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Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) regulate inflammation and tissue repair at mucosal sites, but whether these functions pertain to other tissues—like the kidneys—remains unclear. Here, we observed that renal fibrosis in humans was associated with increased ILC3s in the kidneys and blood. In mice, we showed that CXCR6+ ILC3s rapidly migrated from the intestinal mucosa and accumulated in the kidney via CXCL16 released from the injured tubules. Within the fibrotic kidney, ILC3s increased the expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and subsequent IL-17A production to directly activate myofibroblasts and fibrotic niche formation. ILC3 expression of PD-1 inhibited IL-23R endocytosis and consequently amplified the JAK2/STAT3/RORγt/IL-17A pathway that was essential for the pro-fibrogenic effect of ILC3s. Thus, we reveal a hitherto unrecognized migration pathway of ILC3s from the intestine to the kidney and the PD-1-dependent function of ILC3s in promoting renal fibrosis. [Display omitted] • ILC3s migrate from the gut to the injured kidney via the CXCR6-CXCL16 axis • ILC3s trigger renal fibrosis through PD-1-dependent IL-17A production • PD-1 inhibits IL-23R endocytosis on ILC3 to amplify JAK2/STAT3/RORγt/IL-17A pathway Infiltrating immune cells are important contributors to tissue fibrosis. Here, Liang et al. reveal that intestinal ILC3s migrate to the kidney via CXCR6/CXCL16 during renal fibrosis. Within the kidney, immigrated ILC3s express PD-1, which regulates IL-23 receptor endocytosis and enhances IL-17A production, thus exacerbating the fibrotic niche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotid atherosclerosis is a major cause of stroke. Hemodynamic forces, such as shear stress and oscillatory shear, play an important role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. The alteration of the immune microenvironment is the fundamental pathological mechanism by which diverse external environmental factors impact the formation and progression of plaques. However, Current research on the relationship between hemodynamics and immunity in atherosclerosis still lack of comprehensive understanding. In this study, we combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Mass cytometry (CyTOF) technologies to explore the changes in the immune microenvironment within plaques under different hemodynamic conditions. Our results indicated that neutrophils were enriched in adverse flow environments. M2-like CD163+CD86+ macrophages were predominantly enriched in high WSS and low OSI environments, while CD163-CD14+ macrophages were enriched in low WSS and high OSI environments. Functional analysis further revealed T cell pro-inflammatory activation and dysregulation in modulation, along with an imbalance in M1-like/M2-like macrophages, suggesting their potential involvement in the progression of atherosclerotic lesions mediated by adverse flow patterns. Our study elucidated the potential mechanisms by which hemodynamics regulated the immune microenvironment within plaques, providing intervention targets for future precision therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is a common pathological feature of vascular proliferative diseases, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Urotensin II (UII) and its receptor (UTR) are widely expressed in cardiovascular tissues. However, it remains unclear whether the UII/UTR system is involved in IH. Right unilateral common carotid artery ligation was performed and maintained for 21 days to induce IH in UTR knockout (UTR−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice. Histological analysis revealed that compared with WT mice, UTR-deficient mice exhibited a decreased neointimal area, angiostenosis and intima–media ratio. Immunostaining revealed fewer smooth muscle cells (SMCs), endothelial cells and macrophages in the lesions of UTR−/− mice than in those of WT mice. Protein interaction analysis suggested that the UTR may affect cell proliferation by regulating YAP and its downstream target genes. In vitro experiments revealed that UII can promote the proliferation and migration of SMCs, and western blotting also revealed that UII increased the protein expression of RhoA, CTGF, Cyclin D1 and PCNA and downregulated p-YAP protein expression, while these effects could be partly reversed by urantide. To evaluate the translational value of UTRs in IH management, WT mice were also treated with two doses of urantide, a UTR antagonist, to confirm the benefit of UTR blockade in IH progression. A high dose of urantide (600 μg/kg/day), rather than a low dose (60 μg/kg/day), successfully improved ligation-induced IH compared with that in mice receiving vehicle. The results of the present study suggested that the UII/UTR system may regulate IH partly through the RhoA-YAP signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • We found that urotensin II receptor (UTR) deficiency ameliorates ligation-induced carotid intimal hyperplasia (IH) in mice. • Cultured SMCs experiment suggested that the UII/UTR system may regulate IH partly through the RhoA-YAP signaling pathway. • Urantide, a UTR antagonist, was found that can improve IH in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a common pollutant with reproductive toxicity. Our previous study revealed that Cd triggered spermatogonia ferroptosis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) mediates ferritinophagy and specific degradation of ferritin through lysosomes, resulting in the release of ferrous ions. Excessive autophagy can lead to ferroptosis. This study investigated the role of autophagy in Cd-triggered ferroptosis using GC-1 spermatogonial (spg) cells which exposed to CdCl 2 (5 μM, 10 μM, or 20 μM) for 24 without/with CQ. The cells which transfected with Ncoa4-siRNA were used to explore the role of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in Cd-triggered ferroptosis. The results revealed that Cd caused mitochondrial swelling, rupture of cristae, and vacuolar-like changes. The Cd-treated cells exhibited more autophagosomes. Simultaneously, Cd increased intracellular iron, reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde concentrations while decreasing glutathione content and Superoxide Dismutase-2 activity. Moreover, Cd upregulated mRNA levels of ferritinophagy-associated genes (Ncoa4, Lc3b and Fth1), as well as enhanced protein expression of NCOA4, LC3B, and FTH1. While Cd decreased the mRNA and protein expression of p62/SQSTM1. These results showed that Cd caused ferritinophagy and ferroptosis. The use of chloroquine to inhibit autophagy ameliorated Cd-induced iron overload and ferroptosis. Moreover, Ncoa4 knockdown in spermatogonia significantly reduced intracellular iron concentration and alleviated Cd-triggered ferroptosis. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that Cd activates the ferritinophagy pathway mediated by NCOA4, resulting in iron accumulation through ferritin degradation. This causes oxidative stress, ultimately initiating ferroptosis in spermatogonia. Our results may provide new perspectives and potential strategies for preventing and treating Cd-induced reproductive toxicity. [Display omitted] • Cd causes iron overload and triggers ferroptosis in spermatogonia. • Cd induces ferritinophagy in spermatogonia. • CQ antagonizes against Cd-caused iron overload in spermatogonia. • NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy participates in Cd-triggered ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (EHDC) performance on Pd/U-TiO 2 catalyst is attributed to the electron-rich Pd regulated by urchin-like yolk/shell TiO 2 support, enhanced adsorption and activation of 2,4-dichlorophenol, faster mass diffusion behavior and high current efficiency toward EHDC. [Display omitted] • Pd supported on urchin-like yolk/mesoporous shell TiO 2 (Pd/U-TiO 2) is prepared. • Pd/U-TiO 2 affords high efficiency and durability in EHDC of 2,4-DCP. • Pd/U-TiO 2 affords a higher H* utilization efficiency of 48.6 % than single Pd. • U-TiO 2 support boosts the mass diffusion of 2,4-DCP around Pd nanoparticles. • The pollutant adsorption and activation are enhanced on U-TiO 2 -supported Pd. Improving the utilization of hydrogen radicals (H*) is of great significance for effective Pd-mediated electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (EHDC) in detoxifying chlorinated organic pollutants (COPs). However, the limited H* utilization by single Pd arises from its inadequate performance in adsorbing/activating COPs and inferior mass transfer of low-concentration COPs. In this study, an urchin-like yolk/shell TiO 2 spheres with mesoporous structure are developed for supporting Pd nanoparticles (Pd/U-TiO 2), which exhibits superior EHDC activity and selectivity for 2,4-DCP reduction. Notably, the prepared Pd/U-TiO 2 catalyst achieves a mass activity of 4.2 min−1 g Pd -1 and a specific activity of 1.94 min−1 mol Pd -1 when detoxifying 50 mg/L of 2,4-DCP at −0.85 V, surpassing the most reported catalysts. Furthermore, the Pd/U-TiO 2 catalyst consistently demonstrates higher H* utilization efficiency compared to single Pd, regardless of the 2,4-DCP concentration or reaction mode (batch or continuous-flow). This enhanced H* utilization efficiency is attributed to two key factors: the urchin-like and yolk/shell structure of U-TiO 2 enhances the mass diffusion of 2,4-DCP, and the strong interactions between Pd and U-TiO 2 generate electron-rich Pd species that enhance the adsorption and activation of COPs. Overall, this work highlights the synergistic effects of strong metal-support interactions and mass diffusion in enhancing atomic H* utilization. This study lays a significant experimental and theoretical foundation for designing efficient electrocatalysts for the detoxification of chlorinated organic pollutants and various other halogenated organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the modified‑sodium alginate gel beads were prepared by sol-gel method. Due to the presence of water channels in the sodium alginate gel bead, amidoxime groups and PO 4 3− were exposed to the surface of the adsorbent to the maximum extent, resulting in the excellent adsorption capacity of modified‑sodium alginate gel beads. The introduction of amidoxime-modified hydroxyapatite significantly improved the adsorption capacity and the adsorption rate of the gel beads. The adsorption capacity increased from 308.7 to 466.0 mg/g and the adsorption equilibrium time was shortened from 300 min to 120 min. The modified‑sodium alginate gel bead possessed the advantages of short adsorption time, high adsorption efficiency and large adsorption capacity, which could be regarded as a potential adsorbent for uranium. Moreover, the uranium removal ability on the modified gel beads was mainly attributed to the Coulomb force between PO 4 3− and uranium and the complexation between uranium and amidoxime groups. In summary, this work would provide a new idea for the modification and application of sodium alginate-based materials. [Display omitted] • A new sodium alginate-based gel bead was effectively created. • AO@HAP&SA was used for uranium removal with high adsorption affinity. • The saturated adsorption capacity of AO@HAP&SA reached 466.0 mg/g. • The introduction of AO groups broadened the pH usage range of SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Revealing and addressing the thermal stress issue in the literature-reported metamaterials. • Originally designed Zigzag Connection (ZC) metamaterial integrating the modulated CTE and ultra-low thermal stress. • Theoretical analysis and numerical validation of the CTE and thermal stress under various boundary conditions. • Temperature tolerance and comprehensive design to prevent the thermal failure. Mechanical Metamaterials, which integrate multi-material systems, possess the exclusive capability to modulate the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). However, the thermal stress induced by the uncoordinated deformation of multi-material seriously restricts their engineering applications under cyclic and extreme temperature variations. Here, an innovative Zigzag Connection (ZC) metamaterial is originally developed to integrate the modulated CTE and ultra-low thermal stress, in contrast to the End-to-end Connection (EC) and Side-to-side Connection (SC) metamaterials reported in the literature. The mechanism and theoretical analysis of the CTE and thermal stress are established and validated through numerical simulations. It is revealed that the EC and SC metamaterials consistently generate the high thermal stress far beyond the yield strength, while the newly designed ZC metamaterial simultaneously exhibits the modulated CTE and ultra-low thermal stress. Moreover, an Ashby plot of CTE versus thermal stress is illustrated, and the concept of temperature variation tolerance is defined to guide the comprehensive design of these metamaterials. The ZC metamaterial shows a higher temperature variation tolerance within compared with the EC and SC metamaterials. Overall, the ZC metamaterial emerges as a solution for the inherent conflict between the modulate CTE and thermal stress, highlighting its obvious superiority of applications under high-temperature environments. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the modified‑sodium alginate gel beads were prepared by sol-gel method. Due to the presence of water channels in the sodium alginate gel bead, amidoxime groups and PO 4 3− were exposed to the surface of the adsorbent to the maximum extent, resulting in the excellent adsorption capacity of modified‑sodium alginate gel beads. The introduction of amidoxime-modified hydroxyapatite significantly improved the adsorption capacity and the adsorption rate of the gel beads. The adsorption capacity increased from 308.7 to 466.0 mg/g and the adsorption equilibrium time was shortened from 300 min to 120 min. The modified‑sodium alginate gel bead possessed the advantages of short adsorption time, high adsorption efficiency and large adsorption capacity, which could be regarded as a potential adsorbent for uranium. Moreover, the uranium removal ability on the modified gel beads was mainly attributed to the Coulomb force between PO 4 3− and uranium and the complexation between uranium and amidoxime groups. In summary, this work would provide a new idea for the modification and application of sodium alginate-based materials. [Display omitted] • A new sodium alginate-based gel bead was effectively created. • AO@HAP&SA was used for uranium removal with high adsorption affinity. • The saturated adsorption capacity of AO@HAP&SA reached 466.0 mg/g. • The introduction of AO groups broadened the pH usage range of SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint molecules play a pivotal role in the initiation, regulation, and termination of immune responses. Tumor cells exploit these checkpoints to dampen immune cell function, facilitating immune evasion. Clinical interventions target this mechanism by obstructing the binding of immune checkpoints to their ligands, thereby restoring the anti-tumor capabilities of immune cells. Notably, therapies centered on immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blocking antibodies, have demonstrated significant clinical promise. However, a considerable portion of patients still encounter suboptimal efficacy and develop resistance. Recent years have witnessed an exponential surge in preclinical and clinical trials investigating novel immune checkpoint molecules such as TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT, NKG2D, and CD47, along with their respective ligands. The processes governing immune checkpoint molecules, from their synthesis to transmembrane deployment, interaction with ligands, and eventual degradation, are intricately tied to post-translational modifications. These modifications encompass glycosylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, neddylation, SUMOylation, palmitoylation, and ectodomain shedding. This discussion proceeds to provide a concise overview of the structural characteristics of several novel immune checkpoints and their ligands. Additionally, it outlines the regulatory mechanisms governed by post-translational modifications, offering insights into their potential clinical applications in immune checkpoint blockade. • Post-translational modifications of novel immune checkpoints affect their function and expression. • The structure of novel immune checkpoints and their potential post-translational modification sites offer fresh insights into the molecular mechanisms. • Post-translational modifications play a pivotal role in augmenting the clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front Cover: In article 2300643, Rong Wang and co‐workers develop a facile way of constructing thermo‐responsive hydrogel actuators based on a poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microgel cross‐linking strategy. The bilayer hydrogels show enhanced mechanical properties and tunable response rates, making them highly promising for applications of smart actuating devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front Cover: In article 2300643, Rong Wang and co‐workers develop a facile way of constructing thermo‐responsive hydrogel actuators based on a poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microgel cross‐linking strategy. The bilayer hydrogels show enhanced mechanical properties and tunable response rates, making them highly promising for applications of smart actuating devices..By Yanyu Yang; Ying Xiao; Xiang Wu; Junjie Deng; Rufang Wei; Ashuang Liu; Haiyang Chai and Rong WangReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Efforts have been made in thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process to modify the morphology of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes in order to improve their permeation performance and mechanical properties. Nevertheless, many methods not only altered the outer surface but also impacted the overall membrane structure, resulting in a trade-off between permeability and mechanical properties. In this study, we utilized a modified TIPS process to refine the outer surface morphology without altering the bulk structure. This was achieved by introducing NaCl in the coagulation bath. The PVDF membranes were fabricated using a dope with water insoluble diluent dimethyl phthalate (DMP) as main solvent and water-soluble additives polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400)/triethylene glycol (TEG) as pore formers. The inclusion of NaCl in the coagulation bath serves to decrease the solubility of PEG within this medium, owing to the salting-out effect. Consequently, the NaCl concentration in the coagulation bath emerges as a crucial factor in regulating the migration of PEG400 toward the membrane surface. This control mechanism facilitates the precise adjustment of the outer surface morphology in the fabrication of membranes. As the NaCl concentration increases in the coagulation bath, the outer surface of the fabricated membrane transited from a mesh-like structure to a spherulite structure. As 0.5 mol L−1 NaCl was added to the coagulation bath, the membranes displayed a pure water permeability of 1073.9 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 while maintaining a narrow pore size distribution. Compared to the membranes fabricated without NaCl addition, the increment of the PWP contributed to the slight increase in mean pore size from 65 nm to 84 nm. Meanwhile, the water-insoluble diluent DMP was not affected by the addition of NaCl, which means that the bulk structure of the membrane could be maintained. Consequently, the increase in permeability did not compromise the mechanical properties of the membranes. All the membranes fabricated in this study maintained a reasonable tensile strength of approximately 3 MPa. This study introduces a simple and environmental method to increase the permeability effectively and fine-tune the pore size of the TIPS membranes while having little effect on the bulk structure. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights into how changes in outer surface morphology can impact the pore size and permeability of TIPS PVDF membranes. [Display omitted] • Ultrafiltration PVDF membranes was fabricated by a modified TIPS method. • NaCl coagulation bath could control the outflow of PEG toward membrane surface. • The surface of the membranes could be fine-tuned without altering the bulk structure. • The ultrafiltration membranes present a narrow pore size distribution and high permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration of the lubrication functions of articular cartilage is an effective treatment to alleviate the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Herein, we fabricated chitosan- block -poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (CS-b-pSBMA) copolymer via a free radical polymerization of sulfobetaine methacrylate onto activated chitosan segment, structurally mimicking the lubricating biomolecules on cartilage. The successful copolymerization of CS-b-pSBMA was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. Friction test confirmed that the CS-b-pSBMA copolymer could achieve an excellent lubrication effect on artificial joint materials such as Ti6Al4V alloy with a coefficient of friction as low as 0.008, and on OA-simulated cartilage, better than the conventional lubricant hyaluronic acid, and the adsorption effect of lubricant on cartilage surface was proved by a fluorescence labeling experiment. In addition, CS-b-pSBMA lubricant possessed an outstanding stability, which can withstand enzymatic degradation and even a long-term storage up to 4 weeks. In vitro studies showed that CS-b-pSBMA lubricant had a favorable antibacterial activity and good biocompatibility. In vivo studies confirmed that the CS-b-pSBMA lubricant was stable and could alleviate the degradation process of cartilage in OA mice. This biomimetic lubricant is a promising articular joint lubricant for the treatment of OA and cartilage restoration. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive reactive oxygen species can induce aquatic animals under oxidative stress, which is implicated in various types of liver problems. Caulerpa lentillifera , a tropical macroalga, has good antioxidant property, and it might exert mitigating benefits on oxidative damage in fish liver. This study assessed the protective role of C. lentillifera supplementation against oxidative toxicity in liver of zebrafish induced by diquat and analyzed the potential physiological mechanisms. Fish (N = 400) were divided into four groups for 56 days. The normal control and diquat-exposed groups were both fed on a basal diet. The two other treatment groups had dietary supplementation with 20 and 50 g·kg−1 C. lentillifera while exposed to diquat, respectively. Growth performances, biochemical parameters, histopathology, liver metabolomics alterations, and the mRNA expression of related genes were assessed. The outcomes revealed that diquat exposure inhibited weight gain; reduced superoxide dismutase activity; and induced noticeable augmented levels of liver malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglycerides, and blood glucose. Furthermore, marked histopathological lesions in zebrafish liver were detected. A metabolomics analysis based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that exposure to diquat caused metabolite changes compared with the normal control fish. The down-regulated target of rapamycin (tor), protein kinase B (akt) and glucose transporter 2 (glut2) mRNAs were expressed in the liver injured by diquat. The dietary intervention with C. lentillifera restored the reduction in the growth, revealed a noticeable modulation in biochemical parameters, and recovered the histopathology. The group treated with 50 g·kg−1 C. lentillifera distinguished metabolic profile from the diquat-exposed group and approached the normal control one. C. lentillifera reversed the changes in diquat exposure on 14 metabolites, which were probably related to tryptophan metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. The downregulated genes produced by diquat were recovered by adding C.lentilifera to the diet. In summary, supplementation with C. lentillifera can help reduce the negative effects of oxidative stress on zebrafish liver. The current study provides clues to facilitate the understanding of oxidative damage in fish liver and suggest that C. lentillifera has promising implications as a functional ingredient in aquaculture. • Diquat exposure motivates growth retardation and liver oxidative toxicity. • Dietary Caulerpa lentillifera improves growth and mitigates liver oxidative damage. • Dietary C. lentillifera attenuates oxidative toxicity by reversing abnormal metabolic profile. • C. lentillifera is a natural promising candidate for sustaining aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Reverse IP strategy was proposed to fabricate TFC PA membranes. • Defect-free PA skin layer was constructed on hydrophobic PVDF/PTFE substrates. • The membranes exhibit excellent performance in aqueous and organic solutions. • Pure water permeances are over 11 LMH/bar with MgCl 2 rejections of over 95%. • Methanol permeances are over 3.3 LMH/bar with Congo red rejections of over 98.5%. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) porous membranes are ideal substrates for preparing thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes with improved solvent resistance. However, it remains difficult to construct PA skin layers on PVDF and PTFE substrates via conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) due to the hydrophobic nature of these materials. To address this challenge, a reverse IP process was proposed to construct a defect-free PA skin layer on PVDF and PTFE substrates, in which the hydrophobic PVDF and PTFE substrates were soaked with the organic phase to ensure uniform coverage of reacted solution on the substrates. This novel strategy can effectively tackle the issue of uneven wetting of the aqueous phase on hydrophobic substrates in the conventional IP process. The resultant TFC membranes (i.e. M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE) exhibit excellent nanofiltration (NF) performance in both aqueous and organic solutions. M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE have MgCl 2 rejections of 96.12% and 95.17%, alongside the water permeances of 12.8 LMH/bar and 11.2 LMH/bar, respectively (M rev-PTFE was activated with DMF). It is further shown that M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE could also reject 99.4% and 98.5% of Congo red in methanol solution at solvent permeances of over 3.3 LMH/bar, while they also perform excellently in other polar protic solvents. Consequently, this work opens a new window for constructing high-performance TFC PA membranes on hydrophobic substrates and expands the application of the TFC PA NF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most common oral diseases affecting millions of people worldwide is periodontitis. Usually, proteins in body fluids are used as biomarkers of diseases. This study focused on hydrogen peroxide, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and lactic acid as salivary non-protein biomarkers for oxidative stress conditions of periodontitis. Electrochemical analysis of artificial saliva was done using Gamry with increasing hydrogen peroxide, bLPS, and lactic acid concentrations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were conducted. From EIS data, change in capacitance and CV plot area were calculated for each test condition. Hydrogen peroxide groups had a decrease in CV area and an increase in percentage change in capacitance, lipopolysaccharide groups had a decrease in CV area and a decrease in percentage change in capacitance, and lactic acid groups had an increase of CV area and an increase in percentage change in capacitance with increasing concentrations. These data showed a unique combination of electrochemical properties for the three biomarkers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) employed to observe the change in the electrode surface and elemental composition data present on the sensor surface also showed a unique trend of elemental weight percentages. Machine learning models using hydrogen peroxide, LPS, and lactic acid electrochemical data were applied for the prediction of risk levels of periodontitis. The detection of hydrogen peroxide, LPS, and lactic acid by electrochemical biosensors indicates the potential to use these molecules as electrochemical biomarkers and use the data for ML-driven prediction tool for the periodontitis risk levels.Graphical Abstract: One of the most common oral diseases affecting millions of people worldwide is periodontitis. Usually, proteins in body fluids are used as biomarkers of diseases. This study focused on hydrogen peroxide, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and lactic acid as salivary non-protein biomarkers for oxidative stress conditions of periodontitis. Electrochemical analysis of artificial saliva was done using Gamry with increasing hydrogen peroxide, bLPS, and lactic acid concentrations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were conducted. From EIS data, change in capacitance and CV plot area were calculated for each test condition. Hydrogen peroxide groups had a decrease in CV area and an increase in percentage change in capacitance, lipopolysaccharide groups had a decrease in CV area and a decrease in percentage change in capacitance, and lactic acid groups had an increase of CV area and an increase in percentage change in capacitance with increasing concentrations. These data showed a unique combination of electrochemical properties for the three biomarkers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) employed to observe the change in the electrode surface and elemental composition data present on the sensor surface also showed a unique trend of elemental weight percentages. Machine learning models using hydrogen peroxide, LPS, and lactic acid electrochemical data were applied for the prediction of risk levels of periodontitis. The detection of hydrogen peroxide, LPS, and lactic acid by electrochemical biosensors indicates the potential to use these molecules as electrochemical biomarkers and use the data for ML-driven prediction tool for the periodontitis risk levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of fish species holds significant importance in aquaculture and marine biology. However, it is a challenging problem due to the high similarity among intra-genus species. Existing recognition methods primarily seek prominent features of the species. However, we believe that the diverse levels of similarity between a species and other species can also function as implicit characteristics for that specific species. Based on this perspective, we propose a dual-branch fusion network for fine-grained fish species recognition utilizing inter-species similarity. This approach consists of a backbone network and two branches for coarse- and fine-grained recognition. In the coarse-grained branch, we designed a guidance matrix and species similarity labels to facilitate the generation of species similarity information. In the fine-grained branch, features from the backbone network are fused with similarity information to achieve precise recognition. Finally, fine-tuning the neural network through loss functions. We conduct experimental validation on three publicly available fish datasets, yielding excellent accuracy outcomes. Code is available at https://github.com/xingxing317/fish_classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrafine FeCuAgCeGd–based high–entropy nanozyme (HEAzyme) was developed. • FeCuAgCeGd–based HEAzyme exhibits high POD–like activity. • The POD–like activity mechanism of FeCuAgCeGd–based HEAzyme was proposed. • FeCuAgCeGd–based HEAzyme was used as sensor for dopamine on-site detection. Point–of–care testing (POCT) plays vital role in clinic field, especially in resource–limited areas. The nanozyme–based colorimetric platform is the potential strategy for POCT. Therefore, a high–entropy allay nanozyme (HEAzyme) was prepared via formaldehyde–assisted metal–ligand crosslinking method using multi–metal (FeCuAgCeGd) species. The obtained FeCuAgCeGd–HEAzyme showed coordination nanoparticles with ultrafine size (average size was approximately 5 nm). The peroxidase–like (POD–like) activity of FeCuAgCeGd–HEAzyme was verified through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, demonstrating the capability of FeCuAgCeGd–HEAzyme to catalyze H 2 O 2 and generate hydroxyl radicals (•OH). These radicals can oxidize colorless 3,3′,5,5′–tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue oxTMB. Dopamine (DA) scavenges •OH, resulting in an "on–off" effect for TMB oxidation. Subsequently, an FeCuAgCeGd–HEAzyme colorimetric sensor was developed for DA detection, which features a low detection limit of 0.77 µM and a linear range of 5.0–70.0 µM. The sensor demonstrated a recovery ratio in spiked serum samples ranging from 97.7 % to 104.3 % with high stability and favorable selectivity. Furthermore, an FeCuAgCeGd–HEAzyme POCT platform was designed for on–site detection of DA, achieving a reliable linear detection range (5.0–70.0 µM) and a low detection limit (5.69 µM). This platform offers a facile and efficient strategy for rapid, visual, and on–site DA detection in clinical settings with advantages of cost–effectiveness and ease of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing retrieval of foliar biochemical traits via inversion of radiative transfer models is hampered by the uncertainties arising from the ill-posed problem of insufficient remote sensing information for the inversion. The use of leaf transmittance in addition to leaf reflectance in retrieving leaf traits could be a key step to alleviate this issue. To achieve this objective, our study introduces a novel theoretical framework for the simultaneous retrieval of leaf directional-hemispherical reflectance and transmittance, leveraging multi-angular optical observations at the canopy level. This framework partitions the canopy's spectral reflectance in the range of 400 nm to 2500 nm into two distinct components, each aligning with the contributions of 1st-order and multiple-order scatterings of radiation in the canopy. At a specific illumination-observation (I O) angle, these two scattering components are assumed to be determined by leaf hemispherical reflectance and scattering albedo (i.e., the sum of leaf reflectance and transmittance). The average leaf directional-hemispherical reflectance and transmittance can be estimated from combined canopy reflectance observed under different I O angles. The proposed framework was implemented using a single site data collected on August 19th, 2018, in Saihanba National Forest Park, Hebei, China. A comprehensive dataset was compiled, including hyperspectral images of a dense white birch canopy acquired at 8 different illumination-observation (I O) angles. This dataset was augmented with corresponding canopy structural traits, including leaf area index, diameter at breast height, crown radius, tree number, and domain size. Additionally, terrain features such as slope and aspect, along with leaf spectra and background spectra, were included in this extensive dataset. The geometrical-optical model GOST2 was utilized to establish the relationships between canopy reflectance and leaf reflectance and transmittance. Initially, the performance of GOST2 was evaluated, followed by the construction of a leaf spectral dataset generated by PROSPECT-D and input into GOST2 to construct the LUT. Subsequently, leaf reflectance and transmittance were estimated for different combinations of I O angles. The results demonstrated a close agreement between the canopy reflectance factors modelled by GOST2 and the observations obtained from UAV. Overall, leaf reflectance was more accurately retrieved than leaf transmittance across the entire spectrum of interest, primarily due to the significant influence of the 1st-order scattering in canopy reflectance. In the near-infrared region, where the magnitudes of 1st- and multiple-order scatterings were similar, the proposed framework produced satisfactory leaf transmittance with a relative error of <10% when compared to the measured reference data. Furthermore, the results indicated that the absolute error of model simulations should be less than half of the multiple-order scattering, which is particularly stringent for wavelengths characterized by strong absorption features. The proposed framework holds potential for reducing uncertainties in various fields, including global mappings of leaf biochemical traits. • A framework is developed for simultaneous retrieval of leaf DHR and DHT. • The framework is tested using multiangle UAV data collected over a forest. • The retrieval of leaf DHT is based on multiple scattering of the canopy. • The retrieved leaf transmittance is more reliable in near-infrared. • Including leaf transmittance can improve leaf traits estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The composite films boast superior mechanical properties over BC and CS films. • The composite films show efficient sterilization efficiency via CS and AIEgens. • The films extend beef shelf life, guiding new packaging material development. Food packaging is now widely used in everyday life to protect food from certain environmental factors. In this work, we have successfully prepared a bacterial cellulose/chitosan-TPE-COOH composite film (BC/CS-TPE), which can achieve broad-spectrum killing of bacteria through a variety of antibacterial mechanisms and ensure the freshness of the beef. In this complex film, CS acts as "advance team", responsible for breaking through the cell wall or outer membrane of bacteria, while the reactive oxygen species produced by photosensitizer under irradiation attacks bacteria, further increasing the destructive effect on the bacterial cell membrane. This allows the film to have outstanding antibacterial properties that can kill 108 CFU/mL pathogens in 10 min. At the same time, cell experiments and hemolysis experiments proved that the film has good biocompatibility. Therefore, BC/CS-TPE film, as the efficient functional food packaging film, has a broad future application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate identification of the same user across different e-commerce platforms is crucial for cross-platform recommendations. Given the complexity of the feature space of heterogeneous e-commerce platforms and the sparsity of explicit user behavior data, we propose a heterogeneous e-commerce network alignment model based on multidimensional joint representation and implicit behavior compensation. First, in response to the complexity of the feature space of heterogeneous e-commerce platforms, the UBN2vec model was constructed. The model generates independent embeddings for multidimensional features of "user attributes-behaviors-neighborhood", and integrates them using an attention mechanism. Furthermore, through joint optimization of user multidimensional features, low-rank dense user overall embedding vectors are generated, effectively representing the complex features of e-commerce users. Second, to alleviate the sparsity issue of user behavior data on an e-commerce bookstore platform, we propose a method for compensating implicit user behavior data based on item association. This method predicts potential user behavior information by mining the latent correlations between items. It effectively captures user preferences and improves alignment accuracy. Finally, to reduce the computational complexity of the user-matching process, a user interest group block indexing method based on user interest preferences is developed. This method reduces matching times among users with significantly different interests, thereby reducing the computational complexity of the heterogeneous e-commerce bookstore user alignment algorithm. Experiments show that the proposed model can accurately and efficiently identify the same user across e-commerce bookstore platforms. • A implicit behavior data compensation method based on item association is proposed. • A multi-dimensional feature joint representation model "UBN2vec" is proposed. • A block indexing method based on user interest groups is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting marine object is an attractive but challenging task in ocean exploration and conservation. Although the current popular object detection algorithms perform well in general. Because underwater images are affected by color projections and the scale of the object is usually smaller, the detection performance for marine object is not ideal. Therefore, this paper proposes an augmented weighted bidirectional feature pyramid network (AWBiFPN) that reduces the weakening of underwater image features and improves the integration efficiency of multi-scale feature, improving marine object detection performance. Specifically, this paper designs a multi-scale feature pyramid for efficient integration of feature information at all levels by combining weighted bidirectional integration pathway with designed Consistent Supervision module. Using Residual Feature Augmentation module to enhance the extraction of unchanging proportional contextual information, reduce the loss of information at the highest level of the feature map in the pyramid network and provide richer particulate characteristics for small-target detection. To scale the feature map and effectively utilize the feature information of different channels in the same spatial location, this article proposes the AWBiFPN layer, which replaces the depthwise separable convolution in the original BiFPN layer with conventional convolution. Evaluated on underwater image dataset (UTDAC), only 12 epochs are trained to 81.63% of mAP; experimented on MS COCO benchmark, achieving 37.9 AP. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the Aquarium Life dataset (AMLD) and underwater detection dataset under natural light (RUOD) are 81.41% mAP and 83.62% mAP, respectively. The results show that the method performed better not only in marine object detection but also in general class detection. • A novel feature pyramid network is proposed for marine object detection. • Three modules are designed to improve detection accuracy and efficiency. • Evaluation tests were conducted on four datasets. • Detection results of various structural designs are displayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and fabrication of integrated multifunctional probes with intrinsic catalytic and detection abilities is of great importance to simplify the operation in biosensing application with high sensitivity. Herein, dual-emitting lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs) were facilely prepared by self-assembly of guanine diphosphate (GDP), terephthalic acid (TA), Tb3+ and Cu2+ designated as Tb/Cu-GDP/TA CPs. The doped Cu2+ endowed CPs with obviously enhanced peroxidase mimicking activity compared with free Cu2+. In the presence of H2O2, the probe catalyzed the oxidation of TA generating a new blue fluorescent product, while the fluorescence of Tb3+ decreased simultaneously. Therefore, a new sensitive ratiometric fluorescent sensor for H2O2 has been developed with a good linear range from 0.01 to 300 μM and limit of 1.62 nM. Moreover, the proposed platform could be extended to GSH ratiometric assay in the presence of H2O2, and interestingly, the detection performance could be easily adjusted by adding different concentration of H2O2. This work will facilitate the development of luminescent nanoenzymes based on Ln-CPs to construct the simple ratiomatric sensing platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening emergency that can occur at any time or place. Whether traumatic, congenital, surgical, disease-related, or drug-induced, bleeding can lead to severe complications or death. Therefore, the development of efficient hemostatic materials is critical. However, the results and prognosis demonstrated by clinical means of hemostasis do not reach expectations. With the development of technology, novel hemostatic materials have been developed from polysaccharides (chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate, cellulose, cyclodextrins, starch, dextran, and carrageenan), peptides (self-assembling peptides), and proteins (silk fibroin, collagen, gelatin, keratin, and thrombin). These new materials exhibit high hemostatic efficacy due to the enhancement or interaction of various hemostatic mechanisms. The main forms include adhesives, sealants, bandages, hemostatic powders, and hemostatic sponges. This article introduces the clotting process and principles of hemostatic methods and reviews the research on polysaccharide-, peptide-, and protein-based hemostatic materials in the last five years. The design ideas and hemostatic principles of polysaccharide-, peptide-, and protein-based hemostatic materials are mainly introduced. Finally, we summarize material designs, advantages, disadvantages, and challenges regarding hemostatic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coupling AHC and SHAW models simulates year-round agro-hydrological processes in cold arid areas. • Coupled model performance was evaluated with two-year field experiments. • The impacts of various irrigation and groundwater management strategies were assessed. • Appropriate irrigation and groundwater management strategies for farmland were suggested. Quantitatively assessing the impact of irrigation and groundwater management strategies is crucial for improving water productivity and soil salinity control in cold arid areas with shallow groundwater tables (CAASGT). However, existing studies often focus on specific periods, either the crop growth period or the freeze–thaw period, due to the lack of appropriate models that can accurately represent both soil freeze–thaw and crop growth processes. This limited focus results in incomplete year-round insights, given the significant differences and interactions in hydrological processes during these two periods. In this study, we coupled the agro-hydrological model (i.e., the AHC model) and the cold region hydrological model (i.e., the SHAW model) to simulate the year-round agro-hydrological processes and crop growth in CAASGT. The coupled model was rigorously calibrated and validated using two years of field experiment data collected from a maize field in the upper Yellow River basin (YRB). Subsequently, the validated model was employed to analyze the effect of different irrigation and groundwater management scenarios on crop yield, soil salinity, and water productivity in two hydrological years (dry and wet years). Results indicated that increasing groundwater depth was beneficial for soil salinity control in all scenarios but reduced maize yield at low irrigation levels. Autumn irrigation proves essential for soil salinity control, with reducing the irrigation amount in autumn irrigation period having a more significant impact on maize yield than that in growing season. Additionally, soil thawing time significantly affects soil salt accumulation and crop yield, with earlier thawing time leading to more severe salt accumulation at the end of the freeze–thaw period, restraining maize seedling growth and decreasing maize yield. These results are expected to offer year-round insights into improving water productivity and soil salinity control in CAASGT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we proposed an innovative application of porcine immunoglobulin G (IgG)-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 (IgG-Fe 3 O 4) specifically designed to target and capture Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In addition, aminophenylboronic acid-modified tetraphenylethylene nanoparticles (APBA-TPE NPs) were utilized, establishing a sandwich-type dual recognition system via interactions with the bacteria's extracellular glycolipids. This approach enables highly sensitive and precise detection of bacterial presence, with a limit of detection (LOD) reaching down to 5.0 CFU/mL. Specifically, the prepared APBA-TPE NPs achieved 99.99% bacterial inactivation within 60 min at a concentration of 200 µg/mL. The results showed that APBA-TPE NPs possess a remarkable capacity for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which could attack the bacterial cell membrane, leading to bacterial lysis and content leakage, and ultimately to bacterial death. Furthermore, the material still showed good recoveries ranging from 88.5% to 93.5% in actual water samples, as well as a favorable sterilizing effect of killing all microorganisms for 60 min. This research provides new strategies and insights into the construction of methods for the specific capture, detection, and inactivation of S. aureus. [Display omitted] • Provides dual identification of S. aureus with LOD as low as 5.0 CFU/mL. • Superior photocatalytic activity of APBA-TPE NPs in inactivating S. aureus. • Efficient detection and sterilization in actual water samples is still possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Shrub - grassland ecotone acts as a net CO 2 sink, with the maximum NEE occurring in July. • Shrub - grassland ecotone degradation diminishes the carbon sequestration capacity, and grazing exclusion enhanced carbon sequestration capacity, particularly in heavily degraded ecotone. • Soil moisture and soil temperature are pivotal drivers influencing NEE. • NEE was negatively correlated with soil temperature during April to June and September to October, but was positively correlated with soil temperature during July to August. • NEE displays a consistent negative correlation with soil moisture during April to October. Grassland degradation is a prevalent issue at the interface of shrubland and grassland ecosystems, particularly susceptible to environmental changes. To counteract the degradation, grazing exclusion has been proposed as a dominant restoration strategy on the Tibetan plateau, the world's largest and highest plateau. However, the impact of degradation and subsequent restoration on the carbon dynamics consist of carbon sink / source capacity of shrub-grassland ecotones remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, using a transparent chamber (0.8 m in length × 0.8 m in width × 0.6 m in height) attached to an infrared gas analyzer, the in situ field investigation was performed to measure the gross ecosystem primary productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (Re), net ecosystem CO 2 exchange (NEE), and environmental factors over a four-year continuous period in lightly and heavily degraded shrub-grassland ecotones during recover process on the Tibetan Plateau. Our result showed that: 1). Shrub-grassland ecotone acts as a net CO 2 sink, with the maximum NEE occurring in July during the growing season. 2). Ecotone degradation diminishes the carbon sequestration capacity. Specifically, the annual GEP, Re, and NEE rates decrease by 14.1 %, 7.3 %, and 27.2 %, respectively, in the heavily degraded ecotone compared to the lightly degraded counterpart. 3). Grazing exclusion positively influenced the carbon sequestration capacity, particularly in heavily degraded ecotone, which leads to a substantial increase in the annual GEP, Re, and NEE rates of 15.4 % and 33.4 %, 12.3 % and 20.9 %, 22.25 % and 64.9 % for lightly and heavily degraded ecotones, respectively. 4). A piecewise structural equation model reveals that soil moisture and soil temperature are pivotal drivers influencing NEE. 5) Correlation analysis shows that NEE was negatively correlated with soil temperature during April to June and September to October but was positively correlated with soil temperature during July to August. In contrast, NEE displays a consistent negative correlation with soil moisture throughout the growing season. This research provides new insights on grassland degradation and restoration for carbon sequestration in alpine shrub-grassland ecotones and highlights their implications for sustainable management of alpine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane fouling in organic solvent environments remains poorly explored despite its significance in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This study uses molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments to explore lysozyme fouling in water, as well as four organic solvent environments, namely, 30 % v/v and 50 % v/v isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and 30 % v/v and 50 % v/v dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Experimentally, flux declines were least with IPA and worst with DMSO. Biased simulations indicate the worst fouling in DMSO is tied to the most attractive lysozyme-membrane energy in the presence of DMSO. However, the relative attractive energies for IPA and water do not agree with the relative flux declines, indicating other factors are more influential when the interaction energies are similar. To understand the gentler flux decline for IPA despite the more attractive lysozyme-membrane energy, radial distribution functions (RDFs) were obtained from unbiased simulations. Analyss of the water and solvent films around both the membrane and the lysozyme molecule reveal that the denser water film around both entities induced by the presence of IPA serves as a barrier for fouling and thus leads to less flux decline. The results underscore the complexity of fouling in organic solvent systems, cautioning against direct use of the understanding based on aqueous systems. [Display omitted] • Membrane fouling by lysozyme in water, IPA and DMSO studied. • Flux decline worst in DMSO and least in IPA. • Worst fouling in DMSO tied to most significant lysozyme-membrane attraction. • Least fouling in IPA tied to denser water film around membrane and lysozyme. • Both biased and unbiased molecular dynamics simulations needed for full explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Asthma aggravates the spatial learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice. • Asthma aggravates AD pathology and cognitive impairment of APP/PS1 mice via upregulation of NF-kB inflammatory pathway. • Montelukast relieves cognitive impairment and neuroinflammatory damage in AD aggravated by asthma. Clinical studies have shown that asthma is a risk factor for dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD). To investigate whether asthma aggravates AD in APP/PS1 mice and explore the potential mechanisms, an asthma model was established using six-month-old APP/PS1 mice, and montelukast was used as a therapeutic agent in APP/PS1 mice with asthma. The Morris water maze test showed that asthma aggravates spatial learning and memory abilities. Asthma also upregulates the NF-κB inflammatory pathway in APP/PS1 mice and promotes the expression of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, neuronal damage, synaptic plasticity deficiency, activation of microglia and astrocytes. The level of LTD4 and its receptor CysLT1R in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice after the asthma modeling was established was higher than that in APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that asthma may affect the pathology of AD through LTD4 and its receptor Cys-LT1R. Montelukast ameliorates these pathological changes and cognitive impairment. These results suggest that asthma aggravates AD pathology and cognitive impairment of APP/PS1 mice via upregulation of the NF-κB inflammatory pathway, and montelukast ameliorates these pathological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GDF-15 expression was increased in response to high-glucose stimulation. • Overexpression of GDF-15 can inhibit activation of NF-κB. • GDF-15 mediates nuclear translocation of NF-κB through IKK and IκB. • GDF-15 mediates the expression of NEDD4L. • NEDD4L is involved in GDF-15 mediated inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Podocyte inflammatory injury has been indicated to play a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the pathogenesis of inflammation remains unclear. Recent researches have shown that GDF-15, a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, were elevated under pathological conditions, such as myocardial ischemia, cancer, as well as inflammation. Here, we demonstrated that GDF-15 could alleviate podocyte inflammatory injury by modulating the NF-κB pathway. GDF-15 and other pro-inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were upregulated in the serum of HFD/STZ rat models. GDF-15 was also elevated in diabetic glomeruli and hyperglycemic stimuli treated-podocytes. The silence of GDF-15 in HG-stimulated podocytes further augmented inflammation and podocyte injury, while overexpression of GDF-15 significantly reduced the inflammatory response in podocytes. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that GDF-15 could inhibit the nuclear translocation of NF-κB through IKK and IκBα by interaction with ubiquitin ligase NEDD4L. Taken together, our data suggested a protective mechanism of elevated GDF-15 in DN through obstruction of ubiquitin degradation of IKK by inhibiting NEDD4L expression, thus decreasing the activation of NF-κB and relieving the inflammation. GDF-15 could serve as a potential therapeutic target for DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of the periodontium caused by a persistent bacterial infection, resulting in destruction of the supporting structures of teeth. Analysis of microbial composition in saliva can inform periodontal status. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and Streptococcus mutans (Sm) are among reported periodontal pathogens, and were used as model systems in this study. Our atomic force microscopic (AFM) study revealed that these pathogens are biological nanorods with dimensions of 0.6–1.1 μm in length and 500–700 nm in width. Current bacterial detection methods often involve complex preparation steps and require labeled reporting motifs. Employing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), we revealed cell-type specific Raman signatures of these pathogens for label-free detection. It overcame the complexity associated with spectral overlaps among different bacterial species, relying on high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) spectra carefully collected from pure species samples. To enable simple, rapid, and multiplexed detection, we harnessed advanced machine learning techniques to establish predictive models based on a large set of raw spectra of each bacterial species and their mixtures. Using these models, given a raw spectrum collected from a bacterial suspension, simultaneous identification of all three species in the test sample was achieved at 95.6 % accuracy. This sensing modality can be applied to multiplex detection of a broader range and a larger set of periodontal pathogens, paving the way for hassle-free detection of oral bacteria in saliva with little to no sample preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ab-oriented amorphous Zn-based nanocomposites are produced for nanolabels. • A powerful CAbD strategy is raised by innovatively integrating three elements. • A mLFIA mediated by CAbD strategy was constructed for monitoring of SEMI and AOZ. • The CAbD strategy can be a universal and scatheless mAb 1 orientation approach. • The CAbD strategy reduces mAb 1 consumption and enhances the sensitivity of mLFIA. The quantity and orientation of antibodies are key elements affecting the bioactivity of immunoprobes, which have important influences on the sensitivity and specificity of immuno-biosensors. In this work, a multiplex lateral flow immunoassay (mLFIA) mediated by a powerful cascaded antibody directionality (CAbD) strategy was constructed for the simultaneous monitoring of nitrofurazone and furazolidone metabolites in food samples. Here the CAbD strategy innovatively integrated three elements: antibody staining by Coomassie brilliant blue R-250, directional anchoring of second antibodies (Ab 2) by the amorphous ZnO-based nanocomposites (ZnO-CBB-Ab 2 , ZnO-NCMs), and orientation of detection antibodies (mAb 1) by the Ab 2. The ZnO-NCMs play a double role in antibody orientation and signaling to exhibit. Thanks to the difference in surface electrical properties of Fc and Fab segments in immunoglobulin G, the excessive R-250 stained Ab 2 was anchored in ZnO-NCMs to form a multi-detection signal tag with colorimetric signal brightness. Compared with immobilization strategies of directly directional anchor-hold or post-adsorption of mAb 1 , this strategy can reduce the mAb 1 consumption, better ensure the activity and utilization efficiency of mAb 1 , and shorten the construction time of the mLFIA system. As expected, the mLFIA is given satisfactory performances with a calculated sensitivity of 0.106 and 0.060 ng mL−1 for nitrofurazone and furazolidone metabolites, respectively. The developed multiplex immunosensor ultimately shows its application potential for point-of-care testing by performing well in fish and honey samples with accredited recoveries. It's worth emphasizing that the CAbD strategy can be a universal and scatheless antibody-directed approach, especially in multiplex immunoassays for ultrasensitive food safety monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior performance of Pd/YS-TiN nanoreactor in electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination is attributed to the synergistic mechanism between strong metal-support interactions and enhanced mass transfer during the reaction enrichment process. [Display omitted] • Pd-loaded yolk-shell structured TiN spheres (Pd/YS-TiN) are designed as nanoreactor. • Pd/YS-TiN nanoreactor affords high efficiency and durability in EHDC of 2,4-DCP. • Pd/YS-TiN affords higher dechlorination degree and current density than single Pd. • Pd/YS-TiN boosts the 2,4-DCP enrichment by mass diffusion around Pd surface. • Electron-enriched Pd weak the product adsorption by strong metal-support interactions. Enhancing the enrichment behavior of low-concentration chlorinated organic pollutants remains a significant challenge in electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (EHDC) technology. Metal-loaded hollow nanoarchitecture has emerged as a promising nanoreactor to improve reaction enrichment behavior because of its tailorable microenvironments and electronic properties. Herein, a structural engineering strategy is developed to synthesize yolk-shell structured TiN spheres supported Pd nanoreactors (Pd/YS-TiN) with confined mesoscopic spaces. Characterization by multiple techniques reveals that the yolk-shell structure of YS-TiN, with high specific surface area (139.0 m2/g) and appropriately mesoporosity (6.9 nm), exposes numerous Pd nanoparticles (∼4.0 nm) on outer/inner surface of the shell and yolk-core solid sphere, ensuring an efficient utilization of active sites for enhancing the 2,4-DCP detoxification. Consequently, the structurally optimized Pd/YS-TiN nanoreactor consistently displays maximum reaction kinetics, dechlorination degree, faradaic current density, H* utilization and product selectivity, surpassing hollow TiN-supported Pd and Pd/C catalysts. The super EHDC performance of 91.8 % 2,4-DCP conversion, a specific activity of 1.68 min−1 mol Pd −1, and a mass activity of 6.06 min−1 g Pd −1 is obtained at −0.85 V and 180 min, outperforming most reported catalysts. Combining experimental and density functional theory results, the exceptional reaction enrichment behavior of Pd/YS-TiN originates from (1) alleviating the overstrong adsorption of product phenol through strong metal-support interactions and (2) enhancing mass transport efficiency facilitated by the local concentration gradient and mesoporous shell. This study elucidates how metal-support interactions and mass transport synergistically enhance reaction enrichment behavior, showcasing potential benefits in environmental remediation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper reports on calculation of dislocation density in 200 mm SiC crystal grown by PVT method. • Numerical study based on a model was carried out for modeling of dislocation density. • Evolution of crystal growth interfaces were captured using a dynamic mesh technique. Physical vapor transport (PVT) is the dominant method for growing 200 mm SiC crystals, and the crystals produced by this method still have dislocations, which affect the performance of the device. In this study, the finite element analysis of 200 mm SiC crystal growth has been conducted to investigate the influencing parameters on the dislocation density. The calculations are based on the model of multiple resistance heating. The transient heat transfer for the crystal growth is first calculated. A dynamic mesh technique is then employed to consider the shape evolution of the crystal during the growth. Finally, the distributions of the internal stress and dislocation density have been calculated based on the Alexander-Haasen model. The comparison among different parameters provides guidance for reducing the thermal stress and dislocation density in the 200 mm SiC crystal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, two types of phosphors, Cs 3 GdGe 3 O 9 :Er3+ and Cs 3 GdGe 3 O 9 :Yb3+/Er3+, were synthesized using the high-temperature solid-state method, and a new role for Yb3+ was successfully achieved. The presence of low phonon energy in the matrix and the low energy level mismatch between the 2F 5/2 and the 4I 11/2 enables the construction of a phonon-assisted channel between Yb3+ and Er3+ through doping with Yb3+ ions. This channel overcomes thermal quenching and achieves thermal enhancement at high temperatures. Additionally, Yb3+ increases the chance of non-radiative transition within the matrix, effectively converting the 980 nm laser into heat energy. This leads to a significant change in the surface temperature of the sample, greatly improving the photothermal conversion efficiency. Moreover, Yb3+ greatly enhances the emission intensity of green light, resulting in a maximum relative sensitivity of 1.11 % K−1 for temperature measurements in the Er3+ single-doped system and 1.28 % K−1 in the Yb3+/Er3+ co-doped system, based on the Er3+ thermally coupled energy level. These results demonstrate that this paper provides a new idea for materials to overcome thermal quenching and improve the efficiency of photothermal conversion and temperature sensing performance. The novel role of Yb3+ has been intensively investigated in Cs 3 GdGe 3 O 9 , where Yb3+ can act as a phonon-assisted channel linker for thermal enhancement, as a heat collector of importance for photothermal therapy, and to improve the performance of temperature measurements based on the thermal coupling energy level of Er3+. [Display omitted] • Other novel roles for Yb3+ are explored for the first time. • Enables thermal enhancement at high temperatures, providing a novel strategy for overcoming thermal quenching. • The photothermal conversion efficiency of the sample is improved by Yb3+, which is important for photothermal therapy. • Improved temperature measurement performance based on Er3+ thermally coupled energy levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel magnetic macroporous chitin microsphere (MMCM) was developed for enzyme immobilization. Chitin nanofibers were prepared and subsequently subjected to self-assembly with magnetic nanoparticles and PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate). Following this, microspheres were formed through spray drying, achieving a porous structure through etching. The MMCM serves as an effective support for immobilizing enzymes, allowing for their covalent immobilization both on the microsphere's surface and within its pores. The substantial surface area resulting from the porous structure leads to a 2.1-fold increase in enzyme loading capacity compared to non-porous microspheres. The MMCM enhances stability of the immobilized enzymes under various pH and temperature conditions. Furthermore, after 20 days of storage at 4 °C, the residual activity of the immobilized enzyme was 2.93 times that of the free enzyme. Even after being recycled 10 times, the immobilized enzyme retained 56.7 % of its initial activity. It's noteworthy that the active sites of the enzymes remained unchanged after immobilization using the MMCM, and kinetic analysis revealed that the affinity of the immobilized enzymes rivals that of the free enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• miR-181d-5p expression was downregulated in PBMCs of LN patients and MRL/lpr mice. • miR-181d-5p can directly target binding to MAPK8. • Overexpression of miR-181d-5p inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 and p44/42 in the THP-1 cells. • Overexpression of miR-181d-5p elevated THP-1 cell viability and decreased the inflammatory response. • Overexpression of miR-181d-5p decreased antinuclear antibodies and fibrosis levels in MRL/lpr mice. Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common immune disease. The microRNA (miR)-181d-5p is a potential target for treating kidney injury. However, the therapeutic role of miR-181d-5p in LN has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-181d-5p in targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8) and stimulating the MAPK signaling pathway in LN. RT-qPCR was performed to identify the variations in miR-181d-5p expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 42 LN patients, 30 healthy individuals, 6 MRL/lpr mice and 6 C57BL/6 mice. Western blot was used to detect the effect of miR-181d-5p on the MAPK signaling pathway in THP-1 cells and MRL/lpr mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to detect the effect of miR-181d-5p on antinuclear antibodies and inflammatory factors. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify whether miR-181d-5p directly targets MAPK8. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate apoptosis rates in transfected THP-1 cells. miR-181d-5p expression was downregulated in PBMCs of LN patients (P < 0.01) and MRL/lpr mice (P < 0.05). A dual luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-181d-5p inhibits MAPK8 (P < 0.01). Overexpression of miR-181d-5p inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 (P < 0.001) and p44/42 (P < 0.01). Moreover, miR-181d-5p decreased the apoptosis rate of THP-1 cells (P < 0.001), and reduced the secretion of IL-6 (P < 0.01) and TNF-α (P < 0.01). Furthermore, overexpression of miR-181d-5p decreased anti-dsDNA antibody (P < 0.05), anti-Sm antibody (P < 0.01), and fibrosis levels in MRL/lpr mice. Upregulation of miR-181d-5p showed anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects on THP-1 cells in vitro and kidney injury in vivo. These effects were achieved by miR-181d-5p targeting MAPK8 to inhibit phosphorylation of p38 and p44/42. These results may offer new insights for improving therapeutic strategies against lupus nephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel magnetic macroporous chitin microsphere (MMCM) was developed for enzyme immobilization. Chitin nanofibers were prepared and subsequently subjected to self-assembly with magnetic nanoparticles and PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate). Following this, microspheres were formed through spray drying, achieving a porous structure through etching. The MMCM serves as an effective support for immobilizing enzymes, allowing for their covalent immobilization both on the microsphere's surface and within its pores. The substantial surface area resulting from the porous structure leads to a 2.1-fold increase in enzyme loading capacity compared to non-porous microspheres. The MMCM enhances stability of the immobilized enzymes under various pH and temperature conditions. Furthermore, after 20 days of storage at 4 °C, the residual activity of the immobilized enzyme was 2.93 times that of the free enzyme. Even after being recycled 10 times, the immobilized enzyme retained 56.7 % of its initial activity. It's noteworthy that the active sites of the enzymes remained unchanged after immobilization using the MMCM, and kinetic analysis revealed that the affinity of the immobilized enzymes rivals that of the free enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is highly desirable in achieving biomass conversion. Generally, there are two strategies to enhance the electrocatalyst's activity: increasing the number of active site or increasing the intrinsic activity of each active site. Compared with the latter, the former is usually ignored in the HMF oxidation reaction (HMFOR), but it is very critical for practical applications. Herein, we fabricate a self-supporting three-dimensional porous Co 3 O 4 nanobelt array decorated on nickel foam (P-Co 3 O 4 -NBA@NF) electrode with numerous active sites. Benefiting from the unique structural feature, P-Co 3 O 4 -NBA@NF electrode demonstrates nearly 100% of HMF conversion efficiency, 96.9% of FDCA selectivity, and 97.0% of Faraday efficiency. Notably, it can also deliver remarkable long-term stability over 30 continuous cycles. These exceptional features position P-Co 3 O 4 -NBA@NF as one of the promising electrocatalysts reported thus far for HMFOR. [Display omitted] • Increasing the number of active site is very critical for practical electrocatalytic applications. • P-Co 3 O 4 -NBA@NF electrode is a promising HMFOR electrocatalyst. • The array architecture facilitates the electron/mass transfer during HMFOR. • The pores in Co 3 O 4 nanobelt expose abundant number of active site beneficial for HMFOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze a severe adverse reaction of pulmonary fibrosis induced by dronedarone hydrochloride tablets, and to provide a reference for clinical rational medication through drug precautions. A case of pulmonary fibrosis induced by dronedarone hydrochloride tablets, along with related literature was retrospectively analyzed. Patients over 65 years old with a history of exposure to amiodarone may increase the incidence of pulmonary toxicity induced by dronedarone, and dronedarone should not be selected as a substitute treatment drug for patients with amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity. It is recommended that clinicians monitor the diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide and lung ventilation function of patients before and after using dronedarone for treatment. For patients with a history of amiodarone exposure, intermittent monitoring of chest X-rays and lung function is necessary. If lung function decreases, dronedarone should be immediately discontinued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various strategies can be employed to prevent and manage altitude illnesses, including habituation, oxygenation, nutritional support, and medication. Nevertheless, the utilization of drugs for the prevention and treatment of hypoxia is accompanied by certain adverse effects. Consequently, the quest for medications that exhibit minimal side effects while demonstrating high efficacy remains a prominent area of research. In this context, it is noteworthy that free radical scavengers exhibit remarkable anti-hypoxia activity. These scavengers effectively eliminate excessive free radicals and mitigate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby safeguarding the body against oxidative damage induced by plateau hypoxia. In this review, we aim to elucidate the pathogenesis of plateau diseases that are triggered by hypoxia-induced oxidative stress at high altitudes. Additionally, we present a range of free radical scavengers as potential therapeutic and preventive approaches to mitigate the occurrence of common diseases associated with hypoxia at high altitudes. [Display omitted] • Free radical scavengers are widely recognized as a treatment for high-altitude hypoxia and oxidative stress. • Free radical scavengers alleviate oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions caused by hypoxia at high altitudes. • Free radical scavengers improve the balance of oxidation-reduction in the body. • Free radical scavengers have broad applications in the treatment of high-altitude hypoxia. • Free radical scavengers bring new hope for the relief of diseases related to altitude sickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to suffering the thermal and mechanical loadings simultaneously, metamaterials integrating with the customizable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and high mechanical performances are desirable to ensure the thermal and structural stabilities in engineering devices. Hence, various multi-phase metamaterials with programmable CTEs and mechanical performances were developed. Specifically, inspired by the mixture of multiple phases in composites and the rigid rotations of framework structures in materials with negative CTE, a typical pyramid unit was introduced. Additionally, two series of metamaterials were systematically designed, which were constructed in batches from different units through the matrix transformation method. The CTEs of the metamaterials were theoretically established and analyzed. Besides, mechanical performances, including relative density, stiffness and strength were also calculated and discussed. The results suggest that the directionality and magnitude of CTEs are determined by the constructing principle of multi-fold rotations. In addition, the large ranges of programmable CTEs and high load-bearing capacity are available in the devised metamaterials by reasonably modulating the geometrical parameters. The thermal expansion and mechanical performances of the metamaterials could be synchronously programmed. The diversity of the phase configurations and geometrical architectures in the metamaterials offers the opportunity to satisfy manifold requirements in different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most commercially available eye-tracking devices rely on video cameras and image processing algorithms to track gaze. Despite this, emerging technologies are entering the field, making high-speed, cameraless eye-tracking more accessible. In this study, a series of tests were conducted to compare the data quality of MEMS-based eye-tracking glasses (AdHawk MindLink) with three widely used camera-based eye-tracking devices (EyeLink Portable Duo, Tobii Pro Glasses 2, and SMI Eye Tracking Glasses 2). The data quality measures assessed in these tests included accuracy, precision, data loss, and system latency. The results suggest that, overall, the data quality of the eye-tracking glasses was lower compared to that of a desktop EyeLink Portable Duo eye-tracker. Among the eye-tracking glasses, the accuracy and precision of the MindLink eye-tracking glasses were either higher or on par with those of Tobii Pro Glasses 2 and SMI Eye Tracking Glasses 2. The system latency of MindLink was approximately 9 ms, significantly lower than that of camera-based eye-tracking devices found in VR goggles. These results suggest that the MindLink eye-tracking glasses show promise for research applications where high sampling rates and low latency are preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urinary extracellular vesicles miRNAs' expression pattern of RCC patients was examined. • uEV miR-135b-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-200c-3p, and miR-203a-3p were upregulated in RCC patients. • A three-uEV miRNA panel could discriminate RCC patients from controls with the AUC of 0.785. • An uEV-miRNA panel could also distinguish early-stage RCC patients with the AUC of 0.786. The potential of urinary-derived extracellular vesicle (uEV) microRNAs (miRNAs) as noninvasive molecular biomarkers for identifying early-stage renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients is rarely explored. The present study aims to explore the possibility of uEV miRNAs as novel molecular biomarkers for distinguishing early-stage RCC. uEVs were extracted by ExoQuick-TC™ kit and miRNA concentrations were measured by RT-qPCR. ROC curves and bioinformatics analysis were employed to predict the diagnostic efficacy and regulatory mechanisms of dysregulated miRNAs. Through a multiphase case-control study on uEV miRNAs screening, training, and validation in RCC cells (ACHN, Caki-1) and control cells (HK-2) and in uEVs of 125 RCC patients and 128 age- and sex-matched controls, we successfully identified four uEVs miRNAs (miR-135b-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-200c-3p, and miR-203a-3p) were significantly and stably upregulated in RCC in vitro and in vivo. When adjusted with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the AUC of the three-uEV miRNA panel (miR-135b-5p, miR-200c-3p, and miR-203a-3p) was 0.785 (95 % CI = 0.729–0.842, P < 0.0001) for discriminating RCC patients from controls. Notably, this panel exhibited similar performance in distinguishing early-stage (stage Ⅰ) RCC patients, with an AUC of 0.786 (95 %CI = 0.727–0.844, P < 0.0001). Bioinformatics analysis predicted that candidate miRNAs were involved in cancer progressing. Our study identified a four uEV miRNAs panel (miR-135b-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-200c-3p, and miR-203a-3p) may serve as an auxiliary noninvasive indication of early-stage RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]