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Introduction: In China, a quarter of patients are undergoing 2-times weekly hemodialysis. Using data from the China Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), we tested the hypothesis that whereas survival and hospitalizations would be similar in the presence of residual kidney function (RKF), patients without RKF would fare worse on 2-times weekly hemodialysis. Methods: In our cohort derived from 15 units randomly selected from each of 3 major cities (total N = 45), we generated a propensity score for the probability of dialysis frequency assignment, estimated a survival function by propensity score quintiles, and averaged stratum-specific survival functions to generate mean survival time. We used the proportional rates model to assess hospitalizations. We stratified all analyses by RKF, as reported by patients (urine output

The cryogenic treatment of near β Ti–5Al–5Mo–5V–3Cr–1Zr (Ti55531) alloy was conducted using the liquid nitrogen refrigeration method. The microstructure and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the alloy achieves optimal properties at a cryogenic time of 8h. Compared to samples that were not cryogenically treated, microhardness, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and elongation increased by 12.9%, 6.8%, and 8.0% respectively. Detailed microstructural characterization indicated that the cryogenic processing can lead to grain refinement, enhanced dislocation density, and accelerate the transformation of the metastable β phase into the stable α phase, resulting in a higher volume fraction of the α phase. After cryogenic treatment, the lath-shaped α phase reorients from a vertical to a parallel orientation, and its average width is reduced. Simultaneously, cryogenic treatment diminished texture strength but enhanced the uniformity of the alloy. Improvements induced by cryogenic treatment are attributed to alloy volume and lattice contraction caused by cold compression forces at cryogenic temperatures, which generate internal stress and grain deflection.

Summary: Background: Dementia among younger people is rapidly emerging as a global health concern; however, comprehensive research on its shifting burden trends remains insufficient. Methods: Data on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with dementia occurring in individuals

The escalating prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), driven by inadequate dietary habits and metabolic imbalances, underscores the urgent need for effective dietary interventions. This study investigated the potential of 80 % peanut diacylglycerol (DAG) as a functional lipid component in preventing NAFLD and associated intestinal microenvironment based on a high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced zebrafish model. We first found that the zebrafish fatty liver model shared multiple similar pathways like lipid-induced atherosclerosis, insulin resistance with NAFLD patient in terms of lipid metabolism. Employing larvae and grown zebrafish, we aimed to elucidate the preventive and alleviating effect of a DAG diet on NAFLD respectively. Results showed that DAG post-intervention significantly decreased hepatic lipid accumulation and diminished intestinal inflammatory in fatty liver zebrafish model. Notably, transcriptomic sequencing illuminated upregulation in genes related to lipid metabolism (e.g., fasn, mogat2, cd36), suggesting that peanut DAG accelerated lipid transportation and fostered a metabolic environment less conducive to NAFLD symptoms. Besides, reduced liver lipid droplets and hepatic inflammatory suggested DAG feeding could also prevent the formation of NAFLD. The study provided compelling evidence supporting the incorporation of DAG into the diet as a strategy for the prevention and management of fatty liver disease, proposing a novel approach to functional food development aimed at combating metabolic diseases.

Periodontitis and diabetes mellitus are two prevalent chronic diseases that have been recognized to exhibit a bidirectional relationship. Individuals with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontitis, and conversely, periodontitis can exacerbate glycemic control in diabetic patients. The underlying mechanisms of this interrelationship involve complex pathways, including inflammatory responses, altered immune functions, and microbial dysbiosis. The mechanistic insights into the interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus revolve around the role of inflammation as a common link between the two diseases. Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and prostaglandins play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of the diseases. The dysregulation of the immune response in diabetes can exacerbate the inflammatory response in periodontitis, leading to increased tissue destruction and bone resorption. The chronic inflammation in periodontitis can contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glycemic control in diabetic patients. Future directions in research aim to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus. Modulating the inflammatory response, restoring microbial balance, and improving glycemic control hold promise in managing both conditions simultaneously. Herein, we will provide an overview of the interrelationship of periodontitis and diabetes mellitus, and retrospect the underlying mechanisms, which may inspire investigators with further research directions.

Neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOS), possessing a variety of bioactivities, are mainly produced by β-agarases cleaving the β-1,4-glycosidic bond of agar or agarose. Previous study indicated that NAOS has antioxidant effect, however, the NAOS monomers on the activity of scavenging ROS has not been deeply clarified till now. In this study, the protective effects of NAOS especially neoagarotetraose (NA4) against H2O2-stimulated oxidative damage in HepG2 cells and their underlying molecular mechanism were investigated. The results indicated that NA4 could inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in H2O2-induced HepG2 cells. Moreover, NA4 activated the mRNA and protein expression levels of the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which further up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of the downstream antioxidant enzymes including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), indicating that NA4 could attenuate H2O2-induced oxidative damage through Nrf2 pathway in HepG2 cells. The study suggested that NA4 could be an effective antioxidant candidate and it may be developed as a promising component in healthy food exerting antioxidation effect.

Summary: Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) is a distinct subset of chronic rhinosinusitis characterized by heightened eosinophilic infiltration and increased symptom severity, often resisting standard treatments. Traditional diagnosis requires invasive histological evaluation. This study aims to develop predictive models for ECRS based on patient clinical parameters, eliminating the need for invasive biopsy. Utilizing logistic regression with lasso regularization, random forest (RF), gradient-boosted decision tree (GBDT), and deep neural network (DNN), we trained models on common clinical data. The predictive performance was evaluated using metrics such as area under the curve (AUC) for receiver operator characteristics, decision curves, and feature ranking analysis. In a cohort of 437 eligible patients, the models identified peripheral blood eosinophil ratio, absolute peripheral blood eosinophil, and the ethmoidal/maxillary sinus density ratio (E/M) on computed tomography as crucial predictors for ECRS. This predictive model offers a valuable tool for identifying ECRS without resorting to histological biopsy, enhancing clinical decision-making.

Objective: Our study aimed to elucidate the effect of PAI-1 (Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1) and t-PA (Tissue-type Plasminogen Activator) in tissue remodeling in nasal polyps patients. Methods: Samples were streamed as early Nasal Polyps (eNP, n = 10) and inferior tissue from the same patient, mature Nasal Polyps (mNP, n = 14), and Control group (n = 15), respectively. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were applied to detect localization. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to measure different levels among three groups. The mNP tissue was cultured in vitro and treated with TGF-β1 (Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1) activator, TGF-β1 inhibitor (SB431542), and PAI-1 inhibitor (TM5275); then Western blot, qRT-PCR, and ELISA were used to assess changes. Results: The immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence showed that PAI-1 expression decreased in eNP and mNP, mainly in epithelium and glands. The transcriptional expression and protein level of TGF-β1/t-PA/PAI-1/Collagen1 were lower in eNP than IT while mNP group demonstrated lower mRNA expression and protein level of TGF-β1/t-PA/PAI-1/Collagen1 than Control group. In mNP tissue culture in vitro, TGF-β1 activator elevated t-PA, PAI-1, and Collagen1 with higher release of PAI-1 and Collagen1 in supernatant, whereas SB431542 suppressed above reactions; TM5275 lowered transcriptional and protein level of Collagen1 in supernatant. Conclusion: Early Nasal polyps’ formation in middle meatus mucous is related with fibrillation system PAI-1/t-PA and tissue remodeling; moreover, nasal polyps’ development is regulated by TGF-β1-mediated PAI-1 reduction. Level of evidence: 3b.

Summary: Background: Severe eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (ECRSwNP) remains the most relapsed subtype of uncontrolled CRSwNP. CM310, a humanised anti-interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha monoclonal antibody, inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling which underlying eosinophilic inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CM310 in patients with severe ECRSwNP. Methods: A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, and placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial was conducted. 56 eligible adult patients with severe ECRSwNP were randomised 1:1 to receive subcutaneously either CM310 (300 mg) or placebo every 2 weeks under the background therapy of mometasone furoate nasal spray (MFNS) for 16 weeks, with 8 weeks of follow-up. Coprimary endpoints included the changes from baseline in nasal polyp score (NPS) and nasal congestion score (NCS) at week 16. Key secondary endpoints included sinus Lund-Mackay CT score, change in sinus volume occupied by disease, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test score, 22-item Sino-nasal Outcome Test score, and total symptom score. Safety, pharmacodynamics, and changes in type 2 inflammation biomarkers were assessed. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04805398. Findings: Between April 6, 2021, and March 18, 2022, 27 patients respectively in both the CM310 and placebo groups completed the study. Findings suggested that CM310 improved the coprimary efficacy endpoints of decreasing nasal polyp size and alleviating nasal congestion compared with the placebo. Least squares (LS) mean differences (CM310 vs placebo) of change from baseline in NPS and NCS at week 16 were −2.1 (95% CI −2.9, −1.4; p

Summary: Navigation in indoor and underground environments has been extensively studied to realize automation of home, hospital, office, factory and mining services, and various techniques have been proposed for its implementation. By utilizing the relativistic and penetrative nature of cosmic-ray muons, a completely new wireless navigation technique called wireless muometric navigation system (MuWNS) was developed. This paper shows the results of the world’s first physical demonstration of MuWNS used on the basement floor inside a building to navigate (a person) in an area where global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/ global positioning system (GPS) signals cannot reach. The resultant navigation accuracy was comparable or better than the positioning accuracy attainable with single-point GNSS/GPS positioning in urban areas. With further improvements in stability of local clocks used for timing, it is anticipated that MuWNS can be adapted to improve autonomous mobile robot navigation and positioning as well as other underground and underwater practical applications.

Summary: Background: Breastfeeding is essential for the growth and development of all infants. Despite the large transgender and gender-diverse population size, there is no comprehensive research of breastfeeding or chestfeeding practices in this group. This study was designed aimed to investigate the status of breastfeeding or chestfeeding practices in transgender and gender-diverse parents and to explore the possible influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 27 2022 and February 15 2022 online in China. A representative sample of 647 transgender and gender-diverse parents was enrolled. Validated questionnaires were used to investigate breastfeeding or chestfeeding practices and its associated factors, including physical factors, psychological factors and socio-environmental factors. Findings: The exclusive breastfeeding or chestfeeding rate was 33.5% (214) and only 41.3% (244) of infants could be continuously fed until 6 months. Accepting hormonotherapy after having this child (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.664, 95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.014∼2.738) and receiving feeding education (AOR = 2.161, 95% CI = 1.363∼3.508) were associated with a higher exclusive breastfeeding or chestfeeding rate, while higher gender dysphoria scores (37–47: AOR = 0.549, 95% CI = 0.364∼0.827; >47: AOR = 0.474, 95% CI = 0.286∼0.778), experiencing family violence (15–35: AOR = 0.388, 95% CI = 0.257∼0.583; >35: AOR = 0.335; 95% CI = 0.203∼0.545), experiencing partner violence (≥30: AOR = 0.541, 95% CI = 0.334∼0.867), using artificial insemination (AOR = 0.269, 95% CI = 0.12∼0.541), or surrogacy (AOR = 0.406, 95% CI = 0.199∼0.776) and being discriminated against during seeking of childbearing health care (AOR = 0.402, 95% CI = 0.28∼0.576), are significantly associated with a lower exclusive breastfeeding or chestfeeding rate. Participants who had feeding education were more likely to feed their child with human milk as the first food intake (AOR = 1.644, 95% CI = 1.015∼2.632), while those who had suffered from family violence (>35: AOR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.259∼0.84), discrimination (AOR = 0.457, 95% CI = 0.284∼0.721) and chose artificial insemination (AOR = 0.304, 95% CI = 0.168∼0.56) or surrogacy (AOR = 0.264, 95% CI = 0.144∼0.489), were less likely to give their child human milk as first food intake. Besides, discrimination is also related to a shorter breastfeeding or chestfeeding duration (AOR = 0.535, 95% CI = 0.375∼0.761). Interpretation: Breastfeeding or chestfeeding are neglected health problems in the transgender and gender-diverse population and many socio-demographic factors, transgender and gender-diverse-related factors, and family environment are correlated with it. Better social and family support is necessary to improve breastfeeding or chestfeeding practices. Funding: There are no funding sources to declare.

Introduction: Currently, several different concentrations of saline are recommended for use in nasal irrigation. Increasing studies show that nasal irrigation with hypertonic saline is more effective than traditional saline in the treatment of rhinosinusitis, but there have been few systematic analyses of the effect of nasal irrigation with hypertonic saline on chronic rhinosinusitis. Objective: We sought to compare the effects of hypertonic saline and isotonic saline in the treatment of rhinosinusitis in order to provide a reference for clinical nasal irrigation for chronic rhinosinusitis treatment. Methods: Medline, cochrane library, EMBASE, PubMed, Chinese biomedical journal database, China national knowledge infrastructure, Wanfang database, and other databases were searched, and the searching was supplemented by manual searches for relevant references to treatment of rhinosinusitis by saline nasal irrigation. The last retrieval date was March 2018. The included studies were evaluated for quality, and data were extracted for meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3. Results: Seven studies were included. Effects favoring hypertonic saline on nasal symptoms were greater in 4 subgroups. These were (1) patients with nasal secretion (SMD = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.00; p