Sexual Networks and Behavioral Characteristics of HIV-Positive Male Military Members, Female Sex Workers, and Male Civilians.

Military members and female sex workers (FSWs) may be more likely to acquire or transmit HIV. Mapping HIV transmission across these high-risk populations and identifying behaviors associated with sexual network clustering are needed for effective HIV prevention approaches. A cross-sectional study recruited participants newly diagnosed with HIV among militaries, civilians, and FSWs in Zambia, Senegal, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Willingness to pay a premium for eco-label products in China: a mediation model based on quality value.

Sustainable consumption plays an important role in achieving sustainable development. Eco-labels can help to convey this message to consumers. In China, the new carbon label represents a new kind of sustainable eco-label; as such, the relationship between carbon labeling and consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium is worth studying.

HPTLC-Bioautography-MS-Guided Strategy for the Detection of Phthalides With Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities From Ligusticum chuanxiong Essential Oil.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance and free radical-mediated oxidative stress and inflammation involved in many pathological processes have become treatment challenges. One strategy is to search for antimicrobial and antioxidant ingredients from natural aromatic plants. This study established a rapid and high-throughput effect-component analysis method to screen active ingredients from Ligusticum chuanxiong essential oil (CXEO).

Exercise intensity and training alter the innate immune cell type and chromosomal origins of circulating cell-free DNA in humans.

Exercising regularly promotes health, but these benefits are complicated by acute inflammation induced by exercise. A potential source of inflammation is cell-free DNA (cfDNA), yet the cellular origins, molecular causes, and immune system interactions of exercise-induced cfDNA are unclear. To study these, 10 healthy individuals were randomized to a 12-wk exercise program of either high-intensity tactical training (HITT) or traditional moderate-intensity training (TRAD).

Hydrated cable bacteria exhibit protonic conductivity over long distances.

This study presents the direct measurement of proton transport along filamentous , or cable bacteria. Cable bacteria are filamentous multicellular microorganisms that have garnered much interest due to their ability to serve as electrical conduits, transferring electrons over several millimeters. Our results indicate that cable bacteria can also function as protonic conduits because they contain proton wires that transport protons at distances >100 µm.

A One Stone Three Birds Paradigm of Photon-Driven Pyroptosis Dye for Amplifying Tumor Immunotherapy.

Activating the pyroptosis pathway of tumor cells by photodynamic therapy (PDT) for immunogenic cell death (ICD) is considered a valid strategy in pursuit of antitumor immunotherapy, but it remains a huge challenge due to the lack of reliable design guidelines. Moreover, it is often overlooked that conventional PDT can exacerbate the development of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment, which is apparently unfavorable to clinical immunotherapy. The endoplasmic reticulum's (ER) pivotal role in cellular homeostasis and its emerging link to pyroptosis have galvanized interest in ER-centric imaging and therapeutics.

Rescuing ACE2-Deficiency-Mediated Nucleus Pulposus Senescence and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by a Nanotopology-Enhanced RNAi System.

Nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) senescence contributes to intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, it is demonstrated that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) counteracted the aging of NPCs and IVDD at the cellular and physiological levels.

The Overview for the Stability Improvement Strategy of LIBS Spectrum and Analysis Model: From Physics System to Analysis Method.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technology has been widely used in many fields including industrial production, space exploration, medical analysis, environmental pollution detection, etc. However, the stability problem of LIBS is one of the core problems for its further development. Solutions in the LIBS field in recent decades were summarized and classified from the physical mechanism and analysis method.

Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: 2024 update.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with destructive arthritis as its main clinical manifestation, which is a major cause of disability. It is very important to formulate and update a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of RA that adhere to international guideline development standards and can be applied to clinical practice in China. This guideline is endorsed and developed by the National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases, collaborated with Rheumatologists Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Rheumatology Rehabilitation Branch of Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rheumatology Branch of Chinese Research Hospital Association, and Rheumatology Branch of Beijing Association of Holistic Integrative Medicine, based on grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) and reporting items for practice guidelines in healthcare (RIGHT).

Gene therapy in polycystic kidney disease: A promising future.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder marked by numerous cysts in the kidneys, progressively impairing renal function. It is classified into autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), with ADPKD being more common. Current treatments mainly focus on symptom relief and slowing disease progression, without offering a cure.

Association of life's essential 8 with prevalence and all-cause mortality of chronic kidney disease among US adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015-2018).

Background And Objectives: The association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease has been previously evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and the prevalence and all-cause mortality of CKD in a nationally representative population of adults in the US.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning 2015-2018.

Treatment Considerations for Pyoderma Gangrenosum After Reduction Mammoplasty in an Unsuspecting Patient Demographic.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, often idiopathic, noninfectious inflammatory neutrophilic dermatitis that causes painful ulcerative cutaneous papillomatous lesions. PG often mimics surgical infection, wound dehiscence, and postoperative cellulitis, leading to high rates of misdiagnosis and mistreatment. Here, a healthy 17-year-old adolescent girl with congenital breast asymmetry, macromastia, and a history of only mild intermittent autoimmune conditions developed an open wound along her inferior left breast incision 2 weeks after reduction mammoplasty.

EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy fine-needle aspiration for histopathological evidence for type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis: A single-center retrospective study in China.

Background And Objectives: EUS is recommended for guiding pancreatic tissue acquisition in suspected autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) cases. However, there is a lack of comparative research on the effectiveness between EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) for diagnosing AIP in China. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) specifically for type 1 AIP.

A finite volume adaptation of beam-to-beam contact interactions implemented for geometrically exact Simo-Reissner beams.

This paper presents an adaption of the finite-element based beam-to-beam contact interactions into a finite volume numerical framework. A previous work of the same authors, where a cell-centred based finite volume implementation of geometrically exact nonlinear Simo-Reissner beams was developed, is used as an underlying mathematical model. An implicit contact procedure is developed for both point-to-point and line-to-line beam frictionless contact interactions, and is implemented using the cell-centred finite volume method.

Optimal Timing and Approaches for First Tangential Excision in Patients with ≥70% TBSA Burns: Insights from a Retrospective Cohort of a Mass Casualty Incident.

Objective: We aim to determine the optimal timing and approaches for first tangential excision of severely burned patients ≥70% total body surface area (TBSA).

Background: Early tangential excision is the gold-standard surgical therapy for full-thickness burns. However, there are debates about its optimal timing and approaches for severely burned patients ≥70%TBSA.

Optimising lighting conditions to enhance seafarer adaptation to the '6-h on/6-h off' shift pattern: a balanced crossover study.

The '6-h on/6-h off' shift pattern could potentially disrupt the physiological rhythms and cognitive performance of seafarers, attributed to its shorter and more frequent shifts. Conversely, light exposure has been demonstrated to enhance cognitive abilities and synchronise physiological processes. Therefore, we studied the fatigue, cognition, sleep and rhythm of seafarers with different shifts to determine how light can benefit their performance.

Lysosome-targeted dual-locked NIR fluorescent probe for visualization of HS and viscosity in drug-induced liver injury and tumor models.

Background: Lysosomes, as an indispensable subcellular organelle have numerous physiological functions closely associated with HS and viscosity, and accurate assessment of HS/viscosity fluctuations in lysosomes is essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of lysosome-related physiological activities and pathological processes. The previous single-response fluorescent probes for either HS or viscosity alone have the potential to generate "false positive" signals in a complex biological environment. In contrast, dual-locked probes can simultaneously respond to multiple targets simultaneously, which could effectively eliminate this defect.

Whole body vibrations and lower back pain: a systematic review of the current literature.

Introduction: Whole body vibration (WBV) is thought to be associated with low back pain (LBP). To mitigate against this the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) have created the ISO 2631 standard, recommending safe dose limits. The aim of this research is to conduct a systematic review of available literature addressing the question, is WBV associated with LBP?

Methods: A literature search was performed from January 1970 until April 2022, including studies focusing on LBP and sciatica in association with WBV, looking specifically for ones reporting on military populations.

Chemotherapy-induced diminished murine ovarian reserve model and impact of low-dose chemotherapy on fertility.

Objective: To establish a murine model of chemotherapy-induced diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and investigate residual fertility after chemotherapy exposure.

Design: Two different chemotherapy protocols were tested to establish a valid DOR model by comparing follicle densities in mice given either protocol versus physiological solution. An ovarian stimulation protocol was then selected from among different gonadotropins by counting the number of day-2 embryos obtained from normal mice.

Metabolic pathway and genetically causal links of 1,400 circulating metabolites on the risk of intracranial aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: The rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) leads to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), which is associated with significant disability and mortality rates. This study aims to identify metabolic markers causally linked to the occurrence of IAs and aSAH through Mendelian randomization (MR), thereby offering novel predictive and therapeutic targets.

Methods: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on IAs and aSAH, analyzing 1,400 metabolomic indices from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) cohort (n = 8,299).

LAMP3-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition promotes the invasion and excessive proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the functional role of LAMP3-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target.

Methodology: Changes in EMT and LAMP3 were investigated in the synovial tissue and FLSs of RA patients. In vitro experiments were performed using the EMT inhibitor C19, siRNA, and lentivirus to examine the impact of EMT and LAMP3 on RA-FLSs and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Residual symptoms following trauma-focused treatment for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder.

Despite effective psychotherapy options for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), some patients do not fully respond, and even among those reporting substantial improvement, residual symptoms following treatment are common. Psychiatric conditions frequently co-occur with PTSD, yet research on residual symptoms among comorbid samples is lacking. This study examined residual symptoms of PTSD and depression among 71 active duty service members with PTSD and comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD).

Mixed grafting of small auto- and cryopreserved allo-skin for residual wound repair in severe burn patients: A retrospective study.

Background: The wound repair process for extensively deep burn patients is a recurring and highly challenging endeavor. A prolonged healing time beyond 3 weeks after injury often leads to compromised healing outcomes. The limited availability of autologous skin grafts remains the primary obstacle in achieving timely wound repair.

Nitrous oxide analgesia for rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although there is increasing emphasis on rehabilitation training after ligament reconstruction, little is known about the pain induced by the procedure itself. Procedural success may be limited by pain and anxiety. Nitrous oxide is widely used to alleviate procedural pain.