Optimized Intravenous Injection in Adult Zebrafish.

Intravenous (IV) injection is widely recognized as the most effective and commonly utilized method for achieving systemic delivery of substances in mammalian research models. However, its application in adult zebrafish for drug delivery, stem cell transplantation, and regenerative and cancer studies has been limited due to the challenges posed by their small body size and intricate blood vessels. To overcome these limitations, alternative injection techniques such as intracardiac and retro-orbital (RO) injection have been explored in the past for stem cell transplantation in adult zebrafish.

Short-term outcomes of robot-assisted versus conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy: A propensity score-matched study via a nationwide database.

Background: The advantages of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RA-MIE) over conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy (C-MIE) are unknown. This nationwide large-scale study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between RA-MIE and C-MIE using rigorous propensity score methods, including detailed covariates and relevant outcomes.

Methods: This Japanese nationwide retrospective cohort study included RA-MIE or C-MIE for esophageal malignant tumors performed between October 2018 and December 2019 and registered in the Japanese National Clinical Database.

Sang-Bai-Pi extract and its constituent regiafuran C ameliorate renal fibrosis through TGF-β/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

Background: Renal fibrosis is a major pathological feature of many chronic kidney diseases, and traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) have shown promising therapeutic potential for treating renal fibrosis. Although the extracts or fractions of Morus alba leaves and twigs have been reported to ameliorate renal fibrosis, the beneficial effects of M. alba root bark (commonly known as Sang-Bai-Pi), a well-known TCM, on this disorder have not been investigated.

The effectiveness of randomized controlled psychosocial interventions on body image among nonclinical women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Women are vulnerable to body image disturbances, prompting numerous interventions to improve their body image. However, a systematic review and meta-analysis of such interventions is lacking. This study reviewed interventions designed to enhance body image among nonclinical women and quantified their effectiveness.

The relationships between positive/negative metacognitions and Internet gaming disorder among Chinese adult gamers: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence.

Previous research investigating Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in China involved mainly youth samples despite the large population of adult gamers. Drawing on the self-regulatory executive function model, this study aimed to demonstrate the psychometric robustness of negative and positive gaming-specific metacognitions assessed by the short-form Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale (MOGS; Study 1). Then, Study 2 aimed to explore bidirectional associations between these two factors of the MOGS and IGD among a broad age spectrum of Chinese adult gamers.

Microbiota analysis of perimenopausal women experiencing recurrent vaginitis in conjunction with urinary tract infection.

Background: Recurrent vaginitis in conjunction with urinary tract infection (RV/UTI) in perimenopausal women is a common clinical condition that impacts both doctors and patients. Its pathogenesis is not completely known, but the urogenital microbiota is thought to be involved. We compared the urogenital and gut microbiotas of perimenopausal women experiencing RV/UTI with those of age-matched controls to provide a new microbiological perspective and scheme for solving clinical problems.

Ionically crosslinked composite gels containing amine-functionalized CoFeO nanoparticles as a bioactive and pH-responsive drug delivery system.

Composite gels are a type of soft matter, which contains a continuous three-dimensional crosslinked network and has been embedded with non-gel materials. Compared to pure gels, composite gels show high flexibility and tunability in properties and hence have attracted extensive interest in applications ranging from cancer therapy to tissue engineering. In this study, we incorporated triethylenetetramine (TETA)-functionalized cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (ANPs) into a hydrogel consisting of sodium alginate (SA) and methyl cellulose (MC), and examined the resulting composite gels for controlled drug release.

Diamide insecticides in PM: The unreported rural and urban air pollutants.

The broad application of various pesticides guarantees the development of agriculture all over the word but has ultimately led to their ubiquitous release into the environment as hazardous chemical residues. Diamide insecticides (DAIs) are regarded as new choice for prevention and protection of agricultural crops and city landscaping plants from the pests in more and more countries. However, their presence in fine particulate matter (PM) and associated health risks have not been studied.

Real-world evidence for passive video-based cardiac monitoring from smartphones used by patients with a history of AF.

Passive cardiac monitoring has become synonymous with wearable technologies, necessitating patients to incorporate new devices into their daily routines. While this requirement may not be a burden for many, it is a constraint for individuals with chronic diseases who already have their daily routine. In this study, we introduce an innovative technology that harnesses the front-facing camera of smartphones to capture pulsatile signals discreetly when users engage in other activities on their device.

Acquired cystic kidney disease in children with kidney failure.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, contributing factors, and clinical outcomes of acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD) in children undergoing kidney replacement therapy (KRT).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, territory-wide study at the designated pediatric nephrology center in Hong Kong. ACKD was defined as the presence of ≥ 3 cysts in the native kidneys, excluding congenital or hereditary cystic diseases.

The interactive use of augmented reality for educating the elderly on common age-related eye disease.

Background: The prevalence of age-related eye disorders is increasing with the aging of the global population. Community-based visual health education for the elderly has become a crucial intervention. With the advancement of technology, the application of extended reality (XR), such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), in health education has become more popular.

Personalized, autologous neoantigen-specific T cell therapy in metastatic melanoma: a phase 1 trial.

New treatment approaches are warranted for patients with advanced melanoma refractory to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) or BRAF-targeted therapy. We designed BNT221, a personalized, neoantigen-specific autologous T cell product derived from peripheral blood, and tested this in a 3 + 3 dose-finding study with two dose levels (DLs) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma, disease progression after ICB, measurable disease (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1) and, where appropriate, BRAF-targeted therapy.

Frailty and neurocognitive impairments in Chinese survivors of childhood cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of frailty and the association between frailty and neurocognitive impairments among Chinese survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods: A total of 185 survivors of childhood cancer were recruited from a long-term follow-up clinic in Hong Kong (response rate: 94.4%; 48.

Unconventional hexagonal open Prussian blue analog structures.

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), as a classical kind of microporous materials, have attracted substantial interests considering their well-defined framework structures, unique physicochemical properties and low cost. However, PBAs typically adopt cubic structure that features small pore size and low specific surface area, which greatly limits their practical applications in various fields ranging from gas adsorption/separation to energy conversion/storage and biomedical treatments. Here we report the facile and general synthesis of unconventional hexagonal open PBA structures.

3D-printed aberration-free terahertz metalens for ultra-broadband achromatic super-resolution wide-angle imaging with high numerical aperture.

Terahertz (THz) lens constitutes a vital component in the THz system. Metasurfaces-based THz metalenses and classical bulky lenses are severely constrained by chromatic/ spherical aberration and the diffraction limit. Consequently, achromatic super-resolution THz lenses are urgently needed.

Lignin alkali regulated interfacial polymerization towards ultra-selective and highly permeable nanofiltration membrane.

Thin-film composite polyamide (TFC PA) membranes hold promise for energy-efficient liquid separation, but achieving high permeance and precise separation membrane via a facile approach that is compatible with present manufacturing line remains a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the use of lignin alkali (LA) derived from waste of paper pulp as an aqueous phase additive to regulate interfacial polymerization (IP) process for achieving high performance nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Various characterizations and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that LA can promote the diffusion and partition of aqueous phase monomer piperazine (PIP) molecules into organic phase and their uniform dispersion on substrate, accelerating the IP reaction and promoting greater interfacial instabilities, thus endowing formation of TFC NF membrane with an ultrathin, highly cross-linked, and crumpled PA layer.

The crescent sign on ocular ultrasound and correlation with elevated intracranial pressure: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: While lumbar puncture (LP) remains gold standard for assessing intracranial pressure (ICP), LP can be difficult to perform and lead to complications. Noninvasive correlations for elevated ICP via ocular ultrasound (OUS) have shown mixed results. The primary objective of this study is to identify the frequency and test characteristics of the crescent sign on OUS for elevated ICP.

Mass-spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic analysis reveals that methylglyoxal and carnosine influence oxidative stress and RNA-processing associated proteins in renal proximal tubule epithelial cells.

Background: Tubular injury triggered by hyperglycemia is an important pathological characteristic in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Accumulated advanced glycation end products and their precursor methylglyoxal (MGO), contribute to the development of DN. Carnosine has been shown to prevent the development of DN but the underlying mechanism still needs to be studied in depth.

Coagulation in familial hypercholesterolemic patients: effect of current hypolipidemic treatment and anticoagulants.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a relatively rare genetic disease associated with high serum cholesterol levels but also with abnormalities in blood coagulation. Novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches in FH including proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 antibodies (PCSK9Ab) are very efficient in decreasing cholesterol levels but their impact on coagulation in FH is not yet established. Therefore, we hypothesized that these novel antidyslipidemic drugs can positively impact blood coagulation due to their more potent effect on cholesterol.