Dendrite-Free Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5-Based All-Solid-State Lithium Battery Enabled by Grain Boundary Electronic Insulation Strategy through In Situ Polymer Encapsulation.

Sulfide-based all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) have attracted unprecedented attention in the past decade due to their excellent safety performance and high energy storage density. However, the sulfide solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) as the core component of ASSLBs have a certain stiffness, which inevitably leads to the formation of pores and cracks during the production process. In addition, although sulfide SSEs have high ionic conductivity, the electrolytes are unstable to lithium metal and have non-negligible electronic conductivity, which severely limits their practical applications. Herein, a grain boundary electronic insulation strategy through in situ polymer encapsulation is proposed for this purpose. A polymer layer with insulating properties is applied to the surface of the Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (LPSC) electrolyte particles by simple ball milling. In this way, we can not only achieve a dense electrolyte pellet but also improve the stability of the Li metal anode and reduce the electronic conductivity of LPSC. This strategy of electronic isolation of the grain boundaries enables stable deposition/stripping of the modified electrolyte for more than 2000 h at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-1 in a symmetrical Li/Li cell. With this strategy, a full cell with Li(Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1)O2 (NCM811) as the cathode shows high performance including high specific capacity, improved high-rate capability, and long-term stability. Therefore, this study presents a new strategy to achieve high-performance sulfide SSEs.

Associations of essential metals with the risk of aortic arch calcification: a cross-sectional study in a mid-aged and older population of Shenzhen, China.

Vascular calcification is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events. Essential metals play critical roles in maintaining human health. However, the association of essential metal levels with risk of aortic arch calcification (AoAC) remains unclear. We measured the plasma concentrations of nine essential metals in a cross-sectional population and evaluated their individual and combined effects on AoAC risk using multiple statistical methods. We also explored the mediating role of fasting glucose. In the logistic regression model, higher quartiles of magnesium and copper were associated with the decreased AoAC risk, while higher quartile of manganese was associated with higher AoAC risk. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator penalized regression analysis identified magnesium, manganese, calcium, cobalt, and copper as key metals associated with AoAC risk. The weighted quantile sum regression suggested a combined effect of metal mixture. A linear and positive dose-response relationship was found between manganese and AoAC in males. Moreover, blood glucose might mediate a proportion of 9.38% of the association between manganese exposure and AoAC risk. In summary, five essential metal levels were associated with AoAC and showed combined effect. Fasting glucose might play a significant role in mediating manganese exposure-associated AoAC risk.

Analysis of postoperative urinary incontinence and influencing factors of transurethral holmium laser enucleation of the prostate.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the related factors of urinary incontinence after transurethral holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), and to provide guidance for clinical urinary control of HoLEP. METHODS: The clinical data of 548 patients who underwent HoLEP were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were followed up for the occurrence of urinary incontinence in the short term (2 weeks), medium term (3 months) and long term (6 months) after HoLEP. RESULTS: Among the 548 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients, 79 cases (14.42%) had urinary incontinence at 2 weeks, 19 cases (3.47%) at 3 months and 2 cases (0.36%) at 6 months after surgery. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, prostate volume, diabetes mellitus, operation time, prostate tissue weight and histological prostatitis were risk factors for recent urinary incontinence (P<0.05). Age, diabetes and operation time were risk factors for mid-term urinary incontinence (P<0.05). The incidence of long-term urinary incontinence was low and no risk factor analysis was performed. CONCLUSIONS: For good urinary control after HoLEP, in addition to surgery-related factors such as surgical skills, proficiency and precise anatomy, patients' risk factors should also be paid attention to in order to improve postoperative urinary control more effectively and reduce the incidence of urinary incontinence.

Food-Borne Biotoxin Neutralization in Vivo by Nanobodies: Current Status and Prospects.

Food-borne biotoxins from microbes, plants, or animals contaminate unclean, spoiled, and rotten foods, posing significant health risks. Neutralizing such toxins is vital for human health, especially after food poisoning. Nanobodies (Nbs), a type of single-domain antibodies derived from the genetic cloning of a variable domain of heavy chain antibodies (VHHs) in camels, offer unique advantages in toxin neutralization. Their small size, high stability, and precise binding enable effective neutralization. The use of Nbs in neutralizing food-borne biotoxins offers numerous benefits, and their genetic malleability allows tailored optimization for diverse toxins. As nanotechnology continues to evolve and improve, Nbs are poised to become increasingly efficient and safer tools for toxin neutralization, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding human health and environmental safety. This review not only highlights the efficacy of these agents in neutralizing toxins but also proposes innovative solutions to address their current challenges. It lays a solid foundation for their further development in this crucial field and propels their commercial application, thereby contributing significantly to advancements in this domain.

Comparison of treatment outcome between glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in subacute thyroiditis patients-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Importance: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a self-limiting and inflammatory thyroid disease. Although SAT usually improves on its own within weeks, it needs treatment when patients have pain, fever, and symptoms of thyrotoxicosis. Therapeutic drugs mainly include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids. Currently, there is no systematic review or meta-analysis of the comparison of outcomes between NSAIDs and glucocorticoids for the treatment of SAT. Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the outcomes in subacute thyroiditis patients treated with glucocorticoids or NSAIDs. Data sources: Using the four electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang database and Web of Science. All publications until 21 June 2023 were searched. The reference lists of all selected articles were independently screened to identify additional studies left out in the initial search. Study selection: The literature comparing outcomes between glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for patients with subacute thyroiditis will be included. Data extraction and synthesis: Two independent investigators (Anqi Yuan and Jialu Wu) extracted the data following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines (PRISMA) and then evaluated the quality of the eligible studies with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Fixed-effects models for the meta-analyses were applied. Heterogeneity was assessed with the chi-squared (x²) test (Cochran's Q) and inconsistency index (I²). The robustness of the results was tested with the sensitivity analyses. The bias of publication was assessed with the Harbord test. Main outcomes and measures: The incidence of permanent hypothyroidism in SAT patients treated with corticosteroids or NSAIDs. Results: Our study included a total of ten comparative cohort studies with 1337 participants. We found that the incidence of developing permanent hypothyroidism in the SAT patients who received glucocorticoids treatment was significantly lower than those who received NSAIDs treatment. (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.36-0.88; P = 0.01). The risk of permanent hypothyroidism in patients who received prednisone at an average initial dose < 40 mg/d was significantly lower than that in patients who received NSAIDs (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.14-0.94; P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of permanent hypothyroidism between SAT patients who received an average initial dose ≥ 40 mg/d of prednisone and those who received only NSAIDs (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.14-3.53; P = 0.67). In addition, the recurrence rate was observably higher in those receiving glucocorticoids than in those receiving NSAIDs (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.12-3.5; p = 0.02). The recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with an average initial prednisone dose of < 40 mg/d than in the NSAIDs group. There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate between patients in the mean initial prednisone dose ≥ 40 mg/d group and those in the NSAIDs group. Conclusions and relevance: In this meta-analysis, we compared the treatment outcomes of SAT patients between glucocorticoids and NSAIDs. Our results indicated that glucocorticoid treatment was associated with a lower incidence of permanent hypothyroidism than NSAID treatment. Patients treated with NSAIDs might have a lower recurrence rate. This finding might help to understand the outcome of the disease when choosing different drugs and help physicians to make appropriate decisions. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023427332.

Mulberry leaf extract inhibits obesity and protects against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats.

Mulberry leaf has been recognized as a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, which was distributed throughout the Asia. The aqueous extract of mulberry leaf extract (MLE) has various biologically active components such as polyphenols and flavonoids. However, the inhibitory effect of MLE in hepatocarcinogenesis is poorly understood. In this study, we determined the role of MLE supplementation in preventing hepatocarcinogenesis in a carcinogen-initiated high-fat diet (HFD)-promoted Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model. The rats were fed an HFD to induce obesity and spontaneous hepatomas by administering 0.01% diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in their drinking water for 12 weeks (HD group), and also to fed MLE through oral ingestion at daily doses of 0.5%, 1%, or 2%. At the end of the 12-week experimental period, the liver tumors were analyzed to identify markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities, and their serum was analyzed to determine their nutritional status and liver function. Histopathological analysis revealed that MLE supplementation significantly suppressed the severity and incidence of hepatic tumors. Furthermore, compared with the HFD + DEN groups, the expression of protein kinase C (PKC)-α and Rac family small GTPase 1 (Rac1) was lower in the MLE groups. These findings suggest that MLE prevents obesity-enhanced, carcinogen-induced hepatocellular carcinoma development, potentially through the protein kinase C (PKC)α/Rac1 signaling pathway. MLE might be an effective chemoprevention modality for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related hepatocarcinogenesis.

Correlation analysis of phosphorylation of myofibrillar protein and muscle quality of tilapia during storage in ice.

In this study, the correlation between protein phosphorylation and deterioration in the quality of tilapia during storage in ice was examined by assessing changes in texture, water-holding capacity (WHC), and biochemical characteristics of myofibrillar protein throughout 7 days of storage. The hardness significantly decreased from 471.50 to 252.17 g, whereas cooking and drip losses significantly increased from 26.5% to 32.6% and 2.9% to 9.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). Myofibril fragmentation increased, while myofibrillar protein sulfhydryl content and Ca2+-ATPase activity decreased from 119.33 to 89.29 µmol/g prot and 0.85 to 0.46 µmolPi/mg prot/h, respectively (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the myofibrillar protein phosphorylation level was positively correlated with hardness and Ca2+-ATPase activity but negatively correlated with WHC. Myofibrillar protein phosphorylation affects muscle contraction by influencing the dissociation of actomyosin, thereby regulating hardness and WHC. This study provides novel insights for the establishment of quality control strategies for tilapia storage based on protein phosphorylation.

Extent of surgery for unilateral papillary thyroid cancer with nonsuspicious contralateral nodules by ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: The discussion about surgical treatment of patients with papillary thyroid cancer(PTC) has been an ongoing issue, which is mainly focused on characteristics of tumor, but rarely on nonsuspicious contralateral nodules. We aimed to compare recurrence-free survival(RFS)/progression-free survival(PFS) of unilateral PTC patients with nonsuspicious contralateral nodules after different extents of surgery. METHODS: Unilateral PTC patients with nonsuspicious contralateral nodules underwent surgery from 2015 to 2017 were enrolled. The association between surgical extent and RFS/PFS was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 1293 PTC patients (595[46.0%]TT,523[40.4%]lobectomy+nodule enucleation(LNE),175[13.5%]lobectomy) were analyzed. Patients with a greater surgical extent were more likely to be older, have a greater multifocality of the tumor and contralateral nodules, larger contralateral nodules and primary tumors, and more micro extrathyroidal extension (P < 0.05). After a median follow-up of 45 months, significant growth(>3 mm) was identified in 24 (4.6%) and 19 (10.9%) patients in the LNE and lobectomy group, 7 (1.2%), 14 (2.7%) and 11 (6.3%) structural recurrences and 7 (1.2%), 11 (2.1%) and 7 (4.0%) progression in disease were identified in the TT, LNE and lobectomy groups, respectively. Unadjusted and adjusted RFS/PFS were significantly worse for patients treated with lobectomy than for those who underwent LNE or TT(3-year RFS, 95.5%, 98.2% vs. 99.0%; 3-year PFS, 97.9%, 98.9% vs. 99.0%, P < 0.05), but difference in PFS between LNE and TT lost statistical significance (unadjusted P = 0.226, adjusted P = 0.150). CONCLUSIONS: Due to subtle changes in nodules and acceptable prognosis, lobectomy is a considerable option for unilateral PTC patients with nonsuspicious nodules, when a similar prognosis to TT is expected, LNE may be an effective alternative to optimize quality of life.

Role of reimbursement and Physicians' awareness in the survival of sorafenib-eligible advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

In 2008, sorafenib became the first approved systemic therapeutic agent for advanced HCC. Although its pharmacological efficacy has been established, reimbursement for such a new, high-cost drug, as well as physicians' awareness and prescription practice, likewise contribute to its clinical effectiveness. We therefore conducted a retrospective study using 38 sorafenib-eligible, advanced HCC patients when sorafenib was approved but not yet reimbursed as a control and 216 patients during the reimbursed era. Study group showed longer survival at 8.2 months versus the control's 4.9 months (p = 0.0063 hazard ratio: 0.612 [0.431 ~ 0.868], p = 0.0059). Among the 42 (19.4%) patients who survived more than 2 years, 50% had tumor rupture, and all 32 patients with portal vein tumor thrombus and/or extrahepatic metastasis received sorafenib (p = 0.003). Furthermore, during their first 2 years of HCC management, sorafenib had been given in 29.1% of the treatment courses among survivors between 2 and 5 years while it was prescribed in 55.8% among the more than 5 years survivor group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, survival of sorafenib-eligible HCC patients significantly improved after reimbursement. Patients who underwent longer sorafenib treatment had a survival advantage, except for those with tumor rupture. Reimbursement and awareness of prescriptions for a newly introduced medication therefore improve clinical effectiveness.

Mediation of mitochondrial DNA copy number and oxidative stress in fluoride-related bone mineral density alteration in Chinese farmers.

Excessive fluoride can adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD). Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are crucial mechanisms of health damage induced by fluoride. Here, a cross-sectional survey involving 907 Chinese farmers (aged 18-60) was carried out in Tongxu County in 2017, aiming to investigate the significance of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and oxidative stress in fluoride-related BMD change. Concentrations of urinary fluoride (UF), serum oxidative stress biomarkers, including total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as relative mtDNAcn in peripheral blood were determined. The multivariable linear model and mediation analysis were performed to assess associations between UF, oxidative stress, and relative mtDNAcn with BMD. Results showed that GSH-Px levels increased by 6.98 U/mL [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.41-10.56)] with each 1.0 mg/L increment of UF. After stratification, the T-AOC, relative mtDNAcn, and BMD decreased by 0.04 mmol/L (-0.08 ~ -0.01), 0.29-unit (-0.55 ~ -0.04), and 0.18-unit (-0.33 ~ -0.03) with every 1.0 mg/L elevation of UF in the excessive fluoride group (EFG, adults with UF > 1.6 mg/L), respectively. Furthermore, T-AOC and relative mtDNAcn were favorably related to the BMD in the EFG (ß = 0.82, 95%CI 0.16-1.48 for T-AOC; ß = 0.11, 95%CI 0.02-0.19 for relative mtDNAcn). Mediation analysis showed that relative mtDNAcn and T-AOC mediated 15.4% and 17.1% of the connection between excessive fluoride and reduced BMD, respectively. Findings suggested that excessive fluoride was related to lower BMD in adults, and the decrement of T-AOC and relative mtDNAcn partially mediate this relationship.

Investigation of the shared biological mechanisms and common biomarker APTAF1 of sleep deprivation and mild cognitive impairment using integrated bioinformatics analysis.

Introduction: The relationship between sleep loss and cognitive impairment has long been widely recognized, but there is still a lack of complete understanding of the underlying mechanisms and potential biomarkers. The purpose of this study is to further explore the shared biological mechanisms and common biomarkers between sleep loss and cognitive impairment. Methods: The mitochondria-related genes and gene expression data were downloaded from the MitoCarta3.0 and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We identified the differentially expressed mitochondrial-related genes by combing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in sleep deprivation (SD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) datasets with mitochondria-related gene lists. Shared DEGs were then further analyzed for enrichment analysis. Next, the common biomarker was identified using two machine learning techniques and further validated using two independent GEO datasets. Then GSEA and GSVA were conducted to analyze the functional categories and pathways enriched for the common biomarker. Finally, immune infiltration analysis was used to investigate the correlation of immune cell infiltration with the common biomarker in SD and MCI. Results: A total of 32 mitochondrial-related differentially expressed genes were identified in SD and MCI. GO analysis indicated that these genes were significantly enriched for mitochondrial transport, and KEGG analysis showed they were mainly involved in pathways of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, ATPAF1, which was significantly down-regulated in both SD and MCI, was identified through machine learning algorithms as the common biomarker with favorable diagnostic performance. GSEA and GSVA revealed that ATPAF1 was mainly involved in metabolic pathways, such as oxidative phosphorylation, acetylcholine metabolic process, valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the expression of ATPAF1 was correlated with changes in immune cells, especially those key immune cell types associated with SD and MCI. Discussion: This study firstly revealed that mitochondrial dysfunction may be the common pathogenesis of sleep loss and mild cognitive impairment and identified ATPAF1 as a possible biomarker and therapeutic target involved in SD and MCI.

Extended-Gate FET Biosensor Based on GaN Micropillar Array and Polycrystalline Layer: Application to Hg2+ Detection in Human Urine.

Owing to the separation of field-effect transistor (FET) devices from sensing environments, extended-gate FET (EGFET) biosensor features high stability and low cost. Herein, a highly sensitive EGFET biosensor based on a GaN micropillar array and polycrystalline layer (GMP) was fabricated, which was prepared by using simple one-step low-temperature MOCVD growth. In order to improve the sensitivity and detection limit of EGFET biosensor, the surface area and the electrical conductivity of extended-gate electrode can be increased by the micropillar array and the polycrystalline layer, respectively. The designed GMP-EGFET biosensor was modified with l-cysteine and applied for Hg2+ detection with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1 ng/L, a high sensitivity of -16.3 mV/lg(µg/L) and a wide linear range (1 ng/L-24.5 µg/L). In addition, the detection of Hg2+ in human urine was realized with an LOD of 10 ng/L, which was more than 30 times lower than that of reported sensors. To our knowledge, it is the first time that GMP was used as extended-gate of EGFET biosensor.

Effect of plateletcrit and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotypes on folic acid efficacy in stroke prevention.

Previous studies have shown that low platelet count combined with high plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) increased stroke risk and can be lowered by 73% with folic acid. However, the combined role of other platelet activation parameters and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotypes on stroke risk and folic acid treatment benefit remain to be examined. This study aimed to investigate if platelet activation parameters and MTHFR genotypes jointly impact folic acid treatment efficacy in first stroke prevention. Data were derived from the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial. This study includes a total of 11,185 adult hypertensive patients with relevant platelet activation parameters and MTHFR genotype data. When simultaneously considering both platelet activation parameters (plateletcrit, platelet count, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width) and MTHFR genotypes, patients with both low plateletcrit (Q1) and the TT genotype had the highest stroke incidence rate (5.6%) in the enalapril group. This subgroup significantly benefited from folic acid treatment, with a 66% reduction in first stroke (HR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.14-0.82; p = 0.016). Consistently, the subgroup with low plateletcrit (Q1) and the CC/CT genotype also benefited from folic acid treatment (HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.23-0.70; p = 0.001). In Chinese hypertensive adults, low plateletcrit can identify those who may greatly benefit from folic acid treatment, in particular, those with the TT genotype, a subpopulation known to have the highest stroke risk.

Fabrication and Application of Grinding Wheels with Soft and Hard Composite Structures for Silicon Carbide Substrate Precision Processing.

In silicon carbide processing, the surface and subsurface damage caused by fixed abrasive grinding significantly affects the allowance of the next polishing process. A novel grinding wheel with a soft and hard composite structure was fabricated for the ultra-precision processing of SiC substrates, and the grinding performance of the grinding wheel was assessed in this study. Different types of gels, heating temperatures, and composition ratios were used to fabricate the grinding wheel. The grinding performance of the grinding wheel was investigated based on the surface integrity and subsurface damage of SiC substrates. The results showed that the grinding wheel with a soft and hard composite structure was successfully fabricated using freeze-dried gel with a heating temperature of 110 °C, and the component ratio of resin to gel was 4:6. A smooth SiC substrate surface with almost no cracks was obtained after processing with the grinding wheel. The abrasive exposure height was controlled by manipulating the type and ratio of the gel. Furthermore, the cutting depth in nanoscale could be achieved by controlling the abrasive exposure height. Therefore, the fabrication and application of the grinding wheels with soft and hard composite structures is important for the ultra-precision processing of large-size SiC substrates.

Wire Bow In Situ Measurement for Monitoring the Evolution of Sawing Capability of Diamond Wire Saw during Slicing Sapphire.

Electroplated diamond wire sawing is widely used as a processing method to cut hard and brittle difficult-to-machine materials. Currently, obtaining the sawing capability of diamond wire saw through the wire bow is still difficult. In this paper, a method for calculating the sawing capability of diamond wire saw in real-time based on the wire bow is proposed. The influence of the renewed length per round trip, crystal orientation of sapphire, wire speed, and feed rate on the wire sawing capability has been revealed via slicing experiments. The results indicate that renewing the diamond wire saw, and reducing the wire speed and feed rate can delay the reduction in sawing capability. Furthermore, controlling the value of renewed length per round trip can make the diamond wire saw enter a stable cutting state, in which the capability of the wire saw no longer decreases. The sawing capability of diamond wire saw cutting in the A-plane of the sapphire is smaller than that of the C-plane, and a suitable feed rate or wire speed within the range of sawing parameters studied in this study can avoid a rapid decrease in the sawing capability of the wire saw during the cutting process. The knowledge obtained in this study provides a theoretical basis for monitoring the performance of the wire saw, and guidance for the wire cutting process in semiconductor manufacturing. In the future, it may even be possible to provide real-time performance parameters of diamond wire saw for the digital twin model of wire sawing.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis induces energy imbalance and dyskinesia in mice by reducing the expression of melanin-concentrating hormone.

BACKGROUND: Infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis (AC) in humans or mice can lead to severe eosinophilic meningitis or encephalitis, resulting in various neurological impairments. Developing effective neuroprotective drugs to improve the quality of life in affected individuals is critical. METHODS: We conducted a Gene Ontology enrichment analysis on microarray gene expression (GSE159486) in the brains of AC-infected mice. The expression levels of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) were confirmed through real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunofluorescence. Metabolic parameters were assessed using indirect calorimetry, and mice's energy metabolism was evaluated via pathological hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, serum biochemical assays, and immunohistochemistry. Behavioral tests assessed cognitive and motor functions. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of synapse-related proteins. Mice were supplemented with MCH via nasal administration. RESULTS: Postinfection, a marked decrease in Pmch expression and the encoded MCH was observed. Infected mice exhibited significant weight loss, extensive consumption of sugar and white fat tissue, reduced movement distance, and decreased speed, compared with the control group. Notably, nasal administration of MCH countered the energy imbalance and dyskinesia caused by AC infection, enhancing survival rates. MCH treatment also increased the expression level of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2), as well as upregulated transcription level of B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) in the cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that MCH improves dyskinesia by reducing loss of synaptic proteins, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for AC infection.

Predicting impaired cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in patients with atrial fibrillation using a simple echocardiographic marker.

BACKGROUND: Exercise intolerance is a common symptom associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, echocardiographic markers that can predict impaired exercise capacity are lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between echocardiographic parameters and exercise capacity assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with AF. METHODS: This single-center prospective study enrolled patients with AF who underwent echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to evaluate exercise capacity at a tertiary center for AF management from 2020 to 2022. Patients with valvular heart disease, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, or documented cardiomyopathy were excluded. RESULTS: Of the 188 patients, 134 (71.2%) exhibited impaired exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption ≤85%), including 4 (2.1%) having poor exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption <50%). Echocardiographic findings revealed that these patients had an enlarged left atrial end-systolic diameter (LA); smaller left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD); and increased relative wall thickness, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and LA/LVEDD and E/e' ratios. In addition, they exhibited lower peak systolic velocity of the mitral annulus and LA reservoir strain. In the multivariate regression model, LA/LVEDD remained the only significant echocardiographic parameter after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (P = .020). This significance persisted even after incorporation of heart rate reserve, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, and beta-blocker use into the model. CONCLUSION: In patients with AF, LA/LVEDD is strongly associated with exercise capacity. Further follow-up and validation are necessary to clarify its clinical implications in patient care.

Isolated post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the middle carpometacarpal joint: a report of two cases.

We present two cases of isolated post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the middle carpometacarpal joint.

Improvement mechanism of volatile flavor in fermented tilapia surimi by cooperative fermentation of Pediococcus acidilactici and Latilactobacillus sakei: Quantization of microbial contribution through influence of genus.

Single starter can hardly improve the volatile flavor of fermented fish surimi. In this study, the changes of volatile compounds (VCs) and microbial composition during cooperative fermentation of Latilactobacillus sakei and Pediococcus acidilactici were studied by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. During cooperative fermentation, most VCs and the abundance of Latilactobacillus and Lactococcus significantly increased, while Pediococcus, Acinetobacter, and Macrococcus obviously decreased. After evaluation of correlation and abundance of each genus, Latilactobacillus and Lactococcus possessed the highest influence on the formation of volatile flavor during cooperative fermentation. Compared with the natural fermentation, cooperative fermentation with starters significantly enhanced most of pleasant core VCs (odor activity value≥1), but inhibited the production of trimethylamine and methanethiol, mainly resulting from the absolutely highest influence of Latilactobacillus. Cooperative fermentation of starters is an effective method to improve the volatile flavor in the fermented tilapia surimi.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Properties of Heat-Resistant Energetic Materials Based on C-C Bridged Dinitropyrazole Energetic Materials.

Polycyclic energetic materials make up a distinctive class of conjugated structures that consist of two or more rings. In this work, 1,3-bis(3,5-dinitro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-4,6-dinitrobenzene (BDPD) was synthesized and investigated in detail as a polycyclic heat-resistant energetic molecule that can be deprotonated by bases to obtain its anionic (3-5) salts. All compounds were thoroughly characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The structural features of BDPD and its salts were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and analyzed by different kinds of computing software, like Multiwfn, Gaussian 09W, and so on. In addition, their thermal decomposition temperatures were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry to be 319.8-329.0 °C, revealing that they possessed high thermal stabilities. The results of impact sensitivity and friction sensitivity analysis confirm that these energetic compounds were insensitive. The detonation properties of neutral compound BDPD and all its nonmetallic salts were calculated by the EXPLO5 v6.05.04 program. The results revealed that their detonation performances were higher than those of the widely used heat-resistant explosive 2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexanitrostilbene (HNS). Combining the above results, it is reasonable to suggest that these compounds have the potential to be heat-resistant energetic materials.