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Background: Recently, considerable research has been conducted to study the effects of traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) on cognitive function in older adults with MCI. We completed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of TCEs on cognitive function in this population. Methods: A search strategy based on the PICOS principle was used to find the literatures in the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, SPORT-Discus, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid. The quality and risk of bias in the studies were independently assessed by two researchers. Results: Nine trials with 1,290 participants were included. The effect size of TCEs on global cognitive function was small (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.44, p < 0.001) when compared to the active control and was moderate (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.94, p = 0.002) compared to the inactive control; statistically significant effects were also found for short-term memory (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.39, p = 0.013), long-term memory (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.86, p = 0.002), shifting (SMD = -0.39, 95% CI -0.54 to -0.25, p < 0.001), language ability (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.51, p = 0.001), visuospatial perception (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.46, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides clinicians with moderate evidence to recommend that TCEs hold potential to enhance both global cognitive function and multiple domains of cognitive function, which, however, needs to be confirmed and further examined in futures studies. The results of this work provide critical knowledge for the design of future studies implementing TCEs as well as its clinical practice. Future RCTs with rigorous designs are needed to help obtain more definitive conclusions on the effects of TCEs on cognitive function in older adults with MCI.

Objective: Studies showed the benefits of virtual reality training (VRT) for functional mobility and balance in older adults. However, large variance in the study design and results is presented. We here thus completed a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively examine the effects of VRT on functional mobility and balance in healthy older adults. METHODS: We systematically reviewed the publications in five databases. Studies examining the effects of VRT on the measures of functional mobility and balance in healthy older adults were screened and included if eligible. Subgroup analyses were completed to explore the effects of different metrics of the intervention design (e.g., session time) on those outcomes related to functional mobility and balance. Results: Fifteen studies of 704 participants were included. The quality of these studies was good. Compared to traditional physical therapy (TPT), VRT induced greater improvement in TUG (MD = -0.31s, 95%CI = -0.57 to -0.05, P = 0.02, I2 = 6.34%) and one-leg eyes-open stance (OLS-O) (MD =7.28s, 95%CI = 4.36 to 10.20, P = 0.00, I2 = 36.22%). Subgroup analyses revealed that immersive VRT with more than 800 minutes of total intervention time over eight weeks and at least 120 minutes per week, and/or designed by the two motor learning principles was optimal for functional mobility and balance. Conclusion: VRT can significantly improve functional mobility and balance in healthy older adults compared to TPT, and the findings provided critical knowledge of the optimized design of VRT that can inform future studies with more rigorous designs.

( ) is an important zoonotic bacteria and hazardous for the health of human beings and livestock globally. The characteristics like biofilm forming, facultative intracellular survival, and growing resistance of pose a great challenge to its use in therapy. Nanoparticles are considered as a promising way to overcome the infections' therapeutic problems caused by . In this paper, the present progress and challenges of nanoparticles in the treatment of infection are focused on stepwise. First, the survival and infection mechanism of are analyzed. Second, the treatment challenges posed by are provided, which is followed by the third step including the advantages of nanoparticles in improving the penetration and accumulation ability of their payload antibiotics into cell, inhibiting biofilm formation, and enhancing the antibacterial activity against resistant isolates. Finally, the challenges and future perspective of nanoparticles for infection therapy are introduced. This review will help the readers to realize that the nanosystems can effectively fight against the infection by inhibiting biofilm formation, enhancing intracellular delivery, and improving activity against methicillin-resistant and small colony variant phenotypes as well as aim to help researchers looking for more efficient nano-systems to combat the infections.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic tumor and is characterized by a high rate of metastasis. Challenges in accurately delineating the metastatic pattern have greatly restricted the improvement of treatment in OC patients. An increasing number of studies have leveraged mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations as efficient lineage-tracing markers of tumor clonality. We applied multiregional sampling and high-depth mtDNA sequencing to determine the metastatic patterns in advanced-stage OC patients. Somatic mtDNA mutations were profiled from a total of 195 primary and 200 metastatic tumor tissue samples from 35 OC patients. Our results revealed remarkable sample-level and patient-level heterogeneity. In addition, distinct mtDNA mutational patterns were observed between primary and metastatic OC tissues. Further analysis identified the different mutational spectra between shared and private mutations among primary and metastatic OC tissues. Analysis of the clonality index calculated based on mtDNA mutations supported a monoclonal tumor origin in 14 of 16 patients with bilateral ovarian cancers. Notably, mtDNA-based spatial phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct patterns of OC metastasis, in which a linear metastatic pattern exhibited a low degree of mtDNA mutation heterogeneity and a short evolutionary distance, whereas a parallel metastatic pattern showed the opposite trend. Moreover, a mtDNA-based tumor evolutionary score (MTEs) related to different metastatic patterns was defined. Our data showed that patients with different MTESs responded differently to combined debulking surgery and chemotherapy. Finally, we observed that tumor-derived mtDNA mutations were more likely to be detected in ascitic fluid than in plasma samples. Our study presents an explicit view of the OC metastatic pattern, which sheds light on efficient treatment for OC patients. Ovarian cancer: Mitochondrial mutations reveal cancer progression Analysis of mitochondrial DNA offers new insights into cancer spread (metastasis) that could lead to more accurate prognoses and inform selection of better treatment regimens. Mitochondria carry their own DNA, which accumulates mutations at a far higher rate than does chromosomal DNA. These mutations can be extremely useful for tracing cellular lineages. Researchers led by Jinliang Xing and Shujuan Liu at the Fourth Military Medical University in Xi’an, China, have shown that these changes can also provide insights on tumor progression. They analyzed samples from 35 patients with ovarian cancer, revealing distinct differences between the mutational profiles of primary ovarian tumors and metastatic growths. Metastases that differed especially strongly from primary tissue responded more poorly to treatment. Future mitochondrial analyses could yield a better understanding of metastatic spread and the treatment of aggressive cancers.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of apoptosis can noninvasively detect cell death in vivo and assist in monitoring tumor response to treatment in patients. While extensive efforts have been devoted to addressing this important need, no apoptosis PET imaging agents have yet been approved for clinical use. This study reports an improved 18F-labeled caspase-sensitive nanoaggregation tracer ([18F]-C-SNAT4) for PET imaging of tumor response to chemo- and immunotherapies in preclinical mouse models.MethodsWe rationally designed and synthesized a new PET tracer [18F]-C-SNAT4 to detect cell death both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro radiotracer uptake studies were performed on drug-sensitive and -resistant NSCLC cell lines (NCI-H460 and NCI-H1299, respectively) treated with cisplatin at different doses. In vivo therapy response monitoring by [18F]-C-SNAT4 PET imaging was evaluated with two treatment modalities—chemotherapy and immunotherapy in two tumor xenografts in mice. Radiotracer uptake in the tumors was validated ex vivo using γ-counting and cleaved caspase-3 immunofluorescence.ResultsThis [18F]-C-SNAT4 PET tracer was facilely synthesized and displayed improved serum stability profiles. [18F]-C-SNAT4 cellular update was elevated in NCI-H460 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner, which correlated well with cell death. A significant increase in [18F]-C-SNAT4 uptake was measured in NCI-H460 tumor xenografts in mice. In contrast, a rapid clearance of [18F]-C-SNAT4 was observed in drug-resistant NCI-H1299 in vitro and in tumor xenografts. Moreover, in BALB/C mice bearing murine colon cancer CT26 tumor xenografts receiving checkpoint inhibitors, [18F]-C-SNAT4 showed its ability for monitoring immunotherapy-induced apoptosis and reporting treatment-responding mice from non-responding.ConclusionThe uptake of [18F]-C-SNAT4 in tumors received chemotherapy and immunotherapy is positively correlated with the tumor apoptotic level and the treatment efficacy. [18F]-C-SNAT4 PET imaging can monitor tumor response to two different treatment modalities and predict the therapeutic efficacy in preclinical mouse models.

Real or simulated microgravity induces a senescence-like modification of carotid artery in both human and animal observations, with the mechanisms not fully elucidated. Here, we aim to elucidate the role of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1, encoded by Srebf1 ) mediated lipogenesis in the process. Pharmacological activation of SREBP1 directly triggers senescence-like transformation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), while silencing Srebf1 exerts an opposite effect. Mechanistically, SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis upregulates acetyl-CoA pool to increase histone acetylation, modifying the chromatin accessibility which limiting recruitment of SRF/myocardin complexes to CArG boxes of contractile genes and opening the chromatin accessibility of aging genes. Srebf1 knockdown and local delivery of lentivirus or AAV-mediated VSMC specific expressing sh- Srebf1 significantly attenuates the senescence-like transformation of VSMC both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized feature of SREBP1-mediated lipogenesis in vascular biology and SM-induced carotid artery remodeling. Microgravity triggers carotid artery aging via SREBP1. This lipid regulator remodels chromatin by boosting acetyl-CoA, silencing contractile genes while activating aging pathways. Targeting SREBP1 blocks senescence, revealing a therapeutic strategy for spaceflight-associated vascular remodeling.

Objective In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of brucellosis cases from two distinct regions of China to investigate the similarities and differences in clinical characteristics between endemic and non-endemic areas. Our objective was to summarise the clinical characteristics of brucellosis and improve clinicians’ understanding and diagnostic accuracy of the disease. Methods This was a retrospective, multicentre, cross-sectional study. Patients with brucellosis admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2014 to 2023 and the Kashi Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2019 to 2023, respectively, were included. The clinical data, laboratory tests, and other case data of the two groups of patients were compared and analysed. Patients with a diagnosis of brucellosis were primarily included, and cases with excessive missing clinical information (> 20%) were excluded. This study was statistically analysed using SPSS .26 software. Results There were 658 and 126 patients with brucellosis in Kashi and Guangzhou, respectively, and the proportion of patients with complications was 316 (48.02%) and 73 (57.94%), respectively. Organ involvement was dominated by single system involvement in patients from both places, 289 cases (91.46%) in Kashi and 69 cases (94.52%) in Guangzhou, and both were dominated by osteoarticular involvement (Kashi: 226, 78.20%; Guangzhou: 54, 78.26%) and neurological involvement (Kashi: 19, 6.57%; Guangzhou: 7, 10.14%). 34.19% (225/658) and 50.79% (64/126) of the patients in Kashi and Guangzhou, respectively, had a definite history of exposure to animals and animal products. Patients with Brucellosis in Guangzhou presented mainly with fever, fatigue, and chills, while those in Kashi presented mainly fatigue, fever and low back pain. The main laboratory findings in patients with brucellosis at both sites were normal white blood cells, neutrophil ratio, lymphocyte ratio, platelets, alanine amiotransferase, and albumin-globulin ratio, with a significant increase in C-reactive protein and a decrease in creatinine. The patients at both sites were diagnosed by pathogenetic or (and) serological methods. Most of the patients at both sites were treated with anti- Brucella therapy, mainly doxycycline in combination with rifampicin. Conclusion The clinical characteristics of brucellosis patients in Guangzhou and Kashi are generally similar, but there are some differences in epidemiological history, symptoms, methods of diagnosis confirmation, and treatment options. In clinical practice, the characteristics of local cases should be combined and thoroughly analysed to reduce misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of brucellosis.

Background Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease distributed across numerous countries and regions worldwide, presenting with diverse clinical manifestations. The most common complication is spondylitis, which is diagnosed primarily through imaging studies. However, in resource-limited areas, the imaging examinations necessary for diagnosing brucellosis-related spondylitis are often inaccessible. The objective of this study is to establish a simple and readily predictive score within brucellosis patients to screen for spinal involvement. Methods We retrospectively collected patient data with brucellosis admitted to the Kashi Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2019 to December 2023, and randomly assigned them into a training cohort and an internal validation cohort. Data of brucellosis patients admitted to The third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2014 to December 2023 were collected for an external validation cohort. A diagnostic model was constructed by using a nomogram. Calibration plots, receiver operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analyses were employed to evaluate the model's calibration, accuracy, and clinical utility. Results This study included data from total of 784 patients, of which 210 were diagnosed with Brucella spondylitis. The data was divided into a training cohort (460 patients), an internal validation cohort (198 patients), and an external validation cohort (126 patients). The diagnostic model was formulated using six diagnostic factors: course of disease, age, back pain, joint pain, white blood cell count, and levels of C-reactive proteins. In our study, the AUC values of 0.93 (training), 0.87 (internal validation), and 0.77 (external validation) indicate that the model maintained excellent discriminative ability in the training and internal validation cohorts, and acceptable performance in the external cohort. Decision curve analyses graphically display the significant clinical utility and net benefit of a nomogram. Conclusion and recommendation The diagnostic model for Brucella spondylitis developed in this study has the potential to assist clinicians in resource-limited settings in achieving a rapid and effective diagnosis of the disease. Our model facilitates the identification of brucellosis-related spondylitis patients requiring extended treatment courses, thereby reducing misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in resource-constrained areas where imaging examinations are difficult to access, and improving the efficiency of healthcare resource utilization. Highlights 1. A total of 784 cases were analyzed over ten years to develop a diagnostic model for Brucella spondylitis. 2. The model incorporates key diagnostic factors, providing an easy-to-use tool for clinicians. 3. High AUC scores demonstrate the model's strong diagnostic accuracy across all validation cohorts.

In this paper, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced Ti–12.8Mo–2.1Nb–2.7Al–0.2Si (TB8) matrix composites were synthesized by low-energy ball milling and cold pressing sintering. Based on theoretical calculation and thermodynamic simulation method to obtain phase transition points, CNTs/TB8 composites were subjected to a solid-solution and aging treatment. The effect of heat treatment and CNTs content on microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. The results indicated that 0.5 wt% CNTs/TB8 composite formed α + β phase structure after different heat treatment processes, α phase dispersed in the β phase, grain refinement was distinct, and the microhardness of composite was significantly improved. It had the effect of solution strengthening and dispersion strengthening. The composites’ microhardness was the highest, reaching 615.3HV after 850 °C/3 h/AC and 550 °C/6 h/AC heat treatment. Under these conditions, with the CNTs content increasing, the microhardness of composite increased initially and then decreased. The microhardness of the composite containing 1.0 wt% CNTs reached 635.1HV, which was an increase of 21.9% compared to without executing heat treatment. In addition, the compression property of the titanium matrix composite at room temperature was excellent; the compressive strength and the fracture strain were 1263 MPa and 18.5%, respectively.

Background Probe-based liquid-phase hybridization capture is a powerful and commonly used approach for next-generation sequencing (NGS) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). However, the performance difference between DNA and RNA probe-based capture strategies for mtDNA NGS remains to be determined, leading to the irrational interchangeable use in numerous studies. Results We custom-designed DNA and RNA probes targeting the double-stranded mtDNA and optimized their hybridization conditions for capture-based mtDNA NGS in fresh tissue and plasma samples. Under optimal conditions, we systematically compared the performance of DNA and RNA probes in mtDNA detection. RNA probes demonstrated superior mtDNA enrichment efficiency, characterized by higher mtDNA mapping rates and greater average mtDNA depth per gigabyte of sequencing data. However, DNA probes were more effective at reducing artifacts caused by nuclear mitochondrial DNA segments (NUMTs) in mtDNA mutation detection at both the read and mutation levels. Additionally, RNA probes captured a broader fragment size distribution and higher prevalence of longer fragments in plasma cell-free mtDNA. Conclusions The systematic evaluation of DNA and RNA probes in capture-based mtDNA NGS provides valuable insights into their performance differences. These findings advocate for informed probe selection tailored to the specific experimental and clinical needs, ultimately advancing the field of mtDNA characterization and its applications in genomics and diagnostics.