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Aim: To evaluate the association of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum glucose with intraocular pressure (IOP) in a large UK general population. Materials and Methods: Participants were selected from the UK Biobank, excluding those with eye conditions that may affect IOP. IOP was measured using an ocular response analyser. Goldmann‐correlated IOP (IOPg) and corneal‐compensated IOP (IOPcc) were outcomes of interest, and ocular hypertension was defined as left‐eye IOPg or IOPcc > 21 mmHg. HbA1c and random (non‐fasting) serum glucose were the exposures of interest. Multivariate restricted cubic spline models, as well as linear regression, were applied to explore the associations of interest. Results: Among 68 806 participants (46.5% male), the mean age was 56.7 years. The mean (standard deviation) for IOPg was 15.7 (3.6) mmHg and 15.9 (3.6) mmHg for IOPcc. Occular hypertension was prevalent in 8055 participants (11.7%) and 4178 participants (6.1%) had diabetes. Those with diabetes had higher IOP and a higher prevalence of ocular hypertension. After adjustment for demographic and clinical variables, HbA1c was positively associated with IOP in participants with diabetes, but not in those without diabetes. For every 10‐mmol/mol increase in HbA1c, IOPg increased by 0.20 mmHg (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12, 0.28) and IOPcc by 0.15 mmHg (95% CI 0.07, 0.23); the odds of ocular hypertension was increased by 6% (95% CI 1.00, 1.13) in participants with diabetes. A borderline positive association between serum glucose and IOP was found only in participants without diabetes. Conclusions: Impaired glycaemic control was associated with elevated IOP and a possible risk of ocular hypertension among participants with diabetes but of normal ocular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of civil engineering, the utilization of bio-based composites is a viable solution for promoting environmentally friendly practices. A novel bio-based inorganic-bonded bamboo composite (InorgBam) prepared with roller-pressing impregnation, cold pressing, and molding technology was first introduced, and 72 double-shear specimens were tested to investigate the load-carrying performance of InorgBam single-bolted connections. The failure characteristics of the InorgBam single-bolted connections were evaluated using the European yield model (EYM). By incorporating the existing bilinear and Attiogbe models, the load-displacement relationship of the InorgBam single-bolted connections was foretasted with precision. The effect of bolt diameter and component thickness on load-bearing capacity was compared, and relevant design suggestions were proposed. Prediction equations of load-bearing capacity for timber connections in existing standards were briefly reviewed and compared with the test results to illustrate their applicability for InorgBam connections. Comparison results indicated that the equations for timbers exhibited an adequate safety redundancy for the InorgBam. Finally, a simplified equation was proposed based on nonlinear fitting that aims to provide a convenient approach to design activities for InorgBam bolted connections and promote the structural application of InorgBam material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus characterized by cardiac dysfunction and myocardial remodeling. Farrerol (FA), an active ingredient in Rhododendron with various pharmacological activities, has an unclear specific role in DCM. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of FA on DCM rats and elucidate its mechanism. The type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by administering a high-fat diet for 8 weeks along with STZ injection. Subsequent to successful modeling, FA and the positive drug Dapagliflozin (Dapa) were orally administered via gavage for an additional 8-week period. After administration, the rats' body weight, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and blood lipid profiles were quantified. Cardiac function was assessed through evaluation of cardiac function parameters, histopathological examination and measurement of myocardial enzyme markers were conducted to assess myocardial injury and fibrosis, Oil red O staining was utilized to evaluate myocardial lipid accumulation, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining was used for assessing cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and Western blot analysis was used to detect the proteins expression level of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. The rat cardiomyocyte H9c2 were induced with palmitic acid to establish an in vitro cell model of myocardial lipid toxicity. Subsequently, the cells were subjected to treatment with FA and AMPK inhibitor Compound C, followed by assessment of lipid formation and expression levels of proteins related to the AMPK signaling pathway. The findings demonstrated that both FA and Dapa exhibited efficacy in ameliorating diabetic symptoms, cardiac dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and lipid accumulation in T2DM rats. Additionally, they were found to enhance AMPK phosphorylation and PPARα expression while down-regulating CD36. Similarly, FA was observed to inhibit lipid formation in H9c2 and activate the AMPK signaling pathway. However, the improved effect of FA on lipotoxic cardiomyocytes induced by palmitic acid was partially reversed by Compound C. Therefore, the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway by FA may enhance cardiac lipid metabolism, thereby improving cardiac dysfunction and myocardial fibrosis in DCM rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The predictive value of systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) for stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated by thrombectomy remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of SIRI for SAP in patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy. Methods: We included AIS patients treated by thrombectomy between August 2018 and August 2022 at our institute. We used multivariate logistic regression to construct the prediction model and performed a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to evaluate the ability of SIRI to predict SAP and constructed a calibration curve to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the model. We evaluated the clinical application value of the nomogram using decision curve analysis. Results: We included 84 eligible patients with AIS in the analysis, among which 56 (66.7%) had SAP. In the univariate analysis, there were significant differences in sex (p = 0.035), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score at admission ≥ 20 (p = 0.019) and SIRI (p < 0.001). The results of multivariable logistic analysis showed that the risk of SAP increased with the SIRI value (OR = 1.169, 95% CI = 1.049–1.344, p = 0.014). Age ≥ 60 (OR = 4.076, 95% CI = 1.251–14.841, p = 0.024) was also statistically significant. A nomogram with SIRI showed good prediction accuracy for SAP in AIS patients treated by thrombectomy (C-index value = 0.774). Conclusions: SIRI is an independent predictor for SAP in patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy. A high SIRI value may allow for the early identification of patients with AIS treated by thrombectomy at high risk for SAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study aims to investigate the biological function of circular RNA (circRNA, circ_0000337) in cervical cancer (CC). Bioinformatic analyses were used to predict targets for circ_0000337 and miR-155-5p, and analyze the gene expression differences between cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) tissues and normal tissues. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were applied to assess mRNA and protein expressions of circ_0000337, microRNA-155-5p (miR-155-5p) and member RAS oncogene family (RAB3B), respectively. Following the establishment of gain/loss-of-function models, CCK-8 was performed to evaluate cell proliferation. Bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were used to identify the interaction in circ_0000337, miR-155-5p, and RAB3B. Circ_0000337 and RAB3B were upregulated, while miR-155-5p was downregulated in CC tissues and cell lines. circ_0000337 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, circ_0000337 knock down inhibited cell proliferation by sponging miR-155-5p. RAB3B was a target of miR-155-5p which was positively regulated by circ_0000337. In the collected CC tissues, there was a negative correlation between miR-155-5p and circ_0000337 or RAB3B, and a positive correlation between circ_0000337 and RAB3B. miR-155-5p was positively, while RAB3B was negatively correlated with OS in patients with CC, and they were negatively correlated. In conclusion, circ_0000337 upregulates RAB3B by sponging miR-155-5p to promote CC cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of HZSM-5 and modified catalysts for the pyrolysis of lignin to produce aromatics has been extensively investigated. But certain limitations including catalyst deactivation and high-cost modifications still exist. A magnetic field (MF) was used to assist Fe and HZSM-5 catalytic lignin pyrolysis for aromatics production in this study. Product composition analysis revealed that the monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (MAH) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) contents exhibited an upward trend in correlation with the MF intensity. The introduction of a MF significantly affects the improvement of the BTEX yield. Under the conditions of 80 mT MF intensity, 500 °C temperature and 50 mL min−1 carrier gas flow rate, the MAH and BTEX contents reach 32.94% and 27.19%, while the BTEX yield reaches roughly 19.55 mg g−1. Compared to no MF, these values rose by about 1.28, 1.36, and 1.94 times, respectively. Characterization results from XRD, XPS, TPO, N2 adsorption–desorption, and NH3–TPD tests showed that the MF facilitated the deoxidation and fragmentation of macromolecular oxygenates on the surface of Fe, promoting the ingress of smaller molecular compounds into the pores of HZSM-5 and boosting MAH production. Simultaneously, the MF impeded pore blockage in HZSM-5 and kept acidic sites from deactivating due to carbon deposition. This study lays a crucial groundwork for improving advanced technologies aimed at optimizing the utilization of organic solid waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] Freezing-thawing and drying-wetting cycles are important abiotic processes in mineral particle weathering and their effect is modulated by many other processes. In this paper, we investigate the impact of particle size and soil salinity on mineral particle weathering. [Method] Green slate particles were used. The experiment consisted of three particle size treatments: 10, 20 and 30 mm, and three soil salinity treatments with salt concentration of the soil water being 3, 6 and 10 g/L, respectively. Each treatment was subjected to randomized freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles. During the experiment, we measured the weathering rate of all particles. [Result] ① Soil salinity increased particle weathering rate, but the increase depended on soil water concentration. In the treatments we compared, soil water concentration of 10 g/L gave the best results. For the10 mm particles, their weathering rate increased with soil salinity when they were subjected to 20 and 60 freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles. ② The weathering rate decreased with particle size, with the weathering rate of the 10 mm particles being two times that of the 30 mm particles. ③ The weathering rate increased with the number of freeze-thaw drying-wetting cycles. [Conclusion] Under the influence of freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles, the weathering rate of small particles is higher than that of large particle. Soil salinity also increased the weathering rate, albeit the increasing rate depended on soil water concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the structure and production process of textiles, a zigzag aligned structural design was proposed to fabricate flexible thermally conductive nanocomposites via a facile, scalable lamination process of electrospun polyimide (PI) nanofibers. More specifically, polydopamine (PDA) was used as a modifier to functionalize boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS), and the p-BNNS/PI nanofilm was prepared using the electrostatic spinning technique. Subsequently, the nanofilm was rolled into vertically oriented cylinders, and vacuum-assisted impregnation of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was carried out, resulting in the construction of p-BNNS/PI/PDMS nanocomposites. The obtained nanocomposites not only demonstrated strong anisotropy and significantly enhanced thermal conductivity but also possessed excellent electrical insulation performance. The nanocomposites with 10 wt % p-BNNS exhibited both an ultrahigh out-of-plane thermal conductivity of 1.26 W/m K and a high volume resistivity of approximately 1015 Ω cm. Additionally, the nanofilm maintained excellent flexibility and remained intact even after kneading for 60 s while exhibiting a maximum tensile strength of 29.7 MPa. This work provided an effective method to establish a continuous thermal conductive network and further expanded the thermal management applications of polymer-based nanocomposites in electronic packaging and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The gut microbiota exhibits distinctive variations among sows at different parities, where parity contributes to 3% of the total dissimilarity among samples (p = 0.001). With increasing parity, there is a gradual decline in the relative abundance of bacteria capable of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), whereas potential pathogenic bacteria become increasingly enriched. The observed alterations in the gut microbiota concerning parity are associated with the aging process in sows. As one of the most critical economic traits, the litter performance of sows is influenced by their parity. Some studies have indicated a connection between the gut microbiota and the litter performance of animals. In this study, we examined litter performance in 1363 records of different parities of Large White sows. We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) We observed a marked decline in TNB (Total Number Born) and NBH (Number of Healthy Born) among sows with parity 7 or higher. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential role of gut microbiota in this phenomenon, we conducted 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of fecal DNA from 263 Large White sows at different parities and compared the changes in their gut microbiota with increasing parity. The results revealed that in comparison to sows with a parity from one to six, sows with a parity of seven or higher exhibited decreased alpha diversity in their gut microbiota. There was an increased proportion of pathogenic bacteria (such as Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, and Escherichia–Shigella) and a reduced proportion of SCFA-producing families (such as Ruminococcaceae), indicating signs of inflammatory aging. The decline in sow function may be one of the primary reasons for the reduction in their litter performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of endotracheal intubation combined with deep analgesia and sedation in the prevention of preoperative dissection rupture in acute Standford type A aortic dissection. Methods: This study evaluated the impact of preoperative endotracheal intubation combined with deep analgesia and sedation on acute Stanford Type-A aortic dissection. Conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China’s cardiac intensive care unit from June 2018 to December 2021, 134 diagnosed patients participated. They were divided into experimental (n=42) and control (n=92) groups. Data collected included clinical details, biochemical markers, VAS and SAS scores, and preoperative dissection rupture occurrences. Criteria involved acute Stanford Type-A aortic dissection diagnosis and complete data. Exclusions encompassed rupture, vital sign instability after vasoactive drugs, or prolonged coma. Standardized methods were used for sample collection and analysis. The study’s design, duration, and location ensured comprehensive evaluation of the intervention’s effects on patients. Results: The experimental group showed significantly fewer deaths due to dissection rupture compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Initial VAS and SAS scores (T0) were similar between groups (P > 0.05), indicating good comparability. However, at T1, T2, and T3, analgesia and sedation were significantly better in the experimental group (P < 0.05). By T4, patient numbers were too low in both groups for a significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Preoperative endotracheal intubation combined with deep analgesia and sedation in patients with acute Stanford Type-A aortic dissection can produce good analgesic and sedative effects, effectively reduce the incidence of preoperative dissection rupture, and create conditions for subsequent surgical treatment of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Getting accurate and up-to-date information on the cultivated land area and spatial arrangement of maize, an important staple crop in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, is very important for planning agricultural development in the region and judging crop yields. This work proposes a machine-learning methodology to extract corn from medium-resolution photos obtained from the Sentinel-2 satellite. The Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform is utilized to facilitate the process. The identification of maize cultivation regions in Huinong District in the year 2021 was performed through the utilization of support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF) classification techniques. After obtaining the results, they were compared to see if using the random forest classification method to find planting areas for maize was possible and useful. Subsequently, the regions where maize was cultivated were combined with image data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), which has a high temporal resolution. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) contemporaneous difference method, which gives regular updates, was then used to track the growth of maize during its whole growth phase. The study's results show that using the GEE cloud platform made it easier to quickly map out data about where to plant maize in Huinong District. Furthermore, the implementation of the random forest method resulted in enhanced accuracy in extracting maize planting areas. The confusion matrix's evaluation of the classification performance produced an average overall accuracy of 98.9% and an average Kappa coefficient of 0.966. In comparison to the statistics yearbook of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the method employed in this study consistently yielded maize-planted area estimates in Huinong District with relative errors below 4% throughout the period spanning 2017 to 2021. The average relative error was found to be 2.04%. By combining MODIS image data with the NDVI difference model in the year 2021, the high-frequency monitoring of maize growth in Huinong District was successful. The growth of maize in Huinong District in 2021 exhibited comparable or improved performance in the seedling stage, nodulation stage, and the early stage of staminate pulling and spitting, possibly attributed to the impact of climate and other relevant elements. After that, the growth slowed down in August, and the percentage of regions with slower growth rates than in previous years gradually increased. However, overall, the growth of maize in Huinong District during the year 2021 showed improvement relative to the preceding years. The present study introduces a novel approach that demonstrates the capability to accurately extract corn crops in the Huinong District while simultaneously monitoring their growth at a high frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the identification of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in 2010, there has been an increase in reported cases in China and other Asian countries. Cardiac abnormalities are highly prevalent in SFTS patients. We searched 5 Chinese and international databases for published SFTS articles and extracted patient characteristics, cardiac complications, electrocardiography findings, and imaging findings. Twenty-seven studies were identified, covering 1938 patients and 621 cardiac abnormalities. Arrhythmia was the most prevalent, reported in 24 studies and 525 cases, with a prevalence of 27.09%. The 2 major types of arrhythmias were bradycardia and atrial fibrillation. Heart failure was the second most prevalent abnormality, with 77 cases. Changes in the ST segment and T wave were the most common. Valve regurgitation, reduced ejection fraction, and pericardial effusion were also documented. We recommend that physicians pay close attention to newly onset arrhythmia and structural heart disease in SFTS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) differ in onset of action and bioavailability. This trial was conducted to investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of an immediate‐release capsule formulation containing lansoprazole 30 mg and sodium bicarbonate 1100 mg (T preparation) in healthy Chinese subjects. This was an open, single‐center, randomized, single and multiple oral doses, and two‐period crossover study in 30 healthy subjects. After single‐ and multiple‐dose oral administration, blood samples were obtained and lansoprazole concentration in serum was measured for pharmacokinetic analysis. Meanwhile, the intragastric pH was monitored continuously to evaluate the pharmacodynamics of the investigational drugs. The Tmax of the T preparation was 0.5 hours, while the Tmax of the R preparation was 1.5 hours after multiple doses, which indicated that the absorption speed of the T preparation was significantly faster than that of the R preparation. The same characteristics also existed after single‐dose administration. The area under the curve (AUC)ss of the T preparation was bio‐equivalent to that of the R preparation under steady state. The time percentage of intragastric pH > 4.0 for the T preparation was higher than that of the R preparation after 1 hour for both single‐ and multiple‐dose. It suggested compared with R preparation, the time percentage of intragastric pH > 4.0 met the criteria for superiority after 1 hour administration for the T preparation. In addition, no serious adverse events occurred in this study. Across this study, the T preparation was better than the R preparation at improving drug absorption and increasing intragastric pH, and had a favorable safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolytes with ultra-low glass transition temperatures (Tg) are still a rarity. Herein, we report a series of free-flowing lignin polyelectrolytes with ultra-low Tg in the range of −57–9 °C, namely, deep eutectic supramolecular lignin (DESL). The enabling key principle is to couple the eutectic strategy with supramolecular polymerization, bypassing the exclusive reliance on the large size and flexible cation/anion pairs for flowable polyelectrolytes. Following this principle, various sugars have been successfully integrated with lignosulfonic acid via multiple hydrogen bondings, allowing for bulk yet free-flowing supramolecular materials. These DESLs are processible, adaptive, and compatible to serve as macromolecular solvents and are distinct from traditional polyelectrolyte solutions or chemical modification derivatives. The robustness and versatility of our approach provide a fresh opportunity for booming polyelectrolyte utilization, opening access to a yet unknown fluidic material class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing green and effective solvents is of significant importance for the utilization of lignin. Here, we demonstrated that biomass-derived polar aprotic solvents can serve as co-solvents with poly-deep eutectic solvents (PDESs) for massively dissolving various lignin samples at room temperature. The pristine PDESs were composed of polyethylene glycol derivatives and levulinic acid, while all of them exhibited poor solubility to enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL), sodium lignosulfonate (LS), and organosolv lignin (OL). With the further introduction of polar aprotic solvents, including dimethylisosorbide (DMI), dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene), N-formylmorpholine (NFM), and propylene carbonate (PC), synergy between the polar aprotic solvents and PDESs dramatically increased lignin solubility to 96.82%. PC and DMI were more suitable for assisting the solubilization of EHL and OL, while Cyrene and PC were targeted at the solubilization of LS in PDESs, respectively. Moreover, a new unified co-solvent solubilization mechanism relative to the Kamlet–Taft empirical parameters was proposed. The novel polar aprotic/PDES systems provide a new avenue for boosting the high utilization of lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase separation (PS) is a fundamental principle in diverse life processes including immunosurveillance. Despite numerous studies on PS, little is known about its dissolution. Here, it is shown that oleic acid (OA) dissolves the cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS)–deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) PS and inhibits immune surveillance of DNA. As solvent components control PS and metabolites are abundant cellular components, it is speculated that some metabolite(s) may dissolve PS. Metabolite‐screening reveals that the cGAS–DNA condensates formed via PS are markedly dissolved by long‐chain fatty acids, including OA. OA revokes intracellular cGAS–PS and DNA‐induced activation. OA attenuates cGAS‐mediated antiviral and anticancer immunosurveillance. These results link metabolism and immunity by dissolving PS, which may be targeted for therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Necroptosis is a novel type of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis. However, the role of necroptosis in ovarian cancer (OC) remains unclear. The present study investigated the prognostic value of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) and the immune landscape in OC. Methods: The gene expression profiling and clinical information were downloaded from the TCGA and GTEx databases. Differentially expressed NRGs (DE-NRGs) between OC and normal tissueswere identified. The regression analyses were conducted to screen the prognostic NRGs and construct the predictive risk model. Patients were then divided into high- and low-risk groups, and the GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore bioinformatics functions between the two groups. Subsequently, the risk level and immune status correlations were assessed through the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms. The tumor mutation burden (TMB) and the drug sensitivity were also analyzed based on the two-NRG signature in OC. Results: Totally 42 DE-NRGs were identified in OC. The regression analyses screened out two NRGs (MAPK10 and STAT4) with prognostic values for overall survival. The ROC curve showed a better predictive ability in five-year OS using the risk score. Immune-related functions were significantly enriched in the high- and low-risk group. Macrophages M1, T cells CD4 memory activated, T cells CD8, and T cells regulatory infiltration immune cells were associated with the low-risk score. The lower tumor microenvironment score was demonstrated in the high-risk group. Patients with lower TMB in the low-risk group showed a better prognosis, and a lower TIDE score suggested a better immune checkpoint inhibitor response in the high-risk group. Besides, cisplatin and paclitaxel were found to be more sensitive in the low-risk group. Conclusions: MAPK10 and STAT4 can be important prognosis factors in OC, and the two-gene signature performs well in predicting survival outcomes. Our study provided novel ways of OC prognosis estimation and potential treatment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have become attractive for strengthening and repairing deteriorated concrete structures. However, their poor high-temperature resistance and durability in some extreme environments, such as frequent water-vapor erosion and temperature changes, limit their application. Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) has been used to repair damaged concrete due to its excellent high-temperature resistance and durability. Therefore, this paper aims to study the compressive behavior of concrete columns strengthened with fiber-reinforced inorganic polymer (FRiP) composites based on magnesium phosphate cement so as to evaluate the confinement effect. Twenty-one cylindrical specimens were prepared to examine the axial compressive behavior of carbon-fiber-reinforced inorganic polymer (CFRiP) specimens based on magnesium phosphate cement confined by one to three layers of carbon-fiber fabrics. They are compared with concrete specimens strengthened with epoxy-based FRP and unconfined concrete specimens. The test results show that compared with the unconfined concrete specimen, the strength of the CFRiP-strengthened specimens based on magnesium phosphate increases by 1.69–2.50 times, and their ultimate strain is enlarged by 1.83–3.50 times. The strength and ultimate strain of the CFRiP-strengthened specimens based on magnesium phosphate are approximately 95% and 60% of those of the specimens strengthened with epoxy-based FRP, respectively. A semiempirical model of concrete confined by the CFRiP system based on magnesium phosphate cement is also proposed. The theoretical prediction is finally compared with the experimental results, indicating that the developed model provides a prediction close to the test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The identification of new and beneficial alternatives to antibiotics is of great value in ruminant farming. The combined addition of inulin and Chinese gallotannin to the diet could reduce the content of saturated fatty acids in mutton while increasing the content of unsaturated fatty acids. Besides, these supplements could also enhance the energy and lipid metabolism of Hu sheep, ultimately improving mutton quality and production performance. Thus, sheep producers are encouraged to consider using these dietary supplements to support better mutton production. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of inulin and Chinese gallotannin on the meat fatty acids and urinary metabolites in sheep. Twenty-four healthy (25.80 ± 3.85 kg) weaned Hu lambs of approximately 4.5 months old were equally divided into four groups: control group (basal diet), treatment group I (basal diet + 0.1% inulin), treatment group II (basal diet + 0.1% inulin + 2% Chinese gallotannin), and treatment group III (basal diet + 0.1% inulin + 2% Chinese gallotannin + 4% PEG). The contents of myristic acid (C14:0) and palmitic acid (C16:0) were found to be lower in treatment group II than in the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the palmitoleic acid (C16:1) content in treatment group II was notably higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05), while the elaidic acid (C18:1n9t) content in treatment group II was higher than that in other groups (p < 0.05). Besides, the linoleic acid (C18:2n6c) content was higher in the treatment II and control groups than in the treatment I and III groups. Furthermore, compared with the control group, both 4-pyridoxic acid and creatinine in treatment groups I and II were upregulated (p < 0.05), while other metabolites, such as nicotinuric acid, l-threonine, palmitic acid, and oleic acid, were drastically downregulated (p < 0.05). These differential metabolites were found to be mainly involved in nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism (ko00760), vitamin B6 metabolism (ko00750), and the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway (ko00061). It is concluded that the combination of inulin and Chinese gallotannin in the diet could improve the energy and lipid metabolism of sheep, which may improve both mutton quality and production performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its excellent programmability and biocompatibility, DNA molecule has unique advantages in cell surface engineering. Recent progresses provide a reliable and feasible way to engineer cell surfaces with diverse DNA molecules and DNA nanostructures. The abundant form of DNA nanostructures has greatly expanded the toolbox of DNA‐based cell surface engineering and gave rise to a variety of novel and fascinating applications. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA‐based cell surface engineering and its biological applications. We first introduce some widely used methods of immobilizing DNA molecules on cell surfaces and their application features. Then we discuss the approaches of employing DNA nanostructures and dynamic DNA nanotechnology as elements for creating functional cell surfaces. Finally, we review the extensive biological applications of DNA‐based cell surface engineering and discuss the challenges and prospects of DNA‐based cell surface engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA is well-documented to stimulate immune response. However, the nature of the DNA to activate immune surveillance is less understood. Here, we show that the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) depends on DNA mechanical flexibility, which is controlled by DNA-sequence, -damage and -length. Consistently, DNA-sequence was shown to control cGAS activation. Structural analyses revealed that a conserved cGAS residue (mouse R222 or human R236) contributed to the DNA-flexibility detection. And the residue substitution neutralised the flexibility-controlled DNA-potential to activate cGAS, and relaxed the DNA-length specificity of cGAS. Moreover, low dose radiation was shown to mount cGAS-mediated acute immune surveillance (AIS) via repairable (reusable) DNAs in hrs. Loss of cGAS-mediated AIS decreased the regression of local and abscopal tumours in the context of focal radiation and immune checkpoint blockade. Our results build a direct link between immunosurveillance and DNA mechanical feature. DNA is well-documented to stimulate immune response. Here the authors show that the activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) depends on DNA mechanical flexibility, itself determined by DNA-sequence, damage and length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and reliable determination of thrombomodulin (TM) is of great significance for the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation, thrombosis and others. This work exhibits an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) sensor, which was prepared using Ru(bpy)32+ encapsulated by MIL-NH2-101(Al) nanocomposites for the sensitive detection of the new-thrombus marker thrombomodulin (TM) for the first time. Specifically, on one hand, with the advantages of high specific surface area, large hollow porous structure and favorable biocompatibility, MIL-NH2-101(Al) could load a large amount of luminescent Ru(bpy)32+ and thereby greatly enhance the ECL signal of the immunosensor. On the other hand, K2S2O8 is used as co-reactant to form a reduction–oxidation ECL system for cathodic ECL detection with strong anti-interference capacity. The experimental results show that the ECL signal intensity of the Ru(bpy)32+@MIL-NH2-101(Al)-based immunosensor decreased with the immunocapturing of TM, exhibiting a linear detection concentration ranging from 1 × 10−5 to 10 μg mL−1 and the limit of detection (LOD) of 8.2 × 10−6 μg mL−1 (S/N = 3). With its ideal stability, selectivity and reproducibility, the proposed ECL immunosensor can provide excellent aid and shows great promise for the detection of TM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particulate matter with a diameter below 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is a major urban air pollutant. This is a well-acknowledged risk factor for diseases. PM2.5 positively correlates with the abundance and species of airborne bacteria. The sensitivity and fragility of neonates lead to this population being frequently admitted to the hospital and thus exposed to risk factors for nosocomial infection. However, the association between the outdoor PM2.5 concentration and nosocomial infection is under-researched. This study aimed to explore the association between the outdoor PM2.5 concentration and nosocomial bacterial infection in neonates. A total of 7482 neonates admitted to the neonatal ward at a hospital in Guangzhou, China, between 2017 and 2020 were recruited. Weather data and the average daily concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 within the same period were collected. Multivariable Fine–Gray competing risk models were constructed to explore the association between PM2.5 and nosocomial bacterial infections in the form of a PM2.5 single-pollutant model and PM2.5 + SO2, PM2.5 + NO2, and PM2.5 + PM2.5~10 double-pollutant models. Sixty-two neonates experienced nosocomial infections within the follow-up period. In the PM2.5 single-pollutant model, we found a positive association between PM2.5 and bacterial infection. Every 10-µg increase in the average of daily PM2.5 concentration was associated with an average of 27% (95% CI, 1.02–1.55, P = 0.03) higher subdistribution hazard rate of nosocomial infection. No statistically significant association with infection was found in the PM2.5 + SO2, PM2.5 + NO2, and PM2.5 + PM2.5~10 models. The outdoor PM2.5 concentration is positively associated with nosocomial bacterial infection in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the diagnostic value of Hcy combined with the blood pressure variability index in the severity of hypertension complicated with CSVD and its correlation with cognitive function and CysC expression. 200 patients with ischemic small cerebral vessels are selected as the research object. According to the MRI findings, they are divided into 48 cases of white matter lesions (WML), 44 cases of lacunar infarction (LI), 44 cases of enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVs), and 46 cases in the mixed group (referring to two or more types of ischemic cerebrovascular disease on imaging). Different cognitive domains of different types of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases are analyzed. The risk factors of cognitive decline in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease are analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. There is an ancestral correlation between serum Hcy and CSVD, which is an independent risk factor for CSVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulation of cell–cell interactions via cell surface engineering has potential biomedical applications in tissue engineering and cell therapy. However, manipulation of the comprehensive and multiple intercellular interactions remains a challenge and missing elements. Herein, utilizing a DNA triangular prism (TP) and a branched polymer (BP) as functional modules, we fabricate tunable DNA scaffold networks on the cell surface. The responsiveness of cell–cell recognition, aggregation and dissociation could be modulated by aptamer‐functionalized DNA scaffold networks with high accuracy and specificity. By regulating the DNA scaffold networks coated on the cell surface, controlled intercellular molecular transportation is achieved. Our tunable network provides a simple and extendible strategy which addresses a current need in cell surface engineering to precisely manipulate cell–cell interactions and shows promise as a general tool for controllable cell behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulation of cell–cell interactions via cell surface engineering has potential biomedical applications in tissue engineering and cell therapy. However, manipulation of the comprehensive and multiple intercellular interactions remains a challenge and missing elements. Herein, utilizing a DNA triangular prism (TP) and a branched polymer (BP) as functional modules, we fabricate tunable DNA scaffold networks on the cell surface. The responsiveness of cell–cell recognition, aggregation and dissociation could be modulated by aptamer‐functionalized DNA scaffold networks with high accuracy and specificity. By regulating the DNA scaffold networks coated on the cell surface, controlled intercellular molecular transportation is achieved. Our tunable network provides a simple and extendible strategy which addresses a current need in cell surface engineering to precisely manipulate cell–cell interactions and shows promise as a general tool for controllable cell behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effect of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) as a binder at different weight percentages, namely, 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15%, on the hydration, rheology, pore structure, and mechanical properties of ultra-high ductility cementitious composites (UHDCCs). The hydration kinetics with different CNF contents were studied using isothermal calorimetry (IC), showing a retardation effect on the early hydration of UHDCCs matrices at 70 h due to adsorption of CNFs on the surface of cement particles. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that CNFs improved the degree of hydration at 28 days by facilitating transport of water into unhydrated cement cores. The two rheological parameters, namely, the yield stress and plastic viscosity, of the fresh UHDCCs matrices increased with increasing CNF content. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis, as a nondestructive method, indicated that the addition of CNFs could reduce the porosity of the UHDCCs and refine their pore size distribution, and an 8.9–46.1% increase in the compressive strength of the corresponding specimens was found. Notably, CNFs increased the tensile initial cracking stress and tensile stress of UHDCCs by 91.2% and 30.8%, respectively, and maintained or increased their tensile strain-hardening capacity by over 8%. The flexural tests also found a 54.6% increase in the initial stress and a 14.8% increase in the peak stress. As a preliminary, CNFs show crucial promise as a greener nanomaterial to improve the strength and ductility of UHDCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid metal (LM)-based nano-inks are facing challenges for their use in wearable electronics due to their low colloidal/chemical stability, cost, potential hazards, and the lack of multifunction. Here, we demonstrate a dialdehyde xylan (DAX) stabilizing LM ink encompassing low-cost, long-term stability, biocompatibility, and catalytic activity. DAX with a high molecular weight was obtained by converting the industrial pulping byproducts, xylan, in water directly with sodium periodate (NaIO4) at room temperature. The DAX/LM ink revealed remarkable chemical and colloidal stability for a period of approximately 7 d, as well as high affinity to various substrates. Compared with other LM nano-inks, the DAX/LM ink showed a remarkable catalytic feature for ultrafast polymerization of vinyl monomers, as well as chemical reactivity to construct double network (DN) gels with motion-sensing properties. This work holds promises for the high value-added utilization of lignocellulosic biomass in the fields of future flexible electronic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the association between common pregnancy complications and low birth weight (LBW) neonates in preterm birth. Methods: The study included 1764 pregnant women who experienced a single birth prematurely at a city hospital in Guangzhou, China between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019. A total of 874 normal birth weight neonates and 890 LBW neonates were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify and measure risk factors; two‐tailed test was applied, with a p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Hypertension was the primary risk factor of LBW in preterm neonates, odds ratio (OR) = 2.912 (p < 0.001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.044–4.149), followed by hypothyroidism, OR = 1.807 (p = 0.046; 95% CI, 1.012–3.226), placental abruption, OR = 1.759 (p = 0.049; 95% CI, 1.002–3.087), reproductive tract infection, OR = 1.746 (p < 0.001; 95% CI, 1.325–2.301), abnormal amniotic fluid volume, OR = 1.737 (p = 0.003; 95% CI, 1.202–2.501), and fetal distress OR = 1.690 (p = 0.012; 95% CI, 1.120–2.551). Conclusion: Preventing risk factors, such as hypertension, hypothyroidism, and reproductive tract infections, during pregnancy may reduce the incidence of LBW neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the changes of intestinal flora in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and liver cancer and its correlation with abnormal gastrointestinal motility. Methods. From January 2018 to December 2020, 102 elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and liver cancer were selected as the observation group. Eighty-nine healthy patients during the same period were selected as the control group. The two groups of intestinal flora (intestinal microbial diversity) were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing. The two groups of serum motilin (MTL) and gastrin (GAS) levels were measured by the Hitachi automatic biochemical analyzer 7600. Pearson correlation analysis software was used to analyze the relationship between changes in the intestinal flora and gastrointestinal motility in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and liver cancer. Results. The contents of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the contents of Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori, and Streptococcus were higher than those in the control group. The Chaol index and Shannon index in the observation group were higher than those in the control group. The gastrointestinal motility levels MTL and GAS of the observation group were higher than those of the control group. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that the Chaol index and Shannon index of elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and liver cancer were positively correlated with MTL and GAS. Conclusion. Elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and liver cancer often have changes in the intestinal flora, which are correlated with abnormal gastrointestinal motility. Strengthening the analysis of changes in patients' intestinal flora can enhance clinical medication knowledge and improve gastrointestinal motility in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the characteristics of the immunoglobulin light-chain repertoires with chronic HBV infection, the high-throughput sequencing and IMGT/HighV-QUEST were adapted to analyze the κ (IgK) and λ (IgL) light-chain repertoires from the inactive HBV carriers (IHB) and the healthy adults (HH). The comparative analysis revealed high similarity between the κ light-chain repertoires of the HBV carriers and the healthy adults. Nevertheless, the proportion of IGLV genes with ≥90% identity as the germline genes was higher in the IgL light-chain repertoire of the IHB library compared with that of HH library (74.6% vs. 69.1%). Besides, the frequency of amino acid mutations in the CDR1 regions was significantly lower in the IgL light-chain repertoire of the IHB library than that of the HH library (65.52% vs. 56.0%). These results suggested the lower somatic mutation level in the IgL repertoire of IHB library, which might indicate the biased selection of IGLV genes in the IgL repertoire with chronic HBV infection. These findings might lead to a better understanding of the characteristics of the light-chain repertoires of HBV chronically infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the characteristics of the immunoglobulin light-chain repertoires with chronic HBV infection, the high-throughput sequencing and IMGT/HighV-QUEST were adapted to analyze the κ (IgK) and λ (IgL) light-chain repertoires from the inactive HBV carriers (IHB) and the healthy adults (HH). The comparative analysis revealed high similarity between the κ light-chain repertoires of the HBV carriers and the healthy adults. Nevertheless, the proportion of IGLV genes with ≥90% identity as the germline genes was higher in the IgL light-chain repertoire of the IHB library compared with that of HH library (74.6% vs. 69.1%). Besides, the frequency of amino acid mutations in the CDR1 regions was significantly lower in the IgL light-chain repertoire of the IHB library than that of the HH library (65.52% vs. 56.0%). These results suggested the lower somatic mutation level in the IgL repertoire of IHB library, which might indicate the biased selection of IGLV genes in the IgL repertoire with chronic HBV infection. These findings might lead to a better understanding of the characteristics of the light-chain repertoires of HBV chronically infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Ru(bpy)32+‐doped silica nanoparticles have been widely explored as the labelling tags for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing different targets, the poor electrical conductive properties of the silica nano‐matrix greatly limit their ECL sensitivity. Therefore, a novel scheme to overcome this drawback on Ru(bpy)32+‐doped silica nanoparticles ECL is desirable. Here, a new scheme for this purpose was developed based on electrochemically depositing a nanoscale chitosan hydrogel layer on the carbon nanotube (CNT) surface to form chitosan hydrogel shell@CNT core nanocomposites. In this case, the nanoscale chitosan hydrogel layer only formed on the CNT surface due to the superior electrocatalytic effect of CNT on H+ reduction compared with the basic glass carbon electrode. Due to both the superhydrophilic properties and polyelectrolyte features of nanoscale chitosan hydrogel on the CNT surface, chemical affinity as well as the electric conductivity between Ru(bpy)32+‐doped silica nanoparticles and CNT were obviously enhanced, and then the ECL effectivity of Ru(bpy)32+ inside silica nanoparticles was improved. Furthermore, based on the discriminative interaction of these Ru(bpy)32+‐doped silica nanoparticles towards both the ssDNA probes and the ssDNA probe/miRNA complex, as well as the specific adsorption effect of these nanoparticles on the nanoscale chitosan shell@Nafion/CNT core‐modified glass carbon electrode, a highly sensitive ECL method for miRNA determination was developed and successfully used to detect miRNA in human serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in many diseases and participate in posttranscriptional regulatory networks in tumors. However, the functions of major lncRNAs in cervical cancer are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to construct a lncRNA-mRNA coexpression functional network and analyze lncRNAs that might contribute to the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Methods: Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) between three pairs of cervical cancer tissues and adjacent mucosa were identified by lncRNA microarray analysis. LncRNA-mRNA correlation analysis and functional enrichment were performed on the DEGs. From the correlation network, PCBP1-AS1 was selected as a candidate for further analysis. PCBP1-AS1 expression was examined by qPCR, and Kaplan–Meier survival, clinicopathology, GSEA, and immune infiltration analysis of PCBP1-AS1 were performed. The immune responses of PCBP1-AS1 expression in cervical cancer were analyzed using TIMER and western blot. PCBP1-AS1 was knocked down and overexpressed to evaluate its role in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Results: A total of 130 lncRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in cervical cancer patient samples compared with control samples. Differentially expressed mRNAs in the lncRNA-mRNA interaction network were involved in the EMT process. Combined with the Kaplan–Meier survival analyses, the coexpression network revealed that PCBP1-AS1 was significantly associated with OS and clinicopathological parameters in cervical cancer patients. Moreover, PCBP1-AS1 expression was not only significantly increased in cervical cancer specimens but also associated with tumor stage, TNM, and invasion. GSEA revealed that PCBP1-AS1 is closely correlated with cell biological function via the p53 and notch signaling pathways. TIMER analysis revealed that the numbers of NK cells and M2 macrophages decreased when PCBP1-AS1 expression was high, which was consistent with the western blot results in clinical samples. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed that high expression of PCBP1-AS1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusions: Transcriptomic and lncRNA-mRNA correlation analyses revealed that PCBP1-AS1 plays a key role as an independent prognostic factor in patients with cervical cancer. The identification of PCBP1-AS1 as a new biomarker for cervical cancer could help explain how changes in the immune environment promote cervical cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the association between the source of dietary fat and blood pressure for Chinese people aged between 30–59 with the aim of elucidating methods of hypertension prevention. Design: Prospective cohort study using national survey data. Participants: 1,104 adults aged between 30–59 with normal blood pressures in 2006 were included in the study. Adults with history of prehypertension, hypertension, or were taking hypertension drugs in 2006 were excluded. Participants with implausibly high or low daily total energy intakes (<600 kcal/d or >5000 kcal/d) were excluded. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and people with motor impairment were excluded. Results: People with abnormal blood pressure ingested a lower percent of dietary fat taken from seafood (P < 0.001) and a higher percent of dietary fat taken from fast food (P < 0.001). Dietary fat obtained from seafood and dairy products can be protective against abnormal blood pressure with a RR = 0.01 (95% CI: 0.001 to 0.25; P = 0.004) for seafood, and RR = 0.14 (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.44; P = 0.001) for egg, milk, and dairy products. Conclusion: Seafood, egg, milk, and dairy products can be recommended as sources of dietary fat to reduce the incidence of hypertension and prehypertension while fast food should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-(N) and sulfur-(S) codoped carbon dots (N/S-CDs) are facilely developed by a one-pot hydrothermal process from thiourea and o-phenylenediamine as carbon precursors. The as-fabricated N/S-CDs reveal a high quantum yield of 26% and a large Stokes shift up to 106 nm under the excitation of 450 nm with good water dispersibility as well as antiphotobleaching. With addition of Fe3+, fluorescence quenching happens with a good linearity within 0.3–70 μM and a low detection limit of 0.19 μM. However, the quenched fluorescence could be rapidly recovered with the addition of monohydrogen phosphate ([HPO4]2–) due to formation of the stable complex [Fe-(HPO4)]+ by a competitive reaction between the N/S-CDs-Fe3+ complex and [HPO4]2–, a good linearity is in the range of 0.3–60 μM with a low detection limit of 0.27 μM. Thus, a significant "on–off–on" fluorescence response is performed with obvious color change from yellow-dark brown-yellow. In addition, the practical application and the confocal microscopic images all suggest that the N/S-CDs could target both Fe3+ and [HPO4]2– in living cells, implying that the N/S-CDs possess the diverse applications for Fe3+ and [HPO4]2– recognitions in biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-throughput antibody sequencing allows in-depth insights into human antibody repertoires. To investigate the characteristics of antibody repertoires in patients with chronic HBV infection, we performed Illumina sequencing and IMGT/HighV-QUEST analysis of B lymphocytes from healthy adults and the HBV carriers with high or low level of viral replication. The comparative study revealed high levels of similarity between the IgM and IgG repertoires of the HBV carriers and the healthy adults, including the somatic mutations in V regions, the average CDR3 length, and the occurrence of junctional modifications. Nevertheless, the diversity of the unique clones decreased and some clusters of unique clones expanded in the IgM repertoire of chronic HBV carriers (CHB) compared with healthy adults (HH) and inactive HBV carriers (IHB). Such difference in clone diversity and expansion was not observed in the IgG repertoires of the three populations. More shared antibody clones were found between the IgM repertoires of IHB and HH than that found between CHB and HH (7079 clones vs. 2304 clones). Besides, the biased used IGHD genes were IGHD2-2 and IGHD3-3 in CHB library but were IGHD3-10 and IGHD3-22 in IHB and HH library. In contrast, for IgG repertories, the preferred used VDJ genes were similar in all the three populations. These results indicated that low level of serum HBV might not induce significant changes in BCR repertoires, and high level of HBV replication could have more impacts on IgM repertories than IgG repertoires. Taken together, our findings provide a better understanding of the antibody repertoires of HBV chronically infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A turn-on spiropyran functionalized fluorescein derivative (FMC) is developed for targeting HS− in mitochondria. FMC exhibits very weak fluorescence at 525 nm under the excitation of 470 nm in aqueous solution due to its colorless spiropyran form; upon addition of HS−, a strong fluorescence enhancement by 6.4-fold is observed with spirocycle-opened merocyanine form and rapid trapping kinetics for HS−. FMC has good biocompatibility and high selectivity towards HS− with a detection limit of 88.2 nM and is very sensitive among the reported H2S fluorescent probes. Moreover, the significant colocalization of FMC with Mito Tracker® Deep Red FM in human laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma (HEp-2) cells and the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.87 together demonstrate that FMC can target and image the endogenous H2S in the mitochondria of living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated promising efficacy and tolerable safety for advanced malignancies. However, a proportion of patients who had received immunotherapy may experience hyperprogressive disease and a resultant poor prognosis. Here, we report a patient with advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma who developed hyperprogressive disease shortly after immunotherapy. This patient received nivolumab after multiple lines of treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and antiangiogenic therapy. Through the comprehensive analysis of NGS results, we concluded that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway might be associated with hyperprogressive disease after immunotherapy. Additionally, potential mechanisms underlying hyperprogressive disease after immunotherapy reported in other malignant tumors were also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly disease with a low 5-year survival rate. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy has been widely used in the treatment of malignancies, and chemotherapy regimens that include nimotuzumab have been confirmed to have satisfactory efficacy among esophageal carcinoma (EC) patients. However, a subpopulation of patients may develop resistance to nimotuzumab. Here, we report an advanced ESCC patient who experienced hyperprogressive disease induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors and was then treated with a chemotherapy regimen containing nimotuzumab. NGS examination of this patient demonstrated that PIK3CA mutation and a RICTOR amplification might participate in primary and acquired resistance to nimotuzumab, respectively, via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1 (Pin1) with C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in infants. A total of 84 hospitalized infants with CAP and 69 healthy infants were included in this study. The clinical manifestations and laboratory assay results of infants were recorded. Serum Pin1 level was estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The median serum Pin1 concentration in infants with CAP was significantly higher than that in controls (1.44 vs. 0.21 ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the combination Pin1, CRP and WBC (Pin1 + CRP + WBC, 0.943) was higher than Pin1, CRP, WBC alone or the combination of Pin1 and CRP (P < 0.05). The sensitivity of Pin1 + CRP + WBC (94.0%) was higher than that of Pin1, CRP, WBC alone, or any two combined (P < 0.05). Pin1 + CRP + WBC also had a high negative predictive value (91.4%). Moreover, serum Pin1 alone had a high specificity (97.0%) and excellent positive predictive value (96.6%) for infants with CAP, which were higher than WBC, Pin1 and WBC in combination, CRP and WBC in combination, and Pin1 + CRP + WBC (P < 0.05). Therefore, serum Pin 1 was highly expressed in infants with CAP and can singly or in combination with CRP and WBC represent promising novel predictors for infants with CAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of efficient solvents to dissolve lignocellulose and its main components is of significant importance for the utilization/transformation of lignocellulose. Herein, several ionic liquid (IL)-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were prepared using four ILs as the hydrogen bond acceptors and four different hydrogen bond donors, including thiourea (TU), N-methylthiourea (NMTU), glycerol (Gly), and ethylene glycol (EG). Using the dissolution of xylan (a typical type of hemicellulose) as the example, it was observed that the synthesized IL-based DESs could efficiently dissolve xylan. Especially in the DES formed from 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and EG, the xylan solubility could reach as high as 40.4 wt% at 343.15 K. More importantly, the solubility of xylan in IL-based DESs was much higher than that in the corresponding IL. The enhancement effect might be ascribed to that the formation of DESs could significantly decrease the viscosity and increase the hydrogen bond accepting ability. Additionally, the regeneration of the xylan from the DESs could be easily realized using ethanol as the anti-solvent, and the regenerated xylan kept a high consistency with the original xylan. Ionic liquid-based deep eutectic solvents were designed for highly efficient dissolution of xylan owing to the decreased viscosity and the increased hydrogen-bond accepting ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of superplasticizer agent and retarder on the apparent viscosity, thixotropy and rheological properties of 3D printing building mortars at different shear rates were investigated. The results show that when the amount of superplasticizer agent is increased, the apparent viscosity is almost unchanged, the thixotropy will first decrease and then tend to be unchanged, the plastic viscosity will decrease first and then increase, and the yield stress will gradually decrease; the retarder will increase the apparent viscosity of the 3D printing building mortar and increase the yield stress of the slurry. When the amount is higher, the thixotropy of the mortar will increase. The rheological properties of 3D printing mortar can be improved by adding appropriate superplasticizer and retarder, which can meet the printing requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]