Association of Albumin-To-Creatinine Ratio With Diabetic Retinopathy Among US Adults (NHANES 2009-2016).

Objective: This study investigates the relationship between the albumin-to-creatinine ratio and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in US adults using NHANES data from 2009 to 2016. This study assesses the predictive efficacy of the urinary serum albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR/SACR Ratio) against traditional biomarkers such as the serum albumin-to-creatinine ratio (SACR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) for evaluating DR risk. Additionally, the study explores the potential of these biomarkers, both individually and in combination with HbA1c, for early detection and risk stratification of DR.

Zinc Combined with Metformin Corrects Zinc Homeostasis and Improves Steroid Synthesis and Semen Quality in Male Type 2 Diabetic Mice by Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

Male infertility is a common complication of diabetes. Diabetes leads to the decrease of zinc (Zn) content, which is a necessary trace element to maintain the normal structure and function of reproductive organs and spermatogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin combined with zinc on testis and sperm in diabetic mice.

TRPV4 as a Novel Regulator of Ferroptosis in Colon Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Targeting.

Background: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a calcium-permeable non-selective cation channel, has been implicated in various cancers, including COAD. This study investigates the role of TRPV4 in colon adenocarcinoma and elucidates its potential mechanism via the ferroptosis pathway.

Role of immune cell homeostasis in research and treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction Recently, immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) have become crucial in regulating cancer progression and treatment responses. The dynamic interactions between tumors and immune cells are emerging as a promising strategy to activate the host's immune system against various cancers. The development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involve complex biological processes, with the role of the TME and tumor phenotypes still not fully understood.

Development of Electrospinning Setup for Vascular Tissue-Engineering Application with Thick-Hierarchical Fiber Alignment.

Background: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge.

Methods: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring.

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Development of Adolescent Risk-Taking: The Mediating Effect of Self-Control and Moderating Effect of Genetic Variations.

Risk-taking is a concerning yet prevalent issue during adolescence and can be life-threatening. Examining its etiological sources and evolving pathways helps inform strategies to mitigate adolescents' risk-taking behavior. Studies have found that unfavorable environmental factors, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), are associated with momentary levels of risk-taking in adolescents, but little is known about whether ACEs shape the developmental trajectory of risk-taking.

Alterations of amino acids in older adults with Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia.

Metabolomics provide a promising tool for understanding dementia pathogenesis and identifying novel biomarkers. This study aimed to identify amino acid biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Vascular Dementia (VD). By amino acid metabolomics, the concentrations of amino acids were determined in the serum of AD and VD patients as well as age-matched healthy controls.

IL-35 modulates Tfh2 and Tfr cell balance to alleviate allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the upper respiratory tract, characterized by abnormal initiation of the immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated cascade. Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and regulatory T (Tfr) cells are pivotal in orchestrating the development of IgE production in AR patients. IL-35, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, secreted by various cellular subpopulations.

Development and Validation of KCPREDICT: A Deep Learning Model for Early Detection of Coronary Artery Lesions in Kawasaki Disease Patients.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a febrile vasculitis disorder, with coronary artery lesions (CALs) being the most severe complication. Early detection of CALs is challenging due to limitations in echocardiographic equipment (UCG). This study aimed to develop and validate an artificial intelligence algorithm to distinguish CALs in KD patients and support diagnostic decision-making at admission.

Machine learning-based assessment of morphometric abnormalities distinguishes bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) have overlapping clinical presentations which may make it difficult for clinicians to distinguish them potentially resulting in misdiagnosis. This study combined structural MRI and machine learning techniques to determine whether regional morphological differences could distinguish patients with BD and MDD.

Methods: A total of 123 participants, including BD (n = 31), MDD (n = 48), and healthy controls (HC, n = 44), underwent high-resolution 3D T1-weighted imaging.

Multicenter study of thermal ablation versus partial thyroidectomy for paratracheal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of patients with unifocal paratracheal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) after thermal ablation (TA) vs. partial thyroidectomy (PT).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included 436 patients with unifocal, clinical N0 paratracheal PTMC who underwent TA (210 patients) or PT (236 patients) between June 2014 and December 2020.

Combination of Fe-O Species and Fe-O-Zr Bonds Empowers FeO Nanoclusters Anchored on UiO-66 Robust HS-Selective Catalytic Oxidation Performance.

The low sulfur selectivity of Fe-based HS-selective catalytic oxidation catalysts is still a problem, especially at a high O content. This is alleviated here through anchoring FeO nanoclusters on UiO-66 via the formation of Fe-O-Zr bonds. The introduced FeO species exist in the form of Fe and Fe.

Molecular Insights into the Control Mechanism of the Solid-Liquid Interface Interaction on Shale Oil Occurrence: Grand Canonical Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Investigation.

The strong solid-liquid interaction leads to the complicated occurrence characteristics of shale oil. However, the solid-liquid interface interaction and its controls of the occurrence state of shale oil are poorly understood on the molecular scale. In this work, the adsorption behavior and occurrence state of shale oil in pores of organic/inorganic matter under reservoir conditions were investigated by using grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.

Epigenome-wide association study of perceived discrimination in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Perceived discrimination, recognized as a chronic psychosocial stressor, has adverse consequences on health. DNA methylation (DNAm) may be a potential mechanism by which stressors get embedded into the human body at the molecular level and subsequently affect health outcomes. However, relatively little is known about the effects of perceived discrimination on DNAm.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Lentinus edodes Polysaccharides Extracted with Subcritical Water Enhanced with Deep Eutectic Solvent.

The Lentinus edodes polysaccharide (LEP) was extracted with a new subcritical water extraction (SWE) enhanced with deep eutectic solvent (DES) method and then purified with a DEAE-52 cellulose column and a Sephadex G-100 column. Two purified polysaccharides (LEP1 and LEP2) were obtained and their structure, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulatory activity were analyzed. LEP1 and LEP2 were composed of mannose, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 1:12.

Efficient Nitrate to Ammonia Conversion on Bifunctional IrCu Alloy Nanoparticles.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NORR) to ammonia presents a promising alternative strategy to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. However, the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) reduces the Faradaic efficiency toward ammonia, while the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) increases the energy consumption. This study designs IrCu alloy nanoparticles as a bifunctional catalyst to achieve efficient NORR and OER while suppressing the unwanted HER.

Exciton Emission Enhancement in Two-Dimensional Monolayer Tungsten Disulfide on a Silicon Substrate via a Fabry-Pérot Microcavity.

Exciton emitters in two-dimensional monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a boulevard for the emerging optoelectronic field, ranging from miniaturized light-emitting diodes to quantum emitters and optical communications. However, the low quantum efficiency from limited light-matter interactions and harmful substrate effects seriously hinders their applications. In this work, we achieve a ∼438-fold exciton photoluminescence enhancement by constructing a Fabry-Pérot cavity consisting of monolayer WS and a micron-scale hole on the SiO/Si substrate.

Foldable, Stretchable, Superelastic, and Tunable Wettability Aramid Nanofiber Aerogels for Efficient Thermal Insulation and Oil-Water Separation.

Aerogels hold great potential in thermal insulation, catalytic supports, adsorption, and separation, due to their low density, high porosity, and low thermal conductivity. However, their inherent mechanical fragility and limited control functionality pose substantial challenges that hinder their practical use. In this study, a strategy is developed for the fabrication of cross-linked aramid nanofiber aerogels (cANFAs) by combining internanofiber surface cross-linking with ice-templating techniques.

Prediction of pre-eclampsia using maternal hemodynamic parameters at 12 + 0 to 15 + 6 weeks.

Objectives: To compare the maternal hemodynamic profile at 12 + 0 to 15 + 6 weeks' gestation in women who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia (PE) and those who did not, and to assess the screening performance of maternal hemodynamic parameters for PE in combination with the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) triple test, including maternal factors (MF), mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery pulsatility index and placental growth factor.

Methods: This was a prospective case-control study involving Chinese women with a singleton pregnancy who underwent preterm PE screening at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks' gestation using the FMF triple test, between February 2020 and February 2023. Women identified as being at high risk (≥ 1:100) for preterm PE by the FMF triple test were matched 1:1 with women identified as low risk (< 1:100) for maternal age ± 3 years, maternal weight ± 5 kg and date of screening ± 14 days.

X-ray Responsive Antioxidant Drug-Free Hydrogel for Treatment of Radiation Skin Injury.

Radiotherapy (RT) is widely applied in tumor therapy, but inevitable side effects, especially for skin radiation injury, are still a fatal problem and life-threatening challenge for tumor patients. The main components of topical radiation protection preparations currently available on the market are antioxidants, such as SOD, which are limited by their unstable activity and short duration of action, making it difficult to achieve the effects of radiation protection and skin radiation damage treatment. Therefore, we designed a drug-free antioxidant hydrogel patch with encapsulated bioactive epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the treatment of radiation skin injury.

Ultrasmall Au-GRHa Nanosystem for FL/CT Dual-Mode Imaging-Guided Targeting Photothermal Therapy of Ovarian Cancer.

As the most common and lethal cancer of the female gonads, ovarian cancer (OC) has a grave impact on people's health. OC is asymptomatic, insidious in onset, difficult to diagnose and treat, fast-growing, and easy to metastasize and has poor prognosis and high mortality. How to detect OC as early as possible and treat it without side effects has become a challenging medical problem.

Guest-Molecule-Induced Glass-Crystal Transition in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Antimony Halides.

The glassy state of inorganic-organic hybrid metal halides combines their excellent optoelectronic properties with the outstanding processability of glass, showcasing unique application potential in solar devices, display technologies, and plastic electronics. Herein, by tailoring the organic cation from -phenylpiperazine to dimethylamine gradually, four types of zero-dimensional antimony halides are obtained with various optical and thermal properties. The guest water molecules in crystal (-phenylpiperazine)SbCl·Cl·5HO lead to the largest distortion of the Sb-halogen unit, resulting in the red emission different from the yellow emission of other compounds.

Data-Driven Discovery of High-Performance Heterobilayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenide-Based Sliding Ferroelectrics.

The development of efficient sliding ferroelectric (FE) materials is crucial for advancing next-generation low-power nanodevices. Currently, most efforts focus on homobilayer two-dimensional materials, except for the experimentally reported heterobilayer sliding FE, MoS/WS. Here, we first screened 870 transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayer heterostructures derived from experimentally characterized monolayer TMDs and systematically investigated their sliding ferroelectric behavior across various stacking configurations using high-throughput calculations.