Flexible conductive fibers have been widely applied in wearable flexible sensing. However, exposed wearable flexible sensors based on liquid metal (LM) are prone to abrasion and significant conductivity degradation. This study presented a high-sensitivity LM conductive fiber with integration of strain sensing, electrical heating, and thermochromic capabilities, which was fabricated by coating eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) onto spandex fibers modified with waterborne polyurethane (WPU), followed by thermal curing to form a protective polyurethane sheath. This fiber, designated as Spandex/WPU/EGaIn/Polyurethane (SWEP), exhibits a four-layer coaxial structure: spandex core, WPU modification layer, LM conductive layer, and polyurethane protective sheath. The SWEP fiber had a diameter of (458.3 ± 10.4) μm, linear density of (2.37 ± 0.15) g/m, and uniform EGaIn coating. The fiber had excellent conductivity with an average value of (3 716.9 ± 594.2) S/m. The strain sensing performance was particularly noteworthy. A 5 cm × 5 cm woven fabric was fabricated using polyester warp yarns and SWEP weft yarns. The fabric exhibited satisfactory moisture permeability [(536.06 ± 33.15) g/(m ²·h)] and maintained stable thermochromic performance after repeated heating cycles. This advanced conductive fiber development is expected to significantly promote LM applications in wearable electronics and smart textile systems.
Wearable Electronic Devices ; Polyurethanes/chemistry* ; Electric Conductivity ; Gallium/chemistry* ; Metals/chemistry*

Addressing the enduring challenge of evaluating traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the integrated evidence chain-based effectiveness evaluation of TCMs (Eff-iEC) has emerged. This paper explored its capacity through a demonstration study that evaluated the effectiveness evidence of six commonly used anti-hepatic fibrosis Chinese patent medicines (CPMs), including Biejiajian Pill (BP), Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DZP), Biejia Ruangan Compound (BRC), Fuzheng Huayu Capsule (FHC), Anluo Huaxian Pill (AHP), and Heluo Shugan Capsule (HSC), using both Eff-iEC and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The recognition of these CPMs within the TCM academic community was also assessed through their inclusion in relevant medical documents. Results showed that the evidence of BRC and FHC received higher assessments in both Eff-iEC and GRADE system, while the assessments for others varied. Analysis of community recognition revealed that Eff-iEC more accurately reflects the clinical value of these CPMs, exhibiting superior evaluative capabilities. By breaking through the conventional pattern of TCMs effectiveness evaluation, Eff-iEC offers a novel epistemology that better aligns with the clinical realities and reasoning of TCMs, providing a coherent methodology for clinical decision-making, new drug evaluations, and health policy formulation.

Background/Aims: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical regulatory roles in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. The aim of this study was to explore whether miRNA antagomirs could serve as potential therapeutic agents in interstitial lung diseases. Methods: A mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was established by intratracheal injection of bleomycin (BLM). Using microarray analysis, up-regulated miRNAs were identified during the development of pulmonary fibrosis. miR-155 was chosen as the candidate miRNA. Fifteen mice were then randomized into the following three groups: BLM + antagomiR-155 group, treated with BLM plus intravenously injected with antagomiR-155; BLM group, treated with intratracheal BLM plus phosphate-buffered saline (PBS); and a control group, treated with PBS only. Lung tissues were collected for histopathological analysis, hydroxyproline measurement, and Western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used for the measurement of cytokines associated with pulmonary fibrosis. Results: Histological changes and hydroxyproline levels induced by BLM were significantly inhibited by antagomiR-155. The levels of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) expression were increased after BLM treatment. However, miR-155 silencing decreased the expression of IL-4, TGF-β, and interferon-γ. TGF-β-activated kinase 1/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7 (MAP3K7)-binding protein 2 (TAB2) of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, was activated by BLM and inhibited by in vivo silencing of miR-155 via antagomiR-155. Conclusions In vivo treatment with antagomiR-155 alleviated the pathological changes induced by BLM and may be a promising therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: To explore the safety and feasibility of transumbilical single channel laparoscopic cryptorchidopexy with conventional instruments in treatment of cryptorchidism in children. Methods: Thirty-five children with cryptorchidism were treated by transumbilical single channel laparoscopic cryptorchidopexy with conventional instruments from November 2017 to March 2018 at Department of Pediatric Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University.Clinical data were recorded including the general information, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative testicular position and postoperative complications, etc. Results: All 35 patients completed the cryptorchidopexy in one operation.Among those 35 patients, 28 patients had unilateral lesions and 7 patients had bilateral lesions, with a total of 42 sides.Twenty-six patients were of groin type(33 sides), 9 patients abdominal type(9 sides). The average operation time was (40.4±8.2) min for unilateral lesion, and (62.5±15.3) min for bilateral lesions; the average intraoperative blood loss was (3.0±1.8) mL; and the average postoperative hospital stay was (6.4±2.1) h. Testis of 32 patients (40 sides) were fixed in the middle and bottoms of the scrotum, and testis of 2 patients (2 sides) were fixed on the top of the scrotum.One case had poor healing of naval incision, which was recovered in 1 week after dressing change.There were no postoperative complications such as scrotum hematoma, infection of incision, testicular epididymitis, testicular necrosis, testicular retraction or testicular atrophy, etc.No obvious visible scar was found in the abdomen review 2 weeks postoperatively, with the incidence of complications was 2.9%(1/35 cases). Conclusions Transumbilical single channel laparoscopic cryptorchidopexy with conventional instruments in treatment of cryptorchidism is characterized by small trauma, quick recovery, low complication rate and visible scar free result, which is worthy of clinical promotion, but the operation is relatively complex and the correct procedures are required.

Objective To explore the role of functional connectivity( FC) between the subgenual anterior cingulate cortes(sgACC) and limbic cortices in predicting the efficacy of early antidepressant treat-ment. Methods Resting state magnetoencephalography( MEG) data were collected from 32 patients with major depressive disorder(MDD) and 20 matched healthy control subjects at baseline.According to whether the HAMD17total score reduction rate reached 50% after 2 weeks,the patients were divided into responder group and non-responder group.The difference of the FC,the relationship between the FC and the change rate of HAMD17were explored. Results Compared with controls,MDD patients showed decreased connectivity of the sgACC with the right hippocampus(MNI coordinate:x＝30,y＝－3,z＝－24; F＝5.11,P＝0.028),the right amygdala(MNI coordinate:x＝22,y＝－2,z＝－15; F＝6.90,P＝0.012) and the left amygdala(MNI coordi- nate:x＝－24,y＝－6,z＝－16; F＝5.75,P＝0.020).Compared with non-responders,the connectivity of the sgACC with the right hippocampus(MNI coordinate:x＝30,y＝－3,z＝－24;F＝8.74,P＝0.0065),the right a-mygdala(MNI coordinate:x＝22,y＝－2,z＝－15; F＝12.417,P＝0.0016) were higher in responders.Pretreat-ment connectivity of the sgACC with the right hippocampus(r＝－0.50,P＝0.0066),the right amygdala(r＝－0.56,P＝0.0018) were negatively correlated with clinical improvement.ROC analyses confirmed the value of the connectivity of sgACC with the right hippocampus(area under curve(AUC)＝0.71,P＝0.042),the right amygdala(AUC＝0.73,P＝0.029) in classifying responders versus non-responders in 2 weeks of treatment. Conclusion The decreased FC of the sgACC with the right hippocampus and the right amygdala at baseline is associated with a better improvement,which can potentially serve as a treatment outcome biomarker in ear-ly curative effect of depression.

Objective To investigate the changes of cortical thickness and surface area in patients with bipolar depression(BD),and to explore the relationship between abnormal changes in gray matter and clinical symptoms.Methods 28 BD patients and 28 healthy controls underwent T1-weighted MRI.The Freesurfer software was used to process the T1 images,which used a set of automated sequences to analyze cortical thickness and surface area on 66 regions (33 regions of each hemisphere),and the correlation with clinical features was also calculated.Results Compared with controls,BD patients showed thinner cortical thickness in left medial orbitofrontal cortex((2.40±0.12) mm vs (2.55 ±0.18) mm,P=1.2× 10-3) and left rostral anterior cingulate((2.66±0.21) mm vs (2.88±0.27) mm,P=3.1 × 10-4),and smaller area of left cuneus((1 443.13± 131.00) mm2vs (6 634.70±600.16) mm2,P=2.7× 10-4) and right superior frontal gyrus ((6 634.70±600.16) mm2vs (7 300.50±653.39) mm2,P=1.3× 10-3).In addition,the negatively correlation was found between the cortical area of left cuneus and effective illness duration (r=-0.471,P=0.018),and the cortical thickness in left rostral anterior cingulate and total score of HAMD-17(17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) (r=-0.508,P=0.009).Conclusion There are abnormal altertion of cortical thickness and cortical areas of emotional circuit in bipolar depression,but the brain areas are not completely overlapping.Correlation analysis suggests that cortical thickness and area is related to different clinical features.

The main constituents of a typical medicinal herb,Polygonum muMflorum (Heshouwu in Chinese),that induces idiosyncratic liver injury remain unclear.Our previous work has shown that cotreatment with a nontoxic dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and therapeutic dose of Heshouwu can induce liver injury in rats,whereas the solo treatment cannot induce observable injury.In the present work,using the constituent "knock-out" and "knock-in" strategy,we found that the ethyl acetate (EA) extract of Heshouwu displayed comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to the whole extract in LPS-treated rats.Results indicated a significant elevation of plasma alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,and liver histologic changes,whereas other separated fractions failed to induce liver injury.The mixture of EA extract with other separated fractions induced comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to the whole extract in LPS-treated rats.Chemical analysis further revealed that 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy trans-stilbene-2-O-β-glucoside (trans-SG) and its cis-isomer were the two major compounds in EA extract.Furthermore,the isolated cis-,and not its trans-isomer,displayed comparable idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity to EA extract in LPS-treated rats.Higher contents of cis-SG were detected in Heshouwu liquor or preparations from actual liver intoxication patients associated with Heshouwu compared with general collected samples.In addition,plasma metabolomics analysis showed that cis-SG-disturbing enriched pathways remarkably differed from trans-SG ones in LPS-treated rats.All these results suggested that cis-SG was closely associated with the idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity of Heshouwu.Considering that the cis-trans isomerization of transSG was mediated by ultraviolet light or sunlight,our findings serve as reference for controlling photoisomerization in drug discovery and for the clinical use of Heshouwu and stilbene-related medications.

Objective To explore the resting state cortical activity and frontal asymmetry in alpha oscillations in bipolar depressive patients and its relationship with clinical symptoms. Methods Twelve bipolar depressive patients (pa?tient group) and twenty-four well-matched healthy volunteer (control group) were underwent whole head MEG recording. Individual spectral power and frontal asymmetry index were calculated by using permutation test to discover the differenc?es in δ, θ, α1, α2, α3, β bands between the two groups among the regions of interested (bilateral central, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe). The correlation analysis were used to analyze the association between power of brain regions with significant difference and the Hamilton depression rating scale17 scores as well as factor items in patients. Results Compared with the control group, the activity of various regions was increased in the patient group as follows:theδband in the left central and left occipital lobes, theθband in the left occipital lobe, theβband in left cen?tral, right frontal, left parietal lobe and right parietal lobe. The power ofα2 andα3 frequency bands was decreased in the bilateral temporal lobes (P<0.05, uncorrected). A negative correlation was observed between the right temporalα3 power and recognition item scores for bipolar depression (P<0.05). Conclusion The present study suggests that bipolar depres?sive patients have impaired neural activity at many bands and the symptom of cognitive impairment may be associated with dysfunction ofα3 band.