Alveolar Microdynamics during Tidal Ventilation in Live Animals Imaged by SPring-8 Synchrotron.

It is self-evident that our chests expand and contract during breathing but, surprisingly, exactly how individual alveoli change shape over the respiratory cycle is still a matter of debate. Some argue that all the alveoli expand and contract rhythmically. Others claim that the lung volume change is due to groups of alveoli collapsing and reopening during ventilation.

Comparison of laser and traditional lancing devices for capillary blood sampling in patients with diabetes mellitus and high bleeding risk.

Purpose: Despite the importance of self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) for management of diabetes mellitus (DM), frequent blood sampling is discouraged by bleeding risk due to dual-antiplatelet agent therapy (DAPT) or thrombocytopenia.

Methods: We compared the bleeding time (BT) of sampling by using a laser-lancing-device (LMT-1000) and a conventional lancet in patients with DM and thrombocytopenia or patients undergoing DAPT. BT was measured using the Duke method, and pain and satisfaction scores were assessed using numeric rating scale (NRS) and visual analog scale (VAS).

The Effect of A2 Milk on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Comparison to A1/A2 Milk: A Single-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Cross-over Study.

β-Casein, a major protein in cow's milk, is divided into the A1 and A2 type variants. Digestion of A1 β-casein yields the peptide β-casomorphin-7 which could cause gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort but A2 milk containing only A2 β-casein might be more beneficial than A1/A2 (regular) milk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in GI discomfort after ingestion of A2 milk and A1/A2 milk.

Extended MOF-74-Type Variant with an Azine Linkage: Efficient Direct Air Capture and One-Pot Synthesis.

Direct air capture (DAC) shows considerable promise for the effective removal of CO; however, materials applicable to DAC are lacking. Among metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents, diamine-Mg(dobpdc) (dobpdc = 4,4-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3'-dicarboxylate) effectively removes low-pressure CO, but the synthesis of the organic ligand requires high temperature, high pressure, and a toxic solvent. Besides, it is necessary to isolate the ligand for utilization in the synthesis of the framework.

The meaning of health to persons aging with longstanding multiple sclerosis.

Understanding how persons aging with a chronic condition view their health is essential for planning and delivering person-centered care. The purpose of this study was to explore how persons aging with the chronic and disabling condition multiple sclerosis (MS) describe their health and how this has changed over time using data from Years 1 to 26 of an ongoing longitudinal survey study of health promotion and quality of life for persons with MS. The survey included measures of perceived meaning of health, self-rated health, health behaviors and quality of life outcomes.

The Impact of Real-Time Documentation of In-Hospital Medication Changes on Preventing Undocumented Discrepancies at Discharge and Improving Physician-Pharmacist Communication: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Survey.

Background: Transitional medication safety is crucial, as miscommunication about medication changes can lead to significant risks. Unclear or incomplete documentation during care transitions can result in outdated or incorrect medication lists at discharge, potentially causing medication errors, adverse drug events, and inadequate patient education. These issues are exacerbated by extended hospital stays and multiple care events, making accurate medication recall challenging at discharge.

Stretchable and biodegradable plant-based redox-diffusion batteries.

The redox-diffusion (RD) battery concept introduces an environmentally friendly solution for stretchable batteries in autonomous wearable electronics. By utilising plant-based redox-active biomolecules and cellulose fibers for the electrode scaffold, separator membrane, and current collector, along with a biodegradable elastomer encapsulation, the battery design overcomes the reliance on unsustainable transition metal-based active materials and non-biodegradable elastomers used in existing stretchable batteries. Importantly, it addresses the drawback of limited attainable battery capacity, where increasing the active material loading often leads to thicker and stiffer electrodes with poor mechanical properties.

Clinical outcomes of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision in locally advanced rectal cancer with mesorectal fascia involvement.

Purpose: For the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), research on primary lesions with mesorectal fascia (MRF) involvement is lacking. This study analyzed the clinical outcomes and efficacy of dose-escalated neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) to patients with LARC involving MRF.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 301 patients who were diagnosed with LARC involving MRF and underwent NCRT followed by total mesorectal excision (TME).

Genome-resolved metagenomics: a game changer for microbiome medicine.

Recent substantial evidence implicating commensal bacteria in human diseases has given rise to a new domain in biomedical research: microbiome medicine. This emerging field aims to understand and leverage the human microbiota and derivative molecules for disease prevention and treatment. Despite the complex and hierarchical organization of this ecosystem, most research over the years has relied on 16S amplicon sequencing, a legacy of bacterial phylogeny and taxonomy.

Association of Succinate and Adenosine Nucleotide Metabolic Pathways with Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Backgruound: Although the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is increasing, reliable biomarkers for its early detection are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the association of adenosine and succinate levels and their related pathways, including hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis, with DKD.

Methods: We examined 235 participants and categorized them into three groups: healthy controls; those with diabetes but without DKD; and those with DKD, which was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.

Structure-Guided Engineering of Thermodynamically Enhanced SaCas9 for Improved Gene Suppression.

Proteins with multiple domains play pivotal roles in various biological processes, necessitating a thorough understanding of their structural stability and functional interplay. Here, a structure-guided protein engineering approach is proposed to develop thermostable Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) variant for CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) interference applications. By employing thermodynamic analysis, combining distance mapping and molecular dynamics simulations, deletable domains are identified to enhance stability while preserving the DNA recognition function of Cas9.

Predicting Recurrence-Free Survival After Upfront Surgery in Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Preoperative Risk Score Based on CA 19-9, CT, and F-FDG PET/CT.

Objective: To develop and validate a preoperative risk score incorporating carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CT, and fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/CT variables to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) after upfront surgery in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Materials And Methods: Patients with resectable PDAC who underwent upfront surgery between 2014 and 2017 (development set) or between 2018 and 2019 (test set) were retrospectively evaluated. In the development set, a risk-scoring system was developed using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, including variables associated with RFS.

Proceedings of PRINCETON IV: PDE5 inhibitors and cardiac health symposium.

Introduction: Prior consensus meetings have addressed the relationship between phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibition and cardiac health. Given significant accumulation of new data in the past decade, a fourth consensus conference on this topic was convened in Pasadena, California, on March 10 and 11, 2023.

Objectives: Our meeting aimed to update existing knowledge, assess current guidelines, and make recommendations for future research and practice in this area.

Simultaneous Detection Method of 11 Respiratory Drug Substances Including Theobromine, Oxymetazoline, etc. in Adulterated Dietary Supplements Using Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis.

Recently, the demand for respiratory disease-related products has surged due to the influence of coronavirus disease 2019, prompting warnings about illegal dietary supplements containing unauthorized substances. Additionally, adulterated dietary supplements are continuously detected in open markets, posing significant public health safety problem. In this study, we developed and validated an analytical method for 11 respiratory drug substances using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and proposed optimal conditions for LC-quadrupole time-of-flight MS (LC-QTOF-MS) to determine the fragmentation patterns of each substance.

Strategies to Enrich Electrochemical Sensing Data with Analytical Relevance for Machine Learning Applications: A Focused Review.

In this review, recent advances regarding the integration of machine learning into electrochemical analysis are overviewed, focusing on the strategies to increase the analytical context of electrochemical data for enhanced machine learning applications. While information-rich electrochemical data offer great potential for machine learning applications, limitations arise when sensors struggle to identify or quantitatively detect target substances in a complex matrix of non-target substances. Advanced machine learning techniques are crucial, but equally important is the development of methods to ensure that electrochemical systems can generate data with reasonable variations across different targets or the different concentrations of a single target.

In Vitro/In Vivo Correlation of Two Extended-Release Cilostazol Formulations.

This study aims to evaluate and determine the correlation between in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetics of two extended-release dosage forms of Cilostazol. In vitro release profiles for two dosage forms, tablet and capsule, were analyzed under physiologically mimicked medium conditions using the paddle and basket USP release apparatus. A single-dose, two-period crossover study design in beagle dogs was applied for the pharmacokinetic study.

Diagnostic Assessment of Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Pancreas: A Comparison between Liquid-Based Preparation and Conventional Smear.

: This study aimed to elucidate the cytologic characteristics and diagnostic usefulness of endoscopic ultrasonography-fine needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNAC) by comparing it with liquid-based preparation (LBP) and conventional smear (CS) in pancreas. : The diagnostic categories (I through VII) were classified according to the World Health Organization Reporting System for Pancreaticobiliary Cytopathology. Ten cytologic features, including nuclear and additional features, were evaluated in 53 cases subjected to EUS-FNAC.

Drosophila immune cells transport oxygen through PPO2 protein phase transition.

Insect respiration has long been thought to be solely dependent on an elaborate tracheal system without assistance from the circulatory system or immune cells. Here we describe that Drosophila crystal cells-myeloid-like immune cells called haemocytes-control respiration by oxygenating Prophenoloxidase 2 (PPO2) proteins. Crystal cells direct the movement of haemocytes between the trachea of the larval body wall and the circulation to collect oxygen.

The Root Extract of Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Development via Blockade of De Novo Lipogenesis and Inflammation.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by severe inflammation and fibrosis due to an excessive accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) in the liver with a dysregulated de novo lipogenesis (DNL) pathway. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of YC-1102, an extract obtained from the roots of , as a nutritional supplement in a diet-induced NASH mouse model. C57BL/6 wild-type mice were fed a fructose, palmitate, and cholesterol (FPC)-containing diet for 16 weeks to induce experimental NASH.

Lung Cancer Organoid System to Evaluate the Cytotoxicity of Natural Killer Cells.

Natural killer (NK) cells are gaining growing attention due to their promise for immunotherapy. A fast and accurate system is needed to test NK cell biology and their therapeutic application. Here, we report a lung cancer organoid-based system to evaluate NK cells' cytotoxicity.