Unraveling the impact of blood RANKL and OPG levels on Alzheimer's disease: Independent of bone mineral density and inflammation.

Introduction: Observational studies have revealed a close relationship between reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. The receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) system, pivotal in regulating bone metabolism, has been implicated in brain function, but the causal impact on AD risk remains unclear.

Methods: We employed bi-directional Mendelian randomization (MR) and multivariable MR (MVMR) approaches to elucidate the effect of blood soluble RANKL (sRANKL) and OPG levels on AD, assessing whether this influence was independent of BMD and inflammation.

Cortical HFS-induced neo-Hebbian local plasticity enhances efferent output signal and strengthens afferent input connectivity.

High-frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) is generally regarded as a homosynaptic Hebbian-type LTP, where synaptic changes are thought to occur at the synapses that project from the stimulation site and terminate onto the neurons at the recording site. In this study, we first investigated HFS-induced LTP on urethane-anesthetized rats and found that cortical HFS enhances neural responses at the recording site through the strengthening of local connectivity with nearby neurons at the stimulation site, rather than through synaptic strengthening at the recording site. This enhanced local connectivity at the stimulation site leads to increased output propagation, resulting in signal potentiation at the recording site.

Insights into the mobility and bacterial hosts of antibiotic resistance genes under dinotefuran selection pressure in aerobic granular sludge based on metagenomic binning and functional modules.

Dinotefuran (DIN) is toxic to non-target organisms and accelerates the evolution of antibiotic resistance, which poses a problem for the stable operation of the activated sludge process in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, the emergence and the transfer mechanism of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in activated sludge systems under DIN stress remains unclear. Thus, in the study, the potential impact of DIN on ARGs and virulence factor genes (VFGs) in aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was investigated in depth using metagenomic binning and functional modules.

Engineering aortic valves via transdifferentiating fibroblasts into valvular endothelial cells without using viruses or iPS cells.

The technology of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has enabled the conversion of somatic cells into primitive undifferentiated cells via reprogramming. This approach provides possibilities for cell replacement therapies and drug screening, but the potential risk of tumorigenesis hampers its further development and application. How to generate differentiated cells such as valvular endothelial cells (VECs) has remained a major challenge.

Experimental observation of spin Hall effect of light using compact weak measurements.

The spin Hall effect of light, a phenomenon characterized by the transverse and spin dependent splitting of light at an optical interface, is highly promising for collecting precise quantitative data from interfaces and stands as an appealing option for improving precision metrology. This high level of precision is attributed to the principles of weak measurement. Since its conceptual introduction, the spin Hall effect of light has been empirically observed through weak measurement techniques, adhering closely to the initially proposed experimental configuration.

[Research Advances in Removal Efficiency and Mechanism of Microplastics in Drinking Water Treatment Plants].

Microplastics, as a novel type of environmental pollutant, have attracted notable attention in environmental research due to their widespread distribution and potential biological toxicity. Drinking water treatment plants play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the water supply, with a particular focus on the removal efficiency of microplastics in drinking water treatment plants. Different treatment processes in water plants exhibit various removal efficiencies of microplastics and they operate through distinct removal mechanisms.

Exploring direct photodetachment and photodissociation-photodetachment dynamics of platinum iodide anions (PtIn-, n = 2-5) using cryogenic photoelectron spectroscopy.

The direct photodetachment and two-photon photodissociation-photodetachment processes of a series of PtIn- (n = 2-5) anions were systematically studied using cryogenic anion photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles electronic structure calculations. The adiabatic/vertical detachment energies (ADEs/VDEs) of these anions were determined from their 193 nm photoelectron (PE) spectra, i.e.

Biodegradation-assisted removal of sulfur-based odor compounds in rural drinking water using durable chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol biochar aerogels.

Rural drinking water often suffers from unpleasant odors like dimethyl sulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) due to poor raw water quality and limited treatment options. This study introduces durable chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) biochar aerogels-supported bioflims in ultrafiltration (BAB-UF) reactors, where the incorporation of PVA significantly enhances structural integrity, biodegradation resistance, and functional lifespan, providing an efficient, sustainable solution for removing odorous compounds from rural water. Experimental results showed the enhanced chitosan/PVA porous biochar aerogels (CPPCA) displayed excellent biocapacity and structural stability.

Integrated machine learning developed a prognosis-related gene signature to predict prognosis in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The mortality rate of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains high, and conventional TNM systems cannot accurately predict its prognosis, thus necessitating a predictive model. In this study, a 17-gene prognosis-related gene signature (PRS) predictive model was constructed using the random survival forest algorithm as the optimal algorithm among 99 machine-learning algorithm combinations based on data from 260 patients obtained from TCGA and GEO. The PRS model consistently outperformed other clinicopathological features and previously published signatures with superior prognostic accuracy, as evidenced by the receiver operating characteristic curve, C-index and decision curve analysis in both training and validation cohorts.

Potential role of N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing in the adaptation of anammox granular sludge system to salinity stress.

Anammox granular sludge (AnGS) systems efficiently remove nitrogen from saline wastewater, but their adaptation mechanisms to salt stress are unclear. This study explores the adaptability of the AnGS system when exposed to salinity (0-30 g NaCl/L), focusing on the role of N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing (AHL-QS) in microbial responses and community symbiosis under stress. Based on Hill model assessments, AnGS tolerates salt stress up to 15.

Associations between antimony exposure and glycated hemoglobin levels in adolescents aged 12-19 years: results from the NHANES 2013-2016.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between antimony (Sb) exposure and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in adolescents.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 751 adolescents aged 12-19 years was conducted via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2013-2016). Survey-weighted linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were applied to evaluate the relationship of urinary Sb exposure with HbA1c.

Design and test of reel speed control system for soybean combine harvester in the strip intercropping mode.

At present, the speed of the reel of soybean combine harvester is mainly adjusted manually, and basically does not have the ability to automatically adjust the speed of the reel according to changes in crops or working speed. In the maize-soybean strip intercropping mode, soybean plants are densely planted. During harvesting, the feeding rate increases, making it even more necessary to adjust the reel speed according to the growth status of the crops.

Enrichment of comammox Nitrospira from three different seed sludges with addition of signaling molecules.

Complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) bacteria have been detected in full-scale wastewater treatment plants. However, the slow growth rate limits the research and applications of comammox. Quorum sensing (QS) is an intercellular communication process to regulate microbial physiological metabolism, but its role in comammox Nitrospira has rarely been reported.

Insight into the responses of the anammox granular sludge system to tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) during chip wastewater treatment.

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), an extensively utilized photoresist developer, is frequently present in ammonium-rich wastewater from semiconductor manufacturing, and its substantial ecotoxicity should not be underestimated. This study systematically investigated the effects of TMAH on the anammox granular sludge (AnGS) system and elucidated its inhibitory mechanisms. The results demonstrated that the median inhibitory concentration of TMAH for anammox was 84.

Advances in immobilized microbial technology and its application to wastewater treatment: A review.

The use of immobilized microbial technology in wastewater treatment has drawn extensive attention due to its advantages of high colony density, rapid reaction speed, and good stability. Immobilization carriers are the core of immobilization technology. This review summarizes the types of immobilization carriers and their advantages and disadvantages, focusing on the potential for utilizing novel immobilization carriers (composite carriers, nanomaterials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and biochar materials) in wastewater applications.

Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: To assess the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Clinical Trials Website, and Cochrane Library databases, spanning from their inception until February 18, 2024. The review incorporated all randomized controlled trials examining upadacitinib's efficacy in managing moderate to severe AD among adolescent patients.

Regulation of PPy Growth States by Employing Porous Organic Polymers to Obtain Excellent Microwave Absorption Performance.

Regulating the different growth states of polypyrrole (PPy) is a key strategy for obtaining PPy composites with high electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption properties. This work finds that the growth states of PPy is regulated by controlling the amount of pyrrole added during the preparation of composites, so as to regulate the development of conductive networks to obtain excellent EMW absorption performance. The POP/PPy-200 composite achieves an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.

Genome-wide identification of CaWD40 proteins reveals the involvement of a novel complex (CaAN1-CaDYT1-CaWD40-91) in anthocyanin biosynthesis and genic male sterility in Capsicum annuum.

Background: The WD40 domain, one of the most abundant in eukaryotic genomes, is widely involved in plant growth and development, secondary metabolic biosynthesis, and mediating responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. WD40 repeat (WD40) protein has been systematically studied in several model plants but has not been reported in the Capsicum annuum (pepper) genome.

Results: Herein, 269, 237, and 257 CaWD40 genes were identified in the Zunla, CM334, and Zhangshugang genomes, respectively.

Urinary tract infections and risk of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the association between urinary tract infections (UTIs) during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth (PTB). We searched multiple databases for relevant observational studies, categorizing them as UTI-based (comparing PTB incidence in women with and without UTIs) or PTB-based (comparing UTI prevalence in women with and without PTB). Using a random-effects model in Stata software version 17.

A spatiotemporal comparative analysis on tumor immune microenvironment characteristics between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and preoperative immunotherapy for ESCC.

The average five-year survival rate for esophageal cancer, a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, is barely 20%. The majority of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients had already progressed to a locally advanced or even advanced stage at initial diagnosis, making routine surgery ineffective. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are important neoadjuvant treatments for ESCC, however, it remains unknown how treatment will affect the immunological microenvironment, especially at the spatial level.

Efficacy and complications of endoscopic thoracoscopic versus laparoscopic radical esophagectomy in esophageal cancer treatment: A retrospective study.

To evaluate the efficacy and postoperative complications of endoscopic thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical esophagectomy compared to open surgery in esophageal cancer treatment. This retrospective study included 103 esophageal cancer patients admitted from August 2018 to March 2022, divided into observation (endoscopic surgery) and control (open surgery) groups. We compared intraoperative parameters, postoperative outcomes, immune function, and one-year overall survival (OS).

Construction of polypyrrole nanoparticles with a rough surface for enhanced chemo-photothermal therapy against triple negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer, characterized by aggressive malignancy and a poor prognosis. Emerging nanomedicine-based combination therapy represents one of the most promising strategies for combating TNBC. Polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPY) are excellent drug delivery vehicles with outstanding photothermal performances.

[A comparative study of four combined methods for planning access to the anterior acetabular column for nail placement].

Objective: To investigate global optimisation of anterior acetabular column pinning channels can be achieved based on large density point cloud data.

Methods: Data were collected on the CT scans of the normal pelvis in 40 adults from January 2022 to January 2023, including 22 males and 18 females, aged 20 to 54 years old. Medical imaging data from three of the samples were selected for experimental study.