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Pollution remains one of the most significant global challenges. Photocatalysis consists of a new organic pollutant removal technology, with TiO2 widely studied as a photocatalyst in the photocatalytic removal of water pollution. However, intrinsic TiO2 has the disadvantages of weak visible light absorption, low electron separation, and transmission efficiency, as well as few active sites. In this study, anatase-phase Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 (B-TiO2) with a core-shell structure was successfully prepared by forming an amorphous layer rich in oxygen vacancies (OVs) and Ti3+ defects on the TiO2 surface under a nitrogen atmosphere using NaBH4 as a chemical-reducing agent. The visible light absorption performance of the catalyst was notably improved when exposed to light irradiation. The bending of surface energy bands facilitated the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the core-shell structure allowed the electron-hole pairs to be transported to the surface of the catalyst and participate in the reaction faster. We observed that 92.86% of Rhodamine B (RhB) was degraded in only 5 min, an increase of 2.73 times that of the degradation rate observed in commercial P25. With extraordinary stability, the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalyst remained at 96.2% after five degradation cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer may recur or metastasize years or decades after its diagnosis. Furthermore, hormone receptor expression may persist in relapsed or metastatic cancer cells. Endocrine therapy is one of the most efficacious treatments for hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. Nevertheless, a considerable proportion of patients develop resistance to endocrine therapy. Previous studies have identified numerous mechanisms underlying drug resistance, such as epigenetic abnormalities in the estrogen receptor (ER) genome, activation of ER-independent ligands, and alterations in signaling pathways including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Notch, NF-κB, FGFR, and IRE1-XBP1. This article reviews the mechanisms of endocrine resistance in hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer, drawing from previous studies, and discusses the latest research advancements and prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: NOTES gallbladder‐preserving surgery (N‐GPS) has been heralded as a new paradigm shift in minimally invasive surgery for chronic cholecystitis patients. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of N‐GPS on the intestinal microbiota of patients. Methods: The study selected patients with benign gallbladder disease (BG group) within 1 week preoperative (BG_DPR stage) and followed up over 1 year postoperative (BG_YPO stage) and selected healthy controls (HC group) whose sex, age, and BMI index matched with patients at BG_YPO stage, too. Accordingly, stool samples from healthy controls and two stages of patients with benign gallbladder disease were collected; among them, the selected samples were sent for 16S rDNA sequencing with Illumina MiSeq platform, and then, the combined samples were sent for short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis with GC‐MS platform. Results: The result of alpha diversity of Shannon index showed that the difference among the two stages of BG group and HC group wasn't statistically significant, while the result of beta diversity based on the weighted UniFrac distance suggested that the structure of intestinal microbiota of BG group at YPO stage was closer to HC group. LEfSe analysis suggested that BG_YPO stage enriched genus, such as Enterocloster and Hungatella_A_128155, which improved bile acid metabolism. Compared with BG_DPR stage, BG_YPO stage and HC group enriched Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, but depleted Streptococcus, while fecal SCFA concentrations increased. Conclusion: Patients with benign gallbladder disease and chronic cholecystitis after N‐GPS treatment for over 1 year improved gut microbial community structure. With the improving bile acid metabolism, SCFA‐producing bacteria increased and pathobionts decreased, which helped the intestinal microbiota structure of BG group at YPO stage restore and close to HC group. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR1900028267. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) comprise a large part of human genome that mainly do not code for proteins. Although ncRNAs were first believed to be non-functional, the more investigations highlighted tthe possibility of ncRNAs in controlling vital biological processes. The length of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exceeds 200 nucleotidesand can be present in nucleus and cytoplasm. LncRNAs do not translate to proteins and they have been implicated in the regulation of tumorigenesis. On the other hand, One way cells die is by a process called autophagy, which breaks down proteins and other components in the cytoplasm., while the aberrant activation of autophagy allegedly involved in the pathogenesis of diseases. The autophagy exerts anti-cancer activity in pre-cancerous lesions, while it has oncogenic function in advanced stages of cancers. The current overview focuses on the connection between lncRNAs and autophagy in urological cancers is discussed. Notably, one possible role for lncRNAs is as diagnostic and prognostic variablesin urological cancers. The proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis and therapy response in prostate, bladder and renal cancers are regulated by lncRNAs. The changes in autophagy levels can also influence the apoptosis, proliferation and therapy response in urological tumors. Since lncRNAs have modulatory functions, they can affect autophagy mechanism to determine progression of urological cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current guidelines recommend colonoscopy‐based surveillance to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) among these participants with above‐average risk. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) holds promise as a viable alternative surveillance tool, but the existing evidence regarding the use of settings remains limited. Therefore, our aim is to evaluate the CRC incidence rates in individuals with above‐average CRC risk and the relationship between FIT surveillance and CRC incidence. Methods: The retrospective cohort study was performed based on the CRC screening program between January 2012 and December 2022, in Tianjin, China. This cohort study included 12,515 participants aged 40–74 years with above‐average risk. The primary outcomes were the incidence rates of CRC and advanced colorectal neoplasia which were expressed as the number of events per 100,000 person‐years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: We included 12,515 participants aged 40–74 years, of whom 4980 received subsequent FIT surveillance during the study period. Among these participants, 51 CRC cases occurred in the non‐FIT surveillance group (incidence rate, 233.88 per 100,000 person‐years) and there were 29 cases of CRC in the FIT surveillance group (incidence rate, 184.85 per 100,000 person‐years), resulting in an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.37–0.91). Meanwhile, 428 advanced colorectal neoplasia cases were reported in the non‐FIT surveillance group, while 269 cases occurred in the FIT surveillance group, with significantly lower incidence of advanced colorectal neoplasia in the FIT surveillance group (IRR: 0.64; 95% CI, 0.55–0.74). Compared with the non‐FIT surveillance group, the FIT surveillance group had a 54% decreased risk of developing CRC (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29–0.74) and a 45% decreased risk of developing advanced colorectal neoplasia (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.47–0.64). Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort study, above‐average risk individuals who received subsequent FIT in the intervals between colonoscopies were associated with a reduction of CRC and advanced colorectal neoplasia incidence, which indicated the value and utility of FIT in the surveillance program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several exogenous probiotics are applicable in fish culture; however, challenges in isolation and verification have hindered the full utilization of numerous host probiotics. Therefore, this study aimed to apply the host probiotic Exiguobacterium acetylicum G1-33 to hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂) cultures and explore its mechanism of action. In total, 360 hybrid grouper were divided into four groups, which were fed the following for 60 days: three received commercial feed with varying concentrations of E. acetylicum G1-33 (106, 108, and 1010 CFU/g), while a control group received commercial feed. The results showed that supplementation with 106 and 108 CFU/g of E. acetylicum G1-33 enhanced gut morphology, upregulated growth-related genes (ghr1, igf-2, s6k1, tor), and promoted growth, with supplementation with 108 CFU/g resulting in the most notable enhancement. However, supplementation with 1010 CFU/g inhibited growth, possibly because of changes in intestinal morphology. Additionally, supplementation with E. acetylicum G1-33 upregulated the expression of immune-related genes (c3, myd88, Cu/Zn-sod, tlr3, and tnf2) in the liver and head kidney but led to an increase in malondialdehyde content, as well as a decrease in alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase activities, in the liver and serum, indicating increased oxidative stress. Moreover, supplementation with 106 and 108 CFU/g E. acetylicum G1-33 enhanced the widespread expression of immune-related genes in the head kidney and liver, respectively, and improved resistance to Vibrio harveyi, whereas supplementation with 1010 CFU/g weakened this resistance. In conclusion, E. acetylicum G1-33, particularly at 108 CFU/g, emerged as an effective probiotic, optimizing growth performance and immunity in hybrid grouper. This research is pioneering in its application of E. acetylicum in mariculture, potentially broadening the range of probiotic strategies in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air purification system of refuge chamber is an important part of underground emergency, which can provide the good living environment for underground emergency evacuation personnel. In this paper, the similar simulation method is used to establish a CO purification experiment model of refuge chamber. Several sets of comparative experiments are carried out. The change law of CO concentration under different wind speeds, different doses and different volumes are analyzed. The judgment criteria for CO purification detection are proposed. The results show that the purification rate of CO increases first and then decreases with the increase of wind speed and dose, and the average purification rate varies by about 5%. When the space velocity value is around 183 418 h-1, the CO purification reaction rate is the fastest. Moreover, the chamber volume of the experimental model has little effect on the purification capacity.

This research focuses on democratization and consolidation in Central and Eastern Europe, specifically examining the Visegrad Group (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic) after the Cold War and EU Eastern Enlargement. Using different democratization and European Integration theories, it explores the factors influencing democratization, consolidation, and stability in this region. This study analyzes the transition from communism to democracy, the impact of European Integration on democratization, and the role of civil society organizations in promoting democratic values. It acknowledges the challenges posed by populism and illiberalism and suggests practical policy solutions to strengthen democratic values and stability in Central and Eastern Europe.