Global, regional, and national burden of tobacco-related neurological disorders from 1990 to 2021: Trends and future projections.

Introduction: Tobacco use is as a major public health concern around the world, adversely impacting quality of life. Our study aims to analyze the trends in the burden of tobacco-related neurological disorders (ND) at global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2021, as well as potential future trends.

Methods: We performed a secondary dataset analysis for the assessment of mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, to explore the burden of tobacco-related ND.

An integrated optimization strategy by Joule heating technique enabling rapid fabrication of robust LiAlTi(PO) solid-state electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

The advancement of high-energy-density and intrinsically safe all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) is crucial for the comprehensive electrification of energy consumption. Nevertheless, intrinsic defects in solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) and suboptimal interfacial contacts often lead to uncontrolled dendritic growth during practical battery operation. To address these challenges, this study proposes an integrated optimization strategy for bulk-phase defects and interfacial contacts of LiAlTi(PO) (LATP) SSEs based on ultra-fast Joule heating sintering (UHS) technique.

Toroidal dipole resonances enhanced second-harmonic generation with shallow etching of lithium niobate metasurface.

Lithium niobate (LiNbO) has shown great potential for applications in nonlinear metasurfaces, thanks to its large second-order nonlinear coefficients and high integration capabilities. Optical resonances play a crucial role in further enhancing the nonlinear optical responses of LiNbO metasurfaces (LNMS). In this study, both numerically and experimentally, we designed and fabricated a metasurface structure that supports toroidal dipole (TD) resonance to enhance second-harmonic generation (SHG).

Degradation of perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex promotes extinction and reduces reinstatement of methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in female mice.

The high rate of relapse to compulsive methamphetamine (MA)-taking and seeking behaviors after abstinence constitutes a major obstacle to the treatment of MA addiction. Perineuronal nets (PNNs), essential components of the extracellular matrix, play a critical role in synaptic function, learning, and memory. Abnormalities in PNNs have been closely linked to a series of neurological diseases, such as addiction.

Cyclic negative pressure promotes chondrocyte growth: Association of IGF-2 with EGR-1.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common degenerative joint diseases in the elderly worldwide. The primary lesion in patients with KOA is the degeneration of articular cartilage. This study aimed to observe the biological effects of cyclic negative pressure on C28/I2 chondrocytes and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Perinatal prevalence of birth defects in the Mainland of China, 2000-2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Although birth defects are of great concern globally, the latest national prevalence has not yet been quantified in China. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the perinatal prevalence of birth defects in the Mainland of China between 2000 and 2021.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature search of six databases for relevant articles published between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2023.

Change from low to out-of-season epidemics of influenza in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: A time series study.

Nonpharmaceutical interventions to limit the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic might reduce the transmission of influenza viruses and disrupt the typical seasonality of influenza. However, changes in epidemiology and seasonal patterns of influenza remain unknown in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on influenza-like illness (ILI) and influenza cases between surveillance Week 14 in 2010 and Week 6 in 2023 and ILI outbreaks between Week 14 in 2013 and Week 6 in 2023 were collected from the weekly reports of the Chinese National Influenza Center.

Application of weighted gene co-expression network and immune infiltration for explorations of key genes in the brain of elderly COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: Although many studies have demonstrated the existing neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients, the mechanisms are not clear until now. This study aimed to figure out the critical molecular and immune infiltration situations in the brain of elderly COVID-19 patients.

Methods: GSE188847 was used for the differential analysis, WGCNA, and immune infiltration analysis.

Poly(I:C)-induced maternal immune activation causes elevated self-grooming in male rat offspring: Involvement of abnormal postpartum static nursing in dam.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is closely related to the onset of autism-like behaviors in offspring, but the mechanism remains unclear. Maternal behaviors can influence offspring's development and behaviors, as indicated in both human and animal studies. We hypothesized that abnormal maternal behaviors in MIA dams might be other factors leading to delayed development and abnormal behaviors in offspring.

Duration of viable virus shedding and polymerase chain reaction positivity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the upper respiratory tract: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the duration of viable virus shedding and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the upper respiratory tract.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science for original articles reporting the duration of viable virus shedding and PCR positivity of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in the upper respiratory tract from November 11, 2021 to December 11, 2022. This meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022357349).

Regeneration of NCM622 from end-of-life lithium-ion battery cathode materials.

The boom of the electric vehicle industry significantly aggravates the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), especially the ternary cathode materials, however, the majority of end-of-life (EOL) LIBs on the market are batteries utilized in customer electronics. Here, we utilized the mixed EOL LIBs from cell phones and laptops to manufacture the LiNiCo0MnO (NCM622) cathode material. A feasible, high efficiency (99.

Impact of COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the Influenza Epidemic in China: A Time Series Study.

. COVID-19 prevention and control measures might affect influenza epidemic in China since the nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and behavioral changes contain transmission of both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus. We aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 prevention and control measures on influenza using data from the National Influenza Surveillance Network.

Global Excess Mortality during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Currently, reported COVID-19 deaths are inadequate to assess the impact of the pandemic on global excess mortality. All-cause excess mortality is a WHO-recommended index for assessing the death burden of COVID-19. However, the global excess mortality assessed by this index remains unclear.

The global trends and regional differences in incidence of Zika virus infection and implications for Zika virus infection prevention.

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has potential result in severe birth effects. An improved understanding of global trend and regional differences is needed.

Methods: Annual ZIKV infection episodes and incidence rates were collected from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Incubation Period of COVID-19 Caused by Unique SARS-CoV-2 Strains: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Several studies were conducted to estimate the average incubation period of COVID-19; however, the incubation period of COVID-19 caused by different SARS-CoV-2 variants is not well described.

Objective: To systematically assess the incubation period of COVID-19 and the incubation periods of COVID-19 caused by different SARS-CoV-2 variants in published studies.

Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect were searched between December 1, 2019, and February 10, 2022.

Engineering Plasmonic Environments for 2D Materials and 2D-Based Photodetectors.

Two-dimensional layered materials are considered ideal platforms to study novel small-scale optoelectronic devices due to their unique electronic structures and fantastic physical properties. However, it is urgent to further improve the light-matter interaction in these materials because their light absorption efficiency is limited by the atomically thin thickness. One of the promising approaches is to engineer the plasmonic environment around 2D materials for modulating light-matter interaction in 2D materials.

Effects of sludge retention time, carbon and initial biomass concentrations on selection process: From activated sludge to polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulating cultures.

Four sequence batch reactors (SBRs) fed by fermented sugar cane wastewater were continuously operated under the aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) mode with different configurations of sludge retention time (SRT), carbon and initial biomass concentrations to enrich polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulating mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) from municipal activated sludge. The stability of SBRs was investigated besides the enrichment performance. The microbial community structures of the enriched MMCs were analyzed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP).

Efficient polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulation by a new continuous feeding mode in three-stage mixed microbial culture (MMC) PHA production process.

A new continuous feeding mode was developed to optimize the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) accumulation step in the three-stage PHAs production process by mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) using mixed volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as substrate. The continuous feeding assays under low biomass loading rate (BLR) (in the range of 3.5-5.

A new method for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulating bacteria selection under physical selective pressure.

An aerobic dynamic discharge (ADD) process involving physical selective pressure to favor the accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) accumulating bacteria in microbial mixed cultures (MMCs) is proposed and evaluated in this study. Sequencing batch reactor PHA production in the ADD mode was compared to the conventional aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) mode. Results showed that the cultures selected under the ADD mode showed a better PHA producing potential than ADF mode cultures in terms of both maximum PHA content and selection time, explained by altered physical selective pressure.

Safety evaluation of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LC-01, a probiotic bacterium.

The safety of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LC-01 was evaluated for its use as a potential probiotic. In our in vitro study, the antibiotic resistance and the ability to produce biogenic amine were determined.

[Influence of substrate concentration on PHA production using fermented sugar cane as substrate].

PHA was a kind of biodegradable polymer produced by mixed microorganisms. In recent years, 3-stage PHA synthesis process (including substrate hydrolysis, culture selection, and PHA synthesis) was commonly used for PHA production. In this kind of process, culture selection is the key stage, which directly affects the PHA production efficiency.