Validation Status of Electronic Sphygmomanometers in China: A National Survey.

Background: Although the information on the validation status of electronic sphygmomanometer (ES) devices in use in health care institutions and households is much more clinically relevant than that of ES models available on the market, it remains insufficient.

Methods: A national survey was conducted across all administrative regions of mainland China to assess the validation status of ESs. Fifty-eight cities were selected with stratification by municipality, provincial capital, and other cities, and health care institutions and households in each city were chosen by convenience to identify ES devices in use according to the study protocol.

A Radiomic-Clinical Model of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography for Breast Cancer Biopsy Outcome Prediction.

Rationale And Objectives: In the USA over 1 million breast biopsies are performed annually. Approximately 9.6% diagnostic exams were given Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) ≥4A, most of which are 4A/4B.

Neurogenic inflammation and itch in barrier tissues.

Once regarded as distinct systems, the nervous system and the immune system are now recognized for their complex interactions within the barrier tissues. The neuroimmune circuitry comprises a dual-network system that detects external and internal disturbances, providing critical information to tailor a context-specific response to various threats to tissue integrity, such as wounding or exposure to noxious and harmful stimuli like pathogens, toxins, or allergens. Using the skin as an example of a barrier tissue with the polarized sensory neuronal responses of itch and pain, we explore the molecular pathways driving neuronal activation and the effects of this activation on the immune response.

Toward expert-level medical question answering with large language models.

Large language models (LLMs) have shown promise in medical question answering, with Med-PaLM being the first to exceed a 'passing' score in United States Medical Licensing Examination style questions. However, challenges remain in long-form medical question answering and handling real-world workflows. Here, we present Med-PaLM 2, which bridges these gaps with a combination of base LLM improvements, medical domain fine-tuning and new strategies for improving reasoning and grounding through ensemble refinement and chain of retrieval.

Comparing the antioxidant effects of single and binary combinations of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum in vitro and in vivo and their application in yogurt.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) have been studied for their antioxidant properties, which can mitigate oxidative stress and improve health outcomes. The study aimed to compare the antioxidant properties of single and binary L.

Randomized Controlled Trials for Platelet-Rich Plasma Use in Knee Osteoarthritis Rarely Report Key Sociodemographic Patient Variables: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics and rate of sociodemographic variables reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: In January 2024, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were queried for the phrase "Platelet-Rich Plasma Knee Osteoarthritis." Included studies were RCTs investigating PRP use in knee OA published in English between 2012 and 2023.

A Preclinical Immunogenicity Study of the Recombinant Human Papillomavirus Nine-Valent Virus-like Particle Vaccine.

Background: Cervical cancer is associated with persistent infection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Prophylactic HPV vaccines have been recommended and have significant efficacy in preventing cervical cancer. Multivalent HPV vaccines have a better preventative effect on HPV-related diseases.

A new class of penicillin-binding protein inhibitors to address drug-resistant .

β-Lactams are the most widely used antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections because of their proven track record of safety and efficacy. However, susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics is continually eroded by resistance mechanisms. Emerging multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains possessing altered alleles (encoding PBP2) pose a global health emergency as they threaten the utility of ceftriaxone, the last remaining outpatient antibiotic.

Novel Naphthyridones Targeting Pannexin 1 for Colitis Management.

Pannexin 1 (PANX1) forms cell-surface channels capable of releasing signaling metabolites for diverse patho-physiological processes. While inhibiting dysregulated PANX1 has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for many pathological conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), low efficacy, or poor specificity of classical PANX1 inhibitors introduces uncertainty for their applications in basic and translational research. Here, hit-to-lead optimization is performed and a naphthyridone, compound 12, is identified as a new PANX1 inhibitor with an IC of 0.

Reaction kinetics and molecular characterization of the compounds formed by photosensitized degradation of the plastic additive bisphenol A in the atmospheric aqueous phase.

Bisphenol A (BPA, 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl)diphenol) is a common plasticizer that is very widespread in the environment and is also found at significant concentrations in the global oceans, due to contamination by plastics. Here we show that triplet sensitization is an important degradation pathway for BPA in natural surface waters, which could prevail if the water dissolved organic carbon is above 2-3 mg L. Bromide levels as per seawater conditions have the potential to slow down BPA photodegradation, a phenomenon that could not be offset by reaction of BPA with Br (second-order reaction rate constant of (2.

Human respiratory organoids sustained reproducible propagation of human rhinovirus C and elucidation of virus-host interaction.

The lack of a robust system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, a family of viruses refractory to cultivation in standard cell lines, has substantially hindered our understanding of this common respiratory pathogen. We sought to develop an organoid-based system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, and characterize virus-host interaction using respiratory organoids. We demonstrate that airway organoids sustain serial virus passage with the aid of CYT387-mediated immunosuppression, whereas nasal organoids that more closely simulate the upper airway achieve this without any intervention.

Hybrid integrated thin-film lithium niobate and a silicon carbide microcomb amplifier.

We demonstrate a hybrid integrated optical frequency comb amplifier composed of a silicon carbide microcomb and a lithium niobate waveguide amplifier, which generates a 10-dB on-chip gain for the C+L band microcombs under 1480-nm laser pumping and an 8-dB gain under 980-nm laser pumping. It will solve the problem of low output power of microcombs and can be applied in various scenarios such as optical communication, lidar, optical computing, astronomical detection, atomic clocks, and more.

Transcriptional Reprogramming Deploys a Compartmentalized 'Timebomb' in Catharanthus roseus to Fend Off Chewing Herbivores.

The evolutionary arms race between plants and insects has led to key adaptive innovations that drive diversification. Alkaloids are well-documented anti-herbivory compounds in plant chemical defences, but how these specialized metabolites are allocated to cope with both biotic and abiotic stresses concomitantly is largely unknown. To examine how plants prioritize their metabolic resources responding to herbivory and cold, we integrated dietary toxicity bioassay in insects with co-expression analysis, hierarchical clustering, promoter assay, and protein-protein interaction in plants.

Favorable Outcomes of Patients With High-Risk Uveal Melanoma Treated With a Novel Linear Accelerator-Based Frameless Fractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Purpose: Uveal melanoma (UM) represents the most prevalent and aggressive intraocular malignancy in adults. This study examined the outcomes of patients diagnosed with high-risk UM who underwent fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (fSRS) treatment utilizing a novel Linear Accelerator (LINAC)-based frameless technique.

Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Activation of Imprinted Gene Promotes Cardiac Fibrosis After Ischemic Injury.

Background: Cardiac fibrosis, characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in the myocardium, is an important target for heart disease treatments. (paternally expressed gene 3) is an imprinted gene expressed from the paternal allele, and de novo purine biosynthesis (DNPB) is a crucial pathway for nucleotide synthesis. However, the roles of PW1 and DNPB in ECM production by cardiac fibroblasts during myocardial ischemia are not yet understood.

Consensus Recommendations for Studies of Outflow Facility and Intraocular Pressure Regulation Using Ex Vivo Perfusion Approaches.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation is the primary risk factor and currently the main treatable factor for progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. In addition to direct clinical and living animal in vivo studies, ex vivo perfusion of anterior segments and whole eyes is a key technique for studying conventional outflow function as it is responsible for IOP regulation. We present well-tested experimental details, protocols, considerations, advantages, and limitations of several ex vivo model systems for studying IOP regulation.

An Integrated Whole-Process Repair System with Programmed Regulation of Healing Performance Facilitates Urethral Wound Restoration and Scarless Reconstruction.

The harsh microenvironment of the urethral injury often carries high risks of early undesirable healing as well as late scar tissue formation. Indeed, the infection and inflammatory response in the early stages as well as blood vessel formation and tissue regeneration in the later stages fundamentally impact the outcomes of urethral wound healing. Innovatively, an integrated whole-process repair hydrogel (APF/C/L@dECM) is designed.

Fracture Criterion Calibration and Finite Element Simulation in SUS304 Stainless Steel.

In order to calibrate the ductile fracture criterion in SUS304 stainless steel, four tensile samples were designed, their finite element models were established, and uniaxial tensile tests were carried out. The simulation results were compared with the tests. Due to the limitations of finite element software, only a few criteria can be solved in MENTAT of MSC.

Bidirectional high-speed optical wireless communication with tunable large field of view assisted by liquid crystal metadevice.

Beam-steered infrared (IR) light communication has gained tremendous attention as one of the solutions of congested wireless communication traffic. High performance active beam-steering devices play a crucial role in data allocation and exchange. Conventional beam-steering devices such as spatial light modulator (SLM) and micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) mirror and the current emerging nonmechanical beam-steering metasurface-based devices are challenging to realize a large tunable steering angle beyond several degrees, which significantly hinders the spatial application of optical wireless communications (OWC).

Electrochemical reduction method for leaching terbium and cerium from waste phosphors.

Rare earth elements are commonly used in various fields due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Waste phosphors represent an important secondary source of rare earth elements, and their recovery is a crucial means of improving the utilization of these resources. When using FeCl as a reducing agent to reduce Tb and Ce from washed phosphors, a large amount of reducing agent is required, and the Fe cycle becomes complicated.

DCBLD1 Modulates Angiogenesis by Regulation of the VEGFR-2 Endocytosis in Endothelial Cells.

Background: Unwanted angiogenesis is involved in the progression of various malignant tumors and cardiovascular diseases, and the factors that regulate angiogenesis are potential therapeutic targets. We tested the hypothesis that DCBLD1 (discoidin, CUB, and LCCL domain-containing protein 1) is a coreceptor of VEGFR-2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2) and modulates angiogenesis in endothelial cells.

Methods: A carotid artery ligation model and retinal angiogenesis assay were used to study angiogenesis using globe knockout or endothelial cell-specific conditional knockout mice in vivo.

Dissolved organic carbon can alter coastal sediment phosphorus dynamic: Effects of different carbon forms and concentrations.

Coastal waters are receiving increasing loads of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), differing in structural complexity and molecular weights with potential different effects on the phosphorus (P) dynamics in these waters. This study conducted an in-situ investigation in Xiangshan Harbor, China, to explore the patterns of P release in response to DOC inputs. To further elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind the DOC-affected sediment P release, a two-month mesocosm experiment was undertaken with coastal sediment (Xiangshan Harbor) to which acetate, glucose, and humic acid (representing the fermentation product, the simple available carbon, and the refractory humic-like carbon sources, respectively) were separately added to the overlying water at dosages of 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg C L.

Endothelial FUNDC1 Deficiency Drives Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with endothelial dysfunction. However, the cause of endothelial dysfunction and its impact on PH remain incompletely understood. We aimed to investigate whether the hypoxia-inducible FUNDC1 (FUN14 domain-containing 1)-dependent mitophagy pathway underlies PH pathogenesis and progression.