Clinical Study of Carbon Dioxide Laser and Pelvic Floor Function Exercise for Urinary Incontinence Complicated by Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is common in patients with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyse the clinical efficacy of carbon dioxide laser combined with pelvic floor functional exercise for GSM with urinary incontinence, aiming to provide evidence for its clinical treatment. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with GSM and urinary incontinence and admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were included and allocated to a control group (pelvic floor function exercise) and combined group (carbon dioxide laser combined with pelvic floor function exercise). Confounding factors among the groups were balanced by the propensity score matching method. The clinical efficacy, GSM scale scores, urinary indicators, urinary incontinence quality of life scale (I-QOL) scores and the degree of urinary incontinence of the groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 192 patients were included in this study, and 36 cases were included in each group after the propensity scores were matched. No statistical difference in baseline data was found between the groups (p > 0.05). The combined group had higher total effective rate and I-QOL scores but lower GSM symptom scale scores than the control group. Urination during daytime and nighttime was less frequent in the combined group than in the control group, which showed a lower degree of urinary incontinence (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Combining carbon dioxide laser treatment with pelvic floor exercises is potentially effective for patients with GSM and urinary incontinence. This combined approach not only alleviated GSM and urinary incontinence symptoms but also reduced the severity of urinary incontinence, promoted bladder function recovery and enhanced overall quality of life.

A ratiometric SERS strategy for the prediction of cancer cell proportion and guidance of glioma surgical resection.

Rapid and accurate identification of tumor boundaries is critical for the cure of glioma, but it is difficult due to the invasive nature of glioma cells. This paper aimed to explore a rapid diagnostic strategy based on a label-free surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique for the quantitative detection of glioma cell proportion intraoperatively. With silver nanoparticles as substrate, an in-depth SERS analysis was performed on simulated clinical samples containing normal brain tissue and different concentrations of patient-derived glioma cells. The results revealed two universal characteristic peaks of 655 and 717 cm-1, which strongly correlated with glioma cell proportion regardless of individual differences. Based on the intensity ratio of the two peaks, a ratiometric SERS strategy for the quantification of glioma cells was established by employing an artificial neuron network model and a polynomial regression model. Such a strategy accurately estimated the proportion of glioma cells in simulated clinical samples (R2 = 0.98) and frozen samples (R2 = 0.85). More importantly, it accurately facilitated the delineation of tumor margins in freshly obtained samples. Taken together, this SERS-based method ensured a rapid and more detailed identification of tumor margins during surgical resection, which could be beneficial for intraoperative decision-making and pathological evaluation.

Vapor deposition strategy for implanting isolated Fe sites into papermaking nanofibers-derived N-doped carbon aerogels for liquid Electrolyte-/All-Solid-State Zn-Air batteries.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs), with precisely controlled metal atom distribution and adjustable coordination architecture, have gained intensive concerns as efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts in Zn-air batteries (ZAB). The attainment of a monodispersed state for metallic atoms anchored on the carbonaceous substrate remains the foremost research priority; however, the persistent challenges lie in the relatively weak metal-support interactions and the instability of captured single atom active sites. Furthermore, in order to achieve rapid transport of O2 and other reactive substances within the carbon matrix, manufacturing SACs based on multi-stage porous carbon substrates is highly anticipated. Here, we propose a methodology for the fabrication of carbon aerogels (CA)-supported SACs utilizing papermaking nanofibers, which incorporates advanced strategies for N-atom self-doping, defect/vacancy introduction, and single-atom interface engineering. Specifically, taking advantages of using green and energy-efficient feedstocks, combining with a direct pore-forming template volatilization and chemical vapor deposition approach, we successfully developed N-doped carbon aerogels immobilized with separated iron sites (Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd). The obtained Fe-SAC@N/CA-Cd exhibited substantially large specific surface area (SBET = 1173 m2/g) and a multi-level pore structure, which can effectively mitigate the random aggregation of Fe atoms during pyrolysis. As a result, it demonstrated appreciable activity and stability in catalyzing the ORR progress (E1/2 = 0.88 V, Eonset = 0.96 V). Furthermore, the assembled liquid electrolyte-state Zn-air batteries (LES-ZAB) and all-solid-state Zn-air battery (ASS-ZAB) also provides encouraging performance, with a peak power density of 169 mW cm-2 for LES-ZAB and a maximum power density of 124 mW cm-2 for ASS-ZAB.

Donor inhalation of nebulized dexmedetomidine alleviates ischemia reperfusion damage in rat lung transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) after lung transplantation results in primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in more than 50% of cases, which seriously affects the prognosis of recipients. Currently, donor lung protection is the focus of research on improving graft survival in lung transplant recipients. Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is a widely used general anesthesia adjuvant in clinical practice to alleviate ischemia-reperfusion injury in the lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, and brain. However, intravenous infusion of Dex can cause negative effects on the cardiovascular system. Inhaling nebulized Dex can directly act on the alveolar tissue and alleviate its cardiovascular inhibitory effect by reducing drug intake. This study aimed to investigate the effect of donor nebulized Dex inhalation on LIRI after lung transplantation in rats. METHODS: We randomly allocated male Sprague-Dawley rats into donor groups inhaling nebulized Dex or saline 15 min preoperatively. The donor lung was refrigerated for 8 h before each single lung transplant. After 2 h of reperfusion of the transplanted lung, serum and transplanted lung tissue were collected. The wet-to-dry weight ratio of the lung tissue was measured, arterial blood gas was detected, and histopathology changes, oxidative stress, inflammatory reactions, and apoptosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Pre-transplant inhalation of Dex through the donor's lung reduced the injury of the transplanted lung, increased the levels of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase, and decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione in the lung tissue. Moreover, nebulized Dex inhalation of the donor lung inhibited LIRI-induced tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, and also suppressed nuclear factor-kappa B phosphorylation. Nebulized Dex inhalation reduced the rate of cell apoptosis in the transplanted lung tissue by inhibiting the upregulation of Bax, downregulation of Bcl-2, and increase in caspase-3 lysis caused by LIRI. CONCLUSION: Inhalation of atomized Dex is a potential donor lung protection strategy, which can be used to reduce LIRI after lung transplantation and may be helpful to improve the occurrence of PGD and prognosis of lung transplant recipients.

The Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Alleviates Radiation Pneumonitis via an Nrf2-Dependent Mechanism.

Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is a prevalent and fatal complication of thoracic radiotherapy due to the lack of effective treatment options. RP primarily arises from mitochondrial injury in lung epithelial cells. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c has demonstrated protective effects against various diseases by mitigating mitochondrial injury. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 20 Gy of lung irradiation (IR) and received daily intraperitoneal injections of MOTS-c for 2 weeks. MOTS-c significantly ameliorated lung tissue damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress caused by radiation. Meanwhile, MOTS-c reversed the apoptosis and mitochondrial damage of alveolar epithelial cells in RP mice. Furthermore, MOTS-c significantly inhibited oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in MLE-12 cells and primary mouse lung epithelial cells. Mechanistically, MOTS-c increased the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) level and promoted its nuclear translocation. Notably, Nrf2 deficiency abolished the protective function of MOTS-c in mice with RP. In conclusion, MOTS-c alleviates RP by protecting mitochondrial function through an Nrf2-dependent mechanism, indicating that MOTS-c may be a novel potential protective agent against RP.

Building and Validation of an Acute Event Prediction Model for Severe Mental Disorders.

Background: The global incidence of acute events in psychiatric patients is intensifying, and models to successfully predict acute events have attracted much attention. Objective: To explore the influence factors of acute incident severe mental disorders (SMDs) and the application of Rstudio statistical software, and build and verify a nomogram prediction model. Methods: SMDs were taken as research objects. The questionnaire survey method was adopted to collect data. Patients with acute event independent factors were screened. R software multivariable Logistic regression model was constructed and a nomogram was drawn. Results: A total of 342 patients with SMDs were hospitalized, and the number of patients who encountered acute events was 64, which accounted for 18.70% of all patients. Statistical significances were found in many aspects (all P ˂ 0.05). Such aspects included Medication adherence, disease diagnosis, marital status, caregivers, social support and the hospitalization environment (odds ratio (OR) = 4.08, 11.62, 12.06, 10.52, 0.04 and 0.61, respectively) were independent risk factors for the acute events of patients with SMDs. The prediction model was modeled, and the AUC was 0.77 and 0.80. The calibration curve shows that the model has good calibration. The clinical decision curve shows that the model has a good clinical effect. Conclusion: The constructed risk prediction model shows good prediction effectiveness in the acute events of patients with SMDs, which is helpful for the early detection of clinical mental health staff at high risk of acute events.

Metformin alleviates lung ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat lung transplantation model.

Background: Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is among the complications observed after lung transplantation and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Preconditioning of the donor lung before organ retrieval may improve organ quality after transplantation. We investigated whether preconditioning with metformin (Met) ameliorates LIRI after lung transplantation. Methods: Twenty Lewis rats were randomly divided into the sham, LIRI, and Met groups. The rats in the LIRI and Met groups received saline and Met, respectively, via oral gavage. Subsequently, a donor lung was harvested and kept in cold storage for 8 h. The LIRI and Met groups then underwent left lung transplantation. After 2 h of reperfusion, serum and transplanted lung tissues were examined. Results: The partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was greater in the Met group than in the LIRI group. In the Met group, wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratios, inflammatory factor levels, oxidative stress levels and apoptosis levels were notably decreased. Conclusions: Met protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury after lung transplantation in rats, and its therapeutic effect is associated with its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic properties.

The release of polypropylene plastic from disposable face masks in different water conditions and their potential toxicity in human cells.

Due to their extensive use during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many disposable face masks are irresponsibly deposited into the water environment, threatening the health of people living nearby. However, the effects of water conditions on the degradation and potential hazards of these masks are generally unclear. This paper entailed the release and cellular toxicity of micro/nano plastics from disposable face masks once discarded in different waters, including soil water, river water, and tap water, with deionized (DI) water as control. At first, polypropylene (PP) was confirmed to be the major component of disposable face masks with Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. To monitor the release rate of PP from masks, a silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method was established by employing the unique Raman fingerprint of PP at 2882 cm-1. During 30-d incubation in different waters, the release rates of PP, sizes of PP aggregates, length of fibers, and proportions of plastics smaller than 100 nm were in the order of soil water > river water > tap water > DI water. All the obtained PP exhibited significant toxicity in human lung cancer (A549) cells at concentrations of 70 mg/L for 48 h, and the ones obtained in soil water exhibited the most severe damage. Overall, this paper revealed that environmental waters themselves would worsen the adverse effects of disposable face masks, and the key compounds affecting the degradation of masks remain to be clarified. Such information, along with the established methods, could be beneficial in assessing the health risks of disposable face masks in different waters.

Nrf2/PHB2 alleviates mitochondrial damage and protects against Staphylococcus aureus-induced acute lung injury.

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a major cause of sepsis, leading to acute lung injury (ALI) characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the role of the Nrf2/PHB2 pathway in SA-induced ALI (SA-ALI) remains unclear. In this study, serum samples were collected from SA-sepsis patients, and a SA-ALI mouse model was established by grouping WT and Nrf2-/- mice after 6 h of intraperitoneal injection. A cell model simulating SA-ALI was developed using lipoteichoic acid (LTA) treatment. The results showed reduced serum Nrf2 levels in SA-sepsis patients, negatively correlated with the severity of ALI. In SA-ALI mice, downregulation of Nrf2 impaired mitochondrial function and exacerbated inflammation-induced ALI. Moreover, PHB2 translocation from mitochondria to the cytoplasm was observed in SA-ALI. The p-Nrf2/total-Nrf2 ratio increased in A549 cells with LTA concentration and treatment duration. Nrf2 overexpression in LTA-treated A549 cells elevated PHB2 content on the inner mitochondrial membrane, preserving genomic integrity, reducing oxidative stress, and inhibiting excessive mitochondrial division. Bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed direct binding of Nrf2 to the PHB2 promoter, resulting in increased PHB2 expression. In conclusion, Nrf2 plays a role in alleviating SA-ALI by directly regulating PHB2 transcription and maintaining mitochondrial function in lung cells.

Dyadic effects of social support, illness uncertainty on anxiety and depression among lung cancer patients and their caregivers: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the dyadic relationships between perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression among lung cancer patients and their family caregivers. To examine the potential mediating role of illness uncertainty and the moderating role of disease stage in lung cancer patient-caregiver dyads. METHODS: A total of 308 pairs of lung cancer patients and their family caregivers from a tertiary hospital in Wuxi, China, from January 2022 to June 2022 were included. Participants' perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression were assessed by corresponding questionnaires. To test for dyadic relationships between the variables, we employed the actor-partner interdependence mediation model. RESULTS: There were actor and partner effects of both patient and caregiver perceived social support on anxiety and depression, and illness uncertainty mediated the effect of perceived social support on anxiety and depression. Lung cancer stage plays a moderating role in lung cancer patient-caregiver dyads. There is an indirect positive partner effect of perceived social support from family caregivers on anxiety and depression in patients with early lung cancer; there is a direct or indirect negative partner effect of social support from family caregivers on anxiety and depression in patients with advanced lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the dyadic interdependence between perceived social support, illness uncertainty, anxiety, and depression among lung cancer patients and family caregivers. Furthermore, studies on differences between different lung cancer stages may provide a theoretical basis for different dyadic supportive interventions based on lung cancer stages.

Molecular insights into the catalytic mechanism of plasticizer degradation by a monoalkyl phthalate hydrolase.

Phthalate acid esters (PAEs), a group of xenobiotic compounds used extensively as plasticizers, have attracted increasing concern for adverse effects to human health and the environment. Microbial degradation relying on PAE hydrolases is a promising treatment. However, only a limited number of PAE hydrolases were characterized to date. Here we report the structures of MehpH, a monoalkyl phthalate (MBP) hydrolase that catalyzes the reaction of MBP to phthalic acid and the corresponding alcohol, in apo and ligand-bound form. The structures reveal a positively-charged catalytic center, complementary to the negatively-charged carboxyl group on MBP, and a penetrating tunnel that serves as exit of alcohol. The study provides a first glimpse into the enzyme-substrate binding model for PAE hydrolases, leading strong support to the development of better enzymes in the future.

Expression of FMD virus-like particles in yeast Hansenula polymorpha and immunogenicity of combine with CpG and aluminum adjuvant.

BACKGROUND: Inactivated vaccines are limited in preventing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) due to safety problems. Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) are an excellent candidate for a novel vaccine for preventing FMD, given that VLPs have similar immunogenicity as natural viruses and are replication- and infection-incompetent. OBJECTIVES: The 3C protease and P1 polyprotein of type O FMD virus (FDMV) was expressed in yeast Hansenula polymorpha to generate self-resembling VLPs, and the potential of recombinant VLPs as an FMD vaccine was evaluated. METHODS: BALB/c mice were immunized with recombinant purified VLPs using CpG oligodeoxynucleotide and aluminum hydroxide gel as an adjuvant. Cytokines and lymphocytes from serum and spleen were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enzyme-linked immunospot assay, and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The VLPs of FMD were purified successfully from yeast protein with a diameter of approximately 25 nm. The immunization of mice showed that animals produced high levels of FMDV antibodies and a higher level of antibodies for a longer time. In addition, higher levels of interferon-γ and CD4+ T cells were observed in mice immunized with VLPs. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of VLPs of FMD in H. polymorpha provides a novel strategy for the generation of the FMDV vaccine.

Preliminary Analysis of Volume-Based Resting-State Functional MRI Characteristics of Successful Aging in China.

BACKGROUND: Resting-state function MRI (rs-fMRI) research on successful aging can provide insight into the mechanism of aging with a different perspective from aging-related disease. OBJECTIVE: rs-fMRI research was used to analyze the brain function characteristics of successful aging. METHODS: A total of 47 usual aging individuals and 26 successful aging (SA) individuals underwent rs-fMRI scans and neuropsychological tests. Volume-based rs-fMRI data analysis was performed with DPASF to obtain ALFF, ReHo, DC, and VMHC. RESULTS: The SA group showed increased ALFF in right opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus (Frontal_Inf_Oper_R) and right supramarginal gyrus; increased ReHo in right middle temporal pole gyrus and decreased ReHo in left superior frontal gyrus and middle occipital gyrus; increased DC in right medial orbitofrontal gyrus and pulvinar part of thalamus; decreased DC in left fusiform gyrus and right medial frontal gyrus; increased VMHC in right medial orbitofrontal gyrus; and decreased VMHC in the right superior temporal gyrus, right and left middle temporal gyrus, right and left triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus. ALFF in Frontal_Inf_Oper_R were found to be significantly correlated with MMSE scores (r = 0.301, p = 0.014) and ages (r = -0.264, p = 0.032) in all subjects, which could be used to distinguish the SA (AUC = 0.733, 95% CI: 0.604-0.863) by ROC analysis. CONCLUSION: The brain regions with altered fMRI characteristics in SA group were concentrated in frontal (6 brain regions) and temporal (4 brain regions) lobes. ALFF in Frontal_Inf_Oper_R was significantly correlated to cognitive function and ages, which might be used to distinguish the SA.

Identification of blood species based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy and convolutional neural network.

The identification of blood species is of great significance in many aspects such as forensic science, wildlife protection, and customs security and quarantine. Conventional Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometrics is an established method for identification of blood species. However, the Raman spectrum of trace amount of blood could hardly be obtained due to the very small cross-section of Raman scattering. In order to overcome this limitation, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was adopted to analyze trace amount of blood. The 785 nm laser was selected as the optimal laser to acquire the SERS spectra, and the blood SERS spectra of 19 species were measured. The convolutional neural network (CNN) was used to distinguish the blood of 19 species including human. The recognition accuracy of the blood species was obtained with 98.79%. Our study provides an effective and reliable method for identification and classification of trace amount of blood.

Influence of tourists' well-being in the post-COVID-19 era: Moderating effect of physical distancing.

To prevent COVID-19, tourists are required to maintain distance from other people. However, interpersonal contact is a crucial element in tourists' well-being. It is necessary to ask how eliciting both eudaimonic and hedonic well-being will change as a result. The answer is unclear. To address this issue, we used partial least squares equation modeling to examine a city that has efficiently responded to COVID-19. This study expands the influencing model of tourists' well-being by revealing how physical distance moderates the influence of such factors as contact intention, leisure involvement, and flow experience. The study throws light on tourists' psychological recovery and destination management in the post-COVID-19 era.

Intratumoral delivered novel circular mRNA encoding cytokines for immune modulation and cancer therapy.

The success of the two mRNA vaccines developed by Moderna and BioNTech during the COVID-19 pandemic increased research interest into the application of mRNA technologies. Compared with the canonical linear mRNA used in these vaccines, circular mRNA has been found to mediate more potent and durable protein expression and demands a simpler manufacturing procedure. However, the application of circular mRNA is still at the initiation stage, and proof of concept for its use as a future medicine or vaccine is required. In the current study, we established a novel type of circular mRNA, termed cmRNA, based on the echovirus 29-derived internal ribosome entry site element and newly designed homology arms and RNA spacers. Our results demonstrated that this type of circular mRNA could mediate strong and durable expression of various types of proteins, compared with typical linear mRNA. Moreover, for the first time, our study demonstrated that direct intratumoral administration of cmRNA encoding a mixture of cytokines achieved successful modulation of intratumoral and systematic anti-tumor immune responses and enhanced anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody-induced tumor repression in a syngeneic mouse model. This novel circular mRNA platform is thereby suitable for direct intratumoral administration for cancer therapy.

A New Destination on the Palm? The Moderating Effect of Travel Anxiety on Digital Tourism Behavior in Extended UTAUT2 and TTF Models.

Digital tourism has developed rapidly, especially in museums. However, as people become increasingly familiar with digital museums, their use intentions and behavior have changed. Taking the Digital Palace Museum in China as an example, applying the PLS-SEM method, this study uncovers visitors' use intentions and actual use behavior for digital museums by integrating the new UTAUT model (UTAUT2) and TTF model (TTF under social distancing) and introduces the PATS (Pandemic Anxiety Travel Scale) model to reveal how pandemic anxiety promotes the transformation of use intentions into use behavior more easily. The results show that performance expectations, hedonic motivations, habits, and task-technology-fit positively affect use intentions for digital museums. However, the price-saving orientation negatively affects use intentions. Pandemic anxiety moderates the effect of use intentions on actual behavior. When travel anxiety is relatively high, use intentions have a greater effect on use behavior for digital museums. The results reveal the influencing factors on use intentions of digital museums and the moderating effect of pandemic anxiety on the relation between use intentions and actual behavior.

Melatonin protects against nonylphenol caused pancreatic ß-cells damage through MDM2-P53-P21 axis.

Nonylphenol (NP) is an endocrine disrupting chemical, which widely exists in environment and can result in multiple system dysfunction. Pancreas as one of the most important organs is sensitive to NP, while the detail toxic effect is still less studied. Previously, we unveiled nonylphenol causes pancreatic damage in rats, herein, we further explore the potential mechanism and seek protection strategy in vitro. Insulinoma (INS-1) cells exposed to NP were observed to suffer oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, as reflected by the abnormal levels of reactive oxygen species, malonic dialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, Ca2+, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Melatonin (MT) was found to alleviate NP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, further inhibit apoptosis and restore pancreas function. Mechanically, MT induced the MDM2-P53-P21 signaling, which upregulated the Nrf2 signaling pathway. In summary, our study clarified NP-induced INS-1 cells mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which could be ameliorated by MT through MDM2-P53-P21 axis.

Determination of blood species using echelle Raman spectrometer and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Blood species identification of human and animals has attracted much attention in the areas of customs inspection and forensic science. The combination of vibrational spectroscopy and machine learning has been proven to be feasible and effective for this purpose. However, the popularization of this technology needs instrument which is compact, robust and more suitable for field application. Besides the quantity of the blood sample should be as little as possible. In this study, we proposed a system using echelle Raman spectrometer combined with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), which protocol combines the advantages of broadband and high resolution of echelle Raman spectrometer with the advantages of high SERS spectral sensitivity. The SERS spectra of 26 species including human were collected with echelle Raman spectrometer, and the convolutional neural network was used for species identification, with an accuracy rate of over 94%. The feasibility, validity and reliability of the combination of echelle Raman spectrometer and SERS for blood species identification were realized.