An analysis of the burden of respiratory tract cancers in global, China, the United States and India: findings based on the GBD 2021 database.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the burden of respiratory tract cancers in China, the United States, India, and worldwide from 1990 to 2021. Also, forecast the evolution of respiratory tract cancers deaths and DALYs burden during 2022 to 2050.

Study Design: An epidemiological analysis.

Elevated methylmercury production in seasonally inundated sediments: Insights from DOM molecular composition.

Seasonally inundated areas (SIA) within aquatic systems are characterized by elevated methylmercury (MeHg) production. Nevertheless, the response characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality in SIA sediments, including its molecular compositions and structure, and their impacts on the MeHg production are not yet fully understood. This research gap has been addressed through field investigations and microcosm experiments conducted in a metal-polluted plateau wetland.

Membrane mechanics dictate axonal pearls-on-a-string morphology and function.

Axons are ultrathin membrane cables that are specialized for the conduction of action potentials. Although their diameter is variable along their length, how their morphology is determined is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that unmyelinated axons of the mouse central nervous system have nonsynaptic, nanoscopic varicosities ~200 nm in diameter repeatedly along their length interspersed with a thin cable ~60 nm in diameter like pearls-on-a-string.

Integration of feature-based molecular networking and high-definition data-dependent acquisition for the comprehensive multicomponent characterization of Honghua Xiaoyao Tablet.

Systematically identifying the chemical constituents in complex matrices is a challenge due to the inherent characteristics of compounds. The combination of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and classical molecular networking (CLMN) is a powerful technology for annotating small molecules. However, the low coverage from inappropriate acquisition modes and the inseparability of isomeric compound nodes still hinders the comprehensive metabolite characterization.

Multi-omics and network pharmacology approaches reveal Gui-Ling-Ji alleviates oligoasthenoteratozoospermia by regulating arachidonic acid pathway.

Background: Gui-Ling-Ji (GLJ) described in the ancient medical book 'Yunji Qijian' is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used to improve male fertility. It is now available for the treatment of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). However, the active ingredients and mechanism of GLJ are not clear.

Indium Phosphide Single Crystal Furnace Cooling Crystallization Temperature Control Model Research.

Indium phosphide (InP) single crystals, as key III-V compound semiconductor materials, play an irreplaceable role in various fields, such as optical communication and microwave millimeter-wave communication. Vertical gradient freeze (VGF) has become one of the main methods for industrial production of InP single crystals due to its advantages in temperature gradient control. However, defects such as twins and dislocations are easily generated during the production of InP single crystals by the VGF method.

Remediation on antimony-contaminated soil from mine area using zero-valent-iron doped biochar and their effect on the bioavailability of antimony.

Due to the bioavailability and movement of antimony in trophic web, the overexploitation of antimony mine resulted in antimony contamination that harmed the ecology nearby, raising concerns for public health. Whereas, most researches focused on the removal of antimony in the aqueous instead of the immobilization of antimony in the soil. Herein, the immobilized performance of biochar (BC) loaded with nano zero-valent iron (nZVI-BC) on antimony in the soil near the smelting area was researched through pot experiments for the first time, and its stabilization mechanism on antimony was investigated by valent state variation of antimony.

Promotion of hair growth by a conditioned medium from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells cultivated in a 3D scaffold of gelatin sponge.

Background: This study aims to investigate the effects of a conditioned medium (CM) from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HuMSCs) cultivated in gelatin sponge (GS-HuMSCs-CM) on hair growth in a mouse model.

Methods: CM was collected from the HuMSCs cultivated in a monolayer or in a gelatin sponge. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels in CMs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS based metabolite profiling and quality marker constituents screening of root, stem and rhizome extracts of Ilex asprella.

Objective: The root of Ilex asprella (RIA) is a popular plant resource for treating inflammation-related diseases. The purpose of this study was to identify the secondary metabolites, to compare anti-inflammatory effects and to determine the quality marker components among root, stem and rhizome sections of IA.

Methods: Chemical fingerprints of stem, root and rhizome of IA was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Classifications of anterior segment structure of congenital corneal opacity in infants and toddlers by ultrasound biomicroscopy and slit-lamp microscopic photographs: an observational study.

Background: The structural features have an impact on the surgical prognosis for congenital corneal opacity (CCO). The structural classification system of CCO, however, is lacking. Based on data from ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings in infants and toddlers with CCO, this research proposed a classification system for the anterior segment structure severity.

Global research trends in prediabetes over the past decade: Bibliometric and visualized analysis.

This study aimed to investigate global research advances and hot trends in prediabetes in the last decade based on a bibliometric analysis of publications. Publications from 2013 to 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database through a topic search. With the use of CiteSpace, VOS viewer, and Bibliometrix R software packages, the number of publications, production categories, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords were comprehensively analyzed to sort out the hot spots and directions of prediabetes and predict the future research directions.

A New Treatment for Recalcitrant Neurotrophic Keratopathy of Ocular Graft-Versus-Host Disease with Virus Infection.

Introduction: Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a rare degenerative ocular disease that can be difficult to treat. There were no effective resolutive treatments for severe NK caused by ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD) along with virus infection. To address this question, we designed a prospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) in patients with recalcitrant NK of oGVHD and viral infection.

Enhanced adsorption for trivalent antimony by nano-zero-valent iron-loaded biochar: performance, mechanism, and sustainability.

The discharge of tailing leachate and metallurgical wastewater has led to an increasing trend of water pollution. In this study, nZVI-modified low-temperature biochar was used to adsorb Sb(III) from water. The adsorption capacity and speed of nZVI-BC were better than those of BC, and the best adsorption effect was observed for 4nZVI-BC, with 93.

Membrane mechanics dictate axonal morphology and function.

Axons are thought to be ultrathin membrane cables of a relatively uniform diameter, designed to conduct electrical signals, or action potentials. Here, we demonstrate that unmyelinated axons are not simple cylindrical tubes. Rather, axons have nanoscopic boutons repeatedly along their length interspersed with a thin cable with a diameter of ∼60 nm like pearls-on-a-string.

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome: a novel histopathologic finding associated with corneal abnormalities.

Background: Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare kind of anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD). The most common ocular features of ARS are posterior embryotoxon and iris hypoplasia, while some patients may manifest as corneal opacity and edema. However, the current understanding of how ARS affects the cornea is still incomplete.

Construction of a Nanorod Structure-Confined Pt@CeO Catalyst by an In-Situ Encapsulation Strategy for Low-Temperature Catalytic Oxidation of Toluene.

In this work, Pt@CeO catalysts with a nanorod structure (Pt@CeO -R) and a bunch structure (Pt@CeO -B) were synthesized through an in-situ encapsulation strategy of Pt species in Ce-MOFs, respectively. It was discovered that the Pt@CeO -R catalyst possessed the best catalytic performance for toluene catalytic combustion, and this result was mainly caused by the confinement of Pt nanoparticles in Ce-MOFs, which was related to the chemical state of Pt species, redox ability, and the amount of active oxygen species. The Pt@CeO -R catalyst contained more Ce species, rich Pt species, and abundant active oxygen species due to the existence of the confined effect, which was conducive to promote catalytic oxidation of toluene.

Quantification of Increased Corneal Subbasal Nerve Tortuosity in Dry Eye Disease and Its Correlation With Clinical Parameters.

Purpose: This study quantified corneal subbasal nerve tortuosity in dry eye disease (DED) and investigated its correlation with clinical parameters by proposing an aggregated measure of tortuosity (Tagg).

Methods: The sample consisted of 26 eyes of patients with DED and 23 eyes of healthy volunteers, which represented separately the dry eye group and the control group. Clinical evaluation of DED and in vivo confocal microscopy analysis of the central cornea were performed.

Global prevalence of hepatitis C virus in children in 2018: a modelling study.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence estimates for adults and high-risk groups have been widely published, but the disease burden in children is poorly understood. Direct-acting antiviral drugs, which are considered to be highly effective curative therapies for HCV, are now approved for paediatric patients as young as 3 years. Reliable prevalence estimates for this population are needed to inform scale-up of treatment and national strategies.

Designing Thin, Ultrastretchable Electronics with Stacked Circuits and Elastomeric Encapsulation Materials.

Many recently developed soft, skin-like electronics with high performance circuits and low modulus encapsulation materials can accommodate large bending, stretching, and twisting deformations. Their compliant mechanics also allows for intimate, nonintrusive integration to the curvilinear surfaces of soft biological tissues. By introducing a stacked circuit construct, the functional density of these systems can be greatly improved, yet their desirable mechanics may be compromised due to the increased overall thickness.

Soft, thin skin-mounted power management systems and their use in wireless thermography.

Power supply represents a critical challenge in the development of body-integrated electronic technologies. Although recent research establishes an impressive variety of options in energy storage (batteries and supercapacitors) and generation (triboelectric, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, and photovoltaic devices), the modest electrical performance and/or the absence of soft, biocompatible mechanical properties limit their practical use. The results presented here form the basis of soft, skin-compatible means for efficient photovoltaic generation and high-capacity storage of electrical power using dual-junction, compound semiconductor solar cells and chip-scale, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, respectively.

Two Hydroxyproline Galactosyltransferases, GALT5 and GALT2, Function in Arabinogalactan-Protein Glycosylation, Growth and Development in Arabidopsis.

Hydroxyproline-O-galactosyltransferase (GALT) initiates O-glycosylation of arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs). We previously characterized GALT2 (At4g21060), and now report on functional characterization of GALT5 (At1g74800). GALT5 was identified using heterologous expression in Pichia and an in vitro GALT assay.