Search

Background: Clozapine is a highly effective second-generation antipsychotic with few extrapyramidal reactions, making it a preferred choice among clinicians. However, instances of acute clozapine poisoning resulting from suicide attempts and misuse have been reported. Through our review of existing literature, we identified that we believe to be the highest recorded overdose of clozapine in elderly patients, resulting in a nonfatal outcome. Case presentation: The case report involves a 71-year-old female with a history of depression who ingested a dose of 10,000 mg of clozapine. Approximately 6 h after the overdose, the clozapine level was 5,200 μg/L, significantly surpassing the recommended therapeutic concentration range of 350–600 μg/L. After gastric lavage and hemoperfusion, the blood level dropped to 1847.11 μg/L. Notably, during therapeutic drugs monitoring (TDM), we found a perplexing spike in the patient's blood level to 5554.15 μg/L after the second hemoperfusion. Conclusion: In this case we mainly focused on the abnormal fluctuations in the concentration of clozapine. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of potential factors contributing to this abnormal phenomenon in terms of the patient's age, clinical symptoms, various laboratory test indexes, and the pharmacokinetics of clozapine. Our findings underscore the importance of timely TDM and the precision of results in managing elderly patients experiencing high-dose clozapine poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial inoculation plays a significant role in promoting the efficiency of biowaste conversion. This study investigates the function of Streptomyces-Bacillus Inoculants (SBI) on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) conversion, and microbial dynamics, during cow manure (10% and 20% addition) and corn straw co-composting. Compared to inoculant-free controls, inoculant application accelerated the compost's thermophilic stage (8 vs 15 days), and significantly increased compost total N contents (+47%) and N-reductase activities (nitrate reductase: +60%; nitrite reductase: +219%). Both bacterial and fungal community succession were significantly affected by DOC, urease, and NH 4 +-N, while the fungal community was also significantly affected by cellulase. The contribution rate of Cupriavidus to the physicochemical factors of compost was as high as 83.40%, but by contrast there were no significantly different contributions (∼60%) among the top 20 fungal genera. Application of SBI induced significant correlations between bacteria, compost C/N ratio, and catalase enzymes, indicative of compost maturation. We recommend SBI as a promising bio-composting additive to accelerate C and N turnover and high-quality biowaste maturation. SBI boosts organic cycling by transforming biowastes into bio-fertilizers efficiently. This highlights the potential for SBI application to improve plant growth and soil quality in multiple contexts. [Display omitted] • The addition of SBI shortens the composting process and maturation period. • SBI increased N-reductase activity (+140%) and TN (+47%) content in composts. • SBI stimulated the abundance of cellulose-degrading bacteria. • SBI accelerated the succession of C and N cycling microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) plus recombinant human endostatin (Endostar, CCRT + E) versus CCRT alone in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC).Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients initially treated for LANPC from November 2016 to March 2019 was performed: trial group received CCRT + E and control group received CCRT. Prognoses and adverse effects were evaluated.Results: Eighty-eight patients were included: 43 received CCRT + E and 45 received CCRT. The median follow-up time was 54.0 (range: 8.0-64.0) months. The survival data of the CCRT + E and CCRT groups were as follows: 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates, 81.4% and 63.6% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.418, 95%CI 0.181-0.963, P = 0.034); 3-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates, 88.3% and 77.3% (HR 0.370, 95%CI 0.132-1.039, P = 0.049); 3-year overall survival rates, 88.2% and 81.9% (HR 0.437, 95%CI 0.151-1.260, P = 0.114); and 3-year locoregional failure-free survival rates, 87.8% and 86.9% (HR 0.795, 95%CI 0.242-2.616, P = 0.705). Three months after radiotherapy, the complete response (CR) rates of cervical lymph node regression were 97.7% and 82.2% for the CCRT + E and CCRT groups (P = 0.041). The corresponding CR rates were 100% and 80.0% for lymph node necrosis (P = 0.001) and 100% and 85.2% for extranodal extension (P = 0.041). The CCRT + E group had higher incidence of grade 3/4 leukopenia (32.6% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.031), with similar results for late toxicity.Conclusions: CCRT + E significantly prolonged 3-year PFS and DMFS in LANPC, and patients had better lymph node regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents a design of four‐element wideband multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) antenna with improved isolation that covering 1.9–5.2 GHz for 5G application. The basic structure of the proposed MIMO antenna is meandering monopole; a dual‐band is generated by involving meandering L‐shape strip and inverted‐F strip, then coupling with a parasitic strip to generate wideband. By etching two H‐shape slots and two split‐ring resonator slots at the ground can enhance the isolation between two adjacent input ports. Antenna elements are rotated symmetrically and vertically distributed around the dielectric plate, the overall dimension of the MIMO array is 54 mm × 120 mm × 13 mm. Reasonable layout can reduce the user's influence on the antenna performance, so that each antenna element can work normally. The prototype is simulated, fabricated and measured. A good impedance matching (return loss <− 10 dB), high isolation (<−16 dB), high total efficiency (>65%), and low envelope correlation coefficient (ECC < 0.05) were obtained across the operation bandwidth, the gain of the antenna is 6.1 dB at 3.6 GHz. Through measurement, it is found that the results are basically consistent with the simulation results, indicating that both wide bandwidth and high isolation are successfully achieved and can be well applied in 5G communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interplay between colloidal particles and surfactant co-adsorption plays a pivotal role in determining interface properties and emulsion stability. This study delves into the influence of the Zp/GMS ratio on the physical stability of Zein particle-GMS co-stabilized emulsions (CPEs) and how co-adsorption and interfacial interactions impact this stability. Results indicated that the preferential adsorption of GMS facilitated the diffusion (K diff increased from 0.083 mNm−1 s−0.5 to 0.206 mNm−1 s−0.5) and penetration of Zp (K P increased from −17.0 × 104 s−1 to −23.6 × 104 s−1), triggering interface rearrangement. Consequently, intricate interfaces formed, inducing a synergistic reduction in interfacial tension. Moreover, the decreased Zp/GMS ratio bolstered the lateral molecular interactions between Zp and GMS at the interface, while also enhancing the longitudinal relaxation of GMS during interface deformation. Therefore, the Zp/GMS ratio played a pivotal role in controlling the stiffness, elasticity, and deformability recovery of complex interfaces in both lateral and longitudinal dimensions. Furthermore, in both O/W and W/O CPEs, a decreased Zp/GMS ratio improved the physical stability of CPEs by reducing the rate of droplet coalescence. To summarize, the enhanced stability of CPEs can be attributed to the reduction in droplet aggregation. This reduction is influenced by a combination of improved mechanical properties resulting from lateral molecular interactions at the interface and enhanced deformability recovery due to the longitudinal relaxation of GMS. These findings not only deepen our understanding of particle-surfactant interactions in Pickering emulsions but also pave the way for formulating emulsions with specific textures and stabilities. [Display omitted] • Explored particle-surfactant interactions in Pickering emulsions. • Zp/GMS ratio modulates emulsion type and microstructure in CPEs. • GMS influences interface formation and synergistically reduces tension. • GMS results in a complex interface with enhanced elasticity and rigidity. • Co-adsorption of Zp and GMS improves thermodynamic stability by retarding droplet coalescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. However, the target genes of miR-221-3p and the underlying mechanism involved in HNSCC are still not clear. Therefore, in the current study, we studied the role of miR-221-3p in the HNSCC.Methods: Tissues collected from 48 control and 21 HNSCC patients were processed to check the differential expression of miR-221-3p by RT-qPCR. Overexpression of microRNA-221-3p (miR-221-3p) is significantly correlated to the onset and progression of HNSCC. We also conducted the meta-analysis of the cancer literature from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to estimate the expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC. The miR-221-3p target genes in the HNSCC were predicted with the miRWalk and TCGA databases, and functionally annotated via the Gene Ontology. Finally, Spearman's analysis was used to determine the role of the related target genes in important pathways involved in the development of HNSCC.Results: We observed a significantly higher expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC compared to the normal with a summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) of 0.86(95% Cl: 0.83,0.89). The KEGG and GO comprehensive analysis predicted that miR-221-3p might be involved in the development of HNSCC through the following metabolic pathways, viz. Drug metabolism - cytochrome P450 UGT1A7 and MAOB may be important genes for the role of miR-221-3p.Conclusion: Based on bioinformatics analysis, our results indicate that miR-221-3p may be used as a non-invasive and hypersensitive biomarker in the diagnosis. Thus, it can be concluded that miR-221-3p may be an extremely important gene locus involved in the process of the deterioration and eventual tumorigenesis of HNSCC. Hopefully, additional work will validate its usefulness as a target for future clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. However, the target genes of miR-221-3p and the underlying mechanism involved in HNSCC are still not clear. Therefore, in the current study, we studied the role of miR-221-3p in the HNSCC. Methods: Tissues collected from 48 control and 21 HNSCC patients were processed to check the differential expression of miR-221-3p by RT-qPCR. Overexpression of microRNA-221-3p (miR-221-3p) is significantly correlated to the onset and progression of HNSCC. We also conducted the meta-analysis of the cancer literature from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to estimate the expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC. The miR-221-3p target genes in the HNSCC were predicted with the miRWalk and TCGA databases, and functionally annotated via the Gene Ontology. Finally, Spearman's analysis was used to determine the role of the related target genes in important pathways involved in the development of HNSCC. Results: We observed a significantly higher expression of miR-221-3p in HNSCC compared to the normal with a summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) of 0.86(95% Cl: 0.83,0.89). The KEGG and GO comprehensive analysis predicted that miR-221-3p might be involved in the development of HNSCC through the following metabolic pathways, viz. Drug metabolism - cytochrome P450 UGT1A7 and MAOB may be important genes for the role of miR-221-3p. Conclusion: Based on bioinformatics analysis, our results indicate that miR-221-3p may be used as a non-invasive and hypersensitive biomarker in the diagnosis. Thus, it can be concluded that miR-221-3p may be an extremely important gene locus involved in the process of the deterioration and eventual tumorigenesis of HNSCC. Hopefully, additional work will validate its usefulness as a target for future clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sertraline is one of the most commonly used antidepressant pharmaceuticals with ubiquitous distribution in the aqueous environment. However, the environmental behavior of sertraline in the co-presence of low-molecular-weight organic acid (LMWOA) and iron oxide mineral is still poorly understood. In this study, the photodegradation of sertraline was systematically investigated in a common photosensitizing system (ferrihydrite (Fh)-LMWOA). Six LMWOAs, including citrate acid (CA), tartrate acid (TA), malate acid (MA), lactate acid (LA), succinate acid (SA) and malonic acid (MOA) were chosen as the representatives. Our results implied that the different Fe3+ dissolution rates would lead to rather different sertraline degradation patterns following the order of Fh-CA > Fh-TA > Fh-MA > Fh-LA > Fh-SA > Fh-MOA. The reaction was initiated by the interaction between LMWOA and Fh via ligand-promoted-dissolution mechanism. Furthermore, the Fe3+ dissolution rates also showed a strong correlation with the metal-organic complexation constants, indicating that the photodegradation process is strongly related to the complexation ability of LMWOA with Fe3+. •OH, O 2 •- and CO 2 •- were detected, indicating that they contributed to the photodegradation of sertraline. •OH was demonstrated to be the dominant Reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the degradation of sertraline, and the detailed transformation pathways were proposed based on the product analysis and theoretical calculation. According to the ecological structure activity relationship estimation, the photodegradation products of sertraline possessed lower toxicity compared to the parent compound. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental fate of sertraline and evaluate its potential ecotoxicity in natural systems. [Display omitted] • Sertraline could be photodegraded by the Fh-LMWOA system. • Different rates of Fe3+ dissolution would lead to rather different sertraline photodegradation. • The photodegradation process was also related to the complexation ability of LMWOAs with Fe3+. • •OH, O 2 •- and CO 2 •- make the decisive contribution in sertraline elimination. • The toxicity of sertraline photolysis products was reduced in the Fh-LMWOA system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is an efficient genome editing tool that possesses the outstanding advantages of simplicity and high efficiency. Genome-wide identification and specificity analysis of editing sites is an effective approach for mitigating the risk of off-target effects of CRISPR/Cas9 and has been applied in several plant species but has not yet been reported in pepper. In present study, we first identified genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 editing sites based on the 'Zunla-1' reference genome and then evaluated the specificity of CRISPR/Cas9 editing sites through whole-genome alignment. Results showed that a total of 603,202,314 CRISPR/Cas9 editing sites, including 229,909,837 (~38.11%) NGG-PAM sites and 373,292,477 (~61.89%) NAG-PAM sites, were detectable in the pepper genome, and the systematic characterization of their composition and distribution was performed. Furthermore, 29,623,855 highly specific NGG-PAM sites were identified through whole-genome alignment analysis. There were 26,699,38 (~90.13%) highly specific NGG-PAM sites located in intergenic regions, which was 9.13 times of the number in genic regions, but the average density in genic regions was higher than that in intergenic regions. More importantly, 34,251 (~96.93%) out of 35,336 annotated genes exhibited at least one highly specific NGG-PAM site in their exons, and 90.50% of the annotated genes exhibited at least 4 highly specific NGG- PAM sites, indicating that the set of highly specific CRISPR/Cas9 editing sites identified in this study was widely applicable and conducive to the minimization of the off-target effects of CRISPR/Cas9 in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved black carbon (DBC) has been recognized as an important organic matter that influences the photochemical processes of organic pollutants. The excited triplet state (3DBC*) of DBC usually exhibits activity in neutral and basic aqueous conditions, rather than in acidic conditions. In this study, we found the crop (wheat, rice, maize) straw sourced DBC can substantially enhance the photodegradation of triclosan in relatively acidic conditions, and in the presence of ferric minerals (ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite), when exposed to simulated sunlight irradiation. This should be ascribed to the rapid non-reductive dissolution of ferric minerals by DBC, which leads to the generation of abundant hydrogen peroxides (H 2 O 2) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) through photo Fenton-like reactions. •OH is the dominant reactive species that leads to triclosan degradation in acidic conditions. Otherwise, triclosan itself is resistant to direct photolysis at pH < 5.0. The triplet state (3DBC*) plays a critical role in accelerating the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycling, which further promotes •OH generation. This study provides a new perspective on the role of DBC in surface water or mineral-water interfaces with acidic conditions and adds a more comprehensive understanding about the environmental implications of the DBC-ferric mineral system in sunlit surface water. [Display omitted] • The DBC/Fh system promoted triclosan photodegradation under acid conditions (pH of 3–5). • DBC could induce significantly non-reductive dissolution of ferric minerals. • The DBC/Fh system could generate abundant H 2 O 2 and · OH via photo Fenton-like reactions. • The 3DBC* played a critical role to accelerate Fe2+/Fe3+ cycling. • The photodegradation products of triclosan from the DBC/Fh system were less toxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biothiols such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH) play significant roles in maintaining biological homeostasis in organisms. Due to their particular significance in the physiology and pathology of humans, accurate determination and differentiation of Cys, Hcy, and GSH for understanding their roles in related diseases are in urgent demand. Herein, a new fluorescent probe NIPY-NBD was designed and synthesized for the detection of Cys/Hcy and GSH. The probe exhibits a variety of excellent properties including high sensitivity and low cytotoxicity as well as good cell membrane permeability. Furthermore, the probe showed a 100-fold (λex/em = 310 nm/520 nm) and 210-fold (λex/em = 340 nm/550 nm) fluorescence enhancement when reacted with Cys in buffer, and could swiftly respond to Cys and Hcy within 2.5 min. NIPY-NBD was further applied successfully in imaging in A549 cells and xenograft mouse tumor tissues. Taken together, NIPY-NBD may have great potential in detecting and distinguishing Cys/GSH in living animals and could be applied in tumor diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first observation of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP)-enhanced availability of phenanthrene as a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in soils based on an n- butanol extraction procedure and a desorption batch assay. The butanol-extractable amount of phenanthrene increased ∼204.4% in soils with GRSP added at 0–25 mg/kg. Phenanthrene desorption in soils increased monotonically with the increase of added GRSP concentration (0–50 mg/L) in solution. GRSP addition led to reduced soil organic matter in soil solids and increased concentrations of dissolved organic matter in solution, which dominates the mechanism of GRSP-enhanced phenanthrene availability. The results provide insight into the role of GRSP in soil PAH availability, and will be beneficial for risk assessment and remediation strategies at PAH-contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine pseudorabies (PR) is an important infectious disease caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV), which poses a major threat to food safety and security. Vaccine immunization has become the main means to prevent and control the disease. However, since 2011, a new PRV variant has caused huge economic losses to the Chinese pig industry. Panax notoginseng polysaccharides have immunomodulatory activity and other functions, but the antiviral effect has not been reported. We studied the anti-PRV activity of Panax notoginseng polysaccharides in vitro. A less cytopathic effect was observed by increasing the concentration of Panax notoginseng polysaccharides. Western blot, TCID50, plaque assay, and IFA revealed that Panax notoginseng polysaccharides could significantly inhibit the infectivity of PRV XJ5 on PK15 cells. In addition, we also found that Panax notoginseng polysaccharides blocked the adsorption and replication of PRV to PK15 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results show that Panax notoginseng polysaccharides play an antiviral effect mainly by inhibiting virus adsorption and replication in vitro. Therefore, Panax notoginseng polysaccharides may be a potential anti-PRV agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-(2-Hydroxy-styryl)-4,6-dimethyl-1,3,5-triazine (P1), a novel compound with D-π-A structure, possesses a variety of isomers. Density functional theory calculations were employed to explore the isomerization mechanisms of its various isomers at the 6-311+G** level. The calculated results show that the phenol configurations of compound P1 are more stable than the quinoid configurations, whether they exist as monomers, complexes, with methanol or dimers. The most stable structure of compound P1 was used to calculate the UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. To validate the calculated results, the title compound was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR and 13C NMR techniques. The measured absorption and fluorescence spectra of P1 in methanol and N, N-dimethylformamide are in good agreement with the calculated ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The absorption and emission spectra of salicylanilide (SAN) in methanol show strong blue-shift compared with those in cyclohexane. To make clear this phenomenon, the ground (S0) and excited state (S1) proton transfer reactions in cyclohexane and in methanol solutions were investigated, respectively. In cyclohexane, the intramolecular mechanism was carried out for the isolated SAN. Whereas in methanol solution, the role of the methanol molecule in proton transfer reaction was supposed that it directly participated the reaction path, called methanol-assisted mechanism. The computational results show that barrier height for the ground state proton transfer is too high to happen, but is energetically favored in S1 for both isolated SAN and methanol-assisted system. In addition, it indicates that the hydrogen-bonding between SAN and methanol molecule can dramatically lower the barrier by methanol-assisted mechanism in S1. Herein, we also have applied a combination of the continuum dielectric and the explicit solvent model to study the spectra of SAN in methanol, which exhibit that the interaction between SAN and one methanol molecule yields a hydrogen-bonding complex responsible for the blue-shifted wavelength of absorption and emission spectra in methanol solvent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The isomerization reactions of four pyridazine derivatives, i.e., 6-chloro-3-hydroxy-pyridazine, 1,2-dihydrogen-1-methyl-3,6-pyridazindione, 6-chloro-3-diethylamino-ethoxy-pyridazine, and 1-methyl-2-diethylaminoethyl-3,6(2H)-pyridazindione, have been studied using density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP method at the 6-311+G** basis set. The geometric structures of reactants, transition states and products have been optimized. The transition states have been explored and proved by vibration analysis as well as intrinsic reaction coordination (IRC) analysis. The activation energies of four reactions were calculated, and the corresponding isomerization mechanisms were also elucidated in theory. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is particularly prevalent in Guangdong and Guangxi (southern China); the economic burden of nasopharyngeal cancer patients is heavy in China. This study is aimed at retrospectively analyzing the basic features and economic burden of newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and at providing a scientific basis for nasopharyngeal carcinoma prevention and control strategies. Methods. The data of 3,727 nasopharyngeal carcinoma inpatients diagnosed from January 2012 to December 2020 were extracted from the Guangxi Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Healthcare Big Data Management Information Platform. Basic demographic characteristics, duration of hospital stay, and hospitalization cost of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were collected and analyzed statistically. Results. The incidence period of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was primarily from 30 to 69 years of age, with the 40–49-year age group comprising the largest proportion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, accounting for 34.18% of the patients with newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the hospital. The male-to-female ratio was 2.87 : 1. There were 2,223 cases from rural areas, 2,153 from the Han ethnic group, and 1,460 from the Zhuang ethnic group, accounting for 59.65%, 55.77%, and 39.17% of the total number of cases, respectively. The average duration of hospitalization decreased whereas the average hospitalization cost increased annually. Multivariate analysis of hospitalization cost showed that the duration of hospital stay, rural/urban, and ethnicity was the main influencing factors: the longer the duration of hospital stay, the higher the hospitalization cost; patients from rural incurred lower costs than from urban; ethnic Zhuang patients incurred significantly lower costs than patients from other ethnicities. Conclusion. Early diagnosis and treatment should be actively carried out to reduce the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, especially for rural, ethnic Zhuang, and males in the 40–49-year age group patients. The future research on nasopharyngeal carcinoma will focus on exploring the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, improving the screening system, and reducing the burden on patients, in order to further improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large amounts of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) are present in the soil; however, the impacts of GRSP on the chemical process of soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are far under investigation. This research sought to elucidate the sorption of phenanthrene as a representative PAH by soils, including Kandiudult, TypicPaleudalf, and Mollisols with co-existing GRSP (0–50 mg/L). The results indicated that soil sorption capacities for phenanthrene reduced significantly. Notably, GRSP changed the sorption process of phenanthrene by Kandiudult, well described as the Freundlich model. In contrast, the phenanthrene sorption isotherms were well described with the Linear model for TypicPaleudalf and Mollisols. The reduced percentage of phenanthrene sorption due to GRSP addition was 7.01%–49.21%, 23.92%–68.71%, and17.26%–66.80% for Kandiudult, TypicPaleudalf and Mollisols, respectively. It was noted that GRSP has a strong capacity for phenanthrene sorption in aqueous solutions and elevates the availability of phenanthrene for microorganisms or plants. During the sorption process, the introduction of GRSP resulted in the reduction of organic matter in soils and elevated the concentrations of dissolved organic matter in solutions, which was the primary mechanism of GRSP-reduced phenanthrene sorption by soils. The findings revealed that GRSP enrichment can increase the mobility of PAHs in contaminated soils. Image 1 • GRSP reduced phenanthrene sorption by soils in a GRSP-concentration dependent manner. • GRSP induced the release of SOC from soil solids into solutions as DOC. • Binding affinity of phenanthrene with GRSP or DOC in solutions impeded phenanthrene sorption. • Results provide insights into ecological functions of GRSP in PAH-contaminated environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the Fibrinogen to pre-albumin ratio (FPR) has been reported in many studies to be significantly associated with the prognosis of various cancers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of FPR in malignant tumors of the digestive system based on available evidence. Methods: The relevant articles published before July 1, 2021, were systematically retrieved from electronic databases to evaluate the effect of Fibrinogen to pre-albumin ratio (FPR) on the prognosis of patients with malignant digestive system tumors and calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Result: Thirteen articles, all from China, including 15 cohort studies and a total of 5116 cases, were included in this study. A high FPR was associated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.88, 95%CI 1.53–2.32, P < 0.001), recurrence-free survival (HR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.91–2.76, P < 0.001), progression-free survival (HR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.33–2.90, P = 0.001), complications (HR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.06–3.00, P = 0.029), disease-free survival (HR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.08–1.97, P = 0.013) was significantly associated with cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.15–1.79, P = 0.001). Even though intergroup differences were present, FPR was strongly associated with overall and relapse-free survival, and sensitivity analysis suggested that our results were stable. Conclusion: FPR can be used as a valuable indicator to predict the prognosis of patients with malignant digestive system tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical significance of the combination of neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is unclear. This study investigated the predictive value of pretreatment NLR (pre-NLR) combined with pretreatment PLR (pre-PLR) for the survival and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of 765 patients with non-metastatic NPC from two hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. The pre-NLR-PLR groups were as follows: HRG, high pre-NLR and high pre-PLR. MRG, high pre-NLR and low pre-PLR or low pre-NLR and high pre-PLR. LRG, neither high pre-NLR nor high pre-PLR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify the cutoff-value and discriminant performance of the model. We compared survival rates and factors affecting the prognosis among different groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS), local regional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of NPC patients in HRG were significantly poorer than those in MRG and LRG. The pre-NLR-PLR score was positively correlated with T stage, clinical stage, ECOG, and pathological classification. Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that pre-NLR-PLR scoring system, ECOG, pre-ALB, pre-CRP and pre-LMR were independent risk factors affecting 5-year OS, LRRFS and DMFS. The ROC curve showed that area under the curve (AUC) values of pre-NLR-PLR of 5-year OS, LRRFS and DMFS were higher than those of pre-NLR and pre-PLR. pre-NLR-PLR is an independent risk factor for the prognosis of NPC. The pre-NLR-PLR scoring system can be used as an individualized clinical assessment tool to predict the prognosis of patients with non-metastatic NPC more accurately and easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oily skin is a common concern in the field of dermatology due to its association with excessive sebum production, acne, blackheads, and enlarged facial pores. Therefore, it is in great demand to develop effective cosmetics to manage oily skin. Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a novel emulsion containing niacinamide, lens esculenta seed extract, and white willow bark extract for oily skin. Methods: The efficacy of a novel emulsion was evaluated through a 56‐day clinical trial. The clinical efficacy of the product to ameliorate acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores was assessed on 30 subjects with oily skin by VISIA, PRIMOS, professional dermatologist evaluations, and subject self‐assessment. Results: In the clinical trial, the participants showed high satisfaction with the emulsion's efficacy, reporting significant improvement in skin sebum secretion, acne, facial pores, and blackheads. The efficacy of the novel emulsion was further validated through VISIA and PRIMOS measurements, along with professional dermatologist evaluations. Conclusion: Our results showed that the novel emulsion containing three active ingredients could effectively improve acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to identify genes associated with and the underlying mechanisms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) using microarray data. GSE12452 and GSE34573 gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was utilized to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In addition, the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery was used to perform pathway enrichment analyses for DEGs using the Gene Ontology (GO) annotation along with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Furthermore, Cytoscape was used to perform module analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and pathways of the hub genes were studied. A total of 298 genes were ascertained as DEGs in the two datasets. To functionally categorize these DEGs, we obtained 82 supplemented GO terms along with 7 KEGG pathways. Subsequently, a PPI network consisting of 10 hub genes with high degrees of interaction was constructed. These hub genes included cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 1, structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) 4, kinetochore-associated (KNTC) 1, kinesin family member (KIF) 23, aurora kinase A (AURKA), ATAD (ATPase family AAA domain containing) 2, NDC80 kinetochore complex component, enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit, BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase and protein regulator of cytokinesis 1. CDK1, SMC4, KNTC1, KIF23, AURKA and ATAD2 presented with high areas under the curve in receiver operator curves, suggesting that these genes may be diagnostic markers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In conclusion, it was proposed that CDK1, SMC4, KNTC1, KIF23, AURKA and ATAD2 may be involved in the tumorigenesis of NPC. Furthermore, they may be utilized as molecular biomarkers in early diagnosis of NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hydrogen polysulfides (H 2 S n , n > 1) influence a variety of important biological functions and activities associated with hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S). The development of probes for rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of H 2 S n still remains a great challenge. Lysosome plays crucial roles in various physiological processes among living cells, which arouse high interest in detecting endogenous lysosome-targetable H 2 S n. To the best of our knowledge, there is no lysosome-targetable probe for H 2 S n has been reported. In this work, a new lysosome-targetable probe NIPY NF , based on the scaffold of imidazo [1,5-]pyridine, with a large Stokes shift (215 nm), low detection limit (84 nM), fast response time (6 min) and low cytotoxicity was designed and synthesized. Furthermore, NIPY NF was successfully applied into the cell imaging for detection of endogenous lysosome-targetable H 2 S n. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A novel lysosome-targetable probe NIPY NF was reported. • NIPY NF could discriminate H 2 S n over other analytes with high sensitivity, a low detection limit and a large Stokes shift. • NIPY NF could detect the endogenous H 2 S n in lysosome of living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the endogenous regulators of many physiological processes. NIPY-OH based on an imidazo[1,5-α]pyridine has a large Stokes shift, high photostability with green-emission, relatively high fluorescence quantum yield. NIPY-OH could serve as an excellent candidate for the design of fluorescent probes. However, the reported probes cannot sufficiently take advantage of the optical properties of NIPY-OH due to the water-soluble problem. Herein, a new fluorescent probe NIPY-PBA, based on NIPY-OH, was designed for the detection of hydrogen sulfide. By rational design, compared with other probes, we successfully obtained the probe with higher sensitivity (limit of detection = 43 nM) and shorter response time (1.5 minutes) due to better water solubility. NIPY-PBA maintained the excellent optical properties of a 230-fold fluorescence enhancement with a large Stokes shift (208 nm) at the same time. Furthermore, NIPY-PBA was applied for the fluorescence imaging of H2S in living cells with low cytotoxicity, indicating NIPY-PBA has great potential to monitor H2S in biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic water splitting to obtain hydrogen energy can transform low‐density solar to high density, new and clean energy in a clean way, which is one of the ideal ways to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. In this paper, The CoxP/hollow porous C3N4 composite photocatalytic material was synthesized by simple methods. The photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of CoxP/hollow porous C3N4 reaches 1602 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 151 times of that of pure C3N4. The reasons for the high photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of CoxP/hollow porous C3N4 could be summarized as follows: (1) the hollow and porous structure of C3N4 shows higher light capture efficiency, larger specific surface area and more surface active sites. (2) metalloid CoxP loaded forms the Schottky contact with C3N4, which improves the photogenerated charges separation efficiency of C3N4, prolongs the photogenerated charges lifetime and improves the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity of C3N4. (3) The higher conductivity of metalloid CoxP and the lower overpotential of hydrogen production are other reasons for the higher activity of photocatalytic hydrogen production of CoxP/hollow porous C3N4. This work provides an important role for the design of efficient, stable, and efficient construction of photocatalysts for solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To establish and validate a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving radiotherapy by integrating multiple independent prognostic factors. Materials and Methods. Data from 5663 patients with NPC who received definite radiotherapy between 2004 and 2018 were included and divided into training and validation cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the independent prognostic factors of patients with NPC after radiotherapy. Thereafter, the predictive accuracy of the nomogram model was evaluated. Results. Age, race, marital status, pathological type, tumor size, T stage, N stage, M stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, and chemotherapy were independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with NPC receiving radiotherapy. Nomograms with a concordance index of 0.726 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.675–0.777) and 0.732 (95% CI: 0.680–0.785) were able to predict OS and CSS, respectively. The area under the curve showed excellent predictive performance. Additionally, the calibration curve indicated that the predicted survival rate was consistent with the actual survival rate, and the decision curve indicated its clinical value. The established risk stratification system was able to accurately stratify patients receiving radiotherapy for NPC into three risk subgroups with significant differences in prognosis (P < 0.05). Conclusions. The constructed nomogram had good prognostic performance and could be used as an effective tool to evaluate the prognosis of patients with NPC after radiotherapy. This nomogram could be further used to guide clinical decisions and personalized treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been identified as the primary and standard treatment for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the side effects of cisplatin affect the compliance to therapy. Thus, the search for a platinum-based substitute for NPC has always been a research focus. However, there is a variability in the efficacy of different platinum-based chemotherapies in the treatment of NPC. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of cisplatin-based regimens and other platinum-based derivatives (carboplatin, nedaplatin, and lobaplatin) for locally advanced NPC.Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched for all potentially eligible clinical trials as of February 15, 2022. The pooled hazard ratios, risk ratio, and 95% confidence interval were calculated using Review Manager Software version 5.4.Results: A total of 1,907 patients with locally advanced NPC were eligible from the 1,265 retrieved records. This systematic review included eight articles, six of which were randomized controlled clinical trials. There was no significant difference in the 3- and 5-year overall survival, progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and locoregional relapse-free survival between cisplatin-based chemotherapy and other platinum-based chemotherapy. Severe acute hematological side effects (≥ grade 3) during treatment, such as neutropenia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, were equivalent in both groups. However, the incidence of anemia was higher in patients receiving other platinum-based chemotherapies. The risk of nausea, vomiting and weight loss was higher in the cisplatin group; however, there was no significant difference in the other non-hematological and late side effects between the two groups.Conclusions: Other types of platinum-based chemotherapies are as effective as cisplatin-based chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced NPC, thus acting as potential alternatives to cisplatin. Further studies providing high-level evidence are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy and chemotherapy (CT) have been used to treat recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M-NPC), with demonstrated survival benefits and good safety. However, whether combination therapy is superior to CT alone remains unclear. We summarized the existing evidence comparing the effectiveness and toxicities of ICI combined with CT versus CT alone.Online databases was conducted for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to November 1, 2023. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoint. Objective response rates (ORRs) and adverse events (AEs) were the secondary endpoint.Three randomized controlled trials (Capture-1st, JUPITER-02, and RATIONALE-309) were included. First-line ICI therapy combined with CT showed significant improvement in PFS (hazard ratio[HR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.44–0.64), OS (HR, 0.63;95%CI: 0.49–0.81) and ORRs (odds ratio[OR], 1.79;95%CI: 1.30–2.46), when compared with CT alone. AEs ≥ grade 3 during treatment and treatment-related deaths were not significantly different between the two groups.In patients with R/M-NPC, ICI therapy combined with CT showed improved ORRs, PFS, and OS, with similar safety as CT alone.Methods: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy and chemotherapy (CT) have been used to treat recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M-NPC), with demonstrated survival benefits and good safety. However, whether combination therapy is superior to CT alone remains unclear. We summarized the existing evidence comparing the effectiveness and toxicities of ICI combined with CT versus CT alone.Online databases was conducted for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to November 1, 2023. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoint. Objective response rates (ORRs) and adverse events (AEs) were the secondary endpoint.Three randomized controlled trials (Capture-1st, JUPITER-02, and RATIONALE-309) were included. First-line ICI therapy combined with CT showed significant improvement in PFS (hazard ratio[HR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.44–0.64), OS (HR, 0.63;95%CI: 0.49–0.81) and ORRs (odds ratio[OR], 1.79;95%CI: 1.30–2.46), when compared with CT alone. AEs ≥ grade 3 during treatment and treatment-related deaths were not significantly different between the two groups.In patients with R/M-NPC, ICI therapy combined with CT showed improved ORRs, PFS, and OS, with similar safety as CT alone.Results: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy and chemotherapy (CT) have been used to treat recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M-NPC), with demonstrated survival benefits and good safety. However, whether combination therapy is superior to CT alone remains unclear. We summarized the existing evidence comparing the effectiveness and toxicities of ICI combined with CT versus CT alone.Online databases was conducted for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to November 1, 2023. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoint. Objective response rates (ORRs) and adverse events (AEs) were the secondary endpoint.Three randomized controlled trials (Capture-1st, JUPITER-02, and RATIONALE-309) were included. First-line ICI therapy combined with CT showed significant improvement in PFS (hazard ratio[HR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.44–0.64), OS (HR, 0.63;95%CI: 0.49–0.81) and ORRs (odds ratio[OR], 1.79;95%CI: 1.30–2.46), when compared with CT alone. AEs ≥ grade 3 during treatment and treatment-related deaths were not significantly different between the two groups.In patients with R/M-NPC, ICI therapy combined with CT showed improved ORRs, PFS, and OS, with similar safety as CT alone.Conclusions: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy and chemotherapy (CT) have been used to treat recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M-NPC), with demonstrated survival benefits and good safety. However, whether combination therapy is superior to CT alone remains unclear. We summarized the existing evidence comparing the effectiveness and toxicities of ICI combined with CT versus CT alone.Online databases was conducted for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to November 1, 2023. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary endpoint. Objective response rates (ORRs) and adverse events (AEs) were the secondary endpoint.Three randomized controlled trials (Capture-1st, JUPITER-02, and RATIONALE-309) were included. First-line ICI therapy combined with CT showed significant improvement in PFS (hazard ratio[HR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.44–0.64), OS (HR, 0.63;95%CI: 0.49–0.81) and ORRs (odds ratio[OR], 1.79;95%CI: 1.30–2.46), when compared with CT alone. AEs ≥ grade 3 during treatment and treatment-related deaths were not significantly different between the two groups.In patients with R/M-NPC, ICI therapy combined with CT showed improved ORRs, PFS, and OS, with similar safety as CT alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest water conservancy and hydropower project in China, the Three Gorges Reservoir is a weak seismic activity area before impoundment, but the frequency of earthquakes increases significantly after impoundment. The spatial density scanning method was used to obtain the characteristics of spatio-temporal earthquake distribution in the reservoir area during loading and unloading processes. The results show that the frequencies of earthquakes during the loading and unloading processes were higher than that during the low-water-level operation period, which is well explained by the acoustic emission test results. The seismic b-value, fractal dimension D, and spatial correlation length SCL can be used together to indicate stress criticality. To analyze the impacts of reservoir water loading and unloading on seismicity in the reservoir area, time-scan analyses were performed on the b-value, D-value, and SCL of earthquakes near the Zigui segment and the Badong segment. Previous studies argued that the time-varying characteristics of b-values do not hold predictive significance for earthquakes in the M4.0–6.2 range. However, our study found that the time-varying characteristics of b-values are of predictive significance for earthquakes around M4.0. These seismic parameters decrease significantly before moderate earthquakes but at different rates in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alpha herpesvirus that causes pseudorabies. After 2011, new and more pathogenic PRV variants have caused huge economic losses to the pig industry. In addition, people have been reported to be infected with PRV. Therefore, developing new anti-PRV drugs is of great significance. In this study, we investigated the anti-PRV activity of Hippophae rhamnoides polysaccharides (HRP) in vitro. We found that HRP could significantly inhibit the infectivity of the PRV XJ5 strain in PK15 cells. Addition of HRP at different times of the virus life cycle mainly led to the inhibition of the adsorption and entry of virus into the cells. Our results revealed that HRP can reduce the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in PRV-infected PK15 cells and increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. These results suggested that HRP can reduce PRV infection-induced oxidative stress. Therefore, HRP may act as an antiviral drug against newly emerging PRV variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Organic heterostructures that can integrate the physiochemical properties of two or more substances have attracted widespread attention in the field of optoelectronics. However, the epitaxial growth process between different organic material molecules is unpredictable, and the precise synthesis of organic heterostructures is still particularly challenging. Herein, through the synergy approach of polymorphism and cocrystal engineering, a series of organic branched heterostructures have been successfully prepared. Interestingly, by simply adjusting the solvent ratio, different crystalline phases of perylene microplates can be epitaxially grown on the perylene‐OFN cocrystal microwires, which provides a feasible approach for the preparation of organic heterostructures. Meanwhile, these as‐prepared organic branched heterostructures can realize multi‐channel and multi‐color emission, and act as optical logic gates, which promotes the multifunctional integrated optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living in greener areas may reduce adiposity, but epidemiological evidence on this topic is still inconsistence and limited, especially in rural areas. We performed a cross-sectional study among 4651 Uyghur adults in rural areas in Xinjiang province, northwestern China, from May to September 2016. We measured residential greenness levels using satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) in 100 m, 300 m, 500 m, and 1000 m buffers around each home address. Body height, weight, and waist circumference were assessed according to recommended guidelines. Data on baseline characteristics and confounders were collected using a questionnaire. We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate the associations of residential greenness with overweight/obesity prevalence and obesity-related anthropometric indices. Higher residential greenness levels were associated with lower waist circumference and body mass index levels, as well as with a lower odds ratio of peripheral overweight/obesity prevalence. No significant association was found for greenness and central obesity prevalence. The associations persisted in magnitude and direction across several sensitivity analyses we performed. Stratified analysis suggested that the associations were generally stronger in older adults than those in younger adults. Additionally, neither air pollutants nor physical activity significantly mediated the associations between greenness and obesity. Our results suggest that higher residential greenness were associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity and lower obesity-related anthropometric indices among rural Uyghur adults in China, especially for older adults. • The first study to explore the effects of greenness on obesity in Uyghur adults. • Higher greenness exposures were associated with lower BMI and WC levels. • Higher greenness was associated with lower peripheral overweight/obesity prevalence. • The associations were stronger in older participants. • Neither air pollutants nor physical activity mediated the associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is a key metabolic pathway for driving the generation of mitochondrial energy in all oxidative organisms. Alpha‐ketoglutarate (Alpha‐KG), a precursor of glutamine, is known as a crucial intermediate of the TCA cycle and plays a pivotal role in multiple metabolic processes. As a precursor of glutamate and glutamine, AKG acts as an antioxidant agent as it directly reacts with hydrogen peroxide with formation of succinate, water, and carbon dioxide; meanwhile, it discharges plenty of ATP by oxidative decarboxylation. Several studies reported that Alpha‐KG is a key participant in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and acts as an integral part of the oxidative defense machinery. However, few studies have been reported on the efficacy of Alpha‐KG in the maintenance of skin functions. This study demonstrated that Alpha‐KG has beneficial effects on skin hydration and barrier function and that fermentation is an effective way to enhance the synthesis of Alpha‐KG in yeast, which possesses mitochondria. Methods: Evaluation of promoting effects on epidermal keratinocyte proliferation: Keratinocytes were incubated with a test sample, and the degree of proliferation was determined by MTT [3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Evaluation of promoting effects on mRNA expression of genes related to skin hydration and barrier function: Keratinocytes were incubated with a test sample, and gene expression levels of filaggrin (FLG), serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), and involucrin (IVL) were analyzed by real‐time RT‐PCR. Analysis of Alpha‐KG in rice fermented liquid: Alpha‐KG in rice fermented liquid was quantitatively analyzed by capillary electrophoresis time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (CE‐TOF‐MS). Clinical study testing methods and VISIA testing: After 28 days of treatment use the cream with Alpha‐KG and control sample without Alpha‐KG, instrumentation measurements were adopted to assess skin wrinkles, texture, elasticity, and firmness, tested by the VISIA‐CR. Results: Immediately after using the sample for D0, the skin wrinkles were significantly reduced by 23.64%. After using the sample for D7, the average clinical score of outer corner wrinkles was significantly reduced by 15.23%, and nasolabial groove wrinkles were significantly reduced by 25.68%. After using the sample for D56, the mean clinical evaluation score of crow's feet decreased significantly by 25.42%; the average score of clinical evaluation of skin firmness increased significantly by 41.40%; the skin gloss increased significantly by 28.67%. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that Alpha‐KG is expected to promote skin hydration and barrier function by the activation of cell proliferation and the up‐regulation of mRNA expression of genes related to the maintenance of epidermal function in in vitro tests. In order to develop a cosmetic ingredient including Alpha‐KG, we focused on fermentation with yeast as an efficient production method of Alpha‐KG and found that fermentation of rice with yeast efficiently produced Alpha‐KG. Taken together, it is considered that rice fermented liquid containing Alpha‐KG could be a promising ingredient for skin care products. Through the clinical testing, rice fermented liquid containing Alpha‐KG could be a promising cosmetic ingredient for skin care products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pseudorabies virus (PRV) novel virulent variant outbreak occurred in China in 2011. However, little is known about PRV prevention and treatment. Huaier polysaccharide has been used to treat some solid cancers, although its antiviral activity has not been reported. Our study confirmed that the polysaccharide can effectively inhibit infection of PRV XJ5 in PK15 cells. It acted in a dose-dependent manner when blocking virus adsorption and entry into PK15 cells. Moreover, it suppressed PRV replication in PK15 cells. In addition, the results suggest that Huaier polysaccharide plays a role in treating PRV XJ5 infection by directly inactivating PRV XJ5. In conclusion, Huaier polysaccharide might be a novel therapeutic agent for preventing and controlling PRV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive synchronous rectification (SR) is a good solution to solve duty cycle loss for LLC resonant converter. Usually, whether the synchronous rectifier is turned off prematurely or late can be detected by whether the body diode is conducted on or not. However, when the switching frequency is below the resonant frequency, both SR turning-off prematurely and late may generate body diode conduction (BDC), which will cause logic errors in the conventional adaptive SR strategy. Then, a large reverse current from load to source will occur, which damages the efficiency. To solve the problem, the time-domain modeling of the SR drain-to-source voltage is established to analyze the mechanism of BDC caused by SR turning-off late. Moreover, an improved adaptive SR driving scheme is proposed, which can identify the two different types of BDC and tune SR to be turned off exactly. Finally, a 280 W LLC prototype is built to verify the established model and the proposed SR method. The prototype proves that both the duty cycle loss and the reverse current are eliminated and efficiency improvement of 0.54% is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) is an effective photocatalyst for organic removal. However, its efficacy is hampered by the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. This paper presented an eco-friendly, synthetic lanthanum (La)/TiO 2 supported on lithium silicon powder (L) to significantly improve photocatalysis. The results showed that 74.4% dimethyl phthalate (DMP) removal was achieved in the ultraviolet (UV)-La-TiO 2 /L (LTL1) system, which was considerably higher than UV-TiO 2 /L (TL) (60.1%) and UV-L (18.3%). The enhanced LTL1 photocatalysis was based on the synergic effect between TiO 2 and La with L matrix. The photocatalysis efficiency was further improved by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2), while the DMP removal rate reached 100% in the UV-LTL1-H 2 O 2 system. The DMP activation mechanisms and degradation pathways in the UV-LTL1-H 2 O 2 system were carefully examined, revealing that increased hydroxyl free radical (OH•) and superoxide ion radicals (O 2 −•) were pivotal to the higher degradation rate. Overall, the findings suggested that LTL1 showed considerable application promise for the low-cost and eco-friendly organic removal from water. [Display omitted] • TiO 2 photocatalytic effectiveness was significantly enhanced via supported on L. • LTL1 performed outstanding photodegradation for DMP in the UV-H 2 O 2 system. • UV-LTL1-H 2 O 2 systems can effectively eliminate DMP in a wide range of pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new β-diketone-boron difluoride based near-infrared fluorescent probes 1 and 2 which exhibit polarity sensitivity have been designed and synthesized. Probes 1 and 2 are composed of a β-diketone-boron difluoride moiety as an acceptor unit, and a diethylamino group and a phenolic hydroxyl group as donor units. The long conjugate structures form a "donor–acceptor–donor" configuration, induce intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), and confer near-infrared fluorescence emission and excellent polarity sensitivity. The photophysical properties of these two probes were investigated in detail. Experimental data demonstrated that as the environmental polarity decreased, the fluorescence intensity of the probes increased obviously, accompanied by a blue-shift of the maximum emission wavelength. In addition, these two probes were photostable and solely sensitive to polarity without interference from viscosity, pH and common active species. Theoretical calculations indicated that probes 1 and 2 displayed lower energy gaps and faster non-radiative decay in polar solvents. Furthermore, probes 1 and 2 were utilized to quantitatively detect the polarity of a binary mixture through the satisfactory linear relationship between the fluorescence emission intensity ratios and the orientation polarizability of the mixed solvent. Additionally, probe 1 was successfully utilized to visualize the polarity distribution of live cells. Both of these probes are perfect candidates for studying polarity in vitro and even in live systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The up locus determining fruit orientation was fine-mapped into a region with a physical length of ~169.51 kb on chromosome P12 in pepper. Capana12g000958, encoding a developmentally regulated G protein 2, was proposed as the strongest candidate via sequence comparison and expression analysis. Fruit orientation is an important horticultural and domesticated trait, which is controlled by a single semi-dominant gene (up) in pepper. However, the gene underlying up locus has not yet been identified. In this study, the previously detected major QTL UP12.1 was firstly verified using a backcross population (n = 225) stem from the cross of BB3 (C. annuum) and its wild relative Chiltepin (C. annuum var. glabriusculum) using BB3 as the recurrent parent. Then, a large BC1F2 population (n = 1827) was used for recombinant screening to delimit the up locus into an interval with ~ 169.51 kb in length. Sequence comparison and expression analysis suggested that Capana12g000958, encoding a developmentally regulated G protein 2, was the most likely candidate gene for the up locus. There is no difference within the coding sequences of Capana12g000958 between BB3 and Chiltepin, while a SNP in the upstream of Capana12g000958 showed a complete correlation with the fruit orientation among a panel of 40 diverse pepper inbred lines. These findings will form a basis for gene isolation and reveal of genetic mechanism underlying the fruit orientation domestication in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tridentate ligand 2,4,6-tris(2-(pyridin-4-yl)vinyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPVT) was designed and synthesized. We prepared metal–organic framework (TPVT-MOFs) crystals containing TPVT, 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid and cobalt by solvothermal reaction. Then, a series of composite materials with different contents of TPVT-MOFs were obtained by combining TPVT-MOFs with g-C3N4. Due to the interaction between TPVT-MOFs and g-C3N4, the composite materials have a more favorable valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 and oxidation of H2O. Under the conditions of visible light and a gas–solid system without a co-catalyst, a photosensitizer and a sacrificial agent, the yield of CO2 reduction by TPVT-MOFs@g-C3N4-10 can reach 56.4 μmol·g−1·h−1, which is 3.2 times that of pure g-C3N4 (17.5 μmol·g−1·h−1). The results of DFT calculations showed that the adsorption of H2O on the TPVT-MOFs@g-C3N4 composite material was more preferential, which promoted the adsorption and reduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an outstanding photocatalytic semiconductor, but wide band gap of TiO2 significantly restricts its photocatalytic performance. Graphene possesses promising mechanical, optical and electrical properties. Relying on the excellent gain effect of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) on conductivity, unique up-conversion photoluminescence property and remarkable dye adsorption, the photoelectric properties of TiO2 can be significantly improved. In this study, a novel structure of GQDs-decorated TiO2 nanofibers was successfully prepared by electrospinning and hydrothermal synthesis procedures. The synthesized GQDs/TiO2 nanofibers composite exhibited a one-dimensional structure. The results show that introduction of GQDs prohibits the adverse recombination between photoinduced charges and prolongs the existence time. The photocatalytic properties characterization results show that 10% mass fraction of GQDs in composite nanofibers has the best degradation activity with its ultrafast electron transport rate and low electron–hole pair recombination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an extremely poor prognosis due to the development of chemoresistance, coupled with inherently increased stemness properties. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are key regulators for tumor cell stemness and chemosensitivity. Currently the relevance between LINC00680 and tumor progression was still largely unknown, with only one study showing its significance in glioblastoma. The study herein was aimed at identifying the role of LINC00680 in the regulation HCC stemness and chemosensitivity. Methods: QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of LINC00680, miR-568 and AKT3 in tissue specimen and cell lines. Gain- or loss-of function assays were applied to access the function of LINC00680 in HCC cells, including cell proliferation and stemness properties. HCC stemness and chemosensitivity were determined by sphere formation, cell viability and colony formation. Luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down assays were performed to examine the interaction between LINC00680 and miR-568 as well as that between miR-568 and AKT3. A nude mouse xenograft model was established for the in vivo study. Results: We found that LINC00680 was remarkably upregulated in HCC tissues. Patients with high level of LINC00680 had poorer prognosis. LINC00680 overexpression significantly enhanced HCC cell stemness and decreased in vitro and in vivo chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), whereas LINC00680 knockdown led to opposite results. Mechanism study revealed that LINC00680 regulated HCC stemness and chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568, thereby expediting the expression of AKT3, which further activated its downstream signaling molecules, including mTOR, elF4EBP1, and p70S6K. Conclusion: LINC00680 promotes HCC stemness properties and decreases chemosensitivity through sponging miR-568 to activate AKT3, suggesting that LINC00680 might be a potentially important HCC diagnosis marker and therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The pepper restorer-of-fertility (CaRf) gene was fine mapped based on conjoint analysis of recombinants and collinearity between the two pepper reference genomes. Capana06g003028, encoding an Rf-like PPR protein, was proposed as the strongest candidate for pepper CaRf based on sequence comparison and expression analysis. The cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)/restorer-of-fertility (Rf) system not only provides an excellent model to dissect genetic interactions between the mitochondria and nucleus but also plays a vital role in high-efficiency hybrid seed production in crops including pepper (Capsicum spp.). Although two important CMS candidate genes, orf507 and Ψatp6-2, have previously been suggested, the pepper Rf gene (CaRf) has not yet been isolated. In this study, a high-density genetic map comprising 7566 SNP markers in 1944 bins was first constructed with the array genotyping results from 317 F2 individuals. Based on this map, the CaRf gene was preliminarily mapped to a region of 1.15 Mb in length at the end of chromosome P6. Then, by means of a conjoint analysis of recombinants and collinearity between the two pepper reference genomes, an important candidate interval with 270.10 kb in length was delimited for CaRf. Finally, Capana06g003028, which encodes an Rf-like PPR protein, was proposed as the strongest candidate for CaRf based on sequence analysis and expression characteristics in sterile and fertile plants. The high-density genetic map and fine mapping results provided here lay a foundation for the application of molecular breeding, as well as cloning and functional analysis of CaRf, in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several epidemiological studies have suggested that optimal obesity and visceral adiposity indicators and their cut-off values to predict cardio-metabolic risks varied among different ethnic groups. However, few studies have investigated the associations of anthropometric indices with cardio-metabolic risks in Chinese Uyghur adults, and the results were inconsistent.Methods: Between May and September 2016, a total of 4664 subjects aged ≥18 years old were recruited from Northwest China. Anthropometric indices and cardio-metabolic risk factors were measured by trained personnel. Partial correlation analyses and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of anthropometric indices with cardio-metabolic risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to compare the abilities of different anthropometric indices to predict cardio-metabolic risk factors, and to determine the optimal cut-off values.Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 39.41% in Uyghur adults from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Waist circumference (WC) performed better than other obesity indices in predicting the cardio-metabolic risk factors, and the optimal cut-off value of WC to diagnose metabolic syndrome risk factors was 86.50 cm for women and 90.50 cm for men.Conclusions: Our study suggests that WC had the strongest predictive power for identifying cardio-metabolic risks in Xinjiang Uyghur adults. Further well-designed longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria as essential organelles play critical roles in cellular metabolism. Mitochondrial pH is a vital parameter that directly affects the unique function of mitochondria. Herein, we present a new ratiometric fluorescent probe M-pH for monitoring the pH within the mitochondria. M-pH consists of a stable and large π-electron conjugated merocyanine system. The lipophilic cationic benzyl group will facilitate the accumulation of M-pH in mitochondria. The phenol unit is the recognition moiety, achieving the ratiometric sensing of pH changes. The experimental results indicate that M-pH displays ratiometric fluorescence response to different pH values. Meanwhile, M-pH shows negligible response to common species, and has high stability and low cytotoxicity. In biological experiments, M-pH can solely accumulate in mitochondria and visualize the pH changes during mitophagy and cell apoptosis. We thus believe that M-pH has great potential as a practical tool for real-time monitoring of pH changes of mitochondria, contributing to revealing the pathogenesis of mitochondrial pH associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous gaseous signalling molecule, has attracted attention in biochemical research. The detection of H2S in living systems is essential for studying its functions. Although a variety of probes have been reported for the detection of cellular H2S, the development of rapid, highly selective and sensitive near-infrared (NIR) probes for in vivo detection of H2S still remains a challenging target. Herein we synthesized a near-infrared fluorescent probe Cy-PBA, with good selectivity, high sensitivity (limit of detection = 21 nM) and rapid response time (＜1.5 minutes). Importantly, Cy-PBA was successfully applied for fluorescence imaging of H2S in living cells, mice and tissues with low cytotoxicity, indicating that it owns broad application prospects in the detection of H2S in biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This was the first observation of the enhancement of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) content by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation of soils contaminated with pyrene as a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and GRSP content was significantly positively correlated with PAH removal in mycorrhizal soils. Both total GRSP and easily extractable GRSP promoted the release of pyrene from soil solids into solution, consequently assisting the microbial biodegradation of pyrene in soil. The results provide insight into the role of GRSP in AMF-aided rhizoremediation and will be beneficial for improving remediation efficiency at PAH-contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio of ligand to Cu(II) ions has an essential effect on the geometrical configuration and anti-tumour activity of metal-based complexes. In this work, we synthesised two Cu(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes, namely, [Cu(L)(Cl)] (C1) and [Cu 3 (L) 2 (Cl) 4 ] (C2), by controlling the ratio of Cu(II) ion to ligand, to evaluate their anti-tumour activity. The ability of C1 to catalyze hydrogen peroxide to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) was significantly higher than that of Cu(II) ion. Moreover, the bridge of Cu(II) and two molecules generated a new complex (C2), which, in contrast to C1 , enhanced the generation of Fenton-like-triggered ROS. Consequently, the produced ROS depleted reduced glutathione, caused oxidative cell stress and promoted apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. In addition, C2 exhibited better tumour suppression than C1 in a nude mouse tumour xenograft model. The ratio of ligand to Cu(II) ions has an essential effect on the geometrical configuration and anti-tumour activity of metal-based complexes. [Display omitted] • Cu(II) complexes Fenton catalyzes hydrogen peroxide. • Cu(II) complexes significantly increased the intracellular oxidation level. • Cu(II) complexes activates caspase 3/7/9. • Cu(II) complexes promote apoptosis. • Synergistic effect of thiosemicarbazone chelator agent with Cu(II) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract In the present work, a novel porous, and chemically stable amine-based covalent organic polymer (POP-1) was designed and synthesized under solvothermal conditions. The porosity, crystallinity, chemical stability, electrochemical properties, and diffuse reflectance of POP-1 were investigated via N 2 sorption experiment, power X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, cyclic voltammetry, and ultraviolet visible near infrared spectrometry, respectively. POP-1 exhibits good chemical stability in both acidic and alkaline aqueous solutions, as well as in organic solvents. Undoped POP-1 can be directly used as a photocatalyst for rhodamine B irradiation degradation under light-emitting diode and natural light. The E a of POP-1 for RhB degradation is 82.37 kJ/mol. Furthermore, POP-1 can be reused as a catalyst in RhB degradation without degraded catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]