Sex-dependent alterations of colonic epithelial permeability: relevance to irritable bowel syndrome.

Introduction: Increased intestinal permeability is a possible pathophysiological mechanism of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Increased colonic epithelial permeability is associated with visceral nociception in rodents and abdominal pain severity in IBS patients. Although IBS is more common in women, most studies on IBS-associated epithelial dysfunction have largely overlooked sex as a biologic variable.

Efficacy and safety of azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate nasal spray in treating allergic rhinitis: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: MP-AzeFlu (Dymista; Meda Pharma GmbH & Co., KG), a formulation combining azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate in a single spray, is superior to fluticasone propionate alone in relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis.

Objectives: In this study, we evaluated whether the effect of AzeFlu, a generic drug manufactured from China, is equivalent to that of MP-AzeFlu.

Principle of Tibetan medicine fluoritum processing by vinegar based on the change of microstructure and chemical composition.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) processing is a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation. The vinegar-quenched processing method of mineral medicine is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine theory. Fluoritum is a commonly used clinical drug in Chinese medicine.

Modeling electron competition and pH factor interactions improve cognitions of nitrite accumulation during denitrification.

Electron competition (EC) and pH stress are two key factors influencing NO production during denitrification, but their dominance and interactions in the full pH range are poorly understood. In this study, we propose a concise Electron Competition Inhibition (ECI) model to clarify the contribution of EC and pH stress to NO production by characterizing the denitrifying kinetics in batch tests. The model exhibits good fitting results on NO accumulation across a wide NO/NO ratio range from 0 to 9, demonstrating its excellent ability in describing the EC effect and determining rate constants for NO and NO reductions.

Continuous-variable multipartite entanglement in an integrated microcomb.

The generation of large-scale entangled states is crucial for quantum technologies, such as quantum computation, communication and metrology. Integrated quantum photonics that enables on-chip encoding, processing and detection of quantum light states offers a promising platform for the generation and manipulation of large-scale entangled states. Generating entanglement between qubits encoded in discrete variables within single photons is challenging, owing to the difficulty of making single photons interact on photonic chips.

Restoring Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Mitochondrial Function Attenuates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Mice.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex vascular pathology without pharmaceutical interventions. This study aimed to evaluate whether restoring vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) mitochondrial function could prevent AAA development.

Methods: Ang II (angiotensin II)-induced AAA was established in -deficient mice, and the gene expression profiles in abdominal aortic tissues exhibiting varying degrees of severity were analyzed.

Rome Foundation Working Team Report on overlap in disorders of gut-brain interaction.

In patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), overlapping non-gastrointestinal conditions such as fibromyalgia, headaches, gynaecological and urological conditions, sleep disturbances and fatigue are common, as is overlap among DGBI in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. These overlaps strongly influence patient management and outcome. Shared pathophysiology could explain this scenario, but details are not fully understood.

Bioinformatics approach reveals the critical role of inflammation-related genes in age-related hearing loss.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most prevalent sensory impairment in the elderly. However, the pathogenesis of ARHL remains unclear. This study was aimed to explore the potential inflammation-related genes of ARHL and suggest novel therapeutic targets for this condition.

Enhancement of photocatalytic CO reduction in BiOBr through chirality-induced electron spin polarization regulation.

Severe photogenerated charge carrier recombination involved in photocatalytic CO reduction leads to low photocatalytic efficiency. Here we demonstrate that a chiral hierarchical structure could facilitate charge separation in BiOBr, thus suppressing charge recombination and enhancing photocatalytic performance. Chiral helical flower-like BiOBr nanospheres were prepared a D/L-sorbitol-assisted hydrothermal process, exhibiting a 1.

Sodium alginate-crosslinked montmorillonite nanosheets hydrogel for efficient gallium recovery.

An efficient adsorbent for Ga(III) recovery was developed by applying the geochemical principles of Ga mineralization, using Al-rich clay minerals with a natural affinity for Ga as the raw material. Sodium alginate (SA) facilitated the cross-linked assembly of montmorillonite nanosheets (MMTNS), forming a three-dimensional structured hydrogel. This was achieved through electrostatic interactions between -OH groups on the edges of MMTNS and -COO groups in SA, as well as the complexation of Ca and -COO groups.

Quantitative relationship model between soil profile salinity and soil depth in cotton fields based on data assimilation algorithm: forecasting cotton field yields and profits.

Soil salinization seriously affects the efficiency of crops in absorbing soil nutrients, and the cotton production in southern Xinjiang accounts for more than 60% of China's total. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the dynamic changes in the salinity of the soil profile in cotton fields in southern Xinjiang, understand the status of soil salinization, and implement effective prevention and control measures. The drip-irrigated cotton fields in Alaer Reclamation Area were taken as the research objects.

External auditory canal cholesteatoma: staging and treatment strategies.

Objective: To investigate clinical staging systems and appropriate treatment strategies for external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC).

Methods: We performed comparative analysis of the features of several staging schemes (Holt, Naim, Shin, Chang, Kaneda, Hn, and He) of EACC; retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 44 patients with primary EACC, and analyzed the prognosis.

Results: He's staging system (2019) was found to be particularly clear and practical.

Sex Differences, Menses-Related Symptoms and Menopause in Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction.

Background: Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) predominate in women, but little is known about sex differences in menses-related or menopause symptoms.

Methods: Using data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Survey, we assessed Rome IV DGBI symptoms in individuals in 26 countries who met criteria for ≥ 1 of 5 DGBI: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDr), or functional bloating (FB). Participants included pre- and post-menopausal women with DGBI and age-matched men.

Association between tinnitus and hearing impairment among older adults with age-related hearing loss: a multi-center cross-sectional study.

Objective: The relationship between tinnitus in the elderly with hearing loss remains elusive. This study aimed to reveal the association between tinnitus and hearing impairment among older adults with age-related hearing loss (ARHL).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among a population of outpatients diagnosed with ARHL at four medical centers in different regions of China, from June 2020 to June 2023.

The Impact and Interactions of Race and Gender on Healthcare Use and Spending Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background & Aims: Studies examining the effects of social determinants of health on healthcare use in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are scarce. We aimed to assess healthcare spending among different racial/ethnic groups and genders in adults with IBS.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of adults diagnosed with IBS between 2016 and 2021 using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart database.

Vascular smooth muscle cell PRDM16 regulates circadian variation in blood pressure.

Disruptions of blood pressure (BP) circadian variation are closely associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms of BP circadian variation is essential for comprehending BP regulation. Human genetic analyses suggest that PR domain-containing protein 16 (PRDM16), a transcription factor highly expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), is significantly associated with BP-related traits.

Sex-specific relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and antinuclear antibodies in U.S. adults, NHANES 2001-2004.

Background: The relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and ANA positivity according to sex stratification is unclear. The propose of this study was to reveal the sex-specific relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and ANA positivity in American people.

Methods: The study was conducted in 2757 subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2004.

Application of novel nanomaterials with dual functions of antimicrobial and remineralization in mouthwashes.

The study aims to improve the antimicrobial and remineralization-promoting properties of mouthwash by synthesizing novel Ag/ZnO/Oyster Shells nanocomposites and evaluating their anti-caries properties and biosafety in vitro and in vivo, so as to reduce the incidence of caries. The antimicrobial properties of the synthesized Ag/ZnO/Oyster Shell nanocomposites were examined by bacterial inhibition zone, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, fluorescence staining and scanning electron microscopy. The potential of the materials to promote remineralization of demineralized enamel was detected by scanning electron microscopy, surface microhardness and depth of hard tissue defects, and laser confocal electron microscopy analysis.

The role of S100A8 and S100A9 in external auditory canal cholesteatoma.

Background: Studies indicated that diverse cellular mechanisms including epithelial migration and hyper-proliferation, inflammatory responses, and enzymatic bone erosion were involved in the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma. S100A8 and S100A9, which are Ca2+-binding proteins belonging to the S100 family, can trigger the signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory processes, and a variety of cellular processes includes cell cycle progression, proliferation, and cell migration. However, the role of S100A8 and S100A9 and their associated inflammation and other signaling pathways in cholesteatoma have not been investigated yet.

Overexpression of YKL40,IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α in tonsils and the role of YKL40 in childhood with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

To evaluate the levels of YKL40, IL-6(interleukin-6), IL-8(interleukin-8), IL-10(interleukin-10), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) in OSAS (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome)children and explore the mechanism of YKL40 promoting inflammatory factors overexpression in tonsils. qPCR and ELISA were used to identify the expression of YKL40, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α in the tonsils of OSAS children. Primary tonsil lymphocytes (PTLCs) were cultured and recombinant human YKL40(rhYKL40)was used to stimulate PTLCs in different concentrations and at different time points.