Long-term health benefit and economic return of time in range (TIR) improvement in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Time in range (TIR) is an important metric to measure variability of blood glucose levels. The aim is to quantify the long-term health benefits and economic return associated with improved TIR for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Method: A Markov model with three states (T2D, T2D with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death) estimated 20-year medical costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) gained and CVD risk under four TIR scenarios: >85%, 71%-85%, 51%-70% and ≤50%.

Interactions of metal-based nanozymes with aptamers, from the design of nanozyme to its application in aptasensor: Advances and perspectives.

Nanozymes, characterized by enzyme-like activity, have been extensively used in quantitative analysis and rapid detection due to their small size, batch fabrication, and ease of modification. Researchers have combined aptamers, an emerging molecular probe, with nanozymes for biosensing to address the limited reaction specificity of nanozymes. Nanozyme aptasensors are currently experiencing significant growth, offering a promising solution to the lack of rapid detection methods across various fields.

A Novel Organophosphate Ester, Tris(2,4-di-butylphenyl) Phosphate, Induced Reproductive Toxicity in Male Zebrafish at Environmentally Relevant Concentrations.

As a novel organophosphate ester (NOPE), tris(2,4-di-butylphenyl) phosphate (TDtBPP) has attracted significant attention due to its unexpectedly high detection in natural environments. However, the ecological toxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of TDtBPP in organisms remain entirely unknown. In this study, 1 month old zebrafish were exposed to 0, 50, 500, or 5000 ng/L TDtBPP for 150 days, and the reproductive toxicity in male fish was evaluated.

Comparison of surgical results and technical performance between robotic and laparoscopic approaches for Kasai portoenterostomy in biliary atresia: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Many variables, including age at surgery, disease type, surgical approaches and perioperative management factors have been demonstrated to influence efficacy in BA infants, however, the effect of surgical performance remains unclear. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare the postoperative efficacy and surgical performance of robotic (RKPE) versus laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (LKPE) for BA.

Methods: Between October 2018 and June 2023, 158 type III BA patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (RKPE = 66, LKPE = 92) were included in this multicenter retrospective study.

A Dual Effect Additive Modified Electrolyte Strategy to Improve the Electrochemical Performance of Zinc-Based Prussian Blue Analogs Energy Storage Device.

Prussian blue analogs (PBA) exhibit excellent potential for energy storage due to their unique three-dimensional open framework and abundant redox active sites. However, the dissolution of transition metal ions in water can compromise the structural integrity of PBAs, leading to significant issues such as low cycle life and capacity decay. To address these challenges, we proposed a dual-effect additive-modified electrolyte method to alleviate such issues, introducing sodium ferrocyanide (NaFe(CN)) into aqueous alkaline electrolytes.

Effective Antitumor Synergistic Treatment with Fiber-Photothermal Therapy and Heat Shock Protein Inhibitors.

Effective treatment of malignant tumors remains a thorny issue in current medicine. As a new type of anticancer strategy, photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted tremendous attention due to its favorable therapeutic effectiveness, high spatial-temporal controllability, and low occurrence of side effects. However, the efficacy of PTT is significantly reduced due to the limited penetration of light and heat-induced overexpression of heat shock protein (Hsp).

Optimization of nitrogen-doped sludge char preparation and mechanism study for catalytic oxidation of NO at room temperature.

Catalytic oxidation of NO at room temperature was carried out over nitrogen (N)-doped sludge char (SC) prepared from pyrolysis of municipal sewage sludge, and urea was adopted as nitrogen source. The effects of different N-doping methods (one-step and two-step method), dried sludge (DS)/urea mass ratios (5:1, 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, and 1:1), SC preparation procedures (pyrolysis only, pyrolysis with acid washing, and pyrolysis with KOH activation and acid washing), and different pyrolysis temperatures (500, 600, 700, and 800°C) on the catalytic oxidation of NO were compared to optimize the procedure for SC preparation. The results indicated that N-doping could obviously promote the catalytic performance of SC.

Fiber-optic drug delivery strategy for synergistic cancer photothermal-chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is one of the conventional treatments for cancer in clinical practice. However, poor delivery efficiency, systemic toxicity, and the lack of pharmacokinetic monitoring during treatment are the critical limitations of current chemotherapy. Herein, we reported a brand-new antitumor drug delivery strategy that harnesses an optical fiber endoscopically therapeutic probe.

Process, advances, and perspectives of graphene oxide-SELEX for the development of aptamer molecular probes: A comprehensive review.

Background: Aptamers are screened via the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and are widely used in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies. The development of efficient and convenient SELEX technology has facilitated rapid access to high-performance aptamers, thereby advancing the aptamer industry. Graphene oxide (GO) serves as an immobilization matrix for libraries in GO-SELEX, making it suitable for screening aptamers against diverse targets.

An integrated network pharmacology and molecular docking approach to reveal the role of Arctigenin against Cutibacterium acnes-induced skin inflammation by targeting the CYP19A1.

Acne caused by inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands is a common chronic skin disease. Arctigenin (ATG) is an extract of Arctium lappa L., which has significant anti-inflammatory effects.

Gut microbiota regulates gut homeostasis, mucosal immunity and influences immune-related diseases.

The intestinal microbiome constitutes a sophisticated and massive ecosystem pivotal for maintaining gastrointestinal equilibrium and mucosal immunity via diverse pathways. The gut microbiota is continuously reshaped by multiple environmental factors, thereby influencing overall wellbeing or predisposing individuals to disease state. Many observations reveal an altered microbiome composition in individuals with autoimmune conditions, coupled with shifts in metabolic profiles, which has spurred ongoing development of therapeutic interventions targeting the microbiome.

Electricity generated by upstream proton diffusion in two-dimensional nanochannels.

The movement of ions along the pressure-driven water flow in narrow channels, known as downstream ionic transport, has been observed since 1859 to induce a streaming potential and has enabled the creation of various hydrovoltaic devices. In contrast, here we demonstrate that proton movement opposing the water flow in two-dimensional nanochannels of MXene/poly(vinyl alcohol) films, termed upstream proton diffusion, can also generate electricity. The infiltrated water into the channel causes the dissociation of protons from functional groups on the channel surface, resulting in a high proton concentration inside the channel that drives the upstream proton diffusion.

Identification of risk factors of Long COVID and predictive modeling in the RECOVER EHR cohorts.

Background: SARS-CoV-2-infected patients may develop new conditions in the period after the acute infection. These conditions, the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, or Long COVID), involve a diverse set of organ systems. Limited studies have investigated the predictability of Long COVID development and its associated risk factors.

Real-World Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir in Protecting Long COVID for Outpatient Adult Patients - A Large-Scale Observational Cohort Study from the RECOVER Initiative.

Paxlovid has been approved for use in patients who are at high risk for severe acute COVID-19 illness. Evidence regarding whether Paxlovid protects against Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or Long COVID, is mixed in high-risk patients and lacking in low-risk patients. With a target trial emulation framework, we evaluated the association of Paxlovid treatment within 5 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection with incident Long COVID and hospitalization or death from any cause in the post-acute period (30-180 days after infection) using electronic health records from the Patient-Centered Clinical Research Networks (PCORnet) RECOVER repository.

Action and therapeutic targets of myosin light chain kinase, an important cardiovascular signaling mechanism.

The global incidence of cardiac diseases is increasing, imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden on healthcare systems. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is complex and not fully understood, and the physiological function of the heart is inextricably linked to well-regulated cardiac muscle movement. Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) is essential for myocardial contraction and diastole, cardiac electrophysiological homeostasis, vasoconstriction of vascular nerves and blood pressure regulation.

Hospice Readmission, Hospitalization, and Hospital Death Among Patients Discharged Alive from Hospice.

Importance: Transitions in care settings following live discharge from hospice care are burdensome for patients and families. Factors contributing to risk of burdensome transitions following hospice discharge are understudied.

Objective: To identify factors associated with 2 burdensome transitions following hospice live discharge, as defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Application of a data continuity prediction algorithm to an electronic health record-based pharmacoepidemiology study.

Background And Objectives: Use of algorithms to identify patients with high data-continuity in electronic health records (EHRs) may increase study validity. Practical experience with this approach remains limited.

Methods: We developed and validated four algorithms to identify patients with high data continuity in an EHR-based data source.

A comprehensive review of aptamer screening and application for lateral flow strip: Current status and future perspectives.

The detection of biomarkers is of great significance for medical diagnosis, food safety, environmental monitoring, and agriculture. However, bio-detection technology at present often necessitates complex instruments, expensive reagents, specialized expertise, and prolonged procedures, making it challenging to fulfill the demand for rapid, sensitive, user-friendly, and economical testing. In contrast, lateral flow strip (LFS) technology offers simple, fast, and visually accessible detection modality, allowing real-time analysis of clinical specimens, thus finding widespread utility across various domains.

Dual-Targeted Novel Temozolomide Nanocapsules Encapsulating siPKM2 Inhibit Aerobic Glycolysis to Sensitize Glioblastoma to Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy of glioblastoma (GBM) has not yielded success due to inefficient blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and poor glioma tissue accumulation. Aerobic glycolysis, as the main mode of energy supply for GBM, safeguards the rapid growth of GBM while affecting the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, to effectively inhibit aerobic glycolysis, increase drug delivery efficiency and sensitivity, a novel temozolomide (TMZ) nanocapsule (ApoE-MT/siPKM2 NC) is successfully designed and prepared for the combined delivery of pyruvate kinase M2 siRNA (siPKM2) and TMZ.

A capillary-aided microfiber Bragg grating pH sensor for hydrovoltaic technology.

Hydrovoltaic is an emerging technology that aims to harvest energy from water flow and evaporation, in which the plasmonic hydrogen ions are generated by the interaction between water and hydrovoltaic device. However, the volume of the water sample for the interaction is usually ultra-small due to the compact size of hydrovoltaic device, making the quantification and characterization of the hydrogen ions in such water sample an elusive goal. To address this issue, a miniature fiber-optic pH probe is proposed using a unilaterally tapered-microfiber Bragg grating.

Deciphering the Roles of Interfacial Amino Acids in Inter-Protein Charge Transport.

Elucidating charge transport (CT) through proteins is critical for gaining insights into ubiquitous CT chain reactions in biological systems and developing high-performance bioelectronic devices. While intra-protein CT has been extensively studied, crucial knowledge about inter-protein CT via interfacial amino acids is still absent due to the structural complexity. Herein, by loading cytochrome (Cyt ) on well-defined peptide self-assembled monolayers to mimic the protein-protein interface, we provide a precisely controlled platform for identifying the roles of interfacial amino acids in solid-state CT via peptide-Cyt junctions.

Parametric Design of Porous Structure and Optimal Porosity Gradient Distribution Based on Root-Shaped Implants.

Porous structures can reduce the elastic modulus of implants, decrease stress shielding, and avoid bone loss in the alveolar bone and aseptic loosening of implants; however, there is a mismatch between yield strength and elastic modulus as well as biocompatibility problems. This study aimed to investigate the parametric design method of porous root-shaped implants to reduce the stress-shielding effect and improve the biocompatibility and long-term stability and effectiveness of the implants. Firstly, the porous structure part was parametrically designed, and the control of porosity gradient distribution was achieved by using the fitting relationship between porosity and bias and the position function of bias.