Red cell distribution width related to the severity of the disease in patients with AECOPD.

Aims: This research aims to elucidate the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) and the severity of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Patients & Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients with AECOPD and healthy controls. A comprehensive meta-analysis was further conducted by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to 27 April 2023.

3D bioprinting technology innovation in female reproductive system.

Several diseases affect the female reproductive system, and both disease factors and treatments impact its integrity and function. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms of disease occurrence and exploring treatment methods are key research focuses in obstetrics and gynecology. However, constructing accurate disease models requires a microenvironment closely resembling the human body, and current animal models and 2D in vitro cell models fall short in this regard.

Managerial myopia and its barrier to green innovation in high-pollution enterprises: A machine learning approach.

Green technology innovation has become a vital remedy in response to the world's growing ecological problems and the urgent need for sustainable development. However, businesses are sometimes discouraged from undertaking such efforts due to the significant investments needed and the long, unpredictable innovation cycles. This study examines how managerial shortsightedness affects green innovation in highly polluting companies listed between 2007 and 2020 in China's Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share markets.

Exploring Aspartate Transcarbamoylase: A Promising Broad-spectrum Target for Drug Development.

Pyrimidine nucleotides are essential for a wide variety of cellular processes and are synthesized either via a salvage pathway or through de novo biosynthesis. The latter is particularly important in proliferating cells, such as infectious diseases and cancer cells. Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) catalyzes the first committed and rate-limiting step in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway, making it an attractive therapeutic target for various diseases.

Surface Fluorination of Silicone Rubber with Enhanced Stain Resistance and Slip Properties.

Silicone rubber (SR) holds significant potential for everyday wearable devices due to its inherent sweat resistance and flexibility. However, its broader applicability is constrained by poor oil resistance and a suboptimal slip performance. In this study, we developed an SR with durable oil resistance and enhanced slip properties by forming a covalently bonded barrier layer on its surface through a one-step in situ fluorination reaction using F/N.

Enzymatic activity and gene expression changes in the earthworms induced by co-exposure to beta-cypermethrin and triadimefon.

Pesticides often exist as complex mixtures in soil environments, yet the toxicity of these combinations has not been thoroughly investigated. In light of this, the current study aimed to assess the enzymatic activity and gene expression responses in the earthworm Eisenia fetida when exposed to a mixture of beta-cypermethrin (BCY) and triadimefon (TRI). The findings revealed that co-exposure to BCY and TRI triggered acute synergistic toxicity in E.

Resilience in Chinese Spouses of Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Longitudinal Exploration.

Background: In China, spouses of patients with advanced cancer have reported experiencing psychological distress. However, little attention has been paid to the positive psychological health trajectories of these caregivers, particularly regarding their resilience and the factors influencing its development over time.

Purpose: To examine the trajectories of resilience in Chinese spousal caregivers over a nine-month post-treatment period and to identify the basic characteristics associated with these trajectory patterns.

Correlation between intestinal CRE colonization and consequent systemic infection in hospitalized patients in China.

It is generally believed that Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) colonization is primarily responsible for systemic infection in humans. However, there is no consensus on whether decolonization should be recommended in clinical practice. In China, the specific situation of CRE colonization and consequent systemic infection in hospitalized patients necessitates further exploration.

Bibliometrics analysis and knowledge mapping of pertussis vaccine research: trends from 1994 to 2023.

Purpose: This study aims to use bibliometric methods to explore the evolving landscape, hotspots, and emerging frontiers of pertussis vaccine research, providing deeper insights into the current research landscape and guiding future vaccine development efforts.

Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) from January 1, 1994, to December 31, 2023, employing search terms related to vaccination (vacc* or immun*) and pertussis (pertussis, Whooping Cough, Bordetella pertussis, B. pertussis, Bordetella pertussis infection, or B.

Dynamic changes of peripheral inflammatory markers link with disease severity and predict short-term poor outcome of myasthenia gravis.

The relationship between peripheral inflammatory markers, their dynamic changes, and the disease severity of myasthenia gravis (MG) is still not fully understood. Besides, the possibility of using it to predict the short-term poor outcome of MG patients have not been demonstrated. This study aims to investigate the relationship between peripheral inflammatory markers and their dynamic changes with Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification (primary outcome) and predict the short-term poor outcome (secondary outcome) in MG patients.

Development of multi-epitope mRNA vaccine against using reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics approaches.

(), as the major pathogen of diarrhea in healthcare settings, has become increasingly prevalent within community populations, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. However, the therapeutic options for infection (CDI) remain limited, and as of now, no authorized vaccine is available to combat this disease. Therefore, the development of a novel vaccine against is of paramount importance.

The role of serum chloride ion in the prognosis of COPD.

Background: As exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are one of the leading causes of hospitalization and are associated with significant mortality, it is particularly important to accurately assess the risk of exacerbations in COPD. Most of the current clinical biomarkers are related to inflammation and few consider how ion levels affect COPD. Chloride ion, the second most abundant serum electrolyte, has been shown to be associated with poor prognoses in several diseases, but their relationship with COPD remains unclear.

Systemic Inflammatory Response Index, a Potential Inflammatory Biomarker in Disease Severity of Myasthenia Gravis: A Pilot Retrospective Study.

Purpose: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by neuromuscular junction (NMJ) dysfunction. Our current understanding of MG's inflammatory component remains poor. The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) presents a promising yet unexplored biomarker for assessing MG severity.

Small-Molecule Allosteric Inhibitors of Human Aspartate Transcarbamoylase Suppress Proliferation of Bone Osteosarcoma Epithelial Cells.

Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) is the first committed step in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in eukaryotes and plants. A potent transition state analog of human ATCase (PALA) has previously been assessed in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Additionally, inhibition of this pathway has been proposed to be a target to suppress cell proliferation in E.

Neuronal Intranuclear Inclusion Disease with NOTCH2NLC GGC Repeat Expansion: A Systematic Review and Challenges of Phenotypic Characterization.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a highly clinically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder primarily attributed to abnormal GGC repeat expansions in the NOTCH2NLC gene. This study aims to comprehensively explore its phenotypic characteristics and genotype-phenotype correlation. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from September 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022, encompassing reported NIID cases confirmed by pathogenic NOTCH2NLC mutations.

Decision tool of medical endoscope maintenance service in Chinese hospitals: a conjoint analysis.

Background: Medical devices are instruments, apparatus, appliances, software, implants, reagents, materials or other articles that are intended for use in the treatment or diagnosis of disease or injury in humans. Concerning medical endoscope devices, which enable doctors to observe and manipulate the area under examination through a puncture hole in the body cavity or organ, hospitals predominantly consider the quality and cost of maintenance services when making their selection. The effective and efficient provision of maintenance services plays a crucial role in ensuring cost-effective and high-quality management of medical devices.

Prediction of non-perfusion volume ratio for uterine fibroids treated with ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound based on MRI radiomics combined with clinical parameters.

Background: Prediction of non-perfusion volume ratio (NPVR) is critical in selecting patients with uterine fibroids who will potentially benefit from ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, as it reduces the risk of treatment failure. The purpose of this study is to construct an optimal model for predicting NPVR based on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2MRI) radiomics features combined with clinical parameters by machine learning.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was conducted among 223 patients diagnosed with uterine fibroids from two centers.

CAV1 Protein Encapsulated in Mouse BMSC-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Alleviates Myocardial Fibrosis Following Myocardial Infarction by Blocking the TGF-β1/SMAD2/c-JUN Axis.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs) convey the CAV1 protein, influencing the TGF-β1/SMAD2/c-JUN pathway and thus the molecular mechanisms underlying myocardial fibrosis (MF) post-myocardial infarction (MI). Through various experimental methods, including transmission electron microscopy, Nanosight analysis, Western blot, ELISA, and qRT-PCR, we isolated, purified, and identified EVs originating from mBMSCs. Bioinformatics and experimental findings show a reduced expression of CAV1 in myocardial fibrosis tissue.

Nanocarrier-based targeting of metabolic pathways for endometrial cancer: Status and future perspectives.

Cancer is the second-most lethal global disease, as per health reports, and is responsible for around 70% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Endometrial cancer is one of the emerging malignancies and has been predicted as a public health challenge for the future. Insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes mellitus are the key metabolic factors that promote risks for the development of endometrial cancer.

Three-Dimensional (3D) Ordered Macroporous Bimetallic (Mn,Fe) Selenide/Carbon Composite with Heterojunction Interface for High-Performance Sodium Ion Batteries.

Transition-metal selenides have captured significant research attention as anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical specific capacities and excellent electronic conductivity. However, volumetric expansion and inferior cycle life still hinder their practical application. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) ordered macroporous bimetallic (Mn,Fe) selenide modified by a carbon layer (denoted as 3DOM-MnFeSe@C) composite containing a heterojunction interface is fabricated through selenizing a 3D ordered macroporous Mn-based Prussian Blue analogue single crystal.

Determining changes in crystallinity of rice starch after heat-moisture treatment using terahertz spectroscopy.

To investigate the potential of Fourier-transform terahertz (FT-THz) spectroscopy to follow crystalline structure changes in rice starch after heat-moisture treatment (HMT), we measured the crystallinity by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and found its correlation with THz spectra. According to A-type crystal structure and Vh-type crystalline structure of amylose-lipid complex (ALC) in rice starch, crystallinity is divided into A-type and Vh-type. The intensity of second derivative spectra peak at 9.

Pickering emulsions stabilized by homogenized ball-milled eggshell particles in combination with sodium alginate.

Eggshells, by-products of egg processing, were ball-milled and homogenized into particles (eggshell particles, ESPs) and then were used as the stabilizer with a two-step oil addition method to produce Pickering emulsions. Meanwhile, sodium alginate (SA) was used to modify the emulsifying ability of ESPs. The results indicated that SA addition helped to improve the dispersion performance and increase the negative charge of ESPs.

Postoperative Alanine Aminotransferase Levels Are Associated with Outcomes in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Total Cavopulmonary Connection.

Background: This single-center, retrospective study aims to determine the association between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC).

Methods: In total, 256 pediatric patients undergoing TCPC were included and divided into a normal-ALT group and a high-ALT group. Clinical data were collected for comparisons between groups, and risk factors of high postoperative ALT were identified by univariate and multivariate analysis.

Evaluation of the potential of ultrasound-mediated drug delivery for the treatment of ovarian cancer through preclinical studies.

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the greatest mortality rate among gynecological cancers, with a five-year survival rate of <50%. Contemporary adjuvant chemotherapy mostly fails in the case of OCs that are refractory, metastatic, recurrent, and drug-resistant. Emerging ultrasound (US)-mediated technologies show remarkable promise in overcoming these challenges.