X-ray Image-Based Pose Estimation of a Joint-Encoded Spinal Surgical Positioning Arm.

Minimally invasive spinal surgery requires accurate and efficient surgical tool positioning; however, current optical or navigation-assisted systems can be costly, complex, or expose patients to increased radiation. To address these challenges, we propose and evaluate a novel passive spinal surgical positioning arm with X-ray image-based pose estimation capability. The system estimates the 6-degree-of-freedom pose of the arm using radiographic landmarks extracted from a single intraoperative X-ray image.

An adaptive AI-based virtual reality sports system for adolescents with excess body weight: a randomized controlled trial.

Adolescents with obesity face numerous health risks and encounter barriers that lead to physical inactivity. We developed a virtual reality sports system, named REVERIE (Real-World Exercise and VR-Based Exercise Research in Education), which used deep reinforcement learning to train transformer-based virtual coaching agents, offering immersive and effective sports guidance, with biomechanical performance comparable to real-world physical sports. We integrated REVERIE into a randomized controlled trial involving an 8-week intervention in adolescents with excess body weight (n = 227).

Young-derived M2-like macrophages ameliorate hindlimb ischemia injury by promoting neovascularization in aged mice.

Background: Peripheral artery disease, an age-related ischemic disease, primarily affects the elderly. Cell therapy is a promising treatment for peripheral artery disease. This study aims to investigate the effects of macrophages derived from young mice on neovascularization and recovery in a hindlimb ischemia model of aged mice.

IDO1 improves postischemic neovascularization in aged mice by boosting endothelial NAD de novo synthesis and curbing endothelial senescence.

Introduction: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is prevalent among the elderly, and therapeutic neovascularization is a research hotspot in PAD treatment. Supplementing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) precursors is an important approach for promoting neovascularization, but clinical trials in the elderly PAD patients have shown limited success. This study aims to find effective ways to boost NAD levels in elderly PAD patients to enhance neovascularization.

Global burden of metabolic disorders among women of child-bearing age, 1990-2021: a population-based study1990-2021：.

Background: Metabolic disorders have a significant impact on the health of women of childbearing age (WCBA) but remain underemphasized. This study aims to assess the global, regional, and national burden of metabolic disorders in WCBA from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: Prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) related to metabolic disorders in WCBA from 1990 to 2021 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021.

Senescent Macrophages Promote Age-Related Revascularization Impairment by Increasing Antiangiogenic VEGF-A165B Expression.

Peripheral arterial disease is a common vascular disease in the elderly. Therapeutic revascularization, including angiogenic and arteriogenic therapy, is a promising treatment approach for peripheral arterial disease. However, the progress of clinical trials is not ideal, possibly due to insufficiency of preclinical models, such as not taking into account the effect of aging on vascular regeneration.

Serum Klotho levels and epilepsy among U.S. adults in the NHANES 2013-2016: a cross-sectional study.

The relationship between Klotho and epilepsy is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum Klotho levels and epilepsy. A total of 99,966 individuals who participated in the NHANES from the 2013 to 2016 were initially included.

On-site delivery of bioactive nanospheres utilizing lanthanides as crosslinkers and metastasis-inhibiting agents for breast cancer therapy.

Postoperative breast cancer patients face a critical 2-3-week window during which residual tumor cells are highly prone to metastasis, yet systemic therapies are often ineffective due to impaired vascularization and limited drug transport. To address this challenge, we developed an injectable nanosphere formulation based on hyaluronic acid (HyA) crosslinked with lanthanide ions-europium (Eu) or lanthanum (La) ions-that act dually as physical crosslinkers and therapeutic agents. This dual-function design ensures structural stability without chemical crosslinkers, while actively inhibiting cancer cell migration, invasion, and colonization.

A model for predicting factors affecting health information avoidance on WeChat.

Objective: WeChat serves as a crucial source of health information, distinguished by its highly personalized nature. Avoidance of such personalized health information has a direct impact on individuals' health decision-making. This study aims to identify the factors influencing personalized health information avoidance on WeChat and to construct a hierarchical framework illustrating the relationships among these factors.

Bacterial membrane-modified cerium oxide nanoboosters enhance systemic antitumor effects of radiotherapy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, yet its ability to trigger systemic responses against distant tumors remains limited.

Results: To address this challenge, we developed a biomimetic nanobooster by incorporating cerium oxide (CeO) nanoparticles with bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), termed CeO@OMV. This innovative strategy overcomes the limitations of conventional radiotherapy by enhancing antigen release and improving immune cell infiltration, thereby amplifying its effectiveness in combating both primary and metastatic tumors.

Multifunctional Nanoparticles as Radiosensitizers to Overcome Hypoxia-Associated Resistance in Cancer Radiotherapy.

Hypoxia, a phenomenon that occurs when the oxygen level in tissues is lower than average, is commonly observed in human solid tumors. For oncological treatment, the hypoxic environment often results in radioresistance and chemoresistance. In this study, a new multifunctional oxygen carrier, carboxymethyl hexanoyl chitosan (CHC) nanodroplets decorated with perfluorohexane (PFH) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanodroplets (SPIO@PFH-CHC), was developed and investigated.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV)-Encapsulated TiO Nanoparticles: A Dual-Action Strategy for Enhanced Radiotherapy and Immunomodulation in Oral Cancer Treatment.

Oral squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC) poses significant treatment challenges due to its high recurrence rates and the limitations of current therapies. Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanoparticles are promising radiosensitizers, while bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are known for their immunomodulatory properties. This study investigates the potential of OMV-encapsulated TiO nanoparticles (TiO@OMV) to combine these effects for improved OSCC treatment.

METTL4-Mediated Mitochondrial DNA N6-Methyldeoxyadenosine Promoting Macrophage Inflammation and Atherosclerosis.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key factor in the development of atherogenesis. METTL4 (methyltransferase-like protein 4) mediates N6- methyldeoxyadenosine (6mA) of mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). However, the role of METTL4-mediated mitoepigenetic regulation in atherosclerosis is still unknown.

Exploring the role of aging in the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and osteoarthritis: Insights from NHANES data.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by high morbidity and disability. While studies have demonstrated that OA is correlated with age-related diseases, few have shown the potential relationship between OA and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS is characterized by intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia.

An improved data augmentation approach and its application in medical named entity recognition.

Performing data augmentation in medical named entity recognition (NER) is crucial due to the unique challenges posed by this field. Medical data is characterized by high acquisition costs, specialized terminology, imbalanced distributions, and limited training resources. These factors make achieving high performance in medical NER particularly difficult.

TRAP1 drives smooth muscle cell senescence and promotes atherosclerosis via HDAC3-primed histone H4 lysine 12 lactylation.

Background And Aims: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence is crucial for the development of atherosclerosis, characterized by metabolic abnormalities. Tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1), a metabolic regulator associated with ageing, might be implicated in atherosclerosis. As the role of TRAP1 in atherosclerosis remains elusive, this study aimed to examine the function of TRAP1 in VSMC senescence and atherosclerosis.

ASF1A-dependent P300-mediated histone H3 lysine 18 lactylation promotes atherosclerosis by regulating EndMT.

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a key driver of atherosclerosis. Aerobic glycolysis is increased in the endothelium of atheroprone areas, accompanied by elevated lactate levels. Histone lactylation, mediated by lactate, can regulate gene expression and participate in disease regulation.

Efficient removal of Chromium(VI) from wastewater based on magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes coupled with deep eutectic solvents.

Industrial wastewater containing heavy metal Cr(VI) seriously affects the health of organisms and may even lead to cancer. Developing efficient adsorbents that can quickly separate heavy metals is crucial for treating wastewater. In this study, magnetic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNTs) with moderate particle size and abundant surface active sites were prepared by coating multiwalled carbon nanotubes with magnetic nanoparticles.

Macrophage MCT4 inhibition activates reparative genes and protects from atherosclerosis by histone H3 lysine 18 lactylation.

Macrophage activation is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, accompanied by a switch in core metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. The crosstalk between metabolic rewiring and histone modifications in macrophages is worthy of further investigation. Here, we find that lactate efflux-associated monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4)-mediated histone lactylation is closely related to atherosclerosis.

Oscillatory shear stress promotes endothelial senescence and atherosclerosis via STING activation.

Endothelial dysfunction is an initiating factor in atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells (ECs) are constantly subject to blood flow shear stress, and atherosclerotic plaques tend to occur in aortic bends or bifurcations impaired by low oscillatory shear stress (OSS). However, the mechanism that how OSS affects the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis remains to be explored.

Hyaluronic acid-based injectable formulation developed to mitigate metastasis and radiation-induced skin fibrosis in breast cancer treatment.

The standard treatment for early-stage breast cancer involves breast-conserving surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. However, approximately 20 % of patients experience distant metastasis, and adjuvant radiotherapy often leads to radiation-induced skin fibrosis (RISF). In this study, we develop an on-site injectable formulation composed of selenocystamine (SeCA) and hyaluronic acid (HyA), referred to as SeCA cross-linked HyA (SCH) agent, and investigate its potential to mitigate metastasis and prevent RISF associated with breast cancer therapy.

X-Ray-Triggered CO-Release from Gold Nanocluster: All-in-One Nanoplatforms for Cancer Targeted Gas and Radio Synergistic Therapy.

Glycolysis-dominant metabolic pathway in cancer cells can promote their therapeutic resistance against radiotherapy (RT). Carbon monoxide (CO) as a glycolysis inhibitor can enhance the efficiency of RT. Herein, an X-ray responsive CO-releasing nanocomposite (HA@AuNC@CO) based on strong host-guest interactions between the radiosensitizer and CO donor for enhanced RT is developed.

Radiological characteristics and diagnostic clues for persistent descending mesocolon in patients with rectal cancer.

Purpose: Persistent descending mesocolon (PDM) increases the difficulty and colonic ischemia in the surgery of colorectal cancer, but the preoperative diagnostic criteria have not yet been clearly demonstrated. This study explored the MR imaging features and diagnostic criteria of PDM to improve the preoperative diagnostic rate.

Methods: The clinical data of 54 patients with PDM and 270 patients without PDM who underwent rectal surgery at the Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, from March 2018 to December 2022 were analyzed, retrospectively.