Search

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) show promise in water electrolysis due to their electronic structures, which activate hydrogen/oxygen reaction intermediates. However, TMPs face limitations in catalytic efficiency due to insufficient active sites, poor conductivity, and multiple intermediate steps in water electrolysis. Here, we synthesize a highly efficient bifunctional self-supported electrocatalyst, which consists of an N-doped carbon shell anchored on Fe-doped CoP/Co 2 P arrays on nickel foam (NC@Fe-Co x P/NF) using hydrothermal and phosphorization techniques. Experimental and theoretical results indicate that the modified morphology, with increased active site density and a tunable electronic structure induced by Fe doping in the CoP/Co 2 P heterostructure, leads to superior water electrolysis performance. The resulting NC@Fe 0.1 -CoP/Co 2 P/NF catalyst exhibits overpotentials of 122 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 270 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 100 mA cm -2 . Furthermore, using NC@Fe 0.1 -CoP/Co 2 P/NF as both the cathode and anode in an alkaline electrolyzer enables the cell system to achieve 100 mA cm -2 at a voltage of 1.70 V, while maintaining long-term catalytic durability. This work may pave the way for designing self-supported, highly efficient electrocatalysts for practical water electrolysis applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The efficacy of immunotherapy for estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative (ER+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has not been proven. We conduct a phase 1b/2 trial to assess the efficacy of combining pembrolizumab (anti-PD1 antibody), exemestane (nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor), and leuprolide (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist) for 15 patients with premenopausal ER+/HER2- MBC who had failed one to two lines of hormone therapy (HT) without chemotherapy. The primary endpoint of progression-free survival rate at 8 months (i.e., 64.3%) is achieved. Moreover, 5 of the 14 evaluable subjects exhibited partial responses (overall response rate = 35.7%). The combination of anti-PD1 antibody and anti-hormone therapy is associated with an enhanced immunoreactive microenvironment influencing treatment efficacy, as observed in pre- and post-treatment tumor samples through NanoString analysis. Post-treatment tumors are associated with increased immune response and immune cells. The findings indicate that combining HT with anti-PD1 antibody is a promising treatment strategy for patients with premenopausal ER+/HER2- MBC. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02990845)., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests I.-C.C. received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Gilead, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi and received research grants from AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Novartis. D.-Y.C. received honoraria from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novartis, ONO Pharma, Pierre Faber, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, and TTY Biopharm. T.W.-W.C. received honoraria from Roche, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Eisai, Pfizer, Daiichi Sankyo, and AstraZeneca. Y.-S.L. received honoraria from Merck Sharp & Dohme and Pfizer and received research grants from Merck Sharp & Dohme and Pfizer., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Carbonates are ideal birefringent materials because their π-conjugated [CO 3 ] groups are beneficial for large anisotropy. How to maximize the birefringence and maintain a wide transmittance simultaneously in carbonates is a great challenge. Adopting a multiple-functional group synergy strategy by combining alkaline-earth metal Ba 2+ with large ion radius, PbO 6 F distorted hexagonal pyramid, and paralleled π-conjugated CO 3 triangles together, we synthesized a new metal carbonate crystal, BaPb 2 (CO 3 ) 2 F 2 . BaPb 2 (CO 3 ) 2 F 2 features a typical two-dimensional layered structure, which consists of a PbCO 3 F monolayer parallel to the ab plane and Ba 2+ cations filled between the monolayers. BaPb 2 (CO 3 ) 2 F 2 exhibits a large experimental birefringence of approximately 0.245@546 nm and a short ultraviolet absorption edge down to 264 nm (Eg = 4.70 eV), indicating that it is a promising ultraviolet birefringent material. The reported highest experimental birefringence index among carbonate crystals is surpassed by BaPb 2 (CO 3 ) 2 F 2 . The theoretical calculation shows that the contribution percentages for total birefringence are 57 and 43% for the CO 3 group and PbO 3 F group, respectively. Our work offers a new route for designing new birefringent materials with excellent comprehensive performance.

Oral diseases not only greatly impact patients' daily lives, but also pose a severe threat to their overall health. Due to the constant exposure of saliva to oral diseases, the former plays a vital role in their diagnosis and monitoring. Exosomes, nanosized bilayer lipid encapsulated nanovesicles, are widely present in saliva and can be released by any type of cell. Exosomes inherit features from their mother cells in both physiological and pathological conditions. The molecular characteristics and expression levels of exosomes depend on their cellular origin, and they can directly reflect the physiological state of the body and cells. This makes salivary exosomes a promising source for early detection and monitoring of oral diseases. As a result, researchers have been exploring the potential use of exosomes as biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting various oral diseases. This review provides an overview of the composition, separation and function of salivary exosomes. It also discusses their potential as diagnostic and prognostic markers for several oral diseases, including periodontitis, primary Sjögren's syndrome, oral mucosal diseases, hand-foot-mouth disease and oral squamous cell carcinoma. By studying salivary exosomes, researchers hope to improve the early detection and monitoring of oral diseases, leading to better outcomes for patients.

This study provides a practical route to synthesize tetrasubstituted alkenes that involves Co(III)-catalyzed C-H bond activation and regioselective insertion of the alkyne, followed by chelation of the substrate hydroxyl to Co and migration of the pyridine group. Density functional theory studies revealed the origin of regioselectivity and elucidated the crucial role of the hydroxyl group for the migration of pyridine. The method can be conducted on a gram scale, is compatible with a wide range of substrates, and has a high functional group tolerance. To demonstrate its significance, the method was used for the late-stage modification of Fasudil. Furthermore, the synthetic significance of the method was demonstrated by the various derivatizations of the products, many of which exhibit intriguing fluorescence characteristics.

Fabricating transition metal selenide (TMSe) anode materials with rapid K + diffusion and high-rate performance is crucial for the advancement of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), yet it remains a challenge. In this study, a Cu 2+ -doped Co 0.85 Se@N-doped carbon anode with an optimal concentration of Cu 2+ -doped and yolk-shell structure (denoted as Cu-Co 0.85 Se@NC-2) is developed to enhance the reaction kinetics and cycling life. The Cu 2+ -doped modulates the electronic structure of the Co 0.85 Se interface, improves the diffusion and adsorption of K + , and further promotes the charge transport efficiency, as demonstrated by theoretical calculations and experimental results. In addition, an optimal Cu 2+ -doped content is identified that is conducive to achieving the best structure and electrochemical performance. Moreover, the N-doped carbon shell effectively enhances the conductivity of the electrode and alleviates the volume change of Co 0.85 Se yolk during cycling. Benefiting from the above advantages, the obtained Cu-Co 0.85 Se@NC-2 anode exhibits excellent rate performance (208.1 mA h g -1 at 10 A g -1 ) and cycling stability (239.7 mA h g -1 at 2 A g -1 after 500 cycles, the capacity retention rate is up to 80.4%). This work integrates nanostructure engineering and ion-doped to provide a straightforward and effective strategy for designing advanced high-rate TMSe anodes for next-generation PIBs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a highly contagious pathogen in pigs. This study aimed to investigate the impact of PRRSV infection on cellular metabolism, particularly focusing on lipid metabolism to understand its role in promoting viral replication. We conducted a metabolic analysis on MARC-145 cells before and after PRRSV infection. Our results demonstrated that the most significant alterations in cellular metabolism, accounting for 40.8 % of total changes, were related to lipid metabolism. These changes were primarily driven by the activation of sterol regulatory-element binding proteins (SREBPs), critical regulators of lipid biosynthesis. To understand the mechanisms behind SREBPs activation by PRRSV, we investigated the involvement of upstream effectors, specifically protein kinase B (AKT) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1). Our findings indicated that PRRSV infection triggered AKT activation, leading to the subsequent activation of PCK1. Activated PCK1 then phosphorylated insulin-induced genes (INSIGs), resulting in their degradation. This degradation facilitated the translocation of SREBPs from the endoplasmic reticulum to the nucleus. Additionally, we observed that PRRSV infection stimulated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which played a critical role in activating AKT. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PRRSV enhances lipid synthesis through a ROS-dependent AKT/PCK1/INSIG/SREBPs signaling axis, which provides new insights into the metabolic strategies employed by PRRSV., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emergence delirium (ED) is a common postoperative cognitive dysfunction in children. ED may cause distress to patients and their families in the early post-anesthesia period and have long-term adverse effects on children. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE: was to verify whether dexmedetomidine can reduce the occurrence of ED in children., Research Type: Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs., Data Acquisition: A search was conducted on Web of Science, WHO Trials, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials.gov, and PubMed for all published studies from inception to 23 Oct. 2022., Eligibility Criteria: Randomized clinical trials that met the following criteria: patients aged 1-18 years, study site in the PACU (Post-anesthesia care unit), incidence of ED as the primary outcome, and prophylactic use of dexmedetomidine defined as injected before admission to the PACU., Results: A total of 7 randomized trials were included (6 studies during eye and neck surgery, 1 during hernia surgery), involving 512 patients (257 (50.1%) with dexmedetomidine, and 250 (49.9%) with control. ED was observed in 17.51% of the patients treated with dexmedetomidine and in 43.14% of those receiving control (risk ratio (RR) = 0.40, 95 % confidence interval [CI] [0.30-0.55], P < 0.00001). Additionally, the prophylactic application of dexmedetomidine also reduced the occurrence of Post-Operating Nausea and Vomiting (RR = 0.24, 95%CI [0.12-0.49], P = 0.0001) and PACU stay time after extubation (mean difference (MD) = -1.57, 95%CI [-3.07 to -0.07], P = 0.04). However, sensitivity analysis of RCTs showed that our effect estimates were not stable (MD = -1.78, 95%CI [-4.18-0.62], P = 0.15)., Conclusion: The prophylactic use of dexmedetomidine was associated with a reduction of ED. However, our findings only apply to eye and neck surgery., Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42022371840., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Apparently, the genomes of many organisms are pervasively transcribed, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) make up the majority of cellular transcripts. LncRNAs have been reported to play important roles in many biological processes; however, their effects on locomotion are poorly understood. Here, we presented a novel lncRNA, Locomotion Regulatory Gene (LRG), which participates in locomotion by sequestering Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1). LRG deficiency resulted in higher locomotion speed which could be rescued by pan-neuronal overexpression but not by limited ellipsoid body, motoneuron or muscle-expression of LRG. At the molecular level, the synaptic vesicles (SVs) release and movement-related SYT1 protein was recognized as LRG-interacting protein candidate. Furthermore, LRG had no effects on SYT1 expression. Genetically, the behavioral defects in LRG mutant could be rescued by pan-neuronal knock-down of Syt1. Taken together, all the results suggested LRG exerts regulatory effects on locomotion via sequestering SYT1 thereby blocking its function without affecting its expression. Our work displays a new function of lncRNA and provides insights for revealing the pathogenesis of neurological diseases with motor disorders., (© 2024 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)

The photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 into valuable chemicals and fuels has become a significant research focus in recent years due to its environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. Metal halide perovskites (MHPs), renowned for their remarkable optoelectronic properties and tunable structures, are regarded as promising photocatalysts. Yet, their practical uses are constrained by inherent instability, severe electron-hole recombination, and a scarcity of active sites, prompting substantial research efforts to optimize MHP-based photocatalysts. This review summarizes the latest advancements in MHP-based photocatalysis. First the fundamental principles of photocatalysis are outlined and the structural and optical characteristics of MHPs are evaluated. Then key strategies for enhancing MHP photocatalysts, including morphology and surface modification, encapsulation, metal cation doping, heterojunction engineering, and molecular immobilization are highlighted. Finally, considering recent research progress and the needs for industrial application, challenges and future prospects are explored. This review aims to support researchers in the development of more efficient and stable MHP-based photocatalysts., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The exploration of chemical space holds promise for developing influential chemical entities. Molecular representations, which reflect features of molecular structure in silico, assist in navigating chemical space appropriately. Unlike atom-level molecular representations, such as SMILES and atom graph, which can sometimes lead to confusing interpretations about chemical substructures, substructure-level molecular representations encode important substructures into molecular features; they not only provide more information for predicting molecular properties and drug‒drug interactions but also help to interpret the correlations between molecular properties and substructures. However, it remains challenging to represent the entire molecular structure both intactly and simply with substructure-level molecular representations. In this study, we developed a novel substructure-level molecular representation and named it a group graph. The group graph offers three advantages: (a) the substructure of the group graph reflects the diversity and consistency of different molecular datasets; (b) the group graph retains molecular structural features with minimal information loss because the graph isomorphism network (GIN) of the group graph performs well in molecular properties and drug‒drug interactions prediction, showing higher accuracy and efficiency than the model of other molecular graphs, even without any pretraining; and (c) the molecular property may change when the substructure is substituted with another of differing importance in group graph, facilitating the detection of activity cliffs. In addition, we successfully predicted structural modifications to improve blood‒brain barrier permeability (BBBP) via the GIN of group graph. Therefore, the group graph takes advantages for simultaneously representing molecular local characteristics and global features.Scientific contribution The group graph, as a substructure-level molecular representation, has the ability to retain molecular structural features with minimal information loss. As a result, it shows superior performance in predicting molecular properties and drug‒drug interactions with enhanced efficiency and interpretability., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics, consent to participate, and consent to publish declarations: Not applicable. Competing interests: The author declares no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Past research has highlighted that bipolar I disorder is associated with significant changes in brain structure and function. Notably, the manifestation and progression of bipolar I disorder have been known to differ between males and females. However, the relationship between sex-related differences and bipolar I disorder diagnosis affecting these changes was not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the sex-by-diagnosis interactions concerning the structural and functional features of the brain in individuals with bipolar I disorder., Methods: Both structural and functional MRI data were obtained from 105 individuals with bipolar I disorder (36 males and 69 females) and 210 healthy controls (72 males and 138 females). Voxel-wise analyses of gray matter volume and functional connectivity were conducted using a general linear regression model. This model included age, sex, diagnosis, and a sex-by-diagnosis interaction as predictors to explore potential sex-related differences in the brain features of participants with bipolar I disorder., Results: The gray matter volume analysis revealed significant sex-by-diagnosis interactions in six brain regions: the left caudate (p < 0.001), left thalamus (p < 0.001), right caudate (p = 0.003), right thalamus (p < 0.001), left anterior cingulate gyrus (p = 0.022), and left middle/posterior cingulate gyrus (p = 0.015). Using these regions as seeds, we detected a significant sex-by-diagnosis interaction in the functional connectivity alteration between the left thalamus and right angular gyrus (p = 0.019)., Conclusions: Our findings revealed a noteworthy sex-by-diagnosis interaction, with male individuals with bipolar I disorder displaying larger gray matter volume and altered functional connectivity in the limbic system compared to female individuals with bipolar I disorder and healthy participants. These results hint at potential sex-related differences in the pathophysiology of the limbic system in bipolar I disorder, which may have significant implications for understanding the underlying mechanisms in bipolar I disorder. Our findings could contribute to developing more personalized treatment approaches for individuals with bipolar I disorder., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. All participants provided written informed consent. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Leptospirosis, a re-emerging zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira spp., poses significant global health and veterinary challenges. Long-term colonization of renal tubules by Leptospira in asymptomatic hosts highlights the need for sensitive detection methods. This study evaluates the chronic or latent Leptospira infections in kidneys using a novel molecular approach to examine individual immune responses differences. Digital PCR strategies employing newly developed primer-probe sets targeting the flagellar fliG gene were used to assess the presence of trace Leptospira in infected murine kidneys and urine samples from laboratory-confirmed leptospirosis patients. RNA-based digital PCR detected leptospires in 58 % (targeting lipl32 ) and 83 % (targeting fliG ) of infected kidneys, demonstrating that the digital PCR strategy targeting the fliG gene offers superior sensitivity. Notably, the newly developed fliG -targeting assay detected as low as 20 fg of Leptospira DNA, offering ten-fold greater sensitivity than traditional qPCR for trace detection. This allows for differential detection of Leptospira species and facilitates monitoring of extremely low bacterial loads with greater sensitivity than conventional methods. We also observed regenerating renal tubules with mitosis and elevated cytokine expression in kidneys with transcriptionally active Leptospira during chronic infection. This approach aids in identifying latent infections and offers insights into individual variations. Our research provides a powerful molecular tool for epidemiological studies and public health surveillance, contributing valuable insights into the prevalence and transmission dynamics of this pervasive zoonotic disease., Competing Interests: L.-F. C., P.-Y. H. and C.-W. Y. are inventors (Kidney Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital) on a patent for “Innovative method for nucleic acid detection tracking minute quantities of Leptospira spp. in biological tissues and environmental samples” (US Provisional Patent Application 63/605,750, filed 4 December 2023). The remaining authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Obsessional slowness (OS) is characterized by a syndrome of extreme slowness in doing ordinary, day-to-day activities. Several scholars regarded OS as secondary to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Therefore, it is commonly thought to be the consequence of extensive rituals and has been paid minimal attention in its own right. A combination of behavior therapy and aromatherapy are recommended for treatment of this condition. However, the outcome is often frustrating. Reports of surgical management for OS are limited., Patient Concerns: She had symptoms characterized by repeated checking and progressive slowness in self-care behavior., Diagnosis: At the age of 19, the patient had the first presentation. The patient was diagnosed with a case of OCD with obsessional slowness according to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10)., Interventions: Considering the lack of a response to pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), we treated this case with anterior capsulotomy and accumbensotomy., Outcomes: Moderate somnolence, urticaria, juvenile behavior, mild short-term memory impairment and slight nonsense were noted during the first postoperative days. At 10 months, the patient's OCD symptoms recovered nearly to her preoperative level. The OS symptom also had an obvious rebound at 10 months. Through comprehensive judgment, we decided to choose accumbensotomy. At 9 months after the accumbensotomy, the OCD symptoms started to rebound. Soon after, the OS symptoms also recurred. At the last timepoint of 30 months, the patient's OCD and OS symptoms had completely rebounded. This time, the patient and parents refused any treatment., Conclusion: This case suggests that OCD with OS, as a special category, might not be suitable for stereotactic neurosurgery. Furthermore, multiple surgeries in this kind of OCD patient should be considered with as much caution as much as possible., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lai, Pang, Ming, He, Xiong, You, Chen and Gong.)

Multiresonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR-TADF) materials have attracted widespread attention due to ultrahigh definition display standards. However, many MR-TADF materials lack TADF properties in both the solution and solid states. Interestingly, the TADF characteristics appear once these MR-TADF compounds are doped in a suitable host film, but the precise mechanism involved in the host-guest interaction remains uncertain. Herein, we systematically investigated the role of host-guest interactions employing doped films ( DABNA-1@mCBP and DABNA-1@DPEPO ) with opposite phenomena. The results indicate that mCBP with a V-shape and enhanced rigidity could facilitate the formation of an energy spacing layer by employing short-range Coulomb energy through the MR luminescent core, which could offset the sensitivity of the stacking distance, enhancing the coupling between T 1 and T 2 , and thus switch the reverse internal conversion and the higher T 2 reverse intersystem crossing process. This work is a further development of luminescence mechanisms and an update of the host-guest interaction criteria for the targeted design of doped films.

Oxychalcogenides are receiving increasing interest as nonlinear-optical (NLO) materials because of the possible combination of advantages from oxides and chalcogenides. Here, two new pentanary oxythiogermanates Eu 2 MGe 2 OS 6 [M = Zn ( 1 ), Cd ( 2 )] were obtained by the facile metal oxide-boron-sulfur solid-state route. They crystallize with a melilite-type structure and feature {[MGe 2 OS 6 ] 4- } ∞ layers built by Ge 2 OS 6 dimers and MS 4 tetrahedra. Their optical band gaps are 2.37 and 2.38 eV. As the first NLO rare-earth (RE)/d 10 dual-metal oxychalcogenides, they exhibit phase-matchable NLO responses and enhanced laser-induced damage thresholds. Theoretical calculations show that the NLO responses are predominantly contributed by the EuOS 7 motifs. This work provides the potential of RE/d 10 dual-metal-based NLO materials.

The chemistry of the Meisenheimer complexes is of fundamental interest in organic chemistry. While the nitro group has been extensively employed to facilitate the formation and stabilization of Meisenheimer complexes, the analogous application of more user-friendly ester groups has remained an unexplored frontier. Herein, we report ester-stabilized Meisenheimer complexes, which have remarkable air-, moisture-, and thermo-stability. Moreover, the isolable and well-defined Meisenheimer intermediates exhibit divergent reactivity for dearomatization reactions, including modular 1,4-additions, dearomative (2 + 3) cycloadditions, and even higher-order (4 + n ) cycloadditions. These methodologies enabled rapid access to complicated cyclohexane derivatives with multiple all-carbon quaternary centers and interesting structure topologies.

Iron nitrides with the merits of high theoretical capacities, cost-effectiveness, and good electronic/ionic conductivity have been recognized as attractive anode candidates for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Carbon compositing, pore engineering, and nanostructure construction have proved to be effective strategies to prepare high-performance metal nitride anodes for LIBs. Herein, we synthesized a series of Fe 3 N-embedded and N-doped carbon nanorods (Fe 3 N@NCNR) with a hierarchical porous system and controllable topography by metal-catalyzed graphitization-nitridization of the Fe(III)-triazole framework (Fe-MOF) and thermal evaporation of the triblock copolymer F127 template assembled in Fe-MOF via hydrogen bonding interaction, followed by the air oxidation and urea-assisted ammonolysis processes. The Fe 3 N@NCNR as anodes for LIBs display extraordinary lithium storage capabilities with a high reversible capacity of 830 mA h g -1 at 0.1 C, a good rate performance of 576 mAh g -1 at 5 C, and a long-term cycling stability of 742 mA h g -1 over 600 cycles at 1 C. Such outstanding performance benefits from the spongy carbon nanorods with rich macropores for rapid electronic/ionic transport and effective accommodation of electrode volume expansion, abundant N-doped meso-/microporous carbon for the additional storage of Li + via capacitive effect, and the efficient utilization of Fe 3 N nanoparticles uniformly distributed through carbon nanorods. Importantly, this work introduces an effective strategy to construct superior performance nitride anodes from MOF surfactants based on hydrogen bonding-driven interface self-assembly and provides insight into the preparation of highly efficient nanoarchitectures for Li + storage.

The chiral recognition and separation of enantiomers are of great importance for biological research and the pharmaceutical industry. Preparing homochiral materials with adjustable size and chiral binding sites is beneficial for achieving an efficient chiral recognition performance. Here, a homochiral covalent organic framework membrane modified with β-cyclodextrin (CD-COF) was constructed, which was subsequently utilized as an electrochemical sensor for the enantioselective sensing of tryptophan (Trp) molecules. The preferential adsorption of l-Trp over d-Trp at the β-CD sites can enhance the surface charge density and hydrophilicity of the CD-COF membrane, resulting in an increased transmembrane ionic current. Trp enantiomers with concentrations down to 0.28 nM can be effectively discriminated. The l-/d-Trp recognition selectivity increases with the Trp concentration and reaches a value of 19.2 at 1 mM. The selective adsorption of l-Trp to the CD-COF membrane will also hinder its transport, resulting in a l-/d-Trp permeation selectivity of 15.3. This study offers a new strategy to construct homochiral porous membranes and achieve efficient chiral sensing and separation.

Thylakoid-free cyanobacteria are thought to preserve ancestral traits of early-evolving organisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis. However, and until recently, photosynthesis studies in thylakoid-free cyanobacteria were only possible in the model strain Gloeobacter violaceus . Here, we report the isolation, biochemical characterization, cryo-EM structure, and phylogenetic analysis of photosystem I from a newly-discovered thylakoid-free cyanobacterium, Anthocerotibacter panamensis , a distant relative of the genus Gloeobacter . We find that A. panamensis photosystem I exhibits a distinct carotenoid composition and has one conserved low-energy chlorophyll site, which was lost in G. violaceus . These features explain the capacity of A. panamensis to grow under high light intensity, unlike other Gloeobacteria. Furthermore, we find that, while at the sequence level photosystem I in thylakoid-free cyanobacteria has changed to a degree comparable to that of other strains, its subunit composition and oligomeric form might be identical to that of the most recent common ancestor of cyanobacteria., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Vanadium (V)-based oxides have garnered significant attention as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their multiple valences and high theoretical capacity. However, their sluggish kinetics and low conductivity remain major obstacles to practical applications. In this study, Mo-doped V 2 O 3 with oxygen vacancies (OVs, Mo-V 2 O 3-x @NC) is prepared from a Mo-doped V-metal organic framework. Ex situ characterizations reveal that the cathode undergoes an irreversible phase transformation from Mo-V 2 O 3-x to Mo-V 2 O 5-x ·nH 2 O and serves as an active material exhibiting excellent Zn 2+ storage in subsequent charge-discharge cycles. Mo-doped helps to further improve cycling stability and increases with increasing content. More importantly, the synergistic effect of Mo-doped and OVs not only effectively reduces the Zn 2+ migration energy barrier, but also enhances reaction kinetics, and electrochemical performance. Consequently, the cathode demonstrates ultrafast electrochemical kinetics, showing a superior rate performance (190.9 mAh g -1 at 20 A g -1 ) and excellent long-term cycling stability (147.9 mAh g -1 at 20 A g -1 after 10000 cycles). Furthermore, the assembled pouch cell exhibits excellent cycling stability (313.6 mAh g -1 at 1 A g -1 after 1000 cycles), indicating promising application prospects. This work presents an effective strategy for designing and fabricating metal and OVs co-doped cathodes for high-performance AZIBs., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The aesthetic demand has become an imperative challenge to advance the practical and commercial application of daytime radiative cooling technology toward mitigating climate change. Meanwhile, the application of radiative cooling materials usually focuses on the building surface, related tightly to fire safety. Herein, the absorption and reflection spectra of organic and inorganic colorants are first compared in solar waveband, finding that iron oxides have higher reflectivity in NIR region. Second, three kinds of iron oxides-based colorants are selected to combine porous structure and silicon-modified ammonium polyphosphate (Si-APP) to engineer colored polyurethane-based (PU) coating, thus enhancing the reflectivity and flame retardancy. Together with reflectivity of more than 90% in near-infrared waveband and infrared emissivity of ≈91%, average temperature drops of ≈5.7, ≈7.9, and ≈3.8 °C are achieved in porous PU/Fe 2 O 3 /Si-APP, porous PU/Fe 2 O 3 ·H 2 O/Si-APP, and porous PU/Fe 3 O 4 ·H 2 O/Si-APP, compared with dense control samples. The catalysis effect of iron oxides in the cross-linking reaction of pyrolysis products and dehydration mechanism of Si-APP enable PU coating to produce an intumescent and protective char residue. Consequently, PU composite coatings demonstrate desirable fire safety. The ingenious choice of colorants effectively minimizes the solar heating effect and trades off the daytime radiative cooling and aesthetic appearance requirement., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: In East Asia, the incidence of breast cancer has been increasing rapidly, particularly among premenopausal women. An elevated ratio of estrogen-DNA adducts was linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. The present study explored the influence of the interaction between base excision repair (BER) gene polymorphisms and estrogen-DNA adducts on breast cancer risk., Methods: We conducted a case-control study comprising healthy volunteers and individuals with benign breast disease (control arm, n = 176) and patients with invasive carcinoma or carcinoma in situ (case arm, n = 177). Genotyping for BER-related genes, including SMUG1, OGG1, ERCC5, and APEX1, was performed. A logistic regression model, incorporating interactions between gene polymorphisms, estrogen-DNA adduct ratio, and clinical variables, was used to identify the risk factors for breast cancer., Results: Univariate analysis indicated marginal associations between breast cancer risk and APEX1 rs1130409 T > G (P = 0.057) and APEX1 rs1760944 T > G (P = 0.065). Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant associations with increased breast cancer risk for APEX1&#95;rs1130409 (GT/GG versus TT) combined with a natural logarithmic value of the estrogen-DNA adduct ratio (estimated OR 1.164, P = 0.023) and premenopausal status with an estrogen-DNA adduct ratio > 2.93 (estimated OR 2.433, P = 0.001)., Conclusion: APEX1&#95;rs1130409 (GT/GG versus TT) polymorphisms, which are related to decreased BER activity, combined with an increased ratio of estrogen-DNA adducts, increase the risk of breast cancer in East Asian women., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Microprocessor is an essential nuclear complex responsible for the initial RNase-mediated cleavage of primary miRNA, which is a tightly controlled maturation process that requires the proper assembly of Drosha and DGCR8. Unlike previously identified mechanisms directly targeting the enzymatic subunit Drosha, current knowledge about the biological ways of controlling miRNA nuclear maturation through DGCR8 is less addressed. In this study, we unveiled that the microprocessor assembly is governed by a master gene regulator HIF-1α irrespective of its canonical transcriptional activity. First, a widespread protein binding of HIF-1α with DGCR8 instead of Drosha was observed in response to biological stimulations. Similar protein interactions between their corresponding orthologues in model organisms were also observed. After dissecting the essential protein domains, we noticed that HIF-1α suppresses microprocessor assembly via binding to DGCR8. Furthermore, our results showed that HIF-1α hijacks monomeric DGCR8 thus reducing its dimer formation prior to microprocessor assembly, and consequently, the suppressed microprocessor formation and nuclear processing of primary miRNA were demonstrated. In conclusion, here we unveiled the mechanism of how microprocessor assembly is regulated by HIF-1α, which not only demonstrates a non-transcriptional function of nuclear HIF-1α but also provides new molecular insights into the regulation of microprocessor assembly through DGCR8., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Alkali-activated concrete (AAC), produced from industrial by-products like fly ash and slag, offers a promising alternative to traditional Portland cement concrete by significantly reducing carbon emissions. Yet, the inherent variability in AAC formulations presents a challenge for accurately predicting its compressive strength using conventional approaches. To address this, we leverage machine learning (ML) techniques, which enable more precise strength predictions based on a combination of material properties and cement mix design parameters. In this study, we curated an extensive dataset comprising 1756 unique AAC mixtures to support robust ML-based modeling. Four distinct input variable schemes were devised to identify the optimal predictor set, and a comparative analysis was performed to evaluate their effectiveness. After this, we investigated the performance of several popular ML algorithms, including random forest (RF), adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), gradient boosting regression trees (GBRTs), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Among these, the XGBoost model consistently outperformed its counterparts. To further enhance the predictive accuracy of the XGBoost model, we applied four state-of-the-art optimization techniques: the Gray Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), beetle antennae search (BAS), and Bayesian optimization (BO). The optimized XGBoost model delivered superior performance, achieving a remarkable coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.99 on the training set and 0.94 across the entire dataset. Finally, we employed SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to imbue the optimized model with interpretability, enabling deeper insights into the complex relationships governing AAC formulations. Through the lens of ML, we highlight the benefits of the multi-faceted synergistic approach for AAC strength prediction, which combines careful input parameter selection, optimal hyperparameter tuning, and enhanced model interpretability. This integrated strategy improves both the robustness and scalability of the model, offering a clear and reliable prediction of AAC performance.

A 32-year-old male presented with a painless swelling on his nasal dorsum, persisting for over 3 months. He reported a gradual increase in the size of the mass, with no identifiable triggers except occasional skin redness. He denied nosebleeds, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, trauma, prior surgery, or spontaneous pain. His medical history revealed gout, managed with colchicine and diclofenac. Despite dietary and pharmaceutical interventions, he continued to have bouts of hyperuricemia, with blood uric acid levels measuring 739 μmol/L. Multiple tophi were evident, especially on the left first metatarsophalangeal joint (Figure 1A). Examination revealed an irregularly shaped, immobile, hard swelling at the nasal radix, measuring 3 cm×2 cm. Computerized tomography (CT) imaging of the nose showed bilateral nasal bone destruction from the lesion. Given its impact on the patient's appearance and his history of gout, the mass was initially diagnosed as unusual gouty tophus. The patient requested surgical removal of the lesion, and the dissection revealed a mass partly encased by a capsule-like connective tissue adherent to the nasal bone. As the lesion damaged the nasal bone, removal of the lesion led to defect of nasal bone. After an extensive rinse of the surgery site, the incision was sutured., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Several life-prolonging therapies for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are available, including radium-223 dichloride ( 223 Ra), which was approved based on phase 3 data demonstrating improved overall survival (OS) and a favorable safety profile. To date, real-world evidence for 223 Ra use in Taiwan is from three studies of <50 patients. This observational study (NCT04232761) enrolled male patients with histologically/cytologically confirmed mCRPC with bone metastases from centers across Taiwan. 223 Ra was prescribed as part of routine practice by investigators. Patients with prior 223 Ra treatment were excluded. The primary objective was to assess 223 Ra safety; secondary objectives evaluated efficacy parameters, including OS. Overall, 224 patients were enrolled. Most patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1 (79.0%) and ≤20 bone metastases (69.2%); no patients had visceral metastases. 223 Ra was first- or second-line therapy in 23.2% and 47.7% of patients, respectively. The total proportion of patients who received 5-6 223 Ra cycles was 68.8%; this proportion was greater with first-line use (84.3%) than second- (65.7%) or third-/fourth-line use (64.1%). More chemotherapy-naïve patients (61.9%) completed the 6-cycle 223 Ra treatment than chemotherapy-exposed patients (56.7%). Any-grade treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and serious TEAEs occurred in 54.0% and 28.6% of patients, respectively, while 12% experienced 223 Ra-related adverse events. Median OS was 15.7 months (95% confidence interval 12.13-19.51); patients receiving 5-6 223 Ra injections and earlier 223 Ra use had longer OS than those receiving fewer injections and later 223 Ra use. 223 Ra provides a well-tolerated and effective treatment for Taiwanese patients with mCRPC and bone metastases., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.)

Cottonseed meal (CSM) and cottonseed protein concentrate (CPC) serve as protein alternatives to fish meal and soybean meal in the feed industry. However, the presence of gossypol residue in CSM and CPC can potentially trigger severe intestinal inflammation, thereby restricting the widespread utilization of these two protein sources. Probiotics are widely used to prevent or alleviate intestinal inflammation, but their efficacy in protecting fish against gossypol-induced enteritis remains uncertain. Here, the protective effect of Pediococcus pentosaceus, a strain isolated from the gut of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), was evaluated. Three diets, control diet (CON), gossypol diet (GOS) and GOS supplemented with P. pentosaceus YC diet (GP), were used to feed Nile tilapia for 10 weeks. After the feeding trial, P. pentosaceus YC reduced the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the proximal intestine (PI) and distal intestine (DI). Following a 7-day exposure to Aeromonas hydrophila, the addition of P. pentosaceus YC was found to increase the survival rate of the fish. P. pentosaceus YC significantly inhibited the oxidative stress caused by gossypol, which was evidenced by lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as higher activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PI and DI. Addition of P. pentosaceus YC significantly inhibited enteritis, with the lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (il-1β, il-6, il-8) and higher expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines tgf-β. RNA-seq analysis indicated that P. pentosaceus YC supplementation significantly inhibited nlrc3 and promoted nf-κb expression in PI and DI, and the siRNA interference experiment in vivo demonstrated that intestinal inflammation was mediated by NLRC3/NF-κB/IL-1β signaling pathway. Fecal bacteria transplantation experiment demonstrated that gut microbiota mediated the protective effect of P. pentosaceus YC. These findings offer valuable insights into the application of P. pentosaceus YC for alleviating gossypol-induced intestinal inflammation in fish., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: BK Polyomavirus (BKPyV) infection is a common complication in kidney transplant recipients and can result in poor outcomes and graft failure. Currently, there is no known effective antiviral agent. This study investigated the possible antiviral effects of Interferon alpha (IFNα) and its induced protein, MxA, against BKPyV., Methods: In vitro cell culture experiments were conducted using human primary renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HRPTECs). We also did animal studies using Balb/c mice with unilateral kidney ischemic reperfusion injury., Results: Our results demonstrated that IFNα effectively inhibited BKPyV in vitro and murine polyomavirus in animal models. Additionally, IFNα and MxA were found to suppress BKPyV TAg and VP1 production. Silencing MxA attenuated the antiviral efficacy of IFNα. We observed that MxA interacted with BKPyV TAg, causing it to remain in the cytosol and preventing its nuclear translocation. To determine MxA's essential domain for its antiviral activities, different mutant MxA constructs were generated. The MxA mutant K83A retained its interaction with BKPyV TAg, and its antiviral effects were intact. The MxA T103A mutant, on the other hand, abolished GTPase activity, lost its protein-protein interaction with BKPyV TAg, and lost its antiviral effect., Conclusion: IFNα and its downstream protein, MxA, have potent antiviral properties against BKPyV. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the interaction between MxA and BKVPyV TAg plays a crucial role in determining the anti-BKPyV effects of MxA., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chang Gung University. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Chalcophosphates are an important type of infrared nonlinear optical (NLO) candidates in view of their rich anionic motifs. Here, two copper chalcophosphates Cu 3 PSe 4 (CPSe) and Cs 2 CuP 3 S 9 (CCPS) were synthesized and studied as IR NLO materials. They both feature three-dimensional polyanionic frameworks constructed by similar T2-supertetrahedra, and the structure of CCPS can be derived from CPSe via introducing Cs and substituting Se with S. This structural evolution results in phase-matchable NLO behavior, enlarged optical band gap, and enhanced laser-induced damage threshold for CCPS. These results are elucidated by structure analysis and theoretical calculations, and the increased structural anisotropy contributes to the phase matchable behavior of CCPS. This work presents a case on how to adjust NLO properties via certain structure considerations, which may be extended to more systems for obtaining high-performance NLO materials.

Androgen receptor (AR) overexpression has been identified in gliomas and its stem cells, suggesting that AR plays an important role in tumor carcinogenesis. The prognostic significance of AR overexpression in gliomas remains unknown. AR mRNA expression in gliomas and relevant clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas databases. AR expression levels were compared across gliomas of different histopathologic grades and molecular subtypes. Kaplan-Meier analyses in patients with different AR expression levels were investigated for the potential prognostic values of AR. Compared with normal brain tissue, gliomas show significantly higher AR mRNA expression (p < 0.01). AR mRNA expression was more prominent in higher grade disease and in worse prognostic molecular subtypes (p < 0.01). AR protein is more abundant in glioblastoma than in lower grade gliomas (LGG) (grade 2/3) (p < 0.0001). This is corroborated by a linear association between AR mRNA and protein expression (r = 0.65). In LGG, both higher AR mRNA and protein expression was associated with significantly worse overall survival (OS). Five-year OS for LGG patients with high versus low AR expression were 59.1% and 73.3%, respectively (p < 0.0001). AR expression is not prognostic for OS within glioblastoma patients. Gender was not associated with AR expression or prognosis. Higher AR expression levels are associated with higher grade disease and histopathologic features predicting poorer prognosis in lower grade gliomas. Higher gene expression in LGG patients is correlated with poor prognosis but not in the glioblastoma cohort suggesting saturated expression/functions of AR in glioblastoma., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Glioblastoma (GBM), a primary brain tumor, exhibits remarkable invasiveness and is characterized by its intricate location, infiltrative behavior, the presence of both the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB), phenotypic diversity, an immunosuppressive microenvironment with limited development yet rich vascularity, as well as the resistant nature of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) towards traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These formidable factors present substantial obstacles in the quest for effective GBM treatments. Following extensive research spanning three decades, the hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) receptor tyrosine kinase has emerged as a promising molecular target with translational potential in the realm of cancer therapy. Numerous compounds aimed at targeting EphA2 have undergone rigorous evaluation and clinical investigation. This article provides a comprehensive account of the distinctive roles played by canonical and non-canonical EphA2 signaling in various contexts, while also exploring the involvement of the EphA2-ephrin A1 signaling axis in GBM pathogenesis. Additionally, the review offers an overview of completed clinical trials targeting EphA2 for GBM treatment, shedding light on both the prospects and challenges associated with EphA2-directed interventions in the domain of cancer therapeutics., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Although most cyanobacteria grow in visible light (VL; λ = 400-700 nm), some cyanobacteria can also use far-red light (FRL; λ = 700-800 nm) for oxygenic photosynthesis by performing far-red light photoacclimation. These two types of cyanobacteria can be found in the same environment. However, how they respond to each other remains unknown. Here, we reveal that coculture stresses FRL-using Chlorogloeopsis fritschii PCC 9212 and VL-using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. No significant growth difference was found in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 between the coculture and the monoculture. Conversely, the growth of Chlorogloeopsis fritschii PCC 9212 was suppressed in VL under coculture. According to transcriptomic analysis, Chlorogloeopsis fritschii PCC 9212 in coculture shows low transcript levels of metabolic activities and high transcript levels of ion transporters, with the differences being more noticeable in VL than in FRL. The transcript levels of stress responses in coculture were likewise higher than in monoculture in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under FRL. The low transcript level of metabolic activities in coculture or the inhibition of cyanobacterial growth indicates a possible negative interaction between these two cyanobacterial strains.IMPORTANCEThe interaction between two cyanobacterial species is the primary focus of this study. One species harvests visible light, while the other can harvest far-red and visible light. Prior research on cyanobacteria interaction concentrated on its interactions with algal, coral, and fungal species. Interactions between cyanobacterial species were, nevertheless, rarely discussed. Thus, we characterized the interaction between two cyanobacterial species, one capable of photosynthesis using far-red light and the other not. Through experimental and bioinformatic approaches, we demonstrate that when one cyanobacterium thrives under optimal light conditions, it stresses the remaining cyanobacterial species. We contribute to an ecological understanding of these two kinds of cyanobacteria distribution patterns. Cyanobacteria that utilize far-red light probably disperse in environments with limited visible light to avoid competition with other cyanobacteria. From a biotechnological standpoint, this study suggests that the simultaneous cultivation of two cyanobacterial species in large-scale cultivation facilities may reduce the overall biomass yield., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Cyclic nucleic acids are biologically stable against nucleic acid exonucleases due to the absence of 5' and 3' termini. Studies of cyclic nucleic acids mainly focus on cyclic single-stranded nucleic acids. Cyclic single-stranded nucleic acids are further divided into circular RNA (circRNA) and circular single-stranded DNA (cssDNA). The synthesis methods of circRNA include lasso-driven cyclization, intron-paired cyclization, intron cyclization, intron complementary pairing-driven cyclization, RNA-binding protein-driven cyclization, and artificial synthesis depending on the source. Its main role is to participate in gene expression and the treatment of some diseases. Circular single-stranded DNA is mainly synthesized by chemical ligation, template-directed enzyme ligation, and new techniques for the efficient preparation of DNA single loops and topologies based on CircLigase. It is mainly used in rolling circle amplification (RCA) technology and in the bioprotection of circular aptamers and second messengers. This review focuses on the types, synthesis methods, and applications of cyclic single-stranded nucleic acids, providing a reference for further research on cyclic single-stranded nucleic acids., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To assess the research capacity of 3014 clinical nurses in northeastern China, examining their participation in research and self-assessed competencies to advance nursing practice., Background: Nursing research is essential for the development of the nursing discipline, yet significant progress in enhancing the research capabilities of nursing staff has been limited over the past decades. Clinical nurses, central to the execution of research activities, need improved research skills to identify relevant topics and synthesise clinical experiences with the literature., Design: A cross-sectional survey., Methods: In 2023, using a convenience sampling method, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 3014 nurses in a Grade A tertiary hospital. The questionnaire included questions on basic information and scientific research, as well as a self-evaluation scale assessing the nurses' capability for conducting scientific research., Results: Among the nurses participating in the survey, 29.66% (894) had published academic papers in Chinese, 2.06% (62) had published papers in Science Citation Index journals, 2.39% (72) had hosted nursing research projects, 5.87% (177) had participated in nursing research projects and 71% (2140) expressed their willingness to participate in nursing research activities. The average score on the self-evaluation of research capability was 54.08 ± 24.55, with scores ranging from 0 to 120., Conclusion: The clinical nurses' research capacity scores are at the midpoint of the scale (0-120), indicating basic research capabilities with room for improvement. There is a high willingness to engage in research. Nursing managers should consider these factors in training programmes and promote research activities to improve the team's scientific capability., Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study reveals a critical gap between nurses' willingness and actual involvement in research, emphasising the need for enhanced research skills to improve nursing practice., Patient or Public Contribution: This study did not require patient or public involvement in its design, outcome measures or execution. The contribution of patients/members of the public was limited solely to data collection., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Interlayer intercalation engineering shows great feasibility to improve the structure stability of the layered oxides. Although high Zn-storage capability has been attained based on the pillar effect of multifarious intercalants, an in-depth understanding the synergistic effect of intercalated multiple metal ions is still in deficiency. Herein, alkali metal ion K + , alkaline earth metal ion Mg 2+ and trivalent metal ion Al 3+ are introduced into the VO interlayer of V 2 O 5 . Due to the different electronegativity and hydrated ion radius of K + , Mg 2+ and Al 3+ , adjusting the relative proportions of these metal ions can achieve an appropriate interlayer spacing, stable layer structure and regular morphology, which facilitates the transport kinetics of Zn 2+ . Under the synergistic effect of pre-intercalated multi-metal ion, the optimal tri-metal ion intercalated hydrated V 2 O 5 cathode exhibits a high specific capacity of 382.4 mAh g -1 at 0.5 A g - 1 , and long-term cycling stability with capacity retention of 86 % after 2000 cycles at the high current density of 10 A g -1 . Ex-situ and kinetic characterizations reveal the fast charge transfer and reversible Zn 2+ intercalation mechanism. The multi-ion engineering strategy provides an effective way to design desirable layered cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The transbronchial interventional surgery presents challenges with winding and convoluted pathways, prone to compression and friction. Current autonomous planning struggles to reach deeper bronchial positions, and hard to consider multiple conflicting goals simultaneously. This article introduces an innovative planning scheme with preference weights to achieve smooth, frictionless, and collision-free autonomous transbronchial intervention with continuum robot (CR). A few-human-interaction twin-delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (FHITD3) generated from surgeon preference guidance is proposed, which determines the optimal strategy for the motion of CR. Preference knowledge is generated through interaction between human and few diversity samples. An abstract actuator space description is proposed for the posture and position representation of CR during movement within bronchus. A contact motion analysis strategy is proposed to calculate real-time attitude of CR in contact with bronchus. In addition, an oscillation suppression approach to address CR's unsmooth distal end trajectory is proposed. Simulated experiments show that the CR autonomously completes intervention tasks with a smooth and stable trajectory, reducing distal end oscillation by over 45%. It achieves a target endpoint within the fourth level bronchus (approximately 5 mm diameter) with over 90% probability.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is marked by a block at the promyelocyte stage. Treatments like ATRA and ATO face resistance and relapse issues. Plastrum testudinis , a traditional Chinese medicine, may offer therapeutic potential. This study investigated xtr-miR-22-3p from P. testudinis for treating APL. High expression of xtr-miR-22-3p was confirmed, with target prediction indicating interactions with key genes, including PML. xtr-miR-22-3p reduced HL-60 leukemia cell growth, altered the cell cycle, and selectively inhibited HL-60 proliferation while promoting BMSC growth, suggesting its potential as a targeted APL therapy.

GPR20, an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), shows significant expression in intestinal tissue and represents a potential therapeutic target to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors. GPR20 performs high constitutive activity when coupling with G i . Despite the pharmacological importance of GPCR constitutive activation, determining the mechanism has long remained unclear. In this study, we explored the constitutive activation mechanism of GPR20 through large-scale unbiased molecular dynamics simulations. Our results unveil the allosteric nature of constitutively activated GPCR signal transduction involving extracellular and intracellular domains. Moreover, the constitutively active state of the GPR20 requires both the N-terminal cap and G i protein. The N-terminal cap of GPR20 functions like an agonist and mediates long-range activated conformational shift. Together with the previous study, this study enhances our knowledge of the self-activation mechanism of the orphan receptor, facilitates the drug discovery efforts that target GPR20., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Pharmacological Society.)

Background: Telemedicine has emerged as a novel healthcare service model that plays a vital role in addressing the unequal distribution of medical resources. Telemedicine has recently gained significant traction in economically prosperous cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in China. However, Xinyang City in Henan Province is an economically less developed city, and telemedicine is still in its early stages. By exploring the views of medical staff and administrators at Xinyang City's tertiary A-level hospital on telemedicine, this study aims to determine the development status of telemedicine services in Xinyang City. The objective was to identify the challenges in the construction process and formulate corresponding strategies for advancing telemedicine in Xinyang City., Methods: Face-to-face personal interviews were conducted with 16 medical staff and administrators from a tertiary A-level hospital in Xinyang City, Henan Province, and the data were collected and analyzed using grounded theory. In the process of data analysis, NVivo12 software was used to encode and organize the data line by line., Results: The development of telemedicine in Xinyang City has the potential to benefit residents, hospitals, and healthcare personnel despite several challenges, including the absence of laws and regulations, inadequate policy support, limited hospital cooperation, and low resident awareness, which must be addressed to unlock the full potential of telemedicine., Conclusion: The telemedicine system in Xinyang City is currently in a coordinated developmental phase, and several areas require further improvement. The development of standardized telemedicine in Xinyang City requires government support, better training for general practitioners, public awareness campaigns, and improved technology while ensuring reasonable work schedules and motivating medical personnel., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) mutations, which are molecular biomarkers present in bodily fluids of cancer patients, can be applied for tumor diagnosis and prognosis monitoring. However, current profiling of ctDNA mutations relies primarily on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing and these techniques require preanalytical processing of blood samples, which are time-consuming, expensive, and tedious procedures that increase the risk of sample contamination. To overcome these limitations, here the engineering of a DNA/γPNA (gamma peptide nucleic acid) hybrid nanoreporter is disclosed for ctDNA biosensing via in situ profiling and recording of tumor-specific DNA mutations. The low tolerance of γPNA to single mismatch in base pairing with DNA allows highly selective recognition and recording of ctDNA mutations in peripheral blood. Owing to their remarkable biostability, the detached γPNA strands triggered by mutant ctDNA will be enriched in kidneys and cleared into urine for urinalysis. It is demonstrated that the nanoreporter has high specificity for ctDNA mutation in peripheral blood, and urinalysis of cleared γPNA can provide valuable information for tumor progression and prognosis evaluation. This work demonstrates the potential of the nanoreporter for urinary monitoring of tumor and patient prognosis through in situ biosensing of ctDNA mutations., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Suppressing non-radiative energy loss (ΔE 3 ) mediated by the triplet charge transfer state is crucial for high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, we decode the energy inversion through multi-scale theoretical simulations, which inhibit the formation of non-emissive triplet (T 1 ) state. However, it is mystified by the system dependence. We first demonstrate a direct relationship of "the probability of Face-on orientation (P Face-on ) is proportional to the probability of energy inversion (P EI )", which is related to the function of terminal fluorination. Through Pearson's correlation coefficient and machine learning model, the useful stacking structural parameters were obtained to clarify the effect of π-bridge group on the function of terminal fluorination. Based on the molecular descriptors established, we explain that the fluorination effect is beneficial to Face-on orientation and thus energy inversion due to the enhanced intermolecular coupling. But the π-bridge inhibits this coupling with the interfacial stacking configuration appearing more "TT&#95;IC". This work provides a directional standard for promoting energy inversion to reduce ΔE 3 for the high-performance OSCs., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The vascularized iliac crest flap has garnered widespread acclaim within the field of mandibular reconstruction attributable to its sufficient bone mass and congruent curved morphology. However, when the precise orientation of the iliac crest is imperative during mandibular reconstruction and there exists an accompanying defect within the oral soft tissue, the indispensability of an additional flap to facilitate concurrent defect repair becomes evident. In such instances, the submental island flap emerges as an exemplary candidate., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Objectives: To compare the application value of three image post-processing techniques volume rendering (VR), multiplanar reformation (MPR) and curved planar reformation (CPR) in the identification of rib fracture malunion., Methods: The types and numbers of rib fracture malunion in 75 patients were recorded, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and Youden index of VR, MPR and CPR in the diagnosis of rib fracture malunion were compared. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and area under the curve (AUC) was calculated, and the detection rates of three image post-processing techniques for different types of rib fracture malunion were compared., Results: A total of 243 rib fractures were malunion in 75 patients. The diagnostic sensitivity of VR, MPR and CPR for rib fracture malunion was 52.67%, 79.84% and 91.36%, the specificity was 99.58%, 97.89% and 99.15%, the accuracy was 83.66%, 91.76% and 96.51%, the Youden index was 0.52, 0.78 and 0.91, the AUC was 0.761, 0.889 and 0.953, respectively. Compared with VR, there were statistically significant differences in the number of broken rib end misalignment over 1/3, broken rib end overlap, broken rib end angulation and intercostal bridge detected in MPR ( P <0.05). Compared with VR, there was a statistically significant difference in the number of different types of rib fracture malunion detected by CPR ( P <0.05). Compared with MPR, there were statistically significant differences in the number of broken rib end misalignment over 1/3, broken rib end separation and intercostal bridge detected in CPR ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: The three image post-processing techniques are of great significance for the identification of rib fracture malunion. Especially CPR is highly effective in the diagnosis of rib fracture malunion, and can be used as the main post-processing technique for forensic clinical identification of rib fracture malunion.

Objective: To study the effect of intervertebral grafting area on the effect of single segment lumbar posterior decompression and intervertebral bone grafting fusion., Methods: The clinical data of 52 patients who underwent single-segment lumbar posterior decompression pedicle internal fixation and bone grafting fusion from January 2020 to December 2022 were retrospective reviewed. The area of the intervertebral bone graft was measured one week postoperatively using Computed Tomography (CT), and based on the ratio of the bone graft area to the average area of the endplates, the patients were divided into three groups:17 cases in group A(the intervertebral bone graft area did not exceed the area of one pedicle) included 9 males and 8 females with an average age of (56.0±11.5) years old;15 cases in group B(the intervertebral bone graft area exceeded one pedicle but did not reach the opposite pedicle) included 10 males and 5 females with an average of (52.0±14.0) years old; 20 cases in group C (the intervertebral bone graft area exceeded the opposite pedicle) included 12 males and 8 females with an average of (49.5±12.8) years old. X-rays and CT scans were performed at 3, 6, 12 months, and the final follow-up postoperatively, the interbody fusion Brantigan scores, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at each follow-up were recorded., Results: The gender, age, and surgical segments showed no significant differences among three groups( P >0.05). There was also no significant difference in the preoperative VAS and ODI among three groups ( P >0.05). All patients of three groups were followed up from 12 to 36 months. Compared with preoperative, VAS and ODI scores of three groups showed significant improvement at 1 week postoperatively and the final follow-up ( P <0.05). Compared with preoperative measurements, the height of the intervertebral space was restored at 1 week postoperatively in three groups;at the final follow-up, the loss of height in the intervertebral space was less in groups B and C, and the height of the intervertebral space in group B and C was significantly higher than in group A( P <0.05). The modified Brantigan scores at 3 and 6 months postoperatively were significantly higher in group C than in groups A and B ( P <0.05);at 12 months postoperatively, the scores in groups B and C were significantly higher than in group A( P <0.05);however, at the final follow-up, there was no significant difference in the modified Brantigan scores among three groups( P >0.05). The bone graft fusion rate in group C was significantly higher than in groups A and B at 3 months postoperatively( P <0.05);at 6 and 12 months postoperatively, the fusion rates in groups B and C were significantly higher than in group A( P <0.05);at the final follow-up, the fusion rate in group A was still lower than in groups B and C, but the difference among three groups was not significant( P >0.05)., Conclusion: Single segment posterior lumbar decompression and interbody fusion surgery can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients with lumbar degenerative related diseases. However, as the proportion of bone grafting area increases, the early bone grafting fusion rate and fusion score of patients are significantly improved.

Objectives: To evaluate changes in health outcomes between years 2 and 3 after discharge following COVID-19 and to identify risk factors for poor health 3-year post-discharge., Design: This is a multicentre observational cohort study., Setting: This study was conducted in two centres from Wuhan, China., Participants: Eligibility screening has been performed in 3988 discharged laboratory-confirmed adult COVID-19 patients. Exclusion criteria were refusal to participate, inability to contact and death before follow-up. The WHO COVID-19 guidelines on defining disease severity were adopted., Results: 1594 patients participated in the 1-year, 2-year and 3-year follow-ups, including 796 (49.9%) male patients, and 422 (26.5%) patients were classified in the severe disease group. 3 years after discharge, 182 (11.4%) patients still complained of at least one symptom. The most common symptoms were fatigue, myalgia, chest tightness, cough, anxiety, shortness of breath and expectoration. Fatigue or myalgia, the most common symptom cluster, frequently coexisted with chest symptoms and anxiety. Symptom persistence between years 2 and 3 was reported in 70 patients (4.4%) for which intensive care unit (ICU) admission was a risk factor (p=0.038). Of the 1586 patients who completed the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT), 97 (6.1%) scored ≥10, with older age being associated with CAT ≥10 (p=0.007)., Conclusions: Between years 2 and 3 after SARS-CoV-2 infection, most patients returned to an asymptomatic state, and only a few were still symptomatic. ICU admission was a risk factor for symptom persistence., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Although dearomative functionalizations enable the direct conversion of flat aromatics into precious three-dimensional architectures, the case for simple arenes remains largely underdeveloped owing to the high aromatic stabilization energy. We herein report a dearomative sequential addition of two nucleophiles to arene π-bonds through umpolung of chromium-arene complexes. This mode enables divergent dearomative carbonylation reactions of benzene derivatives by tolerating various nucleophiles in combination with alcohols or amines under CO-gas-free conditions, thus providing modular access to functionalized esters or amides. The tunable synthesis of 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexadienes as well as the construction of carbon quaternary centers further highlight the versatility of this dearomatization. Diverse late-stage modifications and derivatizations towards synthetically challenging and bioactive molecules reveal the synthetic utility. A possible mechanism was proposed based on control experiments and intermediate tracking., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aim of the Study: To analyze the progress in Mongolian medicine and medicinal materials and to highlight its development process, emerging trends, and hotspots., Materials and Methods: Papers on Mongolian medicine and medicinal materials from January 2000 to May 2022 were retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. Using the collaboration network analysis of CiteSpace V and VOSviewer software, the cooperation among individuals and institutions in the field of scientific research was analyzed. The functions of frequency analysis, cluster analysis, and burst analysis were employed to conduct bibliometric analysis on research hotspots and trends in the field of Mongolian medicine research. Furthermore, the data visualization function was utilized to clearly display data trends and changes., Results: A total of 8362 papers on Mongolian medicine medicinal materials from CNKI were identified and analyzed.The research on Mongolian medicine has gone through three stages: the initial stage, the exploratory stage, and the developmental stage. The top two institutions in the number of papers are Inner Mongolia Medical University and Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities. Bagenna from Inner Mongolia Medical University is the author with the most papers. "clinical efficacy", "clinical research", and "quality standards" were the most frequently used keywords. Research in the field of Mongolian medicine has focused on several diseases, including skeletal system disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive system disorders., Conclusion: Since 2000, there have been growing attention and efforts made in the field of Mongolian medicine and medicinal materials. The research in the field of Mongolian medicine had undergone three stages, namely the initial stage, the exploratory stage, and the developmental stage. The focus shifted from basic research such as the analysis of medicinal ingredients in Mongolian herbs to the application-oriented directions of traditional treatment techniques and advantageous diseases in Mongolian medicine. To make breakthroughs in this field, further research is needed to improve the persuasiveness and authority of Mongolian medicine and medicinal materials in terms of mechanism, standardization, and safety, to promote the development of Mongolian medicine and medicinal materials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

State-of-the-art optical cavities are pivotal in pushing the envelope of laser frequency stability below 10-16. This is often achieved by extending the cavity length or cooling the system to cryogenic temperatures to reduce the thermal noise floor. In our study, we present a 30-cm-long cavity that operates at room temperature and is outfitted with crystalline coatings. The system has a predicted ultralow thermal noise floor of 4.4 × 10-17, comparable to what is observed in cryogenic silicon cavities. A 1397-nm laser is stabilized in this advanced cavity, and the stable frequency is then transferred to the clock transition in strontium optical lattice clocks via a frequency-doubling process. We have meticulously minimized and assessed the technical noise contributions through comparisons with an ultrastable reference laser that is locked to a commercially available 30-cm cavity. The frequency instability of the system is rigorously evaluated using a three-cornered-hat method. The results demonstrate that the laser frequency instability remains below 2 × 10-16 for averaging times ranging from 1 to 50 s. These findings underscore the significant potential of room-temperature cavities with crystalline coatings in high-precision metrology and pave the way for further improvements in optical lattice clocks., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)