The effect of peri-operative pain neuroscience education on pain and recovery in adult patients receiving laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

To optimize the efficacy of analgesia for patients receiving laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, peri-operative pain neuroscience education (PNE) as a pain-specific cognitive therapy was incorporated into multi-modal analgesia. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare conventional analgesia (group CA) and the addition of pain neuroscience education into it (group PNE) in patients receiving laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Characteristics of peri-operative pain was evaluated with Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN-4), central sensitization inventory (CSI), pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) post-operatively and pressure pain threshold.

Factors associated with phenoconversion of idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: a prospective study.

This study explores the effect of risk factors on the progression of idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) to α-synucleinopathies in a Chinese cohort. Patients with iRBD were enrolled and assessed for environmental factors and lifestyle using standardized structured questionnaires at baseline. All patients were prospectively followed for phenoconversion monitoring.

Tethering of cellulose synthase complex to the plasma membrane relies on the isoform of EXO70A1 in Arabidopsis.

In yeast and mammals, the EXO70 subunit of the exocyst complex plays a key role in mediating the tethering of exocytic vesicles to the plasma membrane (PM). In plants, however, the role of EXO70 in regulating vesicle tethering during exocytosis remains unclear. In land plants, EXO70 has undergone significant evolutionary expansion, resulting in multiple EXO70 paralogues that may allow the exocyst to form various isoforms with specific functions.

Long non-coding RNAs are involved in the crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor cells.

The proliferation of tumors is not merely self-regulated by the cancer cells but is also intrinsically connected to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Within this complex TME, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are pivotal in the modulation of tumor onset and progression. Rich signaling interactions exist between CAFs and tumor cells, which are crucial for tumor regulation.

Cross-technique transfer learning for autoplanning in magnetic resonance imaging-guided adaptive radiotherapy for rectal cancer.

Purpose: Automated treatment plan generation is essential for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRIgART) to ensure standardized treatment-plan quality. We proposed a novel cross-technique transfer learning (CTTL)-based strategy for online MRIgART autoplanning.

Method: We retrospectively analyzed the data from 210 rectal cancer patients.

A feasibility study of using virtual noncontrast images synthesized from dual-energy computed tomography for radiotherapy treatment planning.

Background: In the traditional computed tomography (CT) simulation process, patients need to undergo CT scans before and after injection of iodine-based contrast agent, resulting in a cumbersome workflow and additional imaging dose. Contrast-enhanced spectral CT can synthesize true contrast-enhanced (TCE) images and virtual noncontrast (VNC) images in a single scan without geometric misalignment. To improve work efficiency and reduce patients' imaging dose, we studied the feasibility of using VNC images for radiotherapy treatment planning, with true noncontrast (TNC) images as references and explored its dosimetric advantages compared to using TCE images.

The comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 'hijackome' knowledge base.

The continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has led to the emergence of several variants of concern (VOCs) that significantly affect global health. This study aims to investigate how these VOCs affect host cells at proteome level to better understand the mechanisms of disease. To achieve this, we first analyzed the (phospho)proteome changes of host cells infected with Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron BA.

Both aerosol and primer dimer breakdown for straightforward genotyping based on an integrated immunochromatographic biosensor.

Straightforward genotyping can provide timely diagnostic information for diseases prevention and treatment. Taking advantages of speediness and convenience, although numerous genotyping strategies combined loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and lateral flow have been reported to satisfy the demand of point-of-care test, the false positive result caused by aerosol and primer dimer as an innate conflict seriously limits their practical application. In this study, both aerosol and primer dimer as extrinsic and intrinsic inducements respectively are first broken through at one stroke based on an integrated immunochromatographic biosensor.

Review and Future Perspectives of Stimuli-Responsive Bridged Polysilsesquioxanes in Controlled Release Applications.

Bridged polysilsesquioxanes (BPSs) are emerging biomaterials composed of synergistic inorganic and organic components. These materials have been investigated as ideal carriers for therapeutic and diagnostic systems for their favorable properties, including excellent biocompatibility, physiological inertia, tunable size and morphology, and their extensive design flexibility of functional organic groups to satisfy diverse application requirements. Stimuli-responsive BPSs can be activated by both endogenous and exogenous stimuli, offering a precise, safe, and effective platform for the controlled release of various targeted therapeutics.

A patient-specific auto-planning method for MRI-guided adaptive radiotherapy in prostate cancer.

Background And Purpose: Fast and automated generation of treatment plans is desirable for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRIgART). This study proposed a novel patient-specific auto-planning method and validated its feasibility in improving the existing online planning workflow.

Materials And Methods: Data from 40 patients with prostate cancer were collected retrospectively.

Eu/Tb-MOF as fluorescence sensors for the detection homocysteine in human serum performance and mechanistic investigation.

Abnormal homocysteine (Hcy) levels in human serum have been associated with serious or vital diseases, making the reliable and easy detection of Hcy important to clinical analysis and biological study. In this work, five phosphorescent Ir(C^N)(N^N) complexes (Ir) having aldehyde group were synthesized as probes (C^N and N^N denoted ligands). A discussion was conducted on their molecular structure, electronic structure, photophysical parameters, and Hcy sensing ability, revealing the correlations between their molecular structures and performances.

The evolution of autonomy from two cooperative specialists in fluctuating environments.

From microbes to humans, organisms perform numerous tasks for their survival, including food acquisition, migration, and reproduction. A complex biological task can be performed by either an autonomous organism or by cooperation among several specialized organisms. However, it remains unclear how autonomy and cooperation evolutionarily switch.

Ex Vivo Live Imaging in Brain Slices for Analysis of Neurite Formation in Combination with In Utero Electroporation.

The use of time-lapse live imaging enables us to track the dynamic changes in neurites during their formation. Ex vivo live imaging with acute brain slices provides a more physiological environment than cultured cells. To accomplish this, a certain method of labeling is necessary to visualize and identify neurite morphology.

Global diversity and ecological functions of viruses inhabiting oil reservoirs.

Oil reservoirs, being one of the significant subsurface repositories of energy and carbon, host diverse microbial communities affecting energy production and carbon emissions. Viruses play crucial roles in the ecology of microbiomes, however, their distribution and ecological significance in oil reservoirs remain undetermined. Here, we assemble a catalogue encompassing viral and prokaryotic genomes sourced from oil reservoirs.

Development of modern Chinese medicine guided by molecular compatibility theory.

Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has gained global attention, particularly after Professor Youyou Tu was awarded the Nobel Prize for her discovery of artemisinin as a treatment for malaria. However, the theory behind TCM is often perceived as a "black-box" with complex components and an unclear structure and mechanism of action. This had hindered the development of TCM within the framework of modern medicine.

Microbiota-bone axis in ageing-related bone diseases.

Bone homeostasis in physiology depends on the balance between bone formation and resorption, and in pathology, this homeostasis is susceptible to disruption by different influences, especially under ageing condition. Gut microbiota has been recognized as a crucial factor in regulating host health. Numerous studies have demonstrated a significant association between gut microbiota and bone metabolism through host-microbiota crosstalk, and gut microbiota is even an important factor in the pathogenesis of bone metabolism-related diseases that cannot be ignored.

Retinal primary cilia and their dysfunction in retinal neurodegenerative diseases: beyond ciliopathies.

Primary cilia are sensory organelles that extend from the cellular membrane and are found in a wide range of cell types. Cilia possess a plethora of vital components that enable the detection and transmission of several signaling pathways, including Wnt and Shh. In turn, the regulation of ciliogenesis and cilium length is influenced by various factors, including autophagy, organization of the actin cytoskeleton, and signaling inside the cilium.

Memory out of context: Spacing effects and decontextualization in a computational model of the medial temporal lobe.

Some neural representations gradually change across multiple timescales. Here we argue that modeling this "drift" could help explain the spacing effect (the long-term benefit of distributed learning), whereby differences between stored and current temporal context activity patterns produce greater error-driven learning. We trained a neurobiologically realistic model of the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus to learn paired associates alongside temporal context vectors that drifted between learning episodes and/or before final retention intervals.

A Lateral Flow Biosensor Based on Isothermal Amplification for Visual Identification of Species and Sex from Bloodstain.

The prompt species identification from biological samples at a crime scene can rapidly filter out truly valuable biometric information for subsequent personal identification. Meanwhile, early sex determination can assist in narrowing the pool of suspects. However, the current methods for forensic DNA analysis, particularly in point-of-care scenarios, are often limited by the intricate equipment for signal generation and the laborious procedure for DNA purification.

Lateral quadratus lumborum block vs acupuncture for postcesarean analgesia: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Improved pain control after cesarean section remains a challenging objective. Although both the lateral quadratus lumborum block (L-QLB) and acupuncture have been reported to provide superior postoperative analgesia after cesarean section when compared to placebo, the efficacy of these techniques has never been compared head-to-head.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the comparative analgesic efficacy of L-QLB and acupuncture following elective cesarean section.