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Background: Probiotics can colonize both the human and animal bodies and consist of active microorganisms that are beneficial to health. The use of probiotics has been shown to alleviate certain neurological diseases and disturbances in gut microbiota resulting from chronic ethanol exposure. Research indicates that probiotics can influence the nervous system via the microbial-gut-brain axis, wherein extracellular vesicles secreted by the gut microbiota play a significant role in this process. Results: In this study, we first established a 30-day ethanol exposure and probiotic gavage mouse model, both of which influenced behavior and the composition of gut microbiota. We then extracted gut microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles from the feces of these model mice and injected them into new mice via the tail vein to assess the role of each set of extracellular vesicles. The results indicated that the extracellular vesicles derived from the intestinal microbiota in the ethanol group induced anxiety-like behavior and hippocampal neuroinflammation in the recipient mice. In contrast, the extracellular vesicles secreted by the gut microbiota from the probiotic group mitigated the anxiety-like behavior and neuroinflammation induced by ethanol-influenced extracellular vesicles. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that extracellular vesicles secreted by the gut microbiota can influence the nervous system via the microbial-gut-brain axis. Furthermore, we found that the extracellular vesicles secreted by the gut microbiota from the probiotic group exert a beneficial therapeutic effect on anxiety and hippocampal neuroinflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic ethanol exposure (CEE) is recognized as an important risk factor for depression, and the gut-brain axis has emerged as a key mechanism underlying chronic ethanol exposure-induced anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are the key metabolites generated by gut microbiota from insoluble dietary fiber, exert protective roles on the central nervous system, including the reduction of neuroinflammation. However, the link between gut microbial disturbances caused by chronic ethanol exposure, production of SCFAs, and anxiety and depression-like behaviors remains unclear. Methods: Initially, a 90-day chronic ethanol exposure model was established, followed by fecal microbiota transplantation model, which was supplemented with SCFAs via gavage. Anxiety and depression-like behaviors were determined by open field test, forced swim test, and elevated plus-maze. Serum and intestinal SCFAs levels were quantified using GC-MS. Changes in related indicators, including the intestinal barrier, intestinal inflammation, neuroinflammation, neurotrophy, and nerve damage, were detected using Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and Nissl staining. Results: Chronic ethanol exposure disrupted with gut microbial homeostasis, reduced the production of SCFAs, and led to anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Recipient mice transplanted with fecal microbiota that had been affected by chronic ethanol exposure exhibited impaired intestinal structure and function, low levels of SCFAs, intestinal inflammation, activation of neuroinflammation, a compromised blood-brain barrier, neurotrophic defects, alterations in the GABA system, anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Notably, the negative effects observed in these recipient mice were significantly alleviated through the supplementation of SCFAs. Conclusion: SCFAs not only mitigate damage to intestinal structure and function but also alleviate various lesions in the central nervous system, such as neuroinflammation, and reduce anxiety and depression-like behaviors, which were triggered by transplantation with fecal microbiota that had been affected by chronic ethanol exposure, adding more support that SCFAs serve as a bridge between the gut and the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly identified tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Dabie Banda virus (DBV). The virus was first discovered in eastern China in 2009 and is now considered an infectious disease with a mortality rate ranging from 6.3% to 30%. The best strategy for controlling SFTS is to develop effective vaccines. However, no approved vaccines are currently available to prevent this disease, despite the number of extensive and in-depth studies conducted on DBV in the past few years. This review focuses on the structure of DBV and the induced host immune responses which are the fundamental factors in vaccine development, and thoroughly summarizes the current research progress on DBV vaccines. The developing DBV vaccines include protein subunit vaccines, live attenuated vaccines, recombinant virus vector vaccines, and DNA vaccines. At present, almost all candidate vaccines for DBV are in the laboratory development or preclinical stages. There remain challenges in successfully developing clinically approved DBV vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of 15% azelaic acid (AzA) gel in treating acne-induced post-inflammatory erythema (PIE) and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). The effects of 15% AzA gel on acne, skin barrier function, and quality of life were also evaluated. Methods: A total of 72 patients with mild to moderate acne were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients were divided into two groups: patients in the AzA group applied 15% AzA gel twice daily for 12 weeks, and those in the placebo group applied AzA-free gel. Clinical evaluations using non-invasive skin detection technologies, including VISIA skin analysis, dermoscopy, and skin physiological function tests, were performed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Main outcome measures included the post-acne hyperpigmentation index (PAHPI), melanin, hemoglobin, individual typology angle, water content, transepidermal water loss, and sebum. Investigator Global Assessment) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) assessments were conducted at weeks 0 and 12. Adverse reactions were recorded. Results: Of the 72 patients at study initiation, 60 completed the trial. At 8 and 12 weeks, patients in the AzA group showed significantly reduced PAHPI for PIE lesions compared to baseline and patients receiving placebo (P < 0.05). Patients in both groups exhibited reduced PIH lesions at weeks 8 and 12 that differed significantly from baseline (P < 0.05). Hemoglobin content decreased significantly in AzA-treated PIE lesions compared to those treated with placebo at week 12 (P < 0.05). Melanin content decreased significantly in AzA-treated PIH lesions at week 12 (P < 0.05). The AzA group showed higher improvement in DLQI (P < 0.05), and greater overall satisfaction (P < 0.05) compared to placebo. Conclusion: The results indicate that 15% AzA gel effectively improved acne-induced PIE and PIH with minimal adverse reactions, making it a viable clinical application. In the study population, it had no adverse effects on skin barrier function and contributed positively to acne improvement and patient quality of life. Trial Registration: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR.org.cn) under the identifier ChiCTR2300076959. The registration date was 25 October 2023, retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distinguished from the goods-dominant logic, service-dominant logic has suggested customers are value cocreators. However, in boutique hotels where services are highly individualized and interactive between hotel staff and customers, the role of customer value cocreating might be different compared to a normal service encounter. Yet limited studies have demonstrated whether customers' value cocreation behaviors have changed in boutique hotels and its corresponding mechanism. This study aims to fulfill this gap by examining customer value cocreation behavior (i.e., citizenship behavior via feedback, advocacy, helping and tolerance) from the impact of hospitableness (personalization, warm welcome, deeper connection, and comfort), perceived value, and satisfaction. Data were obtained in China via an online marketing research panel. Results from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that both hospitableness and perceived value positively affect satisfaction, while perceived value also partially mediates the relationship between hospitableness and satisfaction. An interesting finding indicates that satisfaction impacts citizenship behavior in a following descending order: advocacy, feedback, helping, and tolerance. Two demographic variables (i.e., marital status, household incomes) were found to moderate the relationship between satisfaction and citizenship behavior. This study contributes to the literature on service-dominant logic, value cocreation, and boutique guest experiences. Managerial implications for facilitating the value cocreation process are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The embedded shear connector with flanges (ESCF) exhibits excellent shear performance in the steel–concrete composite beam. The ESCF consists of embedded corrugated steel web as the shear connector and shape-matched flanges for construction convenience. However, previous research showed that the steel flange of the ESCF was prone to local buckling when subjected to shear force, resulting in insufficient shear strength of the connector. In this paper, head studs were adopted to reinforce the ESCF at the flange with a large width-to-thickness ratio. Nine stud-reinforced embedded shear connectors with flanges (SR-ESCF) were manufactured to conduct the push-out test to investigate the shear performance of SR-ESCF. The effects of the reinforcing studs, thickness of the web, width-to-thickness ratio of the flange, embedding depth of the web, and diameter of the combined rebar on shear strength of the SR-ESCF were revealed and discussed thoroughly. The push-out test results showed that the head studs significantly improved the initial stiffness and load-bearing capacity of the ESCF, which were increased by 17% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, the head studs prevented local buckling of the steel flange. The shear strength of the specimens was greatly influenced by the embedding depth of the web, the width-to-thickness ratio of the flange as well as the reinforcing studs. However, the diameter of the combined rebar and thickness of the web had negligible effects on the shear capacity of the SR-ESCF. According to the test results, the nonlinear finite element model (FEM) and the shear capacity of SR-ESCF prediction formula were created and verified. Furthermore, the layout of the reinforcing studs welded on the flange of the SR-ESCF was optimized by the validated FEM, which indicated that the shear-bearing capacity of the SR-ESCF could be significantly increased by adding studs on the steel flange near the original studs. This research will be of great significance to the design and implementation of the steel–concrete composite beam bridge with corrugated steel web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands with both land and sea characteristics provide the foundation for protecting the marine environment, preserving the ecological balance of the ocean, and fostering sustainable economic and social growth. Advanced monitoring technologies have boosted the collection of multi-source data of islands, but the isolation and insufficiency of data are harmful to the development and management of islands. To form a coherent and complete understanding of islands, it is necessary to convert the multi-source data into knowledge-based information. This paper proposes an island knowledge graph construction method based on the combination of entity dictionary and rule patterns, and builds the island knowledge graph (ISLKG) from the top to bottom. An ontology layer is initially created to standardize island knowledge, followed by the collection, transformation, and extraction of entities and relationships from multi-source data in order to construct an island knowledge graph. Then, a knowledge reasoning model based on knowledge graph embedding is used for knowledge completion, improving the ISLKG. Finally, the knowledge inference model was verified based on the constructed island knowledge graph. The results indicate that the model can effectively predict missing entities and complement the island knowledge graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental performance is extremely vital for sustainable growth in China, and the impact of a regional integration policy plays an important role in improving environmental performance. However, current studies are weak in causal inference, and firm-level evidence is lacking. As a result, taking the Outline of the Pearl River Delta Reform and Development Plan as a quasi-natural experiment, with propensity score matching and difference-in-differences methods, this paper investigates the effect of regional integration on firms' environmental performance. Our empirical results show that regional integration can significantly improve corporate environmental performance; specifically, the regional integration will result in an increase in the output value, of 46.7%, 22.3%, and 68.1% per unit emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2), industrial wastewater (WATER), and industrial smoke and dust (SD). Moreover, the impact of regional integration differs across different industries. For SO2, the impact of regional integration is greater for the petroleum processing, coking and nuclear fuel processing industries, and special equipment manufacturing; in terms of WATER, the impact is much higher in the tobacco products industry and printing and the reproduction of recording media industry; for SD, the petroleum processing, coking, and nuclear fuel processing industries are highly impacted. Finally, this impact also differs for core and peripheral cities. For policy implications, first, regional integration policies are highly recommended, and China is implementing regional integration in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei area and Yangtze River Delta, and these policies should be enhanced for other areas. Second, to maximize the effect of regional integration, the government needs to combine regional industrial structural characteristics to formulate industrial and environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu-based nanocatalysts are the cornerstone of various industrial catalytic processes. Synergistically strengthening the catalytic stability and activity of Cu-based nanocatalysts is an ongoing challenge. Herein, the high-entropy principle is applied to modify the structure of Cu-based nanocatalysts, and a PVP templated method is invented for generally synthesizing six-eleven dissimilar elements as high-entropy two-dimensional (2D) materials. Taking 2D Cu2Zn1Al0.5Ce5Zr0.5Ox as an example, the high-entropy structure not only enhances the sintering resistance from 400 °C to 800 °C but also improves its CO2 hydrogenation activity to a pure CO production rate of 417.2 mmol g−1 h−1 at 500 °C, 4 times higher than that of reported advanced catalysts. When 2D Cu2Zn1Al0.5Ce5Zr0.5Ox are applied to the photothermal CO2 hydrogenation, it exhibits a record photochemical energy conversion efficiency of 36.2%, with a CO generation rate of 248.5 mmol g−1 h−1 and 571 L of CO yield under ambient sunlight irradiation. The high-entropy 2D materials provide a new route to simultaneously achieve catalytic stability and activity, greatly expanding the application boundaries of photothermal catalysis. Synergistically enhancing catalytic stability and activity of Cu-based nanocatalysts is an ongoing challenge. Here the authors report Cu-based high-entropy two-dimensional oxide as stable and active catalyst for photothermal CO2 hydrogenation under ambient sunlight irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of colossal barocaloric effects in organic plastic crystals has significantly advanced the development of solid‐state refrigerant techniques. Adapting to the real application, a tradeoff of various barocaloric performances has to be achieved. Here, it is reported a novel plastic crystal system, that is, carboranes (C2B10H12), including three positional isomers: ortho‐carborane, meta‐carborane, and para‐carborane, which are characterized by C2v, C2v, D5d point groups, respectively. They all undergo an orthorhombic‐to‐tetragonal phase transition around room temperature. Compared to the previously reported organic plastic crystals, this system exhibits a combination of large pressure‐normalized entropy changes, the high‐pressure sensitivity of the transition temperature, small thermal hysteresis, and so forth. Their barocaloric performances are positional‐isomerism dependent, and the best performances are obtained in para‐carborane with maximum entropy changes of about 106.2 J kg−1 K−1 achieved under pressure changes below 30 MPa. This study not only suggests that carboranes would be a considerably promising working material for barocaloric refrigeration at room temperature but also indicates that delicate tuning of molecular isomerism is an effective strategy to enhance barocaloric performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional antitumor chemotherapeutics generally have shortcomings in terms of dissolubility, selectivity and drug action time, and it has been difficult to achieve high antitumor efficacy with single-drug therapy. At present, combination therapy with two or more drugs is widely used in the treatment of cancer, but a shortcoming is that the drugs do not reach the target at the same time, resulting in a reduction in efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to design a carrier that can release two drugs at the same site. We designed an injectable pH-responsive OE peptide hydrogel as a carrier material for the antitumor drugs gemcitabine (GEM) and paclitaxel (PTX) that can release drugs at the tumor site simultaneously to achieve the antitumor effect. After determining the optimal gelation concentration of the OE polypeptide, we conducted an in vitro release study to prove its pH sensitivity. The release of PTX from the OE hydrogel in the medium at pH 5.8 and pH 7.4 was 96.90% and 38.98% in 7 days. The release of GEM from the OE hydrogel in media with pH of 5.8 and 7.4 was 99.99% and 99.63% in 3 days. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and circular dichroism (CD) experiments were used to observe the microstructure of the peptides. The circular dichroism of OE showed a single negative peak shape when under neutral conditions, indicating a β-folded structure, while under acidic conditions, it presented characteristics of a random coil. Rheological experiments were used to investigate the mechanical strength of this peptide hydrogel. Furthermore, the treatment effect of the drug-loaded peptide hydrogel was demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results show that the peptide hydrogels have different structures at different pH values and are highly sensitive to pH. They can reach the tumor site by injection and are induced by the tumor microenvironment to release antitumor drugs slowly and continuously. This biologically functional material has a promising future in drug delivery for combination drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barocaloric effect is the thermal response of materials to the external pressures, which provides a promising alternative to the current vapor-compression refrigeration. The effect has been widely observed in a variety of materials. Here, we report giant barocaloric effects in formamidinium iodide [CH(NH2)2I] that was known as the main precursor to synthesize the hybrid perovskite photovoltaic materials. The compound exhibits two successive phase transitions at 345 and 386 K, where isothermal entropy changes of about 50 J kg−1 K−1 are found under applied pressures below 60 MPa. As for the low-temperature transition with the thermal hysteresis of about 6 K, we obtain a refrigerant capacity of 179 J kg−1 under a pressure change of 100 MPa and an estimated adiabatic temperature change of about 24 K. Temperature- and pressure-dependent Raman scattering measurements indicate that the phase transitions and the barocaloric effects are attributed to influences on hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite great efforts that have been made to develop high performance carbonaceous materials via structure design for charge storage applications, constructing tubular architectures composed of hierarchically nanoscale building units is challenging due to the lack of suitable synthetic method. Herein, using zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) as the self‐template and electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers as the sacrificial core, hierarchically tubular architectures composed of hollow N‐doped carbon polyhedrons (T‐HNCPs) are successfully obtained. Due to its unique structural characteristics and the merit of N‐doping, the as‐prepared T‐HNCPs electrode with much open structure (average pore size of ≈2.38 nm and specific surface area of 1302.5 m2 g−1) exhibits improved specific gravimetric capacitances of 351.2 and 230.4 F g−1 at 1 and 20 A g−1 (corresponding to 65.6% retention), respectively, together with outstanding charge/discharge stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes as promising alternatives to natural enzymes have attracted enormous attentions for their high robustness, low cost, and tunable activity. Among various candidates, carbonaceous nanomaterials possess extra advantage features of designable surface properties and good biocompatibility. However, their peroxidase-like activity is typically moderate owing to the short half-life of radical hydroxyl (·OH), the poor catalytic activity and substrate affinity. Herein, we synthesize Fe,N-doped carbon (Fe,N-C-800) via pyrolyzing Fe-doped ZIF-8 (ZnFe-ZIF) in NH3 at 800 °C. Fe,N-C-800 shows excellent peroxidase mimic with outstanding substrate affinity and catalytic velocity superior to the advanced Fe single-atom catalyst. The excellent enzyme-like performance is ascribed to the synergistic contributions of Fe- and N-doping. Fe functions as catalytic center while pyrrolic N absorbs TMB (3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine) substrate and enhances the electron density of Fe sites, thereby shortening the migration distance of ·OH and further improving the catalytic activity. Based on Fe,N-C-800, disposable paper bioassays are fabricated and exhibit ultrasensitive detection of H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous stimulation of inflammation is harmful to tissues of an organism. Inflammatory mediators not only have an effect on metabolic and inflammatory bone diseases but also have an adverse effect on certain genetic and periodontal diseases associated with bone destruction. Inflammatory factors promote vascular calcification in various diseases. Vascular calcification is a pathological process similar to bone development, and vascular diseases play an important role in the loss of bone homeostasis. The NLRP3 inflammasome is an essential component of the natural immune system. It can recognize pathogen-related molecular patterns or host-derived dangerous signaling molecules, recruit, and activate the pro-inflammatory protease caspase-1. Activated caspase-1 cleaves the precursors of IL-1β and IL-18 to produce corresponding mature cytokines or recognizes and cleaves GSDMD to mediate cell pyroptosis. In this review, we discuss the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in bone diseases and vascular calcification caused by sterile or non-sterile inflammation and explore potential treatments to prevent bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pediatric SAPHO syndrome is regarded as the equivalent of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis or chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and treatment options for Chinese pediatric patients with SAPHO syndrome. Method: We conducted a single-center, retrospective study on a sample of 24 pediatric patients with SAPHO syndrome who were diagnosed at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2014 to August 2018. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, histological, and therapeutic data were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 15 boys and 9 girls were included. The mean age of onset of bone and skin symptoms was 11.7 ± 3.8 and 14.4 ± 2.7 years, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 39.2 months. Seventeen patients had skin manifestations (46% had severe acne, 100% were boys; 21% had palmoplantar pustulosis, 100% were girls). Bone lesions were localized in four of the following major regions: anterior chest wall (42%), mandible (29%), peripheral bones (50%), and spine and sacroiliac joints (21%). Six patients had been treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 10 with bisphosphonate, 10 with a tumor necrosis factor-α antagonist, and 1 with glucocorticoids, with variable responses. A total of 70% of the patients had complete remission after bisphosphonate or TNF-α antagonist therapy. Conclusion: Pediatric patients with SAPHO syndrome have different characteristics from other cohorts in the sex ratio, frequency of mandibular involvement, and sex distribution of skin lesions. Bisphosphonate and TNF-α antagonists show a favorable response in pediatric SAPHO syndrome treatment. Key points •Being the first study that describes an Asian pediatric SAPHO case series. •Chinese pediatric patients with SAPHO syndrome have different characteristics from Chinese adult patients and Caucasian pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major obstacle to developing nanozymes which are considered as promising alternatives to natural enzymes is their moderate performance, including poor affinity for substrates, low catalytic activity, and severe pH-dependence. To address these issues, herein, we synthesize ultrathin layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets with a thickness of 1.4 nm and an average lateral size of 23 nm using a fast-precipitation method. Through the rational design of their compositions, it is found that NiMn LDHs exhibit the optimum peroxidase mimicking performance with excellent substrate affinity, high catalytic activity (a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 μM H2O2) and robustness in a wide pH range (from 2.6 to 9.0), which is superior to that of natural horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The main active centers are identified as Mn sites because of their strong Lewis acidity and low redox potential. Furthermore, a series of disposable paper bioassays based on NiMn LDH nanozymes are designed and used for the highly sensitive detection of H2O2 and ascorbic acid (AA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new two-step method to fabricate silver-silicon gratings that can excite surface plasmons efficiently. The grating structure was firstly created on a flat silicon substrate by single-pulse nanosecond laser interference lithography. Next, a silver layer of 50 nm was evaporated on the silicon substrate. With proper laser energy, a silver-silicon grating with a period of 1120 nm and depth of 18 nm was successfully fabricated. This grating can produce high-quality surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks at various incident angles. Moreover, a SPR sensor was experimentally demonstrated based on the silver-silicon grating, which had high sensitivity of 961.5 nm/RIU and figure of merit of 60. Our method is an efficient way to fabricate periodically nanostructured metals at high speed and low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swirl atomizers are commonly used by refining and chemical companies to wash out ammonium chloride deposits. Experiments and numerical simulation were performed to investigate the atomization and mixing characteristics of swirl atomizers. The volume‐of‐fluid Lagrangian method was applied in the simulation, and its results were compared with experimental data to validate its accuracy. Results demonstrated that the entrainment effect of the airflow changed the atomization angle and coverage area of water. Momentum exchanges between water and airflow promoted the fracture of liquid membranes and formed small droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The clinical outcome of bullous pemphigoid appears worse in patients with infectious complications, and assessment of the prevalence and risk factors of infectious complications could be necessary to plan preventative strategies and to instruct the treatment plans. We sought to determine the risk factors of infection and compare associated factors in inpatients and outpatients with different system infections. Design: This is a single-centered retrospective study on the medical records of 252 patients from 2010 to 2018 at the dermatology department, Peking Union Medical College. Medical profiles of medical history, diagnosis, infectious complications, and treatment plans were analyzed. The associated factors were compared between the subgroups, including inpatients and outpatients, different body sites of infection. Results: Of the total 252 patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP), 81 patients (81/252, 32.1%) had infectious complications. Forty-eight patients died from pulmonary infections (11/48, 22.9%), cardiovascular diseases (6/48, 12.5%), and other diseases. Infections were most frequently found in skin/mucosa (44/252, 17.5%), respiratory system (32/252, 12.7%), and blood (10/252, 4.0%). On multivariate analysis, risk factors of infections in BP were maximal control dose of corticosteroids (OR 2.539, 95% CI 1.456–4.430, p = 0.001), low serum albumin level (OR 2.557, 95% CI 1.283, 5.092, p = 0.007), hospitalization (OR 4.025, 95% CI 2.289, 7.079, p < 0.001), comorbidities including respiratory disease (OR 4.060, 95% CI, 1.861, 8.858, p < 0.001), eye disease (OR 4.431, 95% CI 1.864, 10.532, p < 0.001), and diabetes (OR 2.667, 95% CI 1.437, 4.949, p = 0.002). The rate of infection was significantly higher in inpatients compared to that in outpatients (54.0 vs. 20.6%, p < 0.001), with diverse risk factors. Mucocutaneous infections were associated with a maximal control dose of corticosteroid and other dermatoses. Respiratory infections were related to respiratory disease and old age, and hematologic infection was associated with low serum hemoglobin levels and mucosal involvement of BP. Both of them were associated with mucosal involvement of BP and high titer anti-BP180 antibody. Conclusions: Infectious complications of bullous pemphigoid are common and are associated with mucosal involvement of BP, more comorbidities, the higher dose of corticosteroids, and the lower level of serum albumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demands of portable, flexible, and wearable electronics have greatly stimulated the development of miniaturized supercapacitors (MSCs) with features of high flexibility, low weight, long lifespan, and safety. The techniques which can effectively incorporate functional nanomaterials into flexible electrodes are extremely important for future wide‐spread applications of MSCs, and thus are identified as the research focus in the field. Herein, this review focuses on recent advances in the fabrication of flexible electrodes and their applications in MSCs. In particular, the principles of the newly developed fiber spinning techniques and their utilization in designing microstructures and resulting electrochemical properties of fibrous electrodes are first described. Second, a few novel approaches to prepare planar MSCs and their special advantages are introduced, and third, the state‐of‐the‐art research in 3D stereo MSCs based on 3D printing and morphing technologies are discussed. In the end, the prospects and key challenges based on the considerations of performance improvement, device design, and system integration are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes have been extensively investigated to imitate protein enzymes in biomimetic chemistry and the identification of the active site is believed to be the pre-requisite before one can effectively regulate their activity. Herein, ultrathin NiCo LDH nanosheets are synthesized via a fast co-precipitation at room temperature and can be stably dispersed in water without any additives of surfactants or organic solvents. By tuning the ratio between Ni and Co in LDH nanosheets, the activity is tuned and their peroxidase-like activity is determined by Co sites that show higher affinity to both 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) due to the strong Lewis acidity of Co3+ and the low redox potential of Co3+/Co2+. Together with their small crystallite size, ultra-thin thickness and tunable composition, NiCo LDH is used as a nanozyme for highly sensitive colorimetric detection of H2O2 and the limit of detection (LOD) reaches 0.48 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with small particle sizes and incorporated redox sites have attracted tremendous attention as promising electrode materials in supercapacitors (SCs). However, their wide adoption is seriously limited by their poor conductivity and complicated preparation route. Herein, we report a low-cost, single-step method to assemble free-standing laminated hybrid films via the synchronous reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and formation of copper-based MOFs. During this process, small Cu-MOF nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean diameter of 50 nm are in situ embedded in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to overcome the insulating problem of MOFs and the restacking of the rGO nanosheets. Due to the positive synergistic effects between Cu-MOF crystals and rGO nanosheets, the hybrid Cu-MOF/rGO film electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 1871 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and a good electrochemical stability with 89% retention after 5000 charge–discharge cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising of flexible and potable electronics urgently calls for matchable and miniaturized energy storage system as power supply. Herein, we develop a solution‐processable method to fabricate Ni@Ni(OH)2 fiber to design an all‐solid‐state fiber‐shaped Zn//Ni(OH)2 battery. This battery exhibits a high open circuit voltage of 1.75 V which is close to the theoretical value, considerable discharge capacity of 704 μAh cm−3 at current density of 0.5 A g−1, good rate capability with 75 % capacity retention when the discharge current increases from 0.5 A g−1 to 5 A g−1 and good cycling stability (92 % capacity retention after 2000 charge‐discharge cycles). Furthermore, the device performance remains unchanged under bending conditions, showing good flexibility and stability. It is believed that our design provides a promising strategy to fabricate long fiber‐shaped Zn//Ni(OH)2 battery as power supply for wearable electronics in future practical applications. A novel all‐solid‐state fiber‐shaped Zn//Ni(OH)2 battery has been fabricated by a solution‐processable method. This battery exhibits considerable discharge capacity, good rate capability and outstanding cycling stability. Furthermore, the device performance almost remains unchanged under different bending conditions, illustrating good flexibility. Our design provides a promising strategy for wearable electronics in future practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of lncRNAs in CRC metabolism, especially glucose metabolism remains largely unknown. In this study, we identify a lncRNA, GLCC1, which is significantly upregulated under glucose starvation in CRC cells, supporting cell survival and proliferation by enhancing glycolysis. Mechanistically, GLCC1 stabilizes c-Myc transcriptional factor from ubiquitination by direct interaction with HSP90 chaperon and further specifies the transcriptional modification pattern on c-Myc target genes, such as LDHA, consequently reprogram glycolytic metabolism for CRC proliferation. Clinically, GLCC1 is associated with tumorigenesis, tumor size and predicts poor prognosis. Thus, GLCC1 is mechanistically, functionally, and clinically oncogenic in colorectal cancer. Targeting GLCC1 and its pathway may be meaningful for treating patients with colorectal cancer. lncRNA and cellular metabolism are frequently dysregulated in cancer. In this study, the authors discover the lncGLCC1 is increased in colorectal cancer cells under glucose starvation conditions and correlates with poor prognosis in this cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]