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Undesired ice accumulation can lead to serious negative impacts on daily life and equipment safety. Slippery liquid-infused surfaces (SLISs) have been widely studied for their low ice adhesion strength (τ ice ). However, the lack of durability, weak robustness, and complex preparation process hinder the application of SLISs. In this work, robust oil-infused porous surface (RIPS) was obtained by a facile one-step method, which used epoxy resin (E44) as a substrate and contained fumed silica and silicone oil. The RIPS-6 displays outstanding anti-icing/deicing ability, superior liquid repellency, good self-cleaning performance, and excellent mechanical robustness. At −5 °C, the water droplet remained unfrozen after 7200 s. τ ice was only 6.9 kPa at −20 °C and remained below 15 kPa during 10 icing cycles. Furthermore, the mixture of E44 and fumed silica enhanced the mechanical properties including the hardness (4 H) and abrasion resistance of RIPS-6. The icephobicity can be remained (τice < 40 kPa) even after 150 cycles of sandpaper abrasion at 2.5 kPa. The anti-icing and deicing coating with excellent mechanical stability and durability significantly improves the practical application possibility of the coating in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary liver cancer is the second leading cause of tumor-related deaths in China, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for 80%–90% of these. Since there is a lack of symptoms in the early stages of HCC, a large proportion of patients were identified with unresectable HCC when diagnosed. Due to the severe resistance to chemotherapy, patients with advanced HCC were traditionally treated with systematic therapy in the past decades, and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sorafenib has remained the only treatment option for advanced HCC since 2008. Immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have shown a strong anti-tumor effect and have been supported by several guidelines recently. ICIs, for example programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors such as atezolizumab, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors such as ipilimumab, the ICI-based combination with TKIs, and VEGF-neutralizing antibody or systematic or local anti-tumor therapies, are being further studied in clinical trials. However, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) including cutaneous toxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and hepatotoxicity may lead to the termination of ICI treatment or even threaten patients’ lives. This review aims to summarize currently available immunotherapies and introduce the irAEs and their managements in order to provide references for clinical application and further research.

Metal stable isotopic composition of dental enamel is a novel proxy for reconstructing human dietary structure. Magnesium is the second most prevalent element in teeth only after calcium. Significant isotopic fractionation of Mg isotopes during biological processes implies its great advantages in reconstructing human recipes. To evaluate the potential of the Mg isotopic composition of dental enamel in learning the human dietary structure, elemental and Mg isotopic analyses were performed on the modern human teeth from regions in northern and southern China with various dietary characteristics. Our findings reveal that southern Chinese teeth enamel has higher Mg contents and heavier Mg isotopic compositions (-0.69‰ for SN and -0.66‰ for Hangzhou) than those of their northern counterparts (−1.27‰ for Weinan and −1.33‰ for Puyang). Such discrepancy cannot be attributed to the provenance heterogeneity or individual metabolic processes. Instead, the correlations between cereal-based dietary patterns and the δ26Mg in dental enamel demonstrate that the structure of the staple diet is more responsible for the Mg isotopic signatures. Moreover, heavier Mg isotopic compositions have been observed in dental enamel of individuals with higher rice and lower wheat in the diet, indicating that Mg isotopes are a promising tracer for rebuilding individual or population plant-based dietary structures as well as distinguishing more specific species within C3 plants. These findings suggest that Mg isotopes in teeth enamel have the great potential to better identify the food composition and constrain the diet structure of ancient humans.

The escalating threat of bacterial infections to human health necessitates innovative antibacterial strategies and materials. Despite this need, there is still a significant demand for materials that combine high mechanical and thermal properties with biocompatibility. To address these urgent issues, our study investigates the development of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite with graphene flakes (GF) as fillers. The aim is to strengthen the unique properties of graphene to enhance antibacterial activity. Graphene oxide (GO) was used as a surfactant to achieve stable graphene dispersion in water, preserving its inherent properties while avoiding the drawbacks associated with common surfactants, such as property reduction and complex removal processes. In this study, the mechanical and thermal properties of PVA composites containing GO and GF are superior to those of pristine PVA. Especially, the PVA‐2 composite exhibited a notable enhancement in both tensile strength and elongation at break compared with the PVA composite, with increases of 7.8% and 15% respectively. Moreover, PVA‐2, 4, and 6 composites exhibit significant antibacterial efficacy, achieving 4.8 and 4.9 log CFU/cm2 for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. These results indicate that the enhanced oxidative stress induced by GO as a surfactant, combined with the physical damage caused by the increased GF nanostructures. This study highlights the potential of PVA/GF/GO composites in biomedical and tissue engineering applications, providing a promising pathway for the development of new antibacterial materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global incidence of liver diseases is rising, yet there remains a dearth of precise research models to mimic these diseases. The use of normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) to study diseased livers recovered from liver transplantation (LT) recipients presents a promising avenue. Accordingly, we have developed a machine perfusion system tailored specifically for the human whole diseased livers and present our experience from the NMP of diseased livers. Methods: Six diseased livers recovered from LT recipients with different diagnoses were collected. The diseased livers were connected to the machine perfusion system that circulated tailored perfusate, providing oxygen and nutrients. The pressure and flow of the system were recorded, and blood gas analysis and laboratory tests of perfusate and bile were examined to analyze the function of the diseased livers. Liver tissues before and after NMP were collected for histological analysis. Results: Experiments showed that the system maintained the diseased livers in a physiological state, ensuring stable hemodynamics and a suitable partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The results of blood gas analysis and laboratory tests demonstrated a restoration and sustenance of metabolism with minimal damage. Notably, a majority of the diseased livers exhibited bile production continuously, signifying their vivid functional integrity. The pathological characteristics remained stable before and after NMP. Conclusion: We successfully established the machine perfusion system tailored specifically for diseased human whole livers. Through the application of this system, we have developed a novel in vitro model that faithfully recapitulates the main features of human liver disease. This model holds immense promise as an advanced disease modeling platform, offering profound insights into liver diseases and potential implications for research and therapeutic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemigliptin and dapagliflozin dual add‐on therapy (GEMI + DAPA) to metformin in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients who had inadequate glycaemic control on metformin alone, compared with a single add‐on of either gemigliptin (GEMI) or dapagliflozin (DAPA) to metformin. Materials and Methods: In this randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy, active‐controlled, parallel‐group, phase 3 study, 469 T2D patients treated with a stable dose of metformin for 8 weeks or longer were randomized to receive GEMI + DAPA (n = 157) and either GEMI (n = 156) or DAPA (n = 156). The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c levels from baseline at week 24. Results: Baseline characteristics including body mass index and T2D duration were similar among groups. At week 24, the least square mean changes in HbA1c from baseline were −1.34% with GEMI + DAPA, −0.90% with GEMI (difference between GEMI + DAPA vs. GEMI −0.44% [95% confidence interval {CI}: −0.58% to −0.31%], P <.01) and −0.78% with DAPA (difference between GEMI + DAPA vs. DAPA −0.56% [95% CI: −0.69% to −0.42%], P <.01). Both upper CIs were less than 0, demonstrating the superiority of GEMI + DAPA for lowering HbA1c. The rates of responders achieving HbA1c less than 7% and less than 6.5% were greater with GEMI + DAPA (84.9%, 56.6%) than with GEMI (55.3%, 32.2%) and DAPA (49.3%, 15.3%). The incidence rate of adverse events was similar across groups, with low incidence rates of hypoglycaemia, urinary tract infection and genital infection. Conclusions: These results suggest that the addition of GEMI + DAPA to metformin as triple combination therapy was effective, safe and well‐tolerated, especially for T2D patients who experienced poor glycaemic control on metformin alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinctive taste of Sichuan sauce-flavored sausage comes from an intricate microbial metabolism. The correlation between microbial composition and distinct flavor components has not been researched. The study used headspace solid-phase microextraction action with gas chromatography mass spectrometry to find flavor components and high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA to look at the diversity and succession of microbial communities. The correlation network model forecasted the connection between essential bacteria and the development of flavors. The study revealed that the primary flavor compounds in Sichuan sauce-flavored sausages were alcohols, aldehydes, and esters. The closely related microbes were Leuconostoc, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Flavobacterium, and Algoriella. The microbes aided in the production of various flavor compounds, such as 1-octen-3-ol, benzeneacetaldehyde, hexanal, (R,R)-2,3-butanediol, and ethyl caprylate. This work has enhanced our comprehension of the diverse functions that bacteria serve in flavor development during the fermentation of Sichuan sauce-flavored sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisms on Earth are known to evolve by cooperating with their neighbors in external environments. These cooperating organisms are under the influence of circadian rhythms derived from Earth’s rotation and have various biological rhythms within them. However, little is known about the effects of these rhythms on the cooperation of organisms. In this study, we investigate the effects of the biological rhythms on the survival of cooperators in evolution using evolutionary game theory. We focused on the rhythm in reproduction among the various biological rhythms that organisms have. Our results are as follows. Rhythmic reproductions play a role in limiting the survival of cooperators; they reduce the survival limits of cooperators compared to when there is no rhythm. Their limiting force is sensitive to the number of interacting neighbors, however. When the number of interacting neighbors is relatively small, the effects of rhythm in reproduction on the survival limits of cooperators are not significant. As the number of interacting neighbors increases, the limiting force of rhythmic reproductions becomes more powerful, gradually decreasing the survival limits of cooperators. Variations of rhythm in reproduction do not alter the survival limits; they only cause fluctuations in the population of cooperators within the survival limits. Our findings suggest that the rhythmic reproductions in evolution determine the survival domain of cooperators, where the number of interacting neighbors is a major factor along with rhythmic reproductions. Organisms under the constant pressure imposed by rhythmic reproductions may need to find the optimal number of interacting neighbors to survive and evolve to a new level through cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts coordination between the bladder and the external urinary sphincter (EUS), leading to transient or permanent voiding impairment, which is more severe in males. Male versus female differences in spinal circuits related to the EUS as well as post‐SCI rewiring are essential for understanding of sex‐/gender‐specific impairments and possible recovery mechanisms. To quantitatively assess differences between EUS circuits in males versus females and in spinal intact (SI) versus SCI animals, we retrogradely traced and counted EUS‐related neurons. In transgenic ChAT‐GFP mice, motoneurons (MNs), interneurons (INs), and propriospinal neurons (PPNs) were retrogradely trans‐synaptically traced with PRV614‐red fluorescent protein (RFP) injected into EUS. EUS‐MNs in dorsolateral nucleus (DLN) were separated from other GFP+ MNs by tracing them with FluoroGold (FG). We found two morphologically distinct cell types in DLN: FG+ spindle‐shaped bipolar (SB‐MNs) and FG− rounded multipolar (RM‐MNs) cholinergic cells. Number of MNs of both types in males was twice as large as in females. SCI caused a partial loss of MNs in all spinal nuclei. After SCI, males showed a fourfold rise in the number of RFP‐labeled cells in retro‐DLN (RDLN) innervating hind limbs. This suggests (a) an existence of direct synaptic interactions between spinal nuclei and (b) a post‐SCI increase of non‐specific inputs to EUS‐MNs from other motor nuclei. Number of INs and PPNs deferred between males and females: In SI males, the numbers of INs and PPNs were ∼10 times larger than in SI females. SCI caused a twofold decrease of INs and PPNs in males but not in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the lightest and cheapest transition metal dichalcogenide, TiS2 possesses great potential as an electrode material for lithium batteries due to the advantages of high energy density storage capability, fast ion diffusion rate, and low volume expansion. Despite the extensive investigation of its electrochemical properties, the fundamental discharge-charge reaction mechanism of the TiS2 electrode is still elusive. Here, by a combination of ex situ and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy with density functional theory calculations, we have clearly elucidated the evolution of the structural and chemical properties of TiS2 during the discharge-charge processes. The lithium intercalation reaction is highly reversible and both Ti and sulfur are involved in the redox reaction during the discharge and charge processes. In contrast, the conversion reaction of TiS2 is partially reversible in the first cycle. However, Ti-O related compounds are developed during electrochemical cycling over extended cycles, which results in the decrease of the conversion reaction reversibility and the rapid capacity fading. In addition, the solid electrolyte interphase formed on the electrode surface is found to be highly dynamic in the initial cycles and then gradually becomes more stable upon further cycling. Such understanding is important for the future design and optimization of TiS2 based electrodes for lithium batteries.

Within the last several years, metal halide perovskites such as methylammonium lead iodide, CH3NH3PbI3, have come to the forefront of scientific investigation as defect-tolerant, solution-processable semiconductors that exhibit excellent optoelectronic properties. The vast majority of study has focused on Pb-based perovskites, which have limited applications because of their inherent toxicity. To enable the broad application of these materials, the properties of lead-free halide perovskites must be explored. Here, two-dimensional, lead-free cesium tin iodide, (CsSnI3), perovskite nanoplates have been synthesized and characterized for the first time. These CsSnI3 nanoplates exhibit thicknesses of less than 4 nm and exhibit significant quantum confinement with photoluminescence at 1.59 eV compared to 1.3 eV in the bulk. Ab initio calculations employing the generalized gradient approximation of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof elucidate that although the dominant intrinsic defects in CsSnI3 do not introduce deep levels inside the band gap, their concentration can be quite high. These simulations also highlight that synthesizing and processing CsSnI3 in Sn-rich conditions can reduce defect density and increase stability, which matches insights gained experimentally. This improvement in the understanding of CsSnI3 represents a step toward the broader challenge of building a deeper understanding of Sn-based halide perovskites and developing design principles that will lead to their successful application in optoelectronic devices.

As a typical transition metal dichalcogenide, MoS2 offers numerous advantages for nanoelectronics and electrochemical energy storage due to its unique layered structure and tunable electronic properties. When used as the anode in lithium-ion cells, MoS2 undergoes intercalation and conversion reactions in sequence upon lithiation, and the reversibility of the conversion reaction is an important but still controversial topic. Here, we clarify unambiguously that the conversion reaction of MoS2 is not reversible, and the formed Li2S is converted to sulfur in the first charge process. Li2S/sulfur becomes the main redox couple in the subsequent cycles and the main contributor to the reversible capacity. In addition, due to the insulating nature of both Li2S and sulfur, a strong relaxation effect is observed during the cycling process. This study clearly reveals the electrochemical lithiation-delithiation mechanism of MoS2, which can facilitate further developments of high-performance MoS2-based electrodes.