Exploring cerebral small vessel disease, choroid plexus, demographics and vascular risk factors that affect glymphatic function.

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a major contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. The glymphatic system, a recently discovered brain waste clearance system, plays a critical role in maintaining brain health. This study investigates glymphatic dysfunction in CSVD using diffusion tensor imaging along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS) and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), to identify key risk factors and modifiable influences.

Long-term impact of white matter hyperintensities and amyloid beta on thalamic subregions in cerebral small vessel disease: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) contributes to cognitive decline, yet the impact of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) distribution and plasma amyloid beta (Aβ) on thalamic subregions remains unclear.

Methods: In this prospective study, 175 patients with CSVD and matched controls underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), plasma biomarker assessment, and cognitive testing. WMHs were segmented and categorized by spatial patterns.

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.

Engineering nano-size carbon-coated FeO anode for long cycle life and accelerated reaction kinetics in lithium/sodium ion batteries.

The progression of technology necessitates advancements in the research of anode electrodes for environmentally friendly lithium-ion/sodium-ion batteries, and the ferroferric oxide (FeO) becomes notable for its affordability and high energy density. However, its significant volume expansion and inadequate conductivity hinder its further advancement. Herein, the dispersant polyvinylpyrrolidone is preemptively introduced to regulate particle size during the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) MIL-53 (Fe), and nano porous carbon-coated FeO is subsequently obtained through in-situ growth of the metal precursor.

A neural network-shaped composite of α-MnO with N-doped graphene for electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide in human urine samples.

A neural network-shaped composite fusing α-MnO and nitrogen-doped graphene (N@Gr/α-MnO) was synthesized a hydrothermal method. The resulting composite demonstrates enhanced electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen peroxide (HO) compared with each single component. The electrochemical sensor developed with N@Gr/α-MnO demonstrates a robust linear relationship over the concentration ranges of 0.

The Role of Iron Homeostasis Imbalance in T2DM-Associated Cognitive Dysfunction: A Prospective Cohort Study Utilizing Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that significantly impacts cognitive health. Although the vascular complications of T2DM have been extensively studied, research on brain iron deposition in T2DM remains scarce, and few studies have directly linked iron accumulation in cognition-related subcortical nuclei to cognitive dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate brain iron deposition using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and identify key subcortical nuclei associated with T2DM-related cognitive decline.

HSDSnake: a user-friendly SnakeMake pipeline for analysis of duplicate genes in eukaryotic genomes.

Summary: Gene duplication is a well-known driver of molecular evolution-it acts as a source of genetic novelty, thereby providing the raw substrate for organismal adaption. However, detecting different types of gene duplicates and comparing them in sequence datasets can be difficult. Existing tools can identify and classify gene duplicates that have arisen by various processes, but have limitations; for example, some do not have a user-friendly workflow and can include many intermediate steps requiring manual adjustments of parameters and/or are not maintained for the benefit of research community members.

Microstructural changes in the caudate nucleus and hippocampus and their association with cognitive function in cerebral small vessel disease: A quantitative susceptibility mapping study.

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is associated with microstructural changes in subcortical gray matter linked to cognitive function. These changes may vary across different subregions. The aim of our study was to explore microstructural alterations in subcortical gray matter subregions associated with cognition in CSVD patients using magnetic resonance (MR) quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM).

Targeting TRPML3 inhibits proliferation and invasion, and enhances doxorubicin sensitivity by disrupting lysosomal acidification and mitochondrial function in triple-negative breast cancer.

TNBC remains the most aggressive and therapy-resistant type of breast cancer, for which efficient targeted therapies have not been developed yet. Here, we identified TRPML3 (ML3) as a potential therapeutic target in TNBC. Our data showed that ML3 is significantly upregulated in TNBC cells compared with nontumorigenic control cells.

Bioremediation of complex organic pollutants by engineered Vibrio natriegens.

Industrial wastewater, petroleum pollution and plastic contamination are significant threats to global marine biosecurity because of their toxic, mutagenic and persistent nature. The use of microorganisms in bioremediation has been constrained by the complexity of organic pollutants and limited tolerance to saline stress. In this study, we used synthetic biology to engineer Vibrio natriegens into a strain capable of bioremediating complex organic pollutants in saline wastewater and soils.

Associations of choroid plexus volume with white matter hyperintensity volume and susceptibility and plasma amyloid markers in cerebral small vessel disease.

Background: White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a key feature of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The impact of the choroid plexus (CP) volume on disease progression remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the relationship between CP volume and CSVD severity via WMH volume and susceptibility values.

Insulin resistance aggravates myocardial fibrosis in non-diabetic hypertensive patients by altering the function of epicardial adipose tissue: a cardiac magnetic resonance study.

Background: The effect of insulin resistance (IR) on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate how early-stage IR influences EAT, contributing to myocardial fibrosis and left ventricular dysfunction in non-diabetic patients with hypertension.

Methods: A total of 166 hypertensive patients who underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) treatment at two medical centers in China from June 2015 to August 2024 were included.

Associations of serum MANF with severity and prognosis in community-acquired pneumonia patients.

Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), a novel endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neurotrophic factor, exerts a protective role in both nervous and non-nervous systems. However, the relationship between serum MANF content and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients remains unclear. A total of 319 adult patients diagnosed with CAP were enrolled.

AMRLearn: Protocol for a machine learning pipeline for characterization of antimicrobial resistance determinants in microbial genomic data.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are useful biomarkers for linking genotype to phenotype. Machine learning is powerful for predicting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from bacterial genome sequence data. Here, we present AMRLearn, a machine learning pipeline to assist users in the prediction and visualization of AMR phenotypes associated with SNP genotypes.

Cauliflower-like CuO-ZnO modified glassy carbon electrode as an electrochemical platform for the detection of hydrogen peroxide in adulterated milk.

The detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a crucial process in various industries, including food safety. In this study, a cauliflower-like CuO-ZnO composite with p-n junction was successfully synthesized using a straightforward one-pot hydrothermal method. The resulting material demonstrates outstanding electrocatalytic performance for H₂O₂ detection, outperforming the individual components.

Serum legumain is a potential biomarker for community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective cohort study.

Legumain is a cysteine endopeptidase that belongs to the C13 family. Many studies have revealed that legumain plays a vital pathogenic role in various respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the role of legumain in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Characteristics, sources, and health risks of PM-bound trace elements at a national park site in southern China.

The health effects of trace elements in PM have been the subject of widespread public concern. In this study, the 18 trace elements in PM samples collected at a national park were measured to analyze their concentrations, sources, and health risks. The results showed that the average concentration of 18 trace elements was 191.

Association of Serum Irisin With Severity and Prognosis in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Irisin is the cleaved form of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), which can confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Several studies have revealed that irisin can alleviate lung injury and affect the pathology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to assess the relationships of serum irisin with the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.

Regulating the nitrogen content in graphene to modify manganese dioxide for the sensitive detection of dopamine in biological samples.

A 3D neural network-shaped nitrogen-doped graphene-coated MnO composite (N@Gr-MnO) was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. The nitrogen content in graphene is effectively regulated by changing the amount of urea added. Upon achieving a graphene oxide (GO) to urea mass proportion of 1/200, the resultant N@Gr exhibited maximal nitrogen concentration.

Interfacial coupling effects in two-dimensional ordered arrays for microwave attenuation.

With the development of nanotechnology, nano-functional units of different dimensions, morphologies, and sizes exhibit the potential for efficient microwave absorption (MA) performance. However, the multi-unit coupling enhancement mechanism triggered by the alignment and orientation of nano-functional units has been neglected, hindering the further development of microwave absorbing materials (MAMs). In this paper, two typical ZIF-derived nanomaterials are self-assembled into two-dimensional ordered polyhedral superstructures by the simple ice template method.

Regulating Growth Kinetics of Carbon Nanotubes Toward Efficient Microwave Absorption.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show great promise for microwave absorption (MA) due to their excellent electrical conductivity and lightweight properties, which are conferred by the one dimensional hollow tubular structure. However, the ambiguous intrinsic motivations behind the formation of CNTs and the intricate growth processes have resulted in a lack of a systematic methodology for precisely controlling their electromagnetic properties. Herein, a flexible CNTs regulation strategy is designed to develop, with the core focus being the directional growth of carbon atoms and the differential catalysis of metal sources.

Cognitive impairment and amygdala subregion volumes in elderly with cerebral small vessel disease: A large prospective cohort study.

Although the amygdala is associated with cognitive impairment resulting from cerebral small vessel disease, the relationship between alterations in amygdala structure and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) remains controversial. Given that the amygdala comprises several subregions, detecting subtle regional changes through total amygdala volume measurement is challenging. This study aimed to identify the patterns of amygdala subregion atrophy in cerebral small vessel disease patients and their relationship with cognitive impairment.

Opportunities and Challenges of Multi-Ion, Dual-Ion and Single-Ion Intercalation in Phosphate-Based Polyanionic Cathodes for Zinc-Ion Batteries.

With the continuous development of science and technology, battery storage systems for clean energy have become crucial for global economic transformation. Among various rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries are widely used, but face issues like limited resources, high costs, and safety concerns. In contrast, zinc-ion batteries, as a complement to lithium-ion batteries, are drawing increasing attention.

Modeling Cystic Fibrosis Chronic Infection Using Engineered Mucus-like Hydrogels.

The airway mucus of patients with cystic fibrosis has altered properties, which create a microenvironment primed for chronic infections that are difficult to treat. These complex polymicrobial airway infections and corresponding mammalian-microbe interactions are challenging to model in vitro. Here, we report the development of mucus-like hydrogels with varied compositions and viscoelastic properties reflecting differences between healthy and cystic fibrosis airway mucus.