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To identify and compare the rates of cannula-associated deep vein thrombosis (CaDVT) in patients on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) who receive systemic anticoagulation (AC) and those who do not receive AC. Retrospective observational study. Tertiary academic medical center. Consecutive patients who successfully have been decannulated from VV-ECMO for treatment of refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome between 2017 and 2022. None. After decannulation of ECMO, a duplex sonograph was performed on the cannulation sites to determine the incidence and characteristics of cannula-related thrombosis. Thrombosis was classified as occlusive or nearly occlusive. Ninety-four of 161 patients were weaned from VV-ECMO. Nineteen patients who were placed on VV-ECMO due to COVID-19 were excluded. Twenty-seven of 52 patients (52%) who did not receive AC were identified to have thrombus. Twelve of 23 patients (52%) who received AC were identified to have thrombus. Patients who received AC required more blood products during the ECMO run and required longer support on VV-ECMO. This study showed a high incidence of cannula-related venous thrombosis after VV-ECMO decannulation. Surprisingly, the incidence of CaDVT in anticoagulation-free patients was the same as in patients requiring anticoagulation. Anticoagulated patients required longer support on VV-ECMO and required more transfusions. Routine post-decannulation screening for DVT is recommended due to the high incidence of CaDVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remotely located offshore wind farms (OWFs) are usually in unmanned operation, and are severely at risk from accidental or deliberate man-made damages, such as cable faults caused by vessel anchoring. In this work, a proactive alarming and interception method utilising unmanned surface vehicles (USV) is proposed to prevent suspect vessels from intruding OWF areas and damaging the assets. More specifically, the vessel intrusion interception system keeps monitoring the motion of surrounding vessels and assessing their potential intrusive risks. When a suspect intruder is identified, USV will be automatically deployed to proactively intercept the target vessel with an alarming and expelling system. In particular, a risk assessment model based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method (EWM) is established to predict the potential intrusive risk, and an improved fast marching square (FMS) algorithm is designed for USV path planning to guarantee dynamic and reliable vessel interception. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, case studies have been conducted for the Zhejiang Jiaxing 2 OWF with authentic vessel traffic data. Results indicate that the proposed risk assessment model based on AHP-EMW is able to correctly predict the potential intrusion risk in various scenarios, and the improved FMS path planning algorithm with multi-objective optimisation is capable of providing both efficient and safe trajectories for USV interception. • An intrusive vessel interception system for offshore wind farm asset protection. • An intrusive risk assessment model is established for different types of vessels. • A multi-objective optimisation path planning framework is developed for interception. • Effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified with authentic AIS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O3-type layered oxide cathodes are primarily limited by complex phase transitions and sluggish kinetics resulting in rapid capacity drop and poor rate capability. Even worse, its inherent air sensitivity leads to spontaneous extraction of lattice Na-ions and the deactivation of the cathode. Simultaneous modification of both the bulk phase and the surface structure is promising to offset the above deficiencies. A spinel@O3 type layered composite structure Na 0.9 Mn 0.5 Ni 0.5 Cu 0.1 O 2+x (NMNCO-SL) was constructed for the design of cathodes with higher cycling, rate and air stability. The atomic-level Cu-rich spinel structure on the surface was identified by scanning transmission electron microscopy, elemental linear scanning analysis and Raman spectra. In situ charge-discharge X-ray diffraction results show that the phase transition of NMNCO-SL is significantly suppressed. Finally, the material maintains good electrochemical properties after exposure to stringent humidity environments. The results indicate that the spinel structure at the surface plays a significant role in improving ion-diffusion dynamics, enhancing structural integrity, and increasing air stability. 1 Ah pouch cell based on NMNCO-SL showed 92% capacity retention after 500 cycles of charge/discharge cycling at 1 C, demonstrating the potential prospects of customizing the surface phase structure for materials engineering applications. [Display omitted] • The Cu-rich spinel structure on the surface plays a role in enhancing structural integrity and increasing air stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), known for their health risks, are prevalent in the environment, with the coking industry being a major source of their emissions. To bridge the knowledge gap concerning the relationship between environmental and dietary PAH exposure, we explore this complex interplay by investigating the dietary exposure characteristics of 24 PAHs within a typical Chinese coking plant and their association with environmental pollution. Our research revealed Nap and Fle as primary dietary contaminants, emphasizing the significant influence of soil and atmospheric pollution on PAH exposure. We subjected our data to non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), Spearman correlation analysis, Lasso regression, and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression to delve into this multifaceted phenomenon. NMDS reveals that dietary PAH exposure, especially within the high molecular weight (HMW) group, is common both within and around the coking plant. This suggests that meals prepared within the plant may be contaminated, posing health risks to coking plant workers. Furthermore, our assessment of dietary exposure risk highlights Nap and Fle as the primary dietary contaminants, with BaP and DahA raising concerns due to their higher carcinogenic potential. Our findings indicate that dietary exposure often exceeds acceptable limits, particularly for coking plant workers. Correlation analyses uncover the dominant roles of soil and atmospheric pollution in shaping dietary PAH exposure. Soil contamination significantly impacts specific PAHs, while atmospheric pollution contributes to others. Additionally, WQS regression emphasizes the substantial influence of soil and drinking water on dietary PAHs. In summary, our study sheds light on the dietary exposure characteristics of PAHs in a typical Chinese coking plant and their intricate interplay with environmental factors. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive strategies to mitigate PAH exposure so as to safeguard both human health and the environment in affected regions. [Display omitted] • Soil pollution is the main source of dietary PAH (particularly anthracene) exposure. • Urgent soil pollution mitigation is needed to safeguard local population's health. • Atmospheric and drinking water pollution significantly affect specific dietary PAHs. • Our findings are instrumental in shaping vital public health policies and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging form of pollution, microplastic contamination of the coastal ecosystems is one of the world's most pressing environmental concerns. Coastal sediments have been polluted to varying degrees by microplastics, and their ubiquitous presence in sediments poses a threat to marine organisms. However, there is currently no ecological risk assessment of microplastics on aquatic biota in sediments. This study, for the first time, established a new procedure to evaluate the toxicity of microplastics on aquatic biota in sediments, based on the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) concept. The choice of Zhelin Bay as the case study site was based on its severe pollution status. The average content of microplastics in the sediments of Zhelin Bay was 2054.17 items kg−1 dry weight, and these microplastics consisted of 46 different species. Microplastics in sediments exist in five different forms, with the film form being the main composition, and the majority of microplastics have particle sizes ranging from 100 to 500 μm. Correlation analysis (CA) reveals significant negative correlations between microplastic abundance, and Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2. The toxicity of microplastics, based on the PRA concept, suggests that Zhelin Bay surface sediments had a low probability (3.43%) of toxic effects on aquatic biota. [Display omitted] • A new procedure has been established to assess the ecological risks of microplastics. • The new procedure can effectively assess the probability risk and toxicity of sediment microplastics. • The surface sediments of Zhelin Bay had a 3.44% probability of toxic effects on aquatic biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine prescription sini decoction (SND) can alleviate inflammation, improve microcirculation, and modulate immune status in sepsis patients. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and therapeutic effects may vary among individuals. Through a comprehensive and systematic network pharmacology analysis, the purpose of this study is to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of SND in treating sepsis. An analysis of WGCNA identified CX3CR1 as a key gene influencing sepsis prognosis. A drug-active component-target network for SND was created using the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database and Cytoscape software. Shared targets between SND and CX3CR1 high-expression gene modules were found through the GEO database. Gene module functionality was analyzed using GO, KEGG, GSEA, and GSVA. Unsupervised clustering of sepsis patients was performed based on the ferroptosis gene set, and immune cell interactions and mechanisms were explored using CIBERSORT, single-cell sequencing, and intercellular communication analysis. This study demonstrates that high expression of CX3CR1 improves survival rates in sepsis patients and is associated with immune cell signaling pathways. SND contains 116 active components involved in oxidative stress and lipid metabolism pathways. HMOX1, a co-expressed gene in SND and CX3CR1 high-expression gene module, plays a crucial role in sepsis survival. Unsupervised clustering analysis classified sepsis patients into three clusters based on the ferroptosis gene set, revealing differences in immune cell expression and involvement in heme metabolism pathways. Notably, intercellular interactions among immune cells primarily occur through paracrine and autocrine mechanisms in MIF, GALECTIN, and IL16 signaling pathways, modulating the immune-inflammatory microenvironment in sepsis. This study identifies CX3CR1 as a crucial molecule impacting sepsis prognosis through WGCNA analysis. It reveals that SND's active component, quercetin and kaempferol, target HMOX1 via related pathways to regulate heme metabolism, reduce inflammation, inhibit ferroptosis, and improve immune function, ultimately improving sepsis prognosis. These findings offer a solid pharmacological foundation and potential therapeutic targets for SND in treating sepsis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High-titer production of DHA was achieved. • Overexpression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase enhanced lipid and DHA titers. • The optimal addition time was 48 h after inoculation. • The maximum DHA titer was 42.23 g/L. Schizochytrium sp. has received much attention for its ability to synthesize and accumulate high-level docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can reach nearly 40 % of total fatty acids. In this study, the titer of DHA in Schizochytrium sp. was successfully improved by enhancing DHA storage through overexpressing the diacylglycerol acyltransferase (ScDGAT2C) gene, as well as optimizing the supply of precursors and cofactors required for DHA synthesis by response surface methodology. Notably, malic acid, citric acid, and biotin showed synergistic and time-dependent effects on DHA accumulation. The maximum lipid and DHA titers of the engineered Schizochytrium sp. strain reached 84.28 ± 1.02 g/L and 42.23 ± 0.69 g/L, respectively, with the optimal concentration combination (1.62 g/L malic acid + 0.37 g/L citric acid + 8.28 mg/L biotin) were added 48 h after inoculation. This study provides an effective strategy for improving lipid and DHA production in Schizochytrium sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]