Comparative analysis of gut microbiota in metabolic syndrome and obese children from Southeastern China.

The prevalence of childhood obesity is rising globally, with some obese children progressing to develop metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the specific differences between these groups remain unclear. To investigate the differences in gut microbiota, we conducted physiological and biochemical assessments, alongside 16S rRNA sequencing, in a cohort of 32 children from Southeastern China, which included 4 normal-weight children, 5 with mild obesity, 9 with moderate obesity, 9 with severe obesity, and 5 with metabolic syndrome.

Bacterial community improves the volatile components coupled with abiotic factors during the spontaneous fermentation of Chinese strong-aroma .

Flavor components largely depend on microbial activity and environmental conditions during traditional fermented food production. However, the microbial and abiotic contributions to the flavor of Chinese strong-aroma (SAB) remain poorly understood. In this study, the composition and functional profiles of the fungal and bacterial communities changed significantly after fourteen days of grain fermentation.

Mueller-Matrix Interferometric Multifractal Scaling of Optically Anisotropic Architectonics of Diffuse Blood Facies: Fundamental and Applied Aspects.

The article describes a technique for digital holographic reconstruction of complex amplitude fields in diffuse blood facies using laser polarization-interference phase scanning to isolate a single scattered component of the object field. This method serves as the basis for developing algorithms for Mueller-matrix reconstruction of linear and circular birefringence parameters in the polycrystalline architectonics of blood facies. Statistical (central moments of the 1st-4th orders) and multifractal analyses (fractal dimension spectra) are applied to study the optical anisotropy maps of polycrystalline networks during blood dehydration.

Haplotype-Resolved Genotyping and Association Analysis of 1,020 β-Thalassemia Patients by Targeted Long-Read Sequencing.

Despite the well-documented mutation spectra of β-thalassemia, the genetic variants and haplotypes of globin gene clusters modulating its clinical heterogeneity remain incompletely illustrated. Here, a targeted long-read sequencing (T-LRS) is demonstrated to capture 20 genes/loci in 1,020 β-thalassemia patients. This panel permits not only identification of thalassemia mutations at 100% of sensitivity and specificity, but also detection of rare structural variants (SVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in modifier genes/loci.

An exploration of safe and efficient nucleus fragmentation strategies for femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in short axial length patients.

Purepose: The intraoperative femtosecond laser time, Cumulative Dissipated Energy (CDE), Effective Phacoemulsification time (EPT), and intraoperative fluid perfusion volume were compared under different model fragmentation modes using Catalys femtosecond laser system.

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled study. A total of 120 eyes who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation in Xiamen Eye Center affiliated to Xiamen University from September 2022 to March 2023 were randomly divided into 4 groups to undergo pre-nucleus splitting in different ways: Group 1: six-split, Group 2: eight-split, Group 3: six-split + gridded softening, and Group 4: eight-split + gridded softening.

Radiomics of Periprostatic Fat and Tumor Lesion Based on MRI Predicts the Pathological Upgrading of Prostate Cancer from Biopsy to Radical Prostatectomy.

Rationale And Objectives: To assess the predictive value of MRI-based radiomics of periprostatic fat (PPF) and tumor lesions for predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A total of 314 patients with pathologically confirmed prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy (RP) were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to the training cohort (n = 157) and the validating cohort (n = 157) in a 1:1 ratio.

A novel mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent probe for ratiometric imaging of nitric oxide in cells and zebrafish.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule that regulates energy metabolism, apoptosis, and antioxidant balance within mitochondria. It is closely associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Therefore, developing fluorescent probes capable of accurately detecting NO levels in mitochondria is essential for understanding disease mechanisms and clinical diagnostics.

Development and Validation of an MRI-Based Radiomics Nomogram to Predict the Prognosis of De Novo Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer Patients.

Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram based on MRI radiomics to predict overall survival (OS) for patients with de novo oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A total of 165 patients with de novo oligometastatic PCa were included in the study (training cohort, n = 115; validating cohort, n = 50). Among them, MRI scans were conducted and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) sequences were collected for radiomics features along with their clinicopathological features.

Mutations in AMBRA1 aggravate β-thalassemia by impairing autophagy-mediated clearance of free α-globin.

Accumulation of free α-globin is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of β-thalassemia. Autophagy plays a crucial role in clearing toxic free α-globin, thereby reducing disease severity. However, the impact of natural mutations in autophagy-related genes (ATGs) on the phenotypic variability of β-thalassemia remains unclear.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Impaired Wound Healing Following Radiation Combined Skin Wound Injury.

Currently, there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medical countermeasures (MCMs) for radiation combined injury (RCI), partially due to limited understanding of its mechanisms.

Evaluation of the performance of a qPCR-based assay for HIV-1 viral load determination.

Objective: According to the YY/T 1182-2010 standard of the People's Republic of China on nucleic acid amplification test reagents (kits) for medical industry, the accuracy, precision, linear range, and analytic sensitivity of HIV-1 standardized quality control products should be assessed. The Geneway HIV-1 Nucleic Acid Detection Kit from China has been successfully registered with the National Medical Products Administration. Here, we aimed to assess for the first time its detection performance.

The parameter mapping of power ultrasonic transducer model.

The vibration and electrical characteristics of transducer is determined by material coefficients and geometry, with material coefficients being susceptible to factors including frequency, pressure, and temperature, which leads to poor repeatability of transducer characteristics. Consequently, it is challenging to provide an accurate theoretical model to predict the characteristics based on the current material coefficients. To achieve a more accurate transducer model, a measurement method is proposed based on the mapping between material coefficients and transducer characteristic parameters to obtain accurate coefficients under working conditions with simple equipment and lower costs.

A novel ratiometric BenzoBODIPY-Based fluorescent probe for the detection and imaging of Cysteine in living cells and zebrafish models.

Cysteine (Cys) plays a critical role in various biological processes, including protein synthesis, cellular signaling, and antioxidant defense. However, precise detection of Cys in biological systems remains challenging due to interference from similar thiols such as homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH). In this study, we report the synthesis and bioimaging of a novel ratio-type fluorescent probe based on the benzoBODIPY fluorophore, designed for the ratiometric detection of Cys.

Postoperative dry eye following femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery: insights and preventive strategies.

Postoperative dry eye is a common complication following femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, and the patient interface (PI) used during the procedure may play a significant role in its occurrence. This study, utilizing a meticulous scientific search strategy, identified seven relevant articles through literature search engines. Most of these studies employed contact-type PI during surgeries, while one researcher used a non-contact PI.

Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer: genetic causality explored via Mendelian randomization.

Background: The global burden of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to rise. Observational studies have suggested a link between T2D and an elevated risk of CRC. However, these studies are often susceptible to confounding factors and reverse causation, leading to inconsistent findings.

Discovery of the First BRD4 Second Bromodomain (BD2)-Selective Inhibitors.

Pan-BD2 inhibitors have been shown to retain an antileukemia effect and display less dose-limiting toxicities than pan-BET inhibitors. However, it is necessary to consider the potential off-target toxicity associated with the inhibition of four BET BD2 proteins. To date, no BRD4 BD2 domain selective inhibitor has been reported.

Correlation between weight-adjusted-waist index and hypertension in the US population: based on data from NHANES 2005-2018.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and the prevalence of hypertension in U.S. adults.

Multiple-site decontamination in critically ill patients requires careful implementation.

The EPIC III study showed that 52% of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have infectious diseases and that the incidence of ICU-acquired infections is increasing, leading to longer ICU stays and higher mortality rates. Multiple-site decontamination, a type of selective decontamination program, has been associated with a reduction in the incidence of ICU-acquired infection and decreased mortality rates in some critically ill patients. However, the standardized implementation and actual effectiveness of multiple-site decontamination require further investigation.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed 6-- Hydroamination/7-- Cycloisomerization Domino Approach to 3,7-Diazacyclohepta[]fluorene Derivatives.

A series of 3,7-diazacyclohepta[]fluorene derivatives were synthesized via a gold(I)-catalyzed 6-- hydroamination/7-- cycloisomerization domino method. The method exhibits a broad substrate scope, and a plausible mechanism has been proposed. The efficacy of this strategy is further validated by the successful derivatization of 3,7-diazacyclohepta[]fluorene.

Accelerating Evidence Synthesis in Observational Studies: Development of a Living Natural Language Processing-Assisted Intelligent Systematic Literature Review System.

Background: Systematic literature review (SLR), a robust method to identify and summarize evidence from published sources, is considered to be a complex, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive task.

Objective: This study aimed to present a solution based on natural language processing (NLP) that accelerates and streamlines the SLR process for observational studies using real-world data.

Methods: We followed an agile software development and iterative software engineering methodology to build a customized intelligent end-to-end living NLP-assisted solution for observational SLR tasks.

3D Nanofiber-Assisted Embedded Extrusion Bioprinting for Oriented Cardiac Tissue Fabrication.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology stands out as a promising tissue manufacturing process to control the geometry precisely with cell-loaded bioinks. However, the isotropic culture environment within the bioink and the lack of topographical cues impede the formation of oriented cardiac tissue. To overcome this limitation, we present a novel method named 3D nanofiber-assisted embedded bioprinting (3D-NFEP) to fabricate cardiac tissue with an oriented morphology.

Flavaglines with anti-neuroinflammatory activity from Aglaia edulis (Roxb.) Wall. and structure revision of related flavaglines.

Eight cyclopenta[b]benzofurans (1, 2, 4, and 5-9) and eight cyclopenta[bc]benzopyrans (3, 10-16), including a revised (4) and three undescribed compounds (1-3), were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Aglaia edulis (Roxb.) Wall. Their structures were determined by a combination of spectral analysis in conjunction with NMR and ECD calculations.