Associations of air pollution with semen quality and male infertility: A large-scale multicenter study in China.

Air pollutants have been linked to adverse effects on male reproductive health. However, large-scale multicenter studies on the association of air pollutants with male infertility and semen quality remain scarce. Here, we retrospectively collected data from 25,682 men at three reproductive centers in eastern China from 2015 to 2022 to investigate the relationships between air pollution exposure, semen quality and male infertility risk at different stages of sperm development, and whether semen quality mediates the relationship between air pollutants and male infertility risk.

Enzymatic synthesis and functional characterization of site-specific S/O-linked N-glycopeptides: Elucidating the impact of glycosidic linkage patterns on bioactivity.

Glycoengineering of therapeutic peptides/proteins has been hindered by the fact that no cost-effective and scalable strategy is currently available to install a β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residue to a pre-determined Asn site in peptides/proteins, to be further glycosylated by N-glycan. In this study, we developed a two-step enzymatic method to prepare N-glycan-modified peptides with natural β-S/O-glycosylation linkage by sequentially catalyzed by the S/O-HexNAc-transferase from Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439 (SvGT) and the N180H mutant of endoglycosidase from Coprinopsis cinerea (EndoCC). To unravel how glycosylation linkage patterns and glycosylation extent impact the bioactivity of the glycopeptides, cell-based receptor activation potency and in vivo hypoglycemic activity were assayed for β-S/O/N-glycosylated glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues.

Enhanced immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 antigen with aluminum adjuvant and polysaccharide nucleic acid fraction of Bacillus Calmette Guerin.

Vaccine immunization strategies are crucial for eliciting vaccine-induced immune responses, particularly in immune compromised populations and older adults. In clinical practice in China, the polysaccharide nucleic acid fraction of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG-PSN) is extensively used as an immune modulatory agent. Herein, we describe a new immunization strategy using the SARS-CoV-2 antigen (original strain) with aluminum adjuvant and BCG-PSN.

LncRNA TMEM99 Complexes with IGF2BP2 to Inhibit Autophagy in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common type of lung cancer, has a poor prognosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a key role in LUAD progression, yet the biological role of lncRNA TMEM99 remains unexplored. In this study, its function in inhibiting autophagy in LUAD is explored.

Rapid Identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum by RNA Amplification Lateral Flow Assay.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) are common pathogens associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). NG is the causative agent of gonorrhea, which can result in various disorders of the genitourinary system, including epididymitis, prostatitis, cervicitis, and infertility. CT is a microorganism responsible for non-gonococcal urethritis and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Case Report: Controversies in managing pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma: reflections from an early-stage case.

Pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma (PEAC) is a rare non-small cell lung cancer subtype characterized by predominant intestinal differentiation (≥50%) and histological resemblance to colorectal adenocarcinoma. We report a 70-year-old male ex-smoker with an incidentally detected 18×11 mm spiculated lung nodule on chest CT, which subsequently demonstrated intense FDG uptake (SUVmax 14.0) on PET-CT.

Locally advanced prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery: a multicenter retrospective cohort analysis.

Recent data from clinical trials have shown that neoadjuvant therapies significantly improve the pathological outcomes of prostate cancer patients. This study aimed to assess the specific pathological and prognostic effects of these therapies in a real-world, multicenter cohort. Additionally, we explored how factors such as the duration of neoadjuvant therapy and pretreatment imaging modality impact overall treatment outcomes within this therapeutic framework.

A machine-learning-powered spectral-dominant multimodal soft wearable system for long-term and early-stage diagnosis of plant stresses.

Addressing the global malnutrition crisis requires precise and timely diagnostics of plant stresses to enhance the quality and yield of nutrient-rich crops, such as tomatoes. Soft wearable sensors offer a promising approach by continuously monitoring plant physiology. However, challenges remain in identifying direct physiological indicators of plant stresses, hindering the development of accurate diagnostic models for predicting symptom progression.

Artesunate Nanoplatform Targets the Serine-MAPK Axis in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts to Reverse Photothermal Resistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in inducing photothermal therapy (PTT) resistance of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but with unclear mechanism. Herein, aminoethyl anisamide-modified nano-biomimetic low-density lipoprotein (A-aLDL) is used to target deliver the PTT agent and artesunate (ARS) to both CAFs and cancer cells. Though CAFs are sensitive to PTT and notably transition to heat-resistant phenotype, the formed protective barrier is destroyed by ARS.

Halogen Atoms in Bisphenol A Derivatives Enhance the Inhibitory Potency against Human and Rat Placental 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases.

Halogenated bisphenol A (BPA) derivatives are extensively utilized in industrial production and have been detected in the environment, as well as in human samples. The 3β-HSDs are important for the catalytic transformation of pregnenolone into progesterone. But inhibition by BPA derivatives on 3β-HSD activity is still unclear.

Association between sensory impairment and cognitive frailty among older people: Evidence from four nationwide cohort studies.

Background: Sensory impairment, including hearing and vision impairment, are prevalent in older adults and may significantly contribute to cognitive frailty. However, the longitudinal association between sensory impairment and cognitive frailty has not been fully explored. The aim of our study was to examine such associations in four nationally representative cohorts to inform strategies for preventing cognitive frailty and promoting healthy aging.

Mechanical Properties, Thermal Stability, and Formaldehyde Emission Analysis of Nanocellulose-Reinforced Urea-Formaldehyde Resin and Its Mechanism.

In this research, a urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin was modified with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and nanofibrillated cellulose (CNF), and the properties of the modified resin were comprehensively evaluated by combining the techniques of infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that (1) the introduction of NCC and CNF significantly changed the hydrogen bonding network of the UF resin, in which CNF enhanced the internal hydrogen bonding of the resin through its long-chain structure and elevated the cross-linking density. NCC increased the crystallinity of the resin, while CNF enhanced the overall performance of the resin by improving its dispersion.

Machine-Learning-Powered, Rapid, Accurate, and Multi-Target Mechanical Metamaterials Inverse Design.

Multi-target inverse design, which involves designing multiple targets with different optimization objectives, becomes a key focus in mechanical metamaterials (MMs) design. Specifically, many practical applications impose varying requirements for different sections. For instance, the heel of a sole demands to provide support, while the arch should be comfortable, adequately supportive, and lightweight.

Bio-inspired multimodal soft grippers: a review.

In nature, organisms have evolved diverse grasping mechanisms to perform vital functions such as hunting and self-defence. These time-tested biological structures, including the arms of octopuses and the trunks of elephants, offer valuable inspiration for designing multimodal soft grippers that can tackle diverse tasks in various environments. Similar to their biological counterparts, these grippers must adapt to dynamic working conditions to enhance their performance.

Seeking Solutions for Inclusively Economic, Rapid, and Safe Molecular Detection of Respiratory Infectious Diseases: Comprehensive Review from Polymerase Chain Reaction Techniques to Amplification-Free Biosensing.

Frequent outbreaks of respiratory infectious diseases, driven by diverse pathogens, have long posed significant threats to public health, economic productivity, and societal stability. Respiratory infectious diseases are highly contagious, characterized by short incubation periods, diverse symptoms, multiple transmission routes, susceptibility to mutations, and distinct seasonality, contributing to their propensity for outbreaks. The absence of effective antiviral treatments and the heightened vulnerability of individuals with weakened immune systems make them more susceptible to infection, with severe cases potentially leading to complications or death.

BiAttentionNet: a dual-branch automatic driving image segmentation network integrating spatial and channel attention mechanisms.

Real-time semantic segmentation is one of the most researched areas in the field of computer vision, and research on dual-branch networks has gradually become a popular direction in network architecture research. In this paper, a dual-branch automatic driving image segmentation network integrating spatial and channel attention mechanisms is proposed with named as "BiAttentionNet". The network aims to balance network accuracy and real-time performance by processing high-level semantic information and low-level detail information separately.

Change in depressive symptom scores to assess the risk of new-onset dual sensory impairment in middle-aged and older adults: a nationwide cohort study.

Background: Evidence of the association between change in depressive symptom scores and new-onset dual sensory impairment (DSI) remain underexplored. We aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive symptom scores and the risk of new-onset DSI in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: The study included 3,237 participants.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 4-Arylaminoquinolines derivatives as EGFR/HDAC inhibitors.

Lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and the role of epigenetic modifications, such as histone deacetylation, in cancer progression underscore the need for novel therapeutic strategies. This study reports the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel 4-arylaminoquinoline derivatives as dual inhibitors targeting EGFR and histone deacetylase (HDAC).

Distinct patterns and processes of eukaryotic phytoplankton communities along a steep elevational gradient in highland rivers.

Phytoplankton play a crucial role in biogeochemical cycling and aquatic food webs while also susceptible to environmental variations. However, their response to altitude gradients remains poorly understood. In this study, we applied a metabarcoding approach to explore eukaryotic phytoplankton community structure, co-occurrence networks, and assembly processes along a steep altitudinal gradient (590-4500 m) in the Nyang River and the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during dry and wet seasons.

Discovery and identification of semaphorin 4D as a bioindicator of high fracture incidence in type 2 diabetic mice with glucose control.

Introduction: Bone fracture is increasing in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) due to skeletal fragility. Most antidiabetics are expected to reduce the incidence of fracture in patients with T2DM, however the results are disappointing. Metformin and GLP-1 receptor agonists have a neutral or minor positive effect in reducing fractures.

A human-infecting H10N5 avian influenza virus: Clinical features, virus reassortment, receptor-binding affinity, and possible transmission routes.

Background: In late 2023, the first human case caused by an H10N5 avian influenza virus (AIV) was diagnosed in China. H10Ny AIVs have been identified in various poultry and wild birds in Eurasia, the Americas, and Oceania.

Methods: We analyzed the clinical data of the H10N5 AIV-infected patient, isolated the virus, and evaluated the virus receptor-binding properties together with the H10N8 and H10N3 AIVs identified in humans and poultry.

Mechanistic insights into the transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of Curcuma wenyujin under high phosphorus stress.

Curcuma wenyujin, a perennial herb of the ginger family, is renowned for its significant medicinal properties. Phosphorus (P), a vital nutrient for plant growth and development, has seen its levels, particularly organic P, increase in the soils of agricultural regions in southern China, presenting new challenges for nutrient management. This study aimed to uncover the molecular responses of C.

Curcuma wenyujin extract alleviates cognitive deficits and restrains pyroptosis through PINK1/Parkin mediated autophagy in Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Pyroptosis and mitophagy have gained significant attention in Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment. Curcumae Radix (CR), the dried radix of Curcuma wenyujin Y. H.

Two complete chloroplast genomes of , an aquatic genus with unresolved phylogenetic position.

is an aquatic genus noted for its enigmatic position in the angiosperm phylogenetic tree. In this study, we assembled and annotated the chloroplast genomes of two species. The chloroplast genome length of subsp.

Development of interatomic potential suitable for molecular dynamics simulation of Ni oxidation and Ni-NiO interface.

Large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations enabled by computationally efficient semiempirical potentials are an invaluable tool for materials modeling. In the case of metallic alloys, embedded atom method (EAM) and Finnis-Sinclair (FS) potentials are a reasonable choice based on their good balance of quality and computational cost. However, these semiempirical potentials are not suitable for simulating ionic systems, which prevents their use in studying many technologically relevant metal-oxide systems.