Feeding tube self-management experience of patients at home after discharge following esophageal cancer surgery.

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is an aggressive malignancy with low survival (10%-30%). Nutritional problems are present throughout the perioperative period and are key to prognosis. Home enteral nutrition appears to improve the nutritional status of patients with EC.

Central amygdala somatostatin neurons modulate stress-induced sleep-onset insomnia.

Sleep-onset insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling asleep, is linked to increased health risks. Previous studies have shown that the central amygdala (CeA) plays a crucial role in stress regulation, with the somatostatin neurons in the CeA (CeA) involved in adaptive stress responses. However, the role of CeA neurons in stress-induced sleep-onset insomnia remains unclear.

High responsivity lateral GaN film photoconductive semiconductor switch based on sapphire substrates for high-power application.

Gallium nitride (GaN) materials have high absorption coefficient and wide bandgap. In this work, an excellent ohmic contact electrode with low specific contact resistivity of 5.9 × 10 Ω·cm is prepared on semi-insulating GaN material grown by MOCVD.

Fecal bacterial biomarkers and blood biochemical indicators as potential key factors in the development of colorectal cancer.

Unlabelled: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing in recent decades. Current methods for CRC screening have their own drawbacks, thus there is an urgent need to identify the key microbes that drive the development of CRC for wider application in the early detection and prevention of CRC. To address this issue, we performed fecal microbiome analysis by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene combined with blood biochemical indicators in patients with CRC stages I, II, III, and IV, healthy people, and patients with polyps.

Development and Evaluation of Novel Ga/Lu-Labeled PSMA Inhibitors with Enhanced Pharmacokinetics and Tumor Imaging for Prostate Cancer.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been a key target for diagnosing and treating prostate cancer, particularly in high-grade, metastatic, and therapy-resistant tumors. This study presents a series of novel Ga- and Lu-labeled PSMA inhibitors, derived from the previously developed [Ga]Ga-Flu-1. We explored the impact of PEG chains, lipophilic macrocycles, and dimerization on their in vivo properties.

Five new triterpenoids isolated from mastic: Structural identification and their anti-inflammatory activity.

Five new oleanane-type triterpenoids were isolated from mastic. Their structures including absolute configurations were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic experiments. Compound 1 is distinguished by its rare furan ring.

Low-frequency bladder vibration for the treatment of urinary tract infections in spinal cord injury patients with neurogenic bladder.

Purpose: Evaluate if low-frequency bladder vibration (LFBV) combined with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) alleviated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with neurogenic bladder (NB).

Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients who developed UTIs while rehabilitating from SCI were enrolled continuously between January 2021 and March 2023 and randomly assigned to the control or the intervention group.

A novel hybrid model for predicting tertiary lymphoid structures and targeted immunotherapy outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective study.

Objective: To develop a novel hybrid model for preoperative prediction of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to identify patients who may benefit from postoperative targeted immunotherapy.

Methods: Retrospective data were gathered from 332 patients with HCC who underwent surgical resection and gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced MRI at two tertiary hospitals (training cohort, n = 205; internal validation cohort, n = 90; and external validation cohort, n = 37) between March 2020 and January 2023. Radiomic features were extracted from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI sequences.

Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide-Functionalized TiCT MXene for Significantly Improving the Photovoltaic Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells.

An appropriate electron transport layer (ETL) or cathode buffer layer (CBL) is critical for high-performance perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). In this work, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH)-functionalized TiCT MXene (TBAOH-TiCT) is developed to improve the photovoltaic performance of PVSCs. TBAOH-TiCT is synthesized by HF etching and then TBAOH intercalation, and TBAOH can effectively attach to the TiCT surface during the intercalation process.

GABAergic Neurons in the Central Amygdala Promote Emergence from Isoflurane Anesthesia in Mice.

Background: Recent evidence indicates that general anesthesia and sleep-wake behavior share some overlapping neural substrates. γ-Aminobutyric acid-mediated (GABAergic) neurons in the central amygdala have a high firing rate during wakefulness and play a role in regulating arousal-related behaviors. The objective of this study was to investigate whether central amygdala GABAergic neurons participate in the regulation of isoflurane general anesthesia and uncover the underlying neural circuitry.

Properties Investigation and Damage Analysis of GaN Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch Based on SiC Substrate.

The GaN photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) with low leakage current and large on-state current are suitable for several applications, including fast switching and high-power electromagnetic pulse equipment. This paper demonstrates a high-power GaN lateral PCSS device. An output peak current of 142.

Significantly Enhanced Oxidation Resistance and Electrochemical Performance of Hydrothermal TiCT MXene and Tannic Acid Composite for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

The electrochemical performances of TiCT MXene are severely restricted by the easy oxidation and restacking. Herein, tannic acid (TA) is introduced into TiCT dispersion, and the mixed dispersion is further subjected to a simple hydrothermal treatment to prepare the hydrothermal TiCT and TA composite (h-TiCT@h-TA). Due to the decomposition of TA into gallic acid (GA), hydrothermal TA (h-TA) is a mixture of TA and GA.

Icariside II protects from marrow adipose tissue (MAT) expansion in estrogen-deficient mice by targeting S100A16.

Icariside II, a flavonoid glycoside, is the main component found invivo after the administration of Herba epimedii and has shown some pharmacological effects, such as prevention of osteoporosis and enhancement of immunity. Increased levels of marrow adipose tissue are associated with osteoporosis. S100 calcium-binding protein A16 (S100A16) promotes the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into adipocytes.

Correction: Self-assembled methodologies for the construction of DNA nanostructures and biological applications.

Correction for 'Self-assembled methodologies for the construction of DNA nanostructures and biological applications' by Rui Ye , , 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d4bm00584h.

Effects of PEGylation on Imaging Contrast of Ga-Labeled Bicyclic Peptide PET Probes Targeting Nectin-4.

Nectin cell adhesion molecule 4 (Nectin-4) is overexpressed in various malignant tumors and has emerged as a promising target for tumor imaging. Bicyclic peptides, known for their conformational rigidity, metabolic stability, and membrane permeability, are ideal tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of visualizing Nectin-4-positive tumors using radiolabeled bicyclic peptide derivatives and optimized the pharmacokinetics of radiotracers by introducing PEG chains of different lengths.

Neutrophil extracellular traps-inspired DNA hydrogel for wound hemostatic adjuvant.

Severe traumatic bleeding may lead to extremely high mortality rates, and early intervention to stop bleeding plays as a critical role in saving lives. However, rapid hemostasis in deep non-compressible trauma using a highly water-absorbent hydrogel, combined with strong tissue adhesion and bionic procoagulant mechanism, remains a challenge. In this study, a DNA hydrogel (DNAgel) network composed of natural nucleic acids with rapid water absorption, high swelling and instant tissue adhesion is reported, like a band-aid to physically stop bleeding.

Self-assembled methodologies for the construction of DNA nanostructures and biological applications.

Over the past decades, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), as a versatile building block, has been widely employed to construct functionalized nanostructures. Among the diverse types of materials, DNA related nanostructures have gained growing attention due to their intrinsic programmability, favorable biocompatibility, and strong molecular recognition capability. The conventional construction strategy for building DNA structures is based on Watson-Crick base-pairing rules, which are mainly driven by the hydrogen bonding of bases.

Characterization of Phage P1-CTX and the Potential Mechanism Underlying the Acquisition of the Gene.

The P1 phage has garnered attention as a carrier of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in Enterobacteriaceae. However, the transferability of ARGs by P1-like phages carrying ARGs, in addition to the mechanism underlying ARG acquisition, remain largely unknown. In this study, we elucidated the biological characteristics, the induction and transmission abilities, and the acquisition mechanism of the gene in the P1 phage.

VGluT2 neuron subtypes in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus regulate depression in paraquat-induced Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease and approximately one third of patients with PD are estimated to experience depression. Paraquat (PQ) is the most widely used herbicide worldwide and PQ exposure is reported to induce PD with depression. However, the specific brain region and neural networks underlying the etiology of depression in PD, especially in the PQ-induced model, have not yet been elucidated.

Microglial exosomes in paraquat-induced Parkinson's disease: Neuroprotection and biomarker clues.

The exact mechanisms underlying the initiation and exacerbation of Parkinson's disease (PD) by paraquat remain unclear. We have revealed that exosomes mediate neurotoxicity induced by low dose paraquat exposure by transmitting intercellular signaling. Exposure to 40 μM paraquat promoted exosome release from mouse microglia cells (BV2) in vitro.

High-Performance Zinc-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitor from Guilin Sanhua Liquor Lees-Derived Carbon Materials.

Aqueous zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) have attracted considerable attention because they are inexpensive and safe. However, the inadequate energy densities, power densities, and cycling performance of current ZHSC energy-storage devices are impediments that need to be overcome to enable the further development and commercialization of this technology. To address these issues, in this study, we prepared carbon-based ZHSCs using a series of porous carbon materials derived from Sanhua liquor lees (SLPCs).