Prevalence of hepatitis E virus in swine in China: a systematic review with meta-analysis (2004-2023).

Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis in humans and recognized as a zoonotic pathogen, with swine serving as a primary reservoir. Despite substantial research, comprehensive analysis encompassing regional variations and pig growth stages within China, as well as the influence of recent biosecurity measures on HEV prevalence, remains limited. In this study, we aim to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with swine HEV in China.

Artificial intelligence assisted identification of newborn auricular deformities via smartphone application.

Background: Auricular deformities are common in newborns and require early diagnosis and timely intervention. Several factors highlight the necessity of a machine learning-based diagnostic solution: the high prevalence of these conditions, the narrow time window for effective non-surgical treatment, limited medical resources, and the importance of both physical and mental well-being. This study presents a novel artificial intelligence (AI) model to identify and classify common sub-types of auricle deformities, using photos taken with mobile devices.

Regulation of nanoparticle exocytosis direction via receptors transfer: A novel strategy to enhance therapeutic efficacy of semaglutide.

Coumaric acid (CA) is a typical nutrient required in relatively high quantities by the body. It has been proved CA could specifically bind to monocarboxylate Transporter-1 (MCT-1) receptors, a transporter protein expressed on the surface of intestinal epithelial cells, to facilitate its cellular uptake. Although our preliminary research demonstrated semaglutide (SEM) loaded CA modified nanoparticles (SEM@CNP) could improve the absorption of SEM to some extent, the oral bioavailability still remained suboptimal owing to the lysosomal degradation.

The Rootstock's Cotyledon-Regulated Fructokinase ClFRK1 Contributes to Graft Union Formation in Watermelon.

Grafting is a traditional horticultural practice that enhances plant resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the influence of specific tissues, such as rootstock cotyledons, on graft union formation is not well understood. This study investigates the impact of rootstock cotyledon removal on graft healing in watermelon and its underlying mechanisms.

-mediated auxin release from rootstock cotyledon contributes to healing in watermelon as revealed by seeds soaking-VIGS and cotyledon grafting.

Grafting is a propagation method extensively utilized in cucurbits. However, the mechanisms underlying graft healing remain poorly understood. This study employed self-grafted watermelon plants to investigate how rootstock cotyledon affects healing.

Stacking-Dependent Correlated Gap and Kondo Peak in the Heterophase Bilayer with Picometer-Level Interlayer Shift.

Two-dimensional heterojunctions provide a versatile platform for exploring various quantum properties. Here, we create bilayer 1T/2H-NbSe heterophase junctions and realize two types of stacking configurations with picometer-level lattice shifts. By high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we found that the electronic states are highly dependent on the stacking configurations of the 1T layer on the 2H one.

Dynamic Graph Representation Learning for Spatio-Temporal Neuroimaging Analysis.

Neuroimaging analysis aims to reveal the information-processing mechanisms of the human brain in a noninvasive manner. In the past, graph neural networks (GNNs) have shown promise in capturing the non-Euclidean structure of brain networks. However, existing neuroimaging studies focused primarily on spatial functional connectivity, despite temporal dynamics in complex brain networks.

Anti-Confounding Hashing: Enhancing Radiological Image Retrieval via Debiased Weighting and Counterfactual Reasoning.

Content-based medical image retrieval (CBMIR) enables physicians to make evidence-based diagnoses by retrieving similar medical images and recalling previous cases stored in databases. However, existing CBMIR models are prone to capturing superficial correlations due to confounding factors such as complex host organs and lesions, imaging discrepancies, artifacts, and inconsistent protocols. To address this issue, we propose a plug-and-play anti-confounding hashing (ACH) method, which uses debiased sample weighting and lesion counterfactual reasoning (LCR) to directly capture the natural direct effect (NDE) of lesions on query medical images without bias.

Comparing between virtual reality based pre-clinical implantation training and traditional learning methods.

Objective: As dental implanting becomes an increasing demand among patients with tooth loss, an efficient and effective training for students is to be necessary. In this case, we anticipate the possible application of virtual reality (VR) technology to pre-clinical implantation training (PCIT) in order to improve the students' learning efficiency and effectiveness.

Methods: The study divided 20 subjects into two groups on average-VR based PCIT (experimental group) and traditional PCIT (control group) with the completion of the background survey (BS) before PCITs, to guarantee no apparent backgroud variation including learning of oral implantology and VR technology, learning habits, interests and hobbies, .

Advances in Oral Biomacromolecule Therapies for Metabolic Diseases.

Metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes are on the rise, and therapies with biomacromolecules (such as proteins, peptides, antibodies, and oligonucleotides) play a crucial role in their treatment. However, these drugs are traditionally injected. For patients with chronic diseases (e.

Genetic and Iatrogenic Defects in Peripheral Tolerance Associated with Anti-Nephrin Antibody-Associated Minimal Change Disease.

Introduction: Minimal change disease (MCD) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and adults. Immune dysregulation is a contributor, but the relative roles of individual components of the immune system in MCD pathogenesis remain unclear.

Case Presentation: Here, we present 2 patients with defects in immune tolerance mechanisms that developed MCD associated with anti-nephrin antibodies.

DARS2 Promotes Bladder Cancer Progression by Enhancing PINK1-Mediated Mitophagy.

Globally, bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer. Mitophagy, a critical process regulating mitochondrial quantity and quality, has attracted increasing attention for its pivotal function in cancer. Nonetheless, its roles and underlying mechanisms in bladder cancer are yet to be elucidated.

Enhancement Effect of Low-Frequency Raman Modes in Graphene Nanoscrolls.

Graphene nanoscrolls (GNSs) are unique structures with interlayer coupling modes distinct from those in graphene and carbon nanotubes, exhibiting potential physical properties yet to be explored. Here we investigated the low-frequency Raman modes in GNSs formed from 1 to 3 layer graphene (1-3LG). The results of the Raman spectroscopy show that both shear (C) and layer breathing (LB) modes have appeared in monolayer graphene nanoscrolls (1L-GNSs), although these modes never exist in the flat 1LG.

Intercellular NETwork-facilitated sarcoplasmic reticulum targeting for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury treatment.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) often leads to irreversible myocardium dysfunction, while existing therapies are palliatives that transiently alleviate the disease symptoms. Repairing sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA) could reverse MIRI, which, however, requires precise drug delivery to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). To this end, we leverage cell-cell "NETwork" of neutrophils to deliver SERCA activator-loaded SR-localized nanoparticles (L-P-NPs) to the damaged myocardial cells, following a hierarchical targeting process: (i) chemotactic neutrophils deliver L-P-NPs to ischemia-reperfused heart, achieving tissue level targeting; (ii) neutrophils produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to transport L-P-NPs to injured myocardial cell, achieving cellular level targeting; (iii) L-P-NPs escort therapeutic payloads to the SR, achieving subcellular targeting.

Artificial intelligence links CT images to pathologic features and survival outcomes of renal masses.

Treatment decisions for an incidental renal mass are mostly made with pathologic uncertainty. Improving the diagnosis of benign renal masses and distinguishing aggressive cancers from indolent ones is key to better treatment selection. We analyze 13261 pre-operative computed computed tomography (CT) volumes of 4557 patients.

Effectiveness of the 2023-to-2024 XBB.1.5 COVID-19 Vaccines Over Long-Term Follow-up : A Target Trial Emulation.

Background: Monovalent COVID-19 vaccines targeting the XBB.1.5 Omicron variant were introduced in September 2023.

Identifying adverse nodal features associated with poor prognosis in stage IB nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients based on the 9th AJCC/UICC staging system: Implications for treatment intensification.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify adverse lymph node (LN) features, specifically LN necrosis (LNN) and matted nodes (MNs), for the prediction of poor outcomes in stage IB nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients according to the 9th edition of the AJCC/UICC staging system (TNM-9), with the ultimate goal of refining patient stratification and tailoring more individualized treatments.

Materials: NPC patients classified as stage IB according to the TNM-9 staging system between January 2017 and December 2019 at our institution were candidates for this study. Baseline MRI assessments focusing on LNN and MNs were performed.

Severity and Long-Term Mortality of COVID-19, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Importance: SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) contribute to many hospitalizations and deaths each year. Understanding relative disease severity can help to inform vaccination guidance.

Objective: To compare disease severity of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV among US veterans.

Recurrent events modeling based on a reflected Brownian motion with application to hypoglycemia.

Patients with type 2 diabetes need to closely monitor blood sugar levels as their routine diabetes self-management. Although many treatment agents aim to tightly control blood sugar, hypoglycemia often stands as an adverse event. In practice, patients can observe hypoglycemic events more easily than hyperglycemic events due to the perception of neurogenic symptoms.

Enhanced degradation of sulfamethoxazole in water by biochar loading and multiple free and non-free radicals cooperating in the FeS@BC/PS system.

The excessive consumption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a pharmaceutical antibiotic, poses significant environmental hazards. The FeS-persulfate (FeS-PS) system has been employed for SMX remediation because of its excellent performance. However, FeS tends to agglomerate and become passivated, negatively impacting its activation performance.

Whole-genome resequencing landscape of adaptive evolution in Relict gull (Larus relictus).

Background: The relict gull (Larus relictus, Charadriiformes, Laridae) classified as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List is defined as a first-class national protected bird in China. However, our knowledge of the evolutionary history of L. relictus is limited.

Histone lactylation regulates PRKN-Mediated mitophagy to promote M2 Macrophage polarization in bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa), particularly muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), is associated with poor prognosis, partly because of immune evasion driven by M2 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of M2 macrophage polarization via PRKN-mediated mitophagy and histone lactylation (H3K18la) is crucial for improving treatment strategies.

Methods: A single-cell atlas from 46 human BCa samples was constructed to identify macrophage subpopulations.

Consensus representation of multiple cell-cell graphs from gene signaling pathways for cell type annotation.

Background: Recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing have greatly expanded our knowledge of the heterogeneous nature of tissues. However, robust and accurate cell type annotation continues to be a major challenge, hindered by issues such as marker specificity, batch effects, and a lack of comprehensive spatial and interaction data. Traditional annotation methods often fail to adequately address the complexity of cellular interactions and gene regulatory networks.