GWAS identifies DPP6 as risk gene of cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline is among the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), while its physiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Genetic factors constituted a fundamental determinant in the heterogeneity of cognitive decline among PD patients. However, the underlying genetic background was still less studied. METHODS: To explore the genetic determinants contributing to cognitive decline in PD, we performed genome-wide survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model in a longitudinal cohort of 450 Chinese patients with PD, and further explored the functional effect of the target variant. Additionally, we built a clinical-genetic model by incorporating clinical characteristics and polygenic risk score (PRS) to predict cognitive decline in PD. RESULTS: The cohort was followed up for an average of 5.25 (SE=2.46) years, with 95 incidents of cognitive impairment. We identified significant association between locus rs75819919 (DPP6) and accelerated cognitive decline (P=8.63E-09, beta=1.74, SE=0.30). Dual-luciferase reporter assay suggested this locus might be involved in the regulation of DPP6 expression. Using dataset from the UK Biobank, we identified rs75819919 was associated with cognitive performance in the general population. Incorporation of PRS increased the model predictability, achieving an average AUC of 75.6% through 5-fold cross-validation in 1,000 iterations. CONCLUSIONS: These findings improve the current understanding of the genetic etiology of cognitive impairment in PD, and provide a novel target DPP6 to explore therapeutic options. Our results also demonstrate the potential to develop clinical-genetic model to identify patients susceptible to cognitive impairment and thus provide personalized clinical guidance.

Combining transcriptome and metabolome analysis to understand the response of sorghum to Melanaphis sacchari.

BACKGROUND: The sorghum aphid Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is an important insect in the late growth phase of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). However, the mechanisms of sorghum response to aphid infestation are unclear. RESULTS: In this paper, the mechanisms of aphid resistance in different types of sorghum varieties were revealed by studying the epidermal cell structure and performing a transcriptome and metabolome association analysis of aphid-resistant and aphid-susceptible varieties. The epidermal cell results showed that the resistance of sorghum to aphids was positively correlated with epidermal cell regularity and negatively correlated with the intercellular space and leaf thickness. Transcriptome and metabolomic analyses showed that differentially expressed genes in the resistant variety HN16 and susceptible variety BTX623 were mainly enriched in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and differentially expressed metabolites were mainly related to isoflavonoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis. The q-PCR results of key genes were consistent with the transcriptome expression results. Meanwhile, the metabolome test results showed that after aphidinfestation, naringenin and genistein were significantly upregulated in the aphid-resistant variety HN16 and aphid-susceptible variety BTX623 while luteolin was only significantly upregulated in BTX623. These results show that naringenin, genistein, and luteolin play important roles in plant resistance to aphid infestation. The results of exogenous spraying tests showed that a 1‰ concentration of naringenin and genistein is optimal for improving sorghum resistance to aphid feeding. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the physical properties of the sorghum leaf structure related to aphid resistance were studied to provide a reference for the breeding of aphid-resistant varieties. The flavonoid biosynthesis pathway plays an important role in the response of sorghum aphids and represents an important basis for the biological control of these pests. The results of the spraying experiment provide insights for developing anti-aphid substances in the future.

A SU6668 pure nanoparticle-based eyedrops: toward its high drug Accumulation and Long-time treatment for corneal neovascularization.

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) is one of the common blinding factors worldwide, leading to reduced vision or even blindness. However, current treatments such as surgical intervention and anti-VEGF agent therapy still have some shortcomings or evoke some adverse effects. Recently, SU6668, an inhibitor targeting angiogenic tyrosine kinases, has demonstrated growth inhibition of neovascularization. But the hydrophobicity and low ocular bioavailability limit its application in cornea. Hereby, we proposed the preparation of SU6668 pure nanoparticles (NanoSU6668; size ~135 nm) using a super-stable pure-nanomedicine formulation technology (SPFT), which possessed uniform particle size and excellent aqueous dispersion at 1 mg/mL. Furthermore, mesenchymal stem cell membrane vesicle (MSCm) was coated on the surface of NanoSU6668, and then conjugated with TAT cell penetrating peptide, preparing multifunctional TAT-MSCm@NanoSU6668 (T-MNS). The T-MNS at a concentration of 200 µg/mL was treated for CNV via eye drops, and accumulated in blood vessels with a high targeting performance, resulting in elimination of blood vessels and recovery of cornea transparency after 4 days of treatment. Meanwhile, drug safety test confirmed that T-MNS did not cause any damage to cornea, retina and other eye tissues. In conclusion, the T-MNS eye drop had the potential to treat CNV effectively and safely in a low dosing frequency, which broke new ground for CNV theranostics.

China's Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions Estimated Using Surface Observations of Coemitted NO2.

Accurate estimates of fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2) emissions are of great importance for climate prediction and mitigation regulations but remain a significant challenge for accounting methods relying on economic statistics and emission factors. In this study, we employed a regional data assimilation framework to assimilate in situ NO2 observations, allowing us to combine observation-constrained NOx emissions coemitted with FFCO2 and grid-specific CO2-to-NOx emission ratios to infer the daily FFCO2 emissions over China. The estimated national total for 2016 was 11.4 PgCO2·yr-1, with an uncertainty (1σ) of 1.5 PgCO2·yr-1 that accounted for errors associated with atmospheric transport, inversion framework parameters, and CO2-to-NOx emission ratios. Our findings indicated that widely used "bottom-up" emission inventories generally ignore numerous activity level statistics of FFCO2 related to energy industries and power plants in western China, whereas the inventories are significantly overestimated in developed regions and key urban areas owing to exaggerated emission factors and inexact spatial disaggregation. The optimized FFCO2 estimate exhibited more distinct seasonality with a significant increase in emissions in winter. These findings advance our understanding of the spatiotemporal regime of FFCO2 emissions in China.

Endovascular Therapy and Outcomes Among Patients With Very Large Ischemic Core Stroke.

Importance: The association of endovascular therapy (EVT) with outcomes is unclear for patients with very low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) within 24 hours of stroke onset. Objective: To explore the association of EVT with functional and safety outcomes among patients with ASPECTS of 0 to 2 scored with noncontrast computed tomography. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from an ongoing, prospective, observational, nationwide registry including all patients treated at 38 stroke centers in China with an occlusion in the internal carotid artery or M1 or M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery within 24 hours of witnessed symptom onset. Patients with ASPECTS of 0 to 2 between November 1, 2021, and February 8, 2023, were included in analysis. Data were analyzed October to November 2023. Exposures: EVT vs standard medical treatment (SMT). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was favorable functional outcome, defined as modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) of 0 to 3, at 90 days. Safety outcomes included symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) within 48 hours and mortality at 90 days. Results: A total of 245 patients (median [IQR] age, 71 [63-78] years; 118 [48%] women) with ASPECTS of 0 to 2 were included, of whom 111 patients (45.1%) received SMT and 135 patients (54.9%) received EVT. The EVT group had significantly greater odds of favorable functional outcome at 90 days than the SMT group (30 patients [22.2%] vs 11 patients [9.9%]; P = .01; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.07 [95% CI, 1.29-7.31]; P = .01). Patients in the EVT group, compared with the SMT group, had significantly greater odds of any ICH (56 patients [41.5%] vs 16 patients [11.4%]; P < .001; aOR, 4.27 [95% CI, 2.19-8.35]; P < .001) and sICH (24 patients [17.8%] vs 1 patient [0.9%]; P < .001; aOR, 23.07 [95% CI, 2.99-177.79]; P = .003) within 48 hours. There were no differences between groups for 90-day mortality (80 patients [59.3%] vs 59 patients [53.2%]; P = .34; aOR, 1.38 [95% CI, 0.77-2.47]; P = .28). The results remained robust in the propensity score-matched analysis. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of patients with very low ASPECTS based on NCCT within 24 hours of stroke onset, those treated with EVT had higher odds of a favorable functional outcome compared with those who received SMT. Randomized clinical trials are needed to assess these findings.

Increased Deep Trap Density in Interfacial Engineered Nanocomposite Revealed by Sequential Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy for High Dielectric Energy Storage.

Nanocomposites combining inorganic nanoparticles with high dielectric constant and polymers with high breakdown strength are promising for the high energy density storage of electricity, and carrier traps can significantly affect the dielectric breakdown process. Nevertheless, there still lacks direct experimental evidence on how nanoparticles affect the trap characteristics of nanocomposites, especially in a spatially resolved manner. Here, a technique is developed to image the trap distribution based on sequential Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) in combination with the isothermal surface potential decay (ISPD) technique, wherein both shallow and deep trap densities and the corresponding energy levels can be mapped with nanoscale resolution. The technique is first validated using the widely-used commercial biaxially oriented polypropylene, yielding consistent results with macroscopic ISPD. The technique is then applied to investigate polyvinylidene fluoride-based nanocomposites filled with barium titanate nanoparticles, revealing higher deep trap density around surface-modified nanoparticles, which correlates well with its increased breakdown strength. This technique thus provides a powerful spatially resolved tool for understanding the microscopic mechanism of dielectric breakdown of nanocomposites.

The characteristic and prognostic role of blood inflammatory markers in patients with Huntington's disease from China.

Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the role of peripheral inflammation in Huntington's disease (HD) by examining the correlation of peripheral inflammatory markers with clinical manifestations and disease prognosis. Methods: This investigation involved 92 HD patients and 92 matched healthy controls (HCs). We quantified various peripheral inflammatory markers and calculated their derived metrics including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). Clinical assessments spanning cognitive, motor, and disease severity were administered. Comparative analysis of inflammatory markers and clinical correlations between HD and controls was performed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression model were used to assess the effect of inflammatory markers on survival. Results: The study revealed that HD patients had significantly reduced lymphocyte counts, and LMR. Conversely, NLR, PLR, and SII were elevated compared to HCs. Lymphocyte levels inversely correlated with the age of onset and monocyte levels inversely correlated with the UHDRS-total functional capacity (TFC) scores. After adjusting for age, sex, and CAG repeat length, lymphocyte count, NLR, PLR, and SII were significantly correlated with the progression rate of TFC scores. Elevated levels of white blood cells and monocytes were associated with an increased risk of disability and mortality in the HD cohort. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that HD patients display a distinct peripheral inflammatory profile with increased NLR, PLR, and SII levels compared to HCs. The peripheral inflammation appears to be linked with accelerated disease progression and decreased survival in HD.

Evaluation of retinal and choroidal thickness changes in overweight and obese adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography.

AIM: To evaluate the relationship of overweight and obesity with retinal and choroidal thickness in adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). METHODS: According to the body mass index (BMI) results, the adults enrolled in the cross-sectional study were divided into the normal group (18.50≤BMI<25.00 kg/m2), the overweight group (25.00≤BMI<30.00 kg/m2), and the obesity group (BMI≥30.00 kg/m2). The one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test were used for comparisons. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the measured variables. RESULTS: This research covered the left eyes of 3 groups of 434 age- and sex-matched subjects each: normal, overweight, and obesity. The mean BMI was 22.20±1.67, 26.82±1.38, and 32.21±2.35 kg/m2 in normal, overweight and obesity groups, respectively. The choroid was significantly thinner in both the overweight and obesity groups compared to the normal group (P<0.05 for all), while the retinal thickness of the three groups did not differ significantly. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly negatively correlated with choroidal thickness, but no significant correlation was observed between BMI and retinal thickness. CONCLUSION: Choroidal thickness is decreased in people with overweight or obesity. Research on changes in choroidal thickness contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of certain ocular disorders in overweight and obese adults.

Erythrocyte-Like Mesoporous PDA@CeO2 Nanozyme with Dual Drugs for Periodontitis Treatment.

Periodontitis is a chronic oral inflammatory disease with the characteristic of excess oxidative stress in the inflammatory site, dramatically decreasing the quality of life. Studies show that nanozymes can be ideal candidates for ROS scavenging in periodontitis. Here, we design a multipath anti-inflammatory mesoporous polydopamine@cerium oxide nanobowl (mPDA@CeO2 NB) with multienzyme mimicking properties, which combines the advantages of both CeO2 NP and mPDA NB for synergistically eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radical (•OH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide (O2•-). Besides, the erythrocyte-like structure of mNBs makes them a facility for cell uptake, and the mesopores can load both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs for combined anti-inflammatory therapy. In vitro and in vivo experiments prove that the combination of CeO2 and mPDA can synergistically achieve multiple complementary ROS eliminations and suppression of ROS-induced inflammation. Moreover, the ROS regulation plus anti-inflammatory drugs in one mPDA@CeO2 NB prevents the progression of periodontitis in a mouse model. Therefore, the design of mPDA@CeO2 NB with these excellent properties provides a therapeutic strategy for inflammatory diseases.

Potential New Target for Dry Eye Disease-Oxidative Stress.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial condition affecting the ocular surface. It is characterized by loss of tear film homeostasis and accompanied by ocular symptoms that may potentially result in damage to the ocular surface and even vision loss. Unmodifiable risk factors for DED mainly include aging, hormonal changes, and lifestyle issues such as reduced sleep duration, increased screen exposure, smoking, and ethanol consumption. As its prevalence continues to rise, DED has garnered considerable attention, prompting the exploration of potential new therapeutic targets. Recent studies have found that when the production of ROS exceeds the capacity of the antioxidant defense system on the ocular surface, oxidative stress ensues, leading to cellular apoptosis and further oxidative damage. These events can exacerbate inflammation and cellular stress responses, further increasing ROS levels and promoting a vicious cycle of oxidative stress in DED. Therefore, given the central role of reactive oxygen species in the vicious cycle of inflammation in DED, strategies involving antioxidants have emerged as a novel approach for its treatment. This review aims to enhance our understanding of the intricate relationship between oxidative stress and DED, thereby providing directions to explore innovative therapeutic approaches for this complex ocular disorder.

The efficacy and safety of continuous intravenous tirofiban for acute ischemic stroke patients treated by endovascular therapy: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Tirofiban is a non-peptide selective glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor with a short half-life. The research assesses the efficacy and safety of continuous intravenous tirofiban in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) undergoing endovascular therapy (ET). Methods: A systematic search of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases is conducted from inception until January 26, 2024. Eligible studies are included based on predefined selection criteria. Efficacy outcomes (favorable functional outcome and excellent functional outcome) and safety outcomes (symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage [sICH], any intracranial hemorrhage [ICH], and 90-day mortality) are calculated using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: A total of 4,329 patients from 15 studies are included in the analysis. The results indicate a significant trend toward favorable functional outcomes in the tirofiban group (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.42; p = 0.001). In terms of safety outcomes, tirofiban does not increase the risk of sICH (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.71-1.13; p = 0.35) or any ICH (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.70-1.34; p = 0.85), but it significantly decreases 90-day mortality (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64-0.88; p = 0.0006). A subgroup analysis suggests that continuous intravenous tirofiban demonstrates better efficacy (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.09-1.42; p = 0.001) for patients with AIS undergoing rescue ET with even better results when used in combination with intra-arterial and intravenous administration (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.07-1.451; p = 0.005). Conclusion: Continuous intravenous tirofiban is effective and safe for patients with AIS undergoing rescue ET, particularly when combined with intra-arterial tirofiban. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023385695.

Correlation analysis between occupational stress and metabolic syndrome in workers of a petrochemical enterprise: based on two assessment models of occupational stress.

BACKGROUND: Occupational stress is becoming a common phenomenon around the world. Being in a high occupational stress state for a long time may destroy the metabolic balance of the body, thereby increasing the risk of metabolic diseases. There is limited evidence regarding the correlation between occupational stress and metabolic syndrome (MetS), particularly in the petrochemical workers. METHODS: A total of 1683 workers of a petrochemical enterprise in China were included in the survey by cluster sampling method. The occupational stress assessment was carried out by the Job Content Questionnaire and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and the general demographic characteristics, work characteristics, occupational hazards, lifestyle and health examination data of the participants were collected. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the correlations and influencing factors between occupational stress and its dimensions with MetS and its components. RESULTS: A total of 1683 questionnaires were sent out, and 1608 were effectively collected, with an effective recovery rate of 95.54%. The detection rates of occupational stress in Job Demand-Control (JDC) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models were 28.4% and 27.2%, respectively. In this study, 257 participants (16.0%) were diagnosed with MetS. Compared with the non-MetS group, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG) and fasting blood-glucose (FBG) levels were significantly higher in the MetS group, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The results of multiple linear regression showed that after adjusting for nation, marital status, education, work system, smoking and drinking, and further adjusting for occupational hazards, the D/C ratio was significantly negatively correlated with SBP in the JDC model. Social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significant positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG. CONCLUSIONS: The detection rates of occupational stress and MetS were high in workers of a petrochemical enterprise. In the JDC model, occupational stress was negatively correlated with SBP, and social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significantly positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG.

Single-cell transcriptome profiling implicates the psychological stress-induced disruption of spermatogenesis.

Male infertility has emerged as a global issue, partly attributed to psychological stress. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of psychological stress on male reproductive function remain elusive. We created a psychologically stressed model using terrified-sound and profiled the testes from stressed and control rats using single-cell RNA sequencing. Comparative and comprehensive transcriptome analyses of 11,744 testicular cells depicted the cellular landscape of spermatogenesis and revealed significant molecular alterations of spermatogenesis suffering from psychological stress. At the cellular level, stressed rats exhibited delayed spermatogenesis at the spermatogonia and pachytene phases, resulting in reduced sperm production. Additionally, psychological stress rewired cellular interactions among germ cells, negatively impacting reproductive development. Molecularly, we observed the down-regulation of anti-oxidation-related genes and up-regulation of genes promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the stress group. These alterations led to elevated ROS levels in testes, affecting the expression of key regulators such as ATF2 and STAR, which caused reproductive damage through apoptosis or inhibition of testosterone synthesis. Overall, our study aimed to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which psychological stress disrupts spermatogenesis, offering insights into the mechanisms of psychological stress-induced male infertility in other species and promises in potential therapeutic targets.

The effectiveness and safety of human urinary kallidinogenase in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular therapy.

The effectiveness and safety of human urinary kallidinogenase (HUK) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) was unclear. A pooled analysis was performed using individual data from the DEVT and RESCUE BT trials. Patients were divided into two groups based on HUK treatment. The primary outcome was the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Safety outcomes included 90-day mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 48 hours. A total of 1174 patients were included in the study. Of these, 150 (12.8%) patients received HUK. The adjusted common odds ratio (OR) of the mRS score was 1.458 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.072-1.983; p = 0.016) favoring HUK. The incidence of sICH (2.0% vs. 8.6%; adjusted OR: 0.198; 95% CI: 0.061-0.638; p = 0.007) and mortality (11.3% vs.18.5%; adjusted OR: 0.496; 95% CI: 0.286-0.862; p = 0.013) was lower in HUK group than non-HUK group. This association was consistent with propensity score-matching and the inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis. In conclusion, HUK was safe and associated with a preferable prognosis in AIS patients due to LVO in the anterior circulation.

Plasma GFAP as a prognostic biomarker of motor subtype in early Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous movement disorder with different motor subtypes including tremor dominant (TD), indeterminate and postural instability, and gait disturbance (PIGD) motor subtypes. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was elevated in PD patients and may be regarded as a biomarker for motor and cognitive progression. Here we explore if there was an association between plasma GFAP and different motor subtypes and whether baseline plasma GFAP level can predict motor subtype conversion. Patients with PD classified as TD, PIGD or indeterminate subtypes underwent neurological evaluation at baseline and 2 years follow-up. Plasma GFAP in PD patients and controls were measured using an ultrasensitive single molecule array. The study enrolled 184 PD patients and 95 control subjects. Plasma GFAP levels were significantly higher in the PIGD group compared to the TD group at 2-year follow-up. Finally, 45% of TD patients at baseline had a subtype shift and 85% of PIGD patients at baseline remained as PIGD subtypes at 2 years follow-up. Baseline plasma GFAP levels were significantly higher in TD patients converted to PIGD than non-converters in the baseline TD group. Higher baseline plasma GFAP levels were significantly associated with the TD motor subtype conversion (OR = 1.283, P = 0.033) and lower baseline plasma GFAP levels in PIGD patients were likely to shift to TD and indeterminate subtype (OR = 0.551, P = 0.021) after adjusting for confounders. Plasma GFAP may serve as a clinical utility biomarker in differentiating motor subtypes and predicting baseline motor subtypes conversion in PD patients.

Hierarchical Cache-Aided Networks for Linear Function Retrieval.

In a hierarchical caching system, a server is connected to multiple mirrors, each of which is connected to a different set of users, and both the mirrors and the users are equipped with caching memories. All the existing schemes focus on single file retrieval, i.e., each user requests one file. In this paper, we consider the linear function retrieval problem, i.e., each user requests a linear combination of files, which includes single file retrieval as a special case. We propose a new scheme that reduces the transmission load of the first hop by jointly utilizing the two layers' cache memories, and we show that our scheme achieves the optimal load for the second hop in some cases.

Generation of ultra-intense vortex laser from a binary phase square spiral zone plate.

With the development of ultra-intense laser technology, the manipulation of relativistic laser pulses has become progressively challenging due to the limitations of damage thresholds for traditional optical devices. In recent years, the generation and manipulation of ultra-intense vortex laser pulses by plasma has attracted a great deal of attention. Here, we propose a new scheme to produce a relativistic vortex laser. This is achieved by using a relativistic Gaussian drive laser to irradiate a plasma binary phase square spiral zone plate (BPSSZP). Based on three-dimensional particle-in-cell (3D-PIC) simulations, we find that the drive laser has a phase difference of π after passing through the BPSSZP, ultimately generating the vortex laser with unique square symmetry. Quantitatively, by employing a drive laser pulse with intensity of 1.3 × 1018~W/cm2, a vortex laser with intensity up to 1.8 × 1019~W/cm2, and energy conversion efficiency of 18.61% can be obtained. The vortex lasers generated using the BPSSZP follow the modulo-4 transmutation rule when varying the topological charge of BPSSZP. Furthermore, the plasma-based BPSSZP has exhibited robustness and the ability to withstand multiple ultra-intense laser pulses. As the vortex laser generated via the BPSSZP has high intensity and large energy conversion efficiency, our scheme may hold potential applications in the community of laser-plasma, such as particles acceleration, intense high-order vortex harmonic generation, and vortex X/γ-ray sources.

The Effects of Unconventional Feed Fermentation on Intestinal Oxidative Stress in Animals.

Unconventional feed, which is abundant in China, contains anti-nutritional factors and toxins; however, these can be greatly reduced with microbial fermentation, thus improving the nutrient content of the feed, enhancing animal appetites, and ultimately significantly improving the intestinal health and growth performance of animals. When oxidative stress occurs, fermented feed can effectively reduce the damage caused by stress to the gastrointestinal tract, accelerate the removal of gastrointestinal abnormalities, improve the ability to resist intestinal stress, and ensure the efficient production of animals. This review introduces the application of unconventional fermented feed in animal production, and expounds upon the function of unconventional fermented feed in animals with oxidative stress symptoms, so as to provide a theoretical reference for the development and application of unconventional fermented feed in antioxidative stress reduction.

Longitudinal Evolution and Plasma Biomarkers for Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Parkinson's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the most frequent nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the pathogenesis of EDS is unclear, and there is a lack of information on plasma biomarkers for EDS in PD. We aimed to investigate the plasma biomarkers of EDS in a large PD cohort. METHODS: A total of 159 PD patients were included in the prospective cohort study and followed up annually for 3 years. Plasma biomarkers including glial fibrillary acidic protein, amyloid-beta, p-tau181, and neurofilament light chain (NfL), were measured using an ultrasensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) technology at each visit. EDS was evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). RESULTS: The frequency of EDS in PD increased from 15.1% at baseline to 25.0% after 3 years. The mean ESS scores increased from 5.1 (standard deviation [SD]: 4.8) at baseline to 6.1 (SD: 5.5) at the third year of follow-up. At baseline, compared with patients with PD without EDS, those with EDS were more likely to be male, had poorer cognitive performance, and more severe motor and nonmotor symptoms. The adjusted generalized estimating equations models showed that higher plasma NfL levels (OR: 1.047 [1.002-1.094], p = .042) were associated with EDS during follow-ups. The adjusted linear mixed-effects model showed that higher plasma NfL levels (ß 0.097 [0.012-0.183], p = .026) were associated with ESS scores during follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: Higher plasma NfL levels were associated with EDS in PD, indicating an association between neuro-axonal degeneration and EDS in PD.

Seafood waste derived Pt/Chitin nanocatalyst for efficient hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds.

The fabrication of reliable, reusable and efficient catalyst is crucial for the conversion of nitroaromatic compounds into more chemically valuable amine-based molecules. In this study, a series of chitin supported platinum (Pt) catalysts with high catalytic activity, stability, and reusability were developed by using chitin derived from seafood waste as raw materials. The catalytic performance differences among these catalysts activated by different methods were investigated by hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds. The results showed that the multilayer hierarchical pore structure and abundance of hydroxyl and acetamido groups in chitin provided ample anchoring sites for Pt nanoparticles (NPs), ensuring the high dispersion of Pt NPs. Moreover, the interconnected channels between chitin nanofibrous microspheres facilitated rapid transport of reaction substrates. The best Pt/Chitin catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity and broad substrate applicability in hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds. Significantly, even after 20 runs, no discernible deactivation of activity was observed, demonstrating exceptional catalytic reusability. The application of seafood waste-based catalysts is conducive to the development of a green/sustainable society.