Soybean β-conglycinin-debranched starch flexible nano-conjugates: Focus on formation mechanism and physicochemical characteristics.

This study developed soybean 7S globulin-debranched starch (DBS) nano-conjugates via glycation to investigate the impact of DBS on 7S's physicochemical properties and the effect of different globulin-to-starch ratios on the conjugates. The results showed that 7S-DBS nano-conjugates with a 5:1 ratio had the smallest particle size (189.92 nm), lowest PDI (0.

Numerical investigation on the penetration process of steel casings in riprap environment of estuarine mudflats.

The widespread distribution of riprap in estuarine mudflats has brought significant challenges to the penetration construction of steel casings. To reveal the effects of casing length, diameter and wall thickness on the stress and deformation, as well as the deformation characteristics and mechanical behaviors of the steel casing during the sinking process, the paper utilizes finite element method to construct a three-dimensional numerical model of the collision between steel casings and riprap in mudflat. The research results indicate that longer steel casing has better crushing effect on the riprap, smoother deflection curve of the casing body and smaller deformation at the casing end under the same casing diameter and wall thickness conditions.

Performance Improvement for Discretely Modulated Continuous-Variable Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution with Imbalanced Modulation.

The modulation mode at the transmitters plays a crucial role in the continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI-QKD) protocol. However, in practical applications, differences in the modulation schemes between two transmitters can inevitably impact protocol performance, particularly when using discrete modulation with four-state or eight-state formats. This work primarily investigates the effect of imbalanced modulation at the transmitters on the security of the CV-MDI-QKD protocol under both symmetric and asymmetric distance scenarios.

Association of memory function with COVID-19 outcomes in adults aged 50 years and older: Analysis of three prospective cohorts.

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia are at increased risk for COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. However, no study has examined whether memory function is associated with COVID-19 outcomes in general older adults.

Methods: Data were obtained from SHARE (the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), HRS (the Health and Retirement Study), and ELSA (the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing), three prospective and representative cohorts of non-institutionalized adults aged 50 years and older in 25 European countries plus Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, respectively.

The suture effect of butterfly suture combined with the looped, broad, and deep buried suture in patients with pigmented naevus receiving surgery excision.

This study aims to explore the suture effectiveness of butterfly suture combined the looped, broad, and deep buried suture (butterfly tension-reducing suture) in patients with pigmented naevus. A retrospective analysis of patients with pigmented naevus from January 2021 to December 2022 were performed. Patients were divided into: (1) control group that received routine suture; (2) observation group receiving butterfly tension-reducing suture.

Association between rs4673 and blood pressure response to acute saline infusion in Chinese population.

This study investigated the relationship between rs4673 of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase p22PHOX gene and blood pressure (BP) response to acute salt loading in a Chinese population diagnosed with essential hypertension. An acute salt loading test was performed using 2 L of normal saline (NS) infused over 4 hours. BP and heart rate were recorded immediately after NS infusion and hourly for the next 3 hours.

Monitoring investigation on impact of pile-based PV modules on several typical environmental elements in coastal mudflat intertidal zone.

With the construction of large photovoltaic modules in the intertidal zone, their impact on the environment has attracted people's attention. The paper took the first large-scale power generation project of "fishery-PV complementary" in the coastal mudflat intertidal zone of China as the research object and studied several typical environmental factors through on-site monitoring. The study results indicate that the average and maximum wind speeds in non-PV areas are more than twice that of PV areas.

Dual-modal radiomics ultrasound model to diagnose cervical lymph node metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a two-center study.

Objectives: To establish and validate a dual-modal radiomics nomogram from grayscale ultrasound and color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) of cervical lymph nodes (LNs), aiming to improve the diagnostic accuracy of metastatic LNs in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).

Methods: DTC patients with suspected cervical LNs in two medical centers were retrospectively enrolled. Pathological results were set as gold standard.

Electrochemical In Situ Characterization Techniques in the Field of Energy Conversion.

With the proposal of the "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" goals, the utilization of renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, and tidal energy has garnered increasing attention. Consequently, the development of corresponding energy conversion technologies has become a focal point. In this context, the demand for electrochemical in situ characterization techniques in the field of energy conversion is gradually increasing.

Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors in Aging and Aging-Related Diseases: Clinical Applications and Relevant Mechanisms.

Aging is a complex and universal process marked by gradual functional declines at the cellular and tissue levels, often leading to a range of aging-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Delaying the aging process can help prevent, slow down, and alleviate the severity of these various conditions, enhancing overall health and well-being. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) are a class of widely used antidiabetic drugs that inhibit alpha-glucosidase in the small intestinal mucosa, delaying carbohydrate absorption and reducing postprandial hyperglycemia.

Dapagliflozin improves diabetic kidney disease by inhibiting ferroptosis through β-hydroxybutyrate production.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Sodium-glucose cotransporter protein 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are antihyperglycemic agents that provide additional renal-protective effects in patients with DKD, independent of their glucose-lowering effects. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Advances of NAT10 in diseases: insights from dual properties as protein and RNA acetyltransferase.

N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) is a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) family and it plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, such as regulation of cell mitosis, post-DNA damage response, autophagy and apoptosis regulation, ribosome biogenesis, RNA modification, and other related pathways through its intrinsic protein acetyltransferase and RNA acetyltransferase activities. Moreover, NAT10 is closely associated with the pathogenesis of tumors, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), systemic lupus erythematosus, pulmonary fibrosis, depression and host-pathogen interactions. In recent years, mRNA acetylation has emerged as a prominent focus of research due to its pivotal role in regulating RNA stability and translation.

Associations Between the Polymorphisms in the Coding Sequence of SLCO1B1 and Blood Lipid Levels Before and After Treatment by Atorvastatin in the Chinese Han Adults with Dyslipidemia.

Purpose: Atorvastatin is commonly used to treat dyslipidemia; however, individual responses vary considerably. This study endeavors to evaluate the relationship between polymorphisms in the coding sequence (CDS) of SLCO1B1 gene and blood lipid levels before and after atorvastatin treatment among the Chinese Han adults with dyslipidemia.

Patients And Methods: A total of 165 Chinese Han adults undergoing atorvastatin therapy were enrolled in this study and followed up quarterly.

GLP-1/GIP dual agonist tirzepatide normalizes diabetic nephropathy via PI3K/AKT mediated suppression of oxidative stress.

Background: Effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN) with irreversible deterioration of renal function are currently lacking. In this study, we aimed to investigate the ability of the glucagon-likepeptide-1 (GLP-1)/ gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) dual agonist, tirzepatide to alleviate DN in mice and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: We investigated the reno-protective effect of semaglutide and tirzepatide in a mouse model of DN, an insulin-treated positive control group was also included.

Recurrence and influencing factors of hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance induced by peginterferon alpha-based regimens.

Background: The long-term stability of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance following peginterferon alpha (peg-IFN-α)-based therapy has not been extensively studied, leaving the full potential and limitations of this strategy unclear.

Aim: To assess HBsAg recurrence after seroclearance achieved by peg-IFN-α regimens.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted from November 2015 to June 2021 at three Chinese hospitals: The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Ankang Central Hospital, and The Affiliated Hospital of Yan'an University.

Experimental investigation on heat and moisture transfer of propylene glycol-mixed steam in porous media.

Propylene glycol (PG)-mixed steam enhanced extraction is a promising remediation technique for removing semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from the unsaturated zone. However, the mechanisms of heat and moisture transfer during PG-mixed steam injection remain unclear. In this study, a 2D experimental system was developed to enable non-invasive monitoring of the spatio-temporal distribution of temperature and degree of saturation during steam injection into porous media.

Unraveling the Intricacies of Curiosity: A Comprehensive Study of Its Measures in the Chinese Context.

Curiosity, as the strong desire to acquire new information, plays a crucial role in human behaviors. While recent research has delved into the effects, behavioral manifestations, and neural underpinnings of curiosity, the absence of standardized assessment tools for measuring curiosity may hinder advancements in this field. Here, we translated different curiosity scales into Chinese and tested each translated scale by examining its reliability and structural validity.

Ubiquitination and Metabolic Disease.

The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in the past decade is a serious concern worldwide. Disruption of cellular protein homeostasis has been considered as a crucial contributor to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. To maintain protein homeostasis, cells have evolved multiple dynamic and self-regulating quality control processes to adapt new environmental conditions and prevent prolonged damage.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Tenecteplase Before Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Multicenter, Randomized, BRIDGE-TNK Trial Protocol.

Background: Six randomized trials have not detected a difference between intravenous alteplase plus endovascular thrombectomy and endovascular thrombectomy alone in stroke. Tenecteplase, a recombinant human tenecteplase tissue-type plasminogen activator, is a genetically modified variant of alteplase. It is unclear whether the outcomes are different if alteplase is replaced with tenecteplase.

Percutaneous External Fixation of Redistributed Orbital Fat in Transcutaneous Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty.

Background: Although percutaneous external fixation has gained popularity in transconjunctival blepharoplasty due to its simplicity and minimal incision, internal fixation remains the standard approach in transcutaneous blepharoplasty.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous external fixation specifically in transcutaneous fat repositioning blepharoplasty.

Methods: A consecutive cohort of 97 patients underwent this surgical technique between May 2022 and December 2023.