Co-Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics and Bisphenol A Contributes to the Formation of Liver Fibrosis in Mice through Inhibition of the BMAL1/E-Cad Signaling Pathway.

The food safety risks posed by exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) have become an issue worldwide. However, the toxic effects of PS-MPs and BPA coexposure on the mammalian liver remain elusive. In this study, we found that PS-MPs and BPA coexposure have synergistic toxic effects on AML12 cells and the mouse liver.

Rapid and real time detection of black tea rolling quality by using an inexpensive machine vison system.

Rolling is a crucial step in black tea manufacturing. Rolling is achieved through a rolling machine, which achieves the processes of crushing, tearing, and curling. At present, the lack of intelligent detection for black tea rolling quality has limited the development of automation in the black tea industry.

Association of Chinese visceral adiposity index with asymptomatic hyperuricemia incidence in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Previous research has shown a correlation between high visceral fat levels and hyperuricemia incidence. The Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index (CVAI) assessed visceral fat status in the Chinese population. Our study investigates the correlation between CVAI and asymptomatic hyperuricemia in type 2 diabetes patients.

Association between dietary fiber intake and gallstone disease in US adults: Data from NHANES 2017-2020.

Background: Gallstone disease is a widespread condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract, and poor diet is believed to be one of the reasons for its occurrence. Previous studies of dietary fiber intake and gallstones have limitations. The study's goal is to investigate the relationship between dietary fiber intake and gallstone prevalence in US adults.

Acupuncture Improves Chronic Cerebral Ischemia by Inhibiting the CKLF1/HIF-1α/VEGF/Notch1 Signaling Pathway.

Objective: Acupuncture significantly improves cognitive dysfunction in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia. However, the underlying signaling pathways remain unclear. This study investigates the role of the CKLF1/HIF-1α/VEGF/Notch1 signaling pathway in the acupuncture-mediated improvement of cognitive function in rats with chronic cerebral ischemia.

Enhancing anesthetic techniques for improving whisker stimulation response in the barrel cortex.

This study adopts and validates an anesthetic protocol designed for rat whisker stimulation experiments, achieving significant enhancements in the neural response of the barrel field cortex. By combining alpha-chloralose, low-dose Isoflurane (0.5%) and Dexdomitor, the protocol not only maintains a stable anesthetic state but also markedly improves the amplitude and latency of local field potential (LFP) signals.

Bifunctional sheets reduce the microbe and endotoxin contamination of tissue-derived collagen.

Tendon-derived type I collagen is an essential biomaterial for various biomedical devices due to its inherent bioactivity and favorable environment for cells. Correspondingly, microbial and endotoxin contamination can be easily introduced during the collagen extraction process, which is generally overlooked in fundamental scientific research, especially the endotoxin residue. Conventional approaches for mitigating endotoxin exhibit limited effectiveness when applied to biomacromolecule products because of viscosity, clogging, and diminished bioactivity.

Lactobacillus vaginalis alleviates DSS induced colitis by regulating the gut microbiota and increasing the production of 3-indoleacrylic acid.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, and its incidence is experiencing an upward trend worldwide. UC can result in gut microbiota dysbiosis, impaired intestinal epithelial barrier, and systemic inflammation, for all of which there is presently no definitive treatment available. Lactobacillus is known to regulate gut microbiota and related metabolites to intervene in the development of UC.

Systematic screening and dynamic profiling of germline regulatory pathways and spermatogonial surface markers in a bivalve mollusc.

Spermatogonial cells are capable of transmitting genetic information to the next generation and have the potential for self-renewal. However, research on spermatogonial cells is generally limited by the paucity of cell surface markers, which are not universal among species. In this study, we developed a systematic screening strategy for germline regulatory pathways and spermatogonial surface markers in non-model organisms.

Exploring the bidirectional relationships between alzheimer's disease and cerebral small vessel disease: Insights from mendelian randomization.

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the bidirectional causal relationships between Alzheimer's disease (AD), cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), and the effect of inflammatory cytokines on AD and CSVD using Mendelian randomization (MR).

Method: We employed publicly available summary-level data from genome-wide association studies for AD, CSVD, and 91 inflammatory cytokines. Genetic variants strongly associated with each risk factor were selected as instrumental variables.

Enhanced mechanical properties of cellulose fiber networks through synergistic effects of telechelic-structured carbohydrate-binding module-modified amphoteric polyacrylamide.

Mechanical integrity is a pivotal characteristic of cellulose fiber networks; however, their wet strength frequently deteriorates under humid conditions due to the hydrophilic nature of cellulose. This study presents a novel conjugate additive, synthesized by grafting carbohydrate-binding modules onto amphoteric polyacrylamide (CBM3-AmPAM), aimed at enhancing the mechanical properties of cellulose fiber networks at the wet-end of papermaking. The incorporation of CBM3-AmPAM significantly improved performance compared to AmPAM alone, with stress-strain properties enhanced by 1130.

Non-invasive Modulation of Deep Brain Nuclei by Temporal Interference Stimulation.

Temporal interference (TI) is a form of stimulation that epitomizes an innovative and non-invasive approach for profound neuromodulation of the brain, a technique that has been validated in mice. Yet, the thin cranial bone structure of mice has a marginal influence on the effect of the TI technique and may not effectively showcase its effectiveness in larger animals. Based on this, we carried out TI stimulation experiments on rats.

Analysis of the efficacy of multidisciplinary integration based on 3D reconstruction technology for the treatment of gout stone.

Objective: This study investigates the efficacy of multidisciplinary fusion therapy based on 3D reconstruction technology for the treatment of gouty stone by comparing the efficacy of multidisciplinary fusion therapy with pharmacologic therapy.

Methods: This study is a cohort study.Patients who underwent gout stone surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from November 2020 to November 2022 were included in this study, totaling 85 to form the MDT surgery group, and matched among gout stone patients in the outpatient clinic during the same period to form the medication group.

Loss of LDOC1 by chromatin compaction in mesenchymal tumor cells is required for PFA1 ependymoma growth.

Background: Posterior fossa molecular subtype A (PFA) ependymoma occurs in young children and is the deadliest subtype of pediatric ependymoma. High-risk subtypes with chromosome 1q+ and/or 6q- exhibit significantly poorer outcome compared to wild-type PFA. However, 50% of wild-type PFA patients relapse and there is a high risk of gaining chromosome 1q at recurrence.

Exploring spatial dose information in the parotid gland for xerostomia prediction and local dose patterns in head and neck cancer radiotherapy.

. To investigate the relationship between spatial parotid dose and the risk of xerostomia in patients undergoing head-and-neck cancer radiotherapy, using machine learning (ML) methods..

Efficient Methanol Oxidation Kinetics Enabled by an Ordered Heterocatalyst with Dual Electric Fields.

Induced by a sharp-tip-enhanced electric field, periodical nanoassemblies can regulate the reactant flux on the electrode surface, efficiently optimizing the mass transfer kinetics in electrocatalysis. However, when the nanoscale building blocks in homoassemblies are arranged densely, it results in the overlap and reduction of the local electric field. Herein, we present a comprehensive kinetic heteromodel that simultaneously couples the sharp-tip-enhanced electric field and charge transfer electric field between different building blocks with any arrangement densities.

Multi-group structure analysis and molecular docking of aptamers and small molecules: A case study of chloramphenicol.

Aptamers, a kind of short nucleotide sequences with high specificity and affinity with targets, have attracted extensive attention in recent years. Molecular docking method (MDM) is the most common method to explore the binding mode and recognition mechanism of aptamers and small molecules, which generally use the target to dock with the highest scoring tertiary structural model of the aptamer, and the highest scoring result is used as the predicted model. However, this prediction results may miss out the true interaction pattern due to the fact that aptamers are not completely rigid and the natural aptamers conformations are not in a single state.

Tailorable biosensors for real-time monitoring of stress distribution in soft biomaterials and living tissues.

Visualizing mechanical stress distribution in soft and live biomaterials is essential for understanding biological processes and improving material design. However, it remains challenging due to their complexity, dynamic nature, and sensitivity requirements, necessitating innovative techniques. Since polysaccharides are common in various biomaterials, a biosensor integrating a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based tension sensor module and carbohydrate-binding modules (FTSM-CBM) has been designed for real-time monitoring of the stress distribution of these biomaterials.

Insights from the single-cell level: lineage trajectory and somatic-germline interactions during spermatogenesis in dwarf surfclam Mulinia lateralis.

Background: Spermatogenesis is a complex process of cellular differentiation that commences with the division of spermatogonia stem cells, ultimately resulting in the production of functional spermatozoa. However, a substantial gap remains in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and key driver genes that underpin this process, particularly in invertebrates. The dwarf surfclam (Mulinia lateralis) is considered an optimal bivalve model due to its relatively short generation time and ease of breeding in laboratory settings.

BTG3 inhibits porcine epidemic diarrhea virus replication by promoting viral S2 protein degradation through the autophagy and proteasome pathways.

BTG3, which belongs to the BTG/Tob gene family, is involved in various physiological processes. Infection with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), an alphacoronavirus, is associated with high mortality rates among piglets, contributing to major economic losses. This study elucidated a novel mechanism through which BTG3 suppresses PEDV replication.

Accuracy of real-time PCR for the detection of paratuberculosis in actual samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Paratuberculosis, an infectious and chronic ailment that affects ruminants, causes significant annual economic losses to the livestock industry. Early diagnosis and prompt culling are the primary measures for controlling this disease, highlighting the need for accurate and rapid diagnostic methods. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of quantitative PCR (qPCR) in the diagnosis of paratuberculosis.

Evaluation of AI-based auto-contouring tools in radiotherapy: A single-institution study.

Background: Accurate delineation of organs at risk (OARs) is crucial yet time-consuming in the radiotherapy treatment planning workflow. Modern artificial intelligence (AI) technologies had made automation of OAR contouring feasible. This report details a single institution's experience in evaluating two commercial auto-contouring software tools and making well-informed decisions about their clinical adoption.

Androgen deficiency-induced loss of Lactobacillus salivarius extracellular vesicles is associated with the pathogenesis of osteoporosis.

Male osteoporosis is primarily caused by a decrease in testicular testosterone production. Male osteoporosis remains a disease with insufficient diagnosis and treatment, and its consequences are severe, especially in older patients. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in its occurrence and development.

Enhancing Cannabichromenic Acid Biosynthesis in .

Cannabichromene (CBC), a valuable but extremely low-abundance component of cannabinoids in L., is known for its ability to promote neurogenesis. The scarcity of CBC in natural is primarily attributed to the inefficiency of the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate/2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4 phosphate (DOXP/MEP) and fatty acid metabolism pathways, along with the limited competitive advantage of cannabichromenic acid synthetase (CBCAS) compared to other cannabinoid synthases.

Evaluation of the therapeutic effects of nebulized inhalation of hydrogen-rich water on primary blast lung injury in C57BL/6 mice.

Background: Primary blast lung injury is a common and severe consequence of explosion events, characterized by immediate and delayed effects such as apnea and rapid shallow breathing. The overpressure generated by blasts leads to alveolar and capillary damage, resulting in ventilation-perfusion mismatch and increased intrapulmonary shunting. This reduces the effective gas exchange area, causing hypoxemia and hypercapnia.