Maternal sleep during pregnancy and offspring congenital heart disease: Findings from a birth cohort study.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common anatomical malformation among live-born infants and has been linked to various prenatal factors. Maternal sleep disturbances, a common issue during pregnancy, have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and neonatal health problems. However, epidemiological evidence on the association between maternal sleep disturbances and the risk of CHD in offspring remains limited and inconclusive.

Associations between traumatic brain injury and the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease dementia and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Traumatic brain injury is an environmental risk factor that may accelerate the progression of Alzheimer's disease and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Objectives: To investigate whether traumatic brain injury in patients with mild cognitive impairment is associated with an increased risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease dementia and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Design: A retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Antibiotics and benthic fauna diversity affect nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas emissions in constructed wetlands by changing enzyme activity and microbial community.

Antibiotic contamination in wastewater presents substantial ecological risks. However, the effects of antibiotics on nitrogen (N) removal and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in benthic fauna-enhanced constructed wetlands (CWs) remain poorly understood. In this study, 30 CW microcosms were established with three levels of benthic fauna richness (no fauna, three single-species, and one three-species), under conditions with or without sulfonamide antibiotics.

Targeting Reticulin 4 (RTN4) Within Small Extracellular Vesicles Combats Metastasis and Reinforces Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) are a class of natural vesicles rich in heterogeneous cargos with the great advantage of non-invasive detection; these vesicles exhibit complex intercellular crosstalk and mediate important biological functions. However, the potential value of plasma sEV in clinical prognosis prediction of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and their biological functions have not been well elucidated. In this study, we isolated sEV from non-metastatic and metastatic TNBC plasma samples.

End-to-end physics-informed multi-branch GAN for enhanced DoFP polarization image reconstruction.

Division-of-focal plane (DoFP) polarimeters deploying micro-polarizer array as the polarization state analyzer (PSA) possess the capacity to capture polarization properties of the scene target during a single snapshot and benefit from their rugged and compact designs. However, these systems acquire polarization measurements through spatial modulation, leading to inevitable spatial resolution loss and reduction in polarimetric accuracy. To overcome these challenges, we propose, to our knowledge, a novel approach by leveraging an end-to-end physics-informed residual generative adversarial network (GAN) for DoFP polarization image reconstruction.

Regulation of intracellular proliferation of Salmonella typhimurium by CD63.

Background: Autophagy is an intracellular degradation process involving the lysosomal breakdown of unnecessary or abnormal cellular components. Targets of autophagy include pathogens, altered organelles, and protein aggregates, which are sequestered within double-membrane-limited vesicles known as autophagosomes. A variety of lysosomal membrane proteins play essential roles in numerous cellular processes, including lysosomal acidification, metabolite transport, and interaction with other membrane systems.

Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1 as a Therapeutic Target for Inflammatory Diseases.

Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) is a secreted glycoprotein involved in macrophage polarization, apoptosis, and inflammation, and carcinogenesis. The expression of CHI3L1 is significantly increased in various inflammatory and immunological diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and atopic dermatitis. Several studies suggest that CHI3L1 may be a viable therapeutic target for these diseases, given its ability to release various pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ).

The Illness Experience of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Qualitative Study.

Objective: This study employed descriptive qualitative research methods to explore the experiences of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis and scheduled for joint replacement at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai between January 2024 and June 2024. Thematic content analysis was utilised to analyse the interview data.

Exercise Identity and Spiritual Well-Being in Nursing Home Residents: Mediating Roles of Social Support and Exercise Behavior in Hebei Province, China.

Objective: With China's rapidly aging population, institutional care for older adults is becoming increasingly common. Spiritual well-being has emerged as a key component of quality elderly care, contributing to emotional resilience, life satisfaction, and positive aging. This study explores the impact of exercise identity on the Spiritual well-being of older adults residing in nursing homes and the mediating roles of perceived social support and exercise behavior.

Piezo1 participates in sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity via neuroinflammation and synaptic damage in the hippocampus.

Background: Multiple exposures to sevoflurane in developmental neonatal mice lead to neurocognitive deficits. The present study investigates the role and mechanisms of Piezo1 in sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity.

Methods: Neonatal mice received sevoflurane on postnatal days (P) 6, 7, and 8.

Problematic Smartphone Use Is Associated With Current and Previous Major Depressive Disorder.

Objective: Although many studies have demonstrated the association between depression and problematic smartphone use (PSU), temporal precedence of this relationship remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between present PSU and both past and current major depressive disorder (MDD) among adults.

Methods: We utilized data from the Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, a nationwide epidemiologic survey that employed a multistage cluster sampling method.

Experimental study on physiological responses during interval exercise and the effects on thermal perception.

The physiological response during interval exercise and its significance in determining thermal perception remain unclear. There is a paucity of quick and convenient thermal perception assessment methods in exercisers, which impedes the advancement of real-time thermal perception evaluation in exercise spaces. In this study, five thermal conditions were set up in a thermal chamber to simulate the thermal environment of a cold region and evaluate the dynamic physiological responses during interval exercise and their effect on temperature perception.

Association of exposure to ambient Ozone with sleep quality in pregnant women.

No study has investigated the associations between ozone (O) exposure and sleep among pregnant women. This study examined the association of O exposure with sleep quality in Chinese pregnant women. We analyzed data in 7,581 pregnant women.

Modeling and Experimental Validation of Gradient Cell Density in PMMA Microcellular Foaming Induced by One-Sided Heating.

Traditionally, the microcellular foaming process has aimed to generate uniform cell structures by applying heat uniformly to all surfaces of a polymer. Homogeneous cell distribution is known to enhance the mechanical properties and durability of the final product. However, the ability to engineer a gradient in cell density offers potential advantages for specific functional applications, such as improved sound absorption and thermal insulation.

Safety and immunogenicity of intranasal parainfluenza virus type 5 (PIV5)-vectored COVID-19 vaccine in adults and teens in an open-label phase 1 trial.

COVID-19 continues causing substantial mortality despite existing FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines. An effective COVID-19 vaccine providing durable immunity with minimal reactogenicity is needed. CVXGA1, a PIV5-based intranasal COVID-19 vaccine expressing the Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2, was evaluated in this phase 1 study in adults and teens.

Brain synthetic magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping in patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis.

Background: The traditional diagnostic methods for early hepatic encephalopathy (HE) detection involve certain limitations, including subjectivity and low sensitivity. This study aimed to integrate synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (SyMRI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) techniques to examine the changes in quantitative parameter values of patients with hepatitis B virus-related (HBV-related) decompensated cirrhosis, with the goal of providing imaging-based evidence for early neurological symptoms and disease monitoring in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: Data from 41 patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis and 40 healthy controls were prospectively collected.

Sd-021, derivatives of decursin, inhibits tumorigenesis in NSCLC by inhibiting the EGFR/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remains a significant challenge in oncology despite advances in targeted and immune-based therapies. NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases, with five-year survival rates ranging from 4 to 17%, depending on disease stage and regional factors. Chemotherapy resistance remains a major hurdle, contributing to poor patient prognosis.

Carbon emissions in gastrointestinal endoscopy practice.

Background: Gastrointestinal endoscopy is acknowledged to have a considerable environmental footprint, driven by substantial greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation, yet it also presents opportunities for enhanced sustainability.

Objective: This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the interventions currently feasible within existing endoscopy units, offering targeted recommendations to overcome identified barriers.

Methods: We systematically reviewed literature retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science using keywords: "green endoscopy", "sustainability", and "carbon footprint".

Circadian disruption exacerbates cognitive impairment via an intense neuroinflammatory reaction and alpha-synuclein deposition in a Parkinson's disease mouse model.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder marked by motor symptoms and nonmotor complications, notably cognitive impairment, which severely impairs patients' quality of life. While circadian disruption (CD) correlates with cognitive decline in PD, it remains unclear whether CD is merely secondary to motor symptoms or directly contributes to cognitive dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate whether chronic CD exacerbates cognitive decline in PD.

Synthesis, Antibacterial Evaluation and Molecular Modeling of Novel Chalcone Derivatives Incorporating the Diphenyl Ether Moiety.

Twenty-one novel chalcone derivatives, -, incorporating a diphenyl ether moiety, were designed, prepared, and subsequently characterized using NMR and HR-MS and FR-IR techniques. Antibacterial evaluation of the target compounds was carried out against , , , and . The in vitro results demonstrated that most compounds exhibited considerable potency in inhibiting bacterial growth, with MIC values ranging from 25.

Association of Game Use With Loneliness and Social Isolation: A Nationwide Korean Study.

Objective: The aim of this article is to examine the correlation between social isolation, loneliness, and the use of online games. Conflicting conclusions have been drawn in previous studies on this topic due to small sample sizes and the confounding effects of psychiatric disorders. To address these limitations, the authors conducted a nationwide study that gives consideration to sociodemographic variables and psychiatric disorders.

Antisense oligonucleotides as drugs with both direct and indirect antiviral actions.

In this review, we provide a historical and current guide of recent advances in the development of ASOs either targeting viruses directly, or indirectly through modulation of host factors. Although preclinical and discovery assets are mentioned in this review, more extensive coverage is given to clinical stage assets. Most of these clinical assets are currently concentrated in the fight to eradicate hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

MSLI-Net: retinal disease detection network based on multi-segment localization and multi-scale interaction.

Background: The retina plays a critical role in visual perception, yet lesions affecting it can lead to severe and irreversible visual impairment. Consequently, early diagnosis and precise identification of these retinal lesions are essential for slowing disease progression. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) stands out as a pivotal imaging modality in ophthalmology due to its exceptional performance, while the inherent complexity of retinal structures and significant noise interference present substantial challenges for both manual interpretation and AI-assisted diagnosis.

Human Placental Extract as a Promising Epidural Therapy for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Enhancing Axonal Plasticity and Mitigating Pain and Inflammation in a Rat Model.

Background: Epidural injections treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) by targeting localized inflammation and tissue damage. However, current medications such as corticosteroids and local anesthetics often have limited efficacy and significant adverse effects.

Methods: Human placental extract (HPE), with regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, was tested for its axon-promoting and pain-relieving effects in an in vitro model using dorsal root ganglion neurons exposed to hydrogen peroxide (HO).