Search

Phycoerythrin (PE) is a naturally occurring plant protein of algal origin. The colour, bioactivity and stability of PE are inextricably linked to its structure. PE has powerful antioxidant properties that effectively prevent oxidative stress and cellular damage, for which the chromophore structure plays a key role. However, the relationship between the chromophore and thermal stability is unclear in PE. The environmental factors affecting the thermal stability of PE are mainly light, high temperature and extreme pH. PE stability can be enhanced through various techniques, including the incorporation of additives, cross-linking processes, and the formation of complexes. Improving the stability of PE is of significant importance for its applications within the food industry. This paper outlines the structural characteristics of PE, discusses the relationship between its structure and antioxidant activity, and focuses on the application of PE in the food industry, as well as the factors affecting its stability and strategies for its improvement., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Side branch stenting is often required during provisional stenting, leading to suboptimal results. Drug-coated balloons (DCB) for the compromised side branch have emerged as an attractive strategy. However, the benefit of DCB for coronary bifurcations remains unclear., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether DCB, compared with a noncompliant balloon (NCB), for the pinched side branch improves the outcomes of provisional stenting in patients with simple, true coronary bifurcations., Methods: In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, patients with true coronary bifurcations who had side branch diameter stenosis of ≥70% after main vessel stenting at 22 centers in China, Indonesia, Italy, and Korea were randomly assigned to either DCB or NCB intervention. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-lesion revascularization at the 1-year follow-up., Results: Between September 8, 2020, and June 2, 2023, 784 patients with true coronary bifurcation lesions undergoing main vessel stenting and having a severely compromised side branch were randomly assigned to the DCB (n = 391) or NCB (n = 393) group. One-year follow-up was completed in all patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 28 patients in the DCB group and 49 patients in the NCB group (Kaplan-Meier rate: 7.2% vs 12.5%; HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.35-0.88; P = 0.013), driven by a reduction in myocardial infarction. There were no significant differences between groups in procedural success, crossover to a 2-stent approach, all-cause death, revascularization, or stent thrombosis., Conclusions: In patients with simple and true coronary bifurcation lesions undergoing provisional stenting, main vessel stenting with a DCB for the compromised side branch resulted in a lower 1-year rate of the composite outcome compared with an NCB intervention for the side branch. The high rates of periprocedural myocardial infarction, which occurred early and did not lead to revascularization, are of unclear clinical significance., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This trial was funded by the National Key Research and Development Plan (2022YFC2503503), the Chinese Society of Cardiology (grant number CSCF 2019-A0003), the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China (grant numbers NSFC 91639303, 81770441, and 82121001), and the Jiangsu Provincial and Nanjing Municipal Clinical Trial Project (grant number BE 2019615) and jointly supplied by B Braun Medical (Melsungen, German), Shenqi Medical (Shanghai, China), Yinyi Medical (Dalian, China), Yingsheng Medical (Shanghai, China), and Kaidenuo Medical (Wuhan, China). The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2025 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In clinical practice, differentiating among pulmonary mucormycosis (PM), invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) can be challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of chest CT-based artificial intelligence (AI) models in distinguishing among these three diseases. Patients with confirmed PM, IPA, or PTB were retrospectively recruited from three tertiary hospitals. Two models were developed: unanotated supervised training (UST) model trained with original CT images and annotated supervised training (AST) model trained with manually annotated lesion images. A network questionnaire with 20 cases was designed to assess the performance of clinicians. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for both models and clinicians. A total of 61 PM cases, 136 IPA cases, and 155 PTB cases were included in the study. In the internal validation set, both models had an accuracy of 66.1%. The UST model had sensitivities of 27.3%, 73.9%, and 76.0% for PM, IPA, and PTB, while AST model had sensitivities of 9.1%, 69.6%, and 88.0% for the same conditions. In the external validation set, both models had an accuracy of 57.6%. The UST model had sensitivities of 0, 85.7%, and 53.3% for PM, IPA, and PTB, respectively, while AST model had sensitivities of 0, 42.9% and 83.3%. 112 clinicians had an accuracy of 42.9%, with sensitivities of 31.5%, 43.4%, and 48.0% for PM, IPA, and PTB. We demonstrated that two AI models showed comparable performance in diagnosing three diseases. Both models achieved acceptable sensitivity in detecting IPA and PTB, but had low sensitivity in identifying PM., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Lithium (Li) metal anodes (LMAs), which show a great potential in constructing high-specific-energy-density Li metal batteries (LMBs), have abstracted wide research interest. However, the generation of Li dendrites and the repeated change of volume upon Li plating/stripping severely block the practical commercialization of LMBs. Herein, the functional carbon fibers (CFs) decorated with ZnO embedded carbon cage (ZnO@C-d-CFs) were fabricated successfully by a two-step route including the in-situ growth of Zn-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and subsequent carbonization process, which enriched the lithiophilic sites of CFs host and improved Li+ kinetics of Li+ plating/stripping. Markedly, our designed ZnO@C-d-CFs possessed an obvious surface stability for Li+ plating/stripping (e. g., 1000 cycles with a CE of ~100% for ZnO@C-d-CFs||Li cell, 1200 h for Li-ZnO@C-d-CFs||Li-ZnO@C-d-CFs cell), and demonstrated a great potential in practical LMBs (e.g., a low-capacity decay of 0.067 mAh g-1 per cycle within the monitored 900 cycles in Li-ZnO@C-d-CFs||LiFePO₄ (LFP) cell). The impressive results verified an effectiveness of surface modification on Li host to boost the stable LMAs., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: The conflicting results about the relationship between certain psychiatric disorders and glioma has been reported in previous studies. Moreover, little is known about the common pathogenic mechanism between psychiatric symptoms and glioma. This study aims to find out mental disorders related etiology of glioma and to interpret the underlying biological mechanisms., Methods: A panel of SNPs significantly associated with eight psychiatric disorders (ADHD, SCZ, Insomnia, NEU, MDD, MI, BIP, and SWB) were identified as exposure related genetic instruments. Summary GWAS data for glioma comes from eight independent datasets. Two sample Mendelian randomization study was undertaken by IVW, RAPS, MR.Corr, and BWMR methods. This study incorporated the glioma associated CGGA cohort and Rembrandt cohort. ssGSEA, variance expression, and KEGG were conducted to analyze the psychiatric disorders associated genes expression profiling and associated functional enrichment in the glioma patients., Results: ADHD has a suggestive risk effect on all glioma (OR = 1.15, 95%CI = 1.01--1.29, P = 0.028) and a significant causal effect on non-GBM glioma (OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.12--1.58, P = 0.001). Similarly, SCZ displayed a causal relationship with all glioma (OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 1.04-1.14, P = 3.47 × 10 -4 ) and non-GBM glioma (OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 1.08-1.21, P = 7.37 × 10 -6 ). Besides, insomnia was correlated with the risk of non-GBM glioma (OR = 1.49, 95%CI = 1.03-2.17, P = 0.036). The ADHD/SCZ/Insomnia associated DEGs of glioma patients were enriched in neurotransmitter signaling pathway, immune reaction, adhesion, invasion, and metastasis, regulating the pluripotency of stem cells, metabolism of glycan, lipid and amino acids., Limitations: The extensibility of the conclusion to other ethnic and geographical groups should be careful because the data used in this study come from European., Conclusions: This study provides genetic evidence to suggest ADHD, SCZ, and insomnia as causes of glioma and common pathogenic process between ADHD/Insomnia/SCZ and glioma., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the primary cause of disability worldwide. Chondrocyte apoptosis has important implications for OA onset and progression. This work was designed to explore the mechanisms of chondrocyte apoptosis in OA and identify key chondrocyte apoptosis-related genes (CARGs). GSE32317 and GSE55235 datasets were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. OA-associated module genes were determined via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) in GSE32317. CARGs were acquired from public databases. ClusterProfiler was employed for GO and KEGG analyses. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network establishment was realized via the STRING database and Cytoscape, and the hub genes were screened by MCC, MNC, and DMNC algorithms of cyto-Hubba. The diagnostic values of the hub CARGs in OA in GSE55235 were verified via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. C28/I2 cells were stimulated with IL-1Β to establish the in vitro OA model. WGCNA identified 9,141 OA-related genes and 248 CARGs, resulting in 75 CARGs in OA. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that the 75 CARGs were primarily enriched in response to lipopolysaccharide, transcription regulator complex, and DNA-binding transcription factor binding, along with NF-kappa B and TNF signaling pathways. NFKB1 and ICAM1 were identified as the hub CARGs in OA through the three algorithms, which showed favorable prognostic values for OA. Notably, both bioinformatics analysis and in vitro assays revealed upregulated NFKB1 and ICAM1 expression in OA. NFKB1 and ICAM1 were the hub CARGs in OA, and might serve as diagnostic signatures and therapeutic targets for OA therapy.

Over the past decade, precision medicine has garnered increasing attention, making significant strides in discovering new therapeutic drugs and mechanisms, resulting in notable achievements in symptom alleviation, pain reduction, and extended survival rates. However, the limited target specificity of primary drugs and inter-individual differences have often necessitated high-dosage strategies, leading to challenges such as restricted deep tissue penetration rates and systemic side effects. Material science advancements present a promising avenue for these issues. By leveraging the distinct internal features of diseased regions and the application of specific external stimuli, responsive materials can be tailored to achieve targeted delivery, controllable release, and specific biochemical reactions. This review aims to highlight the latest advancements in stimuli-responsive materials and their potential in precision medicine. Initially, we introduce disease-related internal stimuli and capable external stimuli, elucidating the reaction principles of responsive functional groups. Subsequently, we provide a detailed analysis of representative pre-clinical achievements of stimuli responsive materials across various clinical applications, including enhancements in the treatment of cancers, injury diseases, inflammatory diseases, infection diseases, and high-throughput microfluidic biosensors. Finally, we discuss some clinical challenges, such as off-target effects, long-term impacts of nano-materials, potential ethical concerns, and offer insights into future perspectives of stimuli-responsive materials., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of cochlear implantation（CI） on vestibular function in patients with large vestibular aqueduct syndrome（LVAS） and in patients with extremely severe deafness with normal inner ear structure. Methods: A total of 28 LVAS patients and 28 patients with normal inner ear structure who suffered from extremely severe deafness were selected. The parameters of caloric tests, bone conduction evoked cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials（cVEMP）, bone conduction evoked ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials（oVEMP） and video head impulse tests（v-HIT） were compared between the two groups before and after CI. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software. Results: There was no significant difference in the results of the preoperative caloric test, v-HIT, and oVEMP（P1, N1） between the LVAS group and the control group（ P >0.05）. Compared to the control group, the LVAS group exhibited a shorter cVEMP P1[（13.41±0.71）ms vs （16.28±0.89）ms, P <0.000 1], shorter N1[（19.83±0.54）ms vs （28.18±1.56）ms, P <0.000 1], higher amplitude[（123.60±83.80）μV vs （73.92±79.85）μV, P =0.049 4] and higher oVEMP amplitude[（16.60±13.87）μV vs （9.96±10.47）μV, P =0.028 5] before CI. The abnormal rate of caloric test increased in both groups after CI（25.00% vs 57.14%, P =0.028 8, 32.14% vs 82.14%, P =0.000 3, respectively）. There was no significant difference in the v-HIT parameters in both groups before and after the operation. As for the LVAS group, there was no statistically significant difference in cVEMP and oVEMP induction rates before and after operation. In the control group, there was a decrease in cVEMP induction rate（96.42% vs 64.28%, P =0.005 2） and oVEMP induction rate（96.42% vs 57.14%, P =0.000 9） after CI. LVAS group showed a shorter cVEMP P1[（13.41±0.71）ms vs （10.30±0.60）ms, P <0.000 1]; shorter cVEMP N1[（19.86±0.53）ms vs （18.97±1.33）ms, P =0.004 7]; decreased amplitude[（124.50±84.86）μV vs （64.35±61.57）μV, P =0.001 0] and shorter oVEMP amplitude[（15.92±13.03）μV vs （9.16±9.20）μV, P =0.009 9] after CI. The oVEMP N1 in the control group was longer than that before operation[（11.73 ± 0.91）ms vs （13.35 ± 2.60）ms, P =0.019 6], whereas there was no significant difference in other VEMP parameters after CI. Conclusion: Before CI, there was no significant difference in the results of the caloric test and v-HIT between the LVAS group and the control group, but the LVAS group exhibited increased sensitivity to acoustic stimulation-induced myogenic potentials. After CI, the function of the semicircular canal was impaired in both groups in the low-frequency area, and remained largely unaffected in the high-frequency area. Additionally, the function of the otolith in the LVAS group was less affected than that in the control group after CI, which may be related to the fact that the enlarged vestibular aqueduct of the LVAS patients acted as the third window of the inner ear., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

Background: Timely management of trauma patients is crucial. Better team performance means faster care, but roles of specific communication practices remain unclear. We hypothesized that overlapping communication is associated with less efficient resuscitations., Methods: This single-center prospective observational study included hypotensive trauma patients from June-September 2023. Data were collected using Trauma Video Review. The association between overlapping communication and resuscitation length was assessed using multivariable linear regression adjusting for demographics, injury mechanism, Injury Severity Score (ISS), vitals, and number of procedures performed., Results: We included 87 patients with median ISS 26.0 [interquartile range IQR: 14.0-34.0] and median systolic blood pressure 84.0 [70.0-90.5]. Median resuscitation length was 19.1 [15.4-23.1] minutes. Overlapping communication occurred for median 1.22 [0.7-2.1] minutes. Overlapping communication was associated with longer resuscitations (p ​< ​0.0001)., Conclusions: Overlapping communication was associated with less efficient resuscitations in hypotensive trauma patients. Training for trauma teams should target "one voice at a time"., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been identified as a key factor to the initiation and progression of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS). Salvianic acid A (SAAS) is the primary water-soluble bioactive ingredient found in Salvia miltiorrhiza, is renowned for its therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of SAAS in treating EndMT-induced AS remain underexplored., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role SAAS in reversing EndMT process to impede AS development., Methods: We used a murine model of cholesterol-rich and high-fat diet-induced AS in ApoE -/- mice to evaluate the effect of SAAS on EndMT during AS progression in vivo. The biological effects of SAAS on EndMT-induced HUVEC cells were also detected by transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Mechanistic exploration was carried out using omics data mining and screening, gene knockout experiments, gene expression, protein expression, and localization of key gene expression in animal lesion areas., Results: We found that SAAS treatment significantly alleviated EndMT injury in the AS mice model and also improved aortic root lesions and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, pre-treatment with SAAS effectively inhibited the EndMT in HUVEC cells, as evidenced by maintained endothelial cell morphology and reduced cell migration ability, as well as elevated CD31 and decreased α-SMA. RNA sequencing data indicated that key differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in metabolism-related and TGF-β receptor signaling pathways. The metabolic regulator PDK4 and profibrotic TGF-β receptor ALK5 were identified specifically. Subsequently, RT-qPCR and western blot results demonstrated that SAAS notably increased metabolic regulator PDK4 and decreased profibrotic TGF-β receptor ALK5 in EndMT-induced HUVEC cells. Moreover, siRNA-directed PDK4 inhibition resulted in EndMT induction and SAAS mediated the suppression of EndMT in a PDK4-dependent manner. Additionally, SAAS partially reduced the TGF-β receptor ALK5 expression. Furthermore, ApoE -/- AS mice with SAAS treatment displayed downregulation of ALK5 and upregulation of PDK4 with reduced EndMT during AS., Conclusion: This investigation demonstrated that SAAS improved AS through metabolic-dependent anti-EndMT pathway and repression of profibrotic TGF-β receptor signaling, thereby providing SAAS as a promising therapeutic candidate for managing AS and EndMT-related disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All data were generated in-house, and no paper mill was used. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of work ensuring integrity and accuracy. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

In recent years, the incidence of fungal infections has been rising annually, especially among immunocompromised populations, posing a significant challenge to public health. Although antifungal medications provide some relief, the escalating problem of resistance sharply curtails their effectiveness, presenting an urgent clinical dilemma that demands immediate attention. Research has shown that fungal resistance is closely related to quorum sensing (QS), and QS inhibitors (QSIs) are considered an effective solution to this issue. Garlic, as a natural QSI, has demonstrated significant effects in inhibiting fungal growth, preventing biofilm formation, enhancing immunity, and combating resistance. This study explores the potential of garlic in mitigating fungal drug resistance and identifies its key role in inhibiting the QS mechanism, these findings offer a new perspective for the treatment of fungal infections, especially in addressing the increasingly severe problem of resistance. However, the clinical application of garlic still faces several challenges, such as ensuring the standardization of active ingredient extraction, as well as issues of safety and stability. Future research should focus on the QS mechanism and promote interdisciplinary collaboration to develop more natural, effective, and safe QSI drugs like garlic, while actively conducting clinical trials to validate their efficacy and safety. Additionally, incorporating advanced technologies such as nanotechnology to enhance drug stability and targeting, provide a more comprehensive strategy for the treatment of fungal infections. Overall, Our study provides scientific evidence supporting the potential of garlic as a novel antifungal treatment and lays the groundwork for the development of future natural QSIs for therapeutic use. It offers new insights, particularly for the treatment of immunocompromised populations and drug-resistant fungal strains., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Li et al.)

Sensitive and accurate determination of tumour biomarkers is extremely important for early cancer diagnosis. Herein, a photoelectrochemical biosensor platform was constructed for ultrasensitive tumour biomarker detection by utilizing Au@Cu 2 O to switch the photocurrent polarity of CdS/Ni-catecholates metal-organic framework (Ni-CAT) nanorod arrays grown in situ on ITO. The Ni-CAT obtains close contact with ITO and forms a Z-scheme heterojunction with CdS, which improves the photogenerated electron transfer ability. When the target CEA (a model tumour biomarker) was present, CdS/Ni-CAT conjugated with aptamer 1 and Au@Cu 2 O conjugated with aptamer 2 to form a sandwich-type complex with the CEA, resulting in the switch of photocurrent polarity of CdS/Ni-CAT from anode to cathode. Owing to the high photogenerated carrier separation efficiency of Au@Cu 2 O core-shell heterojunction, the constructed biosensor exhibited ultrasensitive for the detection of CEA with a wide linear range of 0.1 pg·mL -1 -10 ng mL -1 and effectively eliminated false-positive or false-negative signals, which provides a potential alternative solution for the determination of tumour markers in bioanalysis and clinical diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hepatic diseases cause serious public health problems worldwide, and there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutic agents. In recent years, significant progress is made in RNA therapy, and RNA molecules, such as mRNAs, siRNAs, miRNAs, and RNA aptamers, are shown to provide significant advantages in the treatment of hepatic diseases. However, the drawbacks of RNAs, such as their poor biological stability, easy degradation by nucleases in vivo, low bioavailability, and low concentrations in target tissues, significantly limit the clinical application of RNA-based drugs. Therefore, exploring and developing effective nanoscale delivery platforms for RNA therapeutics are of immense value. This review focuses on the different types of hepatic diseases and RNA therapeutics, summarizing various nanoscale delivery platforms and their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the current status and future prospects of nanoscale delivery systems for RNA therapy are discussed., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Castration is widely used in poultry and livestock to enhance fat metabolism and improve the flavor, tenderness and juiciness of meat. However, the genetic regulatory mechanism underlying castration consequences have not been clarified. To investigate the key metabolites affecting the quality of capons and the key regulatory mechanisms, Qingyuan partridge roosters were subjected to castration. Metabolic profiling was used to detect differential metabolites in the breast muscle of both capon and control groups. Additionally, an integrative analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics was conducted to explore the genetic regulation mechanisms influencing meat quality. The results indicated that the muscle fiber density and shear force of capons was lower than that of normal chickens, and the fat percentage of capon group (CAM) was higher than control group (COM). The expression of the metabolite inostine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) was lower in capons, and lipid metabolites (PC (10:0/10:0), PC (6:0/13:1), LPC 22:6, LPC 18:2, LPE 18:1, LPE 20:4) were higher in capons. Metabolic pathways were found to be a common signaling pathway in all omics. Glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL), acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta (ACACB), 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 2 (AGPAT2), 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate aldolase 1 (HOGA1) and glutathione S-transferase alpha 2 (GSTA2) regulate the expression of citric acid, arachidonic acid, palmitic acid, isocitric acid, and betaine. These findings highlight the key mechanisms contributing to the meat quality differences between capons and normal chickens., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Animal Care Committee of Foshan University (Foshan People’s Republic of China; Approval ID: FOSU#056). All animal experiments were performed according to the guidelines of the experimental animal management of Foshan University following the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals of China. All procedures involving tissue sample collection and animal care were performed according to approved protocols and ARRIVE guidelines [46]. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aims: Observational studies have highlighted that gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, but the causality remains unclear. Herein, the causality between genetic predisposition to gestational diabetes mellitus and the risk of cardiovascular diseases was investigated using sex-specific Mendelian randomization analysis., Methods: Linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis and two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis were applied to infer the genetic correlation and causality, respectively. Mediation analysis was conducted using a two-step Mendelian randomization approach. Sensitivity analyses were performed to differentiate causality from pleiotropy. The genome-wide association study summary statistics for gestational diabetes mellitus were obtained from FinnGen consortium, while for cardiovascular diseases were generated based on individual-level genetic data from the UK Biobank., Results: Linkage disequilibrium score regression analyses revealed that gestational diabetes mellitus had a significant genetic correlation with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction after Benjamini-Hochberg correction in ever-pregnant women. In Mendelian randomization analyses, odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction were 1.09 (1.01-1.17) and 1.12 (.96-1.31) per unit increase in the log-odds of genetic predisposition to gestational diabetes mellitus in ever-pregnant women, respectively. Further, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension were identified as mediators for the causality of genetic predisposition to gestational diabetes mellitus on coronary artery disease. In sensitivity analyses, the direction of odds ratio for the association between instrumental variables with gestational diabetes mellitus-predominant effects and the risk of coronary artery disease was consistent with the primary results in ever-pregnant women, although not statistically significant., Conclusions: This study demonstrated a suggestive causal relationship between genetic predisposition to gestational diabetes mellitus and the risk of coronary artery disease, which was mainly mediated by Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. These findings highlight targeting modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, displaced people, and refugees, often encounter challenges in accessing healthcare. In this study, we used data from the third iteration of the International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) to describe kidney care access and delivery to vulnerable populations across countries and regions. Using data from an international survey of clinicians, policymakers, and patient advocates, we assessed the funding and coverage of vulnerable populations on all aspects of kidney replacement therapies (KRT). Overall, 167 countries or jurisdictions participated in the survey, representing 97.4% of the world's population. Children had less access than adults to KRT: hemodialysis (HD) in 74% of countries, peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 53% of countries, and kidney transplantation (KT) in 80% of countries. Available nephrologist workforce for pediatric kidney care was much lower than for adults (0.69 per million population [pmp] vs 10.08 pmp). Refugees or displaced people with kidney failure did not have access to HD, PD, or KT in 21%, 33%, and 37% of the participating countries, respectively. Low-income countries (LICs) were less likely to provide KRT access to refugees compared to high-income countries (HICs): HD: 13% vs 22%; PD: 19% vs 61%; KT: 30% vs 44%. Testing for kidney disease was routinely offered to elderly people in only 61% of countries: LICs (45%), lower-middle-income countries (56%), upper-middle-income countries (54%), and HICs (75%). Equitable access to kidney care for vulnerable people, particularly for children and displaced people, remains an area of unmet need. Strategies are needed to address this issue., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests. SA, SD, and JD report personal fees (salaries) from The International Society of Nephrology, as employees. VJ reports personal fees from GSK, Astra Zeneca, Baxter Healthcare, Visterra, Biocryst, Chinook, Vera, and Bayer, paid to his institution, outside the submitted work. MN reports grants and personal fees from KyowaKirin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Torii, JT, Mitsubishi Tanabe, grants from Takeda and Bayer, and personal fees from Astellas, Akebia, AstraZeneca, and GSK, outside the submitted work. AKB reports other (consultancy and honoraria) from AMGEN Incorporated and Otsuka, other (consultancy) from Bayer and GSK, and grants from Canadian Institute of Health Research and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, outside the submitted work; He is also Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease and Co-chair of the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas. DWJ reports consultancy fees, research grants, speaker’s honoraria and travel sponsorships from Baxter Healthcare and Fresenius Medical Care, consultancy fees from Astra Zeneca, Bayer, and AWAK, speaker’s honoraria from ONO and Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, and travel sponsorships from Ono and Amgen, outside the submitted work. He is also a current recipient of an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Investigator Grant, outside the submitted work. All other authors have nothing to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare., (Copyright: © 2024 Erickson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Grassland community diversity plays a vital role in maintaining the functionality of grassland ecosystems, influencing processes such as nutrient cycling and supporting ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). Long-term fencing impacts biodiversity and nutrient dynamics, but its effects alongside grazing practices are not well understood. This study examined grazing intensity's effects on community structure, leaf traits, diversity, and ecosystem functions in a 38-year-fenced grassland, through a four-year grazing experiment. Kansu red deer (Cervus elaphus kansuensis) was chosen due to its diverse diet, tolerance to rough feeding, and high feed conversion efficiency. Results showed that grazing intensity significantly affected community structure. Moderate grazing promoted perennial grasses and legumes, boosting aboveground biomass, while heavy grazing encouraged poisonous forbs, potentially harming ecosystem health. Moderate grazing also enhanced diversity metrics such as the Shannon-Weiner index, species richness, functional richness, and functional diversity. Additionally, it improved leaf traits like community-weighted mean leaf nitrogen, phosphorus content, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content, all contributing to better EMF. Structural equation modeling revealed that EMF was directly influenced by grazing intensities and indirectly through changes in leaf traits and taxonomic diversity. These findings suggest that moderate grazing enhances EMF in long-term fenced grasslands by improving the distribution of functional groups, leaf traits, and community diversity. Thus, moderate grazing is an optimal strategy for maintaining community diversity and EMF, highlighting the importance of grazing management for sustainable land use and addressing ecological challenges in grassland ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Qingyuan Partridge chickens represent a notable breed of high-quality, slow-growing chickens. The cost of feed constitutes 65-70 % of the total breeding expense for Qingyuan Partridge chickens. Enhancing feed utilization efficiency and reducing feed consumption are crucial for the advancement of Qingyuan Partridge chickens and the broader poultry industry. To investigate the key candidate genes associated with feed efficiency in Qingyuan Partridge chickens for genome selection, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed in this study. Genetic parameters estimation results indiated that the heritability of 12-17 feed conversion ratio was 0.19, with the highest genetic correlation observed with 17 body weight (-0.96). Additionally, the heritability of 12-17 residual feed intake was 0.09, with the highest genetic correlation with 12-14 average daily feed intake (0.93). GWAS results revealed 28 significant SNPs associated with body weight, feed intake, metabolic weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and residual feed intake. The multiple genes are significantly enriched in the aromatic compound biosynthetic process, heterocycle biosynthetic process, and nucleobase-containing compound biosynthetic process. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression levels of four genes-exocyst complex component 4(EXOC4), fibrosin like 1(FBRSL1), methionine adenosyltransferase 2 non-catalytic beta subunit (MAT2B), and cytidine/uridine monophosphate kinase 1(CMPK1)-related to significant SNPs exhibited significant differences in the liver tissues of high residual feed intake group compared with low residual feed intake group. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chicken feed efficiency traits, enabling further genetic improvement of Qingyuan Partridge chickens, and improving industrial efficiency., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: To construct a nomogram prediction model on minimal breast cancer (≦ 10 mm) based on clinical and ultrasound parameters., Methods: Clinical and ultrasound data of 433 patients with minimal breast lesions was conducted in this retrospective study. Patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set with a ratio of 7:3. Independent risk factors for minimal breast cancer were selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis to construct a nomogram prediction model. The calibration curve, the clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) and the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the model., Results: Age, margin, shape, and breast density were independent risk factors for malignant minimal breast lesions ( P < 0.05). The AUC of the training set and validation set of the nomogram prediction model were 0.875, the sensitivity were 75.0% and 88.9%, the specificity were 83.8% and 77.7%, respectively. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the training set and validation set of the calibration curve were 0.01 and 0.024, respectively., Conclusion: The nomogram prediction model has good discrimination, calibration and clinical practical value in the training set and validation set. The minimal breast cancer prediction model based on clinical and ultrasonic features possesses high clinical value, facilitating the early diagnosis of minimal breast cancer., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest., (© 2024 Cheng et al.)

Whether the addition of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) could yield additional benefit for short stature is controversial. We aimed to assess the effects of combined AIs and rhGH versus those of rhGH alone for short stature using a meta-analytic approach. The PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library electronic databases were searched systematically for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception until December 2021. The pooled effect estimates (weighted mean difference [WMD] and odds ratio [OR]) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Eight RCTs that provided data on 433 participants were selected. The addition of AIs to rhGH, compared with rhGH alone, resulted in higher growth velocity (WMD: 3.19 cm/year; 95% CI: 2.75-3.63; P < 0.001), higher predicted adult height (WMD: 5.50 cm; 95% CI: 3.52-7.49; P < 0.001), and younger bone age (WMD: -0.80 years; 95% CI: -1.06--0.54; P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups for insulin-like growth factor I (WMD: 0.85 nmol/L; 95% CI: -2.08-3.79; P = 0.569), serum estradiol level (WMD: -19.19 pmol/L; 95% CI: -46.25-7.88; P = 0.165), and serum testosterone level (WMD: 14.88 nmol/L; 95% CI: -14.13-43.88; P = 0.315). There was no significant difference between the groups for the risk of adverse events (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.44-2.66; P = 0.873). This study found that the addition of AIs to rhGH had greater benefits for growth velocity, predicted adult height, and bone age. The safety profiles were comparable., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Herein, we report the first example of molybdenum-catalyzed ( E )-Selective anti-Markovnikov hydrosilylation of alkynes. The reaction operates effectively with the utilization of minute amounts of the inexpensive, bench-stable pre-catalyst and ligand under mild conditions. Moreover, this molybdenum-catalyzed hydrosilylation process features the advantages of simple operation, excellent selectivity, and broad functional groups tolerance.

Although an established model organism, Tetrahymena thermophila remains comparatively inaccessible to high throughput screens, and alternative bioinformatic approaches still rely on unconnected datasets and outdated algorithms. Here, we report a new approach to consolidating RNA-seq and microarray data based on a systematic exploration of parameters and computational controls, enabling us to infer functional gene associations from their co-expression patterns. To illustrate the power of this approach, we took advantage of new data regarding a previously studied pathway, the biogenesis of a secretory organelle called the mucocyst. Our untargeted clustering approach recovered over 80% of the genes that were previously verified to play a role in mucocyst biogenesis. Furthermore, we tested four new genes that we predicted to be mucocyst-associated based on their co-expression and found that knocking out each of them results in mucocyst secretion defects. We also found that our approach succeeds in clustering genes associated with several other cellular pathways that we evaluated based on prior literature. We present the Tetrahymena Gene Network Explorer (TGNE) as an interactive tool for genetic hypothesis generation and functional annotation in this organism and as a framework for building similar tools for other systems.

Targeted therapies persist as the conventional method of treatment of kidney clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). However, resistance to these drugs emerges as a significant impediment to the management of renal cancer. MICAL-L2 plays a pivotal role in cytoskeleton rearrangement. This study sought to elucidate the clinical relevance of MICAL-L2 in KIRC and its regulatory mechanism driving cancer progression and resistance to therapy. TCGA data mining was utilized to assess the expression of MICAL-L2 in samples from patients with KIRC. Kaplan-Meier analysis and immunohistochemistry were employed to explore the clinical significance of MICAL-L2. In vitro experiments, including assays for wound healing and Transwell migration, CCK-8, EDU staining, RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and co-immunoprecipitation analysis were conducted to investigate the effects of MICAL-L2 on the drug sensitivity of KIRC cells and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved. The results showed that MICAL-L2 was overexpressed in KIRC tissues. High levels of MICAL-L2 were associated with poor survival and a poor response to drug therapy among patients with KIRC. Overexpression of MICAL-L2 stimulated cell migration, proliferation, and rendered KIRC cells insensitive to sunitinib and everolimus, two traditional therapies for KIRC. Furthermore, MICAL-L2 overexpression accelerated cancer progression and resistance to therapy in KIRC cells by interacting with its downstream regulator α-actinin-4 (ACTN4) in a Rab13-dependent manner, which reduced the degradation of ACTN4, leading to increased Vimentin expression. All these findings indicate that MICAL-L2 plays a crucial role in the progression of KIRC and suggest that MICAL-L2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for KIRC treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, is known for anti-inflammatory activities. However, the research on the anti-inflammatory mechanism of berberine is not comprehensive. Recently, studies have shown that MrgprB2 (Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor B2) in mice and MrgprX2 (Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor X2) in humans play vital roles in inflammation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether the anti-inflammatory activity of berberine is related to MrgprB2 receptor., Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity of BH (berberine hydrochloride) was evaluated by hindpaw edema analysis, pathological analysis and RT-qPCR. Transgenic mice (MrgprB2 -/- mice), HEK293T cell transfection, calcium imaging, electrophysiology, molecular docking and other methods were employed to investigate the potential relationship between the anti-inflammatory activity of BH and the MrgprB2 receptor., Results: The results demonstrated that BH significantly alleviated C48/80 (compound 48/80)-induced local inflammation in vivo. This was evidenced by a decrease in paw edema, reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells, inhibition of mast cell activation, and down-regulation of inflammatory factors such as CXCL13 (CXC subfamily 13) and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α). It was also found that knockout of MrgprB2 receptor could block the anti-inflammatory activity of BH in mice. Furthermore, calcium imaging revealed that BH effectively inhibited the activity of MrgprB2 receptor in overexpressed HEK293T cells in vitro. Additionally, it was observed that BH also inhibited MrgprB2-mediated voltage-dependent current changes in mouse peritoneal mast cells. Molecular docking results further indicated that BH had affinity with MrgprX2 protein., Conclusions: The anti-inflammatory mechanism of BH may be partially attributed to the inhibition of MrgprB2 receptor-mediated mast cell activation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Taxane-based chemotherapy is the primary treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), yet clinical outcomes remain unsatisfactory due to the persistence of chemoresistance. Identifying key factors that contribute to chemoresistance and understanding the associated molecular mechanisms is therefore essential., Method: The GEO databases were utilized to pinpoint factors related to chemoresistance, which were subsequently validated using clinical tissue samples. The role of UGCG in the malignant progression and chemoresistance of TNBC was assessed through various functional assays. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry were employed to investigate the signaling pathways associated with UGCG in TNBC., Results: UGCG expression was notably elevated in chemoresistant breast cancer tissues and cells, as identified in GEO databases and confirmed through immunohistochemistry. Additionally, findings from our cohorts indicated that higher levels of UGCG expression correlated with a lower rate of pathological complete response (pCR), suggesting it could serve as an independent predictor of chemotherapy effectiveness. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that UGCG enhanced the proliferation, metastasis, and stemness of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, treatment with paclitaxel or docetaxel resulted in increased UGCG expression, which in turn reduced chemotherapy-induced cell apoptosis and improved drug resistance and metastatic capabilities. Mechanistically, UGCG was found to amplify the activation of NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, and the use of inhibitors targeting these pathways diminished the UGCG-induced malignant effects., Conclusion: Our findings underscore the significant role of UGCG in the chemoresistance and progression of breast cancer, suggesting it as a predictive biomarker and potential therapeutic target to combat chemoresistance in this disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving immunotherapy. Body compositions are considered to account for this association, but this hypothesis has yet to be verified conclusively., Material and Methods: Our study included 305 patients received immunotherapy at 3 centers between August 2018 and February 2022. We calculated skeletal muscle index (SMI), mean skeletal muscle density (SMD), subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI), visceral adipose tissue index (VATI), and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR) at lumbar 3 level. The influences of BMI and body compositions on overall survival (OS) were comprehensively described., Results: Sarcopenia (Low SMI, HR = 2.203, 95% CI:1.425-3.405, P < 0.001), myosteatosis (low SMD, HR = 2.013, 95% CI:1.246-3.252, P = 0.004) and visceral adipose deposition (high VATI, HR = 0.658, 95% CI:0.453-0.957, P = 0.028) were independent predictors of OS, while BMI was not. The prognosis of underweight (BMI < 20.0 kg/m 2 , P = 0.009) and obesity (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m 2 , P = 0.003) were significantly worse than normal weight (20.0 ≤ BMI ≤ 24.9 kg/m 2 ), which might attribute to the differences in body compositions. High VATI had significantly improved OS than low VATI (P = 0.002), and the difference remained significant after propensity score matching (P = 0.017)., Conclusion: In HCC receiving immunotherapy, sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and visceral adipose deposition independently predicted OS, and visceral adipose was protective in OS. The effects of BMI on OS depended on body compositions., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form and have no conflicts of interest to declare. Ethical approval: This retrospective study was conducted by the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013) and its amendments, and was approved by the ethical committee of the Henan Cancer Hospital (No. 2023-KY-0075002). Written informed consent for treatment was obtained from all patients. The requirement for written informed consent for participating this study was waived, owing to its retrospective study., (© 2024. Italian Society of Medical Radiology.)

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful technique for measuring the DNA topology and rotational mechanics of fundamental biological processes. Realizing the full potential of the AOT requires rapid torsional control of these processes. However, existing AOT quartz cylinders are limited in their ability to meet the high rotation rate requirement while minimizing laser-induced photodamage. In this work, we present a trapping particle design to meet this challenge by creating small metamaterial elliptical cylinders with tunable trapping force and torque properties. The optical torque of these cylinders arises from their shape anisotropy, with their optical properties tuned via multilayered SiO 2 and Si 3 N 4 deposition. We demonstrate that these cylinders can be rotated at about three times the rate of quartz cylinders without slippage while enhancing the torque measurement resolution during DNA torsional elasticity studies. This approach opens opportunities for previously inaccessible rotational studies of DNA processing.

As a category of transition metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts, Mn-based single-atom catalysts (SACs) are considered as promising non-precious metal catalysts for stable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their Fenton-inactive character (versus Fe) and more abundant earth reserves (versus Ni, Co). However, their ORR activity is unsatisfactory. Besides, the structure-activity relationship via tuning the coordination environment of the second coordination shell for transition metal single sites is still elusive. Here, a Mn SAC with O doping in the second-shell of atomically dispersed Mn centers (MnSAC-O/C) as highly efficient and stable ORR catalyst is developed. X-ray absorption spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculations verifies the O doping in the second-shell of Mn center, and reveals the distortion of local environment of Mn center in the MnSAC-O/C. The MnSAC-O/C exhibits high ORR performance with a half-wave potential of 0.898 V, superior to MnSAC-C, commercial Pt/C and most reported non-noble metal-based SACs. More importantly, MnSAC-O/C based zinc-air batteries (ZABs) deliver outstanding durability with stable operation exceeding 930 h. Theoretical calculations confirm that O doping breaks the symmetry of charge distribution of MnN 4 active center and facilitates OH* desorption, thus attributing to the promoted ORR activity., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Soil salinization severely damages the soil bacterial community environment. Bacillus subtilis can improve bacterial communities and enhance crop nutrient absorption. However, the mechanism by which B. subtilis improves the bacterial community environment in heavily saline-alkali-treated cotton fields is currently unclear. Therefore, this study adopted a field plot experiment and established four bacterial treatments (0, 9, 12, and 15 kg·ha -1 ) to investigate the environmental improvement mechanism of B. subtilis on soil bacterial communities in severely saline alkali cotton fields was studied. Compared with the CK treatment, the application of B. subtilis significantly increased the available nitrogen (25.34 %), available phosphorus (50.894 %), available potassium (86.87 %), and urease (112.961 %) contents but significantly reduced the soil pH (1.07 %) and salt content (39.73 %) and significantly increased the proline (245.116 %) and superoxide dismutase (237.46 %) contents in the leaves and significantly reduced the malondialdehyde content (47.30 %). This is mainly because B. subtilis enhances the diversity of bacterial communities and affects catalase, urease, phosphatase, and protease activities, thereby promoting nutrient release in the soil and improving soil fertility; specifically, B. subtilis promotes the secretion of oxalic acid, formic acid, malic acid, and soluble total sugars in cotton roots. The organic acids in root exudates lower the soil pH and chelate with salt ions in the soil, reducing the concentration of soluble salts and providing a suitable environment for B. subtilis. Soluble total sugars can provide energy and carbon sources for bacteria, maintaining the health and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial communities. The results of the principal component analysis revealed that the application rate of B. subtilis was 12 kg·ha -1 , which had the greatest effect on improving the soil bacterial community in severely saline-alkali cotton fields. The research results provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for microbial improvement in severely saline-alkali land in arid areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) has recently been recognized as an important nitrogen source for marine phytoplankton. However, the composition, sources, and biogeochemical cycling of DON in coastal ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study investigates the spatial distribution and seasonal variability of DON in Daya Bay, a subtropical semi-enclosed bay in the northern South China Sea. We measured DON concentrations, the DIN:DIP ratio, and the spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM), including a(350), SUVA 254 , and fluorescence components. Our findings reveal clear seasonal differences in the controlling factors for DON distribution: in summer, land-based sources and biological activities dominate, whereas in winter, oceanic circulation and its associated water mass mixing play a predominant role. The combined spectral indexes suggest that the transformation of DON is significantly more active in summer than in winter. Additionally, most stations exhibited low DIN:DIP ratios (<16) and relatively high chlorophyll a concentrations (>2 μg/L) during the summer months, while DIP concentrations in Daya Bay remained generally low (<1 μmol L -1 ). This suggests that phytoplankton may assimilate DON, potentially leading to algal blooms and changes in population structure. Overall, these findings highlight the potential role of DON in the coastal nitrogen budget and phytoplankton dynamics, emphasizing the need for further investigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The blackening and increased smelling of waterbodies steadily affect urban aquatic ecology. Sulfide is recognized as the key substance responsible for the darkening of urban rivers. However, the pathway of sulfide production and the underling microbial mechanisms in urban rivers are not fully understood. This study executes a comprehensive approach to investigate mechanism of sulfide production within urban river sediments, integrating field survey, laboratory incubations, and metagenomic sequencing. The results reveal that both sulfide concentrations and sulfidogenic activities in darker river sediments are significantly higher than in lighter rivers. Both the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and methanogenic communities are closely related to the sulfide content in the sediments. The finding that inhibiting SRB enhanced the potential sulfide production rate suggests the importance of methanogen-derived processes as a sulfide source in sediments. Notably, the abundance of methylated thiol coenzyme M methyltransferase genes increased 53-fold upon after the continuous methionine amendment, confirming that methanogen-derived processes, rather than SRB-derived ones, dominated sulfide production when methylated sulfur compounds are abundant. Overall, this study highlights the potential significance of methanogenesis as a hitherto underestimated sulfide source in urban river sediments, providing valuable insights for optimizing strategies to prevent and mitigate the deterioration of urban aquatic ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Acupuncture is a promising therapy for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Growing evidence suggest that alterations in the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis contribute to the development and progression of aMCI. However, little is known about whether and how acupuncture change the MGB axis of aMCI individuals., Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Forty patients with aMCI were randomly allocated to either the acupuncture group or the waitlist group. The primary outcome was the change in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Scale (ADAS-Cog) score. In addition, multi-omics was performed to detect changes in brain function, gut microbiota, and serum metabolites. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the outcomes, and correlational analyses were performed to explore the relationships between the clinical and multi-omics data., Results: Compared to a mean baseline to week 12 change of -3.94 in the acupuncture group, the mean change in the waitlist group was 1.72 (net difference, -5.66 [95 % CI, -6.98 to -4.35]). Compared to the waitlist group, acupuncture's MGB axis modulatory effect exhibited altered the regional homogeneity values of Frontal&#95;Med&#95;Orb&#95;L, Cingulum&#95;Mid&#95;L, and Frontal&#95;Sup&#95;Medial&#95;L, relative abundance of gut Ruminococcus&#95;sp&#95;AF43&#95;11 and s&#95;Eubacterium&#95;coprostanoligenes, and levels of serum (11E,15Z)-9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadeca-11,15-dienoic acid, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, N6-Me-dA, and DPK, which correlated with changes in ADAS-Cog scores., Conclusions: Our data imply that acupuncture ameliorates overall cognitive function, along with changes in brain activity, gut microbiota, and serum metabolites, providing preliminary evidence of the mechanisms acting through the MGB axis underlying the effects of acupuncture on aMCI., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Volatile constituents are critical to the flavor of tea, but the changes in Enshi Yulu tea during the processing have not been clearly understood. Using headspace solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) techniques, we analyze the aroma components of Enshi Yulu tea and changes in them during the processing stages. In total, 242 volatile compounds were identified. From fresh leaves to the shaping process in tea production, there are significant decreases in overall aroma substances, followed by increases after drying. Linalool is the dominant aroma component in Enshi Yulu tea, with a proportion of 12.35%, followed by compounds such as geraniol (7.41%), 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptene (6.93%), phenylmethanol (5.98%), isobutyl acetate (4.16%), hexan-1-ol (3.95%), 2-phenylacetaldehyde (3.80%), and oct-1-ene-3-ol (3.34%). The number of differential volatile components varied by production stage, with 20 up- and 139 down-regulated after steaming, 24 down-regulated after rolling, 60 up- and 51 down-regulated after shaping, and 68 up- and 13 down-regulated after drying. Most variation in expression occurred because of steaming, and the least during the rolling stage. PLS-DA analysis revealed significant differences in aroma components throughout processing and the identification of 100 compounds with higher relative contents, with five distinct change trends. Phenylmethanol, phenylacetaldehyde, (2E) -non-2-enal, oct-1-ene-3-ol, and cis -3-hexenyl hexanoate could exert a profound influence on the overall aroma quality of Enshi Yulu tea during processing. The results offer a scientific foundation and valuable insights for understanding the volatile composition of Enshi Yulu tea and its changes during the processing.

In the context of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the continuous replication of HBV within host hepatocytes is a characteristic feature. Rather than directly causing hepatocyte destruction, this replication leads to immune dysfunction and establishes a state of T-B immune tolerance. Successful clearance of the HBV virus is dependent on the close collaboration between humoral and cellular immunity. Humoral immunity, mediated by B-cell subpopulations, and cellular immunity, dominated by T-cell subpopulations show varying degrees of dysfunction during chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Notably, not all T- and B-cells produce positive immune responses. This review examine the most recent developments in the mutual regulation of T-B cells during chronic HBV infection. Our focus is on the prevailing immunotherapeutic strategies, such as T cell engineering, HBV-related vaccines, PD-1 inhibitors, and Toll-like receptor agonists. While nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) and interferons have notable limitations, including inadequate viral suppression, drug resistance, and adverse reactions, several HBV entry inhibitors have shown promising clinical efficacy. To overcome the challenges posed by NUCs or monotherapy, the combination of immunotherapy and novel antiviral agents presents a promising avenue for future CHB treatment and potential cure., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yu, Zhu, Li, Hao, Li, Ye, Jiang and Hu.)

The ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is a well-established unicellular model eukaryote, contributing significantly to foundational biological discoveries. Despite its acknowledged importance, current studies on Tetrahymena biology face challenges due to gene annotation inaccuracy, particularly the notable absence of untranslated regions (UTRs). To comprehensively annotate the Tetrahymena macronuclear genome, we collected extensive transcriptomic data spanning various cell stages. To ascertain transcript orientation and transcription start/end sites, we incorporated data on epigenetic marks displaying enrichment towards the 5' end of gene bodies, including H3 lysine 4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3), histone variant H2A.Z, nucleosome positioning and N6-methyldeoxyadenine (6mA). Cap-seq data was subsequently applied to validate the accuracy of identified transcription start sites. Additionally, we integrated Nanopore direct RNA sequencing (DRS), strand-specific RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) data. Using a newly developed bioinformatic pipeline, coupled with manual curation and experimental validation, our work yielded substantial improvements to the current gene models, including the addition of 2,481 new genes, updates to 23,936 existing genes, and the incorporation of 8,339 alternatively spliced isoforms. Furthermore, novel UTR information was annotated for 26,687 high-confidence genes. Intriguingly, 20% of protein-coding genes were identified to have natural antisense transcripts characterized by high diversity in alternative splicing, thus offering insights into understanding transcriptional regulation. Our work will enhance the utility of Tetrahymena as a robust genetic toolkit for advancing biological research, and provides a promising framework for genome annotation in other eukaryotes., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of increasing enema pressure on enema outcomes., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to compare the effect of increasing enema pressure on enema outcomes. The primary outcome was the success rate of reduction, while secondary outcomes included intestinal perforation and recurrence rate., Results: From May 2017 to April 2021, a total of 531 intussusceptions in 499 patients (Group A 247 patients, Group B 252 patients) were collected. The overall success reduction rate was 97.00%. The success reduction rate in Group A was 99.20% (245/247) and 94.8% (239/252) in Group B (P = 0.004). The overall recurrence rate within 48 h after the initial enema reduction was 8.02%, and beyond 48 h was 6.41%. The recurrence rates within 48 h and beyond 48 h were 9.39% and 6.53% in group A and 7.11% and 6.69% in group B, respectively (P = 0.526). No complications were associated with the enema reduction procedure., Conclusion: Our study has shown that using a hydrostatic pressure of 130 mmHg for enema reduction is both effective and safe, with a higher success rate and no increased risk of complications., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, III., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: For this type of study formal consent is not required. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: Tic disorders (TD) often present with associated neuropsychiatric comorbidities. This study aims to examine the clinical manifestations of TD in pediatric patients and explore the spectrum and features of neuropsychiatric comorbidities among Chinese children diagnosed with TD., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on pediatric TD cases newly diagnosed at our institution, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents 5.0 to screen for comorbidities. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of clinical features was undertaken., Results: The study enrolled 182 patients, comprising 140 males and 42 females. The diagnoses were distributed as follows: 65 cases of provisional TD, 29 cases of chronic TD, and 88 cases of Tourette syndrome. 94 (51.65%) patients presented with at least a single neuropsychiatric comorbid, while 40 (21.98%) patients exhibited two or more such comorbidities. TD is most frequently comorbid with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (33.52%, 61/182), oppositional defiant disorder (11.00%, 20/182) and current/previous manic/hypomanic episode (7.69%, 14/182). Children with comorbidities, compared to those without, experienced delayed diagnosis (P = 0.039), were more prone to developing vocal tics (simple vocal tics P = 0.030, complex vocal tics P < 0.001), lacked sibling companionship (P = 0.030), and exhibited more severe tics (P = 0.008). The prevalence of comorbidities was notably higher in children from single-parent households (93.3%) compared to those in two-parent families (P = 0.006). Individuals with multiple comorbidities had delayed diagnosis (P = 0.013), and notably experienced more triggering psychological factors such as pressure, anxiety, and anger. Sex, parents' educational backgrounds and severity of tics significantly related to specific comorbidity occurrence., Conclusion: We identified several factors associated with comorbidities in children with TD, which aiding doctors in recognizing the comorbidities that require attention. Simultaneously, these factors help guide family members in providing targeted education that supports the physical and mental development of affected children., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of China-Japan Friendship Hospital(approval no. 2022-KY-045). Written informed consents were obtained from all study participants’ parents or other legal guardians. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Recently, metallaphotoredox-catalyzed alkene dicarbofunctionalization reactions have been extensively investigated. Most cases are related to alkyl-arylation processes by conjugate coupling of alkyl radical precursors and aryl electrophiles across alkenes. By contrast, reported examples of alkylvinylation by coupling of vinyl electrophiles are largely limited. Herein, we represent a three-component aminoalkyl-vinylation of alkenes enabled by photoredox/nickel catalysis. This redox-neutral protocol exhibits broad substrate scope and good chemo-, regio- and E / Z -stereoselectivity. A series of valuable α-vinyl γ-amino acid derivatives are conveniently synthesized by the assembly of readily available starting materials.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) disproportionately affects certain populations as demonstrated by well-established subnational geographic hotspots of CKD in Central America and South Asia. Using data from the third iteration of the International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA), we aimed to systematically identify sub-national geographic or population clusters with high prevalence of CKD. The ISN-GKHA survey was conducted from July to September 2022, and included questions regarding whether a regional CKD hotspot existed in the respondents' country and possible contributors. A CKD hotspot was defined as a population cluster with a high risk of kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant, or people dying from kidney failure. Overall, 46 out of 162 responding countries reported subnational hotspots for CKD within their country. Hotspots were reported across all regions, except for the Middle East. Latin America had the highest percentage (12 of 21, 57%) of countries reporting a regional CKD hotspot followed by the regions of North and East Asia, and Western Europe. Adults aged 18 to 44 years and rural populations were most commonly identified as the primary groups affected. Clinical factors were most commonly identified as contributors to CKD (hypertension in 74% and diabetes in 72%), followed by cultural (e.g., diet and herbal medications in 67%), and environmental (e.g., polluted water in 43%) factors. Latin American countries more commonly reported climate, cultural, and environmental factors as contributors compared to other regions. Across the world, there are a number of subnational regions where in-country experts identify a disproportionately higher burden of CKD, commonly occurring among younger age groups with clinical, cultural, and environmental contributors specific to these geographic regions. In-depth studies, starting with systematic epidemiology efforts, are needed to investigate the aetiopathogenesis of these CKD hotspots around the world so that tailored interventions can be offered., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests. PG reports grants from Calliditas Therapeutics, outside the submitted work. AKS reports grants from Fogarty International Center Fellowship Grant UJMT (D43-TW009349-12), outside the submitted work. EW reports other (travel support) from The International Society of Nephrology and Bangladesh Renal Association; participation on Data Safety Monitoring Board of Stanford University and National Hotspot of Kandy, Sri Lanka; leadership role on Sri Lanka Society of Nephrology and i3C Working Group of the International Society of Nephrology, outside the submitted work. SA, SD, and JD report personal fees (salaries) from The International Society of Nephrology, as employees. VJ reports personal fees from GSK, Astra Zeneca, Baxter Healthcare, Visterra, Biocryst, Chinook, Vera, and Bayer, paid to his institution, outside the submitted work. MN reports grants and personal fees from KyowaKirin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Torii, JT, Mitsubishi Tanabe, grants from Takeda and Bayer, and personal fees from Astellas, Akebia, AstraZeneca, and GSK, outside the submitted work. AKB reports other (consultancy and honoraria) from AMGEN Incorporated and Otsuka, other (consultancy) from Bayer and GSK, and grants from Canadian Institute of Health Research and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, outside the submitted work; He is also Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease and Co-chair of the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas. DWJ reports consultancy fees, research grants, speaker’s honoraria and travel sponsorships from Baxter Healthcare and Fresenius Medical Care, consultancy fees from Astra Zeneca, Bayer, and AWAK, speaker’s honoraria from ONO and Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, and travel sponsorships from Ono and Amgen, outside the submitted work. He is also a current recipient of an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Investigator Grant, outside the submitted work. SA reports grants from Doris Duke Award and Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from HealthPals, Inc, and Vera Therapeutics, outside the submitted work. All other authors have nothing to declare., (Copyright: © 2024 Garcia et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Surface discharge mechanism-induced cathode passivation is a critical challenge that blocks the full liberation of the ultrahigh theoretical energy density of Li-CO 2 batteries. Herein, we propose a novel concept based on Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) to guide the selection of solvents for inducing the dissolution of discharge products, facilitating the detachment of in situ-formed metastable Li 2 C 2 O 4 from the electrode surface and enabling a continuous Li 2 C 2 O 4 -dominated discharge process. Combining theoretical calculations with HSP predictions, we identified Pd-OCNTs as an ideal catalyst, with tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether as the optimal solvent for Li 2 C 2 O 4 production and stabilization. This combination facilitates the rapid diffusion of Li 2 C 2 O 4 generated in situ near the catalyst surface out of the inner Helmholtz layer. Consequently, the system exhibits high energy efficiency of 96.7% and remarkable stability over 3200 h. This work provides critical insights into the solution-mediated dissolution process of Li 2 C 2 O 4 , informing strategies for multiphase interfacial reactions in Li-CO 2 batteries.

Background: Due to the clinical characteristic of frequent recurrence in urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), patients face significant health impacts and economic burdens. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in UBC recurrence is crucial for reducing its recurrence rate. The aim of our study is to help urologists and clinical researchers gain a deeper understanding of the changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during UBC recurrence., Methods: We collected 10 samples from primary and recurrent non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and performed single-cell RNA sequencing. By distinguishing and annotating cell subpopulations, we identified tissue preferences of some novel cell subgroups. Next, pseudotime trajectory analysis, cell-cell communication analysis, and function enrichment analysis were applied to evaluate the dynamic changes in the TME and biological functions. Finally, we validated the distribution of some of these cell subgroups using multiplex immunofluorescence experiments., Results: We identified a tumor-associated fibroblast (CAF) subtype with high COL18A1 expression that is highly expressed in recurrent NMIBC, suggesting that the stromal component of the tumor may play a crucial role in the recurrence process. Additionally, pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed a macrophage subtype with high IL-6 expression at the terminal stage of macrophage differentiation, exhibiting significant immunosuppressive features. This indicated the presence of immune exhaustion during NMIBC recurrence. Lastly, we found an upregulation of estrogen in recurrent urothelial cancer cells, which may partially explain the gender disparity observed in UBC., Conclusion: This study identified several cell subpopulations influencing NMIBC recurrence, which were heavily infiltrated in the TME of recurrent NMIBC. Additionally, the enrichment of estrogen in urothelial cancer cells from various sources suggested a role of sex hormones in NMIBC recurrence., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: The collection of human tissue samples conformed to the Declaration of Helsinki and gained approval from the Board and Ethics Committee of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University (No. KY2011-009). Each patient provided written informed consent before tissue samples were collected. Competing interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) is a non-radiative energy transfer process in a donor-acceptor system and has applications in various fields, such as single-molecule investigations, biosensor creation, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mechanics research. The investigation of FRET processes in metal halide perovskites has also attracted great attention from the community. The review aims to provide an up-to-date study of FRET in the context of perovskite systems. First, we discuss the fundamentals of FRET process, and then summarize the recent progress of FRET phenomenon in perovskite-perovskite, perovskite-inorganic fluorophores, perovskite-organic fluorophores, and organic fluorophores-perovskite systems. Finally, we speculate on the future prospects of roles of FRET in the implications for the overall performance of optoelectronic devices based on these systems, as well as the challenges in maximizing FRET efficiency., (© 2024 The Authors. ChemistryOpen published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Although optical coherence tomography (OCT) guidance with the 'MLDMAX' criteria is very useful for de-novo lesions during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), there are limited studies on its benefits in patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR). This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of patients with ISR who underwent repeat PCI (re-PCI) with OCT or angiographic guidance., Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 2142 patients with ISR who underwent re-PCI at Nanjing First Hospital from January 2016 to January 2023. The primary endpoint was the incidence of target vessel failure (TVF) post-re-PCI within 3 years. The secondary endpoints included each component of TVF., Results: After propensity score matching, 161 matched pairs were enrolled. OCT guidance of re-PCI was associated with a significantly lower risk of TVF compared with angiographic guidance alone [hazard ratio (HR), 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.31-0.83; P = 0.007] in patients with ISR. However, only 68.9% of patients with ISR met the final criteria of 'MLDMAX' post-re-PCI, which was associated with a lower risk of TVF compared with patients without meeting the OCT criteria (HR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.54; P < 0.001), and satisfied the angiographic criteria (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19-0.85; P = 0.017)., Conclusion: Compared with angiographic guidance, OCT guidance significantly reduced TVF risk following re-PCI for ISR lesions, especially for patients who met the final criteria of 'MLDMAX'., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Herein, we report an atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalyst with axial oxygen ligands (FeN 4 O/NC) synthesized for the first time by ultrafast Joule heating. The formation of oxygen species between FeN 4 and graphene offers high activity and stability for the ORR. The calculations indicate that FeN 4 O/NC offers an optimal adsorption-desorption of oxygen-containing intermediates, providing a promising approach to designing efficient single-atom electrocatalysts.

Importance: Young Black women bear a disproportionate burden of breast cancer deaths compared with White women, yet they remain underrepresented in genomic studies., Objective: To evaluate the association of biological factors, including West African genetic ancestry, and nonbiological factors with disease-free survival (DFS) among young Black women with breast cancer., Design, Setting, and Participants: This observational cohort study included Black women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016. Participants diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 years or younger were recruited through the Florida and Tennessee state cancer registries. The final analysis was completed between June and September 2024., Exposure: West African genetic ancestry., Main Outcomes and Measures: A multivariable model was developed to evaluate the association between West African genetic ancestry and breast cancer DFS, adjusting for immunohistochemistry subtype, lymph node (LN) status, and full-time employment., Results: This study included 687 Black women with early-stage invasive breast cancer. Their median age at diagnosis was 44 years (IQR, 38-47 years), and the median follow-up was 10 years (IQR, 7-11 years). In multivariable analysis, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and LN involvement were associated with shorter breast cancer DFS (hazard ratio, 1.81 [95% CI, 1.20-2.73] and 1.77 [95% CI, 1.30-2.41], respectively), whereas full-time employment was associated with improved outcomes (hazard ratio, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.30-0.63]). Among the 551 participants for whom global genetic ancestry could be assessed, having a higher percentage of West African genetic ancestry was associated with shorter breast cancer DFS among 246 participants in the hormone receptor (HR)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2 [formerly HER2])-negative subgroup (hazard ratio, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.04-2.04]). Of the 369 participants (53.7%) with PAM50 data available, basal (133 [36.0%]) and luminal B (107 [29.0%]) subtypes were the most common. Among the 179 patients with HR-positive/ERBB2-negative disease and PAM50 data available, luminal B and basal subtypes combined were also overrepresented (81 [45.3%] and 24 [13.4%], respectively) compared with luminal A (70 [39.1%])., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of young Black women with breast cancer, having a higher percentage of West African genetic ancestry, TNBC, and LN involvement were associated with shorter breast cancer DFS. Interestingly, full-time employment was associated with improved breast cancer DFS. These findings highlight the importance of considering genetic ancestry beyond self-reported race and accounting for social determinants of health, in efforts to improve survival outcomes among Black women with breast cancer.

In low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs), delivering equitable kidney care presents substantial challenges, resulting in significant disparities in disease management and treatment outcomes for people with kidney failure. This comprehensive report leveraged data from the International Society of Nephrology-Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA), to provide a detailed update on the landscape of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in LLMICs. Among the 65 participating LLMICs, reimbursement for KRT (publicly funded by the government and free at the point of delivery) was available in 28%, 15%, and 8% for hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and kidney transplantation (KT), respectively. Additionally, while 56% and 28% of LLMICs reported the capacity to provide quality HD and PD, only 41% reported accessibility to chronic dialysis, defined as >50% of the national population being able to access KRT, and a mere 5% LLMICs reported accessibility to KT. Workforce shortages in nephrology further compound these challenges. Kidney registries and comprehensive policies for non-communicable diseases and chronic kidney disease care were limited in LLMICs. A comprehensive and cost-effective approach is crucial to address these challenges. Collaboration at global, regional, country, and individual levels is essential to enhance the quality of kidney care across LLMICs., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests. ST reports Fellowship grants from the International Society of Nephrology-Salmasi Family and the Kidney Foundation of Thailand, outside the submitted work. SA, SD, and JD report personal fees (salaries) from The International Society of Nephrology, as employees. VJ reports personal fees from GSK, Astra Zeneca, Baxter Healthcare, Visterra, Biocryst, Chinook, Vera, and Bayer, paid to his institution, outside the submitted work. MN reports grants and personal fees from KyowaKirin, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Daiichi Sankyo, Torii, JT, Mitsubishi Tanabe, grants from Takeda and Bayer, and personal fees from Astellas, Akebia, AstraZeneca, and GSK, outside the submitted work. AKB reports other (consultancy and honoraria) from AMGEN Incorporated and Otsuka, other (consultancy) from Bayer and GSK, and grants from Canadian Institute of Health Research and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, outside the submitted work; He is also Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease and Co-chair of the ISN-Global Kidney Health Atlas. DWJ reports consultancy fees, research grants, speaker’s honoraria and travel sponsorships from Baxter Healthcare and Fresenius Medical Care, consultancy fees from Astra Zeneca, Bayer, and AWAK, speaker’s honoraria from ONO and Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly, and travel sponsorships from Ono and Amgen, outside the submitted work. He is also a current recipient of an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Investigator Grant, outside the submitted work. All other authors have nothing to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS Global Public Health policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare., (Copyright: © 2024 Nkunu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Riparian zones play a crucial role in reducing nitrate pollution in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Complex deposition action and dynamic hydrological processes will change the grain size distribution of riparian sediments, affect the residence time of substances, and have a cascade effect on the biogeochemical process of nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 - -N). However, simultaneous studies on NO 3 - -N transformation and the potential drivers in riparian zones are still lacking, especially neglecting the effect of sediment grain size (SGS). To fill this knowledge gap, we first systematically identified and quantified NO 3 - -N biogeochemical processes in the riparian zone by integrating molecular biotechnology, 15 N stable isotope tracing, and microcosmic incubation experiments. We then evaluated the combined effects of environmental variables (including pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), oxidation reduction potential, SGS, etc.) on NO 3 - -N transformation through Random Forest and Structural Equation Models. The results demonstrated that NO 3 - -N underwent five microbial-mediated processes, with denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) dominated the NO 3 - -N attenuation (69.4 % and 20.1 %, respectively), followed by anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) and nitrate-dependent ferric oxidation (NDFO) (8.4 % and 2.1 %, respectively), while nitrification dominated the NO 3 - -N production. SGS emerged as the most critical factor influencing NO 3 - -N transformation (24.96 %, p < 0.01), followed by functional genes (nirS, nrfA) abundance, DOC, and ammonia concentrations (14.12 %, 16.40 %, 13.08 %, p < 0.01). SGS influenced NO 3 - -N transformation by regulating microbial abundance and nutrient concentrations. RF predicted that a 5 % increase in the proportion of fine grains (diameter < 50 μm) may increase the NO 3 - -N transformation rate by 3.8 %. This work highlights the significance of integrating machine learning and geochemical analysis for a comprehensive understanding of nitrate biogeochemical processes in riparian zones, contributing valuable references for future nitrogen management strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)