Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is the most common variant of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). It typically affects the scalp, face, auricle, and lips. When lesions extend beyond these areas to involve the trunk and limbs, the condition is termed disseminated DLE (DDLE).

Injectable crosslinked HA hydrogel: a promising carrier for cell transplantation to treat stable vitiligo.

Stable vitiligo significantly impacts patients' quality of life and presents a considerable challenge to healthcare providers. In recent years, cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for stable vitiligo, which is demonstrated encouraging results. Among current cell-based therapies, autologous epidermal cell transplantation is regarded as a safe and cost-effective strategy.

Bacterial community composition is an important predictor of surface soil fertility across different land use types: a case study in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

Background: Surface soil is a vital component of terrestrial ecosystems and is of great importance for primary productivity. In Zhangjiachong, a small watershed in Zigui County, central China, human activity and erosion cause extensive surface soil degradation. It is still unclear as to what extent human activity influences soil fertility and soil microorganisms in this area.

Preparation of Temperature-Sensitive Molecularly Imprinted Cryogel for Specific Recognition of Proteins.

In order to maintain the stability of the structure of protein molecules and improve the recognition during the separation process, molecular imprinting technology is combined with freeze polymerization to synthesize molecular imprinting cryogels (MICs). This study uses bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a template protein, low critical cosolubility temperature (LCST)-type ionic liquids as temperature-sensitive functional monomers, imidazole ionic liquids, and acrylamides as auxiliary functional monomers to prepare MICs with specific recognition, temperature sensitivity, interpenetrating macroporous structure, and large specific surface area. The MICs prepared at freezing temperature have uniform macroporous structures and good mechanical properties, which is conducive to the improvement of the mass transfer and adsorption capacities.

Effects of Distiller's Grains Biochar and on the Remediation of Cd-Pb-Zn-Contaminated Soil and Growth of Sorghum-Sudangrass.

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a significant environmental issue that adversely affects plant growth and agricultural productivity. Biochar and microbial inoculants have emerged as a promising approach to solving this problem, and previous studies have focused more on the remediation effects of single types of materials on heavy metal soil pollution. This study examined the impact of both standalone and combined applications of distiller's grains biochar, thallus, and the bacterial supernatant on the availability of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in soil, its physicochemical features, and its enzyme activities; this study also examined the growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and heavy metal accumulation of Sorghum-sudangrass.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome: new perspectives on salivary gland epithelial cells.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disease primarily affecting exocrine glands such as the salivary glands, leading to impaired secretion and sicca symptoms. As the mainstay of salivation, salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) have an important role in the pathology of pSS. Emerging evidence suggests that the interplay between immunological factors and SGECs may not be the initial trigger or the sole mechanism responsible for xerostomia in pSS, challenging conventional perceptions.

Numerical prediction model for long- and short-term concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds from building materials.

Emission models of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from individual indoor building materials have been developed and validated. However, multiple indoor building materials release VOCs simultaneously, and neither single building material nor multiple building material emission models can predict the entire release cycle of VOCs accurately. This study established a long- and short-term numerical prediction model for indoor VOC concentration.

Mapping gender networks of music self-concept and music emotions: A network analysis study of music majors in China.

Background: Students' music self-concept and music emotions are becoming prominent topics within the area of music education.

Aims, Samples And Methods: The majority of previous research on self-concept and music emotions has examined the two constructs independently and focused on gender differences in externalizing behaviours in music learning, but has neglected the internal interactions between individual music self-concept and music emotions. Network analysis is a promising method for visually examining music self-concept and music emotions as part of a network of interactions to identify core features and interrelationships among nodes in the network.

Development and validation of HBV surveillance models using big data and machine learning.

Background: The construction of a robust healthcare information system is fundamental to enhancing countries' capabilities in the surveillance and control of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Making use of China's rapidly expanding primary healthcare system, this innovative approach using big data and machine learning (ML) could help towards the World Health Organization's (WHO) HBV infection elimination goals of reaching 90% diagnosis and treatment rates by 2030. We aimed to develop and validate HBV detection models using routine clinical data to improve the detection of HBV and support the development of effective interventions to mitigate the impact of this disease in China.

Enhancing Cytochrome Recognition and Adsorption through Epitope-Imprinted Mesoporous Silica with a Tailored Pore Size.

We have reported the synthesis of epitope-imprinted mesoporous silica (EIMS) with an average pore size of 6.2 nm, which is similar to the geometrical size of the target protein, cytochrome (Cyt , 2.6 × 3.

CAMBA framework: Unveiling the brain asymmetry alterations and longitudinal changes after stroke using resting-state EEG.

Hemispheric asymmetry or lateralization is a fundamental principle of brain organization. However, it is poorly understood to what extent the brain asymmetries across different levels of functional organizations are evident in health or altered in brain diseases. Here, we propose a framework that integrates three degrees of brain interactions (isolated nodes, node-node, and edge-edge) into a unified analysis pipeline to capture the sliding window-based asymmetry dynamics at both the node and hemisphere levels.

A Transferable Deep Learning Prognosis Model for Predicting Stroke Patients' Recovery in Different Rehabilitation Trainings.

Since the underlying mechanisms of neurorehabilitation are not fully understood, the prognosis of stroke recovery faces significant difficulties. Recovery outcomes can vary when undergoing different treatments; however, few models have been developed to predict patient outcomes toward multiple treatments. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of predicting a treatment's outcome using a deep learning prognosis model developed for another treatment.

Modified constraint-induced movement therapy enhances cortical plasticity in a rat model of traumatic brain injury: a resting-state functional MRI study.

Modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) has shown beneficial effects on motor function improvement after brain injury, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. In this study, amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) metrics measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was obtained to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of mCIMT in a control cortical impact (CCI) rat model simulating traumatic brain injury. At 3 days after control cortical impact model establishment, we found that the mean ALFF (mALFF) signals were decreased in the left motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, insula cortex and the right motor cortex, and were increased in the right corpus callosum.

EEG Microstate-Specific Functional Connectivity and Stroke-Related Alterations in Brain Dynamics.

The brain, as a complex dynamically distributed information processing system, involves the coordination of large-scale brain networks such as neural synchronization and fast brain state transitions, even at rest. However, the neural mechanisms underlying brain states and the impact of dysfunction following brain injury on brain dynamics remain poorly understood. To this end, we proposed a microstate-based method to explore the functional connectivity pattern associated with each microstate class.

Free amino acids, carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions responses to cadmium stress in two castor (Ricinus communis L.) species.

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity induce various disturbances in metabolic processes and impair plant establishment. The composition of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δC and δN) and free amino acids (FAAs) can reflect the response of plants to environmental stress. In the present study, a solution culture experiment was carried out, and the secretion characteristics of FAAs as well as δC and δN were evaluated as indicative of the functional performance of two castor species (Zibo-3 and Zibo-9) under various Cd concentrations stress (0, 1, 2, and 5 mg L).

Postoperative cytokine levels and their predictive value in critical patients after major abdominal surgery: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: It remains uncertain as to what impact cytokine expression level has on patient outcomes. The association of serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and procalcitonin with critically ill patient outcomes after major abdominal surgery still need to be explored.

Methods: From January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, a retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

Shengbai decoction enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of cyclophosphamide on hepatoma 22-bearing mice.

Combination therapies with chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicines are attracted increasing attentions for cancer treatment in China. Shengbai decoction (SBD) is a traditional Chinese compound medicine, composed of 6 traditional Chinese herbs. The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic anti-tumor activity of SBD with cyclophosphamide (CTX) and the possibly underlying mechanisms in treating the hepatoma 22 (H) -bearing mice.

Rosmarinic acid protects rats against post-stroke depression after transient focal cerebral ischemic injury through enhancing antioxidant response.

Rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural polyphenol, possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. To evaluate the ability of RA to cure ischemic stroke and post-stroke depression (PSD), rats were treated with various doses of RA after cerebral ischemia. Neurological deficits and infarct volume of the brain were measured.

Micelles self-assembled by 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl latycodigenin enhance cell membrane permeability, promote antibiotic pulmonary targeting and improve anti-infective efficacy.

Background: Nanoparticle-based pulmonary drug delivery systems are commonly developed and applied for drug-targeted delivery. They exhibit significant advantages compared to traditional pulmonary drug delivery systems. However, developing the formulation of each drug is a time-consuming and laborious task.

A Predicting Nomogram for Mortality in Patients With COVID-19.

The global COVID-19 epidemic remains severe, with the cumulative global death toll reaching more than 207,170 as of May 2, 2020 (1). Our research objective is to establish a reliable nomogram to predict mortality in COVID-19 patients. The nomogram can help us distinguish between patients who are at high risk of death and need close attention.

Brain Endothelial Cell-Derived Exosomes Induce Neuroplasticity in Rats with Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Exosomes derived from the cerebral endothelial cells play essential roles in protecting neurons from hypoxia injury, but little is known regarding the biological effects and mechanisms of exosomes on brain plasticity. In this study, exosomes were isolated from rodent cerebral endothelial cells (bEnd.3 cells) by ultracentrifugation, either endothelial cell-derived exosomes (EC-Exo) or PBS was injected intraventricularly 2 h after the middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model surgery in the Exo group and control group, respectively.

Antibiotic resistance gene profiling in response to antibiotic usage and environmental factors in the surface water and groundwater of Honghu Lake, China.

There is an increasing concern that aquaculture has been implicated in the formation of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) reservoirs; however, little is known about the consequences of their presence in groundwater. In this study, 22 antibiotics, including four acetylated metabolites, and 27 ARGs were analyzed in fish pond water, surface water, and groundwater of the Honghu Lake in China. Correlations between conventional parameters, ionic composition, antibiotic concentration, and relative abundance of ARGs in water samples were analyzed.

Vascular Endothelial Cell-derived Exosomes Protect Neural Stem Cells Against Ischemia/reperfusion Injury.

Vascular endothelial cells were activated during acute ischemic brain injury, which could induce neural progenitor cell proliferation and migration. However, the mechanism was still unknown. In the current study, we explored whether vascular endothelial cells promoted neural progenitor cell proliferation and whether migration occurs via exosome communication.

Combination of cyclophosphamide and shengbai decoction has synergistic effect against melanoma.

Shengbai decoction (SBD), a famous Chinese herbal prescription, has been used for treatment of leukopenia for decades in China. In this study, its synergistic antitumor effect in combination with cyclophosphamide (CTX) on melanoma-bearing mice was investigated. A total of forty C57BL/6 male mice successfully modeled (6-8 weeks old, 18-22 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10): 1) the model group, 2) the CTX group, 3) the low dose of SBD (10.