[Clinical efficacy analysis of Shibao Decoction in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism with kidney essence deficiency].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of "Shibao Decoction" in the management of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) caused by deficiency of kidney essence.

Methods: Sixty male patients with late-onset hypogonadism of kidney essence deficiency type were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, each with 30 cases. The patients in treatment group were treated with oral Shibao Decoction, while the control group was treated with oral Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules.

Huayu Xiaopi Decoction regulates the JNK/c-Jun/Slug pathway to inhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transformation and improve precancerous lesions of gastric cancer.

Ethnopharmacological Significance: Huayu Xiaopi Decoction (HYXPT), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, exhibits favorable therapeutic effects on precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC). However, a comprehensive characterization of its chemical constituents and absorbed components remains elusive, and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy in treating PLGC warrant further investigation.

Aim Of The Study: To explore the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of HYXPT in the treatment of PLGC through an integrated approach combining bioinformatics analyses with in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Glucose metabolism alterations and Aβ deposition in AD and FTD are related to the distribution of neurotransmitter systems.

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the spatial correlations among alterations in glucose metabolism, amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition, and neurotransmitter systems across Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), while assessing their associations with clinical cognitive decline.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 507 participants (261 AD, 111 MCI, 62 FTD and 73 normal controls) underwent multimodal neuroimaging, including F-FDG PET, F-AV45 Aβ PET, and structural MRI. Spatial co-localization of imaging alterations with neurotransmitter receptor/transporter distributions was assessed using the JuSpace toolbox.

MRI ensemble model of plaque and perivascular adipose tissue as PET-equivalent for identifying carotid atherosclerotic inflammation.

Background: Severe cerebrovascular events are associated with carotid atherosclerotic plaque progression and rupture that is mediated by inflammation. F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([F]FDG) PET is important for assessing the inflammation of carotid atherosclerotic plaque, but it suffers from the limitations of radiation exposure. Additionally, inflammation of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) has been found to promote atherosclerosis progression through paracrine signaling mechanisms.

Global, regional and national patterns and gender disparity of intraocular foreign bodies from 1990 to 2021.

Purpose: To describe and evaluate the gender and socioeconomic disparities in the global burden of intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: Gender-specific prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of IOFBs by year, age, geography and socioeconomic status were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. We used the Wilcoxon signed rank test and linear regression analysis to research the relationship between the age-standardized DALYs rate and gender difference (males minus females) and Socio-demographic Index (SDI).

Do Language Model Agents Align with Humans in Rating Visualizations? An Empirical Study.

Large language models (LLMs) show potential in understanding visualizations and may capture design knowledge. However, their ability to predict human feedback remains unclear. To explore this, we conduct three studies evaluating the alignment between LLM-based agents and human ratings in visualization tasks.

2'-Fucosyllactose synbiotics with Bifidobacterium bifidum to improve intestinal transcriptional function and gut microbiota in constipated mice.

Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics are potential therapeutic options for constipation. However, the synergistic effects and underlying mechanisms of 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) in ameliorating constipation remain unclear.

Unveiling the Differential Impacts of S-nZVI and nZVI on Microbial Dechlorination of Trichloroethene by .

Sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI) is a promising material for the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) in groundwater, offering enhanced reactivity and selectivity over unmodified nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI). However, integrating S-nZVI with bioremediation using organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) poses potential cytotoxicity challenges. This study investigated the differential impacts of S-nZVI and nZVI on the dechlorination activity of strain 195 ( 195), a representative OHRB.

Prediction of Motor Recovery after Subacute Cerebral Infarction: Role of Corticocerebellar Pathway Integrity.

BackgroundThe cerebellar cortex has gradually become a promising therapeutic target for improving motor recovery post-cerebral infarction, potentially dependent on the structural integrity of motor-related corticocerebellar pathways (CCP). However, the relationship between the imaging markers of motor-related CCP and motor prognosis remains inadequately explored. Utilizing diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study aims to longitudinally assess the role of motor-related CCP in predicting motor recovery for both upper and lower extremities following cerebral infarction.

Modulation of Cortical and Hippocampal Functional MRI Connectivity Following Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Mild Alzheimer Disease.

Background Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) may be effective for improving cognitive function in Alzheimer disease (AD), but its impact on brain functional connectivity (FC) has not been well studied. Purpose To evaluate tACS efficacy in improving cognitive performance and modulating FC between brain regions in individuals with AD using functional MRI. Materials and Methods In this prospective randomized controlled trial (September 2020 to April 2022), participants with mild AD were assigned to active (40 Hz tACS with 15-mA intensity) or sham (no γ frequency or current) tACS groups for 3 weeks (referred to as week 3), with a 3-month follow-up (referred to as month 3).

Optimization of MrgX2 Antagonists Based on the "Cell Membrane Chromatography-Molecular Docking" Approach.

Molecular docking is emerging as a pivotal tool in drug discovery. To improve efficiency, the ligand-receptor affinity predicted by molecular docking needs to be revised by using actual affinity data. Cell membrane chromatography (CMC), a biomimetic chromatographic technique, is frequently employed in the affinity evaluation of the ligand-membrane receptor.

A blockade of leukotriene-mediated Alox5 function provides a new strategy for the treatment of V617F-induced polycythemia vera.

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by JAK2V617F, a mutation that gives rise to erythrocytosis. Our previous studies have shown that arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (Alox5) is a critical driver in PV and the inhibition of the Alox5 pathway attenuates JAK2V617F-induced PV development in mice. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the function of Alox5 in PV remains elusive.

A Metabolism-Oriented Strategy to Directly Generate Photosensitizer-Engineered Extracellular Vesicles from Cancer Cells.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold great potential for delivering cancer therapy drugs. However, limited efficiency and sophisticated drug encapsulation procedures have hindered their effectiveness. Herein, β-D-glucose is modified with the synthesized photosensitizer (1-(4-carboxybutyl)-4-(7-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)benzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazol-4-yl)pyridin-1-ium, named TB) via amide bond to form a glucose-conjugated photosensitizer, referred to as TBG, which is further utilized as a metabolic substrate for cancer cells.

Primary closure and prophylactic antibiotics for treatment of traumatic wounds caused by mammals, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To compare primary closure (PC) with delayed/no closure (DC/NC), and compare prophylactic use of antibiotics (PUA) with no use of antibiotics (NUA) in the treatment of traumatic wounds caused by mammals by a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: PubMed and Embase databases were searched for eligible randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Qualities of RCTs were assessed according to Cochrane risk of bias tool, qualities of observational studies were assessed according to Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Screening and discovery of volatile allergenic components from artemisia ordosica in Yulin region of Northern China.

Allergic diseases are on the rise globally, and Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2) has been identified as a key receptor mediating allergic diseases and pseudo-allergic reaction. The artemisia ordosica and other artemisia species are widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, and has been demonstrated a strong association with allergic diseases, yet the specific allergenic substances are unclear. This study investigated artemisia ordosica as potential source of allergens.

Safety and Immunogenicity of a New Rotavirus-Inactivated Vaccine in the Chinese Adolescent Population: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase I Clinical Trial.

Background: We performed a phase I experiment in a healthy teenage population in Sui County, Henan Province, China. The trial was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled.

Methods: Ninety-six adolescents were randomly assigned in three groups (high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose) to receive a dose of the vaccine or the placebo.

Cumulative inhibitory effect of 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorooctane ether sulfonate in anaerobic digestion processes.

Microbial anaerobic metabolism is crucial for biogeochemical cycles, impacting both natural and engineered ecosystems. However, the increasing emissions of 6:2 Cl-PFESA, an alternative to PFOS, pose significant risks. In this study, long-term high 6:2 Cl-PFESA concentration level of 10 µg/g TS exposure led to a substantial decrease in methane production from 204.

Evaluating the forward-looking perspectives of environmental policy enforcement and institutional framework in the pursuit of a circular economy: A moments-quantile approach.

Understanding the role of institutions and policy enforcement is crucial due to growing environmental concerns. Institutional framework and environmental policies drive the demand for sustainable practices such as recycling and sustainable use of natural resources. This study evaluates the forward-looking perspectives of environmental policy enforcement and the institutional framework in the transition to the circular economy.

Comparison of the Correlation Between Cerebral [F]FDG Metabolism as Assessed by Two Asymmetry Indices and Clinical Neurological Score in Patients with Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease.

Purpose: Two types of asymmetry index (AI) have been utilized in evaluating cerebral function in ischemic cerebrovascular disease, however, few data exist on the differences between these AI measures. This study aimed to compare the two AIs in assessing PET cerebral metabolism and their correlation with clinical scales, to explore their potential value and applications in clinical settings.

Procedures: Seventy patients diagnosed with subacute and chronic ischemic stroke were retrospectively analyzed.

Quantitative MRI of the Spinal Cord and Brain in Chronic Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: In Vivo Assessment of Structural Changes.

The prolonged survival of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) patients underscores the need to customize rehabilitative treatment plans according to patients' characteristics, aiming to restore motor function. We conducted a cross-sectional study of two groups with chronic TSCI (short-term group: 11 patients with an injury time of 1-2 years; long-term group: 10 patients with an injury time > 2 years) and 16 controls. Quantitative MRI was used to evaluate structural changes in the upper spinal cord and brain.

Comparison of "one-stop" coronary and head-and-neck computed tomography angiography with different scan sequences using a wide-detector system: heart-to-cranial cranial-to-heart.

Background: "One-stop" coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and head-and-neck computed tomography angiography (HNCTA) use heart-to-cranial or cranial-to-heart protocols with a wide-detector system. It is not yet known whether the HNCTA and CCTA scanning sequence affect the image quality. This study aimed to evaluate the image quality of one-stop computed tomography angiography (CTA) using two different protocols.

[Dexmedetomidine attenuates heat stress-induced oncosis in human skeletal muscle cells by activating the Nrf2/Ho-1 pathway].

Objectives: To investigate the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) against heat stress (HS)-induced oncosis in human skeletal muscle cells (HSKMCs) and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: A HSKMC model of HS-induced oncosis were established by 43 ℃ water bath for 4 h, and the effects of treatments with 30 μmol/L DEX, ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) +DEX, si-Nrf2+HS, and si-Nrf2+DEX prior to modeling on cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assay. Oncosis characteristics were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy and Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry.

Oncosis is the predominant type of cell death in rhabdomyolysis following exertional heat stroke.

Background: Rhabdomyolysis (RM), particularly heat exhaustion-associated rhabdomyolysis (ehsRM), is a significant clinical issue associated with high mortality and healthcare costs. However, the cellular death mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Oncosis, a form of passive cell death distinct from apoptosis, is characterized by cell swelling and triggered by ATP depletion.

Bottom-Up Selective Growth of Ultralong Organic Phosphorescence Nanocrystals with Optimized Crystal Forms for In Vivo Optical Imaging.

Ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) materials are valuable for biological imaging to avoid interference from fluorescence background signals because of their delayed emission property. Obtaining nanocrystals with high phosphorescence quantum yield is a critical factor to achieve high-quality UOP imaging. Herein, a pair of host-guest UOP doped system with variable crystal forms for the host is constructed.