A ZnO-nanorod/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite functionalized bridge-like membrane type nanomechanical sensing device for ultrasensitive blood lead detection.

Lead (Pb) ion detection poses a critical problem, particularly in environmental monitoring, industrial operations, and public health, especially for young children and expecting women. Determining lead levels in blood early on is essential to minimizing the long-term consequences of lead exposure. Several sophisticated detection instruments, such as mass spectrometers which perform with high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, but require a lab-based setting, multi-step sample preparation, expensive payment and professional operation.

Association between oxidative balance scores and all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: data from the national health and nutrition examination survey (2007-2018).

Background: Oxidative Balance Scores (OBS) is composite measures that assess the balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant factors in an individual's diet and lifestyle. Evidence on OBS and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in diabetic patients is scarce. This study investigates the potential association between OBS and CVD-prevalence and all-cause and CVD-related mortality in adult diabetic patients.

Ultrasomics in liver cancer: Developing a radiomics model for differentiating intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) represent the predominant histological types of primary liver cancer, comprising over 99% of cases. Given their differing biological behaviors, prognoses, and treatment strategies, accurately differentiating between HCC and ICC is crucial for effective clinical management. Radiomics, an emerging image processing technology, can automatically extract various quantitative image features that may elude the human eye.

Robust inference for causal mediation analysis of recurrent event data.

Recurrent events, including cardiovascular events, are commonly observed in biomedical studies. Understanding the effects of various treatments on recurrent events and investigating the underlying mediation mechanisms by which treatments may reduce the frequency of recurrent events are crucial tasks for researchers. Although causal inference methods for recurrent event data have been proposed, they cannot be used to assess mediation.

Albumin and C-reactive protein as diagnostic markers for neonatal sepsis: a retrospective study.

Objective: To assess the applicability of albumin (ALB) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in the diagnosis of sepsis in neonates on the day of admission, and to help with early identification and intervention in the development of sepsis.

Methods: This retrospective study included all neonates who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from January 2020 to June 2023. We studied 160 full-term neonates, including 80 with sepsis and 80 healthy controls.

Delayed Commissuroplasty Increases Interincisal Distance in Buccogingival Cancer Patients Treated with Free Flap Reconstruction of the Oral Commissure.

Background:  Oral cavity cancers requiring excision of the oral commissure and free flap reconstruction often requires commissuroplasty to manage oral incontinence. We aimed to evaluate the implications of primary versus delayed commissuroplasty on drooling, and interincisal distance outcomes in this cohort.

Methods:  A retrospective query of head and neck cancer patients operated by a single surgeon from 2017 to 2020 was performed.

Unravelling the mechanisms of underweight in Parkinson's disease by investigating into the role of gut microbiome.

Approximately half of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) suffer from unintentional weight loss and are underweight, complicating the clinical course of PD patients. Gut microbiota alteration has been proven to be associated with PD, and recent studies have shown that gut microbiota could lead to muscle wasting, implying a possible role of gut microbiota in underweight PD. In this study, we aimed to (1) investigate the mechanism underlying underweight in PD patients with respect to gut microbiota and (2) estimate the extent to which gut microbiota may mediate PD-related underweight through mediation analysis.

Analyzing COVID-19 and Air Pollution Effects on Pediatric Asthma Emergency Room Visits in Taiwan.

(1) Background: An asthma exacerbation that is not relieved with medication typically requires an emergency room visit (ERV). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Taiwan in January of 2020. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric ERVs in Taiwan was limited.

Lysine acetyltransferase 6A maintains CD4 T cell response via epigenetic reprogramming of glucose metabolism in autoimmunity.

Augmented CD4 T cell response in autoimmunity is characterized by extensive metabolic reprogramming. However, the epigenetic molecule that drives the metabolic adaptation of CD4 T cells remains largely unknown. Here, we show that lysine acetyltransferase 6A (KAT6A), an epigenetic modulator that is clinically associated with autoimmunity, orchestrates the metabolic reprogramming of glucose in CD4 T cells.

Alleviate Periodontitis and Its Comorbidity Hypertension using a Nanoparticle-Embedded Functional Hydrogel System.

Periodontitis and hypertension often occur as comorbidities, which need to be treated at the same time. To resolve this issue, a controlled-release composite hydrogel approach is proposed with dual antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities as a resolution to achieve the goal of co-treatment of comorbidities. Specifically, chitosan (CS) with inherent antibacterial properties is cross-linked with antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) to form a dual antibacterial hydrogel (CS-PA).

Bone-targeting delivery of platelet lysate exosomes ameliorates glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis by enhancing bone-vessel coupling.

Background: Glucocorticoids (GCs) overuse is associated with decreased bone mass and osseous vasculature destruction, leading to severe osteoporosis. Platelet lysates (PL) as a pool of growth factors (GFs) were widely used in local bone repair by its potent pro-regeneration and pro-angiogenesis. However, it is still seldom applied for treating systemic osteopathia due to the lack of a suitable delivery strategy.

Revealing the novel autophagy-related genes for ligamentum flavum hypertrophy in patients and mice model.

Background: Fibrosis is a core pathological factor of ligamentum flavum hypertrophy (LFH) resulting in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Autophagy plays a vital role in multi-organ fibrosis. However, autophagy has not been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of LFH.

The combination of experimental periodontitis and oral microbiota from periodontitis patients aggravates liver fibrosis in mice.

Aim: Periodontitis (PD) is the sixth most prevalent disease around the world and is involved in the development and progression of multiple systemic diseases. Previous studies have reported that PD may aggravate liver injuries. The objective of this study was to investigate whether and how PD affects liver fibrosis.

Periodontitis Salivary Microbiota Aggravates Ischemic Stroke Through IL-17A.

Although epidemiological studies suggest that periodontitis is tightly associated with ischemic stroke, its impact on ischemic stroke and the underlysing mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that alteration in gut microbiota composition influences the outcomes of ischemic stroke. In the state of periodontitis, many oral pathogenic bacteria in the saliva are swallowed and transmitted to the gut.

Gamma-oryzanol alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration development by intercepting the IL-1β/NLRP3 inflammasome positive cycle.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal disorder characterized by a local inflammatory response associated with the IL-1β/NLRP3 inflammasome positive feedback loop. Rice bran-derived gamma-oryzanol (Ory) as a sterol ferulate has attracted much attention due to its powerful anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic health effects. As a clinical pharmaceutical for autonomic disorders, Ory's role in musculoskeletal degenerative disease remains unknown.

IgA nephropathy treatment with traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common primary glomerular disease that leads to end-stage renal disease with poor therapy efficacy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective in the treatment of IgAN and has the potential to become an alternative treatment for IgAN. Professor Yan-Qin Zou is a nephropathy expert, a National Chinese Medicine Master, and an heir to the Menghe School of Medicine.

Macrophage Nuclear Receptor Corepressor 1 Deficiency Protects Against Ischemic Stroke in Mice.

Microglia/macrophage activation plays an essential role in Ischemic stroke (IS). Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) has been identified as a vital regulator in macrophages. The present study aims to explore the functions of macrophage NCoR1 in IS.

[function of the patients' male partners].

Objective: To investigate the sexual behavior and sexual function of the male partners of breast cancer patients and their potential relationship with socio-demographic and clinical variables.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted an investigation among 196 male partners (aged 23－59 years) of breast cancer patients between May 2020 and October 2020. We completed the Male Sexual Function Questionnaire (BSFI) by online and telephone interview with the subjects and collected relevant socio-demographic and clinical variables.

ZIC-cHILIC-Based StageTip for Simultaneous Glycopeptide Enrichment and Fractionation toward Large-Scale N-Sialoglycoproteomics.

Alterations of protein glycosylation are closely related with pathophysiological regulation. Due to the structural macro- and microheterogeneity, low stoichiometry, and low ionization efficiency of glycopeptides, high-performance tools to enrich glycopeptides, especially the negatively charged and labile sialoglycopeptides, are essential to enhance the identification of the underexplored glycoproteome. Here, we present the first implementation of zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography with the exposed choline group (ZIC-cHILIC) in StageTip for simultaneous enrichment and fractionation of intact glycopeptides.

[Nitrite Regulation During Start-up of Combined Partial Nitritation and ANAMMOX Process].

Two types of full-scale reactors(SBR, 116.6 m, activated sludge process; SBBR, 64.8 m, activated sludge and biofilm process) were inoculated with activated sludge from a swine wastewater treatment plant.

Maslinic acid prevents IL-1β-induced inflammatory response in osteoarthritis via PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathways.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by destruction of articular cartilage. The inflammatory response is the most important factor affecting the disease process. As interleukin-1β (IL-1β) stimulates several key mediators in the inflammatory response, it plays a major role in the pathogenesis of OA.

Correction to: SNCG promotes the progression and metastasis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer via targeting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.