Liquid-Metal-Driven Synthesis of Mesoporous Noble Metal Thin Films and Micropatterns for Biosensing.

Nanoporous thin films (NPTFs) of noble metals are known for their exceptional durability, biocompatibility, and enlarged yet modifiable surface in broad biosensing applications. However, it remains challenging to devise a viable NPTF fabrication method that is generally applicable to different types of noble metals and for generating micro/nanopatterns. Here, we present a liquid-metal-based approach for transforming noble metal thin films and their lithographically formed patterns into NPTFs with mesoscale pores.

Efficacy of non-surgical, non-pharmacological treatments for congenital muscular torticollis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Congenital Muscular Torticollis (CMT) is the third most common musculoskeletal condition in infancy, and if untreated can lead to significant disability. While a range of conservative treatments are commonly used in the management of CMT, an understanding of their efficacy and safety is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis, without language or discipline restriction, was conducted to address this knowledge gap.

Scale effects on the accuracy and result of soil nitrogen mapping in coastal areas of northern China.

The scale effect is crucial for soil mapping because by influencing the simulation accuracy and results. To date, the scale effect on soil mapping in coastal areas remains unclear, and changes in simulation accuracy and results across multiple scales are urgently to be uncovered. The present study aimed to reveal the scale effects of surface soil total nitrogen mapping over large-extent coastal areas.

TRACE Model: Predicting Treatment Response to Transarterial Chemoembolization in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose: To develop and validate a predictive model for predicting six-month outcome by integrating pretreatment MRI features and one-month treatment response after TACE.

Methods: A total of 108 patients with 160 hCCs from a single-arm, multicenter clinical trial (NCT03113955) were analyzed and served as the training cohort. An external multicenter dataset (ChiCTR2100046020) consisting of 63 patients with 99 hCCs served as the test dataset.

Prediction Model of the T Cell-mediated Rejection After Liver Transplantation in Children and Adults: A Case-controlled Study.

Objective: T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) is a major concern following liver transplantation (LT), and identifying its predictors could help improve post-transplant prognosis. This study aimed to develop a model to predict the risk of TCMR in children and adults after LT.

Method: Pre-transplant demographic characteristics, intraoperative parameters, and especially early post-transplant laboratory data for 1221 LT recipients (1096 adults and 125 children) were obtained from the Hospital, University, between 1 January 2015, and 1 January 2022.

Guidelines International Network: Principles for Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Health Guideline Enterprise.

Description: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been defined by the High-Level Expert Group on AI of the European Commission as "systems that display intelligent behaviour by analysing their environment and taking actions-with some degree of autonomy-to achieve specific goals." Artificial intelligence has the potential to support guideline planning, development and adaptation, reporting, implementation, impact evaluation, certification, and appraisal of recommendations, which we will refer to as "guideline enterprise." Considering this potential, as well as the lack of guidance for the use of AI in guidelines, the Guidelines International Network (GIN) proposes a set of principles for the development and use of AI tools or processes to support the health guideline enterprise.

Egg white protein under thermal stress: Thermal aggregation orientation and gel properties decline.

This study investigates the effects of varying heat stress temperatures (56 °C to 76 °C) on the gel characteristics of egg white protein. The results indicate that when the heat stress temperature exceeds 60 °C, the textural properties, water-holding capacity, and freeze-thaw stability of egg white gel (EWG) decrease to varying extents compared to untreated EWG. At 76 °C, the proportion of free water in EWG increases from 0.

Preventive effect of cranberries with high dose of proanthocyanidins on urinary tract infections: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Introduction: One of the most prevalent bacterial diseases in both the general population and hospitals are urinary tract infections (UTIs). There is still conflicting scientific data about the usefulness of cranberry products in preventing UTIs. Our meta-analysis investigated whether the content of the main component, proanthocyanidins (PACs), in cranberries affects their ability to prevent UTIs.

Preparation of high internal phase emulsions based on high-temperature glycation-modified egg white protein: Structural characteristics, stability, and β-carotene bioavailability under multi-parameter regulation.

In recent years, freeze-thaw stability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) has gained increasing attention. High-temperature glycosylation-modified proteins have shown to produce stable HIPEs. This study examines the effects of high-temperature glycosylation on egg white protein (EWP) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FO), focusing on how pH and EWP/FO ratios affect the structure of glycosylated EWPs (GEWPs) and HIPEs stability.

Is Vibration Anesthesia Effective and Safe for Pain Reduction in Botulinum Toxin Injection? A Randomized Split-Face Controlled Trial and Cadaver Experiment.

Background: Pain is an important issue in botulinum toxin injection. Vibration anesthesia is a noninvasive way for pain alleviation, but few study reported its use during botulinum toxin injection.

Objectives: To investigate whether vibration anesthesia is effective and safe for pain reduction during botulinum toxin injection for masseter reduction.

Preparation of mayonnaise with excellent thermal and storage stability from egg yolk-amino acid complex: Rheology, interfacial property, microstructure and lutein delivery.

In this paper, egg yolk-amino acid (betaine or proline) complex was prepared at different pasteurization temperatures (68, 72 and 76 °C). Then complexes were applied to stabilized mayonnaise emulsion system. The results demonstrated that liquid egg yolk (LEY) protein structure gradually aggregated, molecular flexibility increased by 5 %, interfacial tension and intermolecular force enhanced remarkably with growth of pasteurization temperature.

Construction of a Home Hospice Care Program for Older Adults at the End of Life with Chronic Diseases in China: A Delphi Method.

Purpose: With the increasing aging of the population and the increasing incidence of chronic diseases in China, home hospice care services can meet the desire of the older adult with chronic diseases to receive care and die at home. In order to ensure the real application of hospice in families, the goal of the study was to construct a home hospice care program for the older adult at the end of life with chronic diseases based on Harmony Nursing Theory (composed of three parts: harmony needs assessment, harmony mechanism establishment and interpersonal interaction).

Methods: Through literature review, a qualitative interview and group discussion, the first draft of a home hospice care program for the older adult at the end of life with chronic diseases based on the harmony nursing theory was developed, which was further revised and finalized by combining the Delphi method of expert correspondence with 19 experts and a pilot study with a home hospice care team.

Biological soil crusts significantly improve soil fertility and change soil microbiomes in Qinghai-Tibetan alpine grasslands.

Biological soil crusts (BSCs), a vital component of ecosystems, are pivotal in carbon sequestration, nutrient enrichment, and microbial diversity conservation. However, their impact on soil microbiomes in alpine regions remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the influence of BSCs on alpine grassland soil microbiomes, by collecting 24 pairs of soils covered by biological and physical crusts along a transect on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Effect of fat replacement in high internal phase emulsions constructed by high temperature saccharification of grafted proteins on gel properties and flavor profiles of sausages.

In order to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with excessive saturated fatty acid intake, utilizing high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) as a substitute for animal fat in producing high-quality fat-substituted meat products is an ideal approach. This study involves the preparation of glycosylation products of egg white protein (EWP) through saccharification at high temperatures in the presence of fructooligosaccharides (FO). The resulting glycation products of EWP were employed to create colloidal particles, forming HIPEs, which were further utilized to induce the formation of HIPEs gels (HIPEs-Gs).

Effects of pasteurization temperature and amino acids on the gelation behavior of liquid egg yolk: Emphasizing rheology, gel properties, intermolecular forces and microstructure.

Pipeline blockage caused by liquid egg yolk (LEY) in the pasteurization process has become an urgent problem for egg industry. This study investigated the effects of amino acids (betaine/proline) on rheology of LEY and gel property of egg yolk gel (EYG) at various pasteurization temperatures (68, 72, and 76 °C). Rheological results revealed that 72 °C was the key transition point for increase in LEY thermal aggregation rate.

Association between Healthy Eating Index-2015 and prostate enlargement: A cross-sectional study of the National and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2008.

Background: Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) occurs in elder men globally with high prevalence. Human diet and lifestyle aroused great attention in the prevalence of BPH. Prostate enlargement (PE) is a major symptom of BPH.

Dynamic Electric Discharge Paths in Liquid Metal Marble Arrays.

Electric discharge occurs ubiquitously in both natural and engineered systems, where the discharge paths provide critical information. However, control and visualization of discharge patterns is a challenging task. Here arrays of liquid metal marbles, droplets of a gallium-indium eutectic alloy with a copper-doped ZnS luminescent coating, are designed for pixelated visualization of electric discharge paths at optical imaging length-scales.

Synthetic approaches and clinical application of representative small-molecule inhibitors of phosphodiesterase.

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) constitute a family of enzymes that play a pivotal role in the regulation of intracellular levels of cyclic nucleotides, including cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Dysregulation of PDE activity has been implicated in diverse pathological conditions encompassing cardiovascular disorders, pulmonary diseases, and neurological disorders. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting PDEs have emerged as promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of these ailments, some of which have been approved for their clinical use.

Synthetic routes and clinical application of new drugs approved by EMA during 2023.

In 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted approval to 77 new molecular entities (NMEs), consisting of 45 new chemical entities (NCEs) and 32 new biological entities (NBEs). These pharmacological agents encompass a broad spectrum of therapeutic domains, including oncology, cardiology, dermatology, diagnostic medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology and hepatology, metabolic disorders, and neurology. Among the 77 approved pharmaceuticals, three received accelerated review status, and 17 (22 %) were granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of rare diseases.

Structural Simplification of Podophyllotoxin: Discovery of γ-Butyrolactone Derivatives as Novel Antiviral Agents for Plant Protection.

Natural products are a valuable resource for the discovery of novel crop protection agents. A series of γ-butyrolactone derivatives, derived from the simplification of podophyllotoxin's structure, were synthesized and assessed for their efficacy against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Several derivatives exhibited notable antiviral properties, with compound demonstrating the most potent anti-TMV activity.

Synthetic approaches and application of representative clinically approved fluorine-enriched anti-cancer medications.

Fluorine possesses distinctive chemical characteristics, such as its strong electron-withdrawing ability and small atomic size, which render it an invaluable asset in the design and optimization of pharmaceuticals. The utilization of fluorine-enriched medications for combating cancer has emerged as a prominent approach in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, offering improved clinical outcomes and enhanced pharmacological properties. This comprehensive review explores the synthetic approaches and clinical applications of approved 22 representative fluorinated anti-cancer drugs from 2019 to present, shedding light on their historical development, brand names, drug target activity, mechanism of action, preclinical pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy, and toxicity.