Effects of high dietary carbohydrate intake in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: This study aimed to characterize the relationship between habitual food intake and OSA.

Methods: The diet of 200 volunteers was evaluated using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. The patients were further allocated to mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups.

Silicon-based quantum random number generator with untrusted sources and uncharacterized measurements.

Random numbers are essential resources in science and engineering, with indispensable applications in simulation, cybersecurity, and finance. Quantum random number generators (QRNGs), based on the principles of quantum mechanics, ensure genuine randomness and unpredictability. Silicon photonics enables the large-scale deployment of integrated QRNGs due to its low cost, miniaturization, and compatibility with CMOS technology.

The impact of short-term exposure to criteria air pollutants on sleep disturbance among young adults: A nationwide analysis in 261 Chinese cities.

Backgrounds: Evidence concerning the short-term acute effect of air pollution on sleep health is quite limited. This study aims to examine the association between short-term exposure to ambient criteria air pollutants (CAPs) and sleep disturbance among young adults.

Methods: A nationwide retrospective study was conducted across 261 Chinese cities from 2023 to 2024.

Multi-omics analysis uncovered systemic lupus erythematosus and COVID-19 crosstalk.

Background: Studies have highlighted a possible crosstalk between the pathogeneses of COVID-19 and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the interactive mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on SLE using clinical information and the underlying mechanisms of both diseases.

Methods: RNA-seq datasets were used to identify shared hub gene signatures between COVID-19 and SLE, while genome-wide association study datasets were used to delineate the interaction mechanisms of the key signaling pathways.

Enhancing post-harvest quality of tomato fruits with chitosan oligosaccharide-zinc oxide nanocomposites: A study on biocompatibility, quality improvement, and carotenoid enhancement.

In this study, a new composite with combination of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), termed Chitosan Oligosaccharide-Zinc Oxide Nanocomposites (COS-ZnO NC), was designed to enhance the quality of tomato fruits during postharvest storage. SEM analysis showed a uniform distribution of COS-ZnO NC films on tomato surfaces, indicating high biocompatibility, while the FTIR spectrum confirmed the interaction of COS and ZnO NPs via hydrogen bonds. The COS-ZnO NC exerts positive effects on post-harvest quality of tomato fruits, including significantly reduced water loss, fewer skin wrinkles, increased sugar-acid ratio, and enhanced vitamin C and carotenoids accumulation.

Wet environment-induced adhesion and softening of coenzyme-based polymer elastic patch for treating periodontitis.

Periodontitis, a common chronic inflammatory disease caused by pathogenic bacteria, can be treated with diverse biomaterials by loading drugs, cytokines or proteins. However, these biomaterials often show unsatisfactory therapeutic efficiency due to their poor adhesion, short residence time in the wet and dynamic oral cavity and emerging drug resistance. Here we report a wet-responsive methacrylated gelatin (GelMA)-stabilized co-enzyme polymer poly(α-lipoic acid) (PolyLA)-based elastic patch with water-induced adhesion and softening features.

Development of Novel Star-Like Branched-Chain Acrylamide (AM)-Sodium Styrene Sulfonate (SSS) Copolymers for Heavy Oil Emulsion Viscosity Reduction and Its Potential Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Injecting water with chemicals to generate emulsions in the reservoir is a promising method for enhancing heavy oil recovery because oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions significantly reduce oil viscosity. To enhance heavy oil recovery efficiency, we developed new star-like branched AM-SSS copolymers (SB-PAMs) with reduction in the viscosity of the heavy oil emulsion, which was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) controlled radical polymerization. The core structure of the branched polymer was RAFT polymerization of acrylamide (AM) and ,'-methylene bis-acrylamide (BisAM), in the presence of 3-(((benzylthio)carbonothioyl)thio)propanoic acid as a chain transfer agent, followed by chain extension with AM and SSS.

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children shortly after ending zero-COVID-19 policy in China on December 7, 2022: a cross-sectional, multicenter, seroepidemiological study.

Background: China discontinued the zero-COVID-19 policy on December 7, 2022, and then COVID-19 surged mid-December 2022 through mid-January 2023. However, the actual incidence was unknown. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children shortly after ending the zero-COVID-19 policy.

Engineered Extracellular Vesicles: A potential treatment for regeneration.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes. EVs have gained recognition in regenerative medicine due to their biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. However, the practical application of EVs faces challenges such as limited targeting ability, low yield, and inadequate therapeutic effects.

In Situ Growth of Sub-50-nm Zirconium Aminobenzenedicarboxylate Metal-Organic Framework Nanocrystals for Carbon Dioxide Capture.

Controlled synthesis of sub-50-nm metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are usually called porous coordination polymers, exhibits huge potential applications in gas storage and separation. Herein, surface-confined growth of zirconium aminobenzenedicarboxylate MOF (UIO-66-NH) nanocrystals on polypyrrole hollow spheres (PPyHSs) is achieved through covalently grafted benzene dicarboxylic acid ligands using bridged molecules. PPyHSs modified with ligand molecules prohibit excessive growth of UIO-66-NH nanocrystals on their confined surface, resulting in smaller-sized nanocrystals (<50 nm) and a monolayer UIO-66-NH coating.

Studying allosteric regulation of chemokines and antagonists using a nanoscale hCCR3 receptor sensor.

CC chemokine receptor-3 (hCCR3), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed predominantly on eosinophils, is an important drug target. However, it was unclear how chemokine ligands, activators and antagonists recognize hCCR3, and quantitative measurements of hCCR3 inhibition or activation were rare. This study constructed a nanogold receptor sensor using hCCR3 as the molecular recognition element and horseradish peroxidase as the signal amplifier.

Synergistic Modulation between Non-thermal and Thermal Effects in Photothermal Catalysis based on Modified InO.

To promote the solar-energy cascade utilization, it is necessary to increase the thermal effect of irradiation in the catalytic reactions, while simultaneously augmenting the non-thermal effect, so as to fulfill photothermal coupling. Herein, the non-thermal and thermal effect of light radiation on the surface of InO-based catalysts are explored and enhanced by the modification of transition metals Fe and Cu. Optical characterizations combined with water-splitting experiments show that Fe doping greatly broadens the radiation response range and enhances the absorption intensity of semiconductors' intrinsic portion, and Cu doping facilitates the absorption of visible-infrared light.

Regulatory Effects of Three-Dimensional Cultured Lipopolysaccharide-Pretreated Periodontal Ligament Stem Cell-Derived Secretome on Macrophages.

Phenotypic transformation of macrophages plays important immune response roles in the occurrence, development and regression of periodontitis. Under inflammation or other environmental stimulation, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert immunomodulatory effects through their secretome. It has been found that secretome derived from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-pretreated or three-dimensional (3D)-cultured MSCs significantly reduced inflammatory responses in inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis, by inducing M2 macrophage polarization.

Minimal adverse outcomes of postnatal cytomegalovirus infection in term or moderate and late preterm infants.

Objective: The aim of study was to investigate at what extent breastfeeding and vaginal delivery can increase mother-to-child transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and to observe the clinical outcomes of postnatal infection in term or moderate and late preterm infants.

Methods: In this retrospective study of prospectively collected clinical data and serum samples, during 2012-2015, 380 women with CMV IgG positive/IgM negative and their 384 infants (4 twin pairs) with gestational age ≥32 weeks were included. CMV IgG and IgM were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Promoted by Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Background: We sought to find new biomarkers for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) caused by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH).

Methods: The AAA mice model was created using Ang II. The mice were divided into normoxic and CIH groups.

Pretreated Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Secretome: Enhanced Immunotherapeutic Strategies.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with self-renewing, multilineage differentiation and immunomodulatory properties, have been extensively studied in the field of regenerative medicine and proved to have significant therapeutic potential in many different pathological conditions. The role of MSCs mainly depends on their paracrine components, namely secretome. However, the components of MSC-derived secretome are not constant and are affected by the stimulation MSCs are exposed to.

Germplasm Resources of Oaks ( L.) in China: Utilization and Prospects.

Oaks exhibit unique biological characteristics and high adaptability to complex climatic and soil conditions. They are widely distributed across various regions, spanning 40 degrees latitude and 75 degrees longitude. The total area of oak forest in China is 16.