quality exceedances in rivers due to the combined impacts of terrestrial inputs and endogenous releases. Humic acid (HA) (region V) and fulvic acid (FA) (region III) emerged as the predominant organic matter in the water column, with their fluorescence intensity altering as rainwater flushed the riverbed. Sources of pollution include agricultural and urban domestic sources (AS+DS) (72.29 %), industrial and urban domestic and microbial sources (IS+DS + MS) (37.71 %), and agricultural and industrial sources (AS+IS) (63.32 %), indicating that agricultural surface pollution discharges contribute significantly. The gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) further confirmed that exogenous inputs were predominantly comprised of particulate pollutants. This study underscores the efficacy of fluorescence difference spectrometry in delineating the migration and transformation of river pollution sources during seasonal rainfall and facilitating the implementation of targeted management strategies for river ecosystems.

Construction and performance evaluation of polyguluronic acid polysaccharides-based drug delivery systems.

Polysaccharides have garnered significant attention as potential nanoparticle carriers for targeted tumor therapy due to their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility. Polyguluronic acid (PG) is a homogeneous acidic polysaccharide fragment derived from alginate, which is found in brown algae, possesses excellent bioactivities, unique properties. This study explored the immunomodulatory activity of PG and developed PG-based nanogels through modified disulfide bonds and Ca2+ dual crosslinking. We characterized their structure, assessed their drug-loading and release properties, and ultimately validated both the safety of the nanocarrier and the in vitro anti-tumor efficacy of the encapsulated drug. Results indicated that PG significantly enhanced the proliferative activity and phagocytosis of RAW264.7 cells while promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cytokine secretion. The study identified TLR4 as the primary receptor for PG recognition in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, PG-based drug-carrying nanogels were prepared, exhibiting uniform sizes of about 184 nm and demonstrating exceptional encapsulation efficiency (82.15 ± 0.82 %) and drug loading capacity (8.12 ± 0.08 %). In vitro release experiments showed that these nanogels could responsively release drugs under conditions of high glutathione (GSH) reduction, facilitating drug accumulation at tumor sites and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. This research not only expands the application of PG in drug delivery systems but also provides valuable insights into leveraging natural immunomodulatory polysaccharides as carriers for targeted drug delivery.

Gradient nanoplasmonic imaging metasurface for rapid and label-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 sequences.

Compact and user-friendly nucleic acid biosensors play a crucial role in advancing infectious disease research, particularly for coronavirus (COVID-19). While nanophotonic metasurface sensors hold promise for high-performance sensing, they face challenges due to their complexity and bulky readout instruments. In this study, we propose a gradient nanoplasmonic imaging (GNI) metasurface that incorporates the concept of an optical potential well, enabling label-free single-step detection of SARS-CoV-2 sequences. The metasurface sensor consists of nanopillars with continuous variations, forming an optical potential well that results in a centimeter-scale dark ring. This dynamic well exhibits high sensitivity to refractive index changes, recorded by a CCD. To further enhance the visualized sensing performance, plasmonic coupling of gold nanoparticles with the gold nanostructure is employed. Our metasurface-based biosensor achieves rapid single-step detection of SARS-CoV-2 sequences, with a low detection limit of 77.2 pM and a detection range of 0.1-100 nM. This biosensor not only demonstrates exceptional reproducibility and outstanding detection performance, but also maintains remarkable specificity in differentiating SARS-CoV-2 from other diseases with similar symptoms. This simple and spectrometer-free refractometric sensing scheme enables the construction of a compact and cost-efficient prototype. Our imaging-based metasurface biosensing strategy demonstrates valuable merits for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection, showcasing its potential as a valuable on-site nucleic acid diagnostic tool.

Neuromuscular disease auxiliary diagnosis using a portable magnetomyographic system.

The measurement of electromyography (EMG) signals with needle electrodes is widely used in clinical settings for diagnosing neuromuscular diseases. Patients experience pain during needle EMG testing. It is significant to develop alternative diagnostic modalities. This paper proposes a portable magnetomyography (MMG) measurement system for neuromuscular disease auxiliary diagnosis. Firstly, the design and operating principle of the system are introduced. The feasibility of using the system for auxiliary diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases is then studied. The magnetic signals and needle EMG signals of thirty subjects were collected and compared. It is found that the amplitude of muscle magnetic field signal increases during mild muscle contraction, and the signal magnitudes of the patients are smaller than those of normal subjects. The diseased muscles tested in the experiment can be distinguished from the normal muscles based on the signal amplitude, using a threshold value of 6 pT. The MMG diagnosis results align well with the needle EMG diagnosis. In addition, the MMG measurement indicates that there is a persistence of spontaneous activity in the diseased muscle. The experimental results demonstrate that it is feasible to auxiliary diagnose neuromuscular diseases using the portable MMG system, which offers the advantages of non-contact and painless measurements. After more in-depth, systematic, and quantitative research, the portable MMG could potentially be used for auxiliary diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases.

Shared genetics and causal association between plasma levels of SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor ACE2 and Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the highest risk of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality. However, it remains largely unclear about the link between AD and COVID-19 outcomes. ACE2 is an entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. Circulating ACE2 is a novel biomarker of death and associated with COVID-19 outcomes. METHODS: Here, we explored the shared genetics and causal association between AD and plasma ACE2 levels using large-scale genome-wide association study, gene expression, expression quantitative trait loci, and high-throughput plasma proteomic profiling datasets. RESULTS: We found a significant causal effect of genetically increased circulating ACE2 on increased risk of AD. Cross-trait association analysis identified 19 shared genetic variants, and three variants rs3104412, rs2395166, and rs3135344 at chromosome 6p21.32 were associated with COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and severity. We mapped 19 variants to 117 genes, which were significantly upregulated in lung, spleen, and small intestine, downregulated in brain tissues, and involved in immune system, immune disease, and infectious disease pathways. The plasma proteins corresponding to LST1, AGER, TNXB, and APOC1 were predominantly associated with COVID-19 infection, ventilation, and death. CONCLUSION: Together, our findings suggest the shared genetics and causal association between AD and plasma ACE2 levels, which may partially explain the link between AD and COVID-19.

Protective Effects of Laminaria japonica Polysaccharide Composite Microcapsules on the Survival of Lactobacillus plantarum during Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion and Heat Treatment.

To improve probiotics' survivability during gastrointestinal digestion and heat treatment, Lactobacillus plantarum was microencapsulated by spray-drying using Laminaria japonica polysaccharide/sodium caseinate/gelatin (LJP/SC/GE) composites. Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that the denaturation of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules requires higher thermal energy than that of SC/GE microcapsules, and the addition of LJP may improve thermal stability. Zeta potential measurements indicated that, at low pH of the gastric fluid, the negatively charged LJP attracted the positively charged SC/GE, helping to maintain an intact microstructure without disintegration. The encapsulation efficiency of L. plantarum-loaded LJP/SC/GE microcapsules reached about 93.4%, and the survival rate was 46.9% in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) for 2 h and 96.0% in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) for 2 h. In vitro release experiments showed that the LJP/SC/GE microcapsules could protect the viability of L. plantarum in SGF and release probiotics slowly in SIF. The cell survival of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules was significantly improved during the heat treatment compared to SC/GE microcapsules and free cells. LJP/SC/GE microcapsules can increase the survival of L. plantarum by maintaining the lactate dehydrogenase and Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Overall, this study demonstrates the great potential of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules to protect and deliver probiotics in food and pharmaceutical systems.

Syringic acid suppresses Cutibacterium acnes-induced inflammation in human keratinocytes via regulating the NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling axis by activating PPARγ/Nrf2-antioxidant pathway.

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies have demonstrated a strong relationship betweenCutibacterium acnes(C. acnes), oxidative stress, and acne inflammation. Syringic acid (SA) is a plant widely used for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, but lacking data on acne. This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of SA on acne inflammation induced by C. acnes in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: After using the SA to expose HaCaT keratinocytes, we reevaluated the effect of the SA on cell viability, cell apoptosis, ROS, CAT, SOD, and other inflammatory variables in the heat-killed C. acnes-treated HaCaT cells. Next, to induce mice with acne inflammation, ICR mice were given an intradermal injection of live C. acnes into their right ears. The effect of SA on this inflammation was then examined. Moreover, we explored the mechanism of SA on PPARγ/Nrf2 and NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1ß pathways by ELISA, immunofluorescence microscopy, and western blot assay. RESULTS: Heat-killed C. acnes triggered remarkable cell apoptosis, ROS production, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α release, reduced SOD and CAT activity, and upregulated the expression of proteins in HaCaT cells, including up-regulating IL-1ß, PPARγ, Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, NLRP3, and caspase-1, whereas SA inhibited these effects by partially impairing PPARγ activation. In addition, PPARγ silencing decreased C. acnes-induced IL-1ß secretion and the production of intracellular ROS, down-regulating the expression of Nrf2. Nrf2 activator (SFN) enhanced anti-inflammatory activity through antioxidant mechanisms, boosting intracellular ROS production, reducing SOD and CAT activity, and promoting the increase in ROS, HO-1, NQO1, and IL-1ß levels, while PPARγ inhibitor (GW662) effectively inhibited this effect in heat-killed C. acnes-treated cells. Finally, SA also exhibited notable improvements in ear redness, swelling, and the expression of PPARγ, NLRP3, and IL-1ß in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: SA inhibited C. acnes-induced inflammation via regulating the NLRP3/caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling axis by activating the PPARγ/Nrf2-antioxidant pathway, suggesting a new treatment possibility for acne vulgaris.

The role of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment and pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Psoriasis, a prevalent inflammatory skin condition impacting millions globally, continues to pose treatment challenges, despite the availability of multiple therapies. This underscores the demand for innovative treatments. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic option due to their capacity to modulate the immune system and facilitate tissue healing. Recent research indicates that MSCs don't just work through direct cell-to-cell interactions but also release extracellular vesicles (EVs), containing various bioactive substances like proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. This article explores our current knowledge of psoriasis's origins and the potential utilization of MSCs and their EVs, particularly exosomes, in managing the condition. Additionally, we delve into how MSCs and EVs function in therapy, including their roles in regulating immune responses and promoting tissue repair. Lastly, we discuss the obstacles and opportunities associated with translating MSC-based treatments for psoriasis into clinical practice.

Multivariate impedance spectroscopy method for the measuring of quality and status of electric power oils.

With the rapid development of power technology and the complexity of power system equipment, efficient and accurate assessment of the quality and condition of electric power equipment oil (EPEO) has become particularly critical. EPEO is an important factor to ensure the stable operation of power equipment, and its quality and state directly affect the safety and reliability of equipment. However, there are many challenges with traditional oil measuring techniques, which often rely on destructive testing, which not only increases maintenance costs, but can also cause damage to the equipment itself. In the face of these limitations, there is an urgent need to study new oil detection technologies and methods to meet the high standards of modern power systems for high efficiency, non-destructive and comprehensive analytical capabilities. In this paper, a new EPEO measuring technique based on multivariable impedance spectroscopy (MIS) is proposed. Through in-depth analysis of oil's impedance response characteristics under electric field excitation with different frequency., a new approach is provided for the comprehensive evaluation of oil's performance. MIS technology not only has the characteristics of non-destructive testing, ensuring the non-destructive measuring of EPEO, but also its rapid response and real-time analysis ability significantly improves the monitoring efficiency. Based on the proposed MIS detection method, a detection system and experimental prototype which can detect and evaluate the performance and quality of power oil more accurately are designed. Compared with the traditional measuring device, the measuring device utilized in this method can employ three variables. Specifically, it covers a frequency range for the detectable excitation signal spanning from 1 to 100 kHz, an amplitude range from 0.1 to 11.7 V, and a temperature range from -100 °C to 100 °C. The MIS detection method has the capability to identify a variety of parameters, including the dielectric constant, volume resistivity, and dielectric loss factor, among others. This method encompasses a broader spectrum of parameters compared to traditional detection methods, which typically focus on one or two detectable indicators. The correctness and feasibility of the proposed multivariable impedance spectrum detection technique are verified, which provides a new way for the comprehensive evaluation of oil's performance.

Pharmacological activities of Zanthoxylum L. plants and its exploitation and utilization.

The study aims to provide an up-to-date review at the advancements of the investigations on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological effect and exploitation and utilizations of Zanthoxylum L. Besides, the possible tendency and perspective for future research of this plant are discussed, as well. This article uses "Zanthoxylum L." "Zanthorylum bungeanum" as the keywords and collects relevant information on Zanthoxylum L. plants through electronic searches (Elsevier, PubMed, ACS, Web of Science, Science Direct, CNKI, Google Scholar), relevant books, and classic literature about Chinese herb. The plants of this genus are rich in volatile oils, alkaloids, amides, lignans, coumarins and organic acids, and has a wide range of pharmacological activities, including but not limited to anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-infectious. This article reviewed both Chinese and international research progress on the active ingredients and pharmacological activities of Zanthoxylum L. as well as the applications of this genus in the fields of food, medicinal and daily chemicals, and clarified the material basis of its pharmacological activities. Based on traditional usage, phytochemicals, and pharmacological properties, of Zanthoxylum L. species, which indicate that they possess diverse bioactive metabolites with interesting bioactivities. Zanthoxylum L. is a potential medicinal and edible plant with diverse pharmacological effects. Due to its various advantages, it may have vast application potential in the food and medicinal industries and daily chemicals. Nonetheless, the currently available data has several gaps in understanding the herbal utilization of Zanthoxylum L. Thus, further research into their toxicity, mechanisms of actions of the isolated bioactive metabolites, as well as scientific connotations between the traditional medicinal uses and pharmacological properties is required to unravel their efficacy in therapeutic potential for safe clinical application.

Accelerated Charge Transfer through Interface Chemical Bonds in MoS2/TiO2 for Photocatalytic Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to H2.

Solar photocatalytic H2 production from lignocellulosic biomass has attracted great interest, but it suffers from low photocatalytic efficiency owing to the absence of highly efficient photocatalysts. Herein, we designed and constructed ultrathin MoS2-modified porous TiO2 microspheres (MT) with abundant interface Ti-S bonds as photocatalysts for photocatalytic H2 generation from lignocellulosic biomass. Owing to the accelerated charge transfer related to Ti-S bonds, as well as the abundant active sites for both H2 and ●OH generation, respectively, related to the high exposed edge of MoS2 and the large specific surface area of TiO2, MT photocatalysts demonstrate good performance in the photocatalytic conversion of α-cellulose and lignocellulosic biomass to H2. The highest H2 generation rate of 849 µmol·g-1·h-1 and apparent quantum yield of 4.45% at 380 nm was achieved in α-cellulose aqueous solution for the optimized MT photocatalyst. More importantly, lignocellulosic biomass of corncob, rice hull, bamboo, polar wood chip, and wheat straw were successfully converted to H2 over MT photocatalysts with H2 generation rate of 10, 19, 36, 29, and 8 µmol·g-1·h-1, respectively. This work provides a guiding design approach to develop highly active photocatalysts via interface engineering for solar H2 production from lignocellulosic biomass.

Effect of hydroxy-α-sanshool on lipid metabolism in liver and hepatocytes based on AMPK signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing awareness of the safety of traditional Chinese medicine and food, as well as in-depth studies on the pharmacological activity and toxicity of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. (ZADC), it has been found that ZADC is hepatotoxic. However, the toxic substance basis and mechanism of action have not been fully elucidated. Hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS) belongs to an amide compound in the fruits of ZADC, which may be hepatotoxic. However, the specific effects of HAS, including liver toxicity, are unclear. PURPOSE: The objectives of this research was to determine how HAS affects hepatic lipid metabolism, identify the mechanism underlying the accumulation of liver lipids by HAS, and offer assurances on the safe administration of HAS. METHODS: An in vivo experiment was performed by gavaging C57 BL/6 J mice with various dosages of HAS (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg). Biochemical indexes were measured, and histological analysis was performed to evaluate HAS hepatotoxicity. Hepatic lipid levels were determined using lipid indices and oil red O (ORO) staining. Intracellular lipid content were determined by biochemical analyses and ORO staining after treating HepG2 cells with different concentrations of HAS in vitro. Mitochondrial membrane potential, respiratory chain complex enzymes, and ATP levels were assessed by fluorescence labeling of mitochondria. The levels of proteins involved in lipogenesis and catabolism were determined using Western blotting. RESULTS: Mice in the HAS group had elevated alanine and aspartate aminotransferase blood levels as well as increased liver index compared with the controls. The pathological findings showed hepatocellular necrosis. Serum and liver levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased. The ORO staining findings demonstrated elevated liver lipid levels. In vitro experiments demonstrated a notable elevation in triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in the HAS group. ATP, respiratory chain complex enzyme gene expression, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial number were reduced in the HAS group. The levels of lipid synthesis-associated proteins (ACC, FASN, and SREBP-1c) were increased, and lipid catabolism-associated protein levels (PPARα and CPT1) and the p-AMPK/AMPK ratio were decreased in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: HAS has hepatotoxic effects, which can induce fatty acid synthesis and mitochondrial function damage by inhibiting the AMPK signaling pathway, resulting in aberrant lipid increases.

Elevated remnant cholesterol was associated with the increased metabolically unhealthy obesity risk in Chinese youth.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Metabolically unhealthy obesity is characterized by the presence of cardiovascular metabolic risks such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. Research has shown a correlation between remnant cholesterol (RC) concentrations and abdominal obesity in children. However, the effect of RC concentration on metabolically unhealthy obesity remains unclear. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This study included 3114 Chinese adolescents who received health check-ups. We used logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristic analysis to evaluate the correlation between RC concentration and metabolically unhealthy obesity in a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: After controlling for possible confounding variables, we found that individuals in the top and fourth quintiles of RC concentrations had a significantly higher likelihood of developing metabolically unhealthy obesity compared to those in the bottom quintile (ORs, 4.810 and 1.836; 95% CIs, 3.209-7.212 and 1.167-2.890, respectively). The risk of metabolically unhealthy obesity tended to increase with RC concentration (ptrend<0.001). In addition, boys showed positive associations between RC concentration and both BMI (r = 0.305, p<0.001) and waist circumference (r = 0.306, p<0.001). According to the analysis, the predictive accuracy of metabolically unhealthy obesity was 0.736 (95% CI, 0.690-0.781) for boys and 0.630 (95% CI, 0.573-0.687) for girls. The ideal prediction threshold was 0.66 for boys and 0.59 for girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that elevated RC concen-tration is linked to a higher likelihood of developing metabolically unhealthy obesity in young individuals, regardless of other known risk factors.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reinfections compared to those with a single infection: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To assess pregnancy outcomes in women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reinfection. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study that included pregnant women who contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) once or twice during pregnancy and who gave birth between 1 October 2022 and 15 August 2023 in Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital (Shanghai, China). We collected their clinical data and compared the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes between the reinfection group and the primary infection group, such as preterm birth, fetal growth restriction (FGR), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), common pregnancy-related conditions, birth weight, and neonatal unit admission. RESULTS: We observed a 7.7% reinfection rate among the 1,405 women who contracted COVID-19 during pregnancy. There were no significant differences in the frequency of preterm birth, FGR, HDP, other common pregnancy-related conditions, birth weight, or rate of neonatal unit admission between the reinfection and single infection groups. All our participants were unvaccinated, and all had mild symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our study showed no significant association between SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Aggravating effect of abnormal low-density protein cholesterol level on coronary atherosclerotic plaque in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND: The abnormal low-density protein cholesterol (LDL-C) level in the development of atherosclerosis is often comorbid in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). This study aimed to investigate the aggravating effect of abnormal LDL-C levels on coronary artery plaques assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study collected 3439 T2DM patients from September 2011 to February 2022. Comparative analysis of differences in coronary plaque characteristics was performed for the patients between the normal LDL-C level group and the abnormal LDL-C level group. Factors with P < 0.1 in the univariable linear regression analyses were included in the multivariable linear stepwise regression. RESULTS: A total of 2820 eligible T2DM patients were included and identified as the normal LDL-C level group (n = 973) and the abnormal LDL-C level group (n = 1847). Compared with the normal LDL-C level group, both on a per-patient basis and per-segment basis, patients with abnormal LDL-C level showed more calcified plaques, partially calcified plaques, low attenuation plaques, positive remodellings, and spotty calcifications. Multivessel obstructive disease (MVD), nonobstructive stenosis (NOS), obstructive stenosis (OS), plaque involvement degree (PID), segment stenosis score (SSS), and segment involvement scores (SIS) were likely higher in the abnormal LDL-C level group than that in the normal LDL-C level group (P < 0.001). In multivariable linear stepwise regression, the abnormal LDL-C level was validated as an independent positive correlation with high-risk coronary plaques and the degree and extent of stenosis caused by plaques (low attenuation plaque: ß = 0.116; positive remodelling: ß = 0.138; spotty calcification: ß = 0.091; NOS: ß = 0.427; OS: ß = 0.659: SIS: ß = 1.114; SSS: ß = 2.987; PID: ß = 2.716, all P value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal LDL-C levels aggravate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in patients with T2DM. Clinical attention deserves to be caught by the tailored identification of cardiovascular risk categories in T2DM individuals and the achievement of the corresponding LDL-C treatment goal.

Single 5-centimeter-aperture metalens enabled intelligent lightweight mid-infrared thermographic camera.

Existing mid-infrared thermographic cameras rely on a stack of refractive lenses, resulting in bulky and heavy imaging systems that restrict their broader utility. Here, we demonstrate a lightweight metalens-based thermographic camera (MTC) enabled by a single 0.5-mm-thick, 3.7-g-weight, flat, and mass-producible metalens. The large aperture size (5 cm) of our metalens, when combined with an uncooled focal plane array, enables thermal imaging at distances of tens of meters. By computationally removing the veiling glare, our MTC realizes the temperature mapping with an inaccuracy of less than ±0.7% within the range of 35° to 700°C and shows exceptional environmental adaptability. Furthermore, by using intelligent algorithms and spectral filtering, our uncooled MTC enables visualization and quantification of the SF6 gas leakage at a long distance of 5 m, with a remarkable minimum detectable leak rate of 0.2 sccm. Our work opens the door to the lightweight and multifunctional intelligent thermal imaging systems.