Versatile Structural Engineering of Metal-Organic Frameworks Enabling Switchable Catalytic Selectivity

The structure engineering of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) forms the cornerstone of their applications. Nonetheless, realizing the simultaneous versatile structure engineering of MOFs remains a significant challenge. Herein, a dynamically mediated synthesis strategy to simultaneously engineer the crystal structure, defect structure, and nanostructure of MOFs is proposed. These include amorphous Zr-ODB nanoparticles, crystalline Zr-ODB-hz (ODB = 4,4'-oxalyldibenzoate, hz = hydrazine) nanosheets, and defective d-Zr-ODB-hz nanosheets. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with low-dose high-angle annular dark-field imaging technique vividly portrays these engineered structures. Concurrently, the introduced hydrazine moieties confer self-reduction properties to the respective MOF structures, allowing the in situ installation of catalytic Pd nanoparticles. Remarkably, in the hydrogenation of vanillin-like biomass derivatives, Pd/Zr-ODB-hz yields partially hydrogenated alcohols as the primary products, whereas Pd/d-Zr-ODB-hz exclusively produces fully hydrogenated alkanes. Density functional theory calculations, coupled with experimental evidence, uncover the catalytic selectivity switch triggered by the change in structure type. The proposed strategy of versatile structure engineering of MOFs introduces an innovative pathway for the development of high-performance MOF-based catalysts for various reactions.

All-fiber function devices for twisted lights

Lights carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM), also called twisted lights, have been applied in fields of optical manipulation, imaging, quantum communication, and mode-division-multiplexing (MDM) optical communication systems. Traditional approaches for manipulating twisted lights carrying OAM in free space paths such as Q-plates, spiral phase plates (SPPs), and spatial light modulators (SLMs) that are usually affected by diffraction effect and imperfect alignment between different optical components, limiting the practical applications of twisted lights. Here we design, fabricated, and package all-fiber function devices for twisted light carrying OAM such as all-fiber broadband OAM generator, all-fiber OAM (de)multiplexer, all-fiber OAM & WDM coupler, and all-fiber OAM 1 × 2 coupler. Base on coupled mode theory and phase-matching condition, twisted light can be generated and detected by pre-tapered single mode fiber (SMF) fusing with multi-mode fiber (MMF). The results show that the proposed all-fiber function devices for twist light have large working broadband (at least C band), high purity (above 95%), and low insert loss (less than 3 dB). The proposed devices will open a reliable way for twisted light applied in optical fiber communications and optical interconnections.

Maternal isolated hypothyroxinemia in the first trimester is not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, except for macrosomia: a prospective cohort study in China

Objective

Insufficient thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, adversely affect maternal and fetal health. However, the impact of isolated hypothyroxinemia (IH) on adverse pregnancy outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between IH during the first trimester and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 1236 pregnant women. Thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine levels were measured before 13 weeks of gestation. Logistic regression analysis and the Cochran-Armitage trend test were used to assess the association between IH in the first trimester and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Results

IH during the first trimester was associated with an increased risk of macrosomia. After adjusting for confounding factors, including age, body mass index, parity, abnormal pregnancy history, fasting blood glucose, and total cholesterol, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that IH in the first trimester remained an independent risk factor for macrosomia. In addition, the risk of macrosomia increased with IH severity. However, no significant relationship was found between IH during the first trimester and gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption, oligohydramnios, premature delivery, fetal distress, or low birth weight.

Conclusion

IH during the first trimester did not increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, except for macrosomia.

[Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against invasive disease caused by serotype 19A in children: a meta-analysis]

Objective: Using Meta-analysis to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae disease (IPD) caused by serotype 19A in children <5 years old. Methods: "Streptococcus pneumoniae infection""invasive pneumococcal disease""13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine""PCV13""effectiveness""infant""child" and related terms were searched from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG DATA, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of science with no limited on language, region and research institution. The retrieval time was limited from January 2010 to February 2023 and cohort study, case-control study and randomized controlled trial were included. Data were extracted from eligible studies by two independent reviewers, and after study quality assessment by NOS scale, Meta-analysis was completed using Stata 16.0 software. Results: A total of 2 340 related literatures were searched, and 10 literatures were finally included, including 5 case-control studies and 5 indirect cohort studies, which showed good literature quality. The vaccine effectiveness against serotype 19A IPD of PCV13 in children was 83.91% (95%CI: 78.92%-88.89%), and the subgroup analysis (P=0.240) showed there was no significant difference among the case-control study (VE=87.34%, 95%CI:79.74%-94.94%) and the indirect cohort study (VE=81.30%, 95%CI:74.69%-87.92%). The funnel plot and Egger test suggested that the possibility of publication bias was small. Conclusion: The present evidence indicates that PCV13 has a good vaccine effectiveness against serotype 19A IPD in children, and it is recommended to further increase the vaccination rate of PCV13 to reduce the disease burden of IPD in children <5 years old.

The classification of obesity based on metabolic status redefines the readmission of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-an observational study

BACKGROUND

The relationship between obesity and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was controversial, which may be due to the crudeness definition of obesity based on body mass index (BMI). As obesity and metabolic abnormalities often coexist, we aimed to explore whether the classification of obesity based on metabolic status can help to evaluate the real impact of obesity on the readmission of NHL.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, utilizing the 2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database, we identified NHL-related index hospitalizations and followed them for non-elective readmission. The patients with NHL were classified as metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO) and obese (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO) and obese (MUO). Readmission rates for each phenotype were calculated at 30-day intervals. Multiple COX regression was used to analyze the association of metabolic-defined obesity with 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day readmission rates in patients with NHL.

RESULTS

There were 22,086 index hospitalizations with NHL included. In the multivariate COX regression, MUNO was associated with increased 30-day (HR = 1.113, 95% CI 1.036-1.195), 90-day (HR = 1.148, 95% CI 1.087-1.213), and 180-day readmission rates (HR = 1.132, 95% CI 1.077-1.189), and MUO was associated with increased 30-day (HR=1.219, 95% CI: 1.081-1.374), 90-day (HR = 1.228, 95% CI 1.118-1.348), and 180-day readmission rates (HR = 1.223, 95% CI 1.124-1.33), while MHO had no associations with readmission rates.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of metabolic abnormalities with or without obesity increased the risk of non-selective readmission in patients with NHL. However, obesity alone had no associations with the risk of non-selective readmission, suggesting that interventions for metabolic abnormalities may be more important in reducing readmissions of NHL patients.

Weight-bearing cone-beam CT with extensive coverage for volumetric imaging in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: system implementation and initial validation

The study aimed to introduce a novel imaging method that generates large-coverage, weight-bearing, and 3D images of the whole spine. The proposed system comprises an X-ray tube, a flat panel detector, and a standing platform. The standing platform rotates the imaged subject, allowing for the acquisition of serial fluoroscopic images from different angles which can be used to create 3D images. To increase the longitudinal coverage, we apply a segmental scanning pattern in which the imaged region is scanned in segments and stitched. To address the issue of data inaccuracy between the segments, redundant areas are set at margins of the segmental images, and registration and stitching algorithms are applied. We conducted validation experiments to evaluate radiation dose and image quality. The dose was evaluated using the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol). For image quality evaluation, we measured the low-contrast and spatial resolution. Additionally, we conducted a clinical study consisting of 30 volunteers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were imaged by our method, and the images were subjectively assessed based on image noise, artifacts, anatomical coverage, diagnostic confidence, and overall quality. The CTDIvol was 1.23 mGy, and the low-contrast resolution was 0.6% at 4 mm and the spatial resolution was 8 lp/cm. The clinical images were generally of good quality, with high scores for all factors evaluated. Our method successfully generates large-coverage, weight-bearing, and 3D images of the whole spine with high image quality and low radiation dose. It shows potential for wider clinical applications for various musculoskeletal conditions.

Role of APR3 in cancer: apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative stress, and cancer therapy

APR3 (Apoptosis-related protein 3) is a gene that has recently been identified to be associated with apoptosis. The gene is located on human chromosome 2p22.3 and contains both transmembrane and EGF (epidermal growth factor)-like domains. Additionally, it has structural sites, including AP1, SP1, and MEF2D, that indicate NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) and NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-B) may be transcription factors for this gene. Functionally, APR3 participates in apoptosis due to the induction of mitochondrial damage to release mitochondrial cytochrome C. Concurrently, APR3 affects the cell cycle by altering the expression of Cyclin D1, which, in turn, affects the incidence and growth of malignancies and promotes cell differentiation. Previous reports indicate that APR3 is located in lysosomal membranes, where it contributes to lysosomal activity and participates in autophagy. While further research is required to determine the precise role and molecular mechanisms of APR3, earlier studies have laid the groundwork for APR3 research. There is growing evidence supporting the significance of APR3 in oncology. Therefore, this review aims to examine the current state of knowledge on the role of the newly discovered APR3 in tumorigenesis and to generate fresh insights and suggestions for future research.

Dynamic and static changes of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in anti‑N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate receptor encephalitis

BACKGROUND

Previous neuroimaging research has examined static local brain activity changes in patients with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. However, the dynamic properties of local brain activity in anti-NMDAR encephalitis remain unknown.

METHODS

This study used a combination of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method and a sliding-window dynamic analysis approach to examine the time-varying local brain activity changes in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

RESULTS

Results showed that patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis exhibited increased dynamic ALFF (dALFF) variability in the left inferior occipital gyrus compared to healthy controls (HCs), while the patients exhibited decreased sALFF in widespread regions, including the left inferior frontal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus, bilateral putamen, left medial superior frontal gyrus. dALFF had superior classification performance in distinguishing anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients from HCs over sALFF, but sALFF was correlated with multiple clinical and neuropsychological measures.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings may shed light on anti-NMDAR encephalitis brain dysfunction from the perspective of dynamic local brain activity. sALFF and dALFF analyses provide complementary information, emphasizing the potential usefulness of combining sALFF and dALFF in elucidating the neuropathological mechanisms of autoimmune encephalitis and may ultimately inform future disease diagnosis.

Positive effects of napping on memory consolidation and resistance against interference

PURPOSE

This study explored the relationship between naps and memory among habitual nappers in China.

METHODS

Medical college students participated and were divided into 30-min, 60-min, and 90-min time-in-bed groups. To evaluate declarative and procedural memory performance, A-B and A-C interfering word pair and interfering finger tapping tasks were employed.

RESULTS

Among 60 students, a significant decrease in the correct recall rate in the declarative task after having a nap was found only in the 30-min group (p = 0.005). After learning interference (A-C word pairs), the correct recall rate for the declarative task decreased significantly in all interference tests (ps < 0.001). In the procedural task, the speed of sequence A in the retests increased after having a nap in all three groups (ps < 0.048), with a significant decrease in accuracy only in the 30-min group (p = 0.042). After learning interference (sequence B) in the procedural task, the speed of sequence A increased in the 60-min group after 1 h (p = 0.049), and both the 60-min and 90-min groups showed increased speed after one night (ps < 0.022). No significant improvement in speed was found in the 30-min group (ps > 0.05), and this group showed the lowest accuracy for sequence A (ps < 0.16).

CONCLUSION

A habitual nap time-in-bed of 60 or 90 min had better effects on declarative and procedural memory consolidation and better memory resistance against interference in procedural memory.

Modeling Brain Dynamics During Virtual Reality-Based Emergency Response Learning Under Stress

BACKGROUND

Stress affects learning during training, and virtual reality (VR) based training systems that manipulate stress can improve retention and retrieval performance for firefighters. Brain imaging using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) can facilitate development of VR-based adaptive training systems that can continuously assess the trainee's states of learning and cognition.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to model the neural dynamics associated with learning and retrieval under stress in a VR-based emergency response training exercise.

METHODS

Forty firefighters underwent an emergency shutdown training in VR and were randomly assigned to either a control or a stress group. The stress group experienced stressors including smoke, fire, and explosions during the familiarization and training phase. Both groups underwent a stress memory retrieval and no-stress memory retrieval condition. Participant's performance scores, fNIRS-based neural activity, and functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and motor regions were obtained for the training and retrieval phases.

RESULTS

The performance scores indicate that the rate of learning was slower in the stress group compared to the control group, but both groups performed similarly during each retrieval condition. Compared to the control group, the stress group exhibited suppressed PFC activation. However, they showed stronger connectivity within the PFC regions during the training and between PFC and motor regions during the retrieval phases.

DISCUSSION

While stress impaired performance during training, adoption of stress-adaptive neural strategies (i.e., stronger brain connectivity) were associated with comparable performance between the stress and the control groups during the retrieval phase.

Association of APOE-ε4 and GAP-43-related presynaptic loss with β-amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline

Apolipoprotein E-ε4 (APOE-ε4) carriers had elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) presynaptic protein growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We investigated how the APOE-ε4 genotype affects the baseline and longitudinal changes in CSF GAP-43 and their associations with β-amyloid positron emission tomography (Aβ PET), CSF phosphorylated tau 181 (p-Tau181), neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline. Compared to APOE-ε4 non-carriers, APOE-ε4 carriers had higher baseline levels and faster rates of increases in Aβ PET, CSF p-Tau181, and CSF GAP-43. Both higher baseline levels and faster rates of increase in CSF GAP-43 were associated with greater baseline Aβ PET and CSF p-Tau181, which fully mediated the APOE-ε4 effect on CSF GAP-43 elevations. Independent of Aβ PET and CSF p-Tau181, APOE-ε4 carriage was associated with exacerbated GAP-43-related longitudinal hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline, especially in Aβ+ participants (GAP-43 × time × APOE-ε4). These findings suggest that the APOE-ε4 effect on GAP-43-related presynaptic dysfunction is mediated by primary Alzheimer's pathologies and independently correlates to hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline in the future.

The potential role of ferroptosis in COVID-19-related cardiovascular injury

COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged as a global health threat in 2019. An important feature of the disease is that multiorgan symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection persist after recovery. Evidence indicates that people who recovered from COVID-19, even those under the age of 65 years without cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease for up to one year after diagnosis. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 for potential cardiovascular damage that may manifest at a later stage. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death characterized by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased lipid peroxide levels. Several studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis plays an important role in cancer, ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI), and other cardiovascular diseases. Altered iron metabolism, upregulation of reactive oxygen species, and glutathione peroxidase 4 inactivation are striking features of COVID-19-related cardiovascular injury. SARS-CoV-2 can cause cardiovascular ferroptosis, leading to cardiovascular damage. Understanding the mechanism of ferroptosis in COVID-19-related cardiovascular injuries will contribute to the development of treatment regimens for preventing or reducing COVID-19-related cardiovascular complications. In this article, we go over the pathophysiological underpinnings of SARS-CoV-2-induced acute and chronic cardiovascular injury, the function of ferroptosis, and prospective treatment approaches.

Montelukast Attenuates Retraction of Expanded Flap by Inhibiting Capsule Formation around Silicone Expander through TGF-β1 Signaling

BACKGROUND

Tissue expansion has tremendous applications in plastic surgery, but flap retraction provides insufficient tissue for use. Inspired by the use of montelukast to suppress capsular contracture, the authors investigated the effects of montelukast on capsule formation around the expander and retraction of the expanded scalp of the rat.

METHODS

Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control and montelukast groups. In each group, 12 expanded flaps with or without capsules were harvested for histologic and molecular analysis; the six remaining expanded flaps were transferred to repair defects. Myofibroblast and transforming growth factor-β1 expression in the capsule was determined using immunofluorescence. Capsule ultrastructure was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Related protein expression in the capsules was detected using Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

A comparison of control and montelukast groups revealed that areas of the harvested expanded flaps with capsules were greater (2.04 ± 0.11 cm 2 versus 2.42 ± 0.12 cm 2 , respectively; P = 0.04); the retraction rate decreased (41.3% ± 2.16% versus 28.13% ± 2.17%, respectively; P < 0.01). However, the increased areas and decreased retraction disappeared after capsule removal. The number of myofibroblasts declined. Thin, sparse collagen fibers were observed in the capsules. The expression of COL1, COL3, TGF-β1, EGR1, and phosphorylated ERK1/2 in the capsules decreased. Furthermore, the recipient area repaired by the transferred expanded flap was increased from 4.25 ± 0.39 cm 2 to 6.58 ± 0.31 cm 2 ( P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Montelukast attenuates retraction of the expanded flap by inhibiting capsule formation through suppressing transforming growth factor-β1 signaling.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

This study provides novel insights into a method for increasing the area of the expanded flap.

Mechanochemical reduction of clay minerals to porous silicon nanoflakes for high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes

Hierarchically porous silicon nanoflakes were synthesized from natural talc via a mechanochemical reduction method, which showed great potential in the scalable production of silicon nanoflakes due to the abundant precursor and facile strategy. The unique layered structure and chemical composition of talc enabled the formation of two-dimensional nanostructured silicon without any additional templates. As lithium-ion battery anodes, the silicon nanoflakes showed excellent electrochemical properties.

Thiolation of Terminal Alkynes with Thiuram Disulfide Reagents Using Water as the Hydrogen Source: Stereoselective Synthesis of (Z)-Vinyl Sulfides

A stereoselective and environmentally friendly thiolation of terminal alkynes was reported. Thiuram disulfide reagents (tetramethylthiuram disulfide and tetraethylthiuram disulfide) that reacted with alkynes in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/H2O could give (Z)-vinyl sulfides in good yields (up to 88%). This protocol features broad substrate scope, good stereoselectivity, high atom economy, good yields, and is transition metal-free. Mechanistic studies revealed that water and DMSO served as hydrogen sources, which greatly highlighted the unique reactivity of this special reaction involving two H-atom donors.

Establishment of a predictive nomogram for differentiated thyroid cancer: an inpatient-based retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common malignant tumour of the endocrine system. The aim of this study was to establish a nomogram for simply and effectively predicting DTC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

464 inpatients who underwent thyroid nodule surgery were retrospectively analysed. Univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyse the risk factors of DTC. A nomogram was constructed for predicting DTC.

RESULTS

In this study, multivariate logistic regression found that female sex, age < 55 years, solid composition, hypoechogenicity, irregular margin, microcalcification, taller-than-wide, and cervical lymphadenopathy were independent risk factors for DTC. The area the curve (AUC) of the nomogram model indicated an excellent predictive performance of 0.920 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.888-0.952]. The best threshold for predicting DTC was 52.4%, with sensitivity and specificity of 91.9% and 81.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

we provided a simple, noninvasive, and accurate model for clinicians to predict DTC.

The potential of targeting cuproptosis in the treatment of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the top ten malignancies and tumor-related causes of death worldwide. The most common histologic subtype is kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), accounting for approximately 75% of all RCC cases. Early resection is considered the basic treatment for patients with KIRC. However, approximately 30% of these patients experience recurrence post-operation. Cuproptosis, an autonomous mechanism for controlling cell death, encompasses various molecular mechanisms and multiple cellular metabolic pathways. These pathways mainly include copper metabolic signaling pathways, mitochondrial metabolism signaling pathways, and lipoic acid pathway signaling pathways. Recent evidence shows that cuproptosis is identified as a key cell death modality that plays a meaningful role in tumor progression. However, there is no published systematic review that summarizes the correlation between cuproptosis and KIRC, despite the fact that investigations on cuproptosis and the pathogenesis of KIRC have increased in past years. Researchers have discovered that exogenous copper infusion accelerates the dysfunction of mitochondrial dysfunction and suppresses KIRC cells by inducing cuproptosis. The levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle proteins, lipoic acid protein, copper, and ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) were dysregulated in KIRC cells, and the prognosis of patients with high FDX1 expression is better than that of patients with low expression. Cuproptosis played an indispensable role in the regulation of tumor microenvironment features, tumor progression, and long-term prognosis of KIRC. In this review, we summarized the systemic and cellular metabolic processes of copper and the copper-related signaling pathways, highlighting the potential targets related to cuproptosis for KIRC treatment.

High-speed spatial light modulation enabling 25-Gbit/s twisted light encoding/decoding and 260-m security free-space data transmission

Spatial domain of light beam is an important degree of freedom to be extensively explored. As a set of spatial domains, twisted lights have some natural properties such as orthogonality and security, providing great potentials in optical communications especially for data encoding/decoding. However, the speed of traditional spatial light modulators has always been criticized. Here we present a hundred-meter security free-space data transmission based on high-speed spatial light modulation by exploiting temporal-to-spatial domain mapping. We demonstrate 25-Gbit/s twisted light encoding/decoding and 260-m security free-space data transmission in the experiment. The encoding/decoding link will lead to 3-dB improvement in bit error rate (BER) performance compared with a single channel in theory and ∼1-dB optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) penalty at the forward error correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8e-3 in practice. The experiment results also show favorable security performance of the proposed encoding/decoding link system.

Grain Boundary Effects of Hierarchical Ni-Fe (Oxy)hydroxide Nanosheets in Water Oxidation

The robust and scalable oxygen evolution electrocatalysts that can deliver high current densities at low applied potential is a great challenge for the large-scale industrial application in hydrogen production. Here, the preparation of a grain-boundary-rich Ni-Fe (oxy)hydroxide catalyst on Ni foam is reported using a scalable coating approach followed by a chemical precipitating treatment. This facile method effectively assembles the hierarchical Ni-Fe (oxy)hydroxide nanosheet in the ultrasmall crystalline domains (<4 nm) with rich grain boundaries. The hierarchical nanosheet structure with the grain boundaries provides more accessible catalytic sites, facile charge, and mass transfer. Benefiting from the abundant grain boundaries in the hierarchical nanosheets, the as-prepared Ni-Fe (oxy)hydroxide electrodes deliver current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2 at overpotentials of only 278 and 296 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction. The prepared electrode also exhibits long-term durability at a high current density in alkaline conditions.

Hospital care experiences of female relatives caring for patients with post-stroke dysphagia during the COVID-19: a qualitative study in China

BACKGROUND

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese hospitals are forced to impose stringent regulations, which unavoidably affect patients with stroke who need continued rehabilitation and long-term disease treatment. However, there is a lack of qualitative studies in the literature on female relative caregivers of hospitalised patients who had a stroke with dysphagia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of female Chinese caregivers living in the hospital with patients with post-stroke dysphagia during the pandemic.

DESIGN

We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

SETTINGS

From May 2022 to July 2022, patients were selected from the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Ward and the Encephalopathy Ward of Shenzhen Chinese Medicine Hospital, which receives patients from across the country.

PARTICIPANTS

10 Chinese women who were caregivers of patients with post-stroke dysphagia were finally interviewed.

METHODS

Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Colaizzi's approach.

RESULTS

The primary theme was determined to be 'kidnapped' lives. Other sub-themes evolved to depict the lives of female relative caregivers, including inevitable tasks and challenges, precise care, a special dietary pattern, solitary and forgotten, and an elusive future. Due to the trivial nature of caring for patients who had a stroke with dysphagia, the caregivers' lives were tightly organised and entirely dictated by the patient's caring needs. Consequently, the caregivers felt that their lives had been kidnapped.

CONCLUSIONS

It is imperative that healthcare workers identify and understand the living conditions of female relative caregivers in the hospital, so as to determine their difficulties and needs. Finally, caregivers deserve adequate and effective support, such as technical support, financial support and nutritional guidance.

S100 calcium-binding protein A9 promotes skin regeneration through toll-like receptor 4 during tissue expansion

Background

In plastic surgery, tissue expansion is widely used for repairing skin defects. However, low expansion efficiency and skin rupture caused by thin, expanded skin remain significant challenges in promoting skin regeneration during expansion. S100 calcium-binding protein A9 (S100A9) is essential in promoting wound healing; however, its effects on skin regeneration during tissue expansion remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of S100A9 in skin regeneration, particularly collagen production to investigate its importance in skin regeneration during tissue expansion.

Methods

The expression and distribution of S100A9 and its receptors-toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and receptor for advanced glycation end products were studied in expanded skin. These characteristics were investigated in skin samples of rats and patients. Moreover, the expression of S100A9 was investigated in stretched keratinocytes in vitro. The effects of S100A9 on the proliferation and migration of skin fibroblasts were also observed. TAK-242 was used to inhibit the binding of S100A9 to TLR-4; the levels of collagen I (COL I), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), TLR-4 and phospho-extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in fibroblasts were determined. Furthermore, fibroblasts were co-cultured with stretched S100A9-knockout keratinocytes by siRNA transfection and the levels of COL I, TGF-β, TLR-4 and p-ERK1/2 in fibroblasts were investigated. Additionally, the area of expanded skin, thickness of the dermis, and synthesis of COL I, TGF-β, TLR-4 and p-ERK1/2 were analysed to determine the effects of S100A9 on expanded skin.

Results

Increased expression of S100A9 and TLR-4 was associated with decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) in the expanded dermis. Furthermore, S100A9 facilitated the proliferation and migration of human skin fibroblasts as well as the expression of COL I and TGF-β in fibroblasts via the TLR-4/ERK1/2 pathway. We found that mechanical stretch-induced S100A9 expression and secretion of keratinocytes stimulated COL I, TGF-β, TLR-4 and p-ERK1/2 expression in skin fibroblasts. Recombined S100A9 protein aided expanded skin regeneration and rescued dermal thinning in rats in vivo as well as increasing ECM deposition during expansion.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that mechanical stretch promoted expanded skin regeneration by upregulating S100A9 expression. Our study laid the foundation for clinically improving tissue expansion using S100A9.

Mechanically sensitive HSF1 is a key regulator of left-right symmetry breaking in zebrafish embryos

The left-right symmetry breaking of vertebrate embryos requires nodal flow. However, the molecular mechanisms that mediate the asymmetric gene expression regulation under nodal flow remain elusive. Here, we report that heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is asymmetrically activated in the Kupffer's vesicle of zebrafish embryos in the presence of nodal flow. Deficiency in HSF1 expression caused a significant situs inversus and disrupted gene expression asymmetry of nodal signaling proteins in zebrafish embryos. Further studies demonstrated that HSF1 is a mechanosensitive protein. The mechanical sensation ability of HSF1 is conserved in a variety of mechanical stimuli in different cell types. Moreover, cilia and Ca2+-Akt signaling axis are essential for the activation of HSF1 under mechanical stress in vitro and in vivo. Considering the conserved expression of HSF1 in organisms, these findings unveil a fundamental mechanism of gene expression regulation by mechanical clues during embryonic development and other physiological and pathological transformations.

Association Between Thyroid Parameters and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Hospitalised Euthyroid Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose

To explore the association between thyroid parameters and subclinical atherosclerosis (AS) in hospitalised euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Patients and Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted involving 1245 inpatients with T2DM. Free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured, and carotid artery ultrasonography was performed. Thyroid hormone (TH) sensitivity was evaluated using thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI), TSH index (TSHI), thyrotropin thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI), and free triiodothyronine/free thyroxine ratio (FT3/FT4).

Results

In inpatients with T2DM having normal thyroid function, the incidence of subclinical AS declined with increasing levels of FT3, FT4, and FT3/FT4 (P trend < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that FT4 (OR, 0.914; 95% CI, 0.845-0.989), FT3 (OR, 0.374; 95% CI, 0.277-0.504), and FT3/FT4 (OR, 0.036; 95% CI, 0.013-0.061) were independently associated with subclinical AS (P < 0.05). However, TSH, TFQI, TSHI, and TT4RI levels were not associated with subclinical AS (P > 0.05). FT3/FT4 demonstrated superior predictive accuracy for subclinical AS than that of FT3 or FT4 alone (P < 0.001), with a cutoff point of 0.25.

Conclusion

In euthyroid inpatients with T2DM, subclinical AS exhibited negative correlation with FT3, FT4, and FT3/FT4 levels, independent of other risk factors for AS. Additionally, FT3/FT4 ratio had a good predictive value for subclinical AS.