The impact of marital status on hypertension: SEM analysis of a Chinese general population cohort.

Background: Hypertension, a chronic non-communicable disease, has multifaceted and complex etiologies influenced by various risk factors. This study examines the role of marital status among the factors influencing blood pressure levels and assesses its potential indirect effects through other variables.

Methods: This study involved 1852 individuals from the Baoding area in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China.

Clinical prognostic risk assessment of different pathological subtypes of papillary thyroid cancer: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

There are multiple pathologic subtypes of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), each with distinct clinical prognoses. However, the available data on the clinicopathologic risks associated with several common PTC subtypes are controversial and require more comprehensive evaluation. To address this, we conducted a systematic search of English-language databases, including PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, for studies on six PTC subtypes, including classic papillary thyroid carcinoma (CPTC), papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC), tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (TCVPTC), diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSVPTC), and columnar cell papillary thyroid carcinoma (CCVPTC).

The Synergistic Reduction of the Contact Time in the Droplet Impact on a Moving Ridge Surface.

The contact time of the droplet impacting on solid surfaces can be markedly reduced by 40% to 50% by breaking the symmetric behaviors with the help of the surface structures and motion, which is crucial to diverse applications involving anti-icing, anti-erosion, self-cleaning, etc. Herein, it is interesting to note that the contact time can be further decreased up to 60% on a moving ridge surface because of corresponding synergy, inspired by flying insects or wind-dispersal seeds. In the present work, the synergistic mechanisms of the reduction in contact time have been revealed by analyzing the 3 basic features, called Leaf-type, Ear-type, and Butterfly-type, according to their morphological and dynamical behaviors.

Nanotechnology in Orthopedic Care: Advances in Drug Delivery, Implants, and Biocompatibility Considerations.

Nanotechnology has profoundly transformed medical science, with orthopedics experiencing significant advancements in diagnostic techniques, drug delivery systems, and tissue regeneration. The complex nature of orthopedic tissues presents substantial challenges for conventional therapeutic interventions, but the development of nanomaterials with specialized chemical, physical, and biological properties has facilitated the creation of novel treatment modalities. Nanotechnology has significantly advanced orthopedic care by enabling targeted drug delivery, enhanced implant performance, and improved diagnostic tools.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, resilience and cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer: A moderated network analysis.

Purpose: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a prevalent and debilitating symptom among breast cancer survivors, often co-occurring with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychological resilience may attenuate this association, but the mechanisms and symptom-level dynamics remain unclear.

Methods: In a cross-sectional analysis of 285 breast cancer survivors, validated self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, resilience, and CRF were completed.

Zinc Doped Synthetic Polymer Composites for Bone Regeneration: A Promising Strategy to Repair Bone Defects.

Zinc-doped synthetic polymer composites are a potential approach for bone regeneration, effectively meeting the urgent requirement for efficient bone repair materials. This review critically examines recent advancements in zinc-doped synthetic polymer composites for bone regeneration, with a focus on their synthesis methods, material properties, biological interactions, and potential clinical applications. The primary findings indicate that adding zinc to synthetic polymers, such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, and polyethylene glycol, enhances their mechanical strength, bioactivity, and biocompatibility.

[Interaction between COVID-19 Infection and Hematological Malignancies --Review].

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted our lifestyles. On the one hand, the patients with hematological malignancies (HM) are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Once infected with COVID-19, these patients tend to develop into severe type with a higher mortality rate.

Zinc sulfate improves insulin resistance, oxidative stress and apoptosis in liver tissues of PCOS rats through the NF-κB pathway.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is primarily characterized by insulin resistance, which leads to increased hepatic glucose production and impaired insulin-mediated glucose disposal. Pathologically, this condition manifests as elevated liver cell apoptosis and reduced lipid transport capacity, further exacerbating insulin resistance. Liver cell apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction are key pathological features of PCOS-associated liver diseases, contributing significantly to the progression of PCOS.

Effect of Haplo-Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Timing on Patients with Severe Aplastic Anemia Without Histocompatible Matched Sibling Donor.

Background: Comparative studies on frontline haploidentical HSCT (haplo-HSCT) versus salvage haplo-HSCT after immunosuppressive therapy (IST) failure in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) are limited. To evaluate the effects of different transplantation timing on patient survival, the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and the risk of infection on the outcomes of patients with SAA.

Methods: This retrospective study included 82 SAA patients who underwent haplo-HSCT using the "Beijing protocol".

Carbene-organocatalyzed enantioselective [5+5] annulation of dienols and dienals towards tetrahydroisochromen-1-ones.

An N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed [5+5] annulation between dienals and dienols was developed for the synthesis of multisubstituted tetrahydroisochromen-1-ones, the following oxidative aromatization to axial-chiral isochromen-1-ones and transformation towards cyclohexane with 6 chiral carbons in hexahydroisochromen-1-ones.

Parental psychological control and depressive symptomatology in Chinese junior middle school students: a moderated mediation model.

Background: This study examines the mechanisms linking parental psychological control and depressive symptomatology among Chinese junior middle school students, focusing on the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of school climate.

Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1991 middle school students using a depressive symptomatology scale, the psychological control sub-questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Perceived School Climate Scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and tests of the moderated mediation model.

Enhancer RNA-mediated transcriptional regulatory programs reveal the malignant progression of glioma.

To systematically investigate the molecular and pathological mechanisms of enhancer RNA (eRNA)-mediated transcriptional regulation in glioma recurrence and progression, transcriptomic, regulatome, and genomic data were integrated to analyze eRNA behavior in lower-grade gliomas (stages II/III) and glioblastomas (stage IV). Most eRNAs exhibited dynamic expression during glioma progression, regulated by master transcription factors (TFs) and affected by genomic mutations. The constructed perturbed TF-mediated eRNA-promoter regulatory landscape revealed that rewiring eRNA-promoter networks contributed to glioma malignancy.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on swallowing improvement and cortical activity in hemispheric stroke patients: a randomized, controlled trial.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been extensively utilized in the treatment of post-stroke dysphagia; however, the effect of different tDCS protocols remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the effect of tDCS on dysphagia after hemispheric stroke and compare the effect of tDCS among three protocols. A total of 90 hemispheric stroke patients were randomized into three groups: bilateral, contralesional, and ipsilesional tDCS.

Factors Influencing the Severity of Urinary and Defecatory Dysfunction Among the Middle-Aged and Older Adult Chinese Population: Longitudinal Study of a 5-Wave Survey Cohort.

Background: Urinary and defecatory dysfunction (UDD) is a significant concern among the aging population in China. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research exploring the risk factors of UDD severity in Chinese older adults.

Objective: This study uses data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study spanning 2011 to 2020 to explore UDD risk factors in the middle-aged and older adult Chinese population, focusing on epidemiological characteristics and potential influences on severity.

Asymmetric Schottky Contacts Enhanced Two-Dimensional Heterojunctions for Self-Powered Broadband and Polarization-Sensitive Photodetection.

Schottky junction photodetectors, which utilize metal-semiconductor contacts, have attracted considerable attention due to their low cost, simplified fabrication process, and rapid response time. These attributes render them highly promising for applications in self-powered photodetection. Nevertheless, the Fermi-level pinning effect at the interface, the existence of defect states, and the substantial reverse leakage current of back-to-back Schottky junctions in devices often lead to difficulties in achieving precise modulation of the Schottky barrier and suboptimal rectification performance.

Edaravone attenuates cerebral inflammation by inhibiting mast cells degranulation via ROS/STIM1 signaling pathway in HIE model.

Mast cells (MCs) degranulation is responsible for the occurrence and development of neuroinflammation after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) serves as a Ca sensor on the endoplasmic reticulum. It has been demonstrated that the supression of STIM1 impedes degranulation of MCs in numerous prior investigations.

Phospholipid-cholesterol interactions and their effect on the physicochemical, structural, and in vitro lipid digestion properties of mimicking human milk fat emulsions.

To mimic the lipid composition and structure of human milk fat globules, phospholipid-cholesterol complex membranes were used as emulsifiers to coat lipid droplets in mimicking human milk fat emulsions (MHMFEs). The interactions between phospholipids and cholesterol and the effects of cholesterol concentration on the physicochemical, structural, and lipid digestion properties of MHMFEs were investigated. Cholesterol enhanced membrane compactness through hydrogen bonding with phospholipid, which in turn reduced the particle size of MHMFEs by 2.

Unravelling behavioural contributions to IBS risk: evidence from univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomisation.

Background: While numerous studies have investigated the link between behavioural factors and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the causal relationships remain unresolved. This study applied Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis to assess the causal impact of specific behavioural factors on IBS risk.

Methods: Bidirectional Mendelian randomisation analysis was employed to evaluate the causal relationships between behavioural factors and IBS risk.

An AIE-active probe acts as novel tool for rapid and accurate quantitative antifungal susceptibility assessment.

Objectives: Common antifungal susceptibility testing methods are often time-consuming and subject to interpretation bias in endpoint determination, making them inadequate for clinical applications. We aim to develop a rapid and accurate quantitative method for routine antifungal susceptibility testing in diagnostic laboratories by employing the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen TBP-2.

Methods: The AIE luminogen TBP-2 with two positive charges was introduced to develop an antifungal susceptibility testing protocol based on the reference broth microdilution (BMD) method.

Nanotechnology-Assisted mesenchymal stem cells treatment for improved cartilage regeneration: A review of current practices.

Cartilage tissue does not promptly elicit an inflammatory response upon injury, hence constraining its capacity for healing and self-regeneration. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) therapy, enhanced by nanotechnology, offers promising advancements in cartilage repair. Injuries to cartilage often cause chronic pain, where current treatments are inadequate.

Effect of prone positioning in adult patients receiving veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate the effects of prone positioning during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and its effects on short-term and long-term survival.

Methods: A computerized search was performed for all studies in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to December 31, 2023, including prospective and retrospective clinical studies of ECMO-treated patients with or without prone positioning. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened in duplicate by two investigators.

Small Au nanoparticles to be modified with decavanadate for sensitive and stable SERS detection.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been a powerful vibrational optical spectroscopic technique for trace determination. And the application and promotion of SERS technology are closely related to plasmonic substrates. To combine the distinct electronic properties of polyoxovanadates with the plasmonic properties of Au NPs, the small cit-Au NPs (reduced by sodium citrate) was modified with decavanadate (V) via ligand displacement.

siRNA-AGO2 complex inhibits bacterial gene translation: A promising therapeutic strategy for superbug infection.

Silencing resistance genes of pathogenic bacteria by RNA interference (RNAi) is a potential strategy to fight antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Currently, RNAi cannot be achieved in bacteria due to the lack of RNA-induced silencing complex machinery and the difficulty of small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery. Here, we show that exosomal siRNAs can be efficiently delivered into bacterial cells and can silence target genes primarily through translational repression without mRNA degradation.

Global spatio-temporal distribution of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine hesitancy between 2020 and 2022: A meta-analysis.

Objective: Vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to high coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine coverage. To synthesize global research on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, a meta-analysis was conducted to provide scientific evidence for understanding its spatial and temporal variations and influencing factors.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases for studies published in English between January 2020 and December 2023 and included cross-sectional and cohort studies with study populations that included the general adult population aged ≥18 years and provided quantitative data on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance or hesitancy.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on paroxysmal sympathetic hyperexcitability with acquired brain injury and cortical excitability: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study.

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperexcitation (PSH) refers to a clinical syndrome characterized by a sudden increase in sympathetic excitability caused by severe brain injury. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and practicality of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with medication to treat PSH and employ non-linear electroencephalography (EEG) to assess changes in cortical activation post-intervention. 40 PSH patients were randomly assigned to receive either active tDCS or sham tDCS treatment over an 8-week period.