Serum Cytokeratin 18 and Fragment as Biomarkers for Severity and Prognosis in Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Cytokeratin (CK)18 is present in the bronchi and alveolar epithelium of the lung, and its cleavage product, CK-18M30, serves as a biological marker of apoptosis. However, the specific roles of CK-18 and CK-18M30 in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) remain unclear.

Methods: This study enrolled 289 patients with AECOPD who met the inclusion criteria.

Planar-electroporated cell biosensor for investigating potential therapeutic effects of ectopic bitter receptors.

Bitter receptors were initially identified within the gustatory system. In recent years, bitter receptors have been found in various non-gustatory tissues, including the cardiovascular system, where they participate in diverse physiological processes. To investigate the electrophysiological and potential therapeutic implications of bitter receptors, we have developed a highly sensitive, multifunctional planar-electroporated cell biosensor (PECB) for high-throughput evaluation of the effects of bitter substances on cardiomyocytes.

Identifying plasma proteins and immunocyte phenotypes as risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis: The role of EPHA3 and CD28 CD45RA CD8 treg cells.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease whose pathogenesis involves the participation of numerous plasma proteins and immune cells, but their relationships are unclear. So we set out to thoroughly examine the causal link between 4907 plasma proteins and RA and to identify the involvement of 731 immunocyte phenotypes as potential mediators.

Methods: Using publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data, 5 Mendelian randomization (MR) methods (inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, weighted mode) were applied for analysis, along with sensitivity analyses.

Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal Changes in Active Components During the Growth and Development of Comfrey ( L.).

Comfrey ( L.) is a traditional medicinal plant, and its growth period has an important effect on the accumulation of active components. Phenolic acids and flavonoids are the most important active components in comfrey, but their accumulation in comfrey has not been studied.

CD8a + GZMK + T Cells Inhibit Osteoclastogenesis in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis via the p38-MAPK Pathway.

This study aims to investigate the heterogeneity and function of bone marrow T cells in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). Single-cell transcriptome sequencing was employed to cluster T cells from the femoral bone marrow of mice with PMOP. A subgroup of T cell closely related to postmenopausal osteoporosis was identified.

To assess the impact of individualized strategy and continuous glucose monitoring on glycemic control and mental health in pregnant women with diabetes.

Objective: To assess the impact of individualized strategy and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glycemic control and mental health(anxiety, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety and diabetes specific quality of life during pregnancy) in patients with diabetes in pregnancy (DIP).

Methods: In this study, 80 pregnant women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with pregnancy or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to either CGM group or self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) group.

Controllable oxidation protocol for the synthesis of amorphous NiO-Modified oxidation graphene-coated Ni nanoparticles toward highly efficient and stable alkaline water splitting.

Although nanoscale Ni-based materials possess exceptional theoretical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity, their synthesis and long-term storage stability remain critical barriers to practical applications. In this study, we propose a controlled oxidation strategy to synthesize amorphous NiO-modified oxidation graphene-encapsulated Ni nanoparticles (Ni@GO) as highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for alkaline water electrolysis. This strategy integrates a self-assembly confinement effect with a calcination process to fabricate ultrasmall Ni nanocrystals, followed by passivation oxidation to in situ generate a non-uniform amorphous NiO layer on the Ni surface.

A smart all-in-one strategy based on hybrid bacteria with targeting drug delivery and spatiotemporal drug release to boost the synergistic therapeutic efficacy against TNBC.

Combining immunotherapy with photodynamic therapy (PDT) can optimize their synergistic therapeutic efficacy against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but the limited accumulation of photosensitizers at the tumor site and the off-target binding of PD-L1 antibody with hematopoietic cells and normal tissues severely reduce the therapeutic efficacy and increase the systemic toxicity, leading to failure in the clinical treatment. Therefore, engineered Rosetta(DE3) expressing PD-L1 nanobody (Rosetta(pPD-L1nb)) are constructed and covalently conjugated with a photosensitizer, chlorin e6 (Ce6), to develop hybrid bacteria (CeRosetta(pPD-L1nb)). As a facultative anaerobe, CeRosetta(pPD-L1nb) can targetedly accumulate and colonize at the hypoxic and hypernutrient microenvironment of tumor, consistently synthesize PD-L1nb and compete for nutrition consumption with tumor cells to inhibit tumor growth.

Serum sodium within the normal range and its U-shaped relationship with biological aging in U.S. adults.

Background: This cross-sectional study evaluated the correlation between serum sodium levels (135-145 mmol/L) and biological aging in U.S. adults.

Ferroptosis targeting offers a therapeutic target for septic cardiomyopathy.

Sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction, usually termed sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy or septic cardiomyopathy(SCM), is developed in approximately 70 % of the patients with sepsis, making it is a major concern for sepsis patients. However, the pathogenesis of SCM remain incompletely understood. Ferroptosis, a newly identified mechanism of regulated cell death, characterized by a decline in antioxidant capacity, iron accumulation, and lipid peroxidation(LPO), is involved in sepsis and SCM.

Progresses in Questing for the Truth of Opioid-Related Constipation in Cancer Patients.

Opioids are extensively utilised to manage pain in cancer patients, but may cause constipation which significantly impacts their prognosis and quality of life. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) lacks effective drugs and management strategies. Opioids act on the enteric nervous system, intestinal barrier, intestinal immunity and intestinal microbiota, implying that OIC is a multifactorial process.

Role and mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction‑related gene biomarkers in the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The present study aimed to elucidate the roles and mechanisms of gene biomarkers associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in the progression of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It conducted an analysis of differentially expressed genes related to mitochondrial dysfunction in T2DM and employed bioinformatics approaches to predict potential target drugs for key biomarkers. Additionally, the present study used the EPIC algorithm to examine immune cell infiltration in T2DM.

Effects of hydroxypropyl starch on intestinal health and transcriptome of geese.

In recent years, gout resulting from uric acid metabolism disorders has led to significant economic losses in goose production. The intestine is a vital organ crucial for uric acid metabolism. Hydroxypropyl starch (HPS) is a resistant starch modified from natural starch, which can enhance intestinal health as a dietary ingredient fiber.

Impact of sewage sludge biochar spheres as constructed wetland substrates on antibiotic removal and application.

The persistence of antibiotics in wastewater poses significant environmental risks, with sulfadiazine (SDZ) being hardly remove by conventional treatment process. This study evaluated the efficacy of biochar spheres (BC-S) derived from sewage sludge in enhancing the removal of SDZ in plant-free filtration column for discussing the research of vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs). Adsorption experiments showed that the highest adsorption capacity of SDZ by BC-S was 1.

Interactions between selenium species and pyrogenic carbonaceous materials in water and soil relevant to selenium control and remediation: A molecular-level perspective.

In the environment, selenium (Se) has dual impacts on living organisms, as it is an essential element but high concentrations can be toxic. Current technologies for treating Se in real applications are not cost effective. Pyrogenic carbonaceous materials (PCM) with high surface area and redox properties have been proposed to remove Se.

PyDNA-templated AgNPs coupled with poly (β‑cyclodextrin) enhanced fluorescence: A facile platform for signal amplification detection of biothiols in living cells and zebrafish.

Accurate and sensitive fluorescence imaging of biothiols is essential for understanding the mechanism underlying some physiological and pathological events, as well as the prevention and diagnosis of diseases. However, low signal transduction efficiency and poor biocompatibility of fluorescence tags associated with current sensors hinder their potential utilizations. Herein, a smart biothiols sensitive vivo imaging platform on the basis of amplifying nanoprobe has been designed.

Artificial intelligence for brain disease diagnosis using electroencephalogram signals.

Brain signals refer to electrical signals or metabolic changes that occur as a consequence of brain cell activity. Among the various non-invasive measurement methods, electroencephalogram (EEG) stands out as a widely employed technique, providing valuable insights into brain patterns. The deviations observed in EEG reading serve as indicators of abnormal brain activity, which is associated with neurological diseases.

The role of plume-lithosphere interaction in Hawaii-Emperor chain formation.

Paleolatitudes of volcanic rocks reveal that prominent changes in volcanic trend of the Hawaii-Emperor hotspot chain represent meridional migration of the magma source. However, models assuming latitudinal plume migration fail to explain the observed age distribution, rock composition, and erratic paleolatitude changes of the oldest Emperor seamounts. Here we use data-assimilation models to better reproduce the Hawaii-Emperor hotspot track by systematically considering plate reconstruction, plume-lithosphere interaction, and simplified melt generation and migration.

Does chili pepper consumption affect BMI and obesity risk? A cross-sectional analysis.

Background: The effects of chili intake on overweight and obesity have attracted significant interest in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between chili consumption frequency, body mass index (BMI), and obesity prevalence in the American population.

Methods: Data from participants in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006 were collected.

Ginsenoside compound K plays an anti-inflammatory effect without inducing glucose metabolism disorder in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.

Ginsenoside compound K (GCK) possesses a glucocorticoid (GC)-like structure and functions as an agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), thereby exerting anti-inflammatory effects through GR activation. However, it remains unclear whether GCK leads to hyperglycemia, which is a known adverse reaction associated with classical GCs. In this study, we have successfully demonstrated that GCK exerts its anti-inflammatory effects in a rat model of adjuvant arthritis without impacting gluconeogenesis and pentose phosphate pathways, thus avoiding any glucose metabolism disorders.

A potential slow-release fertilizer based on biogas residue biochar: Nutrient release patterns and synergistic mechanism for improving soil fertility.

The large yield of anaerobic digestates and the suboptimal efficacy of nutrient slow-release severely limit its practical application. To address these issues, a new biochar based fertilizer (MAP@BRC) was developed using biogas residue biochar (BRC) to recover nitrogen and phosphorus from biogas slurry. The nutrient release patterns of MAP@BRC and mechanisms for enhancing soil fertility were studied, and it demonstrated excellent performance, with 59% total nitrogen and 50% total phosphorus nutrient release rates within 28 days.

Cardioprotective effects of high-altitude adaptation in cardiac surgical patients: a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching.

Background: The cardioprotective effect of remote ischemia preconditioning in clinical studies is inconsistent with experimental results. Adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia has been reported to be cardioprotective in animal experiments. However, the clinical significance of the cardioprotective effect of high-altitude adaptation has not been demonstrated.