Epidemic characteristics of measles and efforts to control measles infections in Zhejiang Province, China.

Objectives: Several countries have successfully eliminated measles, and China is making significant strides toward achieving this goal. This study focused on investigating the patterns of measles infections in Zhejiang Province, China, as well as control measures. The objective was to provide valuable insights that could contribute to the development of nationwide elimination strategies. Methods: We analyzed measles surveillance data from 2005 to 2022 in Zhejiang Province. We utilized a joinpoint regression model to examine trends in measles. Additionally, we employed SaTScan software (version 9.5) to identify spatial-temporal clusters. Finally, we used an age-period-cohort model to assess the effects of age, period, and cohort. Results: The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of measles infection in Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2022 was 5.24 per 100,000, showing a consistent and significant downward trend with an annual percentage change of -24.93% (p<0.05). After 2020, the ASIR for measles infection fell to below 0.1 per 100,000. The majority of measles cases occurred in individuals either without an immunization history or with an unknown immunization status, representing 41.06% and 41.40% of the cases from 2010 to 2022, respectively. According to data from the National Measles Surveillance System, the annual rate of discarded measles cases from 2009 to 2014, and the annual rate of discarded measles and rubella cases from 2015 to 2022, were both above 2 per 100,000, indicating the high sensitivity of the measles surveillance system. Conclusion: The significant reduction in measles incidence from 2005 to 2022 demonstrates substantial progress in Zhejiang Province towards the elimination of measles.

Ternary Eutectic Electrolyte for Flexible Wide-Temperature Zinc-Ion Batteries from -20 °C to 70 °C.

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted attention for grid applications due to their cost-effectiveness and high security. However, their lifespan decreases at high temperatures due to declining interfacial stability and increased side reactions. To address these challenges, a ternary deep eutectic solvent-based flexible electrolyte, comprised of ZnClO4·6H2O, butanedinitrile (BD), and LiCl in an amphoteric polymer matrix, was developed to enable wide-temperature ZIBs working from -20 °C to 70 °C. The interactions among BD, Li+, and zinc hydrate alongside the amphoteric groups on the polyelectrolyte matrix could effectively suppress the interfacial side reactions and Zn dendrites formation. Consequently, the symmetric Zn cell demonstrates exceptional stability across a wide-temperature range, with the ability to survive up to 2780 hours (1 mA·cm-2) at 50 °C. Furthermore, the flexible Zn||PANI battery can operate stably over 1000 cycles at 50 °C, boasting an initial specific capacity of 124.8 mAh·g-1 and capacity retention rate of 87.9% (3 A·g-1). This work presents an effective strategy for designing high-stability energy storage devices with excellent security features that can function reliably across diverse temperature conditions.

Genomic analysis of hypoxia-tolerant population of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Hypoxic stress, triggered by a multitude of factors, has inflicted significant economic repercussions on the aquaculture of Eriocheir sinensis. In this research, we sequenced a collective of 60 samples from both hypoxia-sensitive and hypoxia-resistant groups utilizing streamlined genome sequencing techniques. Subsequently, we delved into population evolution, scrutinized the selective sweep within these populations, and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) focused on the hypoxia tolerance traits within the population, all through the lens of SNPs molecular markers. This comprehensive analysis aimed to uncover the SNPs and pinpoint the pertinent candidate genes that influence the hypoxia tolerance capabilities of E. sinensis. The selective sweep analysis revealed that genes harboring potential genetic variations within the two populations were predominantly enriched in areas such as signaling molecules and interactions, energy metabolism, glycolipid metabolism, and immune response. In the genome-wide association study focusing on hypoxia tolerance traits, we identified four SNPs significantly associated with hypoxia resistance. Furthermore, one potential candidate gene, Dscam2, which is believed to influence hypoxia tolerance, was discovered within a 50 kb vicinity of these SNPs. These identified SNPs can serve as molecular markers for screening hypoxia tolerance, offering valuable insights for the genetic improvement of E. sinensis.

Endoluminal rescue of false lumen graft deployment in TEVAR for type B aortic dissection: a case report and literature review.

Background: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has increasingly become the preferred surgical intervention for Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD). The primary objective of this procedure is to seal the primary entry tear to promote positive aortic remodeling. However, the increased use of TEVAR has also led to a rise in surgical complications. Among these, the accidental deployment of the stent into the false lumen is a rare but serious complication that can result in aortic false lumen rupture and inadequate perfusion of abdominal organs. Case summary: This case report described a 78-year-old man who presented to our hospital with sudden onset chest and back pain and was subsequently diagnosed with TBAD via aortic CTA. As conventional medical therapy failed to alleviate his chest pain, the patient underwent TEVAR. During the procedure, a complication arose when the distal end of the endograft was mistakenly deployed into the false lumen, leading to insufficient perfusion of the abdominal organs. Recognizing this issue intraoperatively, an additional endograft was promptly inserted at the distal end to reroute blood flow back to the true lumen of the aorta, thereby restoring visceral perfusion. Post-intervention, the patient's chest pain improved, and he was successfully discharged from the hospital. Conclusion: Accidental deployment of a endograft into the false lumen during TEVAR is a rare but serious complication. Intraoperative angiography plays a crucial role in rapidly and accurately identifying this issue by detecting insufficient perfusion of abdominal organs. The use of intravascular ultrasound may help reduce the incidence of this complication. Endovascular repair is an effective emergency strategy to quickly redirect blood flow back to the true lumen, making it the preferred method for managing such emergencies.

Advanced Machine Learning Models for Predicting Post-Thrombolysis Hemorrhagic Transformation in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Thrombolytic therapy is essential for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) management but poses a risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT), necessitating accurate prediction to optimize patient care. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar, covering studies from inception until July 10, 2024. Studies were included if they used machine learning (ML) or deep learning algorithms to predict HT in AIS patients treated with thrombolysis. Exclusion criteria included studies involving endovascular treatments and those not evaluating model effectiveness. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed following PRISMA guidelines and using the Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) and Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST) tools. Results: Out of 1943 identified records, 12 studies were included in the final analysis, encompassing 18 007 AIS patients who received thrombolytic therapy. The ML models demonstrated high predictive performance, with pooled area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.79 to 0.95. Specifically, XGBoost models achieved AUCs of up to 0.953 and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models reached up to 0.942. Sensitivity and specificity varied significantly, with the highest sensitivity at 0.90 and specificity at 0.99. Significant predictors of HT included age, glucose levels, NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and radiomic features. Despite these promising results, methodological disparities and limited external validation highlighted the need for standardized reporting and further rigorous testing. Conclusion: ML techniques, especially XGBoost and ANN, show great promise in predicting HT following thrombolysis in AIS patients, enhancing risk stratification and clinical decision-making. Future research should focus on prospective study designs, standardized reporting, and integrating ML assessments into clinical workflows to improve AIS management and patient outcomes.

Quantification and sensitivity assessment of Chinese provincial ecological compensation in the perspective of carbon deficit redistribution.

The ecological compensation mechanism is a tool for managing regional development and promoting the green economy. This paper proposes a revised model for carbon emissions and absorption based on IPCC, then analyses the spatial and temporal variations of carbon emissions, absorption, and deficit in 31 provinces of China from 2001 to 2019. A model was developed to redistribute carbon deficits and compensate for ecological imbalances, with the aim of eliminating background differences between regions. The concept of ecological compensation sensitivity was proposed, and a redundancy analysis (RDA) was conducted to detect possible influencing factors. Results indicate that: (1) The carbon deficits were relatively substantial in the centre and developed coastal regions, which were the subject regions of China's ecological compensation. Meanwhile, the northwest and southwest regions were the object regions of ecological compensation, and the compensated object regions tended to extend towards the southeast. The majority of compensated subject areas are generally less sensitive than compensated object regions. (2) The graph of carbon deficit volume over time shows that China's two carbon targets are closely aligned. The distribution of China's ecological compensation amounts follows the pattern of provincial economic development levels, with higher compensation amounts concentrated in the central and coastal regions. There is a positive correlation between GDP, year, and population size with carbon emission and carbon deficit. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between year, region, and carbon absorption. (3) This compensation model can strongly incentivise the compensation subject area to proactively adjust its economic development model to cope with the significant compensation pressure. Additionally, it can fully encourage the compensation recipient area to continue adhering to the green economic development model. The conclusions of the study hold significant reference value for promoting the development of a green, low-carbon economy.

Meta-regression of idiopathic full-thickness macular holes diameter and anatomical closure rate: Implications to intraoperative technique.

Purpose: Primary surgery failure of macular holes causes poor visual acuity outcomes. Several studies indicate that small-medium idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (iFTMH) have consistent and high anatomical closure rates after vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, regardless of iFTMH diameters. However, there is no systematic analysis examining the relationship between iFTMH diameters and anatomical closure rates. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-regression, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases on October 24th, 2022. We included studies regarding iFTMH, with ILM peeling/inverted flap technique, long-lasting gas tamponade, and face-down position after surgery. Univariable meta-regression with a restricted cubic spline model and component-plus-residual plot after covariables adjustment were used to explore non-linear association. Results: A total of 7257 participants from 19 randomized controlled trials and 49 observational studies were included in this meta-analysis. In ILM peeling group, every 100-µm increment in diameter was associated with a 3.8 % (95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.8%-5.7 %, P < 0.001) relatively lower anatomical closure rate. Yet, among studies using the inverted flap technique, baseline iFTMH diameter was not associated with a lower anatomical closure rate (0.2 %, 95%CI, -4.2 %-4.5 %, P > 0.9). The restricted cubic spline model and component-plus-residual plot controlling for age, sex, and symptom duration prior to surgery showed no evident non-linearity in both surgical techniques. Conclusions: The iFTMH diameter is linear and inversely associated with the anatomical closure rate after the ILM peeling technique, but not with the inverted flap technique. The present study supports the use of advanced techniques, e.g., inverted flap technique, in small-medium iFTMH to improve anatomical closure rates.

SENGraph: A Self-Learning Evolutionary and Node-Aware Graph Network for Soft Sensing in Industrial Processes.

The last decade has witnessed the growing prevalence of deep models on soft sensing in industrial processes. However, most of the existing soft sensing models are developed to learn from regular data in the Euclidean space, ignoring the complex coupling relations among process variables. On the other hand, graph networks are gaining attraction in handling non-Euclidean relations in industrial data. However, the existing graph networks on soft sensing models still suffer from two major issues: 1) how to capture the intervariable structural relations and intravariable temporal dependencies from dynamic and strongly coupled industrial data and 2) how to learn from nodes with distinctive importance for the soft sensing task. To address these problems, we propose a self-learning evolutionary and node-aware graph network (SENGraph) for industrial soft sensing. We first develop a self-learning graph generation (SLG) module to combine the coarse-and fine-grained graphs to capture the global trend and local dynamics from process data. Then, we build a self-evolutionary graph module (EGM) to obtain diversified node features from the entire graph using mutation and crossover strategies. Finally, we design a node-aware module (NAM) to highlight the informative nodes and suppress the less significant ones to further improve the discriminative ability of the downstream soft sensing. Extensive experimental results and analysis on four real-world industrial datasets demonstrate that our proposed SENGraph model outperforms the existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) soft sensing methods.

A Graph-Based Time-Frequency Two-Stream Network for Multistep Prediction of Key Performance Indicators in Industrial Processes.

Deep learning-based soft sensor modeling methods have been extensively studied and applied to industrial processes in the last decade. However, existing soft sensor models mainly focus on the current step prediction in real time and ignore the multistep prediction in advance. In actual industrial applications, compared to the current step prediction, it is more useful for on-site workers to predict some key performance indicators in advance. Nowadays, multistep prediction task still suffers from two key issues: 1) complex coupling relationships between process variables and 2) long-term dependency learning. To ravel out these two problems, in this article, we propose a graph-based time-frequency two-stream network to achieve multistep prediction. Specifically, a multigraph attention layer is proposed to model the dynamical coupling relationships between process variables from the graph perspective. Then, in the time-frequency two-stream network, multi-GAT is used to extract time-domain features and frequency-domain features for long-term dependency, respectively. Furthermore, we propose a feature fusion module to combine these two kinds of features based on the minimum redundancy and maximum correlation learning paradigm. Finally, extensive experiments on two real-world industrial datasets show that the proposed multistep prediction model outperforms the state-of-the-art models. In particular, compared to the existing SOTA method, the proposed method has achieved 12.40%, 22.49%, and 21.98% improvement in RMSE, MAE, and MAPE on the three-step prediction task using waste incineration dataset.

Cellulose-based yellow-green emitting carbon dots with large Stokes shift as effective "turn off-on" fluorescence platforms for Cr (VI) and AA dual efficacy detection.

BACKGROUND: Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is highly carcinogenic to humans. Ascorbic acid (AA) deficiency can be hazardous to health. And the dual-effect fluorescence detection of them is an important research topic. Carbon dots (CDs) based on cellulose are excellent candidates for the fluorescence probes due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. But most of them exhibit shortwave emission, small Stokes shift and poor fluorescence performance, all of which limit their use. Therefore, there is an urgent need for cellulose CDs with longer emission wavelengths and larger Stokes shifts in dual-effect fluorescence detection of Cr (VI) and AA. RESULTS: Under optimal conditions (180 °C, 12 h), we prepared cellulose-based nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) by a simple one-step hydrothermal process, which display longer emission wavelengths (ex: 370 nm, em: 510 nm), larger Stokes shifts (140 nm) and high fluorescence quantum yield (QY: 19.27 %). The continuous "turn-off" and "turn-off-on" fluorescence detection platforms were constructed based on the internal filtering effect (IFE) between Cr6+ and N-CDs, and Cr6+ reduced to Cr3+ by AA at pH = 6. The platform has been successfully simultaneous detect Cr (VI) and AA with a wide range of 0.01-40 µM and 0.1-100 µM. And the lowest limits of detection (LOD) are 0.0303 µM and 0.072 µM, respectively. In the presence of some other metals, non-metal ions and water-soluble acids in the fruits, this fluorescent platform can demonstrate a high level of interference immunity. SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY: This represents the first yellow-green cellulose-based N-CDs with large Stokes shift for dual-effect detection of Cr (VI) and AA in real water samples and fresh fruits. The fluorescence detection platform has the advantage of low volume detection. Less than 2 mL of sample is required for testing and results are available in <5 min. This method is rare and supply a novel idea for the quantitative monitoring of Cr (VI) and AA.

Circular RNA Pum_0014 Targets miR-146a-5p/NF2 Axis to Regulate VEGF/PAK1 Pathway and Reduce H2O2-induced Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as essential regulators in cardiovascular disease, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study investigated the role of circRNA Pum1_0014 in myocardial infarction (MI) and its underlying mechanisms using an H9C2 cell model. Through Sanger sequencing, nucleic acid electrophoresis, RNase R, and transcriptional inhibition experiments, Pum1_0014 was identified as a novel circRNA. The cell localization of circRNA Pum1_0014 was detected by qPCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization, and the results revealed that circRNA Pum1_0014 is predominantly located in the cytoplasm. StarBase (URL: http://starbase.sysu.edu.cn/) and TargetScan (URL: https://www.targetscan.org/vert_80/) were used to predict circRNA Pum1_0014 targeting miRNAs and miRNA targeting mRNA, and the results identified miR-146a-5p as a potential target of Pum1_0014, which in turn targets NF2. The plasmid encoding the mutant circRNA Pum1_0014 or the 3'UTR mutant NF2 was constructed, and the interaction between Pum1_0014 and miR-146a-5p or miR-146a-5p and NF2 was detected by luciferase reporter gene assay. The results confirmed the interactions between Pum1_0014, miR-146a-5p, and NF2. In the MI cell model, upregulation of circRNA Pum1_0014 and NF2 and downregulation of miR-146a-5p were observed. Knockdown of circRNA Pum1_0014 inhibited NF2 expression and activated the VEGF/PAK1 pathway, reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Conversely, inhibition of miR-146a-5p and overexpression of NF2 had opposite effects. These findings suggest that circRNA Pum1_0014 acts through the miR-146a-5p/NF2 axis to reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis in MI via the VEGF/PAK1/NF2 pathway.

MgH2 nanoparticles confined in reduced graphene oxide pillared with organosilica: a novel type of hydrogen storage material.

Hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel that can push forward the energy transition because of its high energy density (142 MJ kg-1), variety of potential sources, low weight and low environmental impact, but its storage for automotive applications remains a formidable challenge. MgH2, with its high gravimetric and volumetric density, presents a compelling platform for hydrogen storage; however, its utilization is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen uptake/release and high temperature operation. Herein we show that a novel layered heterostructure of reduced graphene oxide and organosilica with high specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution can serve as a scaffold to host MgH2 nanoparticles with a narrow diameter distribution around ∼2.5 nm and superior hydrogen storage properties to bulk MgH2. Desorption studies showed that hydrogen release starts at relatively low temperature, with a maximum at 348 °C and kinetics dependent on particle size. Reversibility tests demonstrated that the dehydrogenation kinetics and re-hydrogenation capacity of the system remains stable at 1.62 wt% over four cycles at 200 °C. Our results prove that MgH2 confinement in a nanoporous scaffold is an efficient way to constrain the size of the hydride particles, avoid aggregation and improve kinetics for hydrogen release and recharging.

[Pathogenesis and treatment of intervertebral disc-originated testicular pain in traditional Chinese and Western medicine: An update].

Of the complex causes of testicular pain, intervertebral disc degeneration is a nonnegligible one, which, however, often fails to get sufficient attention from doctors in clinical practice and consequently leads to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. This paper presents an overview of the pathogenesis and treatment of intervertebral disc-induced testicular pain in traditional Chinese and Western medicine, aiming to improve clinicians' understanding of this problem and provide some reference for the diagnosis and treatment of unexplained testicular pain. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc-induced testicular pain may be associated with exogenous cold and dampness, damp-heat invasion of Yin organs, qi and blood stagnation, and closely related to the liver, kidney and governor meridian. Western medicine believes that its pathogenesis may be related to nerve root stimulation, nerve root entrapment, Waller degeneration, referred pain, nerve hypersensitivity and other factors.

Long noncoding RNA H19 knockdown promotes angiogenesis via IMP2 after ischemic stroke.

AIMS: This study aimed to explore the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 knockdown on angiogenesis and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and elucidate their underlying regulatory mechanisms. METHODS: A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion model was used to induce cerebral I/R injury. The cerebral infarct volume and neurological impairment were assessed using 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride staining and neurobehavioral tests, respectively. Relevant proteins were evaluated using western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Additionally, a bioinformatics website was used to predict the potential target genes of lncRNA H19. Finally, a rescue experiment was conducted to confirm the potential mechanism. RESULTS: Silencing of H19 significantly decreased the cerebral infarct volume, enhanced the recovery of neurological function, mitigated BBB damage, and stimulated endothelial cell proliferation following ischemic stroke. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IMP2) is predicted to be a potential target gene for lncRNA H19. H19 knockdown increased IMP2 protein expression and IMP2 inhibition reversed the protective effects of H19 inhibition. CONCLUSION: Downregulation of H19 enhances angiogenesis and mitigates BBB damage by regulating IMP2, thereby alleviating cerebral I/R injury.

Evaluation of the efficacy of chlorhexidine-alcohol vs. aqueous/alcoholic iodine solutions for the prevention of surgical site infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection (SSI) is the prevailing complication that occurs after surgery and significantly escalates healthcare expenses. Published meta-analyses and international standards vary in their recommendations for the most effective preoperative skin antiseptic solution and concentration. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness of Chlorhexidine-alcohol compared to Aqueous/alcoholic iodine solutions in preventing post-operative surgical site infections. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) to select publications published in peer-reviewed journals. The risk ratio (RR) was calculated, along with their 95% confidence intervals. We assessed heterogeneity using Cochrane Q and I2 statistics and the appropriate P-value. The analysis used RevMan 5.4. RESULTS: The current meta-analysis includes 14 Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing either 2-2.5% chlorhexidine alcohol with aqueous/alcoholic iodine. It was demonstrated that the CAG-using group had an overall lower incidence of post-operative surgical site infections compared to the iodine-using group (RR=0.30, 95% CI=0.20 to 0.46, I2=95%, P<0.00001). It exhibits comparable efficacy across various surgical procedures, as evidenced by its RR of 0.25 [95% CI 0.15 to 0.41], I2=51%, and P<0.0001 for general surgery, RR=0.47 [95% CI 0.32 to 0.67], I2=82%, P=0.0002 for caesarean section and RR of 0.47 [95% CI 0.34 to 0.65], I2=76% and P<0.00001 for additional surgical procedures, including neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery etc. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests using either 2·0-2·5% Chlorhexidine in alcohol instead of aqueous, alcoholic iodine to prevent SSIs in adult patients undergoing surgery. Chlorhexidine in alcohol worked effectively for general surgery, cesarean sections, and other surgeries. Thus, preoperative skin cleansing with Chlorhexidine alcohol minimizes postoperative SSIs and bacterial colonization in diverse procedures.

[Mechanism of HOXC6 promoting the progression of prostate cancer by activating the SFRP1/Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of the Homeobox C6 (HOXC6) gene in the homeobox family in PCa, its effect on the biological behavior of PCa cells and its action mechanism. METHODS: Based on the studies of HOXC6 retrieved from the database of Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), we analyzed the expression of HOXC6 in PCa and the relationship of its expression level with the survival prognosis of the patients. We detected the expression of the HOXC6 protein in PCa tissues and cells by Western blot, stably interfered with the expression of the HOXC6 gene in human PCa DU145 and PC-3 cells and normal prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 cells using the siRNA plasmid, and determined the effects of HOXC6 on the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of PCa cells by CCK8, plate cloning and scratch healing and Transwell invasion assays. Using the GEPIA database, we analyzed the correlation of the Wnt tumor inhibitory factor-secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) gene with HOXC6, and detected the expressions of HOXC6, SFRP1, Wnt and ß-catenin in PC-3 cells after siRNA-HOXC6 transfection by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of HOXC6 was dramatically higher in the PCa than in the normal prostate tissue (P< 0.01), and in the PCa cells than in the normal prostatic epithelial cells (P< 0.01). Bioinformatics analysis indicated a lower survival rate of the PCa patients with a high than those with a low HOXC6 expression (P = 0.011). The relative expression of the HOXC6 protein, absorbance value, number of clones formed and number of invaded cells were significantly lower in the siRNA group than in the negative controls (P< 0.05). According to the GEPIA database, highly expressed SFRP1 was associated with a good prognosis of PCa, and the protein expressions of Wnt and ß-catenin were markedly increased while that of SFRP1 decreased in the PCa PC-3 cell line (P< 0.05). The expressions of the Wnt and ß-catenin proteins were decreased and that of SFRP1 increased significantly in the siRNA-HOXC6 transfection group compared with those in the siRNA negative control and PCa PC-3 groups (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: HOXC6 is highly expressed in PCa tissues and related to the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of PCa cells. HOXC6 promotes the growth of DU145 and PC-3 cells in PCa by inhibiting the SFRP1/Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, and may be a potential target for clinical treatment of PCa.

Tau pathology mediated the plasma biomarkers and cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light (NfL) are putative non-amyloid biomarkers indicative of ongoing inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease processes. Hence, this study aimed to demonstrate the relationship between plasma biomarkers (GFAP and NfL) and 18F-AV-1451 tau PET images, and to explore their effects on cognitive function. Ninety-one participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database and 20 participants from the Shanghai Action of Prevention Dementia for the Elderly (SHAPE) cohort underwent plasma biomarker testing, 18F-AV-1451 tau PET scans and cognitive function assessments. Within the ADNI, there were 42 cognitively normal (CN) individuals and 49 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Similarly, in the SHAPE, we had 10 CN and 10 MCI participants. We calculated the standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) for the regions of interest (ROIs) in the 18F-AV-1451 PET scans. Using plasma biomarkers and regional SUVRs, we trained machine learning models to differentiate between MCI and CN subjects with ADNI database and validated in SHAPE. Results showed that eight selected variables (including left amygdala SUVR, right amygdala SUVR, left entorhinal cortex SUVR, age, education, plasma NfL, plasma GFAP, plasma GFAP/ NfL) identified by LASSO could differentiate between the MCI and CN individuals, with AUC ranging from 0.783 to 0.926. Additionally, cognitive function was negatively associated with the plasma biomarkers and tau deposition in amygdala and left entorhinal cortex. Increased tau deposition in amygdala and left entorhinal cortex were related to increased plasma biomarkers. Moreover, tau pathology mediated the effect of plasma biomarkers level on the cognitive decline. The present study provides valuable insights into the association among plasma markers (GFAP and NfL), regional tau deposition and cognitive function. This study reports the mediation effect of brain regions tau deposition on the plasma biomarkers level and cognitive function, indicating the significance of tau pathology in the MCI patients.

Double Perovskite Interlayer Stabilized Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Metal halide perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology has an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 26.1% and demonstrates cost-effective manufacturing. However, the stability of these PSCs poses a significant challenge, hindering their widespread manufacturing and commercialization. To tackle the degradation issue inherent in PSCs, surface passivation techniques, particularly employing a thin layer of two-dimensional (2D) perovskites, create a 2D/3D heterostructure. Beyond this, the exploration of metal halide double perovskites adds a new dimension to the chemical and band gap phase space of materials for optoelectronic applications. In this study, we leverage a wide band gap double perovskite interlayer to enhance the stability of 3D metal halide perovskite. Specifically, the double perovskite nanoparticle Cs2AgBiBr6, with its substantial band gap of 2.2 eV and exceptional air stability, is utilized. Through optimization, a Cs2AgBiBr6-treated PSC achieves an open-circuit voltage of 1.12 V and an impressive PCE of 19.52%. Additionally, the Cs2AgBiBr6 passivation layer proves to be effective in bolstering the stability of PSCs. This work demonstrates an additional strategy and design motif to simultaneously increase the PCE of PSCs along with achieving improved stability.