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Ling Tang,1 Yu-Jia Wang,2 Yuan-Yuan Wang,2 Shu-Tong Li,3 Liang Kong,3 Xue-Tao Li,3 Ling-Ling Ma,1 Xiu-Xiu Liu1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, 116600, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ling-Ling Ma; Xiu-Xiu Liu, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China, Email 826269013@qq.com; 1225949002@qq.comPurpose: Ovarian cancer is a fatal gynecologic malignancy with a high rate of abdominal metastasis. Chemotherapy still has a poor clinical prognosis for ovarian cancer patients, with cell proliferation and angiogenesis leading to invasion, migration, and recurrence. To overcome these obstacles, we constructed a novel HA-modified paclitaxel and diosgenin liposome (PEG-TK-HA-PDLPs) using two novel functional materials, DSPE-PEG2000-HA and DSPE-PEG2000-TK-PEG5000, to specifically deliver the drugs to the tumor site in order to reduce OC cell proliferation and anti-angiogenic generation, thereby inhibiting invasion and migration.Methods and Results: PEG-TK-HA-PDLPs were prepared by film dispersion, with ideal physicochemical properties and exhibits active targeting for enhanced cellular uptake. The ZIP synergy score for PTX and Dios was calculated using the online SynergyFinder software to be 3.15, indicating synergy. In vitro results showed that PEG-TK-HA-PDLPs were highly cytotoxic to ID8 cells, induced ID8 cell apoptosis, and inhibited ID8 cell migration and invasion. In vivo studies showed that PEG-TK-HA-PDLPs could prolong the circulation time in the blood, accumulate significantly in the tumor site, and effectively fight against angiogenesis with significant anti-tumor effects.Conclusion: The production of PEG-TK-HA-PDLPs is an effective strategy for the treatment of OC.Keywords: ovarian cancer, functional liposomes, paclitaxel, diosgenin, ROS-response, HA

Han Wu,&ast; Yang Zheng,&ast; Dan-Ni Liu, Xiao-Xia Liu, Qun-Di Yang, Qiu-Yun Su, Ying-Quan Wang, Yu-Zhuo Wang, Xue-Na La, Yan Shi,&ast; Chen Fu&ast; Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Injury, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yan Shi; Chen Fu, Tel +86-21-62758710, Email shiyan@scdc.sh.cn; fuchen@scdc.sh.cnPurpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep duration (SD) and stroke, and examine the effects of SD on stroke with or without metabolic syndrome (Mets) and its components among the adult residents in Shanghai, China.Participants and Methods: A total of 20,245 participants (51.72% male, mean age 44.66 years) were included from Shanghai Chronic Disease and Risk Factors Surveillance (SCDRFS) in 2017. The weighted logistic regressions were performed to examine the associations between SD and stroke in different status of Mets and its components.Results: The mean SD was 7.51± 0.03 h/d. After adjusting for all the potential factors, SD< 6 h/d (OR=1.73, 95% CI: 1.35– 2.20) or ≥ 10 h/d (OR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.08– 2.57) was significantly positively associated with stoke in the total participants; moreover, in the non-Mets group, only SD< 6 h/d (OR=1.77, 95% CI: 1.19, 2.64) significantly increased the risk of stroke; while, in the Mets group, SD< 6 h/d (OR=1.80, 95% CI:1.17– 2.76) and ≥ 10 h/d (OR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.00– 3.88) both had a positive significantly association with stoke. In addition, the effects of SD< 6 h/d on stroke were more pronounced among those with high WC (OR=2.24, 95% CI: 1.40– 3.58) and high TG (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.86– 3.62), and the effects of SD≥ 10 h/d on stroke were more evident among those with high TG (OR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.02– 5.08) and high FBG (OR=2.58, 95% CI: 1.30– 5.10).Conclusion: Both short and long SD were significantly positively associated with stroke in the total participants, and the associations were stronger in the Mets group; conversely, in the non-Mets group, only short SD was significantly positively associated with stroke, and no significant association was observed between long SD and stroke. Therefore, more precise sleep measures may be needed to prevent stroke according to the different status of Mets.Keywords: sleep duration, metabolic syndrome, stroke, Shanghai

Xiao-Xing Liu,1– 3 Chun-Yu Chen,1– 3 Li Li,1– 3 Miao-Miao Guo,1– 3 Yi-Fan He,1– 3 Hong Meng,1– 3 Yin-Mao Dong,1– 3 Pei-Gen Xiao,4 Fan Yi1– 3 1Beijing Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Research and Development, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Cosmetic, China National Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Institute of Cosmetic Regulatory Science, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fan Yi, Email fantasyee@btbu.edu.cnBackground: Adaptogens are a class of medicinal plants that can nonspecifically enhance human resistance. Most of the plant adaptogens have relevant applications in dermatology, but there are still few studies related to their particular action and co-operative mechanisms in topical skin application.Methods: Plant adaptogens related articles and reviews that published between 1999 and 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Various bibliographic elements were collected, including the annual number of publications, countries/regions, and keywords. CiteSpace, a scientometric software, was used to conduct bibliometric analyses. Also, the patsnap global patent database was used to analyze the patent situation of plant adaptogens in the field of cosmetics up to 2021.Results: We found that the effects of plant adaptogens on skin diseases mainly involve atopic dermatitis, acne, allergic contact dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and androgenetic alopecia, etc. And the effects on skin health mainly involve anti-aging and anti-photoaging, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, whitening, and anti-hair loss, etc. Also, based on the results of patent analysis, it is found that the effects of plant adaptogens on skin mainly focus on aging retardation. The dermatological effects of plant adaptogens are mainly from Fabaceae Lindl., Araliaceae Juss. and Lamiaceae Martinov., and their mainly efficacy phytochemical components are terpenoids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids.Conclusion: The plant adaptogens can repair the skin barrier and maintain skin homeostasis by regulating the skin HPA-like axis, influencing the oxidative stress pathway to inhibit inflammation, and regulating the extracellular matrix (ECM) components to maintain a dynamic equilibrium, ultimately achieving the treatment of skin diseases and the maintenance of a healthy state.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: plant adaptogens, dermatology, skin HPA-like axis, ECMs, skin homeostasis, pharmacophylogeny

Ge-Di Zhang,1,* Xi-Xi Liu,2,* Jia-Lang Liang,3 Qi-Ming Hu4 1Department of Endocrinology, Yuncheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yuncheng, 274700, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, Yichun Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yichun, 336000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Foshan, 528000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, 330000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Qi-Ming HuDepartment of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 445 of Bayidadao Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 79107702803Email huqimingqw_as@163.comObjective: This study aimed to summarize the distribution pattern of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: The frequency, characteristics and distribution of all TCM syndromes of 549 patients with T2DM were analyzed.Results: The average age of T2DM onset was higher in women than in men (ie, men experienced earlier onset). The distribution of TCM syndromes, in order of frequency, was as follows: damp-heat trapping spleen (including spleen deficiency and dampness, damp heat due to spleen deficiency, and qi weakness due to spleen deficiency) (58.29%), qi-yin deficiency (16.03%), deficiency of yin and excessive heat (12.93%), blood stasis in collaterals (9.41%), and yin-yang deficiency (3.21%). The physical intensity of patients’ occupational activity was mainly light (49.6%), followed by heavy (31.4%) and moderate (19.0%).Conclusion: Damp-heat trapping spleen is the most common TCM syndrome in patients with T2DM, with damp heat due to spleen deficiency the most significant subtype. This syndrome tends to occur in people over the age of 60 and those undertaking too much or too little physical activity in their occupational activities. The traditional “three more and one less” symptoms do not adequately describe the clinical symptoms of T2DM.Keywords: type 2 diabetes, TCM syndrome differentiation, damp heat due to spleen deficiency, epidemiology, clinical symptoms

Xiao-Ya Qin,1,2,* Xiao-Xin Liu,1,2,* Zi-Yuan Li,1,2 Li-Ying Guo,1,2 Zhuo-Zhao Zheng,3 Hai-Tao Guan,4 Li Song,4 Ying-Hua Zou,4 Tian-Yuan Fan1,2 1The State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nuclear Medicine, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tian-Yuan FanDepartment of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road No.38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/fax +86 10 8280 5123Email tianyuan_fan@bjmu.edu.cnObjective: The objective of this study was to develop magnetic embolic microspheres that could be visualized by clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners aiming to improve the efficiency and safety of embolotherapy.Methods and discussion: Magnetic ferrite nanoclusters (FNs) were synthesized with microwave-assisted solvothermal method, and their morphology, particle size, crystalline structure, magnetic properties as well as T2 relaxivity were characterized to confirm the feasibility of FNs as an MRI probe. Magnetic polymer microspheres (FNMs) were then produced by inverse suspension polymerization with FNs embedded inside. The physicochemical and mechanical properties (including morphology, particle size, infrared spectra, elasticity, etc.) of FNMs were investigated, and the magnetic properties and MRI detectable properties of FNMs were also assayed by vibrating sample magnetometer and MRI scanners. Favorable biocompatibility and long-term MRI detectability of FNMs were then studied in mice by subcutaneous injection. FNMs were further used to embolize rabbits’ kidneys to evaluate the embolic property and detectability by MRI.Conclusion: FNMs could serve as a promising MRI-visualized embolic material for embolotherapy in the future.Keywords: polymerized microspheres, magnetic ferrite nanoclusters, magnetic resonance imaging, embolization, microwave-assisted solvothermal method

Xixia Liu,1,2 Yuhan Liao,1 Xiuxiu Wang,1 Donghua Zou,1 Chun Luo,1 Chongdong Jian,1 Yuan Wu1 1Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 2Department of Rehabilitation, People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China Abstract: MicroRNA (miRNA) is believed to play a crucial role in the cause and treatment of epilepsy by controlling gene expression. However, it is still unclear how miRNA profiles change after multiple prolonged seizures and aggravation of brain injury in chronic epilepsy (CE). To investigate the role of miRNA in epilepsy, we utilized the CE rat models with pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and miRNA profiles in the hippocampus. miRNA profiles were characterized using miRNA microarray analysis and were compared with the rats in the sham group, which received 0.9% physiological saline treatment at the same dose. Four up-regulated miRNAs (miR-139–3p, -770–5p, -127–5p, -331–3p) and 5 down-regulated miRNAs (miR-802–5p, -380–5p, -183–5p, -547–5p, -344a/-344a–5p) were found in the CE rats (fold change >1.5, P

OBJECTIVE: To study the pharmacological properties of Tougu Xiaotong Granule (TGXTG) in preventing and treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) at the molecular level. METHODS: The computational methods, including principal component analysis, molecular docking, target-ligand space distribution, and the predictions of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET), were introduced to characterize the molecules in TGXTG. RESULTS: The structural properties of molecules in TGXTG were more: diverse than those of the drug/drug-like molecules, and TGXTG could interact with significant target enzymes related to KOA. In addition, the cluster of effective components was preliminarily identified by the target-ligand space distributions. As to the results of ADMET properties, some of them were unsatisfactory, and were merely regarded as references here. CONCLUSION: Based on this computational pharmacology study, TGXTG is a broad-spectrum recipe inhibiting many important target enzymes, which could effectively postpone the degeneration of spectrum cartilage by coordinately inhibiting the biological effects of cytokines, matrix metallopeptidase 3, and oxygen free radicals. radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular mechanisms involved in the transport of GPI-anchored proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the cell periphery have not been established. Arl1p is a member of the Arf-like protein (Arl) subfamily of small GTPases and is localized in the late Golgi. Although Arl1p is implicated in regulation of Golgi structure and function, no endogenous cargo protein that is regulated by Arl1p has been identified in yeast. In this study, we demonstrate that Arl1p is involved in the anterograde transport from the Golgi to the cell surface of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored plasma-membrane-resident protein Gas1p, but not the cell-wall-localized GPI-anchored proteins Crh1p, Crh2p and Cwp1p, or non-GPI-anchored plasma membrane-protein Gap1p. We also show that regulators of Arl1p (Sys1p, Arl3p and Gcs1p) and an effector (Imh1p) all participate in the transport of Gas1p. Thus, we infer that the signaling cascade Sys1p-Arl3p-Arl1p-Imh1p specifically participates in the transport of a GPI-anchored protein from the late Golgi to the plasma membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apoplastic pH (pH Apo ) in plants is susceptible to environmental stimuli. However, the biological implications of pH Apo variation have remained largely unknown. The universal stress phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) as well as the major environmental stimuli drought and salinity were selected as representative cases to investigate how changes in pH Apo relate to plant behaviors in Arabidopsis. Variations in pH Apo negatively regulated the cotyledon greening inhibition to the universal stress hormone ABA or environmental stimuli through the action of extracellular hydrogen peroxide (eH 2 O 2 ). Further studies revealed that an increase in pH Apo diminishes the chemical reactivity of eH 2 O 2 , effectively functioning as an 'off' switch for its action in oxidizing thiols of plasma membrane proteins. Consequently, this suppresses the eH 2 O 2 -mediated cotyledon greening inhibition to environmental stimuli and ABA, alongside inhibiting the eH 2 O 2 -mediated intracellular Ca 2+ signaling. Conversely, a decrease in pH Apo serves as an 'on' switch for the action of eH 2 O 2 . In summary, the pH Apo is a crucial messenger and chemical switch for eH 2 O 2 in signal transduction, notwithstanding the apparent simplicity of the underlying mechanism. Our findings provide a novel fundamental biological insight into the significance of pH., (© 2025 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2025 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has gained considerable attention and has been extensively studied owing to its physiological functions, including weight loss, immune regulation, and anti-carcinogenesis. However, the CLA content is very low in natural sources and insufficient to exert a probiotic effect. Additionally, its chemical synthesis is limited by the lack of isomer selectivity, harsh reaction conditions, and the introduction of organic solvents. Therefore, the synthesis of CLA by microorganisms, especially lactic acid bacteria, holds great promise because of its isomer selectivity, green process, and probiotic effects of lactic acid bacteria. This article reviews the CLA biosynthesis abilities and mechanisms of CLA producers, particularly lactic acid bacteria. In addition, the factors that impact the CLA yield are discussed. Special attention has been paid to the regulation of CLA synthesis, including the optimization of culture media and conditions, co-culturing of different strains, and regulation of the activity and expression of CLA-related enzymes. Furthermore, prospective future research directions for CLA biosynthesis regulation are discussed., (© 2025 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Here, we report a C(sp 2 )-C(sp 2 /sp) coupling reaction driven by charge transfer interaction. Due to the strong intermolecular noncovalent interaction, an essential electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex is formed, confirmed solidly by absorption spectra, 1 H NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The EDA complex lowers the activation barrier (E a =9.17 kcal/mol) and facilitates the formation of the C-C bond, which is the rate-limiting step revealed by H/D and 12 C/ 13 C KIE studies. Kinetic investigations reveal that the reaction is a second-order reaction. Furthermore, high-level theoretical calculations support the proposed mechanism. The mono- and di-substituted products were obtained by varying the reaction conditions. A series of structurally diverse and novel second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorophores based on benzo[1,2-c : 4,5-c']bis([1,2,5]thiadiazole) (BBTD) were synthesized by utilizing this coupling reaction., (© 2025 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Caffeine is the most widely consumed bioactive ingredient in the world, which has been found to show great therapeutic potential in several posterior eye diseases. While intravitreal injection represents the ideal administration route for these disorders, it remains challenging to achieve sustained release of caffeine in the vitreous. Herein, we address this issue by loading crystalline caffeine within oleogels (Ca@oleogels), oily delivery vehicles which provide a hydrophobic environment that is opposite to the hydrophilic nature of their cargos. Mathematical modeling of the in vitro release profiles indicated the diffusion process of the drug from Ca@oleogels was playing a dominating role in caffeine release. Furthermore, sustained intravitreal delivery was evidenced by higher drug levels from 12 h until the end of the pharmacokinetic study (240 h) and a 3.2-fold reduction in C max in Ca@oleogel dosed rabbits compared to their caffeine dosed counterparts. Superior therapeutic effects were obtained with Ca@oleogels in a laser-induced mouse choroidal neovascularization model. Advantages of Ca@oleogels as caffeine delivery vehicles included excellent biocompatibility, low cost and simplicity of manufacturing as well, which indicated they can be administrated safely and were readily amenable to scale-up production cost-effectively. Moreover, sustained release of another hydrophilic model drug (congo red) was also demonstrated with the same formulation design. Therefore, this strategy serves as a general solution to sustained intravitreal delivery of hydrophilic small molecule drugs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nurses play a critical role in the implementation of child-friendly healthcare, ensuring that pediatric patients receive comprehensive and compassionate services. However, there is a global scarcity of research evaluating nurses' practices in delivering child-friendly healthcare. Therefore, this study focuses on exploring the assessment of child-friendly healthcare practices from the perspective of nurses themselves., Method: This descriptive qualitative study employed purposive and snowball sampling methods to recruit 14 pediatric nurses from six hospitals in Zhejiang province, Southeast China. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face between January and June 2024. Data were analyzed through the qualitative content analysis approach., Results: We identified 415 unique meaning units in the interview data, 332 of which were related to child-friendly healthcare practice assessment. These units were classified into 58 codes across 4 categories and 17 subcategories. The four categories were identified: services designed for children's interests, tailoring the environment adapted for children, facilitating social interactions, and promoting childhood development., Conclusion: The findings from this study were derived from the perspectives of Chinese nurses on child-friendly healthcare practice assessment, offering a comprehensive and multidimensional view of this field. The results reflect the current state and future direction of child-friendly healthcare in China, which will aid in sustaining the development of a child-friendly healthcare evaluation system., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This research was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Huzhou University (Reference No. 20231225). Informed consent was obtained from all participants before the study. Additionally, to protect participants’ confidentiality, all data were anonymized. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mutations in methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) are linked to Rett syndrome, in which epilepsy is one of the most well-described disorders. However, little is known about the specific role of MeCP2 during epileptogenesis. Our previous study has demonstrated that MeCP2 has a unique control on the development of mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) in the epileptic hippocampus. This study aimed to (1) examine whether MeCP2 affects spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) and cognitive deficits in mice with pilocarpine-induced epilepsy, and (2) profile MeCP2's downstream molecular events. In the dentate gyrus (DG), we found that over-expression or suppression of MeCP2 significantly reduced or increased the frequency, duration, and number of stage 5 seizures of SRSs during the chronic stage after the SE. Over-expression of MeCP2 improved cognitive deficits in TLE mice, while exacerbated cognitive performances were observed following MeCP2 knockdown. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA-sequence analyses revealed that MeCP2-targeted genes have far‑reaching impacts on the pathophysiological events during epileptogenesis, including neuron differentiation, neurogenesis, axon guidance, and so on., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

For fruit-boring pests like Grapholita molesta, the courtship behavior of male moths is a crucial aspect that can be utilized for developing control methods. This study investigates the role of pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) in the courtship behavior of male G. molesta moths, particularly how sex pheromone components affect PBP expression. We found that three GmolPBPs genes were mainly expressed in the antennae of adult males, with no expression in larvae or pupae. Notably, GmolPBP2 expression was significantly higher in males, while GmolPBP1 was more pronounced in females. Unmated males exposed to females or the sex pheromone component Z8-12:Ac showed marked upregulation of GmolPBPs expression. Using affinity chromatography, we purified GmolPBPs and confirmed their binding affinities. Especially for GmolPBP2, this protein had a high affinity for Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac. RNA interference targeting GmolPBPs revealed that silencing GmolPBP2 significantly reduced male responses to sex pheromone components and courtship behavior towards females, while silencing GmolPBP1 and GmolPBP3 had no significant effects. These findings highlight the crucial role of GmolPBP2 in mediating male courtship behavior, emphasizing the importance of PBPs in pheromone communication and mating success in G. molesta., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To compare the accuracy, duration, and certainty of diagnosing approximal caries in bitewing radiographs displayed in 3 monitors under 2 luminance conditions., Methods: A total of 39 teeth without evident caries were selected from 11 patients undergoing partial jaw resection. Before the operation, 13 bitewing radiographs were captured by a digital imaging system. Eight observers evaluated the images under dark (9 lux) and bright (200 lux) conditions, using 2 medical-grade monitors and a commercial monitor. Using histological results as the gold standard, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves under different conditions were compared using the Z-test. Multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to assess the impact of various factors on diagnostic duration, while ordinal logistic regression was used to examine factors influencing diagnostic certainty level. It was considered significant when P < .05., Results: No significant difference was found in the diagnostic accuracy or duration for diagnosis of approximal caries under 2 luminance conditions with the 3 distinct monitors (P > .05). Ambient light, clinical experience, and the pathological grade of approximal caries have influence on the degree of diagnostic confidence (P < .05)., Conclusions: Different monitors and ambient luminance didn't influence the diagnostic accuracy or evaluation duration. Ambient luminance, clinical experience, and the depth of caries affect the degree of diagnostic confidence., Advances in Knowledge: The study employing bitewing radiographs from real patients indicates that ambient luminance, clinical experience, and the depth of caries affect the degree of diagnostic confidence., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology and the International Association of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Class 3 semaphorins (Sema3s), identified as secreted soluble proteins, present many therapeutic potentials. Recent evidence has suggested that Sema3s as molecular cue participate in neuroregulation, angiogenesis, and microenvironment homeostasis of the central nervous system. Moreover, Sema3s signaling pathways may be targeted for enhancing neural network connectivity, promoting neural regeneration and repair, and inhibiting pathological angiogenesis. Due to the complex co-expression patterns and crosstalk among Sema3s, new drugs targeting Sema3s-related signaling pathways are expected to be discovered to counter brain diseases. This review summarizes the specific roles of Sema3s in pathological processes of various brain diseases, and provides potential targeted strategies for the prevention and treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests in this work., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Badminton-related injury is thought to happen with increasing incidence among badminton players. Literature shown injury incidence across age is scarce. The objective was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of badminton-related injuries among badminton players broken down by age and sex. This epidemiology study is a retrospective design in 7-22-year-old badminton players at a national competitive tournament with a questionnaire from 2018 to 2023. An injury was defined as somatic complaint with time loss and/or medical care. Badminton-related injuries were normalized to rate per 1000 training-hours calculated by Poisson distribution in the collected data according to age and gender. Among all the 711 badminton players, 60.3% (429 players) suffered from at least one badminton-related injury. Regardless of gender, the most frequently injured anatomical site was knee (male: 18.8%, female: 18.6%), followed by ankle (male: 13.4%, female: 13.4%) and lower back (male: 12.3%, female: 10.0%). In male badminton players, the shoulder (7.6%) ranked fourth as the plantar (6.7%) ranked fourth in female badminton players. The rate per 1000 training-hours of badminton-related injuries showed that male players peaked at age 15-16 years and female players peaked at age 17-18 years, with 3.24 injuries and 3.52 injuries per 1000 training-hours, respectively. In 7-22-year-old badminton players, knee, lower back, and shoulder injuries frequently occurred and were significantly associated with the incidence of badminton-related injuries. The peak incidence of badminton-related injuries was in 15-16-year-old male badminton players while the peak incidence was in 17-18-year-old female badminton players. These data have the potential to help target the most at-risk anatomical sites and the most at-risk badminton players precisely for injury prevention programs., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: To investigate the effect of basic intermittent exotropia (IXT) on myopic shift in children during 12-month follow-up., Methods: 165 children aged 4-15 years were recruited prospectively in this study and divided into 3 groups: Group A, consisted of 64 patients with basic IXT without surgery; Group B, consisted of 51 patients 1-month after IXT-corrected surgery; and Group C, consisted of 50 patients without any form of strabismus. All patients underwent assessments of spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), exodeviation, and binocular function relating to accommodation and convergence. Examinations were conducted at baseline and 12-month. SE and AL changes were compared among groups. Univariate and multivariate linear analyses were employed to investigate the association between myopic shift and IXT, as well as other clinical parameters., Results: Three groups showed comparable ages, genders and SEs at baseline (all P  > .05). During 12-month follow-up, the rate of myopic shift varied among groups. Significant differences in SE progression ( P  = .006) and AL elongation ( P  = .014) between Group A and Group C were observed. Although SE progression and AL elongation in Group B were less than Group A, no significant differences were found ( P  = .125; P  = .038). In the multivariate analysis, increases in exodeviation angle were significantly associated with both SE progression ( β  = 0.010, P  = .041) and AL elongation ( β  = -0.005, P  = .026). Each one prism diopter increase in the exodeviation angle was correlated with a 0.01D SE progression and a 0.005 mm AL elongation., Conclusions: Children with basic IXT exhibited faster myopia shift compared to those without strabismus. Although surgical correction of strabismus appeared to slow this process, the effect was not statistically significant. Furthermore, greater increase in exodeviation angle was associated with higher rate of SE progression and AL elongation., Trial Registration: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing TongRen Hospital (approved number: TRECKY2020-142, approved date: 2020.10.30)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2025 Li, Liu, Hao, Li, Zhang, Zhao, Wang, Li and Fu.)

Background: In China, stroke is the primary cause of adult death and disability. Because of the increased rate of blood vessel reperfusion, it is important to prevent cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, in which glutamate (Glu) excitotoxicity plays a critical role. The most important Glu transporter, GLT-1, is essential for the regulation of Glu, which is dependent on Na + -K + -ATPase (NKA)-induced ion concentration gradient differences. EGCG, a substance found in tea polyphenols, can reduce infarct areas in ischemia-reperfusion models, reduce stroke incidence, and prolong life in which NKA is involved., Purpose: In this study, we investigated the potential of EGCG in protecting against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating the interaction between NKA and GLT-1., Study Design: This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of EGCG against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by modulating the interaction between NKA and GLT-1, utilizing both the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model and the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model in co-cultures of rat hippocampal neurons and astrocytes., Methods: The neuronal survival rate was assessed using CCK8, and the cerebral infarction area and neurological function were determined by TTC staining and neurological deficit scores. NKA activity was measured using an inorganic phosphorous detection method, and NKA and GLT-1 expression was detected using western blotting. The interaction between NKAα 2 and GLT-1 was identified by co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) assay, laser confocal microscopy, and Imaris 3D confocal rendering technology. An adenovirus vector with overexpression of NKAα 2 was constructed, packaged, and injected into the rat lateral ventricle. Neurological function and the cerebral infarction area were identified, and the interaction between NKAα 2 and GLT-1 was identified using CoIP assay., Results: EGCG reduced the infarction area and neurological deficit scores, restored NKA activity, alleviated the decrease in membrane NKAα 2 and GLT-1 expression, and relieved the uncoupling of NKAα 2 and GLT-1 in the hippocampal CA1 after rat MCAO/R injury. By promoting the coupling of NKAα 2 and GLT-1 in rat MCAO/R models, overexpression of NKAα2 reduced the cerebral infarction area and neurological impairment scores., Conclusion: EGCG improved cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by restoring NKA activity and increasing membrane GLT-1 expression due to NKA-GLT-1 interaction. For the first time, our findings demonstrate the critical role that NKA and GLT-1 colocalization plays in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion damage. Our findings provide new strategic directions for the pathogenesis and prevention of thrombolytic injury in the clinical treatment of stroke, while also serving as a basis for further development and utilization of EGCG., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aims to analyze the concept of Child-friendly Healthcare (CFH) using Walker and Avant's conceptual analysis framework to clarify its meaning, attributes, and implications for clinical practice., Method: The study employed Walker and Avant's conceptual analysis method, which involves a systematic process comprising concept selection, setting objectives, exploring potential uses, defining attributes, constructing a model case, identifying contrary cases, determining antecedents and consequences, and examining empirical referents. A scoping review was conducted across multiple sources, including online dictionaries, scientific databases, and grey literature, with a focus on literature relevant to CFH., Result: A total of 37 articles were reviewed, revealing diverse definitions and interpretations of CFH across various contexts. The concept was defined by five key attributes: (1) child interests-prioritized quality services, (2) child-friendly environments and spaces, (3) social interaction, (4) child participation, and (5) development facilitation. The study also identified the antecedents and consequences of CFH, developed model and contrary cases, and examined empirical referents to offer a comprehensive understanding of the concept., Conclusion: This analysis effectively clarified the concept of CFH, highlighting its core attributes and providing valuable insights for clinical nursing practice. The findings suggest that CFH can be used as a framework to guide child-centered healthcare practices, thereby enhancing the quality of care provided to pediatric patients., Implications: Conducting a concept analysis of CFH can significantly contribute to improving patient health outcomes, supporting institutional development, and fostering future research and practical applications in child healthcare settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the differences in clinical and electrocardiographic characteristics between carriers of SCN5A mutations and non-SCN5A mutations in fever-induced Brugada syndrome. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study. A total of 263 patients with fever-induced Brugada syndrome who were admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2000 to December 2023 were selected. Their clinical manifestations, electrocardiographic characteristics, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at the time of diagnosis and during the follow-up period were collected. Among them, 200 patients underwent next-generation sequencing. Based on the genetic variation results, after excluding other mutations, they were divided into SCN5A mutation group, non-SCN5A sodium-related mutation group, potassium/calcium mutation group, and no mutation group. Comparisons were made among these groups in terms of their clinical and electrocardiographic characteristics. Results: Among the 263 patients with fever-induced Brugada syndrome, the mean age was (41.9±17.6) years, with 80.6% (212/263) being male. The median follow-up duration was 53.0 months, and 13.7% (36/263) of the patients experienced MACE. The rate of SCN5A mutation was 34.5% (69/200), while the rates of non-SCN5A sodium-related mutations and potassium/calcium-related mutations were 4.5% (9/200) and 3.5% (7/200), respectively. The SCN5A mutation group was younger than the non-SCN5A sodium-related mutation group and the no mutation group (ages were (33.8±14.7), (49.8±11.6), (44.6±15.7) years, respectively, P< 0.001). The SCN5A mutation group also had a longer PR interval than the no mutation group ((176.8±32.3) ms vs. (163.9±28.6) ms, P =0.034). The incidence of MACE was higher in the non-SCN5A sodium-related mutation group than that in the no mutation group (55.6% (5/9) vs. 9.1% (9/99), P =0.002). Conclusions: Fever-induced Brugada syndrome patients carrying non-SCN5A mutations exhibit distinct clinical and electrocardiographic characteristics compared to those with SCN5A mutations. These differences warrant attention in clinical practice.

The activation of N₂ under mild conditions remains a significant challenge in chemistry. Understanding how the composition of ligands modulates the reactivity of metal centers is pivotal for the rational design of efficient catalysts for nitrogen fixation. Herein, the reactions between polynuclear niobium oxynitride anions Nb 4 N 5-x O x - (x=0-5) and N 2 were investigated by employing mass spectrometry, photoelectron imaging spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The rate constants of Nb 4 N 5-x O x - /N 2 gradually decrease for x=0 to x=4, and then increase again for x=5. The sharp increase of the rate constants of Nb 4 O 5 - /N 2 corresponds to a decrease in the electron detachment energy of the Nb 4 O 5 - cluster in the photoelectron spectroscopic experiments. Theoretical calculations suggest that the low-coordinated Nb-Nb sites in Nb 4 N 5-x O x - (x=0-5) behaves as the active centers to bind N 2 in the side-on/end-on manner. Mechanistic analysis reveals that reducing the N/O ratio leads to higher electron densities on the active Nb-Nb centers and decreased positive charge on the metal atoms, which hinders the approach of N 2 to the clusters. This finding discloses fundamental insights into the impact of N/O ratio in fine-tuning the reactivity of metal centers toward N 2 adsorption in related catalytic processes., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aqueous Zn-S batteries provide competitive energy density for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the cathode active material exhibits poor electrical conductivity especially at the discharged state of ZnS. Its morphology generated in cells thus directly determines the cathode electrochemical activity. Here, we reveal the ZnS growth behavior and control its morphology by the anion donor number (DN) of zinc salts in electrolytes. The anion DN affects the salt dissociation degree and furthermore sulfide solubility in electrolytes, which finally determines ZnS growth preference on existing nuclei or carbon substrates. As a result, 3D ZnS is realized from the high DN ZnBr 2 electrolyte, whereas a 2D passivation film is formed from low DN Zn(TFSI) 2 . Thanks to the facile electron paths and abundant reaction sites with 3D morphology, the sulfur cathode reaches a high capacity of 1662 mA h g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 and retains 872 mA h g -1 capacity after 400 cycles at 3 A g -1 ., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is a serious respiratory inflammation disease with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), basophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (BLR) and eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ELR) in patients with SCAP. The study retrospectively included 554 patients with SCAP, and the clinical data were obtained from the electronic patient record (EMR) system. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS), overall survival (OS), admission to ICU, ICU LOS, and ICU mortality. The results showed that both NLR and BLR were significant but not independent prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality; NLR was negatively correlated with hospital LOS while ELR was positively correlated with hospital LOS; both increased NLR and increased BLR were associated with reduced OS, while increased ELR was associated with improved OS; increased PLR, NLR, MLR, and BLR were all correlated with elevated ICU admission rates, while increased ELR was correlated with a reduced ICU admission rate; ELR was positively correlated with ICU LOS; both higher NLR and higher BLR were associated with increased ICU mortality. In summary, NLR and BLR were useful prognostic factors for clinical outcomes in patients with SCAP., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: Author Ke-Wei Zhu is employed by GuangZhou BaiYunShan Pharmaceutical Holdings CO.,LTD. BaiYunShan Pharmaceutical General Factory, Guangzhou, China. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from cancer cells are crucial mediators of intercellular communication during tumor progression. The cargo in tumor-derived EVs that facilitates the establishment of a tumor-supportive microenvironment could serve as a therapeutic target to improve cancer treatment. Here, we demonstrated that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells secreted the acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) in large EVs (lEV) to modulate tumor-microenvironment interactions that promote HCC progression. HCC-derived lEV ACSL4 increased the intracellular abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing lipids and remodeled the lipid profile to potentiate lipid peroxidation in peritumoral hepatocytes, resulting in hepatocyte senescence accompanied by the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Depletion of senescent hepatocytes by senolytic treatment suppressed tumor progression. In HCC cells, SREBP2-mediated transcriptional activation upregulated ACSL4 expression, and Akt-mediated phosphorylation of ACSL4 induced its packaging into lEVs by augmenting its interaction with Annexin A2. This study identified the critical regulatory function of ACSL4 secreted from HCC cells in inducing lipid remodeling and senescence in hepatocytes to support HCC progression, suggesting that targeting lEV ACSL4 is a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC. Significance: Peritumoral hepatocyte senescence mediated by ACSL4 secreted from hepatocellular carcinoma cells in extracellular vesicles promotes tumor progression through a senescence secretome and represents a therapeutic target in liver cancer., (©2024 American Association for Cancer Research.)

There has been a growing interest in developing catalysts to enable the reversible iodine conversion reaction for high-performance aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs). While diatomic catalysts (DACs) have demonstrated superior performance in various catalytic reactions due to their ability to facilitate synergistic charge interactions, their application in AZIBs remains unexplored. Herein, we present, for the first time, a DAC comprising Mn-Zn dual atoms anchored on a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix (MnZn-NC) for iodine loading, resulting in a high-performance AZIB with a capacity of 224 mAh g -1 at 1 A g -1 and remarkable cycling stability over 320,000 cycles. The electron hopping along the Mn-N-Zn bridge is stimulated via a spin exchange mechanism. This process broadens the Mn 3d xy band width and enhances the metallic character of the catalyst, thus facilitating charge transfer between the catalysts and reaction intermediates. Additionally, the increased electron occupancy within the d-orbital of Zn elevates Zn's d-band center, thereby enhancing chemical interactions between MnZn-NC and I-based species. Furthermore, our mechanism demonstrates potential applicability to other Metal-Zn-NC DACs with spin-polarized atoms. Our work elucidates a clear mechanistic understanding of diatomic catalysts and provides new insights into catalyst design for AZIBs., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

To investigate the effect of gamma irradiation on the volatile compounds of edible oils. Three types of oilseeds, including peanut, sesame, and flaxseed, were subjected to 8 kGy gamma irradiation, followed by cold pressing to extract their oils. The volatile compounds of the oils were isolated by simultaneous distillation extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 91 volatile compounds were identified, which can be grouped into eight categories: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, esters, furans, and benzene derivatives. Irradiation treatment resulted in a significant increase in the levels of hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and ketones in all oil samples (p < 0.05), with the greatest increase observed in hydrocarbons (4-14 times). In contrast, changes in alcohols, acids, esters, furans, and benzene derivatives were related to oilseed type. The increased hydrocarbons mainly originated from the degradation of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. The irradiation resistance of the three oilseeds varied considerably, in the order: flaxseed > sesame > peanut. Based on the odor activity value, 11 key aroma compounds were selected, and (E)-2-decenal (tallow, oily, and orange), 1-octanol (soapy and oily), and 1-nonanol (floral and soapy) were only detected in the irradiated samples. Principal component analysis revealed that the oil samples of the three oilseeds could be well classified based on their key aroma compounds, and that the irradiation treatment had no remarkable effect on their intrinsic aroma., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists.)

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of combining ultrasound-guided sharp needle technique with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for treating outflow stenosis or dysfunction in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) among hemodialysis patients., Methods: From October 2021 to March 2023, patients with occluded or malfunctional fistula veins not amenable to regularly angioplasty were retrospectively enrolled in the study. They underwent ultrasound-guided sharp needle intervention followed by PTA. Data on the location and length between the two veins, technical success, clinical outcomes, and complications were collected. Patency rates post-angioplasty were calculated through Kaplan-Meier analysis., Results: A total of 23 patients were included. The mean length of the reconstructed extraluminal segment was 3.18 cm. The sharp needle opening was performed on the basilic vein (60.9%), brachial vein (26.1%), or upper arm cephalic vein (13%) to create outflow channels. Postoperatively, all cases presented with mild subcutaneous hematomas around the tunneling site and minor diffuse bleeding. The immediate patency rate for the internal fistulas was 100%, with 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month patency rates at 91.3%, 78.3%, and 43.5%, respectively., Conclusion: Sharp needle technology merged with PTA presents an effective and secure minimally invasive method for reconstructing the outflow tract, offering a new solution for recanalizing high-pressure or occluded fistulas.

Background: Dachaihu decoction (Dachaihu tang) plays a crucial role in treating acute illnesses. Recently, a significant number of clinical studies on Dachaihu decoction for acute cholecystitis (AC) have been published. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of Dachaihu decoction in patients with this condition., Methods: To identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs), eight databases and three clinical trial registries were searched from inception to 30 June 2024. Two researchers independently screened and extracted data from eligible studies using EndNote X9 and Microsoft Office Excel 2019. RoB 2.0 was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Stata 17.0 was used for data analysis. Publication bias and its impact on result stability were evaluated using a funnel plot and the "trim-and-fill" method. The quality of evidence was graded using the GRADE assessment system., Results: Thirty-three RCTs involving 2,851 participants were included. The treatment group demonstrated improved clinical efficacy (RR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.13 to 1.24), significantly reduced length of hospital stay (MD = -1.78 days; 95% CI = -2.02 to -1.53), and the incidence of adverse events (RR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.48). Additionally, there appeared to be reductions in the time for abdominal pain to resolve (MD = -1.92 days; 95% CI = -2.33 to -1.51), fever to disappear (MD = -1.52 days; 95% CI = -1.90 to -1.14), white blood cell count to return to normal (MD = -2.89 days; 95% CI = -3.32 to -2.46), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (MD = -11.88 U/L; 95% CI = -15.29 to -8.47), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (MD = -8.74 U/L; 95% CI = -9.76 to -7.72), neutrophil percentage (MD = -9.68; 95% CI = -11.33 to -8.03), TNF-α levels (SMD = -2.10 pg/L; 95% CI = -2.43 to -2.78), and certainty of evidence (moderate-to-low certainty)., Conclusion: Dachaihu decoction may be an effective botanical formula for managing AC and a lower incidence of adverse events. However, due to the substantial risk of bias and heterogeneity across the included studies, these findings should be interpreted with caution and require further validation through well-designed, high-quality trials., Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display&#95;record.php?RecordID=573332., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Ma, Kong, Su, Robinson and Liu.)

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) possesses anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiobesity properties, making it a significant research focus. In this study, we identified TetR, a TetR/AcrR family transcriptional regulator encoded by AR1031 , as the transcriptional regulator of CLA synthesis in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AR195. TetR binds to the promoter regions of the CLA synthesis genes, including the cla operon and cla-hy , thereby enhancing CLA biosynthesis. Knockout of tetR led to the downregulation of cla-hy by 68%, cla-dh by 86%, and cla-dc by 33%, resulting in reduced CLA yield. Further bioinformatic analysis and segmented electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) experiments revealed that TetR recognizes a conserved sequence (5'-TGTAGATTG-n 4 -CTTCA-3') and binds to multiple sites within the regulatory region of the cla operon and cla-hy , thus promoting CLA biosynthesis. Overexpression of tetR increased the CLA yield by 7%. These findings provide precise insights into the regulation of CLA biosynthesis and suggest strategies for enhancing CLA production.

In situ gelling eye drops of tacrolimus (FK506 Gel) were developed to address the formulation challenge of tacrolimus for anterior ocular inflammatory diseases. Both in silico and in vitro investigations were conducted to screen a suitable cyclodextrin species to increase the drug solubility. Guanosine was employed as the gelator and combined with inclusion complexes of tacrolimus in the presence of borate anions to obtain FK506 Gel, which gelated when came into contact with cations in tear fluid and led to the formation of a nanofibrous hydrogel. The versatility of our design to improve the solubility and ocular retention of the hydrophobic drug was demonstrated in vivo with coumarin 6 as a model drug. A mouse dry eye model was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of FK506 Gel, which, in combination with the biocompatibility study, suggested that FK506 Gel served as a superior treatment for anterior ocular inflammatory diseases.

Metaflammation is low-grade inflammation triggered by chronic metabolic imbalance and caused by dysregulated metabolites in metabolic inflammatory syndrome (MIS), which includes four diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), atherosclerosis (AS), and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD, recently proposed to be replaced by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, MASLD). These diseases exhibit apparent sex dimorphism as regards MIS. Estrogen not only plays a crucial role in gender differences in adults but also possesses an anti-inflammatory effect on many metabolic diseases. In this study, we present a prediction of the differential proteins and signal transduction of estrogen in MIS through network pharmacology and review the validated studies on obesity, T2DM, AS, and NAFLD. Subsequently, we compared them to obtain valuable targets, identify current gaps, and provide perspectives for future research on the mechanisms of estrogen in metaflammation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhu, Liao, Tian, Yu, Xie, Sun, Zhou, Han, Zhao, El-Kassas, Liu, Sun and Zhang.)

Purpose: Impairment in perception and sensory reweighting could predispose older adults to falls. This exploratory study aimed to investigate the differences in sensory reweighting and self-motion perception for postural control under single-sensory and multisensory perturbations between older Tai Chi (TC) practitioners and healthy active older controls., Methods: Twenty-four TC practitioners and 23 age-matched non-practitioners were recruited in this observational study. Participants stood on a force plate with or without a foam surface (baseline), followed by 36 s of visual rotation stimuli, vestibular rotation stimuli, or reduced somatosensory input (adaptation), and then continued standing for 44 s (reintegration). The center-of-pressure (COP) trajectories and self-motion perception were recorded. COP signals were analyzed using traditional sway, multiscale entropy, and wavelet analysis methods and the time-window-of-integration model to examine the postural balance performance and the flexibility and speed of sensory reweighting., Results: Significant interaction effects of group with sensory perturbation and group with time window on COP parameters were observed ( p  < 0.05). Compared with non-practitioners, TC practitioners exhibited higher postural stability and complexity as the difficulty of standing tasks increased and smaller time windows to return to baseline levels as disturbance time evolved. Moreover, TC practitioners exhibited significantly greater weighting on unperturbed sensory systems, lower weighting on perturbed sensory systems for postural control, and higher self-motion perception ability under visual, vestibular, and visual-vestibular perturbations ( p  < 0.05)., Conclusion: Long-term TC practitioners exhibited superior postural stability and adaptability under challenging sensory perturbations, and smaller amplitudes and shorter durations of postural aftereffects over time during adaptation and reintegration. These improvements may be partly attributed to more rapid and flexible sensory reweighting and improved self-motion perception for postural control., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Wang, Zhang, Ren, Wang, Liu, Wang and Gao.)