Effects of Probucol on plasma amyloid-β transport in patients with hyperlipidemia: a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Although dyslipidemia has been acknowledged as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on AD have not been determined. The primary pathophysiological hallmark of AD is the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in the brain. Plasma Aβ levels are influenced by the transport of Aβ from the central nervous system to the peripheral blood.

Evaluation of comparative efficacy of Umeclidinium/Vilanterol versus other bronchodilators in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.

Background: UMEC/VI administered via a combination inhaler is associated with a clinically significant improvement in lung function and health-related quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD. However, their efficacy compared to other bronchodilator mono or dual therapies still remains unclear.

Objective: The objective of this research was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of UMEC/VI dual and UMEC/VI/FF triple therapies versus alternative bronchodilator regimens in COPD patients.

Multifunctional non-Hermitian metasurface: metalens and holograms.

Exceptional points (EPs) have been the subject of wide concern because of their unique physical properties and have produced many related applications. However, up to now, most non-Hermitian metasurfaces related to EPs focus on realizing a single function. It remains a challenge to integrate multiple functions into a single non-Hermitian metasurface while making it dynamically adjustable.

Unveiling the Gold Facet Effect in Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Hydrogen Production.

Direct oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA), crucial for medical supply production, is hindered by overoxidation. We synthesized gold nanomaterials with distinct single-crystal facets, {111} in octahedra (OC), {100} in nanocubes (NCs), and {110} in rhombic dodecahedra (RD), to investigate the facet-dependent HMF oxidation. The Au RD achieved the spontaneous oxidation of HMF to HMFCA with stoichiometric hydrogen production, maintaining 95% carbon balance, 91% yield, and 98% selectivity.

[Carbon Emission Trajectory and Eco-environment Effects in the Aksu River Basin Based on Agriculture-town-ecological Space Changes].

Due to the expansion of artificial oases in these areas, scientific assessment of the carbon emission and eco-environment effects caused by changes in agriculture, towns, and ecological space is of great significance in grasping the carbon emission characteristics of various land use types, formulating land use emission reduction strategies, promoting the construction of ecological civilization, and optimizing the spatial pattern of the national territory. Based on land use data and socio-economic data, taking the inland river basin of the arid zone of the Xinjiang-Aksu River Basin as the research object, the carbon emission coefficient method was used to measure land-use carbon emissions, and spatial autocorrelation analysis and standard deviation ellipse were used to analyze the spatial evolution characteristics of carbon emissions from agriculture-town-ecological space in the Aksu River Basin. Based on the eco-environment quality index and ecological contribution rate, the impact of the agriculture-town-ecological space transformation on the eco-environment effects in the Aksu River Basin was explored.

Cooperative photoredox and N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed formal C-H acylation of cyclopropanes a deconstruction-reconstruction strategy.

Cyclopropanes are ubiquitous and key structural motifs in commercially available drugs and bioactive molecules. Herein, we present regio-selective acylation of aryl cyclopropanes with cooperative photoredox and N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis. This approach involves a deconstruction-reconstruction strategy γ-chloro-ketones as intermediates and fulfills the formal C(sp)-H functionalization of cyclopropanes.

Alkali Ion-Accelerated Gelation of MXene-Based Conductive Hydrogel for Flexible Sensing and Machine Learning-Assisted Recognition.

Conductive hydrogels are promising active materials for wearable flexible electronics, yet it is still challenging to fabricate conductive hydrogels with good environmental stability and electrical properties. In this work, a conductive MXene/LiCl/poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) hydrogel system was successfully prepared with an impressive conductivity of 12.2 S/m.

Responsive Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Platform for Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic joint disorder and is a major cause of disability among the elderly population. The degeneration and damage of articular cartilage associated with OA can result in a diminished range of motion in joints, subsequently impacting fundamental activities such as ambulation, standing, and grasping objects. In severe cases, it may culminate in disability.

Enriched environment may improve secondary brain injury after traumatic brain injury by regulating the TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause damage to the blood-brain barrier, resulting in neuroinflammatory reactions and brain edema that seriously affect the recovery of neurological function. We hypothesize that an enriched environment (EE) regulates the TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway and thereby modulates the integrity of the blood-brain barrier to achieve neuroprotective effects.

Objective: This study evaluated the expression of toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 after TBI in a rat model, with the aim of determining whether TLR2/NF-κB improves secondary brain injury by inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors and reducing brain edema.

Cortico-muscular coherence of time-frequency and spatial characteristics under movement observation, movement execution, and movement imagery.

Studies show that movement observation (MO), movement imagery (MI), or movement execution (ME) based brain-computer interface systems are promising in promoting the rehabilitation and reorganization of damaged motor function. This study was aimed to explore and compare the motor function rehabilitation mechanism among MO, MI, and ME. 64-channel electroencephalogram and 4-channel electromyogram data were collected from 39 healthy participants (25 males, 14 females; 18-23 years old) during MO, ME, and MI.

Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction Maintains Islet β-Cell Identity in T2DM Mice through Regulating GLP-1 and GLP-1R in Both Islet and Intestine.

Objective: To elucidate the effect of Huanglian-Renshen-Decoction (HRD) on ameliorating type 2 diabetes mellitus by maintaining islet β -cell identity through regulating paracrine and endocrine glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)/GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in both islet and intestine.

Methods: The db/db mice were divided into the model (distilled water), low-dose HRD (LHRD, 3 g/kg), high-dose HRD (HHRD, 6 g/kg), and liraglutide (400 µ g/kg) groups using a random number table, 8 mice in each group. The db/m mice were used as the control group (n=8, distilled water).

Local Morphologic and Hemodynamic Analyses for the Prediction of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Based on Patient-Specific CTA and Computational Modeling.

Objective: Extensive research has focused on the evaluation of rupture risks in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) through comprehensive morphologic and hemodynamic analyses, primarily considering the AAA as a whole entity. This study tried to identify the high-risk rupture sites of AAAs more precisely before the fatal process based on morphologic and hemodynamic analyses at the local segment.

Methods: Computed tomography angiography of a specific AAA patient was conducted at the follow-up 4 months before rupture, 1 day before rupture, the day of the rupture, and 15 days after endovascular aortic repair.

Detection of spatial and temporal variation characteristics of vegetation cover in the Lower Mekong region and the influencing factors.

As the main component of terrestrial ecosystem, vegetation plays a very important role in regional ecosystem environmental change, global carbon cycle and climate regulation. The Lower Mekong region (LMR) is at the core of Southeast Asia, its vegetation changes will affect the regional ecosystem and climate. Five countries of LMR were selected as the study area, based on MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NDVI(Normal Difference Vegetation Index) data from 2000 to 2022, using the Sen's slope estimator, Mann-Kendall trend test and geographic detector to study the spatial and temporal variation trends and driving forces of vegetation coverage.

Electrochemical splitting of methane in melts: Producing and tuning high-value carbon materials with controllable morphology.

Catalytic decomposition of methane offers a viable solution for producing pure hydrogen and nanocarbon without emitting carbon dioxide. However, conventional thermal catalytic processes and catalysts have limitations in terms of poor carbon quality and catalyst deactivation due to carbon deposition. The newly developed electrochemical splitting of methane (ESM) in molten salt has emerged as a promising alternative that allows for the separate production of hydrogen at the anode and carbon deposition at the cathode.

Blood cadmium levels and overactive bladder in middle-aged and older adults in the United States: Insights from NHANES 2007-2020 data.

Cadmium is a common environmental pollutant associated with various health risks. Its neurotoxic, muscle-damaging, and pro-inflammatory properties may be related to overactive bladder (OAB), though few studies have assessed its impact on urinary function. This study aimed to examine the potential link between cadmium exposure and OAB.

Disrupting stroke-induced GAT-1-syntaxin1A interaction promotes functional recovery after stroke.

Although stroke is a frequent cause of permanent disability, our ability to promote stroke recovery is limited. Here, we design a small-molecule stroke recovery promoting agent that works by dissociating γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter 1 (GAT-1) from syntaxin1A (Synt1A), a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein. Stroke induces an increase in GAT-1-Synt1A interaction in the subacute phase, a critical period for functional recovery.

Effects of 3D-printed ankle-foot orthoses on gait: a systematic review.

This systematic review aimed to explore comprehensive evidence on the efficacy of the 3D-printed ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) on gait parameters in individuals with neuromuscular and/or musculoskeletal ankle impairments. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, Cochrane, and EBSCOhost were searched from inception to August 2023. Ten studies that had participants with ankle impairments, as a result of stroke, cerebral palsy, mechanical trauma, muscle weakness, or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, investigated the immediate effects of the 3D-printed AFOs on gait parameters were included.

PSAT1 is upregulated by METTL3 to attenuate high glucose-induced retinal pigment epithelial cell apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major ocular complication of diabetes mellitus, and a significant cause of visual impairment and blindness in adults. Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) is an enzyme participating in serine synthesis, which might improve insulin signaling and insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, it has been reported that the m6A methylation in mRNA controls gene expression under many physiological and pathological conditions.