Ratio of water to cement and supplementary cementitious materials on mechanical and impact resistance properties of reactive powder concrete.

Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is a novel high-performance building material widely used in large-scale engineering structures due to its superior mechanical properties and durability. However, structural failure can still occur under dynamic load impacts. Therefore, optimizing the mechanical properties and impact resistance of RPC remains a critical issue for enhancing its engineering applications.

Effectiveness and safety of intravitreal aflibercept injection for neovascular glaucoma: A single-center, retrospective, observational study in China.

This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of intravitreal aflibercept injections in Chinese patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG). We conducted a single-center, retrospective, observational study that identified adult Chinese patients diagnosed with NVG who received intravitreal aflibercept between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2022, by reviewing medical records. The patients were followed-up for a month.

LncPrep + 96kb inhibits ovarian fibrosis by upregulating prolyl oligopeptidase expression.

LncPrep + 96kb is a long non‑coding RNA expressed in murine granulosa cells. The 2.2-kb fragment of lncPrep + 96kb inhibits aromatase expression and estrogen secretion in ovarian granulosa cells.

Effects of Steel Slag, Desulfurization Gypsum, and Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag on the Characterization of Recycled Cement-Stabilized Macadam.

Steel slag powder (SS), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), and flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FDG) are environmentally friendly and cost-effective substitute materials for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). This study investigated the use of industrial solid wastes, including SS, GGBS, and FDG, as auxiliary materials in OPC to stabilize pretreated recycled concrete aggregate (pretreated RCA). The use of pretreated RCA, mixed cementitious materials, and water at the optimum content created a mixture designated recycled cement-stabilized macadam (RCSM).

Plasma N-terminal tau fragment is an amyloid-dependent biomarker in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Novel fluid biomarkers for tracking neurodegeneration specific to Alzheimer's disease (AD) are greatly needed.

Methods: Using two independent well-characterized cohorts (n = 881 in total), we investigated the group differences in plasma N-terminal tau (NT1-tau) fragments across different AD stages and their association with cross-sectional and longitudinal amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, tau tangles, brain atrophy, and cognitive decline.

Results: Plasma NT1-tau significantly increased in symptomatic AD and displayed positive associations with Aβ PET (positron emission tomography) and tau PET.

Lightweight Deep Learning Model, ConvNeXt-U: An Improved U-Net Network for Extracting Cropland in Complex Landscapes from Gaofen-2 Images.

Extracting fragmented cropland is essential for effective cropland management and sustainable agricultural development. However, extracting fragmented cropland presents significant challenges due to its irregular and blurred boundaries, as well as the diversity in crop types and distribution. Deep learning methods are widely used for land cover classification.

Associations of healthy lifestyle and family income to poverty ratio with all-cause mortality among people with prediabetes and diabetes: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Family income to poverty ratio (PIR) may have independent effects on diet and lifestyle factors and the development of prediabetes and diabetes, as well as on mortality. It is unclear how the protective effect of a healthy lifestyle against death differs between individuals with different glucose metabolic profiles and whether PIR mediates this effect. This study aimed to explore whether healthy lifestyle and family PIR reduced the risk of all-cause mortality in participants with different metabolic status and the mediating role of PIR.

Role of ultrasound and pectin in regulating the foaming properties and baking applications of liquid egg white.

The capacity of liquid egg white (LEW) to generate foam has become crucial in food processing. This study investigated the impact of ultrasound (US) and pectin in regulating the foaming properties and baking applications of LEW. Results showed that US treatment combined with pectin significantly (P < 0.

Exploration of M2 macrophage membrane as a biotherapeutic agent and strong synergistic therapeutic effects in ischemic stroke.

The macrophage-derived membrane is widely applied in the targeting nanocarrier for its inflammatory tendency and long circulation ability due to the preservation of membrane protein. Few studies reported the application of macrophage membranes as biotherapeutic agents. To verify the ability of macrophage membrane as a biotherapeutic agent, ischemic stroke was selected as the model disease.

Correlation study of NF-κB, IER3, and Recurrence of Ovarian Endometrioid Cysts.

The study aimed to investigate the expression of nuclear actor-k-gene binding(NF-κB) and immediate early response 3(IER3) in ovarian endometrioid cysts and its correlation with the recurrence of the ovarian endometrioid cyst. From January 2018 to March 2019, a total of 88 patients who underwent laparoscopic ovarian cyst excision due to ovarian endometrioid cyst in Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital were selected. Clinical data of the patients were collected.

Fluorescent and polarity-switchable photoelectrochemical dual-mode homogeneous sensing platform for ultrasensitive kanamycin detection based on EXO III-driven signal amplification.

A fluorescent and photoelectrochemical (PEC) dual-mode biosensor based on target biorecognition-triggered cyclic amplification was constructed for Kana detection. With the assistance of the catalyzed reaction of exonuclease III, a Kana-aptamer DNA duplex was designed for conducting the cyclic release of G-rich DNA sequence as well as output DNA S2. The released G-rich sequence triggers the fluorescence (FL) of thioflavin T (ThT), the intensity of which is positively correlated with the Kana concentration.

Neural Circuitries between the Brain and Peripheral Solid Tumors.

The recent discovery of the pivotal role of the central nervous system in controlling tumor initiation and progression has opened a new field of research. Increasing evidence suggests a bidirectional interaction between the brain and tumors. The brain influences the biological behavior of tumor cells through complex neural networks involving the peripheral nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system, whereas tumors can establish local autonomic and sensory neural networks to transmit signals into the central nervous system, thereby affecting brain activity.

Activation of P2X7 Receptor Mediates the Abnormal Ovulation Induced by Chronic Restraint Stress and Chronic Cold Stress.

Chronic stress has become a major problem that endangers people's physical and mental health. Studies have shown that chronic stress impairs female reproduction. However, the related mechanism is not fully understood.

Gomisin N rescues cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease by targeting GSK3β and activating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Oxidative stress is one of the earlier events causing neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Gomisin N (GN), a lignin isolated from Schisandra chinensis, has anti-oxidative stress effects. There are currently no studies on the neuroprotective potential of GN in AD.

Increased anterior insula connectivity associated with cognitive maintenance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a longitudinal study.

The insula, a crucial hub of the human brain network, can be divided into anterior and posterior regions. Previous studies have reported that different insula subregions play various roles in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However, the longitudinal changes in the functional connectivity (FC) of each insula subregion in aMCI patients over time remain unclear.

A Metagenomic Investigation of Potential Health Risks and Element Cycling Functions of Bacteria and Viruses in Wastewater Treatment Plants.

The concentration of viruses in sewage sludge is significantly higher (10-1000-fold) than that found in natural environments, posing a potential risk for human and animal health. However, the composition of these viruses and their role in the transfer of pathogenic factors, as well as their role in the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed a shotgun metagenomic approach to investigate the pathogenic bacteria and viral composition and function in two wastewater treatment plants located on a campus.

Methods for health workforce projection model: systematic review and recommended good practice reporting guideline.

Background: Health workforce projection models are integral components of a robust healthcare system. This research aims to review recent advancements in methodology and approaches for health workforce projection models and proposes a set of good practice reporting guidelines.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review by searching medical and social science databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and EconLit, covering the period from 2010 to 2023.

Immune cells: potential carriers or agents for drug delivery to the central nervous system.

Drug delivery systems (DDS) have recently emerged as a promising approach for the unique advantages of drug protection and targeted delivery. However, the access of nanoparticles/drugs to the central nervous system (CNS) remains a challenge mainly due to the obstruction from brain barriers. Immune cells infiltrating the CNS in the pathological state have inspired the development of strategies for CNS foundation drug delivery.

Protein aggregation caused by pasteurization processing affects the foam performance of liquid egg white.

Pasteurization is necessary during the production of liquid egg whites (LEW), but the thermal effects in pasteurization could cause an unavoidable loss of foaming properties of LEW. This study intended to investigate the mechanism of pasteurization processing affects the foam performance of LEW. The foaming capacity (FC) of LEW deteriorated significantly (ΔFCmax = 72.

Glaucoma drainage device implantation and cyclophotocoagulation in the management of refractory glaucoma after Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty.

Aim: To compare the surgical outcomes of glaucoma drainage device implantation (GDI) and trans-scleral neodymium:YAG cyclophotocoagulation (CPC) in the management of refractory glaucoma after Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).

Methods: This retrospective study on observational case series enrolled 29 patients who underwent DSAEK and posterior anti-glaucoma surgery (15 with GDI and 14 with CPC). The main outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma surgery success rate (defined as IOP of 6-21 mm Hg without additional anti-glaucoma operation), number of glaucoma medications, endothelial graft status, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Body Mass Index and Physical Fitness in Chinese College Students.

Purpose: To explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (CoPL) on body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness among college students.

Methods: Two one-year cohorts, one with no pandemic lockdown (NoPL) exposure and one with CoPL exposure, were included. Baseline measurements were performed in October 2018 (NoPL) and October 2019 (CoPL), and follow-up data were collected one year later.