Cryo-EM reveals mechanisms of natural RNA multivalency.

Homo-oligomerization of biological macromolecules leads to functional assemblies that are critical to understanding various cellular processes. However, RNA quaternary structures have been rarely reported. Comparative genomics analysis has identified RNA families containing hundreds of sequences that adopt conserved secondary structures and likely fold into complex three-dimensional (3D) structures.

Power-free knee rehabilitation robot for home-based isokinetic training.

Robot-assisted isokinetic training has been widely adopted for knee rehabilitation. However, existing rehabilitation facilities are often heavy, bulky, and extremely energy-consuming, which limits the rehabilitation opportunities only at designated hospitals. In this study, we introduce a highly integrated and lightweight (52 kg) knee rehabilitation robot that can provide home-based isokinetic training without external power.

Efficacy of Selective Nerve Root Block for Different Types of Lumbar Disc Herniation: Study Protocol for a Single-Blind, Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of low back pain and radiculopathy. Selective Nerve Root Block (SNRB) has been widely used as a treatment for LDH; however, its efficacy across different types of LDH remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of SNRB in treating various LDH subtypes, classified according to the Michigan State University (MSU) classification system, and to explore its potential as a safe and minimally invasive percutaneous treatment option.

Janus hydrogel microrobots with bioactive ions for the regeneration of tendon-bone interface.

Regenerating natural gradients of the tendon‒bone interface (TBI) is a major challenge in the reconstruction of rotator cuff tear (RCT). In this study, magnetic Janus hydrogel microrobots to match the TBI orientation during RCT reconstruction surgery are developed via a biofriendly gas-shearing microfluidic platform. Through separate loading of Mg and Zn, the microrobots facilitate the immediate restoration and long-term maintenance of the natural mineral gradient in the TBI after implantation and alignment through magnetic manipulation.

The impact of emotional abuse on Internet addiction in Chinese children: the sequential mediation roles of emotional dysregulation and regulatory emotional self-efficacy.

Background: In China, emotional abuse and Internet addiction are increasingly prevalent among children, with significant negative effects on their development. Previous research has identified childhood emotional abuse as a major risk factor for Internet addiction in both adolescents and adults. However, the immediate impact of emotional abuse on children's Internet addiction within Chinese culture remains unclear.

The heterogeneity of T cell infiltration in human periapical lesions.

Objectives: T lymphocytes (T cells) are crucial important types of immune cells which are responsible for adaptive immune response during the progression of bacterial infectious diseases. Different subtypes of T cells can participate in regulating the progress of human periapical lesions. This study investigates the co-localization of different types of T cells by multiplex immunofluorescence staining (mIHC) from different types of human periapical lesions (PLs) which might elucidate the potential clinical relevance of T cell infiltration with PLs.

A biodegradable and restorative peripheral neural interface for the interrogation of neuropathic injuries.

Monitoring the early-stage healing of severe traumatic nerve injuries is essential to gather physiological and pathological information for timely interventions and optimal clinical outcomes. Traditional diagnostic methods relying on physical examinations, imaging tools, and intraoperative electrophysiological testing present great challenges in continuous and remote monitoring. While implantable peripheral nerve interfaces provide direct access to nerve fibers for precise interrogation and modulation, conventional non-degradable designs pose limited utilization in nerve injury rehabilitation.

Effect and mechanism of Sanqi () in treating periodontitis.

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of Sanqi () in treating periodontitis.

Methods: The active components and periodontitis targets were analyzed through network pharmacology and molecular docking. A rat model of periodontitis was established and rats were treated by continuous intragastric administration of Sanqi () at different doses for 30 d.

The association between age and acute pain sensitivity in patients with Herpes Zoster.

Herpes zoster has a well-established increased incidence in older adults, but the relationship between age and acute pain severity remains less clear. This retrospective study aimed to explore the association between age and pain intensity in Herpes zoster patients. A total of 613 patients treated at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were included.

Sideroflexin family genes were dysregulated and associated with tumor progression in prostate cancers.

Sideroflexin (SFXN) family genes encode for a group of mitochondrial proteins involved in cellular processes such as iron homeostasis, amino acid metabolism, and energy production. Recent studies showed that they were aberrantly expressed in certain human cancers. However, there is a paucity of information about their expression in prostate cancer.

Structural basis of circularly permuted group II intron self-splicing.

Circularly permuted group II introns (CP introns) consist of rearranged structural domains separated by two tethered exons, generating branched introns and circular exons via back-splicing. Structural and mechanistic understanding of circular RNA (circRNA) generation by CP introns remains elusive. We resolve cryo-electron microscopy structures of a natural CP intron in different states during back-splicing at a resolution of 2.

Ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral injection of dexamethasone palmitate combined with ropivacaine for the treatment of thoracic herpes zoster-related pain: protocol for a prospective, randomized controlled, single-center study.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) patients often experience herpes zoster-associated pain (ZAP). Thoracic paravertebral nerve block has been proven effective in relieving ZAP and reducing the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Compared to dexamethasone, dexamethasone palmitate (DXP) has stronger anti-inflammatory effects, a longer duration of action, and fewer adverse reactions.

Angiotensin II: A novel biomarker in vascular diseases.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS), composed mainly of renin, angiotensin, and aldosterone, is a key endocrine pathway involved in cardiovascular activity regulation. Under physiological conditions, the RAS plays a vital role in water and salt metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and electrolyte balance. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is the most important active component of the RAS, and its receptors are concentrated in vascular, pulmonary, cardiac, and renal tissues in vivo.

A lightweight prosthetic hand with 19-DOF dexterity and human-level functions.

A human hand has 23-degree-of-freedom (DOF) dexterity for managing activities of daily living (ADLs). Current prosthetic hands, primarily driven by motors or pneumatic actuators, fall short in replicating human-level functions, primarily due to limited DOF. Here, we develop a lightweight prosthetic hand that possesses biomimetic 19-DOF dexterity by integrating 38 shape-memory alloy (SMA) actuators to precisely control five fingers and the wrist.

Revisiting Dipole-Induced Fluorinated-Anion Decomposition Reaction for Promoting a LiF-Rich Interphase in Lithium-Metal Batteries.

Building anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with enriched LiF is considered the most promising strategy to address inferior safety features and poor cyclability of lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, we discover that, instead of direct electron transfer from surface polar groups to bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) for inducing a LiF-rich SEI, the dipole-induced fluorinated-anion decomposition reaction begins with the adsorption of Li ions and is highly dependent on their mobility on the polar surface. To demonstrate this, a single-layer graphdiyne on MXene (sGDY@MXene) heterostructure has been successfully fabricated and integrated into polypropylene separators.

Resolving spatially distinct phytohormone response zones in Arabidopsis thaliana roots colonized by Fusarium oxysporum.

Jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET) and salicylic acid (SA) are the three major phytohormones coordinating plant defense responses, and all three are implicated in the defense against the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. However, their distinct modes of action and possible interactions remain unknown, in part because all spatial information on their activity is lacking. Here, we set out to probe this spatial aspect of plant immunity by using live-microscopy with newly developed fluorescence-based transcriptional reporter lines.

Phytochlorin-Based Sonosensitizers Combined with Free-Field Ultrasound for Immune-Sonodynamic Cancer Therapy.

Phytochlorins, a class of plant-derived tetrapyrroles, show great potential as sonosensitizers in sonodynamic therapy (SDT). The development of new phytochlorin-based sonosensitizers has significantly improved SDT, yet the absence of specialized sonodynamic systems limits their clinical translation. Herein, a dedicated ultrasound system along with a detailed step-by-step sonodynamic process from in vitro to in vivo is developed to activate phytochlorin-based sonosensitizers.

Biochemical characterization of the catalytic domain from a novel hyperthermophilic β-glucanase and its application for KOS production.

Konjac oligosaccharide (KOS) exhibits various biological activities, and hyperthermophilic β-glucanases offer many advantages for KOS production from konjac glucanmannan (KGM). In this study, a novel β-glucanase, EG003, belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase (GH) subfamily 5_1, was predicted from the genome of the a Thermus strain. The recombinant EG003 and its catalytic domain, EG003A, were successfully expressed and characterized.

N-Doped Carbon Nanodots as Temperature Sensors and Fluorescent Probes for the Detection of Tinidazole in Milk.

In this study, nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots (N-CDs) with temperature and fluorescence sensing were prepared via hydrothermal method using L-lysine and ethylenediamine as precursors. The synthesized N-CDs exhibited spherical morphology with sizes ranging from 2.8 to 5.

Longitudinal relations among online social activities, peer relationship problems, and well-being in children: The moderating effect of extraversion.

Prior research has predominantly examined the relations between online social activities (OSA) and mental health among adolescents and adults, with comparatively less emphasis placed on children, particularly concerning positive indicators of subjective health, such as well-being. The relations between OSA and well-being are likely intricate and necessitate meticulously designed methodologies to investigate the associations and their underlying mechanisms. This longitudinal study employed the random intercept cross-lagged panel models to explore the dynamic relations between OSA and well-being, considering peer relationship problems as a potential mediator and extraversion as a moderator of the associations, while distinguishing between- and within-person effects.

Comparative transcriptome analysis identified genes involved in testicular development in Takifugu rubripes.

To identify candidate genes and pathways involved in testicular development in Takifugu rubripes, a comparative transcription analysis was conducted across the various developmental stages of the testis (stages II to V). A total of 9520 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among the different stages, and they were significantly clustered into six clusters (P < 0.05).

Comprehensive assessment of the safety of bisphenol A and its analogs based on multi-toxicity tests in vitro.

As substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol analogs (BPs) have raised concerns due to their frequent environmental detection and unclear safety. Here, the cytotoxicity, endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity, and genotoxicity of nine BPs and BPA were evaluated in three types of cell lines. Over half of the tested BPs exhibited greater cytotoxicity than BPA, with IC50 values showing a linear correlation with Log (R²=0.

The assessment of sports performance by grip pressure using flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors in seven sports events.

Flexible micro-sensors have significant application potential in the field of sports performance evaluation. The aim of this study is to assess sports performance by grip pressure using a MMSS sensor (MXene as the sensitive material and melamine sponge as the substrate, a type of flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor). The grip pressures of expert and amateur players are evaluated in single skills events (golf, billiards, basketball, javelin and shot put) and in skills conversion (badminton and tennis).

Analysis of the influencing mechanism of low-frequency alternating magnetic field-assisted freezing on oxidative and structural attributes of pork myofibrillar proteins based on proteomic changes.

Using quantitative proteomics, the study investigated the effects of low-frequency alternating magnetic field-assisted freezing (LF-MFF) on the oxidative status and structural integrity of porcine myofibrillar proteins (MPs). LF-MFF, especially at 3 mT (LF-MFF-3) and 4 mT (LF-MFF-4), significantly reduced MPs' oxidation compared to refrigerator freezing (RF) (P < 0.05).