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Background: PDGFRB fusions in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is rare. The authors identified 28 pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL. They analyzed the features, outcomes, and prognostic factors of this disease. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study included 6457 pediatric patients with newly diagnosed PDGFRB fusion ALL according to the CCCG‐ALL‐2015 and CCCG‐ALL‐2020 protocols from April 2015 to April 2022 in 20 hospitals in China. Of these patients, 3451 were screened for PDGFRB fusions. Results: Pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL accounted for only 0.8% of the 3451 cases tested for PDGFRB. These patients included 21 males and seven females and 24 B‐ALL and 4 T‐ALL; the median age was 10 years; and the median leukocyte count was 29.8 × 109/L at baseline. Only one patient had eosinophilia. Three patients had an IKZF1 deletion, three had chromosome 5q31‐33 abnormalities, and one suffered from a complex karyotype. The 3‐year event‐free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) were 33.1%, 65.5%, and 32.1%, respectively, with a median follow‐up of 25.5 months. Twenty patients were treated with chemotherapy plus tyrosine‐kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and eight were treated without TKI. Complete remission (CR) rates of them were 90.0% and 63.6%, respectively, but no differences in EFS, OS, or CIR. Univariate analyses showed patients with IKZF1 deletion or measurable residual disease (MRD) ≥0.01% after induction had inferior outcomes (p <.05). Conclusions: Pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL has a poor outcome associated with high‐risk features. Chemotherapy plus TKIs can improve the CR rate, providing an opportunity for lower MRD levels and transplantation. MRD ≥0.01% was a powerful adverse prognostic factor, and stratified treatment based on MRD may improve survival for these patients. Plain Language Summary: Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients with PDGFRB fusions are associated with high‐risk clinical features such as older age, high white blood cell count at diagnosis, high measurable residual disease after induction therapy, and increased risk of leukemia relapse.Chemotherapy plus tyrosine‐kinase inhibitors can improve the complete remission rate and provide an opportunity for lower measurable residual disease (MRD) levels and transplantation for pediatric PDGFRB‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients.The MRD level was also a powerful prognostic factor for pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL patients. Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients with PDGFRB fusions are associated with high‐risk clinical features. Chemotherapy plus tyrosine‐kinase inhibitors can improve the complete remission rate and provide an opportunity for lower measurable residual disease (MRD) levels and transplantation for pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL patients. The MRD level was also a powerful prognostic factor for pediatric PDGFRB‐positive ALL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RI/R) is a common pathological process in ophthalmic diseases, which can cause severe visual impairment. The mechanisms underlying RI/R damage and repair are still unclear. Scholars are actively exploring effective intervention strategies to restore impaired visual function. With the development of nucleic acid nanomaterials, tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) have shown promising therapeutic potential in various fields such as stem cells, biosensors, and tumour treatment due to their excellent biological properties. Besides, miRNA‐22‐3p (miR‐22), as an important regulatory factor in neural tissue, has been proven to have positive effects in various neurodegenerative diseases. By stably constructing a complex of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids miR22 (tFNAs‐miR22), we observed that tFNAs‐miR22 had a positive effect on the repair of RI/R injury in retinal neural tissue. Previous studies have shown that tFNAs can effectively deliver miR‐22 into damaged retinal neurons, subsequently exerting neuroprotective effects. Interestingly, we found that there was a certain synergistic effect between tFNAs and miR‐22. tFNAs‐miR22 can selectively activated the ERK1/2 signalling pathway to reduce neuronal apoptosis, accelerate cell proliferation, and restore synaptic functional activity. In this study, we established a simple yet effective small molecule drug for RI/R treatment which may become a promising neuroprotectant for treating this type of vision impairment disease in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity (OB) is a prevalent metabolic disorder. With the advancement of the economy, the prevention and treatment of obesity is a big problem for the global community. The methods to lose weight include exercise, diet, medicine, and surgery. Compared with other methods, diet regulation is safer and more effective. Hawthorn fruit has the effect of reducing weight, but the mechanism of effectiveness are not clear. In this study, obesity model rats are used to conduct scientific pharmacological research on hawthorn flavonoids. Hawthorn flavonoids can effectively improve the body weight, lipid accumulation, and lipid levels of obese rats. The contents of the colon of rats are analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing technology. The intestinal microflora in obese rats changed significantly after flavonoids treatment, and they tended to be the control group. Based on liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry, serum metabolomics showed that the metabolites in the serum changed significantly, after hawthorn flavonoids treatment. Hawthorn flavonoids are especially involved in the biological processes of grade bile acid biosynthesis, histidine metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the disorder of intestinal microorganisms is connected to changes in serum metabolites. These findings give a new idea about how hawthorn flavonoids help with obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the world's leading causes of blindness. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and vascular endothelial cell exposed to oxidative stress is the major cause of AMD and DR. DJ‐1, an important endogenous antioxidant, its overexpression is considered as a promising antioxidant treatment for AMD and DR. Here, we modified the tetrahedral frame nucleic acids (tFNAs) with DJ‐1 saRNAs as a delivery system, and synthesized a novel nanocomplex (tFNAs‐DJ‐1 saRNAs). In vitro studies show that tFNAs‐DJ‐1 saRNAs can efficiently transfer DJ‐1 saRNAs to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and ARPE‐19s, and significantly increased their cellular DJ‐1 level. Reactive oxygen species expression in H2O2‐treated HUVECs and ARPE‐19s were decreased, cell viability was enhanced and cell apoptosis were inhibited when tFNAs‐DJ‐1 saRNAs were delivered. Moreover, tFNAs‐DJ‐1 saRNAs preserved mitochondrial structure and function under oxidative stress conditions. In the aspect of molecular mechanism, tFNAs‐DJ‐1 saRNAs activated Erk and Nrf2 pathway, which might contribute to its protective effects against oxidative stress damage. To conclude, this study shows the successfully establishment of a simple but effective delivery system of DJ‐1 saRNAs associated with antioxidant effects in AMD and DR, which may be a promising agent for future treatment in oxidative stress‐related retinal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects and molecular mechanisms of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids‐microRNA22 (tFNAs‐miR22) on inhibiting pathological retinal neovascularization (RNV) and restoring physiological retinal vessels. A novel DNA nanocomplex (tFNAs‐miR22) was synthesised by modifying microRNA‐22 (miR22) through attachment onto tetrahedral frame nucleic acids (tFNAs), which possess diverse biological functions. Cell proliferation, wound healing, and tube formation were employed for in vitro assays to investigate the angiogenic function of cells. Oxygen‐induced retinopathy (OIR) model was utilised to examine the effects of reducing pathological neovascularization (RNV) and inhibiting vascular occlusion in vivo. In vitro, tFNAs‐miR22 demonstrated the ability to penetrate endothelial cells and effectively suppress cell proliferation, tube formation, and migration in a hypoxic environment. In vivo, tFNAs‐miR22 exhibited promising results in reducing RNV and promoting the restoration of normal retinal blood vessels in OIR model through modulation of the Wnt pathway. This study provided a theoretical basis for the further understanding of RNV, and highlighted the innovative and potential of tFNAs‐miR22 as a therapeutic option for ischemic retinal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development and construction of urban subways, various risks associated with human health and wellbeing within subway microenvironments have seriously increased. However, only a few intelligent systems have been validated as suitable for facilitating the management of subway environments. Field tests can be time-consuming and inefficient, and questionnaires often lack true intuitiveness for participants. Therefore, to enhance subway environment management, this study proposed intelligent systems that integrate building information modeling (BIM) and virtual reality (VR) for managing health risks in urban subway microenvironments. The systems were developed using Revit 2021, Navisworks 2020, Unity 2019, MYSQL 8.0, and Visual Studio 2019. Additionally, they were applied in scenarios for environmental assessment and passenger coping capability enhancement, differentiated into an expert visual-based health risk assessment system and a gamified simulation system for passenger risk prevention. The feasibility of the approach was validated with the case of Xinzhuang subway station of Line 3 in Nanjing, China. The findings revealed that the assessment system enabled experts to have a better and straight understanding of subway microenvironmental health risks and the gamification simulation system significantly enhanced the passengers' coping capacity. The integration of BIM and VR, with its design features such as visibility, optimization, and simulation, compensated for BIM's lack of providing an immersive experience for systems. The intelligent systems introduced in this study present novel models for environmental assessment and passenger training, catering to both subway operators and researchers. The innovative systems serve as a cornerstone in guaranteeing the health and safety of public transportation operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photon management strategies are crucial to improve the efficiency of perovskite thin film (PTF) solar cell. In this work, a nano-cone (NC) based 2D photonic nanostructure is designed and simulated aiming at achieve superior light trapping performance by introducing strong light scattering and interferences within perovskite active layer. Compared to the planar PTF solar cell, the NC nanostructured device with 45 degrees half apex angle obtains highest short-circuit current density, which improved over 20% from 15.00 mA/cm2 to 18.09 mA/cm2. This work offers an alternative design towards effective light trapping performance using 2D photonic nanostructure for PTF solar cell and could potentially be adopted as the nano-structuring strategy for the future perovskite solar cell industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite light‐emitting devices (PeLEDs) have emerged as a highly promising contender for the next generation of lighting and display technologies. During the nucleation and crystallization process, numerous defects are commonly formed on the surface and grain boundaries as a result of the ionic characteristics of perovskite, especially in an air environment. These defects ultimately contribute to the deterioration of the photoelectron properties. In this study, CsPbI3 nanocrystals (NCs) solution is introduced into ethyl acetate antisolvent as an additive, resulting in the high‐quality perovskite films under ambient conditions. The introduction of CsPbI3 NCs has been found to increase the grain size and improve the uniformity of perovskite films while also effectively passivating defects. More significantly, the utilization of CsPbI3 NCs leads to the formation of a 0D/3D local heterojunction that is distributed throughout the MAPbI3 film. These distributed heterojunctions significantly increase both the carrier concentration and the photoluminescence performance. With the incorporation of doped perovskite films, Silicon (Si) ‐based PeLEDs demonstrate enhanced efficiency, achieving a maximum external quantum efficiency of 12.6% in ambient conditions. Additionally, these devices exhibit a prolonged operational half‐life of 80 minutes. This study presents a novel methodology for fabricating high‐efficiency Si‐based PeLEDs that exhibit exceptional electroluminescence characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imagery of wine and tea is important in classical and modern Chinese poetry, with an intricate relationship between the two especially evident in the work of Taixu 太虛 (1890–1947), a prominent poet–monk in 20th-century China. Taixu's attitude toward wine—a drink that is deeply rooted in Chinese culture—evolves significantly over time, from initial approval to eventual condemnation due to its detrimental effects on both personal health and society. Nevertheless, it continues to feature prominently in his poetry. The same is true of tea, which Taixu often uses to evoke either Buddhist study or his own healthy lifestyle. This article explores this and other complex meanings in Taixu's poems, such as his association of wine with knights and tea with hermits. It also discusses how he achieves a delicate balance between the two beverages, sometimes employing both types of imagery in a single poem—a literary innovation that helped to establish his reputation as a central figure in modern Chinese poetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To explore the roles and associations of hepatocyte nuc lear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) and mu-protocadherin (MUCDHL) in the kidney of diabetic mice. METHODS: (1) A cohort of six 12-week-old db/m mice and six db/db mice were selected and maintained on a standard diet until 16 weeks. The protein levels of fibronectin (FN), collagen type III (Col-III), E-cadherin, a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA), HNF4A, Snail and MUCDHL in renal tissues were scrutinized using Western blot. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted to observe the distribution and expression of FN, HNF4A and MUCDHL. (2) Mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (mRTEC) were cultured in vitro and categorized into groups: normal glucose (NG) group, high glucose (HG) group, overexpression control groups (NG+vector and HG+vector), overexpression groups (NG+OE-MUCDHL, HG+OE-MUCDHL, NG+OE-HNF4A and HG+OE-HNF4A), knockdown control groups (NG+control and HG+control), and knockdown groups (NG+si-MUCDHL, HG+si-MUCDHL, NG+si-HNF4A and HG+si-HNF4A). The relevant protein levels were also detected by Western blot. RESULTS: (1) In db/db group, elevated body weight, blood glucose and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) indicated significant renal injury. Compared with db/m group, the mice in db/db group exhibited increased expression of FN, Col-III, a -SMA and Snail, and decreased expression of E-cadherin, HNF4A and MUCDHL. MUCDHL was predominantly expressed in the apical membrane of renal tubular epithelial cells, FN in the tubular mesenchyme, and HNF4A in the plasma and nucleus of renal tubular cells. (2) In HG group, there was an up-regulation in the expression of fibrosis-related proteins and a down-regulation in the expression of E-cadherin, HNF4A and MUCDHL compared with NG group. Overexpression of MUCDHL led to a decrease in the expression of FN, Col-III, a-SMA and Snail proteins, an increase in the expression of E-cadherin and MUCDHL proteins, and unaltered expression of HNF4A. Knockdown of MUCDHL resulted in a reversal of the aforementioned effects, with HNF4A expression remaining unaltered. Overexpression of HNF4A led to an increased expression of MUCDHL, and the expression changes of the remaining indicators were consistent with the overexpression of MUCDHL. Knockdown of HNF4A reversed the aforementioned effects. MUCDHL may represent a downstream target gene of HNF4A. CONCLUSION: The diminished expression of HNF4A and MUCDHL in the renal tubules of diabetic mice implies their involvement in the progression of renal fibrosis in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). HNF4A may potentially impede the progression of renal fibrosis in DKD by up-regulating the expression of MUCDHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of effective collaboration among energy-related stakeholders is considered as a critical factor that affects building energy performance. Although previous studies have explored energy-related stakeholders' collaboration behavior, there is still a lack of simulation model that can be easily used for collaboration analysis with the consideration of dynamic nature, generality and practicability. To fill this gap, a hybrid dynamic model with the combination of system dynamic and agent-based modeling was developed in this study. Strict model structure tests and model behavior tests were conducted to validate the proposed model. To demonstrate the use of the hybrid model, a tentative exploration of the collaboration among stakeholders was presented. The simulation results showed that (1) a single policy of government subsidies has some limitations for promoting collaboration and improving building energy performance; (2) technical innovation can improve not only the rate but also the quality of collaboration; (3) the effect of long-term gain on collaboration and the building energy performance is sustained; (4) the penalties has an upper limit to reduce the building energy performance gap; (5) the integrated effect on the building energy performance may be less significant than that of the simple sum of each strategy; and (6) there is an incremental and then decreasing marginal utility of integrated strategies. The hybrid model provides quantitative research methods to better analyze the collaboration among energy-related stakeholders. Both the dynamic collaboration decision process and the bounded rationality of stakeholders have been considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical students with high trait anxiety are susceptible to learning- and society-related stress. The present study explored the impact of MBCT training on anxiety-related personality traits in medical students. A total of 425 Chinese medical undergraduate students were surveyed using a trait anxiety subscale, the mindful attention awareness scale (MAAS), psychological resilience scale and a custom demographic questionnaire. The MAAS and psychological resilience were important factors predicting the trait anxiety level, contributing 69% of the variance. Thirty individuals with high trait anxiety were recruited to take part in MBCT training, which comprised eight topics (including awareness and automatic pilot, living in our own mind, etc.). The training was carried out as an extra-curricular activity students attended for eight consecutive weeks, with a particular focus on the susceptibility of an anxiety-related personality and the cognitive model about selective attention to dangerous stimuli and rumination. Post-MBCT training, 86.67% of the students had a reduced trait anxiety score, with a reduction to the cut-off value or below in 46.67% of the students. Interestingly, the post-training MAAS score was significantly different between medical students with and without significantly improved trait anxiety, but this trend was not observed for psychological resilience. The scores for trait anxiety and the MAAS in the healthy control group remained largely the same, except for an increase in psychological resilience. On the whole, after eight weeks, the scores of the MAAS and CD-RISC for all of the participants increased in the order healthy control group > responder group > non-responder group. Our findings not only validate the efficacy of MBCT training on anxiety, but also verify the contribution of the MAAS to improving trait anxiety and suggest that integrating some resilience-related content in the MBCT course may better improve the effectiveness of the psychological training. To ameliorate anxiety in vulnerable individuals, systematic training courses focusing on mindfulness and resilience need to be developed and further integrated as an important part of the personal and professional development for Chinese medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloramphenicol, a broad-spectrum antibiotic employed for controlling bacterial infections, presents an intriguing aspect in terms of its environmental fate in soils. 14C-labeled chloramphenicol was used to explore its mineralization and residue characteristics in three distinct agricultural soils in China. The findings revealed a nuanced pattern in the fate of 14C-chloramphenicol, with notable variations among the different soils under investigation. The chloramphenicol extract residue exhibited a reduction of 18.04% in sandy clay soil, 23.04% in clay loam soil, and 21.73% in loamy clay soil. Notably, the mineralization rate in sandy clay soil was 25.22% surpassed that in the other two soils, particularly during the initial stages of incubation. Over time, the diminishing extract residue underwent conversion into minerals and bound residue. The formation rate of bound residue was increased from 44.59 to 53.65% after adding 10% manure, suggesting that chloramphenicol easily binds with soils rich in organic matter. The bound residue is predominantly localized in the humin fraction across all soils. Additionally, the sterilized soil experiments indicated the pivotal role of microorganisms in influencing the fate of chloramphenicol under the specified experimental conditions. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the environmental dynamics of chloramphenicol in soils, emphasizing the importance of soil composition, organic matter content, and microbial activity. The findings contribute to a scientific understanding of the environmental safety implications associated with chloramphenicol usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rail transit is expected to gather housing and jobs around metro stations to improve the urban spatial structure for sustainable development. However, evaluations of the effects of transit-oriented development (TOD) practices in Chinese cities remain limited. Based on 2019 mobile phone signaling data, this study analyzed the spatial relationship between metro station areas, urban population density, and employment density in Tianjin City, China. Kernel density estimation, the coverage rate of population and employment, and the envelope range density method for rail transit networks were used to describe the spatial relationships between rail transit and the distribution of population and employment. The concentric circle method was used to analyze the spatial variation of residential population density and employment density within the station surrounding areas. Multiple linear regressions, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and geographically weighted regression analysis were established to quantitatively evaluate the effects of metro stations on the residential population density and employment density around the stations. Results show that: (1) population and employment are significantly concentrated along the rail transit area; (2) metro stations within the suburban area, which are roughly 10 km away from the center, have the most significant aggregation effect on population and employment; and (3) employment density and the proportion of residential and commercial lands are the most influential factors in residential population density within the station's surrounding areas. These findings contribute to comprehensive spatial analysis on population and employment densities around metro stations and provide scientific support for sustainable urban development. Based on the research results, policy implications are proposed to better guide the coordinated development of rail transit and urban spatial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection in children poses challenges due to their small size, low body weight (BW), and unique pediatric physiology, especially among children weighing 20 kg (kg) or less. Methods: PBSC collection data of both healthy children and patients with thalassemia major (TM) weighing 20 kg or less between January 2013 and December 2020 were reviewed. Moreover, PBSCs characteristics along with various aspects of efficiency and safety between healthy donors and patients with TM were compared. Results: A total of 262 PBSC procedures were performed on 255 children. Of these, 91 procedures were carried out on 85 allogeneic healthy donors, and 171 auto‐backup collections were performed on 170 patients with TM to ensure PBSC availability and prevent transplantation failure. A minimum pre‐apheresis hemoglobin (HGB) level of 60 g/L was discovered to be safe and feasible in patients with TM. The median CD34+ cell dose in the PBSC product during the initial apheresis procedure was higher in healthy donors compared to patients with TM (7.29 ± 5.28 × 106 cells/kg vs5.88 ± 4.23 × 106 cells/kg, P =.043). The total CD34+ cells/kg recipient weight exhibited a positive correlation with pre‐apheresis monocyte counts, but a negative correlation with donor weight. Apheresis significantly reduced hematocrit and platelet counts in the allogeneic group compared to the autologous group. Patients with TM experienced a higher occurrence of bone pain related to granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor treatment. Notably, no serious complications related to PBSCs mobilization, central venous catheter placement, or the apheresis procedure were observed in either group. Conclusions: PBSCs collection was both safe and effective in healthy children and pediatric patients with TM weighing 20 kg or less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a microinvasive method to diagnose lymph nodes. This study aims to determine the capability of lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (LCEUS)-guided FNA in predicting the axillary metastasis with the target of one lymph node (LN) in patients with breast cancer. Methods LCEUS was prospectively performed in 105 patients with breast cancer. The most suspicious LN was targeted based on the characters of LCEUS. FNA was performed in the LN, followed by localization using a guide wire. The detection of lymph cells and/or tumour cells was recognized as a puncture success. Cytologic diagnosis was compared with histologic diagnosis of wire-marked LN for diagnosing accuracy and compared with histologic diagnosis of axillary LNs for predicting accuracy. Results LCEUS-guided FNA was performed in all 105 female patients who underwent axillary dissection. The puncture success rates were 74.3%, 91.4%, and 97.1% for three sequential groups (P  =  .010). In diagnosing LN metastasis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of LCEUS-guided FNA were 89.7%, 100%, and 95.7%, respectively. In predicting axillary metastasis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of LCEUS-guided FNA were 81.4%, 100%, and 91.3%, respectively. Conclusions The microinvasive LCEUS-guided FNA of one lymph node can be an accurate method and may help predict axillary metastasis in patients with breast cancer. Advances in knowledge This study presented that LCEUS combined with FNA would be practical in clinic. The characters of LCEUS could indicate the suspicious LNs and promote the accuracy in predicting axillary metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with the pretreatments using alkanolamine‐based protic ionic liquids (PILs) with dimeric oxalic acid anions ([(HOA)(H2OA)]−) was fully investigated. The cation type [ethanolamine ([MEA]+), diethanolamine ([DEA]+), triethanolamine ([TEA]+)], and water addition greatly influenced the CNF yields. Under the pretreatment conditions of 110 °C and 3 h, the CNF yields with different PIL‐based systems followed the order: [MEA][(HOA)(H2OA)]>[DEA][(HOA)(H2OA)]>[TEA][(HOA)(H2OA)], similar to their swelling capacities. The highest CNF yield of 85.0 % was obtained after the pretreatment with [MEA][(HOA)(H2OA)]‐water containing 30 wt % PILs. The optimal pH range of PILs‐water was 1.10–1.15. The good recyclability indicated that these inexpensive PILs can be employed as a simple and efficient pretreatment system for preparing CNFs. The physicochemical properties of the prepared CNFs were greatly changed by varying the PILs' pretreatment systems. The thermal stability of CNFs was intimately connected with the crystalline structures and hydrogen bonding modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a decentralised ledger and data management technology, blockchain has attracted increasing interest and has been effectively applied in various areas. Despite its promising potential, there are few studies proposing effective strategies for promoting blockchain, particularly in providing a strategic analysis of blockchain in China's construction management. This study aims to investigate the external and internal environments of blockchain application and determine the roadmaps and strategies for blockchain application in construction management in China. A strength, weaknesses, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis is employed to draw a panorama of the blockchain development status. Six roadmaps and strategies for blockchain application are proposed. By using the Analytic Network Process (ANP), a quantitative analysis was conducted to determine the ranking of SWOT sub-factors and roadmaps and strategies. The results show that 'traceability of information', 'high application threshold', 'national policy support', and 'low informatization level of the construction industry' are the most important sub-factors in strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats respectively. The best roadmaps and strategies are 'improving the informatization level of the construction industry', followed by 'promoting the technological innovation of blockchain' and 'providing standard'. This study facilitates an in-depth understanding of the blockchain application in China's construction management. It will not only help researchers to conduct targeted blockchain research for more efficient project management, but also help practitioners to develop effective strategies for adopting blockchain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical university students are confronted with unprecedented uncertainty and stress compared with their peers. Research has explored the effect of intolerance of uncertainty on perceived stress, but little attention was paid to investigate the mediating mechanisms behind this relationship, especially among medical university students. The aim of this study was to examine whether psychological resilience and neuroticism played a mediating role between medical university students' intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress. Methods: A total of 717 medical university students from Chongqing in Southwest China were recruited to participate in our study and completed demographic information, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale Short Version (IUS-12), Chinese Version of Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC-10) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Results: (1) Significant correlations between intolerance of uncertainty, perceived stress, psychological resilience and neuroticism were found. (2) Intolerance of uncertainty affected medical university students' perceived stress via three paths: the mediating effect of psychological resilience, the mediating effect of neuroticism, and the chain mediating effect of both psychological resilience and neuroticism. Conclusions: Intolerance of uncertainty could directly affect the perceived stress of medical university students, and also affected perceived stress through the mediating roles of psychological resilience and neuroticism, as well as through the chain mediating role of these two variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is a common marine foodborne pathogen. In this study, antibiotics ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin were used to induce drug-resistance in S. aureus. The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were analyzed and compared with those in the bacteria cultured without antibiotics. The primary proteomic alterations were in the levels of cell membrane components and proteins related to lysine and folic acid biosynthesis, which were all significantly up-regulated. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for both test drugs were elevated to 10 µg mL−1 following serial passaging. These results indicated that, for both ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, drug-resistance were developed even in the subinhibitory levels and the primary response was a major alteration in the cell membrane proteome. These changes were similar to those observed in S. aureus cultured with super-MIC levels of these antibiotics. The current study provides a theoretical basis for in-depth study of the related changes of marine foodborne pathogens in subinhibitory concentrations that are commonly found in situ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researches have shown that chronic inhalation of cigarette smoke (CS) disrupts male reproductive system, but it is unclear about the mechanisms behind reproductive damages by tobacco toxicants in male rats. This study was designed to explore the effects of heated tobacco products (HTP) aerosols and CS exposure on the testicular health of rats. Materials and Methods: Experiments were performed on male SD rats exposed to filtered air, HTP aerosols at 10 μg/L, 23 μg/L, and 50 μg/L nicotine-equivalent contents, and also CS at 23 μg/L nicotine-equivalent content for 90 days in five exposure groups (coded as sham, HTP_10, HTP_23, HTP_50 and Cig_23). The expression of serum testosterone, testicular tissue inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α), reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), NLRP3 inflammasome-related mRNAs and proteins (NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1), the degree of pyroptosis and histopathology were investigated. Results: The results demonstrated that HTP_50 and Cig_23 caused varying degrees of oxidative damage to rat testis, resulting in a decrease of sperm quantity and serum testosterone contents, an increase in the deformity rate, expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines, and NLRP3 inflammasome-related mRNA, and an increase in the NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1-immunopositive cells, pyroptosis cell indices, and histopathological damage in the testes of rats. Responses from the HTP_10 and HTP_23 groups were less than those found in the above two exposure groups. Conclusion: These findings indicate that HTP_50 and Cig_23 induced oxidative stress in rat testes, induced inflammation and pyroptosis through the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway, and destroyed the integrity of thetesticular tissue structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Case-based learning (CBL) has been found to be effective for many subjects, but there is currently a lack of evidence regarding its utility in psychology education. The present study investigated whether CBL pedagogy can improve students' academic performance in psychology courses compared to the traditional teaching methods. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of CBL in psychology teaching. Databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the VIP database, and Wanfang data were searched to find eligible randomized controlled trials. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using Hedges' g under the random effects model, and a subgroup analysis was carried to investigate the heterogeneity among studies. Results: Fifteen studies with 2172 participants, 1086 in the CBL group and 1086 in the traditional lecture-based teaching group, were included in the meta-analysis. Students in the CBL group scored significantly higher on exams than those in the lecture-based group [Hedges' g = 0.68, 95%CI (0.49, 0.88), p < 0.00]. Relatively high heterogeneity was noted among the included studies. Publication bias was examined by the funnel plot and Egger's test, but did not significantly influence the stability of the results. A subsequent evaluation using the trim-and-fill method confirmed that no single study was skewing the overall results. A qualitative review of the included studies suggested that most students in the CBL group were satisfied with the CBL teaching mode. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that the CBL pedagogy could be effective in psychology education, and might help increase students' academic scores, while encouraging a more engaging and cooperative learning environment. At present, the application of CBL in psychology education is in its initial stage. Problems related to the curriculum itself, research methodology, and challenges faced by both teachers and learners have confined its practice. Fully tapping into the strengths of CBL in psychology teaching will require additional work and advancing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taixu 太虛 (1890–1947), a prominent figure in modern Chinese Buddhism, produced a voluminous collection of poetry abounding with diverse classical Chinese images. Notably, the "lamp and candle" (dengzhu 燈燭) holds great significance, reflecting Taixu's personal affinity with this imagery and an intimate connection to classical Chinese poetry. Acting as a potent Buddhist metaphor, it encapsulates multifaceted sentiments while also intertwining with other evocative images, such as the boat, the moon, and falling leaves. Symbolizing Taixu's unwavering spirit, it represents his profound dedication to his craft. This article explores Taixu's literary achievements as a poet by focusing on his adept utilization of "lamp and candle" imagery, complementing the study of his multifaceted and intricate identities. This detailed examination offers novel insights into Chinese literature and Buddhist studies, highlighting the interplay between spiritual practice and artistic expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effect and the molecular mechanism of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs), a novel self‐assembled nanomaterial with excellent biocompatibility and superior endocytosis ability, in inhibition of pathological retinal neovascularization (RNV) and more importantly, in amelioration of vaso‐obliteration (VO) in ischaemic retinopathy. tFNAs were synthesized from four single‐stranded DNAs (ssDNAs). Cell proliferation, wound healing and tube formation assays were performed to explore cellular angiogenic functions in vitro. The effects of tFNAs on reducing angiogenesis and inhibiting VO were explored by oxygen‐induced retinopathy (OIR) model in vivo. In vitro, tFNAs were capable to enter endothelial cells (ECs), inhibit cell proliferation, tube formation and migration under hypoxic conditions. In vivo, tFNAs successfully reduce RNV and inhibit VO in OIR model via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K pathway, while vascular endothelial growth factor fusion protein, Aflibercept, could reduce RNV but not inhibit VO. This study provides a theoretical basis for the further understanding of RNV and suggests that tFNAs might be a novel promising candidate for the treatment of blind‐causing RNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ru360, a selective inhibitor of mitochondrial calcium uptake, maintains mitochondrial calcium homeostasis. To evaluate whether mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU)-mediated mitochondrial function is associated with the pathological process of Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), elucidate its relationship with neuroinflammation, and observe whether the relevant pathological process can be improved with Ru360. Methods: Aged mice underwent experimental open abdominal surgery after anesthesia. Open field tests, Novel object recognition tests and Y Maze Tests were used to conduct behavioral experiments. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intra-mitochondrial calcium, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the activity of antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the hippocampus of mice were detected using kits. The expression of proteins was detected using Western blot. Results: After treatment with Ru360, MCU-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction was inhibited, neuroinflammation was reduced, and the learning ability of the mice was improved after surgery. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that mitochondrial function plays a crucial role in the pathology of POCD, and using Ru360 to improve mitochondrial function may be a new and necessary direction for the treatment of POCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is a global trend that is expected to continue, and by 2025, it is estimated that almost 60% of the world's children will live in urban areas. Urban community pocket parks provide a solution to the need for parks in high-density urban communities due to their flexible location, small size, and patchy distribution. This paper aims to examine and optimize the construction of urban community pocket parks from a child's perspective to encourage children's participation in these parks. The first step was to conduct a literature review to identify key evaluation indicators for assessing the child-friendliness of pocket parks. Then, the AHP-entropy TOPSIS approach was used to establish an indicator system to effectively evaluate the child-friendliness of pocket parks in urban communities. The system included physical space, cognitive ability, emotional development, environmental perception, and social interaction. Finally, suggestions for optimization were made based on the weighting of influencing factors. The results show that freedom of movement (6.2%) significantly affects the child-friendliness ratings of community pocket parks. Additionally, Hefei residents are not sufficiently influenced by the diversity of play (2.29%) and play facility planning (2.58%) in pocket parks. Therefore, consideration should be given to focusing on the degree of nature adaptation in park construction and renewal projects, as well as understanding children's perception of nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry, as a vital pillar of a country's economy, generates a significant amount of construction waste, which places a tremendous burden on the environment and society. Although previous studies have explored the impact of policies on construction waste management, there is a lack of a simulation model that can be easily used, taking into account the dynamic nature, generality, and practicability of the model. To fill this gap, a hybrid dynamics model of construction waste management system is developed using agent-based modeling, system dynamics, perceived value, and experienced weighted attraction. Based on relevant data from the construction waste industry in Shenzhen, China, the effect of five policies on contractor strategy selection and overall evolution is tested. The results indicate that industry rectification policy and combination policy can effectively promote the resource treatment of construction waste and reduce illegal dumping, pollution to the environment of waste and treatment process, and waste treatment cost. The findings of this research will help not only researchers better analyze the effect of construction waste policies but also policymakers and practitioners in proposing effective construction waste management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non‐specific chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine. In addition to genetic susceptibility, environmental factors and dysregulated host immunity, the gut microbiota is implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC), the two primary types of IBD. The P2X4 receptor has been demonstrated to have a crucial role in preventing infection, inflammation, and organ damage. However, it remains unclear whether the P2X4 receptor affects IBD and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Colitis was induced in mice administrated with dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbiota in knockout and wild‐type mice. Clinical and histopathological parameters were monitored throughout the disease progression. Results: Gene Expression Omnibus analysis showed the downregulation of P2RX4 (P2rx4) expression in colonic tissues from patients or mice with IBD. However, its expression at the protein levels was upregulated on day 4 or 6 and then downregulated on day 7 in C57BL/6 mice treated with DSS. Gene ablation of P2rx4 aggravated DSS‐induced colitis accompanying gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice. Moreover, P2X4 receptor‐positive modulator ivermectin alleviated colitis and corrected dysregulated microbiota in wild‐type C57BL/6 mice. Further antibiotic‐treated gut microbiota depletion, cohousing experiment, and fecal microbiota transplantation proved that gut microbiota dysbiosis was associated with the aggravation of colitis in the mouse model initiated by P2rx4. Conclusions: Our findings elaborate on an unrevealed etiopathophysiological mechanism by which microbiota dysbiosis induced by the P2X4 receptor influences the development of colitis, indicating that the P2X4 receptor represents a promising target for treating patients with CD and UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a complex interplay between sleep problems and depression. This study explored the possible effects of rumination and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep on the relationship between sleep quality and depression. A cross-sectional survey of 1240 Chinese adults was conducted to assess the possible relationships. The results showed a chain mediating effect of reflection rumination and brooding rumination on the relationship between sleep quality and depression, accounting for 38.91% of the total variance. A moderating role of unreasonable attitudes about sleep was also discovered among the study participants, which enhanced the relationship between reflection and brooding, leading to a further increase in this relationship. Individually-tailored approaches targeting rumination and cognition may more effectively alleviate depression or co-morbid sleep problems and depression than the current standards of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global climate continues to change, lowering carbon emissions of public buildings (CEPB) is essential for reducing carbon emissions from the construction sector. Exploring the current status of the field is crucial to improving the effort to reduce CEPB. CiteSpace and VOSviewer are used in this research to visualize the literature on CEPB from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2002 to 2022, including an overview, collaborations, and keywords, as well as references. The paper then analyzes and reviews the research processes of CEPB in conjunction with the visualization results and the collation of information from the literature. The results show that the current research hotspots include (1) theoretical research and simulation modeling, (2) energy systems, (3) materials, (4) public building retrofitting, (5) the main factors that contribute to the reduction in CEPB. Architectural features and structures and digital technology are the frontiers of research in the field of CEPB. In general, there is still sufficient space to develop in the field. These findings intuitively encapsulate the valuable information and inherent value of a significant body of literature, which can help researchers quickly understand the field and provide some references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effects of Laoshan cherry as a food or dietary supplement on relieving the symptoms of acute gouty arthritis in rats induced by urate crystals. Rats in groups of 10 were given Laoshan cherry functional extracts at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg by oral gavage for 21 days and then injected with a sodium nitrate suspension in the rear ankle area as an induced acute gouty arthritis model. The ankle swelling and inflammations in the model (no treatment) group increased significantly compared with blank group; the ankle inflammations reduced in experimental groups receiving three different doses of the cherry extract and the joint swelling reduced in the high‐dose group by 43% compared with the model group. Serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase activities were also elevated in the model group and these parameters were reduced by a maximum of 8% and 33%, respectively, in the rats receiving the cherry extracts. The serum levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL‐1β in the high‐dose group decreased by 12% compared with the model group. These results demonstrated that the cherries possess a functional substance that has a significant alleviating effect on the symptoms of gouty arthritis in rats induced by sodium urate injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor metastasis is one of the main reasons for the high mortality rate associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood. Here, we reported that the expression of discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues compared to that in normal adjacent tissues. The expression level of DDR2 was negatively associated with prognosis of CRC patients. Therefore, DDR2 may play an oncogenic role in CRC development. Furthermore, DDR2 induced epithelial mesenchymal transition in CRC cells and regulated their invasive and metastatic capacity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, increased DDR2 expression level activated the AKT/GSK‐3β/Slug signaling pathway. In conclusion, these findings showed that DDR2 promoted CRC metastasis and DDR2 inhibition might represent an effective therapeutic strategy for local advanced and metastatic CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotherapies represented by programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐1/PD‐L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors have made great progress in the field of anticancer treatment, but most colorectal cancer patients do not benefit from immunotherapy. Discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), a tyrosine kinase receptor, is activated by collagen binding and overexpressed in various malignancies. However, the role of DDR1 in colorectal cancer and immunoregulation remains unclear. In this study, we found DDR1 is highly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues and negatively associated with patient survival. We demonstrated that DDR1 promotes colorectal tumor growth only in vivo. Mechanistically, DDR1 is a negative immunomodulator in colorectal cancer and is involved in low infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells by inhibiting IL‐18 synthesis. We also reported that DDR1 enhances the expression of PD‐L1 through activating the c‐Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. In conclusion, our findings elucidate the immunosuppressive role of DDR1 in colorectal cancer, which may represent a novel target to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the acceleration of urbanization, the demand for land due to urban large-scale construction and development is increasing. Coastal reclamation (CR) is a prevailing approach to tackle the contradiction between coastal land shortage and the growing demand for living space for human beings. Enormous social and economic benefits are derived from CR, while at the same time bringing a series of environmental problems. Since the beginning of the 21st century, this oceanic-oriented development has become more frequent. Therefore, the considerable economic and ecological trade-offs of reclamation activities must be analyzed to enable targeted land use decisions. By comprehensively evaluating the natural conditions of the sea area, including geology, topography, hydrology, ecology, and social and economic conditions, this study established an environmental capacity assessment system (ECAS) based on water environmental capacity for assessment of the potential environmental impact resulting from CR. According to the water quality status and positions of CR in Haizhou Bay, the environmental capacities of four major pollutants were calculated to forecast the suitable area of CR. The results indicated that these reclamation projects had notable negative effects on the environmental capacity of the four major pollutants. The order of pollutants according to their harm on seawater quality is: PO4-P > NH4-N > NOX-N > COD. In three reclamation alternative scenarios, scenario 3 led to the minimum negative impacts on the environmental capacity, scenario 2 followed, and scenario 1 had the worst result. Hence, scenario 3 was the optimal reclamation scenario, under which the suitable area of CR in Haizhou Bay was found to be 83 km2. This study provides a scientific reference for the effective management of coastal reclamation and future environmental impact research when new CR is proposed, as well as sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the relationship between the change of methylmercury (MeHg) content and the number of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Suaeda Heteroptera soil with different salinity at 20°C and 30°C. Salinity variation affects soil methylmercury content. We studied whether temperature variation is the dominant factor in SRB affecting mercury methylation. Our research shows that proper salinity favored the production of MeHg in soil; appropriate temperature increase could enhance SRB activity and MeHg output, and the mercury methylation effect of SRB was more significant at 30°C. SRB was present in the test soils at different salinities, and the amount of SRB did not vary regularly in the flooded salinity gradient. The SRB content in the culture soil was higher at 30°C than at 20°C. There was no significant correlation between SRB numbers and MeHg in the culture soil at 20°C. Soil MeHg content and SRB count had a significant positive correlation in the first 15 days of incubation at 30°C, whereas there was no correlation between the two in the later period. Suaeda Heteroptera Kitag wetlands are a typical wetland type in the Liaohe estuary. Recently, with the development of paddy fields, freshwater resources in Liaohe estuary have decreased year by year, soil salinity has increased, and Suaeda Heteroptera Kitag wetland has degraded year by year, and increasing salinity is the main reason for alkali poncho degradation. With the global warming, high temperatures in Liaoning have increased. Sulfate-reducing bacteria are important influencing factors of mercury methylation, while salinity and temperature changes affect methylmercury (MeHg) and SRB content. Therefore, understanding the effects of different salinity gradients on methylmercury and SRB at a certain temperature will help to reduce mercury methylation. However, it is difficult to achieve the salinity gradient required in the actual environment, so indoor simulation experiments are used for research. Our results showed that proper salinity favors the production of MeHg in soil, proper elevated temperature increases the activity of SRB and MeHg production, and the methylation of Hg by SRB is more pronounced at 30°C. SRB was present in the soil under all salinity conditions, and the amount of SRB in the soil did not change regularly with increasing salinity of flooded water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of high‐efficiency perovskite light‐emitting devices (PeLEDs) in the air‐ambient has always been a challenge. Herein, the authors propose a Si‐based near‐infrared air‐processed PeLED through the anti‐solvent engineering. Two materials, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAPF6) are co‐doped into the anti‐solvent, the former protects the perovskite from degradation in a high‐humidity atmosphere, and the latter passivates the defects on perovskite surface and increases the conductivity. Through the anti‐solvent engineering, the efficiency of PeLEDs has been significantly enhanced and obtains a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 10.4%, which is the highest among similar devices. This work shows that it is possible to prepare high‐efficiency near‐infrared PeLEDs in air‐ambient through a simple method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are good cell factories, and developing additional genetic manipulation tools will accelerate construction of metabolically engineered strains. Highly repetitive rDNA sequence is one of two main sites typically used for multicopy integration of genes. Here, we developed a simple and high‐efficiency strategy for rDNA‐mediated multicopy gene integration based on the dynamic balance of rDNA in S. cerevisiae. rDNA copy number was decreased by pre‐treatment with hydroxyurea (HU). Then, heterologous genes were integrated into the rDNA sequence. The copy number of the integrated heterologous genes increased along with restoration of the copy number of rDNA. Our results demonstrated that HU pre‐treatment doubled the number of integrated gene copies; moreover, compared with removing HU stress during transformation, removing HU stress after selection of transformants had a higher probability of resulting in transformants with high‐copy integrated genes. Finally, we integrated 18.0 copies of the xylose isomerase gene into the S. cerevisiae genome in a single step. This novel rDNA‐mediated multicopy genome integration strategy provides a convenient and efficient tool for further metabolic engineering of S. cerevisiae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine has certain advantages in the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN); thus, Chinese medicine therapy is considered as a promising strategy for treating DN. Here, the diabetic nephropathy model was established and intervened with Tangshen Decoction to explore its repair effect on diabetic kidney injury and the mechanism of autophagy. Different doses (10, 20 g·kg−1) of Tangshen Decoction (so-called Tangshen Jian, TSJ) or metformin were used to intervene for 16 weeks. The body weight (BW) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) of rats in each group were regularly monitored; a urine protein test kit (CBB method) was used to detect changes in urine protein (UP) content. The serum biochemical indicators, including Cr (creatinine), BUN (blood urea nitrogen), TC (total cholesterol), and TG (triglyceride), were detected by an automatic biochemical analyzer. HE (hematoxylin-eosin) staining, PAS, and electron microscopy were used to observe the podocyte damage. We showed that administration of TSJ or metformin prevented the increases in FBG level, serum Cr, BUN, TC, and TG level, and urine protein excretion in diabetic nephropathy. Simultaneously, the foot process fusion and fall-off were partially reversed after TSJ treatment. TSJ or metformin markedly upregulated the level of nephrin and podocin, accompanied by evident enhancement of podocyte autophagy and activation of p-AMPK/p-ULK1 signaling in the diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, TSJ may enhance podocyte autophagy to relieve diabetic nephropathy through modulation of p-AMPK/p-ULK1 signaling, which has important application prospects in the clinical treatment of diabetic kidney damage in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer is the second most common cause of gynecological cancer death in women. It is usually diagnosed late and accompanied by peritoneal metastasis. For ovarian cancer with peritoneal metastasis, intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy can maintain a high drug concentration in the abdominal cavity and reduce local and systemic toxicity. Recently, docetaxel (DTX) has shown broad-spectrum antitumor activity against various malignant tumors, including ovarian cancer with peritoneal metastasis. However, DTX has limited clinical applications due to its poor water solubility, predisposition to hypersensitivity, fluid retention, and varying degrees of neurotoxicity. In this study, we prepared methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactide) (mPEG-PDLLA) micelles loaded with DTX and developed an alternative, less toxic, more effective DTX formulation, without Tween 80, and evaluated its pharmacokinetics in the abdominal cavity and its efficacy in ovarian cancer with peritoneal metastasis. The mean diameter of DTX-mPEG-PDLLA was about 25 nm, and the pharmacokinetics of BALB/c mice via IP showed that the plasma exposure of DTX-mPEG-PDLLA was about four times lower than that of DTX. Importantly, DTX-mPEG-PDLLA was significantly more effective than DTX and prolonged the survival period in a SKOV-3 ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis model. Moreover, the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in vitro. Based on these findings, it is expected that DTX-mPEG-PDLLA can enhance efficacy against ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis, while reducing toxic side effects, and has the potential to be used in the clinical treatment of peritoneal metastatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Discoidin domain receptor is a new and unique type of receptor tyrosine kinases, which binds to collagen, the main compose of an extracellular matrix. DDR1 was identified to mediate cell aggregation, and dysregulation of DDR2 has also been shown to be involved in tumor pathogenesis, although its role in cancer development and progression remains controversial. Summary: Abnormal expression and mutations of DDR2 have been reported in several cancer types and its participation in different aspects of tumor progression, including proliferation, migration, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and chemotherapy resistance. Moreover, novel DDR2 inhibitors have been designed and indicate a therapeutic effect for the cancer treatment. Key Messages: In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of DDR2 in cancer promotion and the potential therapeutic value of targeting DDR2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a progressive disease that involves the peripheral and central nervous systems. This neurodegenerative disease is caused by variants in the GAN gene encoding gigaxonin, and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Herein, we performed whole‐exome sequencing on a 8‐year‐old child with dense, curly hair, weakness in both lower limbs, and abnormal MRI. The child was born to consanguineous parents. Our results revealed that the child carried the c.1373+1G>A homozygous pathogenic variant of the GAN gene, while both parents were heterozygous carriers. According to the validation at the cDNA levels, the splicing variant led to the skipping of exon 8 and affected the Kelch domain's formation. Unlike the previously reported cases of GAN, the child's clinical manifestations revealed peripheral nervous system involvement, no vertebral signs, cerebellar signs, and spasticity, but only MRI abnormalities. These results suggested that the patient's central nervous system was mildly involved, which may be related to the genotype. In order to further clarify the correlation between GAN genotype and phenotype, combined with this patient, 54 cases of reported homozygous variants of the GAN gene were merged for the analysis of genotype and phenotype. The results revealed a certain correlation between the GAN gene variant domain and the patient's clinical phenotype, such as central nervous system involvement and age of onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mindfulness-based interventions have been widely demonstrated to be effective in reducing stress, alleviating mood disorders, and improving quality of life; however, the underlying mechanisms remained to be fully understood. Along with the advanced research in the microbiota-gut-brain axis, this study aimed to explore the impact of gut microbiota on the effectiveness and responsiveness to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) among high trait anxiety populations. Design: A standard MBCT was performed among 21 young adults with high trait anxiety. A total of 29 healthy controls were matched for age and sex. The differences in gut microbiota between the two groups were compared. The changes in fecal microbiota and psychological indicators were also investigated before and after the intervention. Results: Compared with healthy controls, we found markedly decreased bacterial diversity and distinctive clusters among high trait anxiety populations, with significant overgrowth of bacteria such as Streptococcus, Blautia , and Romboutsia , and a decrease in genera such as Faecalibacterium, Coprococcus_3 , and Lachnoclostridium. Moreover, MBCT attenuated trait anxiety and depression, improved mindfulness and resilience, and increased the similarity of gut microbiota to that of healthy controls. Notably, a high presence of intestinal Subdoligranulum pre-MBCT was associated with increased responsiveness to MBCT. Decreases in Subdoligranulum post-MBCT were indicative of ameliorated trait anxiety. The tryptophan metabolism pathways were significantly over-represented among high responders compared to low responders. Conclusion: The significantly increased diversity post-MBCT added evidence to gut-brain communication and highlighted the utility of mycobiota-focused strategies for promoting the effectiveness and responsiveness of the MBCT to improve trait anxiety. Clinical Trial Registration: chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR1900028389. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic perovskite materials have attracted considerable attention because of their potential applications in various types of opto-electronic devices. Nowadays, obtaining high-performance devices fabricated in ambient atmosphere is a challenge. In this study, we report Si-based near-infrared (NIR) perovskite light-emitting devices (PeLEDs) with enhanced efficiency by an air-processed technique with two composite layers. One layer is constructed using 4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (CBP) with poly-TPD coating as a hole transport layer (HTL) to balance carrier injection, and the other is constructed doping poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with antisolvent to passivate defects and protect MAPbI3 from degradation by water and oxygen. Through these two composite layers, the EL performance is enhanced with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.5%, and the stability is also improved to 200 min after the introduction of another m-PMMA layer. Our results provide a simple way to manufacture high-efficiency and stable PeLEDs under air condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sn/Er co-doped SiO2 (SiO2-Sn-Er2Si2O7) thin-film based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been successfully fabricated by using the sol-gel method, which show an excellent Er3+ electroluminescence (EL) at 1.54 $\mu \text{m}$. Under forward bias, the electroluminescence ranges from visible to near-infrared region has been observed. The EL intensity is enhanced by ~45 times at 1.54 $\mu \text{m}$ for device with Sn content of 70 mol% compared with the reference device with 50 mol% Sn content. The significant enhancement in EL can be attributed to improved electrical conductivity of Sn/Er co-doped SiO2 thin films and the better crystallization of erbium silicate nanocrystals. Moreover, the onset voltages of LEDs show an obvious reduction by increasing Sn contents and the lowest onset voltage is about ~12.7 V when the Sn proportion is 70 mol%. Our present work shows a new method to fabricate silicon-based LEDs and a promising potential to boost silicon-based light source towards practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]