Search

Abstract Titanium has been widely used in prosthetic valves, but they are associated with serious defects in titanium‐based prosthetic valves, such as thrombosis, calcification, and decay. Therefore, it is very important to biofunctionalize titanium‐based valves to reduce inflammation and accelerate endothelialization of stents and antithrombosis. The titanium dioxide nanotubes were prepared from pure titanium (Ti) by anodic oxidation method in this study. The effects of titanium dioxide nanotubes on the metabolism of macrophages and the inflammatory reaction as implants were studied in vitro. The polarization state of macrophages and the ability to accelerate endothelialization were analyzed. The results demonstrated that titanium nanotubes promote M2 polarization of macrophages by inhibiting glycolysis and activating the Adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. In general, biofunctionalization titanium with nanotube could inhibit macrophage glycolysis, reduce inflammatory factor release and promote M2 polarization by activating the AMPK signaling pathway. And endothelialization was accelerated in vitro. Our result demonstrated that titanium nanotube could act as a potential approach to biofunctionlize titanium‐based prosthetic valves for endothelialization.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a critical condition in the abdomen that has significant morbidity and fatality rates. Prior studies have noted the defensive role of the coenzymatic antioxidant reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in heart and brain I/R damage, yet its impact on intestinal I/R trauma required further exploration. Through the application of an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation model and a mouse model of short-term intestinal I/R, this study clarified the defensive mechanisms of NADPH against intestinal I/R injury. We demonstrated that intraperitoneal NADPH administration markedly reduced interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels and blocked NLRP3 inflammasome activation, hence reducing inflammation. The antioxidative properties of NADPH were established by the reduction of oxidative stress markers and enhancement of glutathione levels. Importantly, NADPH improved intestinal barrier integrity, indicated by an upregulation of zonula occludens-1 and the promotion of a balanced gut microbiome profile. Furthermore, we identified the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) pathway as a crucial conduit for NADPH's beneficence. When this pathway was inhibited by ML385, the favorable outcomes conferred by NADPH were significantly abrogated. These results demonstrate that NADPH functions as an antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, microbiota-balancing, barrier-strengthening, and anti-inflammatory agent against intestinal I/R damage through activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients frequently experience sleep disturbances, significantly impacting their quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is considered the first-line treatment but is often complex, costly, and requires highly trained therapists. Behavioral activation (BA), derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), offers a flexible, simple, and cost-effective alternative. BA highlights the importance of activation, a strategy that encourages active participation in positive, meaningful activities to boost positive experiences and reduce negative emotions, which may have potential benefits for individuals with sleep disorders. This study explores the effects of BA on sleep disturbances, quality of life, and psychological distress in CRC patients and investigates potential underlying mechanisms., Methods: The study included 101 CRC patients with sleep disturbances, who were randomly assigned to either the BA group (n = 53) or the usual care (UC) group (n = 48). Assessments of quality of life, sleep disturbances, psychological distress, activation, avoidance, and physical activity levels were conducted at baseline (T0), four weeks later (T1), and post-intervention (T2). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis was used to evaluate the intervention's impact and potential mediating effects., Results: The BA group experienced significant improvements in sleep disturbances (Wald's χ2 = 7.979, P = 0.019), enhanced quality of life (Wald's χ2 = 6.435.P = 0.04), and reduced psychological distress (Wald's χ2 = 56.728, P < 0.001) compared to the UC group. Physical activity (P < 0.001) partially mediated the intervention effects of BA on sleep disturbances, while activation (P = 0.073) demonstrated marginal mediating effects., Conclusion: BA is an effective psychological intervention that significantly improves sleep disturbances, enhances quality of life, and alleviates psychological distress in CRC patients. Mediator analysis indicates that physical activity partially mediates the effects of BA on sleep disturbances, with activation showing marginal significance. Future research should further investigate the underlying mechanisms and long-term effects of BA on sleep disturbances., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethical approval: All patients voluntarily participated in the study. Informed consent has been obtained from all individual participants included in the study and their personal information was kept strictly confidential. All procedures adhered to the ethical standards of the Human Experimentation Committee and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University (Ethics Approval No. 83242392) has approved this study. Informed consent:  Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study, Written informed consent has been obtained from the patients to publish this paper., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of intellectual capital (IC) and its elements on private hospital performance. In addition, this study explores the moderating role of digital transformation in the relationship between IC and its elements and private hospital performance. This study selects 13 private listed hospitals from 2012 to 2022 as the sample. IC is assessed by the modified value added intellectual coefficient model, hospital performance is measured by financial performance and sustainable growth, and digital transformation is measured using text analysis. Multiple regression analysis is used to do the analyses. The results show that IC and only one element (structural capital) have a positive impact on private hospital performance, while human and relational capitals have no significant impact. Surprisingly, digital transformation negatively moderates the relationship between IC and private hospital performance. This study underscores the pivotal role of IC in enhancing the performance of private hospitals, and hospital managers should accelerate hospital digital transformation in the digital era., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background and Hypothesis: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a prevalent mental disorder that imposes significant health burdens. Diagnostic accuracy remains challenging due to clinical subjectivity. To address this issue, we explore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a tool to enhance SZ diagnosis and provide objective references and biomarkers. Using deep learning with graph convolution, we represent MRI data as graphs, aligning with brain structure, and improving feature extraction, and classification. Integration of multiple modalities is expected to enhance classification., Study Design: Our study enrolled 683 SZ patients and 606 healthy controls from 7 hospitals, collecting structural MRI and functional MRI data. Both data types were represented as graphs, processed by 2 graph attention networks, and fused for classification. Grad-CAM with graph convolution ensured interpretability, and partial least squares analyzed gene expression in brain regions., Study Results: Our method excelled in the classification task, achieving 83.32% accuracy, 83.41% sensitivity, and 83.20% specificity in 10-fold cross-validation, surpassing traditional methods. And our multimodal approach outperformed unimodal methods. Grad-CAM identified potential brain biomarkers consistent with gene analysis and prior research., Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of deep learning with graph attention networks, surpassing previous SZ diagnostic methods. Multimodal MRI's superiority over unimodal MRI confirms our initial hypothesis. Identifying potential brain biomarkers alongside gene biomarkers holds promise for advancing objective SZ diagnosis and research in SZ., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Context: Limited information was available on detailed associations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in older adults., Methods: This prospective cohort study included a representative sample of 211 290 adults aged 65 or older who participated in Shenzhen Healthy Aging Research 2018-2019. The vital status of the participants by December 31, 2021, was determined. We estimated the hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals for all-cause or cause-specific mortality using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and Cox models with restricted cubic spline (RCS)., Results: The median follow-up time was 3.08 years. A total of 5333 participants were confirmed to have died. Among them, 2037 cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths and 1881 cancer deaths occurred. Compared to those with LDL-C of 100 to 129 mg/dL, the all-cause mortality risk was significantly higher for individuals with LDL-C levels that were very low (<70 mg/dL) or low (70-99 mg/dL). Compared with individuals with the reference LDL-C level, the multivariable-adjusted HR for CVD-specific mortality was 1.338 for those with very low LDL-C levels (< 70 mg/dL), 1.437 for those with high LDL-C levels (160 mg/dL ≤ LDL-C < 190 mg/dL), and 1.489 for those with very high LDL-C levels (≥190 mg/dL). Low LDL-C levels (70-99 mg/dL) and very low LDL-C levels (<70 mg/dL) were also associated with increased cancer mortality and other-cause mortality, respectively. The results from an RCS curve showed similar results., Conclusion: Considering the risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality, we recommended 100 to 159 mg/dL as the optimal range of LDL-C among older adults in China., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In Nature, bacterial clustering by host-released peptides or nucleic acids is an evolutionarily conserved immune defense strategy employed to prevent adhesion of pathogenic microbes, which is prerequisite for most infections. Synthetic anti-adhesion strategies present as non-lethal means of targeting bacteria and may potentially be used to avoid resistance against antimicrobial therapies. From bacteria-agglutinating biomolecules discovered in nature to synthetic designs involving peptides, cationic polymers and nanoparticles, the modes of actions appear broad and unconsolidated. Herein, we present a critical review and update of the state-of-the-art in synthetic bacteria-clustering designs with proposition of a more streamlined nomenclature and classification. Overall, this review aims to consolidate the conceptual framework in the field of bacterial clustering and highlight its potentials as an avenue for discovering novel antibacterial biomaterials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Enhancing adsorption ability of photocatalyst by vacancy is a fascinating strategy. Thus, Bi 2 WO 6 /BiOCl with millefeuille-like was successfully prepared via multi-pots method. Experimental results discern that BOW-10 can degraded 75.19% doxycycline hydrochloride (DOC, 20 mg/L) in 1 h, which is 1.3 and 3.5-fold larger than Bi 2 WO 6 and BiOCl, respectively. The mechanism revealed that OVs (oxygen vacancies) not only promote the adsorption of DOC and O 2 but also augment the activation ability of molecular oxygen. Therefore, photo-induced electrons can rapidly transfer from BiOCl to Bi 2 WO 6 via carrier transport channels formed by interface oxygen vacancies (IOVs) under interfacial electric field (IEF) to reduce the adsorbed O 2 . Finally, DOC was eliminated by O 2 ˙ - and h + . Moreover, the relationship of surface areas, OVs concentration and the separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers was constructed. Meanwhile, the degradation paths of DOC and the toxicity of the intermediates were comprehensively investigated through DFT theoretical calculation. This research provides an innovation approach to regulate the capability of pollution adsorption and molecular oxygen activation by vacancy engineering and heterostructure engineering., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The pentlandite Fe 5 Ni 4 S 8 (abbreviated as FNS) is not efficient for water splitting because of its inferior performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This issue originates from the low activity and instability of FNS during the OER process but can be solved through appropriate doping. Herein, a P-doping strategy based on annealing in the presence of NaH 2 PO 2 as a phosphorus source upstream was employed on FNS to enhance its activity and stability toward OER. The results demonstrated fine-tuned electronic structures of Fe and Ni in FNS through P-doping, resulting in suppressed Fe leaching,improved electrical conductivity of FNS, and easier formation of NiOOH on the surface of the catalyst. In turn, these features enhanced the OER activity and stability. The optimal P-doped FNS catalyst FNSP-40 exhibited a 4-fold greater electrochemical surface area compared to that of FNS, accompanied by an overpotential of 235 mV at 10 mA cm -2 . The optimized FNSP-40 catalyst was used as an anode, and platinum-decorated FNS was used as a cathode. This combination demonstrated an electrolysis performance with a cell voltage of 1.57 V, reaching a current density of 100 mA cm -2 ,which indicates efficient operation. The advantages of P-doping engineering were also verified in simulated seawater with enhanced OER performance. Overall, the proposed strategy looks promising for the fabrication of pentlandite-structured catalysts for efficient alkaline water and seawater oxidation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) can negatively impact on pregnancy outcomes, leading to reduced pregnancy rates, secondary infertility, and an increased risk of pregnancy complications. Studies have shown that the application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in IUA patients is effective. However, the clinical readhesive rate of IUA after treatment is still high, especially in severe cases. Platelet-rich plasma double-network hydrogel (DN gel) is an engineered PRP double network hydrogel, which is a sodium alginate (SA) based PRP hydrogel with egg carton ion cross-linking and fibrin double network. The results of this study show that intrauterine injection of DN gel has a better effect on promoting endometrial regeneration and enhancing endometrial receptivity than PRP gel. The mechanism is analyzed through single-cell sequencing, which may be achieved by increasing the expression of neutrophils (Neut), natural killer cells (NK), and type I classical dendritic cells (cDC1) in the endometrium and inhibiting the infiltration of M2 macrophages. Overall, based on the good healing efficiency and good biocompatibility of DN gel, it is expected to become a method of treating IUA with better efficacy and faster clinical translation., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Although microplastic pollution is a global concern, information on the distribution of microplastics in petroleum and petrochemical urban soils is limited. In this study, we investigated the occurrence, ecological risk, and human exposure risk of microplastics in different land-use types of soil in Daqing Administrative region, a prominent petroleum and petrochemical industrial base in China. Stereoscopic microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) were used to study the chemical composition and distribution characteristics of microplastics. We found that the abundance of microplastics in Daqing soil ranged from 714 to 11,122 items/kg, with the highest value in educational land and the lowest in parks and green land. The dominant particle size of microplastics was < 1 mm (65.7%), and the shape was mainly fiber (55.1%), with white (28.9%) and black (25.6%) as the predominant colors. The most common polymer types were rayon, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Using the potential ecological risk index (RI) and polymeric risk index (H), we found that all land-use types, except woodland (Level I), were classified into Level V of ecological risk, with the highest risk in industrial land (RI = 14,959.85, H = 588.31). The daily exposure of infants to microplastics was much higher than that of adults. These findings provide valuable data for the pollution and potential risk assessment of microplastics in urban and rural environments, suggesting the importance of taking action to minimize its harmful effects on ecological and human health. In order to control the pollution caused by microplastics, we suggest that people should reduce the unnecessary use of single-use plastic items, such as water bottles, plastic shopping bags, straws, etc. In addition, the government needs to strengthen rubbish collection to prevent plastic waste from leaking into the environment during the period from the rubbish bins to the landfills, and to build recycling systems to increase the recycling rate., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Copper (Cu), known for its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, faces significant challenges due to its susceptibility to oxidation, which leads to the formation of nonconductive oxide layers that impair its performance. We present an in situ thermal reduction method to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon coated copper (NC@Cu) with enhanced oxidation and corrosion resistance. Using a stable, nontoxic, and cost-effective dopamine derivative, catechol (CA), and phenylenediamine, we developed a polydopamine-like (PDL) coating on copper oxide (CuO). Upon pyrolysis under an inert atmosphere, this coating transforms into a nitrogen-doped carbon layer, while simultaneously reducing CuO to metallic Cu in a stepwise process, initially forming Cu 2 O and then fully reducing to Cu. The resulting NC@Cu exhibits remarkable superhydrophobicity, enhanced conductivity, and exceptional resistance to oxidation and corrosion, attributed to the protective dense carbon layer. This study provides insights into the synergistic processes of PDL conversion into nitrogen-doped carbon and CuO reduction to Cu, offering a straightforward and practical passivation method for producing electrically conductive and oxidation-resistant copper with potential applications in harsh environments.

CO 2 saline aquifer storage represents a promising strategy for mitigating the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the long-term effects of CO 2 dissolved in formation water on rock minerals remain insufficiently understood. This study utilizes cast thin section analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry techniques to perform a comprehensive microscopic investigation on this issue. Experimental results from sandstone core samples drilled from the Ordos pilot field reveal that feldspar minerals predominantly undergo geochemical dissolution, while quartz and clay minerals primarily exhibit physical alterations. Feldspar minerals, including albite, potassium feldspar, and anorthite, exhibit significant geochemical dissolution, characterized by cleavage plane dissolution, swelling, selective dissolution, and in-situ accumulation of dissolution products. This process leads to the formation of secondary minerals such as quartz, kaolinite, and illite, along with various microscopic structures like vugs, pits, and filamentous remnants. Alterations in quartz include the formation of stress-induced microfractures, the attachment of mineral clasts, the precipitation of geochemical reaction products, and pore blockage. In clay minerals, the formation, closure, interconnection, and reconfiguration of microfractures are evident characteristics, particularly at the nanoscale. The products of CO 2 -H 2 O-rock interactions typically comprise a complex mixture of physical and chemical products, marked by intricate elemental compositions and diverse structural forms, including blocky, granular, powdery, filamentous, and floc-like structures. This work reveals the distinctive chemical dissolution mechanisms of sandstone with complex mineral compositions, clarifies the CO 2 -induced physical alteration behavior of multiple minerals and identifies the multi-scale migration mechanisms of products generated by CO 2 -H 2 O-rock interactions. Moreover, these interactions have a dual impact: they enhance the porosity and permeability, while also potentially compromising the structural integrity of the rock and formation. This research provides a foundation for assessing the impact of CO 2 storage on fluid flow and evaluating environmental safety concerns, such as CO 2 leakage and geological subsidence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great prospects as adsorbents for industrial gas purification, but often suffer from issues of water stability and competitive water adsorption. Herein, we present a hydrolytically stable MOF that could selectively capture and recover trace SO 2 from flue gas, and exhibits remarkable recyclability in the breakthrough experiments under wet flue-gas conditions, due to its excellent resistance to the corrosion of SO 2 and the water-derived capillary forces. More strikingly, its SO 2 capture efficiency is barely influenced by the increasing humidity, even if the pore filling with water is reached. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the delicate pore structure with diverse pore dimensions and chemistry leads to different adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics as well as segregated adsorption domains of SO 2 and H 2 O. Significantly, this non-competitive adsorption mechanism enables simultaneous desulfurization and dehydration by a single adsorbent, opening an avenue toward cost-effective and simplified processing flowcharts for flue gas purification., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Gut microbiota is important for host metabolism regulation. Antibiotic exposure disturbs this regulation by affecting the microbiome. Trace levels of antibiotics in water have been widely reported and the impact on gut microbiota remains understudied. We provide evidence of trace antibiotic exposure affecting the host's gut microbiota using a mouse model exposed to trace amounts of azithromycin (AZI) or ciprofloxacin (CIP) in drinking water. AZI exposure in males changed the distribution of gram-positive (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) and gram-negative (Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia) bacteria at an early age. Both AZI and CIP resulted in abnormal microbiota maturation. Additionally, the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, butyrate, and propionate, in females is affected. Serum hormone and metabolome levels shifted after trace antibiotic exposure. AZI and CIP exposure broadly disrupted original host-microbe interaction relationships between the gut microbiota and SCFAs or serum metabolites. In this study, we demonstrated that trace antibiotic exposure was associated with extensive gut microbiota and metabolism perturbation in mice and that the potential health risks in susceptible populations should be considered., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The efficient removal of emerging micropollutants poses significant challenges in wastewater treatments. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are extensively studied in the field, and peracetic acid (PAA) has attracted great attention as an alternative oxidant in recent years. Various reactive species yield in PAA-based AOPs, which are regarded as the promising approaches for pollutants elimination. This review systematically investigates the formation pathways, identification methods and oxidation performances of the reactive species in PAA-based AOPs, putting focus on the organic radicals such as CH 3 C(O)O•, CH 3 C(O)OO•, CH 3 OO• and •CH 3 . Firstly, the formation pathways of reactive species induced by PAA activation are outlined. Then the specific probes and quenchers used for the identification of reactive species are summarized, and the commonly used methods are described and discussed. The reaction kinetics and mechanisms of reactive species and compounds are compared, indicating that the oxidation performances of organic radicals are mainly depended on the properties of radicals and the structure of compounds. Finally, the prospects on further research of PAA-based AOPs are proposed. This article provides a comprehensive overview of organic radicals for the first time, which can serve useful reference for ongoing studies in PAA-based AOPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic environments can adversely impact ecosystems and human health even at low concentrations. This study assessed the risk of 162 CECs, including neonicotinoid pesticides, triazine pesticides, carbamate pesticides, psychoactive substances, organophosphate esters, antidepressants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and antibiotics in 10 drinking water sources and two tributaries (Jialing and Wujiang Rivers) of the Upper Yangtze River in Chongqing, China. Target screening detected 156 CECs at 0.01-2218.2 ng/L, while suspect screening via LC-QTOF-MS identified 64 CECs, with 13 pesticides, 29 pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and 2 industrial chemicals reported for the first time in the Yangtze River Basin. Risk quotient-based ecological risk assessment revealed that 48 CECs posed medium to high risks (RQ > 0.1) to aquatic life, with antibiotics (n = 20) as the main contributors. Non-carcinogenic risks were below negligible levels, but carcinogenic risks from neonicotinoids, triazines, antidepressants, and antibiotics were concerning. A multi-criteria prioritization approach integrating occurrence, physico-chemical properties, and toxicological data ranked 26 CECs as high priority. This study underscores the importance of comprehensive CEC screening in rivers and provides insights for future monitoring and management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used plasticizers that can easily migrate from plastic products, thereby presenting potential health risks through exposure. While PAE concentrations in dust have received increasing attention, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding their environmental distribution, composition profiles, and associated human exposure risks in Beijing. This study investigated the presence of seven PAEs in 124 dust samples collected from eight indoor and four outdoor microenvironment types across the Beijing metropolitan area. The PAEs were detected universally in all samples, with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-iso-butyl phthalate (DIBP) as the predominant compounds, accounting for 91.78%-99.91% and 91.22%-99.76% of total PAE concentrations (Σ 7 PAEs) in indoor and outdoor dust, respectively. Indoor dust exhibited significantly higher Σ 7 PAEs (range: 45.33-1212.41 μg/g, mean: 130.61 μg/g) compared to outdoor dust (range: 2.10-5.41 μg/g, mean: 3.38 μg/g). Among indoor microenvironments, taxis had the highest Σ 7 PAEs (mean: 1250.59 μg/g), followed by private cars, print shops, residences, furniture shops, shopping malls, dormitories and offices. Outdoor Σ 7 PAEs levels decreased in the order of roads, residential areas, green belts, and parks. Estimated daily exposure doses through dust ingestion were significantly higher than those from dermal absorption and inhalation for five occupational groups (taxi drivers, print shop workers, road workers, office workers, jobless people), indicating dust ingestion as the primary exposure route, with DEHP and DBP as the main contributors. While current exposure levels may not present significant non-cancer risks based on hazard quotient and hazard index estimations, it's noteworthy that DEHP may pose a carcinogenic risk to taxi drivers. Potential risks cannot be overlooked considering the absence of toxicity thresholds, additional exposure pathways, and possible cocktail effects from coexisting pollutants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lead exposure remains a key problem for children during development. One treatment for lead poisoning is chelation - a topic that remains controversial with varied results. Bone lead serves as a marker of total body burden of lead and encompasses between 60-90% of lead storage in children., Objective: In this study, we aimed to identify the change in bone lead as a result of chelation therapy in a group of lead poisoned children (blood lead >25 µg/dL)., Methods: Upon diagnosis with lead poisoning at Xinhua Hospital in Shanghai, China, children were recruited to our study, had their bone lead levels measured, and underwent one-week of intravenous, in-patient ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid chelation treatment. Up to three clinical visits with the same treatment protocol and bone lead measurements were completed over the two-year study. We measured biomarkers of lead exposure for children exposed via various potential sources, including home contaminants, local industrial emissions, traditional medicines, or lead cookware., Results: We observed significant differences with bone lead after chelation therapy (p < 0.0001), even after calculating a conservative model for theoretical decay from known bone turnover (p = 0.01). The difference identified between our observed change in bone lead and literature established bone lead change significantly increased with more chelation treatments. A significant reduction in bone lead was observed following chelation treatment of children with lead poisoning - a difference that increased more with more chelation., Significance: Study results indicate that chelation treatment is effective in reducing bone lead stores in children with initial blood lead levels greater than 25 µg/dL., Impact Statement: Lead exposure in children is a consistent problem - drastically impacting health across the life span. After exposure, lead stores in the bone of children serving as a potential endogenous source of exposure for years to decades. Our study demonstrated that chelation therapy, while reducing blood lead levels, additionally reduced bone lead levels. A reduction in bone lead would effectively reduce the potential for endogenous release of lead and restrict the damage done by lead exposure., Competing Interests: Competing interests: AS served as an expert witness in litigation for plaintiffs in the Flint Water Crisis and other cases of harm from lead exposure. The other authors have no stated conflicts of interest. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study received IRB approval from Purdue University and Xinhua Hospital and adhered to all guidelines and regulations set forth. When recruited, a trained research assistant would present the subjects and their parents with the details of the study and the consent forms. Signed consent forms were received from the parents of each subject, as well as an assent form from any child age 7 or older., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

By providing adaptive advantages to plants, desert microorganisms are emerging as promising solutions to mitigate the negative and abrupt effects of climate change in agriculture. Among these, pseudomonads, commonly found in soil and in association with plants' root system, have been shown to enhance plant tolerance to salinity and drought, primarily affecting root system architecture in various hosts. However, a comprehensive understanding of how these bacteria affect plant responses at the cellular, physiological and molecular levels is still lacking. In this study, we investigated the effects of two Pseudomonas spp. strains, E102 and E141, which were previously isolated from date palm roots and have demonstrated efficacy in promoting drought tolerance in their hosts. These strains colonize plant roots, influencing root architecture by inhibiting primary root growth while promoting root hair elongation and lateral root formation. Strains E102 and E141 increased auxin levels in Arabidopsis, whereas this effect was diminished in IAA-defective mutant strains, which exhibited reduced IAA production. In all cases, the effectiveness of the bacteria relies on the functioning of the plant auxin response and transport machinery. Notably, such physiological and morphological changes provide an adaptive advantage to the plant, specifically under stress conditions such as salinity. Collectively, this study demonstrates that by leveraging the host's auxin signalling machinery, strains E102 and E141 significantly improve plant resilience to abiotic stresses, positioning them as potential biopromoters/bioprotectors for crop production and ecosystem restoration in alignment with Nature-based Solution approaches., (© 2024 The Author(s). Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cnaphalocrocis medinalis granulovirus (CnmeGV) is a potential biocontrol agent for C. medinalis which is a major rice pest. However, its insecticidal efficacy is slow due to cell apoptosis. This study investigated the role of miRNAs in CnmeGV-mediated apoptosis. Small RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR identified miRNAs tca-miR-3885-5p and tca-miR-3897-3p, which initially increased and then decreased post-infection, but remained higher than controls. This trend was opposite to the changes in midgut apoptosis levels detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and DNA ladder assays. Compared to the group treated with CnmeGV alone, agomirs increased the CnmeGV-induced larval mortality, reduced midgut apoptosis, whereas antagomirs had the opposite effects. We found that the upregulation of CnmeGV replication induced by agomirs initially increased and then decreased, while the apoptosis inducer PAC-1 compensated for the weakening trend of CnmeGV replication upregulation induced by agomirs in the later stages of infection. Results indicated the virus hijacks these miRNAs to inhibit early apoptosis, later requiring apoptosis for systemic infection from the midgut. Agomirs treatment and dual-luciferase assays showed these miRNAs functioned via apoptosis-inducing factor 1 (AIF1) and apoptosis-stimulating protein of p53 1 (ASPP1) mRNA expression. This study highlights the role of these miRNAs in infection and provides insights for developing viral insecticide enhancers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Minimally invasive surgeries are increasingly central to modern medicine, particularly in liver transplantation. These techniques, which offer reduced trauma, precise operations, minimal bleeding, and swift recovery, are, however, unevenly adopted across China. Only a limited number of centers routinely perform minimally invasive donor hepatectomies, indicating a significant imbalance in the development and application of these advanced procedures. Additionally, there lacks a set of standardized guidelines that are tailored to meet China's unique healthcare challenges and conditions., Methods: In August 2023, the Branch of Organ Transplant of Chinese Medical Association and the Branch of Organ Transplant Physicians of Chinese Medical Doctor Association convened a group of national liver transplantation experts to establish a guideline development committee. This committee conducted a thorough review of relevant literature, evaluated existing guidelines and consensus, and assessed factors such as the evidence base, patient preferences, and the cost-effectiveness of interventions within China. After multiple rounds of discussions, both online and offline, the committee finalized the guidelines., Results: This collaborative effort led to the creation of the "Chinese guidelines for minimally invasive donor hepatectomy in living donor liver transplantation (2024 edition)". These guidelines address crucial aspects such as the safety and advantages of minimally invasive surgery for living donor liver transplantation, donor selection criteria, anesthesia strategies, surgical technical details, and learning curves associated with these procedures, resulting in a comprehensive set of 26 recommendations., Conclusions: The formulation of these guidelines represents a significant advancement towards standardizing minimally invasive liver transplantation surgeries in China. They are designed to enhance outcomes for both donors and recipients by synthesizing expert consensus with contemporary research and clinical practices. Moreover, they serve as a crucial reference for surgeons and medical institutions, promoting the refinement and adoption of minimally invasive surgical techniques in liver transplantation., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://hbsn.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/hbsn-24-329/coif). S.D. serves as an unpaid editorial board member of HepatoBiliary Surgery and Nutrition. Z.G. serves as an unpaid Assistant Editor of HepatoBiliary Surgery and Nutrition. Jiayin Yang reports grants from National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2022YFC2304705); National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82270691); Sichuan Province Key Research and Development Project (No. 2023YFS0026); and Chengdu Province Key Research and Development Project (No. 2022YF0900009SN). The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 AME Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has gained attention in cardiac electrophysiology, but data on its application to paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia are limited. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of PFA and its combination with radiofrequency ablation for treating paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia., Methods: A prospective, multicenter, single-arm study was conducted across 8 centers in China. Patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia, or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome underwent ablation using a focal point dual-mode PFA/radiofrequency ablation catheter. PFA was used to achieve acute ablation success, with consolidation using PFA for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia or near-His accessory pathways and radiofrequency ablation for far-His accessory pathways. Primary and secondary end points were acute ablation success and 180-day follow-up success, respectively., Results: A total of 158 patients (77 with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, 63 with atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia, 16 with Wolff-Parkinson-White, and 2 with both atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia) completed the trial. Acute ablation was successful in 157 patients (99.37%). The skin-to-skin procedure time was 89.9±35.5 min. The median number of PFA discharges was 12 (8-19) with a median effective PFA discharge time of 4.6 (3.2-6.4) ms. Five patients (4 with atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia and 1 with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome) experienced paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia recurrence during the 180-day follow-up period. One patient had a transient first-degree atrioventricular block resolving in 12 hours, and one patient had a transient third-degree atrioventricular block resolving in 24 hours. No permanent atrioventricular block or other adverse events occurred during the ablation procedure or 180-day follow-up period., Conclusions: PFA demonstrated the feasibility of the treatment of SVT. Reversible first- and third-degree atrioventricular blocks were observed following ablation in one patient each. The preliminary results indicated the safety and feasibility of a combination of PFA and radiofrequency ablation treatment for atrioventricular accessory pathways although it is impossible to determine the relative contribution of PFA., Competing Interests: Drs Gao, Zhu, and Shi are employees of Sichuan Jinjiang Electronic Science and Technology Co. Ltd. The other authors report no conflicts.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of CALM intervention on cancer-related fatigue (CRF), quality of life (QOL), and heart rate variability (HRV) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients., Methods: A total of 153 NSCLC patients were enrolled in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the CALM group and usual care (UC) group. Patients in the CALM group were received 6 CALM intervention sessions over a 12-week period and evaluated using CRF, QOL and HRV at baseline (T0) and after 2, 4, and 6 intervention sessions., Results: The CALM group showed significant differences in total CRF, behavioral/daily life CRF, emotional/affective CRF, sensory/physical CRF, cognitive CRF and QOL before and after CALM intervention sessions (F = 643.47, F = 208.34, F = 354.52, F = 285.69, F = 334.29, F = 245.77, p  < 0.001). The CALM group showed significant increases in standard deviation of normal R-R interval (SDNN) and high-frequency power (HF) (z = -4.94, p  < 0.001,z = -4.30, p  < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were observed between CRF and SDNN, HF and QOL across all participants., Conclusions: The CALM intervention had a positive impact on overall physical and mental health, fatigue reduction, quality of life and autonomic dysfunction in NSCLC patients. Heart rate variability may serve as an observational indicator of physical and mental health.

Pursuing flexible, matchable and miniaturized power supply with high capacitance is necessary for portable electronics as long-term period of energy source in wearable system. Here, a hierarchical Se/chitosan derived nitrogen and oxygen dual-doped porous carbon/Ti 3 C 2 T x (Se-NOCT) fiber is proposed via microfluidic spinning method prior to co-heating process for the fiber cathode of cable-shaped lithium‑selenium (LiSe) battery. Due to the interconnected structure, consecutive conductive frameworks and good synergistic effect, the fabricated Se-NOCT fibrous electrode shows excellent ions diffusion kinetics, fast electron migration rate and strong polyselenide adsorption ability proving by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. As a result, an admired specific capacitance (866 mAh g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 ), favorable rate performance (256 mAh g -1 at 2 A g -1 ) and long-term cycling property (226 mAh g -1 after 500 cycling) can be achieved for the Se-NOCT electrode. More importantly, after assembling to the fibrous LiSe battery, the energy storage device not only presents stable operation at bending to 180 o , 97.3 % capacitance retention after 100 times bending and impressive launderability, but also weave into the garment and support various electronics. Thus, customized flexible electrode provides a bright future for the progress of fiber shaped LiSe battery in smart wearable system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Primary hyperoxaluria type 2 (PH2) is a rare disorder caused by GRHPR mutations. Research on the mutation spectrum and pedigree of PH2 helps in comprehending its pathogenesis and clinical outcomes, guiding clinical diagnosis and treatment., Methods: We report a case of PH2 with a three-generational pedigree. The GRHPR genotypes of the family members were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Urine and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. Computational analysis was performed to assess the pathogenicity of the mutations. Cellular experiments based on site-directed mutagenesis were conducted to confirm the effect of mutations on GRHPR expression, activity, and subcellular localization., Results: The proband underwent her first kidney transplantation in 2015, and experienced recurrent urinary tract infections and urolithiasis postoperatively. Graft failure occurred in 2018. Whole exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous GRHPR mutations p.G160E/p.P203Rfs*7. The patient underwent a second kidney transplantation in 2019 and maintained good graft function with urine dilution measures. Notably, her brother and sister carried the same mutations; however, only the proband progressed to renal failure. Computational analysis suggested that p.G160E reduced the affinity of GRHPR for coenzymes. Cellular experiments indicated that p.G160E reduced GRHPR activity ( p  < 0.001), whereas p.P203Rfs*7 not only suppressed expression ( p  < 0.001) and reduced activity ( p  < 0.001), but also facilitated protein aggregation. Based on our results, the variant p.G160E was classified as 'pathogenic' according to ACMG guidelines., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that treatment strategies for the long-term prevention of oxalate nephropathy should be developed for patients with PH2 receiving isolated kidney transplantation. Moreover, the pathogenicity of the compound heterozygous GRHPR mutations p.G160E/p.P203Rfs*7 was also validated.

Inflammasomes are cytosolic supramolecular complexes that play a key role in the innate immune response. Overactivation of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome leads to multiple diseases. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential modulators of inflammasomes especially in activation phase. Here we found that MEK1/2 kinase activity was indispensable in NLRP3 inflammasome activation both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of MEK1/2 resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and ubiquitination of NLRP3, which further blocked NLRP3 inflammasome activation. These effects were independent of ERK1/2, which were classic downstream of MEK1/2. These investigations proposed a mechanism that MEK1/2 regulated inflammation via non-transcriptional regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome and might help better understanding the effects and side-effects of MEK inhibitors in clinical use., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Adipsic arginine vasopressin deficiency(aAVP-D) is a rare, high-risk syndrome, particularly difficult to recognize and manage in children and adolescents. This investigation examined the clinical features and management of aAVP-D in children and adolescents with sellar germ cell tumors (GCTs). A retrospective survey was performed on 260 patients with sellar GCTs, categorized into aAVP-D and non-aAVP-D groups based on thirst presence. General characteristics, hypothalamic syndrome, pituitary function, metabolic indicators, and complications were compared. Biochemical indicator changes in the aAVP-D group were analyzed after systematic management, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis established the optimum serum sodium cut-off for predicting the aAVP-D. 25 patients (9.6%) developed aAVP-D. The aAVP-D group had larger tumors with hypothalamic involvement and more surgical resections. They also demonstrated more hypothalamic syndrome, central adrenal insufficiency, central hypogonadism, and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels below norms. Furthermore, aAVP-D patients exhibited significantly higher rates of hypernatremia (100% vs 20.9%, p < 0.001), hyperuricemia (60.0% vs 23.4%, p < 0.001), renal impairment (32.0% vs 1.7%, p < 0.001), and venous thrombosis (4.0% vs 0%, p = 0.002). Following systematic management, aAVP-D patients experienced significant reductions in serum sodium, uric acid, and creatinine levels, although these remained higher than in the non-aAVP-D group. ROC analysis indicated that a serum sodium level above 149.5 mmol/L predicted aAVP-D. Conclusion Patients with aAVP-D had more tumor involvement in the hypothalamic region, surgical resections, hypothalamic syndrome, hypopituitarism, and complications. Serum sodium levels above 149.5 mmol/L necessitated heightened vigilance for aAVP-D. Early identification and systematic management reduced complications, though clinical management remained challenging. What is Known • Adipsic arginine vasopressin deficiency (aAVP-D) is a rare and high-risk syndrome that is difficult to recognize and manage. • There are few reports on aAVP-D, most of which focus on adult patients. • The characteristics and management of aAVP-D in children and adolescents remain unclear. What is New • Children and adolescents with aAVP-D experienced higher rates of hypothalamic region tumor involvement, surgical resections, hypothalamic syndrome, hypopituitarism, and associated complications. • Serum sodium levels above 149.5 mmol/L necessitated heightened vigilance for aAVP-D. • Early recognition and structured management of ADI lowered the risk of complications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Brucellosis, caused by the intracellular pathogen Brucella , is a major zoonotic infection that promotes reproductive disease in domestic animals and chronic debilitating conditions in humans. The ArsR family of transcriptional regulators plays key roles in diverse cellular processes, including metal ion homeostasis, responding to adverse conditions, and virulence. However, little is known about the function of ArsR family members in Brucella . Here, we identified ArsR2 as a nonclassical member of the family that lacks autoregulatory function, but which nevertheless plays a vital role in maintaining copper homeostasis in B. abortus . ArsR2 is a global regulator of 241 genes, including those involved in the VirB type IV secretion system (T4SS). Significantly, ArsR2 regulates T4SS production in B. abortus by targeting VjbR which encodes a LuxR-type family transcriptional regulator. Moreover, copper modulates transcriptional activity of ArsR2, but not of VjbR. Furthermore, deletion of arsR2 attenuated virulence in a mouse model. Collectively, these findings enhance understanding of the mechanism by which ArsR proteins regulate virulence gene expression in pathogenic Brucella species.

Aim: This review aims to summarize the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for mucormycosis. The goal is to improve understanding of mucormycosis and promote early diagnosis and treatment to reduce mortality., Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, focusing on recent studies and data on mucormycosis. The review includes an analysis of the disease's epidemiology, etiology, and pathogenesis, as well as current diagnostic techniques and therapeutic strategies., Results: Mucormycosis is increasingly prevalent due to the growing immunocompromised population, the COVID-19 pandemic, and advances in detection methods. The pathogenesis is closely associated with the host immune status, serum-free iron levels, and the virulence of Mucorales. However, the absence of typical clinical manifestations complicates diagnosis, leading to missed or delayed diagnoses and higher mortality., Conclusion: An enhanced understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of mucormycosis, along with the adoption of improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, is essential for reducing mortality rates associated with this opportunistic fungal infection. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are critical to improving patient outcomes.

Despite carbapenems not being used in animals, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), particularly New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-producing CRE (NDM-CRE), are prevalent in livestock. Concurrently, the incidence of human infections caused by NDM-CRE is rising, particularly in children. Although a positive association between livestock production and human NDM-CRE infections at the national level was identified, the evidence of direct transmission of NDM originating from livestock to humans remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, to examine the prevalence of NDM-CRE in chickens and pigs along the breeding-slaughtering-retail chains, in pork in cafeterias of schools, and in colonizations and infections from children's hospital and examined the correlation of NDM-CRE among animals, foods and humans. Overall, the bla NDM increases gradually along the chicken and pig breeding (4.70%/2.0%) -slaughtering (7.60%/22.40%) -retail (65.56%/34.26%) chains. The slaughterhouse has become a hotspot for cross-contamination and amplifier of bla NDM . Notably, 63.11% of pork from the school cafeteria was positive for bla NDM . The prevalence of bla NDM in intestinal and infection samples from children's hospitals was 21.68% and 19.80%, respectively. whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis revealed the sporadic, not large-scale, clonal spread of NDM-CRE along the chicken and pig breeding-slaughtering-retail chain, with further spreading via IncX3- bla NDM plasmid within each stage of whole chains. Clonal transmission of NDM-CRE is predominant in children's hospitals. The IncX3- bla NDM plasmid was highly prevalent among animals and humans and accounted for 57.7% of Escherichia coli and 91.3% of Klebsiella pneumoniae . Attention should be directed towards the IncX3 plasmid to control the transmission of bla NDM between animals and humans.

Fabry disease, a lysosomal storage disease, is an uncommon X-linked recessive genetic disorder stemming from abnormalities in the alpha-galactosidase gene ( GLA ) that codes human alpha-Galactosidase A (α-Gal A). To date, over 800 GLA mutations have been found to cause Fabry disease (FD). Continued enhancement of the GLA mutation spectrum will contribute to a deeper recognition and underlying mechanisms of FD. In this study, a 27-year-old male proband exhibited a typical phenotype of Fabry disease. Subsequently, family screening for Fabry disease was conducted, and high-throughput sequencing was employed to identify the mutated gene. The three-level structure of the mutated protein was analyzed, and its subcellular localization and enzymatic activity were determined. Apoptosis was assessed in GLA mutant cell lines to confirm the functional effects. As a result, a new mutation, c.777&#95;778del (p. Gly261Leufs*3), in the GLA gene was identified. The mutation caused a frameshift during translation and the premature appearance of a termination codon, which led to a partial deletion of the domain in C-terminal region and altered the protein's tertiary structure. In vitro experiments revealed a significant reduction of the enzymatic activity in mutant cells. The expression was noticeably decreased at the mRNA and protein levels in mutant cell lines. Additionally, the subcellular localization of α-Gal A changed from a homogeneous distribution to punctate aggregation in the cytoplasm. GLA mutant cells exhibited significantly higher levels of apoptosis compared to wild-type cells.

Objective: hsa&#95;circ&#95;0057104 (circPDK1) has been elucidated to regulate malignant behavior in pancreatic and renal cell carcinoma. The study functionally aimed at how circPDK1 modifies colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, along with its potential molecular mechanism., Methods: circPDK1 expression patterns in CRC tissues and cell lines were analyzed by RT-qPCR. circPDK1/miR-627-5p/CCND2 expression levels were changed by transient transfection. CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, Transwell, immunoblotting, and commercial kits were utilized to measure CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion/migration, and glycolysis processes. Dual luciferase reporting assay and RIP assay were employed to evaluate the targeting relationship between circPDK1/miR-627-5p/CCND2., Results: circPDK1 was highly expressed in CRC. circPDK1 knockdown inhibited CRC cell proliferation, invasion/migration, and warburg effect and forced apoptosis. Overexpressing circPDK1 had the opposite effect. The effects of circPDK1 knockdown or circPDK1 overexpression on CRC cells were mitigated by downregulating miR-627-5p or CCND2, respectively. CircPDK1, by competitive adsorption of miR-627-5p, mediated CCND2 expression., Conclusion: CircPDK1 induces the malignant behavior of CRC by competitive adsorption of miR-627-5p mediating CCND2 expression, offering new insights into the future development of CRC-targeted drugs.

Objective: To explore the correlation between heart rate variability (HRV), peripheral cytokines, anxiety and pain scores in patients with breast cancer (BC)., Methods: We collected blood samples from 100 BC patients and measured the concentrations of Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 4 (IL-4) and Interferon gamma (IFN-γ). We collected the patients' 5-minute dynamic electrocardiograms and evaluated their anxiety and pain levels through the Anxiety Self-Rating Scale and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) Scale., Results: Compared with patients in the high HRV group, the low HRV group had lower IL-4 levels and higher IFN-γ/IL-4 concentrations. At the same time, the level of anxiety was also higher, but there was no significant difference in pain. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the normal-to-normal cardiac intervals (SDNN), the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent normal-to-normal cardiac intervals (RMSSD), high frequency -HRV (HF-HRV) and IL-4 were positively correlated, SDNN and RMSSD were negatively correlated with IFN-γ/IL-4. HRV is negatively correlated with anxiety. Higher SDNN predicts higher IL-4 levels., Conclusion: Our results indicate that BC patients with low HRV are associated with higher levels of inflammation and anxiety. Therefore, the measurement of HRV may serve as an objective and non-invasive measurement method for monitoring the immune system and anxiety problems of BC patients., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Biliary stricture can be induced by intrinsic narrowing and extrinsic compression, with the majority of cases being malignant. Clinically, distinguishing between benign and malignant biliary strictures remains a considerable challenge, and the ongoing disagreement over the optimal choice of biliary stents significantly influences treatment strategies and impacts patients' survival and prognosis. The utilization and advancement of endoscopic techniques have heightened the diagnostic sensitivity for biliary strictures. Concurrently, innovative technologies such as endoscopic ultrasound and magnetic compression anastomosis emerge as viable alternatives when endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is not an option, providing fresh insights for the clinical management of these patients. Traditional plastic and metal stents, characterized by their complex application and limited scope, have been unable to fully satisfy clinical needs. The introduction of novel stent varieties has notably improved this scenario, marking a considerable progression towards precision medicine. However, the clinical validation of the diverse stent materials available is incomplete. Hence, a thorough discussion on the present state and evolving trends of biliary stents is warranted., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ni, Yang, Nie, Xu, He and Yao.)

Robust polymer-based composites with high thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) hold great promise for applications in rapidly developing electronics. Traditional composites containing inorganic fillers often suffer from increases in processing difficulty, density, and significant deterioration in mechanical properties. Herein, we report for the first time a flexible multilayered all-polymer composite of poly( p -phenyl-2,6-phenylene bisoxazole) (PBO) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), featuring excellent mechanical strength of 203.9 MPa, in-plane TC of 21.9 W/mK, EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 44.2 dB, high-temperature stability, and flame retardancy. The excellent TC, mechanical strength, and flame retardancy of PBO, the remarkable EMI shielding performance of PEDOT:PSS, and the π-π stacking interactions between adjacent layers contribute to the comprehensive properties, which outperform most of the traditional composites of polymers and inorganic fillers reported so far. This full-polymer design may pioneer a new strategy for the preparation of robust and lightweight multifunctional composites.

The single-use plastic packaging for traditional Chinese herbal decoction is prevalent for its convenience. However, concerns have been raised regarding the biosafety implications of dissolved plastic particles from such food contact materials and their potential impact on drug efficacy. To initially investigate the release characteristics of micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) from Chinese herbal decoction packages under different usage scenarios, 100 mL of water was filled at temperatures ranging from 40 ℃ to 100 ℃ and stored at 4 ℃ for 1 to 14 days before reheating at 60 ℃ prior to consumption. Fluorescence microscopy and nano flow cytometry revealed that one package could release 0.15-1.21 million MPs (over 60 % of MPs < 2 µm) and 0.48-4.32 billion NPs (over 40 % of NPs < 100 nm). The quantity of MPs decreased while NPs increased with higher filling temperatures, peaking after one day and seven days respectively. Exposure modeling estimated a daily intake of 2115-17,300 MPs/kg·day and 6.90-61.68 million NPs/kg·day from consuming one dose of Chinese herbal decoction. Furthermore, exposure of RAW264.7 cells to these plastic particles resulted in elevated levels of ROS and IL-6, aligning with dissolved NPs concentration trends. These findings cause apprehensions when utilizing plastic food packages due to M/NPs releases and potential proinflammatory risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The adsorptive separation of molecules with very similar physical properties is always a challenging task. Reported herein is the design and tailoring of zeolite adsorbent for the precise discrimination and separation of CO 2 -C 2 H 2 mixture through the pronounced trapdoor effect. Typically, Sr exchanged K-type clinoptilolite, namely Sr/K-HEU, is developed as a robust zeolite adsorbent for inverse CO 2 -C 2 H 2 separation, showing the-state-of-the-art dynamic CO 2 /C 2 H 2 selectivity of 48.0 and sustainable CO 2 dynamic uptake of 0.96 mmol/g at the same time. The perfect recyclability and the intrinsic low-cost nature of Sr/K-HEU make it a promising candidate for practical applications. Three-dimensional electron diffraction determines the precise structure of Sr/K-HEU and density functional theory calculations reveal the intricate interplay between guest molecules and the gate-keeping extraframework cations. Briefly, extraframework Sr 2+ cations from the ten-membered rings of HEU zeolites act as the molecular trapdoor, allowing the entry of CO 2 molecules while excluding C 2 H 2 . This work presents a new example of molecular trapdoor in zeolite and its successful application in the challenging inverse CO 2 -C 2 H 2 separation, which not only expands the scope of molecular trapdoor concept but also improves current understanding on the nature of molecular trapdoor., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Experimental evolution is a powerful approach for scrutinizing and dissecting the development of antimicrobial resistance; nevertheless, it typically demands an extended duration to detect evolutionary changes. Here, a centrifugal microfluidics system is designed to accelerate the process. Through a simple step of on-chip centrifugation, a highly condensed bacterial matrix of ∼10 12 cells/mL at the enrichment tip of the chip channel is derived, enabling bacteria encapsulated to survive in antimicrobial concentrations several times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and rapidly develop resistance in the first 10 h. After 48 h of on-chip evolution, the E. coli strain demonstrated a 64 to 128-fold reduction in sensitivity to disinfectants (triclosan) as well as antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and amikacin), a rate substantially swifter compared to conventional continuous inoculation-based experimental evolution. The speed and simplicity of this microfluidic system suggest its broad application for uncovering resistance mechanisms and identifying targets of biocides and antibiotics.

Amidst escalating environmental pollution due to accelerated industrialization and urbanization, there is an acute demand for effective and sustainable environmental remediation strategies. Ultrasonic technology, recognized for its green and efficient characteristics, has gained significant prominence in mitigating environmental pollution in aquatic, soil, and atmospheric ecosystems. The review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of ultrasonic treatment in wastewater treatment, air quality improvement, and soil remediation. We systematically evaluate existing research to assess the effectiveness of ultrasonic technology in degrading pollutants and its potential for large-scale deployment. The review also examines the challenges associated with ultrasonic remediation, including optimizing operational parameters, enhancing energy transfer efficiency, and understanding the unique degradation mechanisms for various pollutants. Furthermore, we discuss environmental and safety considerations, along with the economic implications related to equipment costs and energy consumption. This review aims to contribute to the advancement of ultrasonic technology in environmental remediation by presenting a forward-looking perspective, aligning with the goals of environmental protection and sustainable development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Surface passivation has driven the rapid increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, state-of-the-art surface passivation techniques rely on ammonium ligands that suffer deprotonation under light and thermal stress. We developed a library of amidinium ligands, of interest for their resonance effect-enhanced N-H bonds that may resist deprotonation, to increase the thermal stability of passivation layers on perovskite surfaces. This strategy resulted in a >10-fold reduction in the ligand deprotonation equilibrium constant and a twofold increase in the maintenance of photoluminescence quantum yield after aging at 85°C under illumination in air. Implementing this approach, we achieved a certified quasi-steady-state PCE of 26.3% for inverted PSCs; and we report retention of ≥90% PCE after 1100 hours of continuous 1-sun maximum power point operation at 85°C.

Previous studies have found that oncolytic virus (OVs) can improve the efficacy of TIL adoptive therapy in oral cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer. However, the curative effect in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of OVs encoding 4-1BBL and IL15 (OV-4-1BBL/IL15) combined with TIL adoptive therapy on HCC. In this study, the role and immunological mechanism of armed OVs combined with TILs were evaluated by flow cytometry and ELISA in patient-derived xenograft and syngeneic mouse tumor models. Co-culturing with TILs can up-regulate the expression of antigen-presenting cell (APC) markers on the surface of OV-infected primary HCC cells, and promote the specific activation ability and tumor-killing ability of TILs. OV-4-1BBL/IL15 combined with TIL adoptive therapy could induce tumor volume reduction and anti-tumor immune memory in patient-derived xenograft and syngeneic mouse tumor models. Furthermore, OV combined with TIL adoptive therapy can endow tumor cells with aAPC characteristics, activate T cells at the same time, and reprogram tumor macrophages into anti-tumor phenotype. OV-4-1BBL/IL15 can stimulate the anti-tumor potential of TIL therapy in HCC, and possess broad clinical application prospects., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

The development of tumors and their metastasis relies heavily on the process of angiogenesis. When the volume of a tumor expands, the resulting internal hypoxic conditions trigger the body to enhance the production of various angiogenic factors. These include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), all of which work together to stimulate the activation of endothelial cells and catalyze angiogenesis. Antiangiogenic therapy (AAT) aims to normalize tumor blood vessels by inhibiting these angiogenic signals. In this review, we will explore the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis within the tumor microenvironment, discuss traditional antiangiogenic drugs along with their limitations, examine new antiangiogenic drugs and the advantages of combination therapy, and consider future research directions in the field of antiangiogenic drugs. This comprehensive overview aims to provide insights that may aid in the development of more effective anti-tumor treatments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xu and Tang.)

Assessing metastatic potential is crucial for cancer treatment strategies. However, current methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and have limited sample accessibility. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the urgent need for rapid and accurate approaches by proposing a Ramanome-based metastasis index (RMI) using machine learning of single-cell Raman spectra to rapidly and accurately assess tumor cell metastatic potential. Validation with various cultured tumor cells and a mouse orthotopic model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma show a Kendall rank correlation coefficient of 1 compared to Transwell experiments and histopathological assessments. Significantly, lipid-related Raman peaks are most influential in determining RMI. The lipidomic analysis confirmed strong correlations between metastatic potential and phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, cholesteryl ester, ceramide, and bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate, crucial in cell membrane composition or signal transduction. Therefore, RMI is a valuable tool for predicting tumor metastatic potential and providing insights into metastasis mechanisms., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The microbiome represents the natural presence of microorganisms, and exploring, understanding, and leveraging its functions will bring about significant breakthroughs in life sciences and applications. Raman-activated cell sorting (RACS) enables the correlation of phenotype and genotype at the single-cell level, offering a solution to the bottleneck in microbial community functional analysis caused by challenges in cultivating diverse microorganisms. However, current labor-intensive manual procedures fall short in catering to the demands of single-cell functional analysis in microbial communities. To address this issue, we developed an artificial intelligence-assisted Raman-activated cell sorting system (AI-RACS) that integrates precise single-cell positioning, automated data collection, optical tweezers capture, and single-cell printing to elevate microbial single-cell RACS from manual to automated, validating the efficacy of the system by isolating aluminum-tolerant microbes from acidic soil microbiota. Leveraging the AI-RACS framework, we sorted 13 strains from red soil samples under near-in situ conditions, with all demonstrating strong aluminum tolerance. AI-RACS efficiently segregates microbial cells from intricate environmental samples, investigating their functional attributes and presenting a novel tool for microbial research and applications.

Background: Hemoglobin (Hb) optimal levels is clinically and biologically heterogeneous, data of older adults was not available., Methods: We used data of participants enrolled in Shenzhen Healthy Ageing Research, in which the baseline Hb was measured in 223,407 older adults aged 65 or older to evaluation of Hb optimal levels. The vital status of the participants by 31 December, 2021 was determined. We estimated the hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for all-cause or cause-specific mortality using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, and Cox models with restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used for all-cause mortality., Results: Overall, 6,722 deaths occurred during a mean follow-up of 3.01 years from 2018 to 2021. The risk for all-cause and cause-specific mortality was significantly lower in males with Hb levels of ≥14.0 g/dL. The Hb range in which the lowest hazard ratios for the female all-cause or cardiovascular disease mortality were observed in our study was 12.0-14.9 g/dL and 11.0-14.9 g/dL, respectively. For the female participants observed higher Hb levels were significantly associated with lower risk of cancer-cause mortality (≥12.0 g/dL) or other-cause mortality (≥11.0 g/dL). The results from RCS curve showed similar results., Conclusion: Considering the risk of mortality, we recommended ≥14.0 g/dL and 12-14.9 g/dL as the optimal range of Hb among Chinese male and female older adults, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ni, Yuan, Zhang, Zhang, Zheng and Xu.)

Previous research has highlighted the significant role of progestins and glucocorticoids in fish oocyte maturation and ovulation. To clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, comprehensive investigations were conducted using a cyp17a2 mutant Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) model. Analysis revealed pronounced Cyp17a2 expression in ovarian somatic cells of the tilapia. Female cyp17a2 -deficient mutants exhibited markedly reduced levels of 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) and cortisol/cortisone, leading to delayed meiotic initiation and impaired oocyte maturation and spawning. Notably, supplementation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), DHP, and cortisol effectively induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and facilitated oocyte release with follicular cell layers in cyp17a2 -/- females. Additionally, cyp17a2 -/- and rescued cyp17a2 -/- females showed elevated transcription of steroidogenic enzymes involved in 17β-estradiol (E2) production compared to spawning wild-type females. Moreover, the reduction in Akt phosphorylation observed in cyp17a2 -deficient females and upon inhibitor treatment impaired hCG-induced oocyte maturation. Conversely, activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway partially rescued the oocyte maturation impairment caused by cyp17a2 mutation. Overall, these findings provide functional evidence supporting the critical role of Cyp17a2 in DHP and cortisol biosynthesis, which, in turn, facilitates oocyte maturation and ovulation through activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in fish.

Porous Organic Cages (POCs) have gathered a lot of attention in sorts of fields. Previous studies often focused on the functionalization of their intrinsic porosity, while the utilization of the extrinsic porosity has been seldom reported. To date, the rational construction of functionalized extrinsic porosity in POCs is a serious challenge, which still relies on trial and error. Inspired by hydrophobic proteins, in the contribution, a POC (namely NKPOC-DS) is obtained with hydrophobic "intermolecular pocket" as extrinsic porosity constructed through the assembly of disulfide bonds with hydrophobic groups, facilitating strong supramolecular interactions as confirmed by Electrostatic Potential (ESP) maps and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Notably, NKPOC-DS exhibits a unique C 2 H 6 -selective "breathing behaviour" due to the presence of softness in its extrinsic porosity, which does not extend to other gases such as C 2 H 4 , CH 4 , CO 2 , N 2 , and H 2 . Such specific recognition of C 2 H 6 thus provides NKPOC-DS with the ability to preferentially adsorb C 2 H 6 from a C 2 H 6 /C 2 H 4 mixture. The innovative approach of biomimicry in the design of functional POCs provides new insights into manipulating the packing of cages, paving the way for potential applications in guest recognition and adsorption separations., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)