Search

Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction caused by obesity can be associated with alterations in the levels of miRNAs. However, the role of miRNAs in such processes remains elusive. Here, we show that pancreatic islet miR-27a-5p, which is markedly increased in obese mice and impairs insulin secretion, is mainly delivered by visceral adipocyte–derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Depleting miR-27a-5p significantly improved insulin secretion and glucose intolerance in db / db mice. Supporting the function of EV miR-27a-5p as a key pathogenic factor, intravenous injection of miR-27a-5p–containing EVs showed their distribution in mouse pancreatic islets. Tracing the injected adeno-associated virus (AAV)-miR-27a-5p (AAV-miR-27a) or AAV-FABP4-miR-27a-5p (AAV-FABP4-miR-27a) in visceral fat resulted in upregulating miR-27a-5p in EVs and serum and elicited mouse pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Mechanistically, miR-27a-5p directly targeted L-type Ca2+ channel subtype CaV1.2 (Cacna1c) and reduced insulin secretion in β-cells. Overexpressing mouse CaV1.2 largely abolished the insulin secretion injury induced by miR-27a-5p. These findings reveal a causative role of EV miR-27a-5p in visceral adipocyte–mediated pancreatic β-cell dysfunction in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes mellitus. Article Highlights: miR-27a-5p expression in the islets is increased in obesity-associated diabetes mouse models. miR-27a-5p overexpression in β-cells impairs β-cell function in vitro and in vivo. Visceral adipocyte–derived extracellular vesicles and their cargo miR-27a-5p lead to β-cell insulin secretion injury and glucose intolerance by targeting L-type Ca2+ channel subtype CaV1.2. Blockage of visceral adipocyte extracellular vesicle miR-27a-5p expression improves β-cell insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in db / db mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directly electrochemical conversion of nitrate (NO3−) is an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for ammonia (NH3) production but is challenged by highly selective electrocatalysts. High‐entropy alloys (HEAs) with unique properties are attractive materials in catalysis, particularly for multi‐step reactions. Herein, we first reported the application of HEA (FeCoNiAlTi) for electrocatalytic NO3− reduction to NH3 (NRA). The bulk HEA is active for NRA but limited by the unsatisfied NH3 yield of 0.36 mg h−1 cm−2 and Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 82.66 %. Through an effective phase engineering strategy, uniform intermetallic nanoparticles are introduced on the bulk HEA to increase electrochemical active surface area and charge transfer efficiency. The resulting nanostructured HEA (n‐HEA) delivers enhanced electrochemical NRA performance in terms of NH3 yield (0.52 mg h−1 cm−2) and FE (95.23 %). Further experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the multi‐active sites (Fe, Co, and Ni) dominated electrocatalysis for NRA over the n‐HEA. Notably, the typical Co sites exhibit the lowest energy barrier for NRA with *NH2 to *NH3as the rate‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directly electrochemical conversion of nitrate (NO3−) is an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for ammonia (NH3) production but is challenged by highly selective electrocatalysts. High‐entropy alloys (HEAs) with unique properties are attractive materials in catalysis, particularly for multi‐step reactions. Herein, we first reported the application of HEA (FeCoNiAlTi) for electrocatalytic NO3− reduction to NH3 (NRA). The bulk HEA is active for NRA but limited by the unsatisfied NH3 yield of 0.36 mg h−1 cm−2 and Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 82.66 %. Through an effective phase engineering strategy, uniform intermetallic nanoparticles are introduced on the bulk HEA to increase electrochemical active surface area and charge transfer efficiency. The resulting nanostructured HEA (n‐HEA) delivers enhanced electrochemical NRA performance in terms of NH3 yield (0.52 mg h−1 cm−2) and FE (95.23 %). Further experimental and theoretical investigations reveal that the multi‐active sites (Fe, Co, and Ni) dominated electrocatalysis for NRA over the n‐HEA. Notably, the typical Co sites exhibit the lowest energy barrier for NRA with *NH2 to *NH3as the rate‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborn piglets' health is seriously threatened by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which also has a significant effect on the pig industry. The gut microbiota produces butyrate, an abundant metabolite that modulates intestinal function through many methods to improve immunological and intestinal barrier function. The objective of this investigation was to ascertain how elevated butyrate concentrations impacted the host transcriptional profile of PEDV CV777 strain infection. Our findings showed that higher concentrations of butyrate have a stronger inhibitory effect on PEDV CV777 strain infection. According to RNA-seq data, higher concentrations of butyrate induced more significant transcriptional changes in IPEC-J2 cells, and signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT may play a role in the inhibition of PEDV CV777 strain by high concentrations of butyrate. Ultimately, we offer a theoretical and experimental framework for future research and development of novel approaches to harness butyrate's antiviral infection properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The surface modification can significantly raise the limiting potential with −1.24 V (Ti 2 NF 2) to −0.21 V (Ti 2 BSe 2). • hybridization of the σ 2 p and π* 2 p with Ti 3 d orbitals leads to the evident splitting and downshifting of the σ and π* orbitals. • The work function plays a crucial role to predict the NRR performance by the Gibbs free energy change of the rate-determining step, which can be regulated through the surface termination of MXenes. The electrochemical conversion of nitrogen to ammonia provides an encouraging method to substitute the traditional Haber-Bosch process, owing to its high efficiency and mild reaction conditions. The search for high-performance catalysts and comprehension of catalytic mechanisms remains significant challenges. Herein, we conduct a systematic theoretical calculation of the NRR performance and mechanism of 24 Ti 2 XT 2 (X = B, C, N; T = F, Cl, Br, I, O, S, Se, Te) MXenes with a T -vacancy to explore the influence of surface functional terminations and non-metallic center elements. Our findings demonstrate that surface functionalization significantly reduces the limiting potential by altering the rate-determining step. This change ranges from −1.24 V (Ti 2 NF 2) to −0.21 V (Ti 2 BSe 2), signifying the remarkable efficacy of modification of the surrounding environment of the exposed transition metal active center in promoting electrocatalytic performance. Detailed investigation of the charge density difference and orbital interaction reveals that the different NRR performance originates from the surface termination and non-metallic atoms regulate the electronic properties of the active Ti atoms. We also introduce the free energy change of *NNH 2 (Δ G *NNH2) as a descriptor to predict the performance of NRR, which exhibits satisfactory linear relationship with free energy change of different intermediates and displays favourable volcano plot with limiting potential. Moreover, we highlight the pivotal role of work function in tuning the energy barrier of the rate-determining step, which can be regulated through the surface modification of MXenes. Our study not only offers a comprehensive understanding of the crucial impact of surface modification on the catalytic activities of defective MXenes, but also provides a rational perspective for designing efficient NRR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Diameter can improve the catalytic performance of SACs for ORR/OER. • Local strain and curvature effects causes abnormal d -band center model of OH on SACs. • Co@N 4 CNTs diameter adjusts Co d -orbitals, enhancing catalyst activity. • Co@N 4 CNTs have good selectivity for ORR rather than HER. The advancement of metal-air batteries relies significantly on the development of highly efficient bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we investigate the potential application of Co@N 4 -doped carbon nanotubes (Co@N 4 CNTs) as bifunctional catalysts using density functional theory calculations. We explore the stability and electronic properties of Co@N 4 CNTs by analyzing energies, bond lengths, conducting ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and examining the density of states. Notably, the diameter of the nanotubes has a notable impact on the catalytic performance of Co@N 4 CNTs. A remarkable 54% improvement in catalytic activity when transitioning from (4, 4) to (24, 4) Co@N 4 CNTs, with η Bi from changing from 1.40 to 0.64 V. We have several exceptional catalysts with low overpotentials, including (18, 4), (22, 4), and (24, 4) Co@N 4 CNTs, which exhibit η Bi values of 0.68, 0.67, and 0.64 V, respectively. Moreover, we link the increased activity of Co@N 4 CNTs to the change of Co atom's partial d orbital energy, facilitated by adjustments in the diameter of Co@N 4 CNTs. This revelation offers valuable insights into the underlying factors driving the enhancement of catalytic activity through alterations in orbital energy levels. Our research uncovers several excellent catalysts and provides valuable insights for the design and development of efficient catalysts for metal-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The active origins of heteroatom coordinated Fe-X m Y n SACs (X, Y = B, C, N, O, m+n = 4) toward NRR as a model reaction are elucidated at orbital level by thoroughly analyzing structural, energetic, and electronic parameters. [Display omitted] • Active origins of heteroatom coordinated Fe-X m Y n SACs (X, Y = B, C, N, O, m + n = 4) are analyzed comprehensively through structural, energetic, and electronic parameters. • Number and arrangement of heteroatoms play a key role in regulating the degree of d -orbital splitting (d SE) and magnetic moment of Fe center. • Both s - and d -orbitals of Fe contribute to Fe–N bonding. • Competition between Pauli repulsion and orbital interaction modulates adsorption behavior. Heteroatom-coordinated single-atom catalysts (SACs) supported by porous graphene exhibit high activity in electrochemical reduction reactions. However, the underlying active origins are complex and puzzling, hindering the development of efficient catalysts. Herein, we investigate the active origins of heteroatom-coordinated Fe-X m Y n SACs (X, Y = B, C, N, O, m + n = 4) toward nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) as a model reaction, through comprehensive analysis of structural, energetic, and electronic parameters. Specifically, the number and arrangement of heteroatoms are found to significantly affect the degree of d -orbital splitting and magnetic moment of the Fe center. Moreover, d -orbital splitting energy (d SE), rather than the conventional d -band theory, explains the adsorption behavior of intermediates in multi-step electron–proton coupling (EPC) reactions. In addition, both s - and d -orbitals of Fe are found to be important for Fe–N bonding, which promotes charge transfer (CT) and N 2 activation. Importantly, CT is thought to influence the Pauli repulsion and orbital interaction. Correspondingly, relationships are unveiled between limiting potential (U limit) and adsorption energy Δ E (*NNH), d SE , CT, Fe–N bond. In all, this work provides orbital-level insights into the active origins of Fe-X m Y n SACs, contributing to the understanding of intrinsic mechanism and the design of electrocatalysts for multi-step EPC reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The function of NK cells in peripheral blood of SFTS patients was impaired. • The expression of Siglec-9 in circulating NK cells of SFTS patients was decreased. • Expression of Siglec-9 on NK cells was negatively correlated with DBV viral load. • The decrease of Siglec-9+NK cells may cause NK cell dysfunction in SFTS patients. To investigate the changes and mechanism of Siglec-9 on NK cells in peripheral blood of patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). First, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze the frequency of NK cells in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) of SFTS patients and healthy controls (HCs), as well as the differences in the genes on NK cells. Secondly, we analyzed the expression of Siglec-9 and other receptors on NK cells by flow cytometry. Thirdly, we analyzed the correlation between Siglec-9 on NK cells and DBV viral load in plasma. Compared with HCs, the frequency of NK cells in peripheral blood of SFTS patients was significantly decreased, and the activating receptors on NK cells were reduced. The expression of Siglec-9 on NK cells and the frequency of Siglec-9+NK cells decreased significantly in SFTS patients. The expression of Siglec-9 on CD16+CD56dim NK cells was negatively correlated with DBV viral load. In addition, Siglec-9+NK cells expressed higher levels of activating receptors and exhibited stronger effector functions than Siglec-9−NK cells. The decreased expression of Siglec-9 on NK cells predicts NK cell dysfunction in SFTS patients, suggesting that Siglec-9 may be a potential marker for functional NK cell subsets in SFTS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the overall sensitivity and specificity of indocyanine green (ICG)-near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging in the detection of sentinel lymph node metastasis (SLNM) in penile cancer. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify manuscripts where ICG was intravenously administered prior to or during penile cancer surgery, with no restriction on language or publication status. The results extracted are presented as forest plots. Results: Seven studies were included in the analysis. The median sensitivity and specificity of ICG-NIR imaging for SLNM detection were 100 and 4%, respectively; the pooled sensitivity was 100.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 97.0–100.0) and specificity was 2.0% (95% CI 1.0–3.0). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic results between different injection sites and doses in each experimental group. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this meta-analysis is the first to summarize the diagnostic performance of ICG-NIR imaging for SLNM detection in penile cancer. ICG is sensitive in the imaging of SLN tissue, which can consequently improve the accuracy of lymph node detection. However, the specificity is very low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Intestinal fibrosis, one of the complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is associated with fistula and intestinal stricture formation. There are currently no treatments for fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes have been proven to exert inhibitory and reversal effects in IBD and other organ fibrosis. In this study, we explored the role of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hucMSC-Ex) in IBD-related fibrosis and its associated mechanism to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of IBD-related intestinal fibrosis. Methods. We established a DSS-induced mouse IBD-related intestinal fibrosis model and observed the effect of hucMSC-Ex on the mouse model. We also used the TGF-induced human intestinal fibroblast CCD-18Co to observe the role of hucMSC-Ex in the proliferation, migration, and activation of intestinal fibroblasts. Having observed that the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in intestinal fibrosis can be inhibited by hucMSC-Ex, we treated intestinal fibroblasts with an ERK inhibitor to emphasize the potential target of ERK phosphorylation in the treatment of IBD-associated intestinal fibrosis. Results. In the animal model of IBD-related fibrosis, hucMSC-Ex alleviated inflammation-related fibrosis as evident in the thinning of the mice's intestinal wall and decreased expression of related molecules. Moreover, hucMSC-Ex inhibited TGF-β-induced proliferation, migration, and activation of human intestinal fibroblasts, and ERK phosphorylation played a key role in IBD-associated fibrosis. The inhibition of ERK decreased the expression of fibrosis-related indicators such as α-SMA, fibronectin, and collagen I. Conclusion. hucMSC-Ex alleviates DSS-induced IBD-related intestinal fibrosis by inhibiting profibrotic molecules and intestinal fibroblast proliferation and migration by decreasing ERK phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a challenge to global public health. Persistent liver infection with HBV is associated with an increased risk of developing severe liver disease. The complex interaction between the virus and the host is the reason for the persistent presence of HBV and the risk of tumour development. Chronic liver inflammation, integration of viral genome with host genome, expression of HBx protein, and viral genotype are all key participants in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Epigenetic regulation in HBV-associated HCC involves complex interactions of molecular mechanisms that control gene expression and function without altering the underlying DNA sequence. These epigenetic modifications can significantly affect the onset and progression of HCC. This review summarizes recent research on the epigenetic regulation of HBV persistent infection and HBV-HCC development, including DNA methylation, histone modification, RNA modification, non-coding RNA, etc. Enhanced knowledge of these mechanisms will offer fresh perspectives and potential targets for intervention tactics in HBV-HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain network classification using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is an effective analytical method for diagnosing brain diseases. In recent years, brain network classification methods based on deep learning have attracted increasing attention. However, these methods only consider the spatial topological characteristics of the brain network but ignore its proximity relationships in semantic space. To overcome this problem, we propose a novel brain network classification method based on deep graph hashing learning named BNC-DGHL. Specifically, we first extract the deep features of the brain network and then learn a graph hash function based on clinical phenotype labels and the similarity of diagnostic labels. Secondly, we use the learned graph hash function to convert deep features into hash codes, which can maintain the original semantic spatial relationships. Finally, we calculate the distance between hash codes to obtain the predicted category of the brain network. Experimental results on ABIDE I, ABIDE II, and ADHD-200 datasets demonstrate that our method achieves better classification performance of brain diseases compared with some state-of-the-art methods, and the abnormal functional connectivities between brain regions identified may serve as biomarkers associated with related brain diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are an integral part of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bone marrow microenvironment and contribute to AML progression. In this study, we explored the communication between BMSCs and AML cells via exosomes. The AML cells co-cultured with BMSCs-Exos were found to have lower chemosensitivity exposed to cytarabine, suggesting that BMSCs-Exos could protect AML cells from cytarabine. Interestingly, miR-10a was elevated in BMSCs-Exos derived from AML (AML-BMSCs-Exos) compared with that from healthy donor. The expression levels of miR-10a in AML cells was significantly up-regulated after co-culture with BMSCs-Exos. Furthermore, the up-regulated miR-10a was an crucial factor contributing to the chemoresistance of leukemia cells. Down-regulation of miR-10a substantially increase chemosensitivity of AML cells treated with BMSCs-Exos. Chemosensitivity of AML cells was also decreased through down-regulating RPRD1A by miR-10a that ultimately lead to the stimulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that AML-BMSCs could deliver miR-10a to AML cells via exosomes, which could target RPRD1A and activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that subsequently decreased chemosensitivity of AML cells. • Exosomes derived from AML-BMSCs promoted AML cells drug resistance. • AML-BMSCs delivered miR-10a to AML cells via exosomes which decreased chemosensitivity of AML cells. • AML-BMSCs-Exos miR-10a promoted AML cells drug resistance via RPRD1A/wnt/β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving high creep resistance in low rare-earth (RE) containing Mg alloys is quite difficult due to the limited precipitation density. Here we reported a low-RE-alloyed Mg alloy (RE = 4 wt %) with good creep resistance, which is superior to most heat-resistant Mg benchmark alloys. Our creep-resistant alloy is characterized by nano-spaced stacking faults (SFs) in grain interiors and thermally stable Mg 2 RE phases at grain boundaries. Both intragranular SFs and grain-boundary Mg 2 RE phase remain the unharmed structures, with no obvious decomposition or coarsening after the creep at 200 and 220 ºC for 100 h. During creep, a large amount of dynamic precipitation such as discrete β particles and basal γ" phases was introduced, which plays a crucial role in resisting the creep deformation within grains. As a result, nano-spaced SFs, thermally stable Mg 2 RE skeletons at grain boundaries, and dynamic precipitation of β and γ" phases are responsible for the enhanced creep resistance of this alloy. After creep, the alloy exhibits abnormally high stress exponents (n = 9.2 at 200ºC and n = 9.3 at 200ºC) and stress-dependent activation energies of 105–153 kJ/mol at 90–120 MPa. High stress exponents can be normalized to be 3–4 using the threshold stress approach or Garofalo's sinh relation, suggesting that dislocation climb acts as the operative creep mechanism. Finally, we proposed a strategy to develop highly creep-resistant low-RE-alloyed Mg alloys via constructing thermally stable microstructures at grain boundaries and interiors. • A highly creep-resistant Mg alloy with low RE contents is developed. • High stress exponents can be normalized by the threshold stress approach or Garofalo's sinh relation. • Dynamic precipitations of β and γ" phases during creep can resist creep deformation. • Nano-spaced stacking faults exhibit high thermostability during long-term creep. • A strategy for developing highly creep-resistant Mg alloys with low RE contents is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, artificial ground freezing (AGF) technology is utilized to guarantee tunnel safety during construction. However, the soil structure changes significantly after freeze-thaw, resulting in uneven deformation of the tunnel under traffic loading from subway vibration. To solve this problem effectively, it is necessary to consider the combined impact of freeze-thaw, salt, and traffic loading damage that marine soft soil must withstand simultaneously. For this reason, cyclic triaxial test and NMR test were performed on the silty clay saturated with NaCl solution in this study. The influence of three main factors on dynamic properties has been thoroughly investigated, namely freeze-thaw, salt content, and confining pressure. According to cyclic triaxial test, the shape of the hysteresis loop of the specimens after freeze-thaw changed more significantly with increasing loading cycles. The dynamic elastic modulus was weakened by freeze-thaw, while improved by the addition of NaCl. Damping ratio was consistent with the dynamic elastic modulus law. It was worth noting that the different freezing temperatures (−10 °C, −20 °C and − 30 °C) had only a slight impact on dynamic elastic modulus, as well as damping ratio. Mathematical models were proposed to forecast the dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio regarding marine soft clay. NMR test indicated that the addition of salt made the internal pore environment of the specimens tend to be consistent and enhanced the water-solid interaction. The increase in porosity resulted in the decrease in dynamic elastic modulus. The results have provided valuable insights into the mechanical characteristics of marine soft clay when AGF technology is applied. • The influence of the freeze-thaw conditions, salt content and confining pressure on dynamic properties of NaCl soil were investigated. • The dynamic elastic modulus of NaCl soil was predicted by considering the coupling effect of different factors. • The microscopic mechanism affected by salt content on dynamic properties was revealed by the NMR test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the interface damage in CRTS III slab tracks under the concurrent interactions of temperature and mixed passenger and freight train loads, a refined fatigue cohesive zone model (F-CZM) considering the stiffness, strength, and energy fracture degradation factors was presented. Utilizing this model, a finite element model (FEM) of the CRTS III slab track was developed. The interface fatigue damage between the track slab and self-compacting concrete (SCC) under various adhesive strengths and mixed operation modes was calculated. The interface characteristic degradation and stress change of door-type steel bars were revealed. Results show that good performance is ensured within the design service life with intact interface adhesion. The interface damage develops from the slab corner to the edge and then into the inner. The diminished interfacial tangential adhesive strength causes two patterns of interfacial damage procession. Enhanced freight train ratio escalates interface damage. During the development of interface damage, the door-type steel bars act as a safety margin. • A refined fatigue cohesive zone model was introduced. • The interface damage under temperature and mixed train loads was revealed. • The interface characteristics under various adhesive strengths were analyzed. • The impact of freight train proportion on interface damage was investigated. • The interaction between interface damage and door-type steel bars was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient activation and selective high-valent metal-oxo (HVMO) species generation remain challenging for peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (PMS-AOPs) in water purification. The underlying mechanism of the activation pathway is ambiguous, leading to a massive dilemma in the control and regulation of HVMO species generation. Herein, bioinspired by the bio-oxidase structure of cytochrome P450, the axial coordination strategy was adopted to tailor a single-atom cobalt catalyst (CoN4S-CB) with an axial S coordination. CoN4S-CB high-selectively generated high-valent Co-Oxo species (Co(IV)=O) via PMS activation. Co(IV)=O demonstrated an ingenious oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction to achieve the efficient degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and this allowed robust operation in various complex environments. The axial S coordination modulated the 3d orbital electron distribution of the Co atom. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation revealed that the axial S coordination decreased the energy barrier for PMS desorption and lowered the free energy change (ΔG) for Co(IV)=O generation. CoN4S-PMS* had a narrow d-band close to the Fermi level, which enhanced charge transfer to accelerate the cleavage of O-O and O-H bonds in PMS. This work provides a broader perspective on the activator design with natural enzyme structure-like active sites to efficient activate PMS for selective HVMO species generation. [Display omitted] • A bioinspired single-atom cobalt catalyst with an axial S coordination was prepared. • CoN4S-CB effectively activated PMS for selective Co(IV)=O generation. • Co(IV)=O demonstrated robust SMX degradation performance via OAT reaction. • The axial S coordination modulated the electron distribution of the Co 3d orbital. • Low energy barrier and high charge transfer favored O-O and O-H cleavage in PMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To investigate the interdevice agreement for differences in toric power calculated using data on anterior corneal astigmatism obtained with corneal topography/ray-tracing aberrometry (iTrace), partial coherence interferometry (IOLMaster 500), and Scheimpflug imaging (Pentacam). Methods. The analysis included 101 eyes (101 subjects) with regular astigmatism. The main outcome measures were corneal cylinder power, axis of astigmatism, and keratometry values. Toricity and toric IOL power were calculated using the online Barrett toric calculator. Interdevice agreement for measurement and calculation was assessed using a paired sample t-test and a nonparametric test. Results. Significant interdevice differences were noted in the magnitude of astigmatism and flat, steep, and mean keratometry values between iTrace and IOLMaster (all P < 0.01); in flat, steep, and mean keratometry values (all P < 0.001) but not in the magnitude of astigmatism (P = 0.325) between iTrace and Pentacam; and in the magnitude of astigmatism and steep and mean keratometry values (all P < 0.01) but not in flat keratometry values (P = 0.310) between IOLMaster and Pentacam. The toric IOL power calculated using data from the three devices showed the following trend: iTrace > IOLMaster (0.49 ± 0.36, P < 0.001) and Pentacam (0.39 ± 0.42, P < 0.001) and Pentacam was

Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) have been wildly used to design high-performance biosensors for the quantification of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) recently. However, the low yield and low metal loading of SAzymes often limit their practical use in biosensing field. Herein, a large-scale synthesis (6.60 g) of Fe-N /C SAzymes (Fe loading of 3.9 wt%) was achieved by using carbon black as a template. This prepared Fe-N/C SAzymes exhibit efficient oxidase-like activity that could catalyze the oxidation reaction of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) along with color variation. On this basis of Fe-N/C SAzymes, a colorimetric biosensor was designed for OPs detection. Then a smartphone combined with RGB analysis was used to digitize the color information. The B/ (R + G) value shows good linear detection range (1–100 nM) and low detection limit (0.4177 nM). More importantly, the large-scale synthetic approach and excellent catalytic performance of Fe-N/C SAzymes are significant for promoting the marketability of biosensors. • A large-scale synthesis of Fe-N/C single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) is achieved. • This Fe-N/C SAzymes exhibit high oxidase-like activity. • A colorimetric biosensor based on Fe-N/C SAzymes is designed for dimethoate analysis. • Smartphone combined with RGB analysis is applied to high-sensitive quantification. • This approach is significant for promoting the marketability of biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PBC is an autoimmune-mediated liver disease, and intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells (IBECs) are the target cells of early damage. Previous studies found that miRNAs and inflammation is closely related to PBC. In this study, we extracted exosomes from serum and human IBECs supernatant, and RNA-sequence analyzed the expression profiles of miRNAs. Elisa measured the levels of inflammatory cytokines. RT- qPCR and western blot detected the levels of miR-122-5p, p38 and p-p38. The results showed that 263 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified in serum exosomes of PBC patients. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17 A, IFN-γ, TNF-α and TGF-β1 in peripheral blood of PBC patients were higher than those of normal controls. According to the validation results and previous literature, exosomal miR-122-5p was finally selected as the study object, and correlated with inflammatory factors. In vitro experiments further found that exosomal miR-122-5p may derive from hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and can be HIBECs intake, and influence HIBECs inflammatory factor levels though p38 MAPK signaling pathways. This may provide a new strategy for the treatment of PBC. • We comprehensively analyzed the expression profile of serum exosomal miRNAs in PBC patients for the first time. • To find the association between exosomal miR-122-5p and inflammatory factors for the first time, • This may provide a new strategy for the treatment of PBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging is attractive for its potential applications in autonomous vehicles, robotic vision, and biomedical imaging. NLOS imaging can be realized through reconstruction or recognition. Recognition is preferred in some practical scenarios because it can classify hidden objects directly and quickly. Current NLOS recognition is mostly realized by exploiting active laser illumination. However, passive NLOS recognition, which is essential for its simplified hardware system and good stealthiness, has not been explored. Here, we use a passive imaging setting that consists of a standard digital camera and an occluder to achieve a NLOS recognition system by deep learning. The proposed passive NLOS recognition system demonstrates high accuracy with the datasets of handwritten digits, hand gestures, human postures, and fashion products (81.58 % to 98.26%) using less than 1 second per image in a dark room. Beyond, good performance can be maintained under more complex lighting conditions and practical tests. Moreover, we conversely conduct white-box attacks on the NLOS recognition algorithm to study its security. An attack success rate of approximately 36% is achieved at a relatively low cost, which demonstrates that the existing passive NLOS recognition remains somewhat vulnerable to small perturbations. Non-line-of-sight imaging allows reconstruction and recognition of an obscured object, but external manipulation of the data can lead to inaccurate results. Here, the accuracy and robustness of passive non-line-of-sight recognition and its fragility to adversarial attacks are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of high-activity imidazole-based dicationic ionic liquids (DILs) were designed and prepared as efficient catalysts for balancing the reactivity between the endo-hydroxyl group (endo-OH) and the exo-hydroxyl group (exo-OH) of isosorbide (ISO) to synthesize high molecular weight poly(isosorbide carbonate) (PIC). Meanwhile, the thermal performance of PIC was precisely optimized by regulating the chain configuration. The results showed that when the trace amounts (4.5 × 10−5 based on the ISO molar amount) of bis-(3-methyl-1-imidazole)-ethylene dibromide ([C2(Min)2][Br]2) were used, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of PIC reached 98 700 g mol−1. It could be concluded from the results of the experiment and the stimulation that the high catalytic activity of DILs was attributed to the strong electrostatic interaction between the cation and the substrate and the effective balance of the reactivity of the endo-OH and the exo-OH. Furthermore, we found that the reduction of hydroxyl groups in the terminal groups and the increase of endo–endo (a1) structure in the repeating unit improved the thermal properties of PIC. Finally, 1H NMR, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to verify the reaction process through anion and cation multi-site synergistic effect and a possible electrophilic–nucleophilic reaction mechanism was successfully obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterization of structural heterogeneity of liquid solutions and the pursuit of its nature have been challenging tasks to solution chemists. In the last decade, an emerging method called excess spectroscopy has found applications in this area. The method, combining the merits of molecular spectroscopy and excess thermodynamic functions, shows the ability to enhance the apparent resolution of spectra, provides abundant information concerning solution structures and intermolecular interactions. In this review, the thinking and mathematics of the method, as well as its developments, are presented first. Then, research progress related to the exploration of the method is thoroughly reviewed. The materials are classified into two parts, small-molecular solutions and ionic liquid solutions. Finally, potential challenges and the perspective for further development of the method are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To investigate interdevice agreement among corneal topography/ray-tracing aberrometry (iTrace), partial coherence interferometry (IOLMaster), and Scheimpflug imaging (Pentacam) for the measurement of corneal astigmatism. Methods. The analysis included 90 eyes of 90 subjects without ocular disease. The main outcome measures were corneal cylinder power and axis of astigmatism. All corneal astigmatism measurements were converted to two perpendicular components by using vector analysis. Interdevice agreement was assessed using Bland–Altman analysis, paired sample t-test, and one-way analysis of variance. Results. No significant interdevice difference existed in the astigmatism magnitude, cardinal component, and oblique component (all P > 0.05). On comparing iTrace wavefront and simulated keratometry (SimK) astigmatism, significant differences were observed in the astigmatism magnitude and oblique component (both P < 0.01), but not in the cardinal component (P = 0.687). On comparing Pentacam pupil 3 mm and corneal vertex 3 mm axial astigmatism, significant difference was observed in the astigmatism magnitude (P < 0.001), but not in the cardinal and oblique components (both P > 0.05). Conclusions. The iTrace, IOLMaster, and Pentacam devices could be used interchangeably for corneal astigmatism measurement. However, the measurement difference in iTrace wavefront and SimK astigmatism and Pentacam pupil 3 mm and vertex 3 mm axial astigmatism should be considered in clinic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omentin-1, a 34-kDa protein, has been demonstrated to be associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Epidemiological and clinical studies have indicated that the levels of circulating omentin-1 are significantly increased in patients with CRC, but the cause of the high omentin-1 levels and whether CRC cells express this adipokine have not been determined. In the present study, human colorectal carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues were collected from 24 patients with CRC. In addition, SW480 and HCT116 colon cancer cells were cultured in vitro. The expression and localization of omentin-1 protein in human CRC and para-carcinoma tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of omentin-1 in human CRC and para-carcinoma tissues were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting, respectively. In addition, omentin-1 mRNA expression levels in SW480 and HCT116 cell lines were detected by RT-qPCR. Since SW480 cells exhibited higher omentin-1 mRNA levels compared with those of HCT116 cells, SW480 cells were selected for further experiments. The expression of omentin-1 protein in the supernatant and lysate of SW480 cells obtained at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h was determined by ELISA. The immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that the positive expression of omentin-1 protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm of cancer cells in human CRC tissues. The mRNA and protein expression levels of omentin-1 in the CRC tissues were higher compared with those in para-carcinoma tissues. The expression levels of omentin-1 were detected in the cell lysate and supernatant of SW480 cells; the expression level of omentin-1 protein in the cell lysate was higher compared with that in the supernatant. These results indicated that SW480 cells secret and express the adipokine omentin-1 endogenously. Omentin-1 may serve its potential carcinogenetic role in CRC through endocrine, autocrine and paracrine pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regeneration of the skin is vital to our wound healing and skin repair abilities. Adult epidermal stem cells (ESCs) have been shown to have the potential to renew old and dead skin cells, and ESCs have been implemented in stem cell-based therapies. GPR30 is a G protein-coupled membrane receptor for oestrogen, which has been shown to regulate cell proliferation and programmed cell death. Here, we examined the biological function of GPR30 in isolated adult murine ESCs. We show that GPR30 is fairly expressed in ESCs and is repressed upon ultraviolet B (UV-B) treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The activation of GPR30 by its agonist G1 ameliorates UV-B induced cellular oxidative stress and induction of IL-6 and IL-8. Furthermore, G1 protects against UV-B-induced cell death and improves the viability of ESCs. G1 also suppresses UV-B-induced HMGB-1 expression and protects the capacity of ESCs from the harm by UV-B radiation. Mechanistically, we show that co-treatment with G1 rescues UV-B-induced reduced Wnt1, cyclin D1 and β-catenin production, indicating the involvement of conical Wnt/β-catenin. Collectively, our data indicate that the activation of GPR30 has a protective role in ESCs, and GPR30 agonist G1-mediated ESC protection has potential implications in stem cell-based therapies for skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual depletion of conventional petroleum resources, oil shale, as an important unconventional oil and gas resource, is of great significance to alleviate the global energy crisis and optimize the energy structure. In this study, we comprehensively assessed the organic matter abundance, type, maturity, and trace element characteristics of oil shale by collecting and analyzing oil shale samples from the Lower Permian region in the western part of the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, and by applying pyrolysis analysis and rock pyrolysis analysis. The study showed that the average value of total organic carbon (TOC) of the oil shale in the study area was 10.26%, of which 41.67% was medium-grade oil shale and 58.33% was low-grade oil shale, reflecting the overall abundance of medium-low organic matter. The average value of hydrocarbon potential was 40.83 mg/g. The hydrogen index of the oil shale samples ranged from 77 to 861.06 mg/g, with an average value of 405.56 mg/g. The organic matter type was mainly of the II1 type (humic-sapropelic type), which accounted for 75% of the total, and the analysis of the highest pyrolysis peak temperature showed that 83.33% of the samples were in the low maturity-mature stage. Trace element analyses revealed that the oil shales in the study area were formed in a terrestrialweakly reduced depositional environment. Especially, the analysis of Sr/Ba, Th/U and B/Ga ratios indicated that the oil shale was mainly formed in freshwater-semi-saline environment. In addition, the analysis of V/(V+Ni) and U/Th ratios supports the reduced environment in which the oil shale was formed. The shale in the Dalongkou area has greater salinity values and higher organic matter productivity in the water body at the time of formation compared to the oil shale in the Cangfanggou area. The results of this study are important for understanding the geochemical properties and mineralization potential of the Lower Permian oil shales in the western part of the southern margin of the Junggar Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants perceive the presence and defence status of their neighbours through light and volatile cues, but how plants integrate both stimuli is poorly understood. We investigated if and how low Red to Far red light (R:FR) ratios, indicative of shading or canopy closure, affect maize (Zea mays) responses to herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), including the green leaf volatile (Z)−3‐hexenyl acetate. We modulated light signalling and perception by using FR supplementation and a phyB1phyB2 mutant, and we determined volatile release as a response readout. To gain mechanistic insights, we examined expression of volatile biosynthesis genes, hormone accumulation, and photosynthesis. Exposure to a full blend of HIPVs or (Z)−3‐hexenyl acetate induced maize volatile release. Short‐term FR supplementation increased this response. In contrast, prolonged FR supplementation or constitutive phytochrome B inactivation in phyB1phyB2 plants showed the opposite response. Short‐term FR supplementation enhanced photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and (Z)−3‐hexenyl acetate‐induced JA‐Ile levels. We conclude that a FR‐enriched light environment can prompt maize plants to respond more strongly to HIPVs emitted by neighbours, which might be explained by changes in photosynthetic processes and phytochrome B signalling. Our findings reveal interactive responses to light and volatile cues with potentially important consequences for plant‐plant and plant‐herbivore interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive non-line-of-sight (NLOS) reconstruction has received considerable success in diverse fields. However, the existing reconstruction methods ignore that complex scenes attenuate object-related information and view object-related information and noise in measured images as equivalent, yielding low-quality recovery. We propose an attention-based encoder–decoder (AED) network to tackle this problem. Specifically, we introduce an attention in the attention (A2B) module that can prune the attention layers to help the network focus on the object-related information in the measured images. In addition, we establish several datasets in complex scenes, including varying ambient light conditions and parameter settings of reconstruction systems, as well as complex hidden objects, to verify the generalization of our method. Experiments on our constructed datasets demonstrate that our methods achieve better recovery performance than existing methods, with more robustness to complex scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the diagnosis and detection of breast lesions, the nipple is an important anatomical landmark which can be used for the registration on multiview mammograms. In this study, we propose a new detection algorithm for nipples on digital mammography (DM) by applying pixel classification based on geometric and radiomic features extracted from breast boundary regions. Methods: The imaging characteristics of nipples are closely related to the visibility on mammograms. To locate the nipple on mammogram, a searching area is first determined based on the breast boundary and chest wall orientation. Two different approaches are developed for obvious and subtle nipples, respectively. For obvious nipples, top hat transformation is employed to detect the nipple region, whose geometric center is regarded as the nipple position. For subtle nipples, the curved searching area near the breast boundary is mapped onto a Cartesian plane through a revised rubber band straightening transformation. On the straightened searching area, the geometric and radiomic features are calculated along the normal direction of the breast boundary, and a random forest classifier is trained for subtle nipple localization. Results: Seven hundred and twenty‐one DMs were collected for the evaluation of the proposed algorithm. The locations of nipples are manually identified by an experienced radiologist as the reference standard. The average Euclidean distance between the computed nipple position and the reference standard was 2.69 mm (obvious) and 7.81 mm (subtle), respectively. A total of 97.61% of the obvious nipples (613/628) and 88.17% of the subtle nipples (82/93) were detected within a 10‐mm radius centered from the reference standard. Conclusions: The evaluation results show that the proposed method is effective for nipple detection on DM, especially for subtle nipple detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a spatio-temporal context (STC) algorithm has attracted the attention of scholars, due to the algorithm makes full use of the information of the target background. Although the STC algorithm achieve tracking at the real-time, but there is still a need to improve the tracking capability when the target is occluded or the size of the target changes. In this paper, we presented an adaptive spatio-temporal context learning for visual tracking (AFSTC). Firstly, in order to accurately describe the appearance of the target, we integrate Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) and Colour-naming (CN) features. And then we use the average difference between two adjacent frames to adjust the learning rate of update model for adaptive tracking. Finally, we adjust parameters of scale update strategy to achieve the competitive results on accuracy and robustness. We perform experiments on the Online Tracking Benchmark (OTB) 2015 dataset. Our tracker achieves a 13% relative gain in distance precision compared to the traditional STC algorithm. Moreover, although the speed of our tracker reduces, but it reaches 129.99 frames per second (FPS) and can still achieve tracking at the real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic materials were conventionally treated as wastes for disposal, but have now become very important in modern life due to their great roles in the supply of renewable resources. Recently, significant attention has been paid to the dissolution of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and the production of chemicals and fuels from these feedstocks. It has been demonstrated that lignocellulose has great potential from a sustainable economy perspective and this field has been developing rapidly. Thus, it is critical to review the recent progress in studies on the utilization of lignocellulosic materials. In particular, this work was designed to highlight recent computation-based studies on the chemistry of lignocellulosic materials, from the structural and energetic properties of individual lignocellulose components to their reaction mechanisms in various systems. Importantly, this review summarizes some major simulation studies on the utilization of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin via dissolution, catalytic conversion, and pyrolysis by using density functional theory, first-principles calculation, molecular dynamics simulation, and conductor-like screening models. It has been shown that the theoretical and computational investigations play a key role in the understanding of the efficient utilization of lignocellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of local anesthetics have been well documented in various cancers. However, whether local anesthetics affect cancer metastasis and their underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. In this work, we show that ropivacaine at the clinically relevant concentration significantly inhibits esophageal cancer cell migration. Interestingly, ropivacaine at the same concentration does not display inhibitory effects on esophageal cancer cell growth and survival. We further demonstrate that ropivacaine significantly decreases activities of GTPases including RhoA, Rac1 and Ras, and inhibits prenylation in esophageal cancer cells. In addition, the inhibitory effects of ropivacaine on GTPases activities and migration are abolished in the presence of geranylgeraniol and farnesol, demonstrating that ropivacaine inhibits GTPases activities via prenylation inhibition. Finally, we demonstrate that ropivacaine-inhibited esophageal cancer cell inhibition occurs independently of sodium channel but via suppressing Rac1/JNK/paxillin/FAK pathway. Our work demonstrates the potent anti-migratory effect of ropivacaine in esophageal cancer by attenuating prenylation-dependent migratory signalling events. These findings provide significant insight into the potential mechanisms by which local anaesthetics may negatively affect metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and intraocular lens power (IOLP) of IOLMaster and Ultrasound in normal, long and short eyes. Methods: Seventy-four normal eyes (≥ 22 mm and ≤ 25 mm), 74 long eyes (> 25 mm) and 78 short eyes (< 22 mm) underwent AL and ACD measurements with both devices in the order of IOLMaster followed by Ultrasound. The IOLP were calculated using a free online LADAS IOL formula calculator. Results: The difference in AL and IOLP between IOLMaster and Ultrasound was statistically significant when all three groups were combined. The difference in ACD between IOLMaster and Ultrasound was statistically significant in the normal group (P<0.001) and short eye group (P<0.001) but not the long eye group (P = 0.465). For the IOLP difference between IOLMaster and Ultrasound in the normal group, the percentage of IOLP differences <|0.5|D, ≥|0.5|D<|0.75|D, ≥|0.75|D<|1.0|D, and ≥|1.0|D were 90.5%, 8.1%, 1.4% and 0%, respectively. For the long eye group, they were 90.5%, 5.4%, 4.1% and 0%, respectively. For the short eye group, they were 61.5%, 23.1%, 10.3%, and 5.1%, respectively. Conclusions: IOLMaster and Ultrasound have statistically significant differences in AL measurements and IOLP (using LADAS formula) for normal, long eye and short eye. The two instruments agree regarding ACD measurements for the long eye group, but differ for the normal and short eye groups. Moreover, the high percentage of IOLP differences greater than |0.5|D in the short eye group is noteworthy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the therapeutic mechanisms underlying prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) on reducing urinary protein in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). DKD rats were established and randomly divided into four groups: PGE1 (10 μg/kg/day) (P group), ACEI (10 mg/kg/day) (A group), combination of PGE1 with ACEI treatment (P + A group), and saline treatment group (DKD group). Untreated rats were used as normal control (N group). Urinary albumin, endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II (AngII), TUNEL assay, Masson's trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry staining for CD68 were evaluated in all groups. Ten days after treatment, urinary albumin was significantly decreased in the P and P + A groups ( p < 0.01 vs. the DKD group ). At the end of 8 weeks, the albumin was still significantly reduced in the P + A group ( p < 0.05 vs. the A group). ET-1 and AngII were also significantly decreased in three treatment groups ( p < 0.01 vs. the DKD group), especially in the P + A group. Few cells underwent apoptosis in glomerular regions in DKD rats, while amounts of apoptotic cells were seen in tubules regions. Further, apoptosis and the areas of fibrosis in tubulointerstitial were both decreased most in the P + A group compared with the DKD group. Apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells may participate in the development and progression of DKD in rats. Combination of PGE1 with AGEI remarkably protects renal function compared with PGE1 or ACEI monotherapy. The potential therapeutic mechanisms of PGE1 and AGEI might be via multiple targets and, at least in part, through inhibiting the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NTiCO 2 , a Janus-type double-transition metal MXenes. • Pt-doped dual transition metal NTiCO 2 is stable. • Synergistic effect can improve the catalytic performance of SACs. • Two machine models, RFR and XGBR, are established. • The importance of features affecting catalytic activity is revealed. Oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction are pivotal in energy conversion. Herein, we systematically studied the catalytic performance of Pt-doped dual transition metal (DTM) Janus-MXenes as single-atom catalysts (SACs) using first-principles calculations and established machine learning (ML) models to explore the physical and chemical properties affecting the catalytic overpotential. Specifically, the stability of Janus-MXenes was first explored through cohesive energies, phonon dispersion and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The electronic properties of Pt-doped Janus-MXenes were investigated next. Some excellent catalysts, including Pt-V O -MnTiCO 2 (η ORR / O E R = 0.24/0.38 V) and Pt-V O -PdTiCO 2 (η ORR / O E R = 0.33/0.36 V), were found because of their ultralow overpotential. It's attributed to the tuning of the electronic properties of SACs by DTM. Importantly, ML models were used to reveal the importance of descriptors affecting overpotential, thereby uncovering the origin of the catalytic activity of SACs. Our work significantly reduces the research costs of SACs and serves as a guide for designing high-performance catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium temperatum (F. temperatum) causes maize stalk rot disease, reducing grain yield and producing multiple harmful mycotoxins that threaten food safety and quality. However, current detection methods are limited by the requirement of well-trained personnel, complicated operations and expensive instruments. To address this challenge, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-based colorimetric assay using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) coupled with CRISPR-Cas12a (Au-CRISPR) was tested for F. temperatum detection. The assay utilizes DNA-modified AuNPs as a colorimetric probe and the results can be readily observed by the naked eye. After optimization, the method can specifically detect as low as 100 copies/μL of target DNA or 10−8 ng/μL of extracted DNA from F. temperatum. The detection platform allows high-throughput testing by integrating microtiter plates and microplate reader. Furthermore, a portable smartphone-based device was developed to realize point of care (POC) detection of F. temperatum in resource-limited settings. This simple, inexpensive and sensitive detection platform has great potential for the applications in field detection. [Display omitted] • Au-CRISPR achieved visual and simple detection of F. temperatum. • Au-CRISPR could detect 100 copies/μL of target DNA within 75 min. • Au-CRISPR was applied to detect F. temperatum in simulated infected maize. • A portable smartphone-based device realized on-site detection of F. temperatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on tuning the NRR activity by constructing SACs based on MXenes substrates and elucidating the intrinsic factors that regulate the "acceptance-donation" mechanism by first principles calculations. [Display omitted] • NRR performance can be tuned by constructing SACs based on defective Ti 2 CO 2 and Ti 2 NO 2 MXenes. • Number of unpaired electrons in d orbitals (N un-d) determines occupation of d orbitals, thus regulating the "acceptance-donation" mechanism. • Δ E (*NNH) and N iso-d can be considered as promising descriptors for screening and designing effective SACs. • Insightful guidance is provided for electrochemical reactions with high bond-order molecules and multi-electron steps, e.g., NRR, ORR and CO 2 RR. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) show great potential for driving electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). However, the lack of physico-chemical understanding of the ambiguous activation mechanism impedes the development of electrocatalysts. In this work, using first principles calculations, we tuned NRR activity and elucidated regulation mechanism of N 2 activation by constructing SACs based on defective Ti 2 CO 2 and Ti 2 NO 2 MXenes. Interestingly, Mo@Ti 2 CO 2 -v and W@Ti 2 CO 2 -v show excellent NRR activity and selectivity with low limiting potentials of –0.27 and –0.27 V at the first hydrogenation (*N 2 →*NNH) and the last hydrogenation (*NH 2 →*NH 3) steps via distal pathway, respectively. The intrinsic activity tendency can be related to adsorption energy of intermediate *NNH (Δ E (*NNH)). Furthermore, electronic structure analysis demonstrates that number of unpaired electrons in d orbitals (N un-d) determines occupation of d orbitals, thus regulating the "acceptance-donation" mechanism. Particularly, transition metals with N un-d of 5 and 4 show moderate "acceptance-donation" interaction, thus achieving encouraging NRR performance. Moreover, Δ E (*NNH) and N un-d can be considered as promising descriptors for screening and designing effective SACs. Finally, our investigation not only contributes to discovery of novel SACs toward NRR, but also provides insightful guidance for other electrochemical reactions with high bond-order molecules and multi-electron steps, such as ORR and CO 2 RR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simultaneously separating the standards of 10 sugars and sugar alcohols using the optimized analysis system. • Firstly established an analytical method that allows rapid and simultaneous analysis of 10 sugars and sugar alcohols present in infant formula by HPLC-ELSD technology. • Determined the content and methodological study of 10 sugars and sugar alcohols in infant formula commercially available by the newly developed analysis method. • The method is sensitive and well separated, which is suitable for the simultaneous quantitative determination of sugars and sugar alcohols in infant formula. • Providing an accurate quantitative analytical method for the detection and quality and safety control of sugars and sugar alcohols in infant formula. A method was established for the simultaneous determination of five sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, lactose, maltose) and five sugar alcohols (erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol) in infant formula by high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector. After the samples were extracted with acetonitrile–water solution, precipitated by acetic acid, and purified with solid phase extraction cartridge, ALLChrom Rocksil Carbohydrate ES column was adopted for separation, and isocratic elution was conducted at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with acetonitrile-0.04 % ammonia solution as the mobile phase. The analytes were detected by an evaporative light-scattering detector, and quantified by external standard method. The linear ranges of the 10 components were 0.04–4.0 g/L with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.999, and the limits of quantification (S/N = 10) of the method were 0.08–0.4 g/100 g. The relative standard deviation of the lactose parallel samples reached 1.29 %, and the recoveries of the other 9 components ranged from 80.4 % to 99.4 % with the relative standard deviation of 2.8 %-7.1 %. The method performs well in sensitivity and separation, which is suitable for the simultaneous quantitative determination of sugars and sugar alcohols in infant formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic, highlighting the unprecedented demand for rapid and portable diagnostic methods. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins-based platforms have been used for the detection of pathogens. However, in further applications and research, due to multiple steps needed, many methods showed an increased risk of cross-reactivity. The thermostable Cas12b enables the combination of isothermal amplification and CRISPR-mediated detection, which could decrease the risk of cross-contamination. In this study, we developed a portable and specific diagnostic method that combined the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) with thermal stable CRISPR/Cas12b-enhanced reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), which is called SCAN, to distinguish the N gene of SARS-CoV-2 from flu gene. We validated our method using RNA from cells transfected by plasmids. We could easily distinguish the positive results by the naked eye based on the strong molar absorption coefficient of AuNP. Moreover, SCAN has the potential for high-throughput tests owing to its convenient operation. In sum, SCAN has broken the site and equipment restrictions of traditional detection methods and could be applied outside of hospitals and clinical laboratories, greatly expanding the test of COVID-19. [Display omitted] • The CRISPR/Cas12 b was employed to realize one-tube detection. • The SCAN assay is isothermal that requires minimal equipment. • The SCAN assay has a high-throughput potential for large-scale population screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NOD2 has advantages and disadvantages in different immune environments. • Various posttranslational modifications affect the function of NOD2 and its signaling pathways on immune cells. • Interaction and functional effects between various MIRNAs with NOD2 and related molecules. • NOD2 and similar molecules show promise as targets for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. As an intracellular pattern recognition receptor (PPR), the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) triggers a cascade of immune responses. Previous studies of NOD2 regarding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mainly focused on the relevance of NOD2 mutations and loss within the disease onset and progression. With increasing research, more studies are exploring other functional roles and clinical applications of NOD2. In this review, we discuss the role of NOD2 in intestinal immune response and microbiota modulation in IBD and explore its clinical potential as a therapeutic target for IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NOD2 has advantages and disadvantages in different immune environments. • Various posttranslational modifications affect the function of NOD2 and its signaling pathways on immune cells. • Interaction and functional effects between various MIRNAs with NOD2 and related molecules. • NOD2 and similar molecules show promise as targets for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. As an intracellular pattern recognition receptor (PPR), the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) triggers a cascade of immune responses. Previous studies of NOD2 regarding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mainly focused on the relevance of NOD2 mutations and loss within the disease onset and progression. With increasing research, more studies are exploring other functional roles and clinical applications of NOD2. In this review, we discuss the role of NOD2 in intestinal immune response and microbiota modulation in IBD and explore its clinical potential as a therapeutic target for IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sporotrichosis on the eyelids is uncommon and has been rarely reported. As the largest series of 72 adults and children with eyelid sporotrichosis from Jilin ̀P̀̀rovince in China, this study provides useful information for the improved diagnosis and treatment of sporotrichosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low sugar concentration and the presence of various inhibitors are the major challenges associated with lignocellulosic hydrolyzates as a fermentation broth. Vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) process can be used to concentrate sugars and remove inhibitors (furans) efficiently, but it’s not desirable for the removal of less volatile inhibitors such as acetic acid. In this study, a VMD-adsorption process was proposed to improve the removal of acetic acid, achieving simultaneous concentration and detoxification of lignocellulosic hydrolyzates by one step process. Results showed that sugars were concentrated with high rejections (>98%) and little sugar loss (<2%), with the significant reduction in nearly total furans (99.7%) and acetic acid (83.5%) under optimal operation conditions. Fermentation results showed the ethanol production of hydrolyzates concentrated and detoxified using the VMD-adsorption method were approximately 10-fold greater than from untreated hydrolyzates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a portable fluorescence-based functional hydrogel loaded with β- d -glucose pentaacetate (β-D-GP) is designed for high-sensitive quantification of amine vapor and visual monitoring of freshness of shrimp. We found for the first time that amine vapor can mediate β-D-GP to generate photoluminescent polymer-carbon nanodots (PCNDs) with good optical properties. On this basis, a functional hydrogel sensing platform is simply formed by solidifying β-D-GP in agarose hydrogels. When exposure to the volatile amines released from the spoilage of shrimp, β-D-GP in hydrogel is immediately mediated by amines to generate PCNDs, resulting in obvious fluorescence-based color variation of functional hydrogel. Notably, a smartphone is used to obtain digital photographs and RGB (Red/Green/Blue) information of hydrogels for on-site quantitative analysis. The gray value of G/(R + B) of hydrogel shows good linearity with trimethylamine (TMA) vapor concentration in the range of 0–59.49 × 10−9 mol dm−3. More importantly, the G/(R + B) value of functional hydrogel is successfully used to assess the freshness of shrimp. Consequently, this strategy provides a low-cost, portable fluorescence analysis device with promising applications in achieving high-sensitive, nondestructive, and on-site food safety evaluation of animal-derived aquatic products. [Display omitted] • Amine vapor can mediate β- d -glucose pentaacetate to generate photoluminescent polymer-carbon nanodots. • A portable fluorescence-based functional hydrogel loaded with β- d -glucose pentaacetate is designed. • Photoluminescent polymer-carbon nanodots are generated in situ in hydrogels without additional synthesis. • Introduction of smartphone combined with RGB analysis greatly improves the practicality of monitoring on-site. • The hydrogel platform achieves highly sensitive, nondestructive and on-site monitoring of shrimp freshness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomineralization refers to a native biosynthesis process whereby the organisms fabricate hierarchical organic-inorganic composites for life maintenance, growth, and biological evolution. Motivated by these outstanding advantages, scientists endeavor to reproduce the manufacturing strategies and structural features of biomineralization by means of synergetic combination of inorganic materials and bioactive organisms. Thus, following the identified mechanisms of biomineralization, the biomimetic mineralization is becoming an emerging research field for designing and engineering organisms. In the present review, we summarize the recent achievements in understanding and applications of biomineralization-based organisms engineering. Aiming at design of application-oriented material-organism hybrids, we pay attention to the strategies that can endow organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and cells, with addressable structures and excellent physiological properties, which can thereby facilitate the unnatural functions including environmental resistance, biological enhancement, tumor therapy, and cell-based delivery. By summarizing the recent research focus, we hope to provide an alternative understanding for the design and application of organism-material hybrid using biomineralization-inspired engineering. This review introduces the emerging biomimetic mineralization strategies for structural and functional modification of organisms, which have broad application prospects in biological and environmental resistance, biological enhancement, tumor therapy and cell-based therapy. [Display omitted] • Bionic engineering of live organisms is an emerging area of biomineralization. • The engineered organisms enable addressable structures and excellent properties. • Such a material-organism hybrid has explored immense potentials in biomedical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) have been recently shown as an efficient carrier to deliver small RNAs into the target cells. In the present study, we characterized the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 siRNA delivered by mouse fibroblast L929 cell-derived MVs (L929 MVs) on the growth and metastasis of murine sarcomas 180 cells both in vitro and in vivo. We found that, comparing to the same concentration of free TGF-β1 siRNA, TGF-β1 siRNA delivered by L929 MVs much more efficiently decreased the level of TGF-β1 in the recipient tumor cells. Functionally, MVs containing TGF-β1 siRNA significantly decreased the viability and migration of sarcomas 180 cells and promoted the apoptosis of tumor cells. Co-immunoprecipitation with Argonaute 2 (AGO2) via anti-AGO2 antibody indicated that the majority of TGF-β1 siRNA in the MVs were associated with AGO2 complex. A tumor implantation mouse model further showed that intravenous injection of TGF-β1 siRNA-containing MVs strongly suppressed TGF-β1 expression and TGF-β1 signaling downstream in the implanted tumor cells, and thus inhibited the growth and lung metastases of tumor cells. In conclusion, our results collectively demonstrate that the delivery of therapeutic TGF-β1 siRNA by cell-derived MVs provides an effective strategy to control tumor cell growth and metastasis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Evodiamine (Evo) is an alkaloid that can be extracted from the berry fruit Evodia rutaecarpa and has been reported to exert various pharmacological effects, such as antidiarrheal, antiemetic and antiulcer effects. In vivo, the potential effects of Evo were investigated in a mouse model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) and in adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc)MinC/Gpt C57BL/6 mice with colorectal cancer (CRC), where the latter harbours a point-mutation in the Apc gene. Evo suppressed the degree of weight loss and colon shortening induced by DSS, decreased the disease activity index value and ameliorated the pathological alterations in the colon of mice with UC as examined via H&E staining of colon tissues. In addition, Evo decreased the number and size of colonic tumors in ApcMinC/Gpt mice. Proteomics (colon tissues), ELISA (colon tissues and serum) and western blotting (colon tissues) results revealed that Evo inhibited NF-κB to mediate the levels of various cytokines, including, in the DSS-induced UC model, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-γ (ELISA of colon tissues and serum), NF-κB, IKKα+β, IκBα, S100a9, TLR4 and MyD88 (western blotting of colon tissues), and, in the colorectal cancer model, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-15, IL-17, IL-22, TNF-α (ELISA of colon tissues and serum), NF-κB, IKKα+β, IκBα and S100a9 (western blotting of colon tissues), to achieve its anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. In vitro, Evo also reduced the viability of the colon cancer cell line SW480, inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP detection), caused G2/M-phase arrest (cell cycle detection) and suppressed the translocation of phosphorylated-NF-κB from the cytoplasm into the nucleus (immunofluorescence of p-NF-κB). Theoretical evidence (MD simulations) suggest that Evo may bind to the ordered domain (α-helix) of NF-κB to influence this protein. The protein secondary structure changes were analyzed by the cpptraj module in Amber. In addition, these data provide experimental evidence that Evo may be an effective agent for treating UC and CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) was used to remove two prototypical fermentation inhibitors (acetic acid and furfural) from lignocellulose hydrolyzates. The effect of operating parameters, such as feed temperature and feed velocity, on the removal efficiencies of inhibitors was investigated. Under optimal conditions, more than 98% of furfural could be removed by VMD. However, the removal efficiency of acetic acid was considerably lower. After furfural and acetic acid were selectively removed from hydrolyzates by VMD, ethanol production efficiency increased by 17.8% compared to original hydrolyzates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]