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The significant effect of desert sand on cement-based composites was observed in the previous investigation. However, how the composition of fine aggregate affects the formation of air void structure remains to be investigated. In this paper, mortars composed of five different sand mixtures were prepared, and the specific surface area (SSA) of the sand mixture with different content of fine aggregate was calculated. It was observed that the air void content decreased as the SSA value of the sand mixture increased. A negative-slope linear relation was observed between the SSA values and air void content in the composite construction sand fiber reinforced mortar system. With the increase of SSA, the air void number of every high-strength fiber reinforced mortar decreased from 12,446 to 6652. With the gradual increase of desert sand content, the count of air void number decreased. When the fine aggregate was completely desert sand, the air void content of the fiber-reinforced mortar dropped from 1.21% to 0.98%. Through the analysis of the 3D air void system, it can be concluded that the mixture of fine aggregate with different particle size distributions plays a positive role in optimizing the air void characteristics. Reasonable utilization of desert sand can significantly improve the pore structure characteristics and compressive strength of cement-based composites, which provides an effective theoretical basis for the development and utilization of desert sand resources. The function of different kinds of construction sand in the formation of air-void structure was investigated by X-CT technology. A negative-slope linear relationship was discovered between specific surface area (SSA) values and the entire air void content in the composite construction sand fiber reinforced mortar system. The mixture of river sand and desert sand plays a positive role in optimizing the air void characteristics and compressive strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Saline‐alkali stress is an important abiotic stress factor affecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant growth. Although the involvement of the tomato SlWRKY gene family in responses to saline‐alkali stress has been well established, the mechanism underlying resistance to saline‐alkali stress remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of SlWRKY81 in conferring saline‐alkali stress resistance by using overexpression and knockout tomato seedlings obtained via genetic modification. We demonstrated that SlWRKY81 improves the ability of tomato to withstand saline‐alkali stress by enhancing antioxidant capacity, root activity, and proline content while reducing malondialdehyde levels. Saline‐alkali stress induces an increase in jasmonic acid (JA) content in tomato seedlings, and the SlWRKY81 promoter responds to JA signaling, leading to an increase in SlWRKY81 expression. Furthermore, the interaction between SlJAZ1 and SlWRKY81 represses the expression of SlWRKY81. SlWRKY81 binds to W‐box motifs in the promoter regions of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4, thereby positively regulating their expression. This regulation results in increased spermidine (Spd) content and enhanced potassium (K+) absorption and sodium (Na+) efflux, which contribute to the resistance of tomato to saline‐alkali stress. However, JA and SlJAZ1 exhibit antagonistic effects. Elevated JA content reduces the inhibitory effect of SlJAZ1 on SlWRKY81, leading to the release of additional SlWRKY81 protein and further augmenting the resistance of tomato to saline‐alkali stress. In summary, the modulation of Spd synthesis and Na+/K+ homeostasis mediated by the interaction between SlWRKY81 and SlJAZ1 represents a novel pathway underlying tomato response to saline‐alkali stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texture deterioration of meat products upon high‐temperature sterilization is a pressing issue in the meat industry. This study evaluated the effect of different thermal sterilization temperatures on the textural and juiciness of ready‐to‐eat (RTE) chicken breast. In this study, by dynamically monitoring the texture and juiciness of chicken meat products during the process of thermal sterilization, it has been observed that excessively high sterilization temperatures (above 100°C) significantly diminish the shear force, springiness and water‐holding capacity of the products. Furthermore, from the perspective of myofibrillar protein degradation, molecular mechanisms have been elucidated, unveiling that the thermal sterilization treatment at 121°C/10 min triggers the degradation of myosin heavy chains and F‐actin, disrupting the lattice arrangement of myofilaments, compromising the integrity of sarcomeres, and resulting in an increase of approximately 40.66% in the myofibrillar fragmentation index, thus diminishing the quality characteristics of the products. This study unravels the underlying mechanisms governing the dynamic changes in quality of chicken meat products during the process of thermal sterilization, thereby providing theoretical guidance for the development of high‐quality chicken products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical cancer (CC), closely linked to persistent human papillomavirus infection, represents a major health problem for women worldwide. The objective of this study is to elucidate KIF23's role in the development of CC and its regulatory mechanism. Methods: The bioinformatics methods were utilized to extract pyroptosis‐associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pivot genes from the GSE9750 and GSE63678 datasets, followed by immune infiltration analysis and quantification of these genes' expression. The effects of kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) were verified through functional experiments in vitro and a mouse xenograft model. The NLPR3 activator, nigericin, was applied for further analyzing the potential regulatory mechanism of KIF23 in CC. Results: A total of 8 pyroptosis‐related DEGs were screened out, among which 4 candidate core genes were identified as candidate hub genes and confirmed upregulation in CC tissues and cells. These genes respectively showed a positive correlation with the infiltration of distinct immune cells or tumor purity. Downregulation of KIF23 could suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities in CC cells and tumorigenesis through enhancing pyroptosis. Conversely, KIF23 overexpression accelerated the malignant phenotypes of CC cells and inhibited pyroptosis activation, which was blocked by nigericin treatment. Conclusions: KIF23 may play an oncogenic role in CC progression via inhibition of the NLRP3‐mediated pyroptosis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are promising electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) materials due to its designable crystal structure, variable electromagnetic properties, and excellent corrosion resistance. However, the impedance mismatch owing to the high electric and dielectric conductivity severely hinders the application of HEAs in the field of EMA. Herein, the lattice distortion of FeCoNiCu HEA is manipulated accurately by doping and annealing strategies to tailor the EMA properties. Significant lattice distortion is observed in the FeCoNiCuC0.37, which leads to a decrease in the electrical conductivity and the creation of abundant dipoles. Owing to the optimal impedance matching and boosted polarization loss, the FeCoNiCuC0.37 delivers a minimal reflection loss of −65.4 dB accompanied by an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.81 GHz. After annealing at 200 °C, the EAB of the FeCoNiCuC0.37 is further increased to 7.99 GHz at 1.95 mm, which is better than that of most HEA‐based EMA absorbers reported so far. Moreover, it demonstrates excellent corrosion resistance owing to the more tortuous diffusion path of corrosive medium origin from lattice distortion. Thus, the study provides a new insight into designing high performance HEA‐based EMA materials with superior anti‐corrosion property by lattice distortion engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isatropolone C from Streptomyces sp. CPCC 204095 features a fused cyclopentadienone-tropolone-oxacyclohexadiene tricyclic moiety in its structure. Herein, we report an isatropolone C dimer derivative, di-isatropolone C, formed spontaneously from isatropolone C in methanol. Notably, the structure of di-isatropolone C resolved by NMR reveals a newly formed cyclopentane ring to associate the two isatropolone C monomers. The configurations of four chiral carbons, including a ketal one, in the cyclopentane ring are assigned using quantum NMR calculations and DP4+ probability. The plausible molecular mechanism for di-isatropolone C formation is proposed, in which complex dehydrogenative C-C bond coupling may have happened to connect the two isatropolone C monomers. Like isatropolone C, di-isatropolone C shows the biological activity of inducing autophagy in HepG2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nowadays biomedical research, there has been a growing demand for making accurate prediction at subject levels. In many of these situations, data are collected as longitudinal curves and display distinct individual characteristics. Thus, prediction mechanisms accommodated with functional mixed effects models (FMEM) are useful. In this paper, we developed a classified functional mixed model prediction (CFMMP) method, which adapts classified mixed model prediction (CMMP) to the framework of FMEM. Performance of CFMMP against functional regression prediction based on simulation studies and the consistency property of CFMMP estimators are explored. Real‐world applications of CFMMP are illustrated using real world examples including data from the hormone research menstrual cycles and the diffusion tensor imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe study of emulsion stabilization mechanisms is of great importance in the field of crude oil extraction, transportation and processing. In order to further investigate the roles of asphaltenes and surfactants in the emulsion stabilization process, the adsorption mechanisms of asphaltenes and surfactants at the oil-water interface were investigated using dissipative particle dynamics. The results show that: the asphaltene interfacial film gradually becomes thicker before the saturation adsorption of asphaltene molecules at the oil-water interface, and the interfacial tension decreases with the increase of the number of molecules until it reaches the equilibrium state; different surfactant molecules have different influences on the interface, and the calculations of the radial distribution function and the interfacial tension show that H2T4 molecules have a stronger effect than H4T4 at the oil-water interface and have stronger surface activity. H2T4 reaches saturation adsorption capacity faster than H4T4 and has higher interfacial efficiency. The asphaltene-surfactant composite system can stabilize the oil-water interface more effectively. Competitive and synergistic effects of asphaltene and surfactant in the process of interfacial adsorption. When the concentration of surfactant in the composite system is low, there is a synergistic effect between the two in the interfacial adsorption process; when the concentration of surfactant is high, there is a competitive effect between the two in the synergistic adsorption process. The surfactant H4T4 has both interfacial adsorption and self-aggregation in the competitive adsorption process. This paper provides ideas for exploring the kinematic laws of molecular behavior in the stabilization mechanism of crude oil emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of 3D porous structures and metamaterials (MMs) is the most promising approaches to achieve broadband electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption. However, it is still a huge challenge to achieve multispectral ultra‐broadband EMW absorption properties compatible with low‐frequency band (L‐ and S‐band) due to its ultralong wavelength and strong bypass capability. Herein, magnetic–dielectric synergistic gradient MMs (MDSGM) consisting of oriented flaky carbonyl iron (FCI) film and periodical RGO/CNT/CNF aerogel (GTFA) array are demonstrated. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of strong magnetic–dielectric loss, structural loss, and excellent impedance matching, MDSGM harvests an exciting multispectral ultra‐broadband EMW absorption performance with a remarkable effective absorption bandwidth covering the whole measured frequency of 1–40, 50–110 GHz, and 0.1–2.0 THz for the first time. The minimum RL (RLmin) reaches −40.24 dB and average RL is up to −19.3 dB (98.8% EMW being absorbed) in microwave band. Moreover, this multispectral ultra‐broadband EMW absorption property is less affected by the incident angle. This work pioneered realization of multispectral ultra‐broadband EMW absorption compatible with low‐frequency, which provides a great thrust for the development of stealth technology in the upcoming smart era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing students require improvement in their intravenous infusion therapy management skills, yet traditional training models possess deficiencies. The Teaching for Understanding (TfU) Framework can enhance the teaching-learning process and support quality education. Therefore, utilizing TfU framework for training may promote the performance of nurses. Methods: Utilizing a non-synchronized design, 102 nurses were recruited using a convenience sampling method. Fifty-one student nurses from August 2019 to January 2021 were designated as the control group, and 51 student nurses from February 2021 to July 2022 were included as the intervention group. The control group received traditional teaching methods, while the intervention group was trained based on TfU framework. The impact was gauged through medical education environment perception, theory and practice assessments, and learning satisfaction surveys. Results: After the training, there was no significant difference between the control group and the intervention group in the theory assessment. However, the practice assessment scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group. Compared with the control group, the learning satisfaction scores of the trained nurses in the intervention group were significantly higher, exhibiting significant differences, particularly in communication ability, teamwork cooperation, summing up capability, and interest in learning improvement. Furthermore, the scores of the learning perceptions, atmosphere, social self-perceptions, and total scores of the intervention group were significantly higher. Conclusion: Training using TfU framework can heighten students' understanding and command over knowledge and skills, fuel their learning fervor, and enhance their communication and collaboration abilities. TfU framework should be disseminated in medical education to improve the quality of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecosystem multifunctionality was higher in rhizosphere soils than in bulk soils. • Ecosystem multifunctionality was mainly determined by environmental factors. • C cycling and N cycling varied among microhabitat and macrohabitat types. The importance of plant and soil microbial diversity in sustaining ecological functions has attracted considerable attention. However, little is known about how these factors jointly affect the ability of an ecosystem to provide multiple ecological functions simultaneously (i.e., ecosystem multifunctionality [EMF]) in natural environments, especially in wetlands. Here, we collected rhizosphere soils, bulk soils, and sediments (microhabitats) from riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine wetland sites (macrohabitats) across the remote Tibetan Plateau. Plant diversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) and soil bacterial diversity (taxonomic and phylogenetic) were determined. We also calculated EMF using 20 variables related to soil carbon cycling, nitrogen cycling, and plant productivity. The results showed that EMF was significantly higher in rhizosphere soils than in bulk soils, but no significant differences were detected among the macrohabitat types. A significant relationship between EMF and bacterial diversity was detected only in rhizosphere soils, and a positive relationship between EMF and plant diversity was found in riverine and lacustrine wetlands. Environmental factors (climate and edaphic properties), bacterial diversity, and plant diversity together explained 63.48% of the EMF variation. Path modeling revealed that the effects of macrohabitat and microhabitat on EMF were mediated mainly through edaphic properties and bacterial diversity, respectively. These results significantly advance our understanding of the patterns and drivers of EMF in wetlands and are also critical for predicting changes in wetland functions in response to biodiversity loss and anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotherapy represented by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibodies has led tumor treatment into a new era. However, the low overall response rate and high incidence of drug resistance largely damage the clinical benefits of existing immune checkpoint therapies. Recent studies correlate the response to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade with PD-L1 expression levels in tumor cells. Hence, identifying molecular targets and pathways controlling PD-L1 protein expression and stability in tumor cells is a major priority. In this study, we performed a Stress and Proteostasis CRISPR interference screening to identify PD-L1 positive modulators. Here, we identified TRAF6 as a critical regulator of PD-L1 in melanoma cells. As a non-conventional E3 ubiquitin ligase, TRAF6 is inclined to catalyze the synthesis and linkage of lysine-63 (K63) ubiquitin which is related to the stabilization of substrate proteins. Our results showed that suppression of TRAF6 expression down-regulates PD-L1 expression on the membrane surface of melanoma cells. We then used in vitro and in vivo assays to investigate the biological function and mechanism of TRAF6 and its downstream YAP1/TFCP2 signaling in melanoma. TRAF6 stabilizes YAP1 by K63 poly-ubiquitination modification, subsequently promoting the formation of YAP1/TFCP2 transcriptional complex and PD-L1 transcription. Inhibition of TRAF6 by Bortezomib enhanced cytolytic activity of CD8+ T cells by reduction of endogenous PD-L1. Notably, Bortezomib enhances anti-tumor immunity to an extent comparable to anti-PD-1 therapies with no obvious toxicity. Our findings reveal the potential of inhibiting TRAF6 to stimulate internal anti-tumor immunological effect for TRAF6-PD-L1 overexpressing cancers. • TRAF6 was screened out as a positive modulator of PD-L1 in melanoma cells. • TRAF6 stabilized YAP1 with K63 poly-ubiquitin chains at a novel YAP1K497 site. • TRAF6 promoted nucleus shuttle of YAP1 and increased PD-L1 transcription with YAP1/TFCP2 complex. • TFCP2 was identified as a novel transcriptional factor of PD-L1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 4.2 ka event is an important climatic event of the Holocene that is expected to considerably influence the development of human civilizations. However, the forcing mechanism of the 4.2 ka event remains unclear, with current evidence being divided between high-latitude and low-latitude forcings. The Asian climate system contains strong summer and winter monsoon circulations, and thus the region is ideal for studying high- and low-latitude climate forcings on 4.2 ka event. In this study, we present a high-resolution pollen record of the past 5000 years from Wudalianchi Crater Lake in northeastern China in the East Asian monsoon region. An evident decrease in broadleaf trees occurred during the 4.2 ka event, suggesting a decrease in summer monsoon rainfall. Well-dated high-resolution pollen, stalagmite δ18O, and winter monsoon records were collected to study the possible transportation of high- and low-latitude signals. Most of the pollen records showed significant changes during the 4.2 ka event, while no apparent change was found in winter monsoon records. Meanwhile, more obvious changes in stalagmite δ18O records were observed in lower- rather than the higher-latitude regions around 4.2 ka. Our results suggest that the signal of the 4.2 ka event might be transported by low-latitude processes, thus corresponding to a low-latitude forcing. • We reconstructed a 5000-yr high-resolution pollen record in northeastern China. • Percentages of broadleaf tree pollen decreased evidently during the 4.2 ka event. • No apparent change in winter monsoon records during the 4.2 ka event. • Changing amplitude in stalagmite δ18O records was greater at lower latitudes. • Our results support the lower latitude origins of the 4.2 ka event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The glass fiber filler is adopted as the filler. • The composition of the PVDF-glass fiber composites and the film formation are simple. • Within a specific content range, the BDS synchronously increase with the ε of the material. To make the product commercially viable and applicable, the inclusion of glass fiber filler with a low cost and medium dielectric constant (ε) is adopted as the filler. Synchronously, representative polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with high permittivity and breakdown strength is selected as optimal polymer matrix. And surface modifying agent is employed as organic coatings to weaken the surface energy of glass fiber and boost the interfacial inter-action. An investigation of dielectric properties was conducted by preparing flexible composites consisting of various content of glass fiber. The ε of composites can be significantly enhanced in the PVDF composites with glass fiber, and the breakdown strength (BDS) is remained at a high level. Moreover, within a specific content range, glass fiber makes the ε and BDS of the material increase synchronously. This work provides a facile strategy for the development of excellent performance, simple preparation and low-cost flexible composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Man‐made superhydrophobic membranes are of interest for various applications in energy, environment, and medical fields. However, simultaneously achieving durable superhydrophobicity, robust waterproofness, and high breathability of the membranes is still challenging. Herein, an efficient and powerful strategy is reported to create superhydrophobic membranes with perdurable liquid repellency and robust breathability via combining humidity‐induced electrospinning with coat‐crosslinking technology. The micro/nano rough structure is in situ constructed based on manipulating the phase separation of electrospun jets; meanwhile, the waterborne acrylic resins are bridged to the surface of nanofiber to endow the membranes with stable low surface energy via coating and crosslinking treatment. Eventually, the resultant membranes present superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of ≈154°, good self‐cleaning and anti‐icing properties, robust waterproofness of 83.4 kPa, and high breathability of 3.71 kg m−2 d−1. More interestingly, the nanomaterials can maintain durable superhydrophobicity even after exposure to various severe conditions. The successful creation of high‐performance superhydrophobic membranes opens a new avenue for synthesizing advanced functional materials for application in a variety of fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Molecular biology is crucial for drug discovery, protein design, and human health. Due to the vastness of the drug-like chemical space, depending on biomedical experts to manually design molecules is exceedingly expensive. Utilizing generative methods with deep learning technology offers an effective approach to streamline the search space for molecular design and save costs. This paper introduces a novel E(3)-equivariant score-based diffusion framework for 3D molecular generation via SDEs, aiming to address the constraints of unified Gaussian diffusion methods. Within the proposed framework EMDS, the complete diffusion is decomposed into separate diffusion processes for distinct components of the molecular feature space, while the modeling processes also capture the complex dependency among these components. Moreover, angle and torsion angle information is integrated into the networks to enhance the modeling of atom coordinates and utilize spatial information more effectively. Results: Experiments on the widely utilized QM9 dataset demonstrate that our proposed framework significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in all evaluation metrics for 3D molecular generation. Additionally, ablation experiments are conducted to highlight the contribution of key components in our framework, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed framework and the performance improvements of incorporating angle and torsion angle information for molecular generation. Finally, the comparative results of distribution show that our method is highly effective in generating molecules that closely resemble the actual scenario. Conclusion: Through the experiments and comparative results, our framework clearly outperforms previous 3D molecular generation methods, exhibiting significantly better capacity for modeling chemically realistic molecules. The excellent performance of EMDS in 3D molecular generation brings novel and encouraging opportunities for tackling challenging biomedical molecule and protein scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of intracellular and extracellular enzymes of Acinetobacter baumannii and Talaromyces sp. in the synergistic degradation of crude oil. The extracellular enzymes of Talaromyces sp. contributed more to the degradation of n-alkanes. The degradation rate of n-hexadecane by extracellular enzymes of Talaromyces sp. was 71.83% after 5 days. The concentration of n-hexadecane decreased from 7700 mg/L to 2169 mg/L. This is related to the high extracellular expression of methane monooxygenase (particulate) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD+) in Talaromyces sp. The extracellular enzymes of Acinetobacter baumannii had a better effect on the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons. The degradation rate of xylene by extracellular enzymes of Acinetobacter baumannii was 35.65% after 5 days. The concentration of xylene decreased from 8600 mg/L to 5514 mg/L. Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase plays a key role in this process. Meanwhile, the degradation enzyme systems of Acinetobacter baumannii (long-chain alkane monooxygenase, alkane 1-monooxygenase, catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, salicylate hydroxylase, and benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase) and Talaromyces sp. (methane monooxygenase (particulate), benzaldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD+), catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, and gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase) complement each other in the degradation process of n-alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons, thus improving the degradation ability. These results indicated that bacteria and fungi rely on the difference of degrading enzymes to achieve synergistic degradation. [Display omitted] • The roles of enzymes of bacteria and fungi in crude oil degradation were analyzed. • The extracellular enzymes of fungi contributed more to the degradation of n-alkanes. • Bacterial extracellular enzymes can degrade aromatic hydrocarbons better. • Metagenomic sequencing revealed differences in the genes of degrading enzymes. • Bacteria and fungi complement each other by differences in degrading enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBDs) tend to develop during adolescence. Their presence and especially co‐occurrence induce numerous disrupting consequences, including suicidality. A recently developed network analysis is suitable to investigate the symptom‐level structure of comorbid psychopathology. Rather than pairwise comorbidity networks, the current study investigated a comprehensive network of SEBDs at the symptom level and explored the differential relationships between symptoms of SEBDs and suicidality.Recruited from four public schools in China, a sample of adolescents (N = 6974, mean age = 15.84, 50.1% boys) were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and one suicidality‐related item. The cross‐sectional network structure of the SEBD symptoms was investigated. The differential associations between individual symptoms of SEBDs and suicidality were also explored with a relative importance analysis.The results showed that constantly fidgeting, worry a lot, unhappy, down‐hearted, tearful, and easily scared emerged as the most central symptoms in the network of SEBDs. Worry a lot, constantly fidgeting, lose my temper, and being bullied served as bridge symptoms, connecting various domains of SEBDs. In addition, the centrality of symptoms was positively associated with the variance shared with suicidality, with worry a lot and unhappy, down‐hearted, and tearful explaining a large portion of the variance of suicidality.Taken together, the results were indicative of close connections among emotional, hyperactivity‐inattention, peer, and conduct aspects of adolescent mental health difficulties, as well as the central role of emotional difficulties in the SEBDs network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, noninvasive imaging techniques and circulating biomarkers are still insufficient to accurately assess carotid plaque stability, and an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to plaque instability is still lacking. Methods: We established a clinical study cohort containing 182 patients with carotid artery stenosis. After screening, 39 stable and 49 unstable plaques were included in the discovery group, and quantitative proteomics analysis based on data independent acquisition was performed for these plaque samples. Additionally, 35 plaques were included in the validation group to validate the proteomics results by immunohistochemistry analysis. Results: A total of 397 differentially expressed proteins were identified in stable and unstable plaques. These proteins are primarily involved in ferroptosis and lipid metabolism-related functions and pathways. Plaque validation results showed that ferroptosis- and lipid metabolism-related proteins had different expression trends in stable plaques versus unstable fibrous cap regions and lipid core regions. Ferroptosis- and lipid metabolism-related mechanisms in plaque stability were discussed. Conclusions: Our results may provide a valuable strategy for revealing the mechanisms affecting plaque stability and will facilitate the discovery of specific biomarkers to broaden the therapeutic scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The continuously welded 2D nano-networks were constructed based on hierarchical phase separation. • The impact of the polymer concentrations on the phase behavior in the ternary system was investigated. • The synergistic effect of sieving and adhesion was used to capture the PM. • The interaction between PM and PVB nanowires was proposed. • The spider web-inspired membrane shows excellent air filtration performance and stable long-term recycling capacity. Air pollution has garnered significant worldwide attention; however, the existing air filtration materials still suffer from issues related to monotonous structure and the inherent trade-off between PM rejection and air permeability. Herein, a spider web-inspired composite membrane with continuous monolayer structured 2D nano-networks tightly welded on nanofibers in the electrospun membrane scaffold is designed via a hierarchical phase separation strategy. The resultant biomimetic hierarchical-structured membranes possess the integrated features of hierarchical multiscale structures of 2D ultrafine networks composed of nanowires with a diameter of 31 nm self-assembled by nanoparticles, exceptional characteristics involving small average aperture, extremely low network thickness, high porosity and promising pore channel connectivity, combined with rich surface polar functional groups (3.02D dipole moment). Consequently, the composite membrane exhibits a high PM 0.3 capture efficiency of 99.6 % and low pressure drop of 58.8 Pa, less than 0.06 % of atmosphere pressure, with outstanding long-term PM 2.5 recycling filtration performance. The hierarchical phase separation–driven 2D nano-networks construction strategy, by virtue of their feasibility and tunability, holds great promise for widespread application across diverse membrane-related domains for air filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caspase-1 is one of the main mediators of inflammatory caspases and has become a correspondent with inflammation, cell death, and several inflammatory diseases. In this review, we systematically summarize both original and recent advances in caspase-1 to provide references for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms in its activation and functions. This study investigates and summarizes the published articles concerning caspase-1, inflammation, pyroptosis, apoptosis, and cell death by searching academic search systems, including the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Caspase-1 is one of the main mediators of inflammatory caspases and has become a correspondent with inflammation and cell death. In cell death, caspase-1 was originally found to cause apoptosis in fibroblasts. Importantly, caspase-1 was later reported to execute programmed cell death, including pyroptosis and apoptosis, in many immune cells in response to diverse stimuli. It is widely established that different pathways can activate caspase-1 and subsequently mediate cell death and inflammation. It has become increasingly clear that caspase-1 is responsible for the initiation and control of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and inflammation in addition to its well-known function in cleaving IL-1β. The significant advancement in the understanding of caspase-1-controlled cell death and novel substrates inspires new therapeutic approaches in the future. • Caspase-1 has become a correspondent with inflammation, cell death and several inflammatory diseases. • Both original and recent advances of the molecular mechanisms of the activation and functions of caspase-1 were summarized. • Caspase-1 was reported to execute programmed cell death including pyroptosis and apoptosis. • The significant advancement in caspase-1-controlled cell death and novel substrates inspires new therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive phosphorus (P) levels can disrupt nutrient balance in plants, adversely affecting growth. The molecular responses of Pennisetum species to high phosphorus stress remain poorly understood. This study examined two Pennisetum species, Pennisetum americanum × Pennisetum purpureum and Pennisetum americanum, under varying P concentrations (200, 600 and 1000 µmol·L− 1 KH2PO4) to elucidate transcriptomic alterations under high-P conditions. Our findings revealed that P. americanum exhibited stronger adaption to high-P stress compared to P. americanum× P. purpureum. Both species showed an increase in plant height and leaf P content under elevated P levels, with P. americanum demonstrating greater height and higher P content than P. americanum× P. purpureum. Transcriptomic analysis identified significant up- and down-regulation of key genes (e.g. SAUR, GH3, AHP, PIF4, PYL, GST, GPX, GSR, CAT, SOD1, CHS, ANR, P5CS and PsbO) involved in plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, peroxisomes, flavonoid biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways. Compared with P. americanum× P. purpureum, P. americanum has more key genes in the KEGG pathway, and some genes have higher expression levels. These results contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing high-P stress in Pennisetum species and offer implications for broader plant stress research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) demonstrate a wide range of therapeutic capabilities in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The intraperitoneal injection of MSCs has exhibited superior therapeutic efficacy on IBD than intravenous injection. Nevertheless, the precise in vivo distribution of MSCs and their biological consequences following intraperitoneal injection remain inadequately understood. Additional studies are required to explore the correlation between MSCs distribution and their biological effects. Methods: First, the distribution of human umbilical cord MSCs (hUC-MSCs) and the numbers of Treg and Th17 cells in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were analyzed after intraperitoneal injection of hUC-MSCs. Subsequently, the investigation focused on the levels of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1), a key cytokine to the biology of both Treg and Th17 cells, in tissues of mice with colitis, particularly in MLNs. The study also delved into the impact of hUC-MSCs therapy on Treg cell counts in MLNs, as well as the consequence of TGFB1 knockdown hUC-MSCs on the differentiation of Treg cells and the treatment of IBD. Results: The therapeutic effectiveness of intraperitoneally administered hUC-MSCs in the treatment of colitis was found to be significant, which was closely related to their quick migration to MLNs and secretion of TGF-β1. The abundance of hUC-MSCs in MLNs of colitis mice is much higher than that in other organs even the inflamed sites of colon. Intraperitoneal injection of hUC-MSCs led to a significant increase in the number of Treg cells and a decrease in Th17 cells especially in MLNs. Furthermore, the concentration of TGF-β1, the key cytokine for Treg differentiation, were also found to be significantly elevated in MLNs after hUC-MSCs treatment. Knockdown of TGFB1 in hUC-MSCs resulted in a noticeable reduction of Treg cells in MLNs and the eventually failure of hUC-MSCs therapy in colitis. Conclusions: MLNs may be a critical site for the regulatory effect of hUC-MSCs on Treg/Th17 cells and the therapeutic effect on colitis. TGF-β1 derived from hUC-MSCs promotes local Treg differentiation in MLNs. This study will provide new ideas for the development of MSC-based therapeutic strategies in IBD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the potential radiotoxicity in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients with high-dose 131I therapy, the alterations and regulatory mechanisms dependent on intestinal microecology remain poorly understood. We aimed to identify the characteristics of the gut microbiota and metabolites in DTC patients suffering from high-dose 131I therapy and explore the radioprotective mechanisms underlying arachidonic acid (ARA) treatment. Methods: A total of 102 patients with DTC were recruited, with fecal samples collected before and after 131I therapy for microbiome and untargeted and targeted metabolomic analyses. Mice were exposed to total body irradiation with ARA replenishment and antibiotic pretreatment and were subjected to metagenomic, metabolomic, and proteomic analyses. Results: 131I therapy significantly changed the structure of gut microbiota and metabolite composition in patients with DTC. Lachnospiraceae were the most dominant bacteria after 131I treatment, and metabolites with decreased levels and pathways related to ARA and linoleic acid were observed. In an irradiation mouse model, ARA supplementation not only improved quality of life and recovered hematopoietic and gastrointestinal systems but also ameliorated oxidative stress and inflammation and preserved enteric microecology composition. Additionally, antibiotic intervention eliminated the radioprotective effects of ARA. Proteomic analysis and ursolic acid pretreatment showed that ARA therapy greatly influenced intestinal lipid metabolism in mice subjected to irradiation by upregulating the expression of hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase 1. Conclusion: These findings highlight that ARA, as a key metabolite, substantially contributes to radioprotection. Our study provides novel insights into the pivotal role that the microbiota-metabolite axis plays in radionuclide protection and offers effective biological targets for treating radiation-induced adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large adiabatic temperature change along with a wide operating temperature region is usually required for the electrocaloric materials to fulfill their refrigeration function. In general, doping foreign ions into BaTiO3 is the frequently utilized strategy in order to obtain excellent electrocaloric materials for the practical application. In the current paper, BaTiO3 lead‐free ferroelectric ceramics were doped by Ca2+ and Sn4+ simultaneously in order to generate a coexistence state at room temperature, where ferroelectric domains and nanodomains exit. As a result, a large polarization and a wide operating temperature range were finally induced. It is found that Ba0.9Ca0.1Ti0.85Sn0.15O3 has a maximum adiabatic temperature change of 0.85 K and an excellent working temperature region (65 K, ∆T > 90% Tmax) was achieved under an electric field of 50 kV/cm. The above phenomenon indicates that the modified BaTiO3 ceramics can be a good potential electrocaloric material in the state of cross‐existence of ferroelectric domains and nanodomains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in condyloma acuminatum (CA) and to explore their probable regulatory mechanisms by establishing coexpression networks. Methods: High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed to assess genome-wide lncRNA expression in CA and paired adjacent mucosal tissue. The expression of candidate lncRNAs and their target genes in larger CA specimens was validated using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR). Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used for the functional enrichment analysis of these candidate lncRNAs and differential mRNAs. The coexpressed mRNAs of the candidate lncRNAs, calculated by Pearson's correlation coefficient, were also analysed using GO and KEGG analysis. In addition, the interactions among differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs)-cis-regulatory transcription factors (cisTFs)-differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analysed and their network was constructed. Results: A total of 546 lncRNAs and 2553 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in CA compared to the paired control. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs coexpressed with DElncRNAs were enriched in the terms of cell adhesion and keratinocyte differentiation, and the pathways of ECM-receptor interaction, local adhesion, PI3K/AKT and TGF-ß signaling. We further constructed the network among DElncRNAs-cisTFs-DEGs and found that these 95 DEGs were mainly enriched in GO terms of epithelial development, regulation of transcription or gene expression. Furthermore, the expression of 3 pairs of DElncRNAs and cisTFs, EVX1-AS and HOXA13, HOXA11-AS and EVX1, and DLX6-AS and DLX5, was validated with a larger number of specimens using RT‒qPCR. Conclusion: CA has a specific lncRNA profile, and the differentially expressed lncRNAs play regulatory roles in mRNA expression through cis-acting TFs, which provides insight into their regulatory networks. It will be useful to understand the pathogenesis of CA to provide new directions for the prevention, clinical treatment and efficacy evaluation of CA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from solar energy conversion method is an attractive strategy to alleviate the energy crisis. The use of non-noble metal cocatalysts instead of noble metal monomers to improve the performance of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions has been pursued by researchers. In this work, we develop a single-photon excited electron transport pathway system for photocatalytic hydrogen production performance studies by coupling 0D MoS x nanodots and 3D Zn 2 In 2 S 5 nanoflowers. Experimental results combined with DFT calculations show that MoS x not only imparts photothermal properties to the composite material, but also acts as a conduit for electron transport, which can accelerate the rapid separation and transfer of photocatalytic charges. Among them, 3-MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 selectively promoted photocatalyzed conversion of benzyl alcohol (BA, 100% conversion) into benzaldehyde (BAD, 96.82% selectivity) by simultaneous co-production of hydrogen (8.74 mmol•g−1•h−1) within 1 h, which is about 7.80 and 2.69 times higher than pure Zn 2 In 2 S 5 , respectively. Further, 3-MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 can realize the hydrogen production reaction with glycerol as the substrate with a remarkable effect (up to 5.47 mmol•g−1•h−1). Additionally, 3-MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 also showed some hydrogen production performance when other biomasses (glucose, xylose, and cellulose) were used as substrates. This work provides a feasible strategy for the design of photothermal photocatalysts for synergistic hydrogen production from biomass. Photothermal MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using biomass as substrate. [Display omitted] • MoS x enhances the photothermal properties of 3D MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 nanoflower. • MoS x acts as an electron transport bridge to promote the H 2 production. • 3D MoS x /Zn 2 In 2 S 5 nanoflower has efficient benzyl alcohol conversion cooperative H 2 production. • DFT combined with ESR results prove the single electron transmission channel mechanism of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Existing research indicates that patients with heart failure (HF) may have restricted access to guideline‐directed medical therapy (GDMT) when their blood pressure (BP) is comparatively low. However, recent clinical trials suggest that HF patients with low BP could still benefit from certain HF medications, which have a minimal impact on BP. This systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to determine whether this applies to all GDMT. Methods and results: A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted for studies published from inception to 10 January 2024. Randomized controlled trials were selected if they reported on the longitudinal change of systolic BP (SBP) due to GDMT, or the risks of cardiovascular events in HF patients based on SBP categories. Weighted mean difference (WMD), hazard ratio or relative risk, and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled for meta‐analysis where possible. Data from 20 studies, encompassing information on 84 782 individuals, were analysed. Overall, GDMT is associated with lower SBP (WMD, −2.16; 95% CI −2.86 to −1.46), with no significant difference between baseline low and non‐low BP subgroups (interaction p = 0.810). However, SBP of the treatment group increased by 5.8 mmHg from baseline in the low SBP subgroup during follow‐up, while it decreased by 4.0 mmHg in the baseline non‐low SBP subgroup. GDMT demonstrated similar cardiovascular benefits and risk of hypotension between low and non‐low SBP subgroups (interaction p = 0.318 and 0.903, respectively). Conclusions: Guideline‐directed medical therapy is associated with a negligible decrease in SBP, but can provide similar cardiovascular benefits in both low and non‐low SBP HF patients, with no significant interaction with SBP as to hypotension. Therefore, GDMT should be initiated and maintained in HF patients with low BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next‐generation light source facilities offer extreme spatial and temporal resolving power, enabling multiscale, ultra‐fast and dynamic characterizations. However, a trade‐off between acquisition efficiency and data quality needs to be made to fully unleash the resolving potential, for which purpose powerful denoising algorithms to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the acquired X‐ray images are desirable. Yet, existing models based on machine learning mostly require massive and diverse labeled training data. Here we introduce a self‐supervised pre‐training algorithm with blind denoising capability by exploring the intrinsic physical symmetry of X‐ray patterns without requiring high signal‐to‐noise ratio reference data. The algorithm is more efficient and effective than algorithms without symmetry involved, including an supervised algorithm. It allows us to recover physical information from spatially and temporally resolved data acquired in X‐ray diffraction/scattering and pair distribution function experiments, where pattern symmetry is often well preserved. This study facilitates photon‐hungry experiments as well as in situ experiments with dynamic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a ternary solid solution was designed by incorporating varying concentrations of the B-site composite perovskite Ba(Mg 1/3 Ta 2/3)O 3 (BMT) into 0.91Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 -0.09K 0.7 La 0.1 NbO 3 (NBT-KLN-based) ferroelectric ceramics to optimize their energy storage performance. The introduction of BMT disrupted the long-range ordered state of the A/B site in the original perovskite structure, resulting in increased structural disorder and enhanced relaxor characteristics. The viscous polymer processing (VPP) method was employed to attain a significantly denser structure. The 0.10BMT-vpp ceramic has ultimately achieved optimal energy storage performance, along with exceptional temperature and frequency stability. It boasts a high dielectric breakdown strength (BDS) of 440 kV/cm, an ultra-high effective energy storage density (W rec) of 6.7 J/cm3, and an energy storage efficiency (η) of 82%. Moreover, the 0.10BMT-vpp ceramic exhibits robust pulse performance, characterized by an ultra-fast discharge time (t 0.9) of only 77 ns. Furthermore, within the temperature range of −66 °C–354 °C, the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of the 0.25BMT ceramics undergoes a variation of no more than ±15%, in compliance with X9R specifications (−55 °C–200 °C). The introduction of BMT endows NBT-KLN-based ceramics with remarkable temperature stability and comprehensive energy storage performance, making it a ceramic material with practical potential for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2 O 3 has been found a promising application in CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol, which is beneficial to the utilization of CO 2. The oxygen vacancy (O v) site is identified as the catalytic active center of this reaction. However, there remains a great challenge to understand the relations between the state of oxygen species in In 2 O 3 and the catalytic performance for CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol. In the present work, we compare the properties of multiple In 2 O 3 and Ir-promoted In 2 O 3 (Ir-In 2 O 3) catalysts with different Ir loadings and after being pretreated under different reduction temperatures. The CO 2 conversion rate of Ir-In 2 O 3 is more promoted than that of pure In 2 O 3. With only a small amount of Ir loading, the highly dispersed Ir species on In 2 O 3 increase the concentration of O v sites and enhance the activity. By finely tuning the catalyst structure, Ir-In 2 O 3 with an Ir loading of 0.16 wt.% and pre-reduction treatment under 300°C exhibits the highest methanol yield of 146 mg CH3OH /(g cat ·hr). Characterizations of Raman, electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, CO 2 -temperature programmed desorption and CO 2 -pulse adsorption for the catalysts confirm that more O v sites can be generated under higher reduction temperature, which will induce a facile CO 2 adsorption and desorption cycle. Higher performance for methanol production requires an adequate dynamic balance among the surface oxygen atoms and vacancies, which guides us to find more suitable conditions for catalyst pretreatment and reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated microglia in the retina are essential for the development of autoimmune uveitis. Yin‐Yang 1 (YY1) is an important transcription factor that participates in multiple inflammatory and immune‐mediated diseases. Here, an increased YY1 lactylation in retinal microglia within in the experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) group is observed. YY1 lactylation contributed to boosting microglial activation and promoting their proliferation and migration abilities. Inhibition of lactylation suppressed microglial activation and attenuated inflammation in EAU. Mechanistically, cleavage under targets & tagmentation （CUT&Tag） analysis revealed that YY1 lactylation promoted microglial activation by regulating the transcription of a set of inflammatory genes, including STAT3, CCL5, IRF1, IDO1, and SEMA4D. In addition, p300 is identified as the writer of YY1 lactylation. Inhibition of p300 decreased YY1 lactylation and suppressed microglial inflammation in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, the results showed that YY1 lactylation promoted microglial dysfunction in autoimmune uveitis by upregulating inflammatory cytokine secretion and boosting cell migration and proliferation. Therapeutic effects can be achieved by targeting the lactate/p300/YY1 lactylation/inflammatory genes axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reasonable and effective application of waste tires and discarded concrete in concrete is an important branch of green concrete development. This paper investigates the effects of the inorganic modification mode on the basic mechanical properties of rubber recycled concrete based on indoor tests. Inorganic modification, such as water washing, acid washing, and alkaline washing modification, was mainly used to treat and modify rubber particles. The factors affecting the compressive strength, the splitting tensile strength, the flexural strength, the axial compressive strength, and the modulus of elasticity of modified rubber recycled concrete were analyzed. The study results show that the incorporation of recycled aggregates and rubber reduced the mechanical properties of concrete, with the compressive and splitting tensile strengths showing the greatest reductions of 27.36% and 27.24%, respectively. Three modification methods significantly improved the mechanical properties of rubber recycled concrete. The alkali washing modification method was the most effective, maximally improving the mechanical properties of rubber recycled concrete by 7.53–15.51%. The effects of the three modifications on the mechanical properties of concrete were ranked as follows: alkali washing > acid washing > water washing. This study provides a data basis for the practical application of rubber recycled concrete in engineering and a test basis for the development of green concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anemia is a common complication of HIV/AIDS, particularly in adolescents and young adults across various countries and regions. However, little is known about the changing prevalence trends of anemia impairment in this population over time. Methods: Data on anemia in adolescents and young adults with HIV/AIDS from 1990 to 2019 were collected from the Global Burden of Disease. Prevalence was calculated by gender, region, and country for individuals aged 10–24, and trends were measured using estimating annual percentage changes (EAPC). Results: Globally, the prevalence of adolescents and young adults with HIV/AIDS increased from 103.95 per 100,000 population in 1990 to 203.78 in 2019. However, anemia impairment has decreased over the past three decades, with a global percentage decreasing from 70.6% in 1990 to 34.7% in 2019, mainly presenting as mild to moderate anemia and significantly higher in females than males. The largest decreases were observed in Central Sub-Saharan Africa, North America, and Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa, with EAPCs of -2.8, -2.34, and -2.17, respectively. Tajikistan (78.76%) and Madagascar (74.65%) had the highest anemia impairment percentage in 2019, while China (16.61%) and Iceland (13.73%) had the lowest. Anemia impairment was closely related to sociodemographic index (SDI) levels, with a high proportion of impairment in low SDI regions but a stable decreasing trend (EAPC = -0.37). Conclusion: Continued anemia monitoring and management are crucial for patients with HIV, especially in high-prevalence regions and among females. Public health policies and interventions can improve the quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the awareness and influencing factors of topical corticosteroid (TCS) therapy among caregivers caring for children with eczema, in order to facilitate targeted medication education and improve medication compliance of children and treatment efficacy. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among caregivers of children with eczema who were admitted to the dermatology department of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics from December 2020 to March 2021. The questionnaire included caregivers' awareness of TCS and its side effects, children in compliance with TCS treatment, and methods to access related knowledge. The influencing factors of caregivers' awareness of TCS treatment for eczema were analyzed. Results Only 22. 22% (38/171) of caregivers were aware of TCS well, while 16. 37% (28/171) of caregivers were not aware of TCS at all. Moreover, 9. 36% (16/ 171) of caregivers were fully aware of the side effects of TCS. Caregivers acquired knowledge about TCS treatment mainly from " network" (46.20% ), patients or people around them (38. 60% ) and doctors (22. 81% ) . About 62% ( 106/171 ) of the caregivers who took care of the children completely followed doctors' orders, while 35. 08% (60/171) partially followed doctors' orders. Small proportion of caregivers (5/171, 2. 92% ) did not use TCS at all. Awareness of TCS and TCS side effects among caregivers differed with caregivers' age, education level and occupational status (all P < 0. 05 ). Likewise, the methods of caregivers to obtain information about TCS treatment and in compliance of doctor's instructions varied with caregivers' age and education level (both P <0. 05), but not with their occupational status (both P >0. 05). Conclusions Caregivers of children with eczema have liitle awareness of TCS for the treatment of eczema, and caregivers' awareness of TCS and medication compliance are influenced by age and education level. Clinicians should pay attention to the diiferences in obtaining information about disease and medication among diiferent population, strengthen publicity and popular science, promote rational drug use, and improve skin health management of children with eczema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to screen novel gene signatures for ovarian cancer (OC) and explore the role of biomarkers in OC via regulating pyroptosis using bioinformatics analysis. Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of OC were screened from GSE12470 and GSE16709 datasets. Hub genes were determined from protein–protein interaction networks after bioinformatics analysis. The role of Centromeric protein M (CENPM) in OC was assessed by subcutaneous tumor experiment using hematoxylin–eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Tumor metastasis was evaluated by detecting epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins. The proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined using cell counting kit and transwell assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure inflammatory factors. The mRNA and protein expression were detected using real-time quantitative PCR and western blot. Results: We determined 9 hub genes (KIFC1, PCLAF, CDCA5, KNTC1, MCM3, OIP5, CENPM, KIF15, and ASF1B) with high prediction value for OC. In SKOV3 and A2780 cells, the expression levels of hub genes were significantly up-regulated, compared with normal ovarian cells. CENPM was selected as a key gene. Knockdown of CENPM suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of OC cells. Subcutaneous tumor experiment revealed that CENPM knockdown significantly suppressed tumor growth and metastasis. Additionally, pyroptosis was promoted in OC cells and xenograft tumors after CENPM knockdown. Furthermore, CENPM knockdown activated cGAS-STING pathway and the pathway inhibitor reversed the inhibitory effect of CENPM knockdown on viability, migration, and invasion of OC cells. Conclusion: CENPM was a novel biomarker of OC, and knockdown of CENPM inhibited OC progression by promoting pyroptosis and activating cGAS-STING pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells frequently develop resistance to chemotherapeutic therapies and targeted drugs, which has been a significant challenge in cancer management. With the growing advances in technologies in isolation and identification of natural products, the potential of natural products in combating cancer multidrug resistance has received substantial attention. Importantly, natural products can impact multiple targets, which can be valuable in overcoming drug resistance from different perspectives. In the current review, we will describe the well-established mechanisms underlying multidrug resistance, and introduce natural products that could target these multidrug resistant mechanisms. Specifically, we will discuss natural compounds such as curcumin, resveratrol, baicalein, chrysin and more, and their potential roles in combating multidrug resistance. This review article aims to provide a systematic summary of recent advances of natural products in combating cancer drug resistance, and will provide rationales for novel drug discovery. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal aqueous phase (HAP) contains abundant organics and nutrients, which have potential to partially replace chemical fertilizers for enhancing plant growth and soil quality. However, the underlying reasons for low available nitrogen (N) and high N loss in dryland soil remain unclear. A cultivation experiment was conducted using HAP or urea to supply 160 mg N kg−1 in dryland soil. The dynamic changes of soil organic matters (SOMs), pH, N forms, and N cycling genes were investigated. Results showed that SOMs from HAP stimulated urease activity and ureC , which enhanced ammonification in turn. The high-molecular-weight SOMs relatively increased during 5–30 d and then biodegraded during 30–90 d, which SUV 254 changed from 0.51 to 1.47 to 0.29 L−1 m−1. This affected ureC that changed from 5.58 to 5.34 to 5.75 lg copies g−1. Relative to urea, addition HAP enhanced ON mineralization by 8.40 times during 30–90 d due to higher ureC. It decreased NO 3 –N by 65.35%–77.32% but increased AOB and AOA by 0.25 and 0.90 lg copies g−1 at 5 d and 90 d, respectively. It little affected nirK and increased nosZ by 0.41 lg copies g−1 at 90 d. It increased N loss by 4.59 times. The soil pH for HAP was higher than that for urea after 11 d. The comprehensive effects of high SOMs and pH, including ammonification enhancement and nitrification activity inhibition, were the primary causes of high N loss. The core idea for developing high-efficiency HAP fertilizer is to moderately inhibit ammonification and promote nitrification. [Display omitted] • HAP relative to urea increased N loss by 4.59 times during 90 d cultivation. • HAP increased ureC during 30–90 d when high molecular weight DOMs biodegraded. • HAP increased AOA + AOB by 0.95 lg copies g−1 but decreased 65.35%–77.32% NO 3 –N. • HAP little changed nirK and increased nosZ by 0.41 lg copies g−1. • High soil pH and SOMs reasoned from HAP were the main reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypoglycemic effects of low-molecular-weight Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJO) were investigated in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice, focusing on its effect on the microbiome, metabolome, and transcriptome. The findings demonstrated that LJO significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels, insulin levels, and inflammatory factors. Additionally, LJO induced changes in gut microbiota composition and increased the concentrations of cecal short-chain fatty acids. Analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics data revealed that LJO primarily altered the endocrine and digestive systems, signal transduction, and lipid metabolism. It led to a decrease in palmitic acid levels and an increase in glutathione levels. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay suggested that LJO upregulated Irs1 expression, consequently reducing insulin resistance. These findings strongly suggest that LJO holds promise in ameliorating T2DM and may serve as a potential dietary supplement for patients with T2DM. • Polysaccharide from Laminaria japonica (LJO) has hypoglycemic effects. • LJO modulated the diabetes-associated bacterial taxa and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). • Using multi-omics to analyze the underlying mechanisms of LJO to ameliorate type 2 diabetes in mice. • LJO may serve as a potential prebiotic agent against metabolic disorders in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R-loops are prevalent three-stranded nucleic acid structures, comprising a DNA-RNA hybrid and a displaced single-stranded DNA, that frequently form during transcription and may be attributed to genomic stability and gene expression regulation. It was recently discovered that RNA modification contributes to maintain the stability of R-loops such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A). Yet, m6A-modified R-loops in regulating gene transcription remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding proteins (IGF2BPs) recognize R-loops in an m6A-dependent way. Consequently, IGF2BPs overexpression leads to increased overall R-loop levels, cell migration inhibition, and cell growth retardation in prostate cancer (PCa) via precluding the binding of DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1) to semaphorin 3 F (SEMA3F) promoters. Moreover, the K homology (KH) domains of IGF2BPs are required for their recognition of m6A-containing R-loops and are required for tumor suppressor functions. Overexpression of SEMA3F markedly enhanced docetaxel chemosensitivity in prostate cancer via regulating Hippo pathway. Our findings point to a distinct R-loop resolution pathway mediated by IGF2BPs, emphasizing the functional importance of IGF2BPs as epigenetic R-loop readers in transcriptional genetic regulation and cancer biology. The manuscript summarizes the new role of N6-methyladenosine in epigenetic regulation, we introduce the distinct R-loop resolution mediated by IGF2BP proteins in an m6A-dependent way, which probably lead to the growth retardation and docetaxel chemotherapy resistance in prostate cancer. Moreover, our findings first emphasized the functional importance of IGF2BPs as epigenetic R-loop readers in transcriptional genetic regulation and cancer biology. In addition, our research provides a novel RBM15/IGF2BPs/DNMT1 trans-omics regulation m6A axis, indicating the new crosstalk between RNA m6A methylation and DNA methylation in prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of poor sexual performance of some male giant pandas seriously impairs the growth and the genetic diversity of the captive population, yet there is still no clear understanding of the cause of the loss of this ability and its underlying mechanism. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota and its function in 72 fecal samples obtained from 20 captive male giant pandas, with an equal allocation between individuals capable and incapable of natural mating. Additionally, we investigated fecal hormone levels and behavioral differences between the two groups. A correlation analysis was then conducted among these factors to explore the influencing factors of their natural mating ability. The results showed significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota between the two groups of male pandas. The capable group had significantly higher abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (padjusted =.0021, GLMM), which was positively correlated with fatty acid degradation and two‐component system functions (Spearman, padjusted <.05). Additionally, the capable group showed higher gene abundance in gut microbiota function including purine and pyrimidine metabolism and galactose metabolism, as well as pathways related to biological processes such as ribosome and homologous recombination (DEseq2, padjusted <.05). We found no significant differences in fecal cortisol and testosterone levels between the two groups, and no difference was found in their behavior either. Our study provides a theoretical and practical basis for further studying the behavioral degradation mechanisms of giant pandas and other endangered mammal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Drug combination therapies have shown promise in clinical cancer treatments. However, it is hard to experimentally identify all drug combinations for synergistic interaction even with high-throughput screening due to the vast space of potential combinations. Although a number of computational methods for drug synergy prediction have proven successful in narrowing down this space, fusing drug pairs and cell line features effectively still lacks study, hindering current algorithms from understanding the complex interaction between drugs and cell lines. Results: In this paper, we proposed a Permutable feature fusion network for Drug-Drug Synergy prediction, named PermuteDDS. PermuteDDS takes multiple representations of drugs and cell lines as input and employs a permutable fusion mechanism to combine drug and cell line features. In experiments, PermuteDDS exhibits state-of-the-art performance on two benchmark data sets. Additionally, the results on independent test set grouped by different tissues reveal that PermuteDDS has good generalization performance. We believed that PermuteDDS is an effective and valuable tool for identifying synergistic drug combinations. It is publicly available at https://github.com/littlewei-lazy/PermuteDDS. Scientific contribution: First, this paper proposes a permutable feature fusion network for predicting drug synergy termed PermuteDDS, which extract diverse information from multiple drug representations and cell line representations. Second, the permutable fusion mechanism combine the drug and cell line features by integrating information of different channels, enabling the utilization of complex relationships between drugs and cell lines. Third, comparative and ablation experiments provide evidence of the efficacy of PermuteDDS in predicting drug-drug synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosomal single-stranded RNA-sensing Toll-like receptor-7/8 (TLR7/8) plays a pivotal role in inflammation and immune responses and autoimmune diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the initiation of the TLR7/8-mediated autoimmune signaling remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that miR-574-5p is aberrantly upregulated in tissues of lupus prone mice and in the plasma of lupus patients, with its expression levels correlating with the disease activity. miR-574-5p binds to and activates human hTLR8 or its murine ortholog mTlr7 to elicit a series of MyD88-dependent immune and inflammatory responses. These responses include the overproduction of cytokines and interferons, the activation of STAT1 signaling and B lymphocytes, and the production of autoantigens. In a transgenic mouse model, the induction of miR-574-5p overexpression is associated with increased secretion of antinuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies, increased IgG and C3 deposit in the kidney, elevated expression of inflammatory genes in the spleen. In lupus-prone mice, lentivirus-mediated silencing of miR-574-5p significantly ameliorates major symptoms associated with lupus and lupus nephritis. Collectively, these results suggest that the miR-574-5p-hTLR8/mTlr7 signaling is an important axis of immune and inflammatory responses, contributing significantly to the development of lupus and lupus nephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of highly efficient noble metal-free catalysts for overall water splitting in alkaline water/seawater at large-current density is critical for industrial application. In this work, FeCo-MOF derived hierarchical Co 4 S 3 /Fe 3 S 4 /MoS 2 nanosheet arrays on iron foam (IF) were prepared as efficient electrocatalyst for both HER and OER by solvothermal method. The CFM 0.3 nanosheet arrays exhibited the high HER performance with the Tafel slope of 70 mV dec-1 and extremely low overpotential of 241, 377 mV at 100 and 500 mA/cm2. The CFM 0.7 nanosheet arrays can deliver a high current density of 100 and 500 mA/cm2 at the overpotential as low as 220 and 305 mV and small Tafel slope (79 mV dec-1) for OER. Moreover, CFM0.3/CFM0.7 exhibited the low overpotentials of 270/380 mV for HER/OER at 100 mA/cm2 in simulated seawater. The CFM0.3//CFM0.7 delivered comparatively low cell voltage of 1.26/1.45 V at 10 mA/cm2 with excellent stability for 48 h in alkaline water/simulated seawater. Benefiting from the three-dimensional nanosheet arrays framework and the interface coupling interactions of trimetallic sulfides, the self-supporting robustness electrodes with abundant multimetallic electroactive centers can regulate charge/ion diffusion path and electronic structure for prompting HER and OER activity at high current density. Hence, this work would provide new ideas for exploration of highly-active MOF-derived non-noble metal bifunctional catalysts for energy-related applications. The Co 4 S 3 /Fe 3 S 4 /MoS 2 (CFM) nanosheet arrays on IF were prepared as an efficient electrocatalyst for both HER and OER. CFM 0.3 exhibited low overpotential of 241, 377 mV at 100 and 500 mA/cm2 for HER. CFM 0.7 showed low overpotential of 220 and 305 mV at 100 and 500 mA/cm2 for OER. CFM 0.3 and CFM 0.7 exhibited the low HER and OER overpotentials of 270 and 380 mV at 100 mA cm−2 in simulated seawater. CFM 0.3//CFM 0.7 delivered comparatively low cell voltages of 1.26 and 1.45 V at 10 mA/cm2 for overall water/seawater splitting. [Display omitted] • Co 4 S 3 /Fe 3 S 4 /MoS 2 nanosheet arrays were fabricated on IF by solvothermal method. • CFM0.3 exhibited 241(270)/377 mV at 100/500 mA/cm2 in 1.0 M KOH(seawater) for HER. • CFM0.7 exhibited 220(380)/305 mV at 100/500 mA/cm2 in 1.0 M KOH(seawater) for OER. • CFM0.3//CFM0.7 exhibited 1.26(1.45V) at 10 mA/cm2 for 48 h in 1.0 M KOH(seawater). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune skin disease that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. Interactions between primary afferents of the somatosensory system and the cutaneous immune system mediate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how primary sensory neurons regulate psoriasis formation. Experimental Approach: Skin and total RNA were extracted from wild‐type (WT) and ASH1‐like histone lysine methyltransferase (Ash1l+/−) mice in both naive and imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis models. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) were then performed. Microfluidic chamber coculture was used to investigate the interaction between somatosensory neurons and bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) ex vivo. Whole‐cell patch clamp recordings were used to evaluate neuronal excitability after Ash1L haploinsufficiency in primary sensory neurons. Key Results: The haploinsufficiency of ASH1L, a histone methyltransferase, in primary sensory neurons causes both neurite hyperinnervation and increased neuronal excitability, which promote miR‐let‐7b release from primary afferents in the skin in a neuronal activity‐dependent manner. With a 'GUUGUGU' core sequence, miR‐let‐7b functions as an endogenous ligand of toll‐like receptor 7 (TLR7) and stimulates the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and interleukin (IL)‐23/IL‐17 axis, ultimately exacerbating the symptoms of psoriasis. Thus, by limiting miR‐let‐7b release from primary afferents, ASH1L prevents dermal DC activation and ameliorates psoriasis. Conclusion and Implications: Somatosensory neuron ASH1L modulates the cutaneous immune system by limiting neuronal activity‐dependent release of miR‐let‐7b, which can directly activate dermal DCs via TLR7 and ultimately lead to aggravated psoriatic lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of poor sexual performance of some male giant pandas seriously impairs the growth and the genetic diversity of the captive population, yet there is still no clear understanding of the cause of the loss of this ability and its underlying mechanism. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota and its function in 72 fecal samples obtained from 20 captive male giant pandas, with an equal allocation between individuals capable and incapable of natural mating. Additionally, we investigated fecal hormone levels and behavioral differences between the two groups. A correlation analysis was then conducted among these factors to explore the influencing factors of their natural mating ability. The results showed significant differences in the composition of gut microbiota between the two groups of male pandas. The capable group had significantly higher abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (padjusted =.0021, GLMM), which was positively correlated with fatty acid degradation and two‐component system functions (Spearman, padjusted <.05). Additionally, the capable group showed higher gene abundance in gut microbiota function including purine and pyrimidine metabolism and galactose metabolism, as well as pathways related to biological processes such as ribosome and homologous recombination (DEseq2, padjusted <.05). We found no significant differences in fecal cortisol and testosterone levels between the two groups, and no difference was found in their behavior either. Our study provides a theoretical and practical basis for further studying the behavioral degradation mechanisms of giant pandas and other endangered mammal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and highly ultraviolet (UV) sensitive materials garner considerable attention in wearable devices, adaptive sensors, and light‐driven actuators. Herein, a type of nanofilms with unprecedented fully reversible UV responsiveness are successfully constructed. Building upon this discovery, a new system for ultra‐fast, sensitive, and reliable UV detection is developed. The system operates by monitoring the displacement of photoinduced macroscopic motions of the nanofilms based composite membranes. The system exhibits exceptional responsiveness to UV light at 375 nm, achieving remarkable response and recovery times of < 0.3 s. Furthermore, it boasts a wide detection range from 2.85 µW cm−2 to 8.30 mW cm−2, along with robust durability. Qualitative UV sensing is accomplished by observing the shape changes of the composite membranes. Moreover, the composite membrane can serve as sunlight‐responsive actuators for artificial flowers and smart switches in practical scenarios. The photo‐induced motion is ascribed to the cis–trans isomerization of the acylhydrazone bonds, and the rapid and fully reversible shape transformation is supposed to be a synergistic result of the instability of the cis‐isomers acylhydrazone bonds and the rebounding property of the networked nanofilms. These findings present a novel strategy for both quantitative and qualitative UV detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays a significant role in the onset and progression of cancer. It has led to increased interest in its potential as a diagnostic tool owing to its overexpression in cancer. However, research into the anti-cancer activity of H2S, particularly its ability to promote apoptosis, is hindered by the lack of effective detection tools. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the targeted efficacy of H2S in promoting cancer cell apoptosis, we designed and synthesized a self-immolative near-infrared fluorescent diagnostic probe, named YH-NO2. The activation of this self-immolative reaction is dependent on the presence of nitroreductase (NTR) overexpressed in tumor cells. The design of YH-NO2 involves releasing fluorophores through the activated self-immolative reaction for detection, while simultaneously releasing H2S-loaded self-immolative spacers to promote cancer cell apoptosis. Consequently, YH-NO2 achieves a seamless integration of recognizing and promoting cancer cell apoptosis through its self-immolative structure. This dual function allows YH-NO2 to recognize NTR activity in cells under varying hypoxia levels and differentiate between normal cells and cancer cells using imaging technology. Notably, YH-NO2 exhibits remarkable stability in cellular environments, providing controlled and selective H2S release, thereby targeting the elimination of cancer cells through the promotion of apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo experiments have demonstrated that YH-NO2 can accurately identify tumor tissue and effectively reduce its size by utilizing its apoptosis-promoting properties. These findings not only provide further evidence for the anti-cancer activity of H2S but also offer valuable tools for understanding the complex relationship between H2S and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic selective oxidation under visible light presents a promising approach for the sustainable transformation of biomass‐derived wastes. However, achieving both high conversion and excellent selectivity poses a significant challenge. In this study, two valuable trioses, glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone, are produced from glycerol over Cuδ+‐decorated WO3 photocatalyst in the presence of H2O2. The photocatalyst exhibits a remarkable five‐fold increase in the conversion rate (3.81 mmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1) while maintaining a high selectivity towards two trioses (46.4 % to glyceraldehyde and 32.9 % to dihydroxyacetone). Through a comprehensive analysis involving X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements with and without light irradiation, electron spin resonance spectroscopy, and isotopic analysis, the critical role of Cu+ species has been explored as efficient hole acceptors. These species facilitate charge transfer, promoting glycerol oxidation by photoholes, followed by coupling with OH‐, which are subsequently dehydrated to yield the desired glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]