Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic assessment of the flame retardant, 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP), and its metabolites: Evidence from in vitro, in silico, and transcriptome studies.

2-Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) is a replacement flame-retardant commonly found in several environmental matrices and human biospecimens. Although some adverse effects of EHDPP have been identified, the endocrine-disrupting effects of EHDPP and its key metabolites on the human estrogen receptor (ER) are largely unknown. Herein, we report for the first time that EHDPP, at concentrations found in the environment and humans, significantly promoted estrogenic activity and synergized with 17β-estradiol-induced ER transactivation.

H4K12 lactylation-regulated NLRP3 is involved in cigarette smoke-accelerated Alzheimer-like pathology through mTOR-regulated autophagy and activation of microglia.

Cigarette smoke (CS), an indoor environmental pollution, is an environmental risk factor for diverse neurological disorders. However, the neurotoxicological effects and mechanisms of CS on Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression remain unclear. We found that CS accelerated the progression of AD, including increasing β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and exacerbating cognitive decline.

Tumor-targeted near-infrared/ultraviolet-triggered photothermal/gas therapy nanoplatform for effective cancer synergistic therapy.

The integration of photothermal therapy (PTT) and gas therapy (GT) on a nanoplatform shows great potential in cancer treatment. In this paper, a tumor-targeted near-infrared/ultraviolet (NIR/UV) triggered PTT/GT synergistic therapeutic nanoplatform, PB-CD-PLL(NF)-FA, was designed based on Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles, 5-chloro-2-nitrobenzotrifluoro (NF)-grafted polylysine (PLL(NF)), and folic acid (FA). PB serves as a core to load PLL(NF) through host-guest interaction and can further modify FA.

Common and distinct ERP responses to violations of two different types of politeness maxims during sentence comprehension.

An ERP experiment was conducted to investigate the common and distinct neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the on-line processing of two types of politeness maxims (self-depreciation and other-elevation) and the individual differences during sentence reading. Electroencephalograms were recorded while participants read sentences containing pragmatically appropriate or inappropriate honorific or humble terms. When collapsing all participants' data, inappropriate humble and honorific terms elicited N400 and P600 effects, respectively, which could reflect semantic processing costs and rechecking processes, respectively.

The chemokine CX3CL1 promotes intraperitoneal tumour growth despite enhanced T-cell recruitment in ovarian cancer.

T-cell recruiting chemokines are required for a successful immune intervention in ovarian cancer, and also for the efficacy of modern anticancer agents such as PARP inhibitors. The chemokine CX3CL1 recruits tumour-suppressive T-cells into solid tumours, but also mediates cell-cell adhesions, e.g.

Association between mixed exposure of non-persistent pesticides and liver fibrosis in the general US population: NHANES 2013-2016.

People are continually and simultaneously exposed to various non-persistent pesticides as these chemicals are ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Toxicological studies have indicated the associations between non-persistent pesticides and liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. However, epidemical study on the deleterious effect of non-persistent pesticides on the risk of liver fibrosis is rather limited.

Incidental nanoparticle characterisation in industrial settings to support risk assessment modelling.

Research on nanoparticle (NP) release and potential exposure can be assessed through experimental field campaigns, laboratory simulations, and prediction models. However, risk assessment models are typically designed for manufactured NP (MNP) and have not been adapted for incidental NP (INP) properties. A notable research gap is identifying NP sources and their chemical, physical, and toxicological properties, especially in real-world settings.

Prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection among children in Uzbekistan: Impact of vaccination.

Background: Uzbekistan, a highly endemic country for hepatitis B virus (HBV), introduced infant vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) in 2001. Since 2002, it had ≥90 % reported immunization coverage for ≥3 doses of HepB (HepB3) and the birth dose (HepB-BD). However, the impact of HepB vaccination and the progress towards achieving the regional hepatitis B control and global viral hepatitis B elimination goals had not been assessed.

Ambient coarse particulate matter pollution and hospital admissions for schizophrenia.

Objective: To investigate the association between ambient coarse particulate matter (PM) pollution and risk of acute schizophrenia episodes.

Methods: A time-stratified case-crossover study with a two-stage analytical approach was conducted to investigate the association between ambient PM pollution and schizophrenia admissions (an indicator for acute schizophrenia episodes) across 259 Chinese cities of prefecture-level or above during 2013-2017. A conditional logistic regression model was constructed to estimate city-specific changes in hospital admissions for schizophrenia associated with per interquartile range (IQR) increase in ambient PM, and the overall associations were obtained by pooling the city-specific associations using the random-effects model.

Protocol for alleviating alcohol-induced conditioned place preference in mice using alternating bilateral sensory stimulation.

Alternating bilateral sensory stimulation (ABS) is a clinical physical therapy technique effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, its utilization in treating conditions beyond PTSD remains limited. Here, we present a protocol to reduce ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) using 4 Hz ABS.

Pilot work of the 10K Chinese People Genomic Diversity Project along the Silk Road suggests a complex east-west admixture landscape and biological adaptations.

Genomic sources from China are underrepresented in the population-specific reference database. We performed whole-genome sequencing or genome-wide genotyping on 1,207 individuals from four linguistically diverse groups (1,081 Sinitic, 56 Mongolic, 40 Turkic, and 30 Tibeto-Burman people) living in North China included in the 10K Chinese People Genomic Diversity Project (10K_CPGDP) to characterize the genetic architecture and adaptative history of ethnic groups in the Silk Road Region of China. We observed a population split between Northwest Chinese minorities (NWCMs) and Han Chinese since the Upper Paleolithic and later Neolithic genetic differentiation within NWCMs.

Three-year treatment with anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies modifies migraine course: the prospective, multicenter I-GRAINE study.

Objectives: To determine whether extending anti-CGRP mAb treatment beyond 3 years influences migraine course, we analyzed migraine frequency during the first month of treatment discontinuation following three 12-month treatment cycles (Ts).

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, real-world study enrolled 212 patients with high-frequency episodic migraine (HFEM) or chronic migraine (CM) who completed three consecutive Ts of subcutaneous anti-CGRP mAbs. Discontinuation periods (D1, D2, D3) were defined as the first month after T1, T2, and T3, respectively.

Epidemiology of metabolic syndrome.

The global increase of overweight and obesity in children and adults is one of the most prominent public health threats, often accompanied by insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The simultaneous occurrence of these health problems is referred to as metabolic syndrome. Various criteria have been proposed to define this syndrome, but no general consensus on the specific markers and the respective cut-offs has been achieved yet.

A mobile interactive cognitive self-assessment scale for screening cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.

Background: A mobile cognition scale for community screening in cognitive impairment with rigorous validation is in paucity. We aimed to develop a digital scale that overcame low education for community screening for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD.

Methods: A mobile cognitive self-assessment scale (CogSAS) was designed through the Delphi process, which is feasible for the older population with low education.

Monocyte and Macrophage in Follicular Liquid: Predictive Markers of Embryo Quality in Women with Obesity and Infertility.

Background: Over the past five years, the pregnancy rate in assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs in Russia has remained relatively stable. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of monocyte and macrophage subsets in the blood and follicular fluid of infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

Methods: The study involved 45 women with a mean age of 35 ± 4.

SERT-Deficient Mice Fed Western Diet Reveal Altered Metabolic and Pro-Inflammatory Responses of the Liver: A Link to Abnormal Behaviors.

Background: The inheritance of the short allele, encoding the serotonin transporter (SERT) in humans, increases susceptibility to neuropsychiatric and metabolic disorders, with aging and female sex further exacerbating these conditions. Both central and peripheral mechanisms of the compromised serotonin (5-HT) system play crucial roles in this context. Previous studies on SERT-deficient (Sert) mice, which model human SERT deficiency, have demonstrated emotional and metabolic disturbances, exacerbated by exposure to a high-fat Western diet (WD).

A novel strategy for the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 against ovarian reserve decline by the PINK1 pathway.

Context: The decline in ovarian reserve is a major concern in female reproductive health, often associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Although ginsenoside Rg1 is known to modulate mitophagy, its effectiveness in mitigating ovarian reserve decline remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the role of ginsenoside Rg1 in promoting mitophagy to preserve ovarian reserve.

Differences in Brain Volume and Thickness between Shammah (Smokeless Tobacco) Users and Non-Users: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Previous research has shown that smoking tobacco is associated with changes or differences in brain volume and cortical thickness, resulting in a smaller brain volume and decreased cortical thickness in smokers compared with non-smokers. However, the effects of smokeless tobacco on brain volume and cortical thickness remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of shammah, a nicotine-containing smokeless tobacco popular in Middle Eastern countries, is associated with differences in brain volume and thickness compared with non-users and to assess the influence of shammah quantity and type on these effects.

Effects of Dual-Site Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Attention, Decision-Making, and Working Memory during Sports Fatigue in Elite Soccer Athletes.

Background: Sports fatigue in soccer athletes has been shown to decrease neural activity, impairing cognitive function and negatively affecting motor performance. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can alter cortical excitability, augment synaptic plasticity, and enhance cognitive function. However, its potential to ameliorate cognitive impairment during sports fatigue remains largely unexplored.

Neural Correlates of Social Touch Processing: An fMRI Study on Brain Functional Connectivity.

Background: The significance of tactile stimulation in human social development and personal interaction is well documented; however, the underlying cerebral processes remain under-researched. This study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of social touch processing, with a particular focus on the functional connectivity associated with the aftereffects of touch.

Methods: A total of 27 experimental subjects were recruited for the study, all of whom underwent a 5-minute calf and foot massage prior to undergoing resting-state fMRI.

Neurotropic Tick-Borne Flavivirus in Alpine Chamois (), Austria, 2017, Italy, 2023.

The European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Eur; species , family ) was the only tick-borne flavivirus present in central Europe known to cause neurologic disease in humans and several animal species. Here, we report a tick-borne flavivirus isolated from Alpine chamois () with encephalitis and attached ticks, present over a wide area in the Alps. Cases were detected in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria, and 2023 in Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy.

Prevalence, Molecular Epidemiology, and Clinical Characteristics of Human Bocavirus Among Patients with Acute Gastroenteritis in Northern Brazil During 2017-2022.

Acute gastroenteritis (AG) is a major illness in early childhood. Recent studies suggest a potential association between human bocavirus (HBoV) and AG. HBoV, a non-enveloped virus with a single-strand DNA genome, belongs to the Parvoviridae family.

Functional Verification of Differentially Expressed Genes Following DENV2 Infection in .

The dengue virus (DENV) is primarily transmitted by . Investigating genes associated with mosquito susceptibility to DENV2 offers a theoretical foundation for targeted interventions to regulate or block viral replication and transmission within mosquitoes. Based on the transcriptomic analyses of the midgut and salivary glands from infected with DENV2, alongside analyses of Aag2 cell infections, 24 genes potentially related to the regulation of infection with DENV2 were selected.

Prospective and Longitudinal Analysis of Lymphocyte Subpopulations in SARS-CoV-2 Positive and Negative Pneumonia: Potential Role of Decreased Naïve CD8 in COVID-19 Patients.

: During the acute phase of COVID-19, a number of immunological abnormalities have been reported, but few studies longitudinally analyzed the specific subsets of peripheral blood lymphocytes. : In this observational, prospective, and longitudinal study, adult patients developing acute pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic have been followed up for 12 months. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were assessed (with a specific focus on the memory markers) at 6 time points after the disease onset until 12 months.