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Background: Compliance with colonoscopy among elderly individuals participating in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs is unsatisfactory, despite a high detection rate of bowel‐related diseases. In this study, our aim was to analyze the impact of risk factors on the trends of compliance and detection rates in colonoscopy among high‐risk individuals aged 60–74. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the high‐risk individuals aged 60–74 participating in the 2021 CRC screening program in Tianjin, China. Logistic regression analyses, including both univariate and multivariate analyses, were performed to explore the impact of different risk factors on colonoscopy compliance among the high‐risk individuals. Besides, the study investigated the influence of various risk factors on the detection rates of bowel‐related diseases among the high‐risk individuals who underwent colonoscopy. Results: A total of 24,064 high‐risk individuals were included, and 5478 individuals received a free colonoscopy, with an overall compliance of 22.76%. Among them, the adenoma detection rate was 55.46%. Males and individuals with a positive FIT had high compliance and detection rates for CRC, advanced adenomas (AA), advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN), and colorectal neoplasm (CN). Individuals aged 70–74 were associated with low compliance but high CRC, ACN, and CN detection rates. Individuals who reported a history of chronic constipation, bloody mucous, and CRC in first‐degree relative showed high compliance but no significantwere associated with the detection rates of CRC, AA, and CN. Conclusion: This study reported several risk factors associated with the screening behaviors for CRC. Patterns and trends in CRC, AA, ACN, and CN compliance and detection rates correlate with risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in individuals under 50 is increasing worldwide. We conducted an analysis of colonoscopy findings in high‐risk individuals under 50 in the CRC screening program in Tianjin, China, to determine the detection rate and risk factors of advanced adenomas (AA), advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN), colorectal neoplasia (CN). Methods: Our study investigated individuals aged 40–49 who underwent CRC screening and completed colonoscopy, 2012–2020, while the 50–54 age group served as a control. We compared the detection rates of AA, ACN, and CN among three age groups using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, and investigated the risk factors associated with AA, ACN, and CN among individuals aged 40–49. Results: We found a gradual increase in the detection rate of AA, ACN, and CN among individuals aged 40–54. The detection rates for AA (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.41–0.81), ACN (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.43–0.77), and CN (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.56–0.74) were lower in individuals aged 40–44 compared to 45–49. The detection rates of AA (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.87–1.34) and ACN (OR 1.12; 95% CI 0.93–1.35) in individuals aged 45–49 were comparable with 50–54. Besides, lifestyle factors, BMI, and FIT are not associated with the detection rates of AA, ACN, and CN among individuals aged 40–49. Conclusions: Our study reveals screening data in individuals under 50, indicating comparable detection rates of AA and ACN in individuals aged 45–49 and 50–54. These findings provide valuable data support for optimizing the optimal age to initiate screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), in combination with various therapeutic agents, is the main strategy for patients with high risk of stage 2, and advanced stages of, human colorectal cancer. Although 5-FU-based chemotherapy causes myeloid cell suppression, which has long been considered as a major adverse effect in certain cancer patients, recent studies determined that 5-FU selectively kills myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), to increase cytotoxic T lymphocyte activation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying 5-FU's suppression of MDSCs is incompletely understood. We report here that 5-FU activates p53, to upregulate Fas expression in MDSCs, to increase MDSC sensitivity to FasL-induced apoptosis in vitro. 5-FU therapy upregulates Fas expression, to suppress MDSC accumulation, to increase CTL tumor infiltration in tumor-bearing mice. In human colorectal cancer patients, 5-FU-based chemotherapy suppresses MDSCs and increases CTLs level. Our findings determine that the p53-Fas pathway links 5-FU to MDSC suppression. Myelosuppression is a major adverse effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. However, recent findings indicate that 5-FU selectively suppresses myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), to enhance antitumor immunity in tumor-bearing mice. 5-FU-mediated myelosuppression may thus have a beneficial effect for cancer patients. The molecular mechanism underlying 5-FU's suppression of MDSCs is currently unknown. We aimed at testing the hypothesis that 5-FU suppresses MDSCs through enhancing MDSC sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis. We observed that, although FasL is highly expressed in T cells, Fas is weakly expressed in myeloid cells in human colon carcinoma, indicating that downregulation of Fas is a mechanism underlying myeloid cell survival and accumulation in human colon cancer. 5-FU treatment upregulated expression of both p53 and Fas, and knocking down p53 diminished 5-FU-induced Fas expression in MDSC-like cells, in vitro. 5-FU treatment also increased MDSC-like cell sensitivity to FasL-induced apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, we determined that 5-FU therapy increased expression of Fas on MDSCs, suppressed MDSC accumulation, and increased CTL tumor infiltration in colon tumor-bearing mice. In human colorectal cancer patients, 5-FU chemotherapy decreased MDSC accumulation and increased CTL level. Our findings determine that 5-FU chemotherapy activates the p53-Fas pathway, to suppress MDSC accumulation, to increase CTL tumor infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We would like to express our gratitude to Safari, Farzad, and Noursina, Ali, for their insightful comments about our article regarding the questionnaire procedure and the assessment of symptoms, including a history of chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, and mucous blood stools. This questionnaire has been included in national screening programs since 2007 and has been used in many cities in China.[[1], [3]] Since 2012, CRC screening in community allied third-grade class-A hospitals has been initiated in Tianjin City, China. As stated in the manuscript, only 39.41% of the screening population completed a colonoscopy within 1 month, so those with symptoms at the time of initial screening were advised to seek a definitive diagnosis promptly and were excluded from screening. [Extracted from the article]

Research has demonstrated that the formation of composites of titanium dioxide (TiO2) with silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) through the construction of heterojunctions can expand its light absorption range and suppress the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, thereby improving the photocatalytic performance. However, this method offers only limited performance improvements, and the composite photocatalysts are costly due to the expensive Ag3PO4. In this study, Ti3C2 MXene, which has good hydrophilicity and excellent electrical conductivity, is first used to form Schottky junction composites with bronze TiO2 (TiO2(B)) via electrostatic self-assembly. Then, Ag3PO4 quantum dots were further formed on the surface of the TiO2(B)/Ti3C2 MXene by in situ self-growth, and Ag3PO4 formed heterojunctions and Schottky junctions with TiO2(B) and Ti3C2 MXene, respectively. Finally, a ternary composite photocatalyst TiO2(B)/Ti3C2 MXene/Ag3PO4 was jointly constructed by these functional junctions. Under the synergistic effect of these functional junctions, the mobility and fast separation performance of photogenerated electron–hole pairs of the composite photocatalyst were significantly improved, the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs was effectively suppressed, and the light absorption performance was enhanced. As a result, the composite photocatalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Influences of unconventional phase on catalytic performance are manifested. • Methods for unconventional phase engineering and phase transformation are also summarized. • Representative fuel cell catalysts with unconventional phases are also provided. • Perspective sights and challenges for the unconventional phase engineering are added. The commercialization of fuel cells is greatly hampered by the poor stability, sluggish kinetics, and limited catalytic activity of electrocatalysts of both the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) or small molecules oxidation reaction (SMOR). Thus far, the exploration of highly active and durable electrocatalysts has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the performance of fuel cells. Accordingly, increasing attention has been devoted to optimizing the geometric and electronic properties of catalysts and modifying the adsorption/desorption of intermediates via phase engineering, especially for unconventional phase engineering. Herein, in this review, unconventional phase engineering is introduced in terms of the phase definition, classification, characterization, and understanding. Subsequently, we highlight the recent advances in the unconventional phase engineering by focusing on the rational design, preparation and transformation of different phases in nanomaterials. Moreover, the latest progress of electrocatalysts with unconventional phase for driving electrocatalytic ORR, HOR or SMOR are scientifically and systematically summarized, along with a deep understanding on the structure–activity relationship. Furthermore, we also provide personal perspectives on challenges and opportunities in this emerging field, covering the exploitation of phase-dependent properties of electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic technology is currently the most promising technology for environmental pollution control. The preparation of photocatalysts with excellent properties is the core of the development of photocatalytic technology. TiO2 can form a heterojunction with g-C3N4, which can effectively inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, improve the mobility of photogenerated carriers, and thus improve the photocatalytic performance. In this study, NaCl was used as a template, and the loose and porous g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts were prepared by the template method. Compared to the pure g-C3N4 prepared by the conventional thermal polycondensation method and TiO2, the g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts prepared in this study exhibited a greatly increased specific surface area, an improved light absorption performance, a significantly suppressed recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Furthermore, the g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance. In this study, NaCl was used as a template, and the loose and porous g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts were prepared by the template method. Compared to the pure g-C3N4 prepared by the conventional thermal polycondensation method and TiO2, the g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts prepared in this study exhibited a greatly increased specific surface area, an improved light absorption performance, a significantly suppressed recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Furthermore, the g-C3N4/TiO2 heterojunction composite photocatalysts exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An advanced method for zinc cyanide removal based on precipitation. • 92.17% of cyanide and 88.86% of zinc could be removed using OTAB. • The process is effective when non-polar organic contaminants and <50 mmol/L salt are present. • Co-existed copper can be simultaneously treated. In gold-processing plants, the final tailing containing metal cyanide species is typically treated using various oxidation methods to produce the main source of process water, which is subsequently recycled to the upstream units, such as flotation units. In some gold-processing plants, a considerable amount of metal cyanide species such as zinc cyanide remains in process water, despite the cyanide destruction process. Because residual zinc cyanide complexes can depress gold flotation, the amount of process water must be decreased such that it can be recycled to a flotation circuit. Previous studies report that the critical concentration of zinc cyanide, measured based on the total cyanide concentration during flotation depression, is 0.4 mmol/L. In the present study, the feasibility of using quaternary ammonium salts to precipitate zinc cyanide complexes to less than the critical concentration was studied. The results showed that 92.17% of 60 mg/L of cyanide and 88.86% of 50 mg/L of zinc (molar ratio Zn/CN = 1:3) can be removed using 0.4 g/L of octadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide at a pH of 10. The concentration of the residual CN cyanide was less than the critical concentration. This indicates that the abovementioned process is effective when nonpolar organic contaminants and moderate amounts of salt (<50 mmol/L) are present. This work revealed that the precipitation process can be used as an advanced treatment method for process water subjected to oxidation treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidences link gut microbiota to colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and development. However, the CRC stage- and spatial-specific bacterial taxa were less investigated, especially in a Chinese cohort, leading to our incomplete understanding of the functional roles of gut microbiota in promoting CRC progression and recurrence. Here, we report the composition and structure of gut microbiota across CRC stages I, II and III, by analyzing the gut mucosal microbiomes of 75 triplet-paired samples collected from on-tumor, adjacent-tumor and off-tumor sites and 26 healthy controls. We observed tumor-specific pattern of mucosal microbiome profiles as CRC progressed and identified ten bacterial taxa with high abundances (>1%) as potential biomarkers for tumor initiation and development. Peptostreptococcus and Parvimonas can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage I. Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Parvimonas, Burkholderiales, Caulobacteraceae, Delftia and Oxalobacteraceae can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage II, while Fusobacterium, Burkholderiales, Caulobacteraceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Faecalibacterium and Sutterella can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage III. These biomarkers classified CRC stages I, II and III distinguished from each other with an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) > 0.5. Moreover, co-occurrence and co-excluding network analysis of these genera showed strong correlations in CRC stage I, which were subsequently reduced in CRC stages II and III. Our findings provide a reference index for stage-specific CRC diagnosis and suggest stage-specific roles of Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus and Parvimonas in driving CRC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different fertilizer treatments and crop rotations on crop yield stability. A 9 years field experiment was conducted from 2013 to 2021 to evaluate the effects of combinations of two annual crop rotations and two methods of applying fertilizer on crop yield stability. Crop rotations were kidney bean–mustard–rice (P–B–O) and kidney bean–mustard–cowpea (P–B–V) each year. Fertilization methods were recommended fertilization (RF) and conventional fertilization (CF). The indexes Wi2 (Wricke's ecovalance), coefficient of variation (CV), and sustainable yield index (SYI) were used to quantify the long term effects of crop rotation and fertilization on crop yield stability, and a yield change trend model was used to predict future production. For fertilization program RF, average kidney bean and mustard yields in rotation P–B–O increased respectively by 7.47% and 19.37% over P–B–V in the 9 years of the project. For CF, average kidney bean and mustard yields for P–B–O increased respectively by 14.99% and 18.33% over P–B–V. Wi2 indexes of kidney bean and mustard for P–B–O (respectively 116 and 956) were significantly less than for P–B–V (respectively 147.87 and 1259.67). SYI for kidney beans and mustard in P–B–O (respectively 0.63 and 0.57) were significantly greater than for P–B–V (respectively 0.50 and 0.42). The trends of crop average yields for RF and CF show that the average yield trends of kidney bean in P–B–O (respectively 32.41 and 32.34) were greater than in P–B–V (respectively 29.56 and 27.45). The trends of average yields of mustard for RF and CF in P–B–O (respectively 64.18 and 60.87) were greater than in P–B–V (respectively 51.74 and 51.87). The preceding results led to the conclusion that long term annual P–B–O rotation combined with RF considerably increased yield and maintained yield stability, thus establishing the sustainability of this cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driving ethanol electrooxidation in fuel cells is a promising technology for realizing the effective conversion of biomass energy into renewable electrical energy. However, it is still a challenge to broaden the application of fuel cells due to the limitation of effective electrocatalysts. Herein, we have proposed the design and synthesis of an advanced nonmetal-doped Pd nanocrystal catalyst for promoting the electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), in which the incorporation of nonmetal Te not only effectively modifies the electronic structure of Pd to enhance the intrinsic activity of the catalyst but also significantly boosts the further oxidation of intermediates, thereby promoting the electrocatalytic properties. Significantly, a mass activity of 1203 mA mgPd−1 for the optimized PdTe nanocrystals (NCs) has been realized, which is 4.7- and 2.5-fold enhancements as compared to the Pd NCs (255.4 mA mgPd−1) and commercial Pd/C (485 mA mgPd−1), respectively, presenting a promising electrocatalyst for fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of a controllable transparent conducting system with selective light transparency is crucial for exploring many of the most intriguing effects in top‐illuminated optoelectronic devices. However, the performance is limited by insufficient electrical conductivity, low work function, and vulnerable interface of traditional transparent conducting materials, such as tin‐doped indium oxide. Here, it is reported that two‐dimensional (2D) titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene film acts as an efficient transparent conducting electrode for the lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) photodiode with controllable near infrared transmittance. The solution‐processed interface engineering of MXene and PbS layers remarkably reduces the interface defects of MXene/PbS CQDs and the carrier concentration in the PbS layer. The stable Ti3C2Tx/PbS CQDs photodiodes give rise to a high specific detectivity of 5.51 × 1012 cm W−1 Hz1/2, a large dynamic response range of 140 dB, and a large bandwidth of 0.76 MHz at 940 nm in the self‐powered state, ranking among the most exceptional in terms of comprehensive performance among reported PbS CQDs photodiodes. In contrast with the traditional photodiode technologies, this efficient and stable approach opens a new horizon to construct widely used infrared photodiodes with CQDs and MXenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been increasing concern over water pollution, which poses a threat to human life and health. Absorption by low-cost absorbents is considered to be a cost-effective and efficient route. However, the non-reusability of absorbents greatly limits their applications. In this study, a novel vermiculite/TiO2 composite combining the inexpensive absorbent with the commonly used photocatalyst was firstly synthesized via the sol-gel method. On the one hand, the organic pollutants are absorbed by vermiculite and then decomposed through the photocatalysis process, enabling the next round of absorption and creating an absorption–decomposition reusable cycle. On the other hand, the modulation effect of optical and electronic structure on the prepared TiO2 photocatalyst by the vermiculite incorporation could significantly improve the photocatalytic activity and eventually enhance the aforementioned cyclic degradation capacity. The layer-structured vermiculite (Vt) supports a uniform coverage of TiO2 at an optimized ratio, providing an optimal adsorption environment and contact area between the photocatalyst and methylene blue (MB) molecules. Vt/TiO2 heterojunction is formed with Si-O-Ti bonding, at which electrons transfer from Vt to TiO2, enriching electron density in TiO2 and favoring its photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the incorporation of Vt increases the light absorption of TiO2 in the visible range by narrowing the optical band gap to 1.98 eV, which could promote the generation of photo-excited carriers. In addition, PL measurements revealed that the carrier recombination is substantially suppressed, and the charge separation and migration are greatly enhanced by a factor of 3. As a result, the decomposition rate of MB is substantially increased 5.3-fold, which is ascribed to the synergistic effects of the elevated photocatalysis and the large absorption capacity governed by the chemisorption mechanism of the intra-particle diffusion. These results pave the way for composite design towards efficient, economical, and pragmatic water pollution treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cyanide adsorption onto CTAB-PSS aggregates. • Copper cyanide complexes removed from effluents containing Cu and CN by precipitation and filtration. • Conductivity plot of the solution as a tool for optimization of substrate dosage and ratio. • Thiocyanate ions significantly reduced the removal efficiency of Cu and T CN. Precipitation of metal cyanide complexes using quaternary ammonium salts has been used in cyanidation solutions after gold leaching. Due to the high residual load of metal cyanide complexes and ammonium salts, this method does not apply to effluents containing moderate or low cyanide concentrations. To overcome these limitations, in this study, we introduce poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) into a solution containing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide Sinpharm (CTAB), to form polymer-surfactant aggregates (PSAs) and enhance the removal efficiency of Cu and T CN. 93.8% and 97.0% of Cu and T CN , respectively, were removed from the synthetic solution (Cu 0.5 mM and CN 1.5 mM) under optimum dosage of 150 ppm PSS and 0.8 mM CTAB, resulting in 92.2% of substrate usage. The addition of 3.0 mM CTAB without PSS resulted in only 46.3% of substrate usage, even though the removals of Cu and T CN were 92.2 and 93.6%, respectively. The presence of thiocyanate ions significantly reduced the removal efficiency due to the competitive interaction with PSAs, whereas the pH of the solution and the temperature did not have any noticeable impact. Tests performed with an industrial effluent corroborated the results obtained with synthetic solutions: PSAs react with copper cyanide to form a precipitate that can be separated from the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the widespread use of antibiotics in intensive grouper mariculture has resulted in the ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatment, leading to an increasing incidence of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, causing serious economic losses. Hence, it is crucial to develop alternative strategies to antibiotics for healthy and sustainable development of the mariculture industry. Here, we aimed to screen host gut-derived probiotics and evaluate its effects on growth and immunity of grouper. In this study, 43 bacterial strains were isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂), and a potential probiotic strain G1-26, which can efficiently secrete amylase, protease, and lipase, was obtained using different screening mediums. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, the potential probiotic strain G1-26 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The results of a biological characteristic evaluation showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 could grow at 25–45 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, salinity 10–40, and bile salt concentration 0–0.030%, and produce amylase, lipase, and protease under different culture conditions. Additionally, V. fluvialis G1-26 is sensitive to many antibiotics and does not exhibit aquatic biotoxicity. Subsequently, hybrid groupers were fed diets containing V. fluvialis G1-26 at different concentrations (0, 106, 108, and 1010 CFU/g) for 60 d. The results showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 at 108 CFU/g did not significantly affect the growth performance of the hybrid grouper (P > 0.05). V. fluvialis G1-26 supplementation at 108 and 1010 CFU/g significantly promoted the relative expression of immune-related genes in hybrid groupers (TLR3 , TLR5 , IL-1β , IL-8 , IL-10 , CTL , LysC , TNF-2 , and MHC-2) and improved the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, total superoxide dismutase, and total protein in the liver. In conclusion, V. fluvialis G1-26, a potential probiotic strain isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper, can be used as an effective immunopotentiator at an optimal dose of 108 CFU/g diet. Our results provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of probiotics in the grouper mariculture industry. • 43 bacterial strains were isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper. • A strain G1-26 identified as Vibrio fluvialis with strong digestive enzyme production ability was isolated. • The G1-26 feeding at 108 and 1010 CFU/g could enhance the immune performance and the optimal dosage is 108 CFU/g diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the prognostic markers and therapeutic targets might benefit the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), one of the most aggressive malignancies. Vacuolar protein sorting associated protein 26 A (VPS26A) is a candidate prognosis gene for hepatocellular carcinoma, but its expression and function in PAAD remain unknown. The mRNA and protein expression of VPS26A in PAAD was explored and validated by bioinformatics and immunohistochemical analysis. The correlation between VPS26A expression and various clinical parameters, genetic status, diagnostic and prognostic value, survival and immune infiltration were evaluated, and the co-expressed gene-set enrichment analysis for VPS26A was performed. Cytologic and molecular experiments were further carried out to investigate the role and potential mechanism of VPS26A in PAAD. The mRNA and protein levels of VPS26A were elevated in PAAD tissues. High VPS26A expression was associated with the advanced histological type, tumor stage simplified, smoking status and tumor mutational burden score, and the poor prognosis of PAAD patients. VPS26A expression was significantly correlated with immune infiltration and immunotherapy response. VPS26A-co-expressed genes were mainly enriched in the regulation of cell adhesion and actin cytoskeleton and the immune-response-regulating signaling pathway. Our experiments further demonstrated that VPS26A promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion potentials of PAAD cell lines through activating the EGFR/ERK signaling. Our study suggested that VPS26A could be a potential biomarker and a therapeutic target for PAAD through comprehensive regulation of its growth, migration and immune microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiation exposure is inherently involved in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which could cause radiation-induced injury to endoscopists with long-term exposure. Nonradiation ERCP has been applied to pregnant patients. Conceivably, the same techniques could be used to benefit endoscopists. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nonradiation-to-endoscopist (NRE) ERCP, compared with standard ERCP. Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted from August 2010 to December 2015. Patients aged 18–90 years and with choledocholithiasis (< 15 mm) or distal biliary stricture were eligible. Pre-ERCP evaluation with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was mandatory. To overcome selection bias, we performed 1:2 match using propensity score matching (PSM) between NRE and standard groups. The primary endpoint was overall ERCP success rate. Secondary endpoints were cannulation success rate, stone clearance rate, complication rate, and duration of hospitalization. Results: A total of 329 patients met inclusion criteria. After PSM, 73 patients were included in the NRE group and 146 in the standard group. The ERCP overall success rate for NRE and standard groups was equivalent (94.5% vs. 93.2%, P = 0.70). There was no difference in cannulation success rates between the two groups (95.6% vs. 97.8%, P = 0.39). A total of 88.3% of patients in the NRE group and 93.9% of patients in the standard group had stones cleared at initial ERCP (P = 0.57). No difference in overall stone clearance rate between the two groups (95.0% vs. 93.9%, P = 0.77) was found after second ERCP. The complication rate (1.4% vs. 1.4%, P = 1.00) and hospital duration (8.3 ± 5.1 vs. 10.2 ± 8.8 days, P = 0.07) were not different between the two groups. Conclusion: Although technically demanding, NRE-ERCP is both safe and feasible in selected patients compared with standard ERCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic degradation, as an emerging method to control environmental pollution, is considered one of the most promising environmental purification technologies. As Tibet is a region with some of the strongest solar radiation in China and even in the world, it is extremely rich in solar energy resources, which is ideal for applying photocatalytic technology to its ecological environment protection and governance. In this study, Na2Ti3O7 nanobelts were prepared via a hydrothermal method and converted to TiO2∙xH2O ion exchange, which was followed by high-temperature calcination to prepare TiO2(B) nanobelts ("B" in TiO2(B) means "Bronze phase"). A simple in situ method was used to generate Ag3PO4 particles on the surface of the TiO2 nanobelts to construct a Ag3PO4/TiO2(B) heterojunction composite photocatalyst. By generating Ag3PO4 nanoparticles on the surface of the TiO2(B) nanobelts to construct heterojunctions, the light absorption range of the photocatalyst was successfully extended from UV (ultraviolet) to the visible region. Furthermore, the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in the catalyst was inhibited by the construction of the heterojunctions, thus greatly enhancing its light quantum efficiency. Therefore, the prepared Ag3PO4/TiO2(B) heterojunction composite photocatalyst greatly outperformed the TiO2(B) nanobelt in terms of photocatalytic degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop an autophagy-gene-based signature that could help to anticipate the therapeutic effects of Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Methods: We downloaded the gene expression profiles of CRC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Genes with significant prognostic value in CRC were screened through univariate Cox regression analysis, while the LASSO Cox regression method was applied to screen optimal genes to construct the autophagy‐related prognostic signature. Results: 11 autophagy genes were identified and selected for the establishment of prognosis prediction model for CRC patients. The CRC patients were classified into the low- and high-risk groups according to the optimal cutoff value. The time-dependent ROC curves indicated the good performance of this model in prognosis prediction, with AUC values of 0.66, 0.66, and 0.67 at 1, 3 and 5 years for TCGA samples, as well as AUC values of 0.63, 0.65 and 0.64 for GEO samples, respectively. The multivariate Cox regression analysis results confirmed risk score as the independent marker for prognosis prediction in CRC. Besides, the constructed nomogram also had high predictive value. The results analysis on the tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) relative ratios and mRNA levels of key immune checkpoint receptors indicated the signature was closely related to immune microenvironment of CRC in the context of TIICs and immune checkpoint receptors' mRNA level. The proportion of MSI-L + MSI-H in the high-risk group was higher than that in the low-risk group. Moreover, the tumor purity was evaluated by estimate function package suggested that lower tumor purity in CRC might lead to a poorer prognosis. Conclusion: The autophagy-related features obtained in this study were able to divide the CRC patients into low- and high-risk groups, which should be contribute to the decision-making of CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop straw return and organic manure application are effective and environmentally friendly methods used by farmers to improve soil structure, fertility and agricultural productivity. Sweet potato is a typical "potassium (K)-favoring" food crop and widely grown throughout the world. However, the regulation effects of long-term organic fertilization on soil aggregates-associated K stocks and K uptake by sweet potato are less understood. Herein, a long-term fertilization experiment since 2007 including chemical fertilizer (NPK), NPK combined with commercial manure (NPK+CM), NPK combined with pig manure (NPK+PM), and NPK combined with rice straw (NPK+RS) treatments under peanut-sweet potato crop rotation was employed. Long-term fertilizer application contributed to higher yield, yield stability, and K uptake of sweet potato. NPK+PM and NPK+RS treatments both showed the best promoting effect on plant growth. NPK+PM and NPK+RS treatments showed remarkable increasement of aggregate-associated exchangeable potassium (EK) and non-exchangeable potassium (NEK) stocks, particularly for small-macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm) and large-macroaggregates (> 2 mm). Total potassium (TK), EK and NEK stocks in large and small-macroaggregates displayed positive effects on K uptake and yield for sweet potato. Pearson's correlation and random forest model analysis revealed that EK and NEK stock in large-macroaggregate were the most key factors for K uptake and yield of sweet potato under long-term fertilization. Overall, our study highlights the prominent advantage of long-term organic fertilization. [Display omitted] • Long-term fertilization promoted yield, yield stability and K uptake of sweet potato. • Long-term fertilization increased aggregate K stocks especially for macroaggregate. • Large-macroaggregate's EK and NEK stocks were most key factors of K uptake and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics have attracted considerable attention as potential antibiotic substitutes in aquaculture. However, their functional genomic characterisation remains incomplete. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the probiotic characteristics of Bacillus cereus G1-11 isolated from the gut of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂) by integrating genomics and phenotypic characteristics. Genome mining revealed gene clusters that are responsible for acid and bile tolerance as well as host intestinal adhesion and colonisation. Moreover, the G1-11 genome encodes proteins that associated with the bacterial antioxidant system and antimicrobial substances. Additionally, it contains gene clusters related to nutrient absorption, essential amino acids, and vitamin synthesis. The results showed that the G1-11 strain has the ability improved the intestinal barrier function of the host and enhanced the nutritional value of the feed. The genome analysis of G1-11 was complemented by in vitro experiments, which showed its ability to survive during gastrointestinal transit, as well as its antioxidant and antibacterial capabilities. The results indicate that B. cereus G1-11, as a probiotic, has the potential to enhance the growth and immunity of hybrid groupers. • Bacillus cereus G1-11 isolated from hybrid grouper gut was tested as a probiotic. • G1-11 has gene clusters for gut adhesion, colonisation, and immune functions. • G1-11 contains molecular markers associated with amino acid and vitamin synthesis. • Genes encoding secondary metabolites and bacteriocins were found in G1-11 genome. • G1-11 is resilient to gut transport and has antioxidant and antibacterial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wei Zeng and Jie Hu have contributed equally to this work. Correction to: Surgical Endoscopy https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-021-08822-2 This article was updated to correct the units for "radiation exposure time" in Table 3. [Extracted from the article]