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[Display omitted] • Bismuth loaded with camphor-derived biochar was synthesized. • Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC possessed a higher surface area and affinity for volatile iodine. • Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC exhibited a considerable iodine capture capacity of 885.8 mg/g. • The mechanism between Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC and iodine was revealed. Herein, Bi 2 O 3 loaded with camphor leaves-derived biochar (Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC) was prepared to capture gaseous iodine. Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC was provided with a loose structure, high reactivity and relatively good thermal stability, leading to a high uptake capacity. The capture behavior of iodine on Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC was well described by the Pseudo-first-order and Langmuir models, demonstrating the occurrence of monolayer chemisorption on Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC. The maximum adsorption amount of Bi 2 O 3 @CLBC for iodine was 885.8 mg/g. The chemical uptake played a leading role in capturing volatile iodine, including the direct reaction between Bi 2 O 3 particles and iodine vapor and the charge transfer between the –OH on biochar and iodine to generate a coordination complex. The pores on the surface of biochar could also capture some iodine through physical adsorption. In one word, this work was expected to offer a green treatment method for the excess of camphor leaves and an exceptional adsorbent for iodine uptake from spent fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Low-intensity ultrasound (0.20 W·mL−1) enhanced partial nitrification stability. • Partial nitrification remained stable as the aeration rate gradually increased. • Nitrotoga activity recovery was inhibited under conditions of a high aeration rate. • The relative abundance of AOB (11.42 %) was much higher than that of NOB (0.85 %). • Ultrasonic treatment had an stripping effect on EPS, especially LB-EPS and PN. The fluctuation of dissolved oxygen is one of the primary cause of disruptions to the consistent operation of partial nitrification, and the level of dissolved oxygen is mainly controlled by the aeration rate. This study investigated the influence of ultrasonic treatment on the stability of partial nitrification of activated sludge under different aeration conditions. After being treated with ultrasound (energy density = 0.20 W·mL−1, treatment time = 10 min), partial nitrification process operated stably for 67 days, with the nitrite accumulation rate above 83.89 %. The effluent contained 42.50 mg·L−1 of nitrite, much higher than the control reactor (0.30 mg·L−1). The gap between the specific ammonia and nitrite oxidation rates widened continuously as the aeration rate increased, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria activity did not recover even under conditions with a very high oxygen content. Further analysis showed that ultrasonic treatment had obvious stripping effect on excess extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), especially loosely bound EPS and protein. Additionally, long-term ultrasonic treatment promoted the enrichment of Nitrosomonas and strongly inhibited Nitrotoga. Based on these findings, it appears that under conditions of high aeration rate, ultrasound effectively suppress the recovery of Nitrotoga activity and improve the stability of partial nitrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress hyperglycemia and glycemic variability (GV) can reflect dramatic increases and acute fluctuations in blood glucose, which are associated with adverse cardiovascular events. This study aimed to explore whether the combined assessment of the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and GV provides additional information for prognostic prediction in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Patients diagnosed with CAD from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV database (version 2.2) between 2008 and 2019 were retrospectively included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was 1-year mortality, and the secondary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Levels of SHR and GV were stratified into tertiles, with the highest tertile classified as high and the lower two tertiles classified as low. The associations of SHR, GV, and their combination with mortality were determined by logistic and Cox regression analyses. Results: A total of 2789 patients were included, with a mean age of 69.6 years, and 30.1% were female. Overall, 138 (4.9%) patients died in the hospital, and 404 (14.5%) patients died at 1 year. The combination of SHR and GV was superior to SHR (in-hospital mortality: 0.710 vs. 0.689, p = 0.012; 1-year mortality: 0.644 vs. 0.615, p = 0.007) and GV (in-hospital mortality: 0.710 vs. 0.632, p = 0.004; 1-year mortality: 0.644 vs. 0.603, p < 0.001) alone for predicting mortality in the receiver operating characteristic analysis. In addition, nondiabetic patients with high SHR levels and high GV were associated with the greatest risk of both in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 10.831, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.494–26.105) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.830, 95% CI 3.175–10.702). However, in the diabetic population, the highest risk of in-hospital mortality (OR = 4.221, 95% CI 1.542–11.558) and 1-year mortality (HR = 2.013, 95% CI 1.224–3.311) was observed in patients with high SHR levels but low GV. Conclusions: The simultaneous evaluation of SHR and GV provides more information for risk stratification and prognostic prediction than SHR and GV alone, contributing to developing individualized strategies for glucose management in patients with CAD admitted to the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel arginine-based DES pretreatment was proposed with fast microwave assistance. • Optimal delignification (84.8%) and saccharification (81.9%) were gained for LAA-3. • Supramolecular structures of crystalline cellulose greatly impact on bioconversion. • Lower viscosity and high α value of DES contribute to higher conversion yields. Development of amino acid-based natural deep eutectic solvents (DESs) pretreatment technology on lignocellulosic biomass is a promising approach to biorefinery. In this study, for arginine-based DESs with different molar ratios, the viscosity and Kamlet-Taft solvation parameters were quantified to evaluate the pretreatment performance on bamboo biomass. Further, microwave assisted DES pretreatment was eminent, evidenced by 84.8% lignin removal and increased saccharification yield (from 6.3% to 81.9%) in moso bamboo at 120 °C and ratio of 1:7 (arginine: lactic acid). Results showed degradation of lignin molecules together with release of phenolic hydroxyl units after DESs pretreatment, which is conducive to subsequent utilization. Meanwhile, DES-pretreated cellulose exhibited unique structural characteristics including destroyed crystalline region of cellulose (Crystallinity Index from 67.2% to 53.0%), decreased crystallite size (from 3.41 nm to 3.14 nm) and roughened fiber surface. Thus, arginine-based DES pretreatment has excellent potential in bamboo lignocellulose pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological neurons are clustered and functional synapses are created to propagate electric signals accompanying with formation of spatial patterns in the neural network. From physical aspect, fast synaptic connections to neurons provide an effective shortcut for energy exchange and keeping energy balance between neurons. In fact, field coupling behaves effective bridge connections to neurons and then neural activities can be controlled by spatial induction currents in the neural network. In this paper, memristive neurons are controlled by magnetic flux by inducing gradient induction current in presence of electromagnetic radiation without synaptic connections. Differed from the previous uniform radiation, spatial radiation is imposed on the neural network and the stability of spatial patterns is explored by imposing a spatiotemporal disturbance on the network. Memristive neurons developed from Hindmarsh–Rose neurons by involving memristive term and magnetic flux variable are used to build a chain network and a lattice network under field coupling rather than using synaptic coupling. Synchronization factors are calculated to discern the synchronization dependence on noise, amplitude and frequency in the spatial electromagnetic radiation. An isolated neuron can present stochastic resonance under noise and radiation with diversity. Field coupling enhances energy exchange and local energy balance, and then synchronous patterns are controlled in absence of synaptic coupling. External noise and spatial disturbance can induce certain diversity in induction current and excitability, therefore, approach of complete synchronization and development of regular patterns are blocked because of local energy balance under field coupling. These results indicate that energy injection and control of energy flow are effective to prevent the occurrence of bursting synchronization and coexistence of multiple firing modes is formed in neural network composed of memristive neurons under spatial radiation. • Field coupling between memristive neurons is defined. • Non-uniform electromagnetic radiation controls collective neural activities. • Physical energy in memristive synapse is estimated. • Stochastic resonance is found in the memristive neuron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound (US) assisted with Fenton (US-Fenton) reaction was developed to efficiently and greenly prepare starch nanoparticles (SNPs) that were employed as nanofillers to enhance gelatin (G) film properties. Compared to Fenton reaction alone, US-Fenton reaction significantly improved preparation efficiency and dispersion of SNPs (p < 0.05). An optimal US-Fenton reaction parameter (300 mM H 2 O 2 , ascorbic acid 55 mM, US 45 min) was found to prepare SNPs with uniform sizes (50–90 nm) and low molecular weight (M n 7.91 × 105 Da). The XRD, FT-IR, and SAXS analysis revealed that the US-Fenton reaction degraded the amorphous and crystalline zones of starch from top to down, leading to the collapse of the original layered structure starch and the progressive formation of SNPs. The different sizes of SNPs were selected to prepare the composite films. The G-SNP3 film (with 50–90 nm SNPs) showed the most outstanding UV blocking, tensile, and barrier properties. Especially, the tensile strength of G-5%SNP3 film (containing 5 % SNPs) increased by 156 % and 6 % over that of G film and G-5%SNP2 film (containing 5%SNPs with 100–180 nm), respectively. Therefore, the nanomaterial was promisingly prepared by the US-Fenton system and provided a strategy for designing and producing nanocomposite films. [Display omitted] • US-Fenton reaction greenly and effectively prepared SNPs (50–90 nm). • The multi-scale structure of SNPs was disrupted by US-Fenton reaction. • Incorporating SNPs enhanced the mechanical and barrier properties of gelatin film. • The tensile strength of G-5%SNP3 film increased by 156 % over that of gelatin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical devices are instruments, apparatus, appliances, software, implants, reagents, materials or other articles that are intended for use in the treatment or diagnosis of disease or injury in humans. Concerning medical endoscope devices, which enable doctors to observe and manipulate the area under examination through a puncture hole in the body cavity or organ, hospitals predominantly consider the quality and cost of maintenance services when making their selection. The effective and efficient provision of maintenance services plays a crucial role in ensuring cost-effective and high-quality management of medical devices. In this study, we have developed an innovative decision tool that analyzed key factors impacting the choice of medical devices' maintenance service. This tool assists hospitals in evaluating and selecting appropriate maintenance services for medical device, specifically endoscopy devices. Moreover, it also serves as a valuable resource for manufacturers and suppliers to enhance their after-sales service offerings. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 50 Chinese hospitals, including primary and tertiary hospitals. Moreover, 56 medical staff and 65 medical engineers were recruited from 50 Chinese hospitals to participate the survey. A comprehensive set of factors were defined and investigated. Conjoint analysis and orthogonal design were used for survey design and statistical analysis. Results: Factors importance and utility values of decision-making factors were analyzed at the aggregate, occupation, and medical institution levels. (1) At the aggregate level, the most critical factor is "maintenance response" and the least important one is "maintenance efficiency". (2) At the occupation level, medical staff paid more attention to "maintenance response" while medical engineers paid more attention to "maintenance quality". (3) At the medical institution level, Primary hospitals paid more attention to "maintenance price", while tertiary hospitals paid more attention to "maintenance quality". Conclusions: In general, this study provides a more scientific decision-making tool to both hospitals in choosing maintenance service for medical device such as endoscopy, and it also helps manufacturers and suppliers improve the after-sales service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An indoor laboratory flume experiments of wind-driven rain simulator was constructed. • Increasing wind velocity led to a linear decrease in soil erosion on windward slope. • Fitting accuracy and application of Horton's infiltration model was developed. • Ω and E are optimal factors for constructing soil erosion model under wind-driven rain. Wind-driven rain (WDR) is a natural phenomenon that causes soil erosion, a decline in land productivity, water pollution, and other environmental problems. Owing to the influence of topography on atmospheric circulation, WDR occurs most frequently on windward slopes. Studying the physical mechanisms of soil erosion on windward slopes is challenging because of the complex co-occurrence of wind and rainfall. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rainfall intensity (30, 60, and 90 mm h−1), wind velocity (0, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8 m s−1), and induced flow hydraulic characteristics on the processes of runoff occurrence, infiltration, and sediment detachment on windward slopes based on an indoor artificial simulated WDR soil flume experiments with three replicates. The results showed that both rainfall intensity and wind velocity exerted significant effects on runoff and sediment transport on the windward slopes (P < 0.05). The contribution rates of wind velocity on runoff occurrence time, steady infiltration rate, runoff rate, and sediment detachment rate were 20.53 %, 39.44 %, 3.36 %, and 6.24 %, respectively. When the rainfall intensity was constant, the steady infiltration rate on the windward slope increased linearly with the increasing wind velocity, whereas the runoff and sediment detachment rates decreased with increasing wind velocity. The decrease in hydraulic parameters of average flow velocity (v), stream power (Ω), unit stream power (U), and unit energy of cross-section (E) influenced by wind blowing on overland flow is the main reason for the decrease in the sediment detachment rate on the windward slope. Meanwhile, the increase in flow depth (h) and shear stress (τ) caused an increase in the infiltration rate. Because of the inclusion of Ω and E in the total work done and total energy consumption of overland flow, respectively, the relationship between Ω and E of the windward water flow with the sediment detachment rate showed an exponentially increasing curve for all treatments (R2 greater than 0.97). The hydraulic parameters Ω and E of the windward water flow are the optimal factors for constructing an erosion dynamic model under WDR conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enrich the use of protein-polysaccharide complex gel as texture assistance, we introduced a soy protein fibrils-chitin nanowhiskers complex gel system. Firstly, a stable positively charged chitin nanowhiskers (CNW) suspension and amyloid-like soy protein fibrils (SPF) were fabricated. We found that the self-assembled SPF and CNW formed complex with each other at pH 5.0–8.0 due to attractive interactions caused by their carrying opposite electrical charges. Then, the MTGase-induced SPF-CNW complex gel were formed and investigated by instrumental analysis. The results showed that the presence of CNW significantly increased the β-Sheet structure in complex gel and the rheological modules of complex gel were pH-dependent and showing G' > G" at all pHs. The SPF-CNW complex gel showed a strong and elastic textural property during compression test at pH 6.0. Meanwhile, the frequency scan showed that the SPF-CNW system is less dependent on the frequency and belonged to the typical physical gel. According to the results of SEM and CLSM images, the SPF, CNW and complex gel presented spherical shape, rod shape and linear alignment microstructure, respectively. We inferred that the CNW provided a framework for gel formation and introduced rigidity to the SPF gel. Thanks to the attractive interactions, the SPF molecules were attached to the growth of CNW to form a longer fiber structure. After the gelation process, the aggregates further interacted with each other and finally form complex gel with linear, ordered and compact microstructure. [Display omitted] • Self-assembled SPF and CNW formed complex due to attractive interactions. • SPF-CNW complexes exhibited strong colloidal behavior and strong springiness. • The rheological modules of gel was pH-dependent and showing G' > G" at all test pH. • CNW provided a framework for gel formation and introduced rigidity to the SPF gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable neural circuit can address the field energy in exact form and equivalent Hamilton energy is obtained for theoretical models. Furthermore, the energy dependence on firing activities can be discerned by changing the excitability and forcing current applied on the neuron. In this paper, the distinct energy function for the original Hindmarsh-Rose (HR) neuron is obtained by using Helmholtz theorem and then an equivalent two-variable HR model is proposed. By applying additive noise, stochastic resonance is induced. The intrinsic energy function is approached and energy shunting from each electric component is confirmed. The energy proportion for magnetic field and electric field is changed when mode transition is controlled by the external stimulus. Therefore, the physical property for each electric component in the equivalent neural circuit is predicted, and then the reliability of our neural circuit is confirmed in experiment. • Exact Hamilton energy function is obtained for Hindmarsh-Rose neuron by using Helmholtz theorem. • Dynamics dependence on energy flow is explained. • Equivalent neural circuit is confirmed and designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A novel isothiourea-catalyzed [3 + 3] annulation of α,β-unsaturated esters with sulfoxonium ylides to synthesize the pyrones has been developed. This transformation could be given the desired product in medium to good yield under mild conditions of reaction. Furthermore, the advantage of this methodology is that have metal free, no base, no oxidant and also no other additives under the conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Excessive neutrophils facilitate breast cancer growth and pulmonary metastasis. • Increased PD-L1 inhibits spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils. • PlaD inhibits the expression and positive rate of PD-L1 in neutrophils. • PlaD induces neutrophil apoptosis and decreases their high migratory capacity. • PlaD inhibits breast cancer pulmonary metastasis of 4 T1 tumor-bearing mice. During breast cancer development, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) overexpression in neutrophils leads to delayed apoptosis and promotes neutrophil hyperproliferation in the lung to form a premetastatic niche, which is beneficial for pulmonary metastasis. Platycodin D (PlaD), a triterpenoid saponin with known anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects, has been reported to downregulate PD-L1 expression. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of PlaD on neutrophil PD-L1 in 4 T1 tumor-bearing mice and the potential mechanism of breast cancer pulmonary metastasis. In this study, the orthotopic 4 T1 murine mammary carcinoma model was administered 10 and 20 mg/kg PlaD by gavage. PlaD reduced the excess neutrophils and decreased their high migratory capacity in bone marrow, peripheral blood and lung tissue in the premetastatic period, thereby effectively inhibiting tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. Moreover, PlaD inhibited the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway by decreasing the expression of PD-L1 in neutrophils and promoted neutrophil apoptosis. In vitro, PlaD treatment decreased the viability and inhibited migration of neutrophil-like dHL-60 in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, PlaD inhibited the increase in PD-L1 induced by IFN-γ stimulation and subsequently induced apoptosis in dHL-60 cells. In conclusion, the administration of PlaD inhibited the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by reducing the expression of PD-L1 in neutrophils. PlaD promoted neutrophil apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the establishment of a premetastatic niche and ultimately blocking the development of pulmonary metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of vestibular incision subperiosteal tunnel technique (VISTA) and tunnel approach combined with connective tissue graft (CTG) for treatment of type 1 (RT1) multiple gingival recession. Materials and Methods: Twenty‐four patients with a total of 59 nonmolar recession teeth were randomly allocated to VISTA + CTG or Tunnel + CTG group. Recession depth and width, probing depth, clinical attachment level, width of keratinized tissue, gingival thickness, flap tension, mean root coverage (MRC), complete root coverage (CRC), patient‐centered, and esthetic outcomes (root coverage esthetic scores, RES) were assessed at baseline and 12 months after surgery. Results: At 12 months, MRC of 91.13 ± 16.96% and 91.40 ± 13.53%, CRC of 70.97% and 67.86% were observed for VISTA + CTG and Tunnel + CTG group respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). High RES of 8.52 ± 1.46 and 8.82 ± 1.44 was obtained in VISTA + CTG and Tunnel + CTG group respectively, without showing a significant difference (p = 0.245), while less scar formation was observed in Tunnel + CTG group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Both procedures were effective for root coverage in RT1 multiple gingival recession at 12 months. Better esthetic result with less scar formation was obtained in tunnel approach combined with CTG without vestibular incision. (Registration number: ChiCTR‐INR‐16007845, registered on 19/12/2015, http://www.chictr.org.cn). Clinical Significance: VISTA + CTG and Tunnel + CTG were both effective for root coverage in RT1 multiple gingival recession, with satisfying esthetic outcomes. However, it is suggested in critical esthetic areas, treatment options of making vertical incisions should be carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GNAS locus is an imprinted site. The α‐subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsα) and extralarge variant (XLαs) are the two important products of the GNAS locus. The abnormal expression of Gsα is associated with pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) and related disorders, including Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO), pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP), and progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH). XLαs protein can mimic the catalytic intracellular synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) by Gsα in response to parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulation, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of PPHP and POH in patients with paternal GNAS defects. A paternally inherited nonsense variant in the first exon of XLαs in an adult patient may be associated with fractures and osteopetrosis. The relationship between the XLαs product of the GNAS locus and bone remodeling may have been overlooked. Here, we summarize the phenotypes of genetic mouse models and clinical cases of XLαs variations and suggest that the abnormal paternal expression of XLαs may be associated with the development of POH and affect osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A virus-like nanoparticle (reBiosome) was developed via site-specific codon mutation for displaying unnatural amino acid (Azi) on virus envelope protein at a rational site, followed by conjugating weak acid-responsive polyethylene glycol polymer on Azi via bioorthogonal chemistry. The reBiosome exhibited reduced virus-like immunogenicity, prolonged blood circulation and enhanced delivery to weakly acidic disease foci. The reBiosome enabled efficient delivery of gene editing and gene silencing system, demonstrating remarkable therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer and arthritis, respectively. Gene therapy offers potentially transformative strategies for major human diseases. However, one of the key challenges in gene therapy is developing an effective strategy that could deliver genes into the specific tissue. Here, we report a novel virus-like nanoparticle, the bioorthgonal engineered virus-like recombinant biosome (reBiosome), for efficient gene therapies of cancer and inflammatory diseases. The mutant virus-like biosome (mBiosome) is first prepared by site-specific codon mutation for displaying 4-azido-L-phenylalanine on vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein of eBiosome at a rational site, and the reBiosome is then prepared by clicking weak acid-responsive hydrophilic polymer onto the mBiosome via bioorthogonal chemistry. The results show that the reBiosome exhibits reduced virus-like immunogenicity, prolonged blood circulation time and enhanced gene delivery efficiency to weakly acidic foci (like tumor and arthritic tissue). Furthermore, reBiosome demonstrates robust therapeutic efficacy in breast cancer and arthritis by delivering gene editing and silencing systems, respectively. In conclusion, this study develops a universal, safe and efficient platform for gene therapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep dictionary learning (DDL) can mine deeper representations of data more effectively than single-layer dictionary learning. However, existing DDL methods with specific sparse regularizers lead to designated deep sparse representations. Existing DDL optimization methods have limited feature extraction capability because their nonlinear functions must satisfy the condition that the functions are invertible. This paper presents a new DDL model with a learned sparsity constraint and a noninvertible soft-thresholding (ST) function, where the learned sparsity constraint can obtain a data-driven sparse representation and the ST (that produces a sparse output as a nonlinear function) can enhance its the feature extraction capability. To solve the optimization problem efficiently with the noninvertible and learned sparsity constraints, we propose to employ a lifted proximal operator machine to transform the proposed DDL problem into a series of subproblems that include sparsity-regularized and convex minimizations. For the sparsity-regularized minimization, we derive the parameterized proximal operator of the sparse regularizer, which is considered as the activation function used to construct the network. The parameters of the activation function are trained by backpropagation, thus obtaining the proximal operator of the learnable sparse regularizer simultaneously with a sparse solution. The convex minimization for the dictionaries and the coefficients can be obtained via the accelerated proximal gradient and the optimal condition, respectively. In the numerical classification and reconstruction experiments, the proposed algorithm outperformed existing DDL algorithms in terms of classification accuracy, image reconstruction, and noise immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Layered double oxides were synthesized by template-calcination method. • The maximum adsorption capacity reached 1153.71 mg/g in Th(IV)-containing solution. • The adsorbents showed good stability and recyclability. • The mechanisms of Th(IV) removal were electrostatic attraction, ion exchange and complexation. Efficient capture of Th(IV) from aqueous solution is of importance to both solve the radioactive pollution for environmental safety and provide clean energy for sustainable development. However, it still faces huge challenge. In this study, eucalyptus leaf extract was applied as template agent to fabricate Zn/Al-bimetallic layered double oxides (ZnAlLDO), providing more active sites for Th(IV) removal. The removal process of Th(IV) onto ZnAlLDO could reach equilibrium within 5 min and the maximum removal capacity calculated from the Langmuir model was 1153.71 mg g−1 at pH = 4.0 and 298 K. Over 97 % Th(IV) could be removed by ZnAlLDO during the dynamic adsorption process and the removal efficiency still remained at a high level (85 %) after 5 cycles. The Th(IV) removal process on ZnAlLDO was ascribed to electrostatic attraction, complexation and ion exchange. It could be believed that the ZnAlLDO with large removal capacity (1155.5 mg g−1), fast equilibrium time (5 min) and easy desorption (91.76 %) with high recovery (85 %) might be a promising adsorbent for the separation of Th(IV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) treatment has been considered as a promising approach to lignocellulose deconstruction and valorization. Nevertheless, some aspects such as high energy consumption and cellulose residue loss limited bioconversion efficiency. Herein, neutral DESs based on choline chloride (ChCl) and zinc acetate (ZAC) in different molar ratios were designed for ultra-fast treatment on bamboo holocellulose with the assistance of microwave radiation for the first time. ZAC/ChCl-1 promoted the glucose conversion yield to 67.3%, due to more hydrophobic sites exposed on crystallite surfaces caused by fibrils swelling and enlarged gaps between adjacent glucan chains after the treatment. Furthermore, the proposed DES also displayed the ability to exfoliate cellulose nanofibrils with high aspect ratios from microfibrils at high treatment temperature (120 °C). With a large amount of negative charge on surface, the nanocellulose maintained satisfying dispersion stability and homogeneity, which achieved the full use and tunable dual conversion of bamboo cellulose. Thus, the present study provides a deeper understanding of novel DES pretreatment for biomass conversion and widens the scope of high-efficiency biorefinery. [Display omitted] • Zinc acetate based DESs pretreatments assisted by microwave were developed. • Fast and efficient co-production of glucose and nanocellulose was achieved. • Cellulose structure variations contribute to high-yield enzymatic hydrolysis. • Nanofibrils with high aspect ratio and stability were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple drug resistance (MDR) is the major obstacle for both chemotherapy and molecular-targeted therapy for cancer, which is mainly caused by overexpression of ABC transporters or genetic mutation of drug targets. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that ROS/Nrf2 is the common target for overcoming acquired drug resistance to both targeted therapy and chemotherapy treatments. In this study, we firstly proved that the levels of ROS and Nrf2 were remarkably up-regulated in both H1975 (Gefitinib-resistant lung cancer cells with T790M) and A549/T (paclitaxel-resistant) cells, which is consistent with the clinical database analysis results of lung cancer patients that Nrf2 expression level is negatively related to survival rate. Nrf2 Knockdown with siRNA or tangeretin (TG, a flavonoid isolated from citrus peels) inhibited the MDR cell growth by suppressing the Nrf2 pathway, and efficiently enhanced the anti-tumor effects of paclitaxel and AZD9291 (the third generation of TKI) in A549/T or H1975, respectively. Moreover, TG sensitized A549/T cells-derived xenografts to paclitaxel via inhibiting Nrf2 and its downstream target P-gp, leading to an increased paclitaxel concentration in tumors. Collectively, targeting Nrf2 to enhance ROS may be a common target for overcoming the acquired drug resistance and enhancing the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy and molecular-targeted therapy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an auditory neuron model developed from the piezoelectric neural circuit, two different stimuli (F1, F2) are respectively used and then combined (F1+F2) synchronously to trigger different firing modes (S1, S2, S3). The Hamilton energy for each firing mode is calculated to discern the effect from the external stimulus, and the final firing mode is mainly controlled by one of the stimuli which can induce a higher Hamilton energy in the neuron. The external forcing inducing spiking has priority than the external stimulus inducing bursting to be responded by the neuron. The involvement of periodic firing modes is helpful to induce nonlinear resonance and thus new periodic firing modes can be generated even it presents lower Hamilton energy. The changes in the profile of periodic attractors confirm that external stimuli for inducing spiking and bursting can be perceived sensitively. In case of chaotic firing modes resulting from chaotic driving, the contribution from spiking, bursting and even periodic forcing can be detected because the profile of chaotic attractors is also changed greatly. A correlation function is defined to discern the effect of external stimuli on the selection of firing modes in the neuron driven by multi-channel stimuli. The results confirmed that the neuron is more sensitive to the external stimulus which can release higher Hamilton energy and/or induce high regularity in the neural activities. This study discovers the potential response mechanism in the auditory neuron under external stimuli. • Mode selection and response mechanism in auditory neuron are explored. • Neuron is more sensitive to spiking mode with higher Hamilton than bursting mode. • Neuron is more sensitive to regular firing mode under periodic forcing than spiking, bursting. • Chaotic attractors are regulated by periodic, spiking, bursting modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stem cell biomimetic liposomes carrying levamisole for leukemia therapy. • Activation of macrophage for host's own immunity reconstruction. • Engineered stem cell nanostrategy conferring long-circulation and homing effect. Most cancers recur after clinical treatment. Activation of the patient's own immunity can not only play a therapy role, but also consolidate the treatment prognosis. However, an effective immunity reconstruction strategy remains an impeding issue to be solved. Here, we report a macrophage immunity reconstruction strategy by engineering the stem cell biomimetic liposomes that carry levamisole (sLipo leva) to treat leukemia. The results demonstrated that sLipo leva was successfully constructed by incorporating the membrane of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). sLipo leva displayed a significant targeting effect on macrophages, induced the differentiation of them into M1 phenotype, exhibited a robust anticancer efficacy and an acceptable safety in leukemia-bearing mice. The immunity reconstruction mechanism of sLipo leva could be explained by two aspects: activation of macrophages themselves, and further activation of T cells, both of which contributed to the killing of leukemia cells. In conclusion, the present study offers a promising new strategy to activate the patient's own immunity for playing therapy efficacy and for consolidating treatment prognosis of leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the photocatalytic performance of semiconductor catalysts, one of the most widely used strategies is to combine two or more semiconductors with appropriate energy band structures to construct heterojunctions for an extended light absorption range and effective charge separation. Here, a novel Z-scheme heterojunction is fabricated via the Cd0.3Zn0.7S twin crystal and the narrow band gap semiconductor Ag3PO4. The resulting Cd0.3Zn0.7S/1%Ag3PO4 photocatalyst exhibits excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production capability (167.29 μmol h−1), which is two times higher than that of Cd0.3Zn0.7S and 44/7 times higher than that of pristine ZnS/CdS. The excellent photocatalytic performance is not only attributed to the defective twin crystal structure of Cd0.3Zn0.7S but also related to the well-matched Z-scheme interface between Cd0.3Zn0.7S and Ag3PO4, and both factors effectively promote the separation of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs and prolong the lifetime of the carriers, being responsible for the excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of the catalysts. This strategy provides new insights into the construction of efficient twin crystal heterojunctions for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of COVID-19 in Shanghai, China, in March 2022 was caused by the Omicron variant. The epidemic lasted for more than 3 months, and the cumulative number of infected people reached 626,000. We investigated the impact of clinical factors on disease outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Using a case-control study design, we examined cases from fever clinics with confirmed Omicron variant infection, analyzed their population and laboratory diagnostic characteristics, and provided theoretical support for subsequent epidemic prevention and control. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with infection with the Omicron variant. The results of this study show that the COVID-19 vaccine can protect against infection with the Omicron variant, and more than 50% of infected people had not been vaccinated. Compared with the epidemic in Wuhan 2 years ago, most of the patients in the hospital in the Shanghai epidemic had underlying diseases (P = 0.006). A comparison of patients infected with the Omicron variant in Shanghai and patients with other respiratory tract infections showed no significant difference in the levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, white blood cells, hemoglobin, or platelets (P > 0.05). People over 60 years old and those with underlying diseases were at risk for pneumonia (OR = 14.62 (5.49-38.92), P < 0.001; OR = 5.29 (2.58-10.85), P < 0.001, respectively), but vaccination was a protective factor (OR = 0.24 (0.12-0.49), P < 0.001). In summary, vaccination has a potential effect on infection with Omicron variant strains and provides protection against pneumonia. The severity of illness caused by the Omicron variant in 2022 was significantly lower than that of the original SARS-CoV-2 variant from two years previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of antithyroid drugs combined with antioxidant supplementation represented by selenium in the treatment of Graves' disease. Methods. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library databases, and the Chinese Medical Association. The search was conducted from the time of library construction to December 20, 2022. Three writers gradually examined, evaluated, and graded the literature and then used RevMan 5.3 to analyze the data and develop conclusions. Results. A total of seven papers were screened according to the search requirements. The results showed that free triiodothyronine (FT3) (WMD = −2.29, 95% CI: −3.55 to −1.02, P = 0.0004), free thyroxine (FT4) (WMD = −0.62, 95% CI: −1.05 to −0.18, P = 0.0005), thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) (WMD = −1.31, 95% CI: −1.63 to −0.99, P < 0.00001), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) (WMD = −9.8, 95% CI: −16.57 to −3.03, P = 0.005) in the observation group (selenium supplementation combined with antithyroid drugs) were significantly lower than those in the control group (antithyroid drugs combined with or without placebo). In addition, selenium supplementation can increase serum selenium (WMD = 33.29, 95% CI: 30.7 to 35.87, P < 0.00001), selenoprotein levels (WMD = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.8 to 1.8, P < 0.00001), and blood lipid levels (WMD = 32.3, 95% CI: 17.87 to 46.74, P < 0.0001). It cannot be excluded that the process of selenium supplementation treatment will affect the patient's lipid levels. Conclusion. Selenium is a trace mineral that is crucial for human health. In patients with Graves' disease, the use of antithyroid medications along with selenium supplementation can considerably enhance thyroid function. It has the potential to drastically lower TPOAb and TRAb levels as well as FT3 and FT4 levels, which is crucial for the treatment, recovery, and prognosis of hyperthyroid patients. Further research is required to determine whether the impact of antioxidant supplementation on blood lipids will restrict the use of this medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a significant enhancement of the ultimate efficiency, η , of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 (abbr.: MAPbI 3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with optimized periodic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nano texture, owing to the light trapping effect. With the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, we investigated the η of the nano-textured PSCs (NT-PSCs) when the MAPbI 3 layer thickness, d p , ranges from 31.25 nm to 2 μm. The optimized ultimate efficiency, η m , is defined as the η optimized over the geometric parameters of the nano texture. When d p is approximately 125–500 nm, compared with that of the planar ones, η m of the PSCs with optimized nano texture is significantly improved by ca. 11.5%–32.8%. Notably, when d p is 125 nm, η m of the optimized NT-PSCs achieves 24.3%, which is relatively 32.8% larger than that of the planar PSCs. It is very potential to fabricate optimized PMMA nano texture in PSCs to enhance their PCE. • Efficiency of perovskite solar cell with optimized nano texture is largely enhanced. •Six types of nano textured perovskite devices were studied by FDTD simulation. •Relative efficiency increment ratio achieved 14.4% ∼ 32.8%. •Carrier concentration and absorption spectra demonstrated the enhancement. •PMMA is feasible as NIL target to fabricate periodic nano texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imbalanced learning problems typically consist of data with skewed class distributions, coupled with large misclassification costs for the rare events. For binary classification, logistic regression is a common supervised learning technique chosen to perform this task. Unfortunately, the model performs poorly on classification tasks when class distributions are highly imbalanced. To improve this generalization, we implement a novel instance-level weighting methodology for the minority class in the loss function. We build our method from a recently published, locally weighted log-likelihood objective function, where each of the minority class weights are learned from the data. We improve upon this previous approach by creating a convex and hyperparameter-free loss function that improves generalization performance for datasets exhibiting extreme class imbalance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the diagnostic criteria of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) include histopathology. However, some patients may delay getting this examination due to concerns about the risks of liver biopsy. Therefore, we aimed to develop a predictive model of AIH diagnostic that does not require a liver biopsy. We collected demographic, blood, and liver histological data of unknown liver injury patients. First, we conducted a retrospective cohort study in two independent adult cohorts. In the training cohort (n = 127), we used logistic regression to develop a nomogram according to the Akaike information criterion. Second, we validated the model in a separate cohort (n = 125) using the receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve analysis, and calibration plot to externally evaluate the performance of this model. We calculated the optimal cutoff value of diagnosis using Youden's index and presented the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to evaluate the model in the validation cohort compared with the 2008 International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group simplified scoring system. In the training cohort, we developed a model to predict the risk of AIH using four risk factors—The percentage of gamma globulin, fibrinogen, age, and AIH-related autoantibodies. In the validation cohort, the areas under the curve for the validation cohort were 0.796. The calibration plot suggested that the model had an acceptable accuracy (p > 0.05). The decision curve analysis suggested that the model had great clinical utility if the value of probability was 0.45. Based on the cutoff value, the model had a sensitivity of 68.75%, a specificity of 76.62%, and an accuracy of 73.60% in the validation cohort. While we diagnosed the validated population by using the 2008 diagnostic criteria, the sensitivity of prediction results was 77.77%, the specificity was 89.61% and the accuracy was 83.20%. Our new model can predict AIH without a liver biopsy. It is an objective, simple and reliable method that can effectively be applied in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. Currently sedation is a common practice in colonoscopy to reduce pain of patients and improve the operator satisfaction, whereas its impact on examination quality, especially adenoma detection rate (ADR) is still controversial. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association of sedation with ADR. Methods. Consecutive patients receiving colonoscopy between January 2017 and January 2020 at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China, were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to investigate the association between sedation and ADR. Subgroup analysis and propensity score matching (PSM) analysis, as sensitivity analysis, were performed to validate the independent effect. Results. The ADR was significantly higher in cases with sedation (ADR: 36.9% vs. 29.1%, odds ratio [OR]: 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31–1.55, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the sedation was an independent factor associated with ADR (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.35–1.65, P < 0.001). The effect was consistent in subgroup analyses (P > 0.05) and PSM analysis (ADR: 37.6% vs. 29.1%, OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.33–1.63, P < 0.001). Conclusion. Sedation was associated with a higher polyp and ADR s during colonoscopy, which can promote the quality of colonoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, formic acid with the high energy value is the promising product generated by the large-scale renewable electricity-driven CO 2 conversion, yet challenges remain in the high-throughput and low-energy production accompanied by the considerable selectivity. Herein, in view of the contribution of electronic modulation to electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) activity of catalysts, the thin BiCu-bimetallic film was designed and built on Cu foam (BiCu/CF) by coupling a facile hydrothermal reaction and an immediate electrochemical transformation. The theoretical evidences demonstrate that Bi p -orbital delocalization triggered by the close-contact metal Cu optimizes reaction pathway of CO 2 RR, and also favours the orbital hybridization between Bi atom and *OCHO intermediate to form more anti-bonding orbitals, resulting in stabilizing *OCHO intermediate and lowering the thermodynamic barrier of CO 2 RR. Meanwhile, the electron transferred from catalyst-sites to reaction species also accelerates during CO 2 RR. Integrating the improved intrinsic activity of Bi catalytic-sites and the superiority of Cu foam in exposing more active sites and the mechanical strength, the BiCu/CF electrode with optimal thickness can acquire satisfactory indicators for industrial application, yielding a record formate current density of 856 mA cm−2, higher than 85% Faradic efficiency, along with a remarkable stability, which outperforms state-of-the-art Bi-based catalysts. This study offers potential avenues of engineering orbital delocalization to rationally construct advanced CO 2 RR electrodes for the carbon-neutral cycle and utilization. Cu-triggered Bi p -orbital delocalization favours the orbital hybridization between Bi catalytic-sites and *OCHO intermediate and also lowers the thermodynamic barrier of CO 2 reduction. Therefore, BiCu-bimetallic film on Cu foam yields delightful current densities of 1000 mA cm−2 with HCOOH FEs larger than 85% as well as the remarkable catalytic stability and reproducibility, which are closer to the industrial demand. [Display omitted] • The optimal BiCu/CF yields a record formate current density of 856 mA cm−2 along with higher than 85% Faradic efficiency. • The delocalized Bi p -orbitals triggered by metal Cu reduce the thermodynamic and dynamic barrier of CO 2 reaction. • It is opening up a new perspective for engineering p -orbital delocalization of main-group metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of sustainable lignocellulosic nanomaterials with unique properties and applicable functions is receiving growing interest. In this work, holocellulose nanofibrils (HCNFs) were prepared from moso bamboo using mild alkaline peroxide bleaching method (MAPB) followed by mechanical nanofibrillation. MAPB was proved to effectively remove lignin and retain hemicellulose. Meanwhile, partial allomorphic changes from cellulose I to cellulose II were revealed together with varying degrees of crystallinity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiment showed an increasing thermal stability trend due to more allomorphic changes into anti-parallel cellulose II. Well-dispersed HCNFs suspensions were successfully prepared by homogenization and HCNFs films with high transparency and flexibility were fabricated. The films reached the maximum tensile strength of 55.8 MPa and tensile strain of 1.55 % along with a calculated toughness of 25 MJ/m3. Moreover, the prepared materials are biocompatible and completely non-toxic, which will theoretically support the application of HCNFs materials in fields of biology, medicine and food industry. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been global recognition of the urgent need to tackle adverse environmental impacts of the construction industry. Construction companies are called upon to switch to ecological modernisation by scaling up the implementation of environmental management practices while maintaining a level of economic development. Under ecological modernisation theory, green supply chain management has emerged as an environmental technological innovation, helping organisations to switch to ecological modernisation. Past research revealed a need to identify mechanisms aimed at resolving conflicts among construction supply chain actors, speeding collaboration among them, and managing the transition to green supply chain management. This research aims to examine whether governmental intervention can act as an effective mechanism with which to foster public–private partnerships among construction companies, thereby promoting ecological modernisation through the adoption of green supply chain management. Data were collected from survey responses from 229 Chinese construction companies and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results show that coordination between governmental support and public–private partnerships is necessary to aid construction companies in implementing green supply chain innovation and complying with environmental regulations and, thus, achieving multiple performance benefits, including environmental and short-term economic performance improvements. However, it is unlikely that green supply chain management alone could drive the long-term goal of ecological modernisation theory unless more proactive actions are taken by all stakeholders. This study demonstrates how ecological modernisation theory can be applied to advance green supply chain management studies. Enforcing and incentivising aspects of governmental intervention, i.e. environmental regulations and governmental support, have been proven to be effective in developing a regulatory framework for, and partnerships among, stakeholders. This results in the sharing of resources, knowledge and practices to contemplate a new paradigm of supply chain integration and coordination for the construction sector and promote active adaptation to green supply chain management. • Ecological Modernisation Theory was applied to green construction supply chain management. • Government intervention fosters public private partnerships in the construction sector. • Government intervention and public private partnerships promote green supply chain management. • Green supply chain management improves environmental and short-term economic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • t f descriptor is proposed to predict the HER performance of perovskite catalysts. • Co d /O p -band centers well correlate with the HER activity of LnBaCo 2 O 5+ δ. • The descriptors produce highly active and stable perovskite catalysts. Herein the structural versatility is allowed to correlate with electrocatalytic properties of the perovskites. We report LnBaCo 2 O 5+ δ (Ln = lanthanide) perovskites as highly active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The tolerance factor (t f) and O p /Co d -band centers are proposed to be efficient descriptors for addressing their electrochemical performance. The t f endows the HER activity/stability with a volcano shape for our synthesized double/simple perovskites. The O p /Co d -band centers locating far from the Fermi level (E F) results in the best activity of LaBaCo 2 O 5+ δ among the LnBaCo 2 O 5+ δ perovskites. The outstanding stability can be explained by having the O p /Co d -band centers neither close to nor far from the E F. The maximum HER activity benefits from optimal free energy combination for the adsorption/dissociation of H 2 O and desorption of –OH/H*. The proper t f values and O p /Co d -band centers may realize synergistic interplay, which is crucial to reasonably design the oxide materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HOXC10 and mitochondrial fission regulator 2 (MTFR2) have been reported to be abnormally expressed in multiple types of cancer tissues. However, the effects of HOXC10 and MTFR2 on colorectal cancer (CRC) remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the expression of HOXC10 and MTFR2 in CRC tissues and cells, and analyze their effects on CRC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of MTFR2 and HOXC10 in tissues and cells. To investigate the association between MTFR2 and HOXC10, short hairpin RNA-MTFR2 and overexpression vector-HOXC10 were transfected into the cells, respectively. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of invasion-associated proteins. The proliferation, clone formation, invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells were in turn analyzed by the Cell Counting Kit-8, clone formation, wound healing and Transwell assays. Japan Automotive Software Platform and Architecture software predicted the binding sites between HOXC10 and MTFR2, which was confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. The present study demonstrated that HOXC10 and MTFR2 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and cells. MTFR2 knockdown significantly inhibited CRC cell proliferation, clone formation, invasion and migration. Furthermore, HOXC10 was shown to interact with MTFR2. HOXC10 overexpression was able to significantly reverse the inhibitory effects of MTFR2 knockdown on CRC cells. In conclusion, HOXC10 overexpression activated MTFR2 expression to enhance the proliferation, clone formation, invasion and migration of CRC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proanthocyanidin‐rich grape seed extract (GSE) has been shown to have the potential to protect bones, although the underlying mechanism remains unknown. The current study aims to explore GSE's preventive and therapeutic impact on bone loss induced by oestrogen deficiency and the underlying mechanism through the gut microbiota (GM) and metabolomic responses. In oestrogen‐deficient ovariectomized (OVX) mice, GSE ameliorated bone loss by inhibiting the expansion of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT), restoring BMAT lipolysis and promoting bone formation. GSE regulated OVX‐induced GM dysbiosis by reducing the abundance of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, such as Alistipes, Turicibacter and Romboutsia, while elevating the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium. The modified GM primarily impacted lipid and amino acid metabolism. Furthermore, the serum metabolites of GSE exhibited a significant enrichment in lipid metabolism. In summary, GSE shows potential as a functional food for preventing oestrogen deficiency‐induced bone loss by modulating GM and metabolite‐mediated lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects engineering is significant for photocatalytic environment remediation. To this end, visible‐light‐driven α‐Fe2O3/ZrO2‐x S‐scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with optimal oxygen vacancy (Ov) defects are successfully synthesized via a two‐step method. Compared with pristine UiO‐66‐NH2‐derived ZrO2‐x and α‐Fe2O3, the heterojunction photocatalysts exhibit a wider range of visible light response and higher efficiency in separating photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Among them, the 5% α‐Fe2O3/ZrO2‐x sample shows the best photocatalytic performance to the degradation of tetracycline (TC) (89.3%), in which the pseudo‐first‐order kinetic rate constants are 8.20 and 16.75 times that of pristine ZrO2‐x and α‐Fe2O3, respectively. The outstanding photocatalytic degradation efficiency can be attributed to both the narrow‐bandgap ZrO2‐x with visible light response and the formation of α‐Fe2O3/ZrO2‐x S‐scheme heterojunctions. During the formation of heterojunctions, the concentration of oxygen vacancies (Ov) at the interface of α‐Fe2O3/ZrO2‐xdecreases monotonically with the increasing loading of α‐Fe2O3, thereby altering the electronic structure of the photocatalyst and forming the heterojunction firmly. In addition, the high stability implies the potential applications in fields of environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergy between iron doping and (1 1 1) facet engineering in Fe-NiSe octahedron reinforces catalytic activity for IRR to yield impressive photovoltaic performance of DSSCs. [Display omitted] • The possibility of Fe-NiSe (1 1 1) as CE catalysts was investigated by DFT calculation. • The well-defined Fe-doped NiSe octahedron with (1 1 1) plane was synthesized. • Synergy between doping and facet engineering reinforces electrochemical behavior. • PCE can be further enhanced by introducing Fe heteroatom into NiSe (1 1 1). Reasonable design of cost-effective counter electrode (CE) catalysts for triiodide (I 3 −) reduction reaction (IRR) by simultaneously combining heteroatom doping and facet engineering is highly desired in iodine-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), but really challenging. Herein, the density function theory (DFT) calculations were first conducted to demonstrate that the Fe-doped NiSe (1 1 1) showed an appropriate adsorption energy for I 3 −, increased number of metal active sites, reinforced charge-transfer ability, and strong interaction between 3 d states of metal sites and 5 p state of I 1 atoms in I 3 −, compared to NiSe (1 1 1). Based on this finding, the well-defined Fe-NiSe octahedron with exposed (1 1 1) plane (marked as Fe-NiSe (1 1 1)) and NiSe octahedron with the same exposed plane (named as NiSe (1 1 1)) are controllably synthesized. When the as-prepared Fe-NiSe (1 1 1) and NiSe (1 1 1) worked as CE catalysts, Fe-NiSe (1 1 1) exhibits improved electrochemical performance with higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than NiSe (1 1 1), providing new opportunity to replace precious Pt for DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TG103, a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, is being investigated as an option for weight management. We aimed to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of TG103 injection in participants who are overweight or obese without diabetes. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose phase 1b study, participants aged 18–75 years with a body-mass index (BMI) ≥ 26.0 kg/m2 and body weight ≥ 60 kg were enrolled from three centers in China. The study included three cohorts, and in each cohort, eligible participants were randomly assigned (3:1) to one of three once-weekly subcutaneous TG103 groups (15.0, 22.5 and 30.0 mg) or matched placebo, without lifestyle interventions. In each cohort, the doses of TG103 were escalated in 1-week intervals to the desired dose over 1 to 4 weeks. Then participants were treated at the target dose until week 12 and then followed up for 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety and tolerability assessed by the incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs) from baseline to the end of the follow-up period. Secondary endpoints included pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of TG103 and the occurrence of anti-drug antibodies to TG103. Results: A total of 147 participants were screened, and 48 participants were randomly assigned to TG103 (15.0, 22.5 and 30.0 mg groups, n = 12 per group) or placebo (n = 12). The mean (standard deviation, SD) age of the participants was 33.9 (10.0) years; the mean bodyweight was 81.65 (10.50) kg, and the mean BMI was 29.8 (2.5) kg/m2. A total of 466 AEs occurred in 45 of the 48 participants, with 35 (97.2%) in the TG103 group and 10 (83.3%) in the pooled placebo group. Most AEs were grade 1 or 2 in severity, and there were no serious adverse events (SAEs), AEs leading to death, or AEs leading to discontinuation of treatment. The steady-state exposure of TG103 increased with increasing dose and was proportional to Cmax,ss, AUCss, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf. The mean values of Cmax,ss ranged from 951 to 1690 ng/mL, AUC0-t ranged from 150 to 321 μg*h/mL, and AUC0-inf ranged from 159 to 340 μg*h/mL. TG103 had a half-life of 110–116 h, with a median Tmax of 36–48 h. After treatment for 12 weeks, the mean (SD) values of weight loss from baseline in the TG103 15.0 mg, 22.5 mg and 30.0 mg groups were 5.65 (3.30) kg, 5.35 (3.39) kg and 5.13 (2.56) kg, respectively, and that in the placebo group was 1.37 (2.13) kg. The least square mean percent weight loss from baseline to D85 in all the TG103 groups was more than 5% with p < 0.05 for all comparisons with placebo. Conclusions: In this trial, all three doses of once-weekly TG103 were well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile. TG103 demonstrated preliminary 12-week body weight loss without lifestyle interventions, thus showing great potential for the treatment of overweight and obesity. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04855292. Registered on April 22, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise identification of drug–protein inter action (DPI) can significantly speed up the drug discovery process. Bioassay methods are time-consuming and expensive to screen for each pair of drug proteins. Machine-learning-based methods cannot accurately predict a large number of DPIs. Compared with traditional computing methods, deep learning methods need less domain knowledge and have strong data learning ability. In this study, we construct a DPI prediction model based on dual channel neural networks with an efficient path attention mechanism, called DCA-DPI. The drug molecular graph and protein sequence are used as the data input of the model, and the residual graph neural network and the residual convolution network are used to learn the feature representation of the drug and protein, respectively, to obtain the feature vector of the drug and the hidden vector of protein. To get a more accurate protein feature vector, the weighted sum of the hidden vector of protein is applied using the neural attention mechanism. In the end, drug and protein vectors are concatenated and input into the full connection layer for classification. In order to evaluate the performance of DCA-DPI, three widely used public data, Human, C.elegans and DUD-E, are used in the experiment. The evaluation metrics values in the experiment are superior to other relevant methods. Experiments show that our model is efficient for DPI prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common chronic liver disease in clinical practice. It has been considered that NASH is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and carcinoma. The mechanism of the NASH progression is complex, including lipid metabolism dysfunction, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Except for lifestyle modification and bariatric surgery, there has been no pharmacological therapy that is being officially approved in NASH treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), as a conventional and effective therapeutic strategy, has been proved to be beneficial in treating NASH in numbers of studies. In the light of this, TCM may provide a potential therapy for treating NASH. In this review, we summarized the associated mechanisms of action TCM treating NASH in preclinical studies and systematically analysis the effectiveness of TCM treating NASH in current clinical trials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil respiration (SR) is an important process and the largest source of carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems, which has a significant impact on global climate and environmental changes. The fluctuation of temperature and precipitation caused by climate change is a driving force for the dynamic change of SR. Therefore, we established the field experiment with 5 levels of precipitation by rainout shelters and 2 levels of temperature by Open-top Chamber (OTC) to determine the SR dynamic in the desert grassland in northwest China. The results show that: soil temperature (ST) and soil moisture (SM) are affected by changed precipitation and increased temperature, but not greatly. Overall, it can be seen that the SR continue to increase with the precipitation increasing and the temperature rising. SR has no significant correlation with above-ground living biomass (ALB), but is significantly correlated with root biomass (RB), so SR mainly comes from the root system, and ALB and RB both increase with rainfall rising. Soil physical and chemical properties are related to SR, but not significantly. These findings provide a reliable theoretical basis for formulating a reasonable response strategy in desert steppe ecosystems. • Ecological responses of desert-steppe SR to temperature increases and precipitation changes along with their ecological sensitivity indexes. • Correlations between SR, soil temperatures, soil moisture, and other soil properties and plant biomass in the desert grasslands. • This research provides a reliable theoretical basis for formulating a reasonable response strategy for desert steppes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazelnut shell activated carbon materials (HSACs) are promising electrode materials used for supercapacitors, due to their superior natural performance. In this research, characterizations of surface features and electrochemical performance on a series of HSACs prepared with changing calcination temperature and mass ratio of activators showed that HSACs with larger specific surface area experienced lower specific capacitance. Further structural and compositional evaluations of the HSACs by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that upon increasing calcination temperature or activator content, the specific surface area increased, but the carbon sp2/sp3 ratio and the concentration of acidic surface oxide groups decreased, and the population of basic surface oxide groups increased. These latter trends might be responsible for the decrease of specific capacitance of HSACs. The more Zn(NO 3) 2 activator was suppressed, the more basic surface oxide groups generated. In conclusion, this study clarified that the capacitance performance of HSACs was affected by the combined effect of micropore features and structural characteristics of HSACs, including electrical conductivity of sp2 C˭C bonds, various functional groups content, and groups inducing changes in adsorption property. [Display omitted] • Hazelnut shell activated carbons were synthesized through synergistic effect of Zn(NO 3) 2 and KOH activators. • HSACs with larger specific surface area experienced lower specific capacitance. • Structural alterations of HSACs upon fabrication under different conditions were clarified. • Effects of surface functional group on the specific capacitance of HSACs were investigated. • Combined effect of micropore features and structural characteristics determined the capacitance performance of HSACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Medicinal plants have been a major resource for drug discovery. Emerging evidence shows that in addition to pharmacologically active components, medicinal plants also contain phytochemical nanomaterials, or phytonanomaterials, which form nanoparticles for drug delivery. In this review, we examine the evidence supporting the existence of phytonanomaterials. Next, we review identification, isolation, and classification of phytonanomaterials, characteristics of phytonanomaterial-derived nanoparticles, and molecular mechanisms of phytonanomaterial assembly. We will then summarize the current progress in exploring phytonanomaterial-derived NPs as therapeutic agents and drug delivery carriers for disease treatment. Last, we will provide perspectives on future discovery and applications of phytonanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung metastasis of Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) causes severe breath-related events and poor prognosis. Ruyiping (RYP), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, is used to treat breast cancer lung metastasis in clinical practice. This study was to explore the anti-lung-metastatic activities and mechanism of RYP extract by regulating macrophage polarization. The results showed that RYP can inhibit the viability and induce the apoptosis of TNBC cells. In in vitro experiments, RYP significantly inhibited the invasion and migration ability of TNBC cells promoted by M2, the subtype of macrophage which increased TNBC metastasis related genes. In in vivo experiments, RYP reduced the TNBC progression and lung metastasis. M2/M1 ration in the lung and M2 in the tumor was reduced by RYP, as well as M2 master regulator Stat6. Therefore, RYP extract may exhibit anti-lung metastasis function by reducing M2 in both tumor and lung through reducing Stat6. • RYP inhibits proliferation, mobility, invasion and induces apoptosis of TNBC cells. • RYP reduces M2 polarization and M2 promoted metastatic ability and EMT of TNBC cells. • RYP inhibits tumor growth and lung metastasis in TNBC mouse model. • RYP reduces M2 and EMT genes in tumor and lung in TNBC mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, it has been pointed out that the twisting of bilayer WSe2 would generate topologically non-trivial flat bands near the Fermi energy. In this work, we show that twisted bilayer WSe2 (tWSe2) with uniaxial strain exhibits a large nonlinear Hall (NLH) response due to the non-trivial Berry curvatures of the flat bands. Moreover, the NLH effect is greatly enhanced near the topological phase transition point which can be tuned by a vertical displacement field. Importantly, the nonlinear Hall signal changes sign across the topological phase transition point and provides a way to identify the topological phase transition and probe the topological properties of the flat bands. The strong enhancement and high tunability of the NLH effect near the topological phase transition point renders tWSe2 and related moire materials available platforms for rectification and second harmonic generations. The nonlinear Hall effect describes a recently discovered phenomenon in which a time-reversal symmetric material with a Berry curvature dipole develops a transverse voltage at double the frequency of an applied current. Here, the authors theoretically explore twisted bilayer WSe2 under strain, and find that it can exhibit a large nonlinear Hall effect that is highly sensitive to the topological properties of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonlinear association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and all-cause mortality has been widely reported for the general population, but this association has not been quantified for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Objectives: The aim was to explore the association between serum 25(OH)D and all-cause mortality in individuals with IBD.Methods: We identified 2690 females and 2532 males aged 40-69 y with diagnosed IBD at baseline in the UK Biobank. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured by direct competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay. The outcome was all-cause mortality, ascertained via the death registry. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate associations between serum 25(OH)D in quintiles and all-cause mortality among individuals with IBD [Crohn disease (CD; n = 1760) and ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 3462)]. Restricted cubic splines were used to investigate potential nonlinearity.Results: During the mean follow-up period of 11.9 y, 529 deaths (198 in CD and 331 in UC) were documented among 5222 individuals with IBD. Compared with the lowest quintile of serum 25(OH)D, HRs for the second to the highest quintiles were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.63, 1.06), 0.63 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.83), 0.64 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.85), and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.99), respectively. Nonlinearity was detected in the dose-response association between serum 25(OH)D concentration and all-cause mortality (P-nonlinearity < 0.001), and 25(OH)D concentrations of 44-78 nmol/L were associated with a 50% lower risk of all-cause mortality (than 10 nmol/L). Subgroup analyses showed that the nonlinear association mostly applied to females (P-nonlinearity < 0.001 compared with 0.080 in males).Conclusions: We observed a nonlinear association, mostly applicable to females, between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and all-cause mortality among individuals with IBD. A 25(OH)D concentration range of 44-78 nmol/L can serve as a starting point for future research to confirm recommended 25(OH)D concentrations for individuals with IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • It is the first study to identify the effects of MSC-sEV on steroid-resistant and Th17-dominant allergic airway inflammation. • MSC sEV regulated Th17 polarization via JAK-STAT3 signaling pathways in allergic inflammation • Proteins but not RNAs in MSC-sEV were involved in the effects of MSC-sEV. Type 17 helper T cells (Th17)-dominant neutrophilic airway inflammation is critical in the pathogenesis of steroid-resistant airway inflammation such as severe asthma. Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) display extensive therapeutic effects and advantages in many diseases. However, the role of MSC-sEV in Th17-dominant neutrophilic airway inflammation and the related mechanisms are still poorly studied. Here we found that MSC-sEV significantly alleviated the infiltration of inflammatory cells in peribronchial interstitial tissues and reduced levels of inflammatory cells, especially neutrophils, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) of mice with neutrophilic airway inflammation. Consistently, MSC-sEV significantly decreased levels of IL-17A in BALF and Th17 in lung tissues. Furthermore, we found that labelled MSC-sEV were taken up by human CD4+ T cells most obviously at 12 h after incubation, and distributed mostly in mouse lungs. More importantly, potential signaling pathways involved in the MSC-sEV mediated inhibition of Th17 polarization were found using RNA sequencing. Using Western blot, JAK2-STAT3 pathway was identified as an important role in the inhibition of Th17 polarization by MSC-sEV. We found that proteins in MSC-sEV were mostly involved in the therapeutic effects of MSC-sEV. In total, our study suggested that MSC-sEV could be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neutrophilic airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the curdlan-polyphenol complexes were constructed by a pH-driven method. The interaction between curdlan and various hydrophobic polyphenols (curcumin, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid) was investigated. Curdlan could self-assemble into particles for loading polyphenols through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The three polyphenols were embedded in curdlan in an amorphous state. The curdlan-curcumin complex showed the lowest viscoelasticity but exhibited the highest curcumin loading ability (34.04 ± 1.73 mg/g). However, the curdlan-chlorogenic acid complex emerged the opposite trend, indicating that the loading capacity was associated with the hydrophobicity of polyphenols. The antioxidant activity of curdlan significantly increased after combining with polyphenols, which could be maintained during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. In particular, the curdlan-quercetin complex exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and short-chain fatty acid concentration, which could influence gut microbiota composition by promoting the proliferation of Prevotella and inhibiting the growth of Escherichia_Shigella. In conclusion, the curdlan-polyphenol complexes prepared by an alcohol-free pH-driven method could effectively enhance the gastrointestinal stability of polyphenols as well as increase the antioxidant and prebiotic activities of curdlan, which could be applied as a functional ingredient to improve gut health. • Curdlan-polyphenol complexes were prepared by pH-driven method. • Curdlan could form a shell-core spherical structure for loading polyphenols. • The gastrointestinal stability of polyphenols in curdlan complexes was improved • CDQUE presented the strongest antioxidant and prebiotic activities. • CDQUE promoted the production of SCFAs, especially butyric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]