Body fat distribution and semen quality in 4304 Chinese sperm donors.

Extensive studies have identified potential adverse effects on semen quality of obesity, based on body mass index, but the association between body fat distribution, a more relevant indicator for obesity, and semen quality remains less clear. We conducted a longitudinal study of 4304 sperm donors from the Guangdong Provincial Human Sperm Bank (Guangzhou, China) during 2017-2021. A body composition analyzer was used to measure total and local body fat percentage for each participant.

Tannic acid-modified FK506-loaded nanoparticles targeting lymph nodes for acute heart transplant rejection treatment.

Significant efforts have been made to deliver immunosuppressants-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) to lymph nodes (LNs) to mitigate transplant rejection. However, conventional administration techniques encounter challenges in enhancing the retention of NPs in the LNs. Attributing the strong affinity of tannic acid (TA) molecules to the elastin of LN conduits, we developed a novel formulation of NPs encapsulating Tacrolimus (FK506), and subsequently modified with TA to produce TA-FNP with a final diameter of approximately 86.

The Arabidopsis heterotrimeric G protein α subunit binds to and inhibits the inward rectifying potassium channel KAT1.

In animal cells, Gα subunit of the heterotrimeric G proteins can bind to both the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of G-protein-activated inwardly rectifying K channels (GIRKs) to inhibit their activities. In Arabidopsis guard cells, the Gα subunit GPA1 mediates multiple stimuli-regulated stomatal movements via inhibiting guard cell inward-rectifying K (K) current, but it remains unclear whether GPA1 directly interacts with and inhibits the activities of K channels. Here, we found that GPA1 interacted with the transmembrane domain rather than the intracellular domain of the Shaker family K channel KAT1.

Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) Alleviate Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Regulating the Cholinergic-miRNA 124 Pathway.

Objective: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IIRI) is common in a variety of critical diseases and acute stress, and acupuncture is a promising treatment for IIRI. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST36) in improving IIRI from the perspective of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) and miRNA 124.

Methods: Seven groups of mice were performed: Control group, I/R group (IIRI model), EA group (I/R + EA), miRNA mimic group (I/R + EA + miRNA 124 mimic), miRNA inhibitor group (I/R + EA + miRNA 124 inhibitor), PNU group (I/R + EA + α7nAChR agonist), and MLA group (I/R + EA+ α7nAChR antagonist).

The critical role of education in shaping nurses' attitudes and intentions towards neonatal palliative care: A network analysis.

Background: Neonatal palliative care is an essential component of comprehensive neonatal care; however, its implementation remains challenging worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries due to limited resources, cultural barriers, and lack of training.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the structural characteristics of neonatal nurses' attitudes towards neonatal palliative care and their intention to provide such care using network analysis to identify key influencing factors and interrelationships.

Design: A multi-center cross-sectional study.

Neuronal diversity and stereotypy at multiple scales through whole brain morphometry.

We conducted a large-scale whole-brain morphometry study by analyzing 3.7 peta-voxels of mouse brain images at the single-cell resolution, producing one of the largest multi-morphometry databases of mammalian brains to date. We registered 204 mouse brains of three major imaging modalities to the Allen Common Coordinate Framework (CCF) atlas, annotated 182,497 neuronal cell bodies, modeled 15,441 dendritic microenvironments, characterized the full morphology of 1876 neurons along with their axonal motifs, and detected 2.

Development of a core outcome set for neonatal septic shock management: a study protocol.

Background: Neonatal septic shock represents a critical and life-threatening condition that necessitates immediate and personalized interventions. Prior research endeavors have been undertaken to inform the optimization of neonatal septic shock management, yet substantial heterogeneity prevails in the selection, measurement, and reporting of outcomes across relevant studies. The heterogeneity in outcome selections and measures impedes the comparability of results and the synthesis of evidence, thus contributing to suboptimal utilization of research findings.

FTH1P8 induces and transmits docetaxel resistance by inhibiting ferroptosis in prostate cancer.

Overcoming docetaxel resistance remains a significant challenge in the management of prostate cancer. Previous studies have confirmed a link between ferroptosis and the development of docetaxel resistance. This study revealed that docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells presented increased FTH1P8 expression compared with docetaxel-sensitive cells.

[Effects of Meteorological Conditions in Summer and Early Autumn on PM and O Pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Surrounding Areas].

PM pollution remains prominent in autumn, whereas O pollution gradually manifests in summer. To understand the dual high characteristics and meteorological effects of PM and O in the summer and early autumn of 2021 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and surrounding areas, the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of PM and O concentrations, as well as meteorological conditions, subtropical high index, and weather situation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and surrounding areas were analyzed. The results showed that PM concentration and DPO （O daily maximum 8h mean minus O concentration at 06：00） from June to September 2021 decreased compared with those in the same period in 2020 and 2022, and high concentrations were mainly occurring in June.

Short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter constituents and myocardial infarction mortality.

Short-term ambient fine particulate matter (PM) exposure has been related to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) death, but which PM constituents are associated with MI death and to what extent remain unclear. We aimed to explore the associations of short-term exposure to PM constituents with MI death and evaluate excess mortality. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study on 237,492 MI decedents in Jiangsu province, China during 2015-2021.

Association between body mass index and semen quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The continuous decline of human semen quality during the past decades has drawn much concern globally. Previous studies have suggested a link between abnormal BMI and semen quality decline, but the results remain inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and semen quality.

[Prognostic Factors Affecting Recurrence in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Patients with Different HDAC Levels].

Objective: To analyze the distribution characteristics of prognostic factors affecting recurrence in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) patients with different levels of histone deacetylase (HDAC) based on latent class analysis.

Methods: 112 PTCL patients who were treated in our hospital from September 2012 to September 2019 were selected and divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group. The clinical data of the two groups of patients were compared.

Effect of acupuncture on tic disorder: a randomized controlled clinical trial based on energy metabolomics and infrared thermography.

Background: Acupuncture is a method for treating tic disorder. However, there is a lack of sufficient clinical objective basis in regards of its treatment efficacy. Indeed, there are structural abnormalities present in energy metabolism and infrared thermography in children with tic disorder.

Association of short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and ozone with outpatient visits for anxiety disorders: A hospital-based case-crossover study in South China.

Background: The short-term adverse effects of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O) on anxiety disorders (ADs) remained inconclusive.

Methods: We applied an individual-level time-stratified case-crossover study, which including 126,112 outpatient visits for ADs during 2019-2021 in Guangdong province, China, to investigate the association of short-term exposure to PM and O with outpatient visits for ADs, and estimate excess outpatient visits in South China. Daily residential air pollutant exposure assessments were performed by extracting grid data (spatial resolution: 1 km × 1 km) from validated datasets.

The effect of oral motor intervention with different initiation times to improve feeding outcomes in preterm infants: protocol for a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Background: Premature infants commonly encounter difficulties with oral feeding, a complication that extends hospital stays, affects infants' quality of life, and imposes substantial burdens on families and society. Enhancing preterm infants' oral feeding skills and facilitating their transition from parenteral or nasal feeding to full oral feeding pose challenges for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) healthcare professionals. Research indicates that oral motor interventions (OMIs) can enhance preterm infants' oral feeding capabilities and expedite the transition from feeding initiation to full oral feeding.

Eco-Friendly and Self-Sanitizing Microporous Cellulose Sponge (MCS)-Based Cooling Media for Mitigating Microbial Cross-Contamination in the Food Cold Chain.

Maintaining precise temperature control is vital for cold chain food transport, as temperature fluctuations can cause significant food safety and quality issues. During transport, ice that melts can promote the growth of microbes and their spread, resulting in microbial cross-contamination. This study developed sustainable, non-melting, self-sanitizing "ice cubes" using food grade compositions including microporous cellulose sponges (MCS) and photosensitizers, aimed at enhancing temperature regulation and minimizing microbial contamination in the cold chain.

Alleviating Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Stress: A Chinese Medicine Approach in Neonatal Rats.

Background: Premature infants are exposed to numerous stressors in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during a crucial period for brain development; this period exerts long-term influences on cognitive and behavioral development.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of NICU-related stress on neonatal rat pups and explore the effect of Chinese medicine treatment (CMT).

Methods: Sixty male rat pups were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group, the NICU group (NICU-related stress), and the CMT group (NICU-related stress plus CMT).

Assessment of whole-body and regional body fat using abdominal quantitative computed tomography in Chinese women and men.

Background: Being overweight or obese has become a serious public health concern, and accurate assessment of body composition is particularly important. More precise indicators of body fat composition include visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass and total body fat percentage (TBF%). Study objectives included examining the relationships between abdominal fat mass, measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and the whole-body and regional fat masses, measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), as well as to derive equations for the prediction of TBF% using data obtained from multiple QCT slices.