Menopause Is Not Associated with Asthma or Severe Asthma.

The effect of menopause on asthma outcomes is confounded by age, obesity, and female sex hormone use. A better understanding of this complex relationship between aging, inflammation, and hormone use is needed to guide future personalized approaches in asthma care.

Rapid and Sensitive Fluorometric Quantification of Black Carbon in Biological Fluids.

The increase in wildfire frequency worldwide has contributed to persistent atmospheric black carbon (BC) pollution, which was closely relative to multiple adverse health effects. Accurate quantification of BC in biological tissues and fluids is fundamental for evaluating its health effect; however, existing analytical methodologies are hindered by time-consuming protocols, low throughput, and the need for expensive instrumental infrastructure. In this study, we developed a fluorometric method for quantifying BC in various biological fluids with the advantages of simplicity, high sensitivity, and low cost.

Virtual screening and molecular mechanism of novel anti-benign prostatic hyperplasia peptides from Syngnathus schlegeli.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common degenerative urinary system among old men. The marine pipefish (Syngnathus schlegeli) exhibited potential reproductive health benefits. However, its mechanisms and active components in alleviating BPH remain unclear.

OpenCIR: Conditional Image Repainting with Open Condition Mixture.

In this paper, we introduce OpenCIR, a fullyfunctional Conditional Image Repainting (CIR) model designed for local image editing. Given an image and a combination of conditions related to geometry, texture, and color, CIR models are required to repaint instances and seamlessly composite them with the original images. Previous CIR models suffer from limited object categories, restricted condition modalities, and demanded geometry precision.

Identification of the exposure pathway to micro-scaled biogenic silica debris via diet and its potential effect in promoting esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has remained highly prevalent for decades in certain regions, such as the Taihang Mountains in China, though its etiology remains unclear. The previous study unveiled silica fragments in resected ESCC tissues in this region, raising a hypothesis about their relationship with ESCC. Yet, the exposure pathway of these silica fragments and their role in the high incidence of ESCC remain unclear.

MRI-based habitat radiomics for preoperatively predicting IDH status in gliomas.

Objective: The intratumoral heterogeneous vascular permeability and cell density of gliomas are associated with IDH mutation status. Therefore, the authors aimed to construct vascular-cellular habitats based on MRI to investigate their correlation with IDH status.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 165 patients with pathologically confirmed glioma who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at three hospitals were included.

Self-Spiking Linear Neuromorphic Soft Pressure Sensor for Underwater Sensing Applications.

Many aquatic vertebrates rely on neuromasts in their lateral line system to detect water vibrations and pressure gradients. These neuromasts contain specialized hair cells that function as mechanoreceptors, converting mechanical stimuli into electric signals for brain processing. While neuromorphic sensors can emulate biologic sensory systems, they are facing significant challenges in underwater stability and complex data processing.

National evaluations of pharmaceutical and personal care products in Chinese landfill leachate: non-negligible socio-economic and rainfall status.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have received widespread attention owing to their negative effects on the health of ecosystems. While numerous studies monitored the usage of PPCPs, and ignored the systematical investigation of the discarded PPCPs. Here, we collected leachate from 73 landfills across China and detected 52 target PPCPs.

The CXCL10-CXCR3 Axis Induces Tumor-Associated Neutrophils to Interfere with CTLs-Mediated Antitumor Activity in EBV-Associated Epithelial Cancers.

Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated epithelial cancers are categorized as immunologically "hot" tumors, they have unsatisfactory responses to immunotherapy. Increasing evidence has shown that therapeutic failure is due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment established by EBV. In this study, a negative correlation is found between the infiltration of neutrophils and that of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) containing granzyme B in EBV-associated epithelial cancers.

Linear and non-linear proteome-wide association studies provide novel insight into venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism is a life-threatening vascular event with high prevalence and genetic determinants. PWAS has become a popular strategy to identify therapeutic targets of complex diseases. However, the current PWAS model only considers the linear relationship between protein and disease.

Unveiling the Relationships of Professional Identity, Values and Communication Competence in Nursing Students' Clinical Practice Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Study and Mediation Model Analysis.

Aims: This study aimed to explore factors related to clinical practice behaviours and investigate the role of clinical communication competence in promoting professional identity/values and clinical practice behaviours among nursing students.

Methods: Between July and August 2023, a cross-sectional online survey were conducted among 791 nursing students undergoing clinical internships at a tertiary hospital in Hunan Province, China, using convenience sampling methods. The Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nurse Students, the Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised, the Clinical Communication Competence Scale and the Clinical Practice Behaviours Scale were used to assess students' professional identity, professional values, clinical communication competence and clinical practice behaviours, respectively.

Different associations between dietary or supplemental vitamin C intake and HPV infection in American women: A cross-sectional study.

Evidence regarding the relationship between dietary or supplemental vitamin C intake and human papillomavirus infection is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate if dietary and/or supplemental vitamin C intake is independently associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and compare them. The analysis utilized data extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 2007 to 2016.

Cerium Oxide Nanozymes: Exploring Synthesis, Catalytic Activity, and Biomedical Potential.

Cerium oxide (CeO) nanozymes have emerged as a novel class of nanozyme materials distinguished by their tunable valence states (Ce/Ce) and abundant surface oxygen vacancies (OVs), demonstrating exceptional chemical stability, cost-effectiveness, and scalable manufacturability. Precise control of reaction temperature or implementation of carrier-mediated crystal growth strategies effectively enhances nanoparticle dispersion and mitigates aggregation. This review systematically summarizes recent advancements in CeO nanozymes: First, it elaborates on cutting-edge synthetic methodologies, encompassing self-supported strategies (calcination, hydrothermal, and sol-gel) and carrier-mediated approaches (small-molecule compounds, macromolecular compounds, and nanomaterials), with comparative analysis of their respective merits and limitations.

Oyster polysaccharide alleviates TNF-α-induced muscle atrophy via regulation of the calcium signalling pathway in C2C12 myoblasts.

This study aimed to elucidate how Crassostrea hongkongensis polysaccharide (CHP) alleviates TNF-α-induced atrophy in C2C12 myotubes. CHP enhances MyHC expression while suppressing the muscle atrophy markers MuRF1 and MaFbx. Additionally, CHP significantly enhanced mitochondria biogenesis and ATP production.

Acceleration of Carrier Transport in an Individual Microplate of Mixed-Halide Perovskite after Phase Segregation.

The band gap energy of lead mixed bromide-iodide perovskite can be simply tuned by adjusting the ratio between the composing halide anions, which would be segregated again upon continuous light illumination to form the iodide-rich domains. Here, we have employed transient absorption microscopy to investigate the carrier diffusion dynamics in an individual CsPbBrI microplate under the influence of such iodide-rich domains. As expected in the phase-segregated microplate, the lifetime of charge carriers is shortened owing to their migration into the iodide-rich domains with a low band gap energy.

Ligand-Mediated Activity of Cu Clusters Boosts Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction.

Surface ligands play a crucial role in modifying catalytic environments and enhancing performance through various mechanisms. However, the multivariate synergistic mechanisms, dynamic evolution patterns, and universal design principles of ligand effects remain to be thoroughly investigated. Metal clusters, with their atomically precise structures, serve as ideal models for studying ligand regulation mechanisms.

Identification and Antiproliferative Effect of Syngnathus schlegeli Extracts on Benign Prostatic Hyperplastic Cells.

Pipefish, a traditional tonic in Chinese food, has attracted attention from both scientific and industrial interest for its potential protective effects on the prostate. The research investigates the structural characteristics and anti-prostatic hyperplasia properties of petroleum ether extract (PE) from Syngnathus schlegeli. PE contained 1776 distinct lipid compounds, with phospholipids accounting for as much as 63.

Genetic Correlation and Mendelian Randomization Analyses Support Causal Relationships Between Instant Coffee and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Coffee is a popular beverage, and previous cohort studies suggest it may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, confounding factors in these studies necessitate further exploration of causal relationships using advanced methods. We obtained data on coffee consumption from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and the latest AMD-related GWAS summary data from the Finngen consortium R11.

Cross-phenotype genome-wide association study supports shared genetic etiology between skin and gastrointestinal tract diseases.

The comorbidity of skin and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) diseases, primarily driven by the gut-skin axis (GSA), is well-known. However, the genetic contribution to the GSA remains unclear. Here, using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics from European populations, we performed genome-wide pleiotropic analysis to investigate the shared genetic basis and causal associations between skin and GIT diseases.

Dual-atom nanozymes: Synthesis, characterization, catalytic mechanism and biomedical applications.

Dual-atom nanozymes (DAzymes), a novel class of nanozymes featuring dual-metal atomic active centers, mimic the multi-metal synergistic mechanisms of natural enzymes to achieve superior catalytic activity compared to conventional single-atom nanozymes. Their unique dual-atom architecture not only effectively mitigates metal atom aggregation but also significantly enhances substrate adsorption capacity and catalytic efficiency through interatomic electronic coupling and spatial synergy. This structural innovation addresses critical limitations of single-atom nanozymes, including low metal loading and homogeneous active sites.

Temporal trends of the disease burden of renal cell carcinoma from 1992 to 2019 in the US: a population-based analysis.

Purpose: Significant advances in the management, in particular the treatment, of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has have been made over the years. However, it is not clear whether these advances reduce the disease burden of RCC at the population level.

Methods: Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we estimated the temporal trends of RCC incidence, incidence-based mortality (IBM), and survival rates in the United States (US) from 1992 to 2019.

Exploring the frontiers of X@MXene nanozymes: Synthesis, enhanced catalytic mechanism, and application in biomedical sensors.

Biosensing technologies are facing increasingly urgent demands for highly sensitive and selective sensors. MXene, as a novel two-dimensional (2D) material, has emerged as an ideal candidate for sensors due to its ultrahigh conductivity and tunable surface functional groups. However, unmodified MXene lacks catalytic activity and specificity, limiting its applications.

Multi-dimensional characterization of cellular states reveals clinically relevant immunological subtypes and therapeutic vulnerabilities in ovarian cancer.

Background: Diverse cell types and cellular states in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are drivers of biological and therapeutic heterogeneity in ovarian cancer (OV). Characterization of the diverse malignant and immunology cellular states that make up the TME and their associations with clinical outcomes are critical for cancer therapy. However, we are still lack of knowledge about the cellular states and their clinical relevance in OV.

Threshold-Effect Associations of Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on Bone Turnover Markers and GC rs2282679 Variants in Chinese Women of Childbearing Age.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate possible serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] cutoffs for the associations between 25(OH)D and Bone turnover markers (BTMs), and how GC gene variation influences such cutoffs in Chinese women of childbearing age.

Methods: In total, 1,505 non-pregnant or non-lactating women (18-45 years) were recruited from the 2015 Chinese Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance. Serum 25(OH)D, osteocalcin (OC), procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), β-CrossLaps of type 1 collagen containing cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX), and single nucleotide polymorphisms were determined.

Integrative Genome-wide Association Meta-analysis of Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Identifies Five Novel Genes.

Aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) is a multifaceted condition characterized by significant genetic predisposition and a considerable contribution to cardiovascular-related mortality. Previous studies have suggested that AAD subtypes share similar genetic mechanisms, however, these studies investigated the subtypes separately. Here, we performed a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis for AAD by combining its subtypes, including 11,148 cases and 708,468 controls of European ancestry.