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Background: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) have revolutionized the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, the management of high-risk APL has not been conclusively established. The optimal dosage of anthracycline in the induction has long been debated when ATO is added., Objectives: To explore the management of high-risk APL regarding the optimal dosage of anthracycline in the induction and the predicators of prognosis., Design: This was a retrospective study in the real-world setting., Methods: High-risk APL patients defined as white blood cell (WBC) greater than 10 × 10 9 /L who received ATO-based induction regimens were included. Data on clinical characteristics, treatment regimens, and prognosis including early death (ED) and overall survival (OS) were collected from medical records. Risk factors of ED and OS were analyzed., Results: This research included a total of 130 participants. Fifty (38.5%) patients received ATO+ATRA dual induction plus standard-dose anthracycline (ATO + ATRA + stDNR). Fifty-nine (45.4%) patients received ATO + ATRA with consecutive low-dose anthracycline (ATO + ATRA + ldDNR). Twenty-one (16.2%) patients were treated with ATO and various chemotherapies (ATO + others). Compared with the other two groups, the ATO + ATRA + stDNR group had the lowest ED rate of 4.0% (10.2% and 52.4%, respectively; p  < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that age ⩾60 years (odds ratio (OR) = 8.888, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.126-70.129), prothrombin time (PT) ⩾18 s (OR = 4.749, 95% CI: 1.252-18.007) and WBC ⩾100 × 10 9 /L (OR = 10.591, 95% CI: 1.995-56.232) were independent risk factors for ED. The 5-year OS rates of the three induction groups were 96%, 80%, and 31%, respectively. None of the 48 patients who underwent ATO + ATRA + stDNR induction relapsed, whereas 9.4% (5/53) patients in ATO + ATRA + ldDNR group relapsed, and the relapse rate was 30.0% (3/10) in ATO + others group ( p  = 0.003). The survival advantage of ATO + ATRA + stDNR was demonstrated by a Cox regression (hazard ratio (HR) = 5.079, 95% CI: 1.071-24.079). WBC ⩾100 × 10 9 /L was correlated with an inferior OS (HR = 3.402, 95% CI: 1.359-8.518)., Conclusion: Compared with low-dose anthracycline, standard-dose anthracycline combined with ATO and ATRA dual induction resulted in excellent outcome for high-risk APL patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), 2024.)

As an essential transcriptional activator, PDX1 plays a crucial role in pancreatic development and β-cell function. Mutations in the PDX1 gene may lead to type 4 maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY4) and neonatal diabetes mellitus. However, the precise mechanisms underlying MODY4 remain elusive due to the paucity of clinical samples and pronounced differences in pancreatic architecture and genomic composition between humans and existing animal models. In this study, three PDX1 -mutant cynomolgus macaques were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, all of which succumbed shortly postpartum, exhibiting pancreatic agenesis. Notably, one tri-allelic PDX1 -mutant cynomolgus macaque (designated as M4) developed a pancreas, whereas the two mono-allelic PDX1- mutant cynomolgus macaques displayed no anatomical evidence of pancreatic formation. RNA sequencing of the M4 pancreas revealed substantial molecular changes in both endocrine and exocrine functions, indicating developmental delay and PDX1 haploinsufficiency. A marked change in m6A methylation was identified in the M4 pancreas, confirmed through cultured PDX1 -mutant islet organoids. Notably, overexpression of the m6A modulator METTL3 restored function in heterozygous PDX1 -mutant islet organoids. This study highlights a novel role of m6A methylation modification in the progression of MODY4 and provides valuable molecular insights for preclinical research.

Two new varieties from Xizang, China, i.e. Agapetesinterdictavar.flaviflora and A.forrestiivar.parvifolia, are described and illustrated. Agapetesinterdictavar.flaviflora differs from the nominate variety in having yellow and smaller corollas with shorter lobes and anthers with shorter appendages at the base. Agapetesforrestiivar.parvifolia is distinguished from the nominate variety in the smaller leaves with an acute apex, nearly transverse secondary veins and puberulent peduncle. Taxonomic notes on these taxa are also provided., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Yi-Hua Tong, Xiang-Long Guo, Bing-Mou Wang, Zi Wang, Yong-Jie Guo.)

A combined machine learning approach and first-principles calculations are employed to efficiently explore energetically favorable ternary compounds involving Pt and an immiscible Si-Sn pair of elements. We predict two stable Pt-Si-Sn ternary compounds (Pt 2 Si 2 Sn and Pt 8 SiSn 2 ) and reproduce the experimentally synthesized Pt 5 SiSn. The crystal structures of Pt 5 SiSn and Pt 8 SiSn 2 are composed of a SiPt 8 cube and SnPt 12 cuboctahedron. Based on these structural motifs, we design a series of Pt-Si-Sn ternary compounds that contain SiPt 8 and SnPt 12 units and discover some stable and metastable compounds. Partial flat bands near the Fermi level appear in these compounds, and the positions of partial flat bands move upward with increasing the Pt content. The partial flat bands are dominated by Pt atoms. These Pt-Si-Sn ternary compounds provide a platform to study flat band-related properties. Our results open a way to design new compounds in the ternary system.

Metal-organic frameworks were prepared from Fe-containing waste liquid generated during the refining process of nickel metallurgical slag as a metal source, providing a green treatment method for industrial waste liquid. The Fe-containing waste liquid was used as a raw material for the coordination synthesis of MIL-100(Fe) with 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, whereas the ionic liquid-modified magnetic porous carbon material (Fe 3 O 4 @C/[BMIM]PF 6 ) was prepared by loading [BMIM]PF 6 into the pore size of Fe 3 O 4 @C obtained by carbonization derivatization. Since Fe 3 O 4 @C/[BMIM]PF 6 exhibits strong hydrophobicity and contains unsaturated functional groups as well as hydrogen bond acceptors in structure, and a large pore size, it was used as a highly efficient adsorbent for the extraction of trace pyrethroid insecticides in the environment. Fe 3 O 4 @C/[BMIM]PF 6 demonstrated excellent extraction ability, and the recoveries of the four pyrethroid insecticides in the actual samples analyzed ranged from 85.75 to 112.13%. Fe 3 O 4 @C/[BMIM]PF 6 has excellent reusability and batch-to-batch reproducibility, and the relative standard deviations for the extraction recoveries of pyrethroids insecticides from the five batches were 2.14%-3.65%. The MIL-100(Fe) synthesized from high-volume preparation experiments exhibited excellent physical/chemical properties. Therefore, the green prepared Fe 3 O 4 @C/[BMIM]PF 6 based on waste liquid has excellent extraction properties, and the study provides a green and low-energy treatment method for waste liquids generated by metallurgy., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to establish a more sensitive and specific diagnostic method for detecting plasma BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) DNA load in patients after renal transplantation using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and to validate the methodology. The linear range, lower limit of detection, accuracy, precision, and specificity of the detection system were evaluated by using the WHO BKPyV standard (7.2 log 10 IU/mL) as a reference, in accordance with the relevant documents of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Plasma samples were collected from 74 renal transplantation patients with urinary BKPyV-DNA levels exceeding 7 log 10 copies/mL. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ddPCR were performed, and their diagnostic efficacy for BKPyV-DNA in the diagnosis of BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The coefficients of variation for the repeated detection of BKPyV standard DNA were 2.55 and 4.71 at concentrations of 6.2 and 3.2 log 10 IU/mL, respectively. The linear range was 2.2-6.2 log 10 IU/mL, and the lowest detection limit was 100 IU/mL. By utilizing histopathological examination of renal biopsy as the gold standard for BKPyV diagnosis, the area under the ROC curve of 74 post-transplantation plasma samples detected by the ddPCR system was found to be 0.875 (95% CI: 0.797-0.953, P < 0.01). The optimal threshold was 512.86 copies/mL, with a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 67.6%. In comparison, the area under the ROC curve for qPCR was 0.668 (95% CI: 0.583-0.752, P < 0.01), with an optimal threshold of 11,481.54 copies/mL, a sensitivity of 35.0%, and a specificity of 100.0%. Pairwise comparison (Delong test) of the ROC curves of the two systems showed a significant difference in the area under the curve, with a difference of 0.207 and a P -value <0.01. The BKPyV nucleic acid detection system, based on ddPCR, is appropriate for the regular monitoring of the BK polyomavirus, specifically in plasma samples containing low viral DNA loads while it provides the benefits of both absolute quantification and high sensitivity.IMPORTANCEIt was previously believed that droplet digital polymerase chain reaction had limitations, including high cost, limited throughput, and cumbersome operation, which hindered its widespread application in clinical practice. However, the current fully automated digital PCR platform, combined with streamlined operations, can detect 96 samples at once, and the entire process can be completed within an hour, laying a solid foundation for its extensive use., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The present study aimed to investigate the direct effects of α-Linolenic acid (ALA) on the in vitro production of testosterone and the expression of key enzymes and proteins related to steroidogenesis in Leydig cells of roosters., Methods: Purified primary Leydig cells isolated from 65-week-old roosters were purified and treated with different concentrations of ALA treatments: (0 μm/L [control], solvent control group (DMSO), 20 μM/L, 40 μM/L, and 80 μM/L) and cell counting-8 (CCK-8) for cell viability assay, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for the determination of testosterone in cell supernatants, quantitative (real-time) PCR, and analysis of activities of antioxidants catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), evaluation of mitochondrial membrane potential, pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins/genes Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were done respectively., Results: Our results showed that ALA significantly increased testosterone secretion in primary rooster Leydig cells (P < 0.05), and 40 μM/L is the optimal dose. Leydig cells supplemented with ALA (20, 40, 80 μM) increased the expression of key enzymes and proteins 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) concerning steroidogenesis, enhanced antioxidant capability, improved mitochondrial biogenesis, and markedly improved the mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression of the apoptosis-suppressive gene Bcl-2 was significantly increased, but Bax and AIF expression was decreased in the ALA group compared to that in the control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: ALA promoted testosterone production, enhanced steroidogenic enzyme expression, improved mitochondrial function, and antioxidant capacity, and reduced apoptosis in primary rooster Leydig cells, with 40 μM/L identified as the optimal concentration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bamboo has shown enormous potential across construction, furniture, and other fields as an efficient replacement for wood. However, during its application, bamboo is susceptible to microbial infection and mildew, resulting in damage to the internal structure that adversely affects its mechanical properties. In the present study, lignin-based polyurea resin/luffa seed oil (LSO) microcapsules (LSO@LPMC) were prepared by interfacial polymerization method. These microcapsules were then applied on bamboo for mold-prevention modification through vacuum impregnation and epoxy resin-microcapsule coating, which significantly improved the mold resistance of bamboo. Microcapsules could alleviate the excessive release of carbon and nitrogen sources within the LSO. The prepared LSO@LPMC exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency (90.76 %) and excellent sustained release performance. LSO benefited from active functional groups including aldehyde and carboxyl groups, thus the enzymes and proteins on the cell surface could be easily deactivated, ultimately leading to microbial lysis and death. The bamboo samples modified with microcapsule coating exhibited excellent antifungal activity and mechanical properties. The processing technology of these microcapsules provides a theoretical reference and practical foundation for the promotion and application of LSO in the field of anti-mold modification of bamboo., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest. The ethics responsibility is informed and acknowledged to all the authors as a part of content of right of informed consent., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Developing economical and efficient electrocatalysts is critical for hydrogen energy industrialization through water electrolysis. Herein, a novel dual-site synergistic NiFe/Y 2 O 3 hybrid with abundant interfacial Ni/Fe─O─Y bonds is designed by density functional theory (DFT) simulations. In situ Raman spectra combined with DFT calculations reveal that the interfacial Ni/Fe─O─Y units greatly promote H 2 O dissociation and optimize the adsorption of both H* and oxygen species, achieving excellent activity and durability for hydrogen evolution reaction. As expected, NiFe/Y 2 O 3 exhibits a low overpotential of 27 mV at 10 mA cm -2 and robust stability of over 200 h at 1000 mA cm -2 , and also outstanding water splitting performance with a low cell voltage of 1.64 V at 100 mA cm -2 , showing significant potential for real-world applications., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In this paper, platinum nanoparticles with a size of less than 50 nm were rapidly and successfully synthesized in low-temperature molten salt using a microwave method. The morphology and structure of the product were characterized by SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, etc. The TEM and SEM results showed that the prepared product was a nanostructure with concave and uniform size. The EDX result indicated that the product was pure Pt, and the XRD pattern showed that the diffraction peaks of the product were consistent with the standard spectrum of platinum. The obtained Pt/C nanoparticles exhibited remarkable electrochemical performance in a formic acid catalytic oxidation reaction (FAOR), with a peak mass current density of 502.00 mA·mg -1 Pt and primarily following the direct catalytic oxidation pathway. In addition, in the chronoamperometry test, after 24 h, the mass-specific activity value of the Pt concave NPs/C catalyst (10.91 mA·mg -1 Pt ) was approximately 4.5 times that of Pt/C (JM) (2.35 mA·mg -1 Pt ). The Pt/C NPs exhibited much higher formic acid catalytic activity and stability than commercial Pt/C. The microwave method can be extended to the preparation of platinum-based alloys as well as other catalysts.

In this study, carvacrol was effectively encapsulated in gelatin/chitosan composite nanofiber membrane using the electrospinning method with the help of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The effects of CTAB (0.0%, 1.0%, w/w) and bioactive carvacrol (0.0%, 1.0%, 3.0%, 5.0%, 7.0%, 10.0%, w/w) on the structural, physicomechanical, antibacterial, and antioxidant characteristics of the nanofiber membranes were investigated. The results demonstrated that the antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics of the gelatin/chitosan composite nanofiber membrane (GC) and GC-CAR membrane (with the addition of 1.0% carvacrol) were unsatisfactory. As carvacrol and CTAB were both added, the elongation at break, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of the nanofiber membranes significantly improved (p < 0.05), while the water vapor permeability (WVP) significantly decreased (p < 0.05). When the added amount of carvacrol was 5.0% (w/w), the nanofiber membrane (GC-CAR5-CTAB) exhibited the best antioxidant and antibacterial performance. Finally, the GC-CAR5-CTAB membrane was applied to the preservation of strawberries and Erjingtiao chilies, and their shelf life was effectively extended. The above results indicate that the nanofiber membrane prepared in this study has great potential for application in food-active packaging., 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.)

Hydrogen-bonded assembly of multiple components into well-defined icosahedral capsules akin to virus capsids has been elusive. In parallel, constructing robust zeolitic-like cluster-based supramolecular frameworks (CSFs) without any coordination covalent bonding linkages remains challenging. Herein, we report a cluster-based pseudoicosahedral H-bonded capsule Cu 60 , which is buckled by the self-organization of judiciously designed constituent copper clusters and anions. The spontaneous formation of the icosahedron in the solid state takes advantage of 48 charge-assisted CH···F hydrogen bonds between cationic clusters and anions (PF 6 - ), and is highly sensitive to the surface protective ligands on the clusters with minor structural modification inhibiting its formation. Most excitingly, an extended three-periodic robust zeolitic-like CSF, is constructed by edge-sharing the resultant icosahedrons. The perpendicular channels of the CSF feature unusual 3D orthogonal double-helical patterns. The CSF material not only keeps its single-crystal character in the desolvated phase, but also exhibits excellent chemical and thermal stabilities as well as long-lived phosphorescence emission., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Catalytic hydrocracking of polyethylene to branched liquid fuels has drawn particular attention. Here, bifunctional Pt/Nb 2 O 5 catalysts with different Pt loadings were prepared for polyethylene hydrocracking. It was found that the low-loading Pt/Nb 2 O 5 catalysts exhibited significantly higher catalytic activity than those of high-loading Pt/Nb 2 O 5 catalysts, with the 0.2Pt/Nb 2 O 5 catalyst having the best catalytic performance (79.2 % yield of liquid fuels (C 5 -C 19 ) with branched alkanes accounting for 85.2 %). Detailed characterizations revealed that the activation of H 2 played a crucial role in the efficient hydrocracking of polyethylene. The 0.2Pt/Nb 2 O 5 catalyst, with highly dispersed Pt nanoclusters on the surface, facilitated the highly active H δ- species formation, thereby enhancing hydrocracking activity. This work highlights the importance of H 2 activation in the hydrocracking of polyethylene and provides insights for the design of efficient catalysts., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Different risk factors are responsible for the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Among these, the main factors are dyslipidemia, dysglycaemia, and endothelial inflammation. The aim of the study was to analyze the levels of lipids, glucose, and cytokine in patients with different coronary heart diseases., Methods: A total of 2147 patients diagnosed with coronary atherosclerosis, stable angina, unstable angina, acute non-ST-segment elevation infarction (NSTEMI) and acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at the Cardiovascular Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital from February 2022 to April 2023. The data were gathered from the medical record system.Nonparametric Wilcoxon test was used for statistical analysis of continuous variables, and chi-square test was used for statistical analysis of categorical variables among multiple groups., Results: Compared with coronary atherosclerosis group, acute myocardial infarction group showed a significant increase in IL-6 level ( p  < 0.001). Compared with stable angina group, acute myocardial infarction group showed a significant increase in IL-6 and decrease in INF-γlevels ( p  < 0.001). Compared with unstable angina group, acute myocardial infarction group showed a significant increase in IL-6 level and decrease in IL-17, as well as INF-γlevels ( p  < 0.001). Compared with NSTEMI group, the proportion of younger, males, glycemic-lowering drugs, as well as the levels of TC, LDL-C in STEMI group increased significantly, while the proportion of hypertension, IFG/IGT/DM, hyperlipidemia and Hb1Ac level decreased significantly. STEMI group showed a significant increase in IL-2 and IL-6 levels ( p  < 0.05)., Conclusions: The levels of lipids, Hb1Ac, IL-2 and IL-6 were varying in patients with different stages of coronary heart diseases.The data would contribute to a deeper understanding of the roles of lipids, glucose, and inflammation in the occurrence and development of CAD., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Accurate segmentation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) from cone beam CT (CBCT) images holds significant clinical value for diagnosing temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis (TMJOA) and related conditions. Convolutional neural network-based medical image segmentation methods have achieved state-of-the-art performance in various segmentation tasks. However, 3D medical images segmentation requires substantial global context and rich spatial semantic information, demanding much more GPU memory and computational resources. To address these challenges in 3D medical image segmentation, we propose a novel network- the MVEL-Net (Multi-view Ensemble Learning Network) for TMJ CBCT image segmentation. By resampling images along three dimensions, we generate multiple weak learners with different spatial semantic information. A subsequent strong learning network effectively integrates the outputs from these weak learners to achieve more accurate segmentation results. We evaluated our network model using a clinical dataset comprising 88 subjects with TMJ CBCT images. The average Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was 0.9817 ± 0.0049, the average surface distance was 0.0540 ± 0.0179 mm, and the 95% Hausdorff distance was 0.1743 ± 0.0550 mm. Our proposed MVEL-Net demonstrates excellent segmentation performance on TMJ from CBCT images, while using fewer GPU memory resources compared to other 3D networks. The effectiveness of this method in capturing spatial context could be leveraged for tasks like organ segmentation from volumetric scans. This may facilitate wider adoption of AI-based solutions for automated analysis of 3D medical images., (© 2024. International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Previous studies have revealed that a high-fat diet (HFD) promotes the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) in close association with disturbances in the intestinal flora and metabolic disorders. Xianglian pill (XLP) is a well-established traditional prescription with unique advantages in controlling intestinal flora imbalance and inflammation. However, its therapeutic effects on HFD-related CRC remain largely unknown., Aim of the Study: The primary objective of this research was to investigate the anticancer mechanism of XLP in countering HFD-related CRC., Materials and Methods: The protective effect of XLP was evaluated using azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced CRC model of mice exposed to a HFD. The degree of colorectal carcinogenesis, including body weight, colon length, and histopathology, was measured in mice treated with XLP and untreated mice. The effect of XLP on gut microbiota and its metabolites was detected using 16S rDNA and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Furthermore, a "pseudo-sterile" mouse model was constructed using antibiotics (Abx) to verify whether the gut microbiota and metabolites play a role in the pathogenesis of CRC., Results: XLP inhibited colorectal tumorigenesis in a dose-dependent fashion. Our findings also highlighted that XLP protected the integrity of the intestinal barrier by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as the infiltration of pro-inflammatory macrophages. Mechanistically, XLP inhibited the TLR4/MyD88 pathway. Notably, the XLP treatment increased the proportion of probiotics (particularly Akkermansia) and significantly reduced fecal deoxycholic acid (DCA), a microbiota-derived metabolite of bile acids (BA) closely related to Muribaculaceae. Furthermore, after Abx treatment, XLP showed no clear antitumor effects on CRC. Simultaneously, DCA-supplemented feedings promoted colorectal tumorigenesis and provoked obvious colonic inflammation, M1 macrophage infiltration, and colonic injury. In vitro, the results of RAW-264.7 macrophages and normal intestinal epithelial cells treated with DCA corroborated our in vivo findings, demonstrating consistent patterns in inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier protein expression., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that XLP inhibits colorectal cancer associated with HFD via inactivating TLR4/MyD88 by remodeling gut microbiota composition and BA metabolism., 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: Older patients are prone to postoperative cognitive decline after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery, which may be associated with increased intraoperative intracranial pressure (ICP). This study investigated the correlation between intraoperative ICP changes, as indicated by measurements of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) using ultrasonography, and subsequent cognitive function to provide better patient care., Aim: To evaluate changes in ICP and associated postoperative neurocognition in older adults after laparoscopic radical resection for rectal cancer., Methods: We included 140 patients who visited the Mianyang Central Hospital for malignant rectal tumors, measured their ONSDs before surgery and 30 and 60 minutes after the Trendelenburg position during surgery, and evaluated the patients' cognitive function 1 day before surgery and 1, 4, and 7 days after surgery. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and confusion assessment method (CAM) scores of the patients with different ONSDs were compared at different times after surgery., Results: In patients with an ONSD greater than 5.00 mm (group A1), the MMSE scores at 1 day and 4 days after surgery were significantly lower than those of patients with an ONSD less than or equal to 4.00 mm (group A2) ( P < 0.05). The CAM scores of group A1 were significantly higher than those of group A2 ( P < 0.05). The MMSE scores of group A1 on days 1 and 4 after surgery were significantly lower than those 1 day before and 7 days after surgery ( P < 0.05), while the CAM scores 1 day and 4 days after surgery were significantly higher than those 1 day before and 7 days after surgery., Conclusion: Decline in cognitive function among older adults after the procedure may be related to intracranial hypertension during surgery., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Artesunate (ART) has been implicated in regulating the many processes of liver injury, but its roles in liver regeneration still need to be illustrated., Methods: In the present study, ART was used to pretreat hepatocyte cell line NCTC1469 to study the effect of ART on hepatocyte proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, the potency of ART as a regimen to promote liver regeneration and restore liver function was evaluated following partial hepatectomy (PH) on C57BL/6 mice., Results: ART concentration-dependently promoted hepatocyte proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Cell cycle and Ki-67 immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that ART supplementation promoted the proliferation of hepatocytes and accelerated liver regeneration. Our results provided evidence that ART improved liver function in a dose-dependent manner, as indicated by decreased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and increased albumin, and hepatocyte growth factor levels in PH mice. Meanwhile, ART promoted the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in NCTC1469 cells and liver tissue of PH mice. In addition, PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the promotion effect of ART on hepatocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression., Conclusion: ART promoted hepatocyte proliferation via activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which was beneficial to liver regeneration of PH-induced liver injury.

Background: Crystal-storing histiocytosis (CSH) is a rare form of histiocytosis with intralysosomal accumulations of immunoglobulins or paraproteins that aggregate as crystals. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement of CSH is uncommon but should be considered in cases of persistent parenchymal enhancement on neuroimaging., Methods: We describe one local case of CNS CSH and 10 additional cases identified by literature review., Results: Among 11 CSH patients, lesions involved either the dura (2/11) or brain parenchyma (9/11). Two cases had leptomeningeal enhancement. One case had spinal cord involvement. Two cases were associated with marginal zone lymphoma; one case was associated with an immunoglobulin A-plasma cell dyscrasia. Eight of 11 cases had outcome data available: 7/8 cases had clinical and/or radiological improvement and 1/8 had radiological stability., Conclusions: Central nervous system involvement of CSH is rare. Potential cases should be comprehensively evaluated for lymphoma or myeloma with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) of the body or alternatively, CT of the chest, abdomen, pelvis and nuclear bone scan, bone marrow biopsy, serum protein electrophoresis, and cerebrospinal fluid protein electrophoresis. Treatment is targeted toward the underlying malignancy., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.)

The advancement of rational nano drug delivery systems offers robust tools for achieving synergistic therapeutic outcomes in tumor treatment. In this study, we present the development of pH and near-infrared laser dual-responsive nanoparticles (DOX-CuS@CaCO 3 @PL-PEG, DCCP NPs) based on calcium carbonate, utilizing a one-pot gas diffusion reaction. These nanoparticles enable combined photothermal therapy (PTT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), chemotherapy, and Ca 2+ -overloading synergistic therapy. Doxorubicin (DOX) and copper sulfide (CuS) NPs were co-loaded in CaCO 3 , followed by PEG surface functionalization. The presence of PEG enhanced the stability of DCCP NPs in aqueous environments. Controlled release of DOX, CuS NPs, and Ca 2+ occurs specifically in the acidic tumor microenvironment. Released DOX enhances chemotherapy efficiency, while CuS NPs, upon laser irradiation, induce thermal damage, promoting further drug release and cellular uptake. Additionally, CuS NPs in our system consume excess GSH and generate toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) through a Fenton-like reaction, contributing to CDT. These radicals not only directly eliminate tumor cells but also disrupt mitochondrial Ca 2+ buffering capacity. Furthermore, Ca 2+ released from CaCO 3 induces Ca 2+ -overloading, intensifying mitochondrial disruption and oxidative damage. The synergistic combination of PTT, CDT, chemotherapy, and Ca 2+ -overloading showcases significant therapeutic potential, indicating broad applications in tumor therapy. This multifaceted approach holds promise for advancing the field of tumor therapeutics., 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.)

Cryopreservation causes higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations, leading to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation damaging sperm, and using antioxidants can improve semen quality after freeze-thaw. Natural astaxanthin (ASTA) can be inserted into cell membranes and its antioxidant properties are stronger than other antioxidants. We aimed to investigate the effects of ASTA supplementation in the Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) on post-thaw rooster semen quality and to explore the potential mechanism of rooster semen quality change. The qualifying semen ejaculates collected from 30 adult male Jinghong No. 1 laying hen breeder roosters (65 wk old) were pooled, divided into four aliquots, and diluted with BPSE having different levels of ASTA (0, 0.5, 1, or 2 μg/mL). Treated semen was cryopreserved and kept in liquid nitrogen. The entire experiment was replicated three times independently. Sperm viability, motility, curvilinear velocity, amplitude of lateral head displacement, straightness, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity were observed to be highest (P < 0.05) with 1 μg/mL ASTA at freeze-thawing. Higher (P < 0.05) antioxidant enzyme (CAT-like, SOD) activities and free radical (·OH, O2 .- ) scavenging ability, less ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were recorded with the addition of appropriate concentrations of ASTA compared to control. In addition, the levels of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the 1 μg/mL ASTA group improved compared to the control group, and decreased the amount of AIF protein level but increased the Bcl-2 protein level (P < 0:05). Collectively, these results demonstrate that adding ASTA in the BPSE promoted rooster freeze-thaw sperm quality, which may be related to reducing ROS levels, protecting the antioxidant defense system, preventing lipid peroxidation, improving mitochondrial structural and functional integrity, and inhibiting sperm apoptosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest It is not necessary for the authors to declare any conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The polar nature of nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides makes hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) a good choice of technology for separation. Both naturally occurring and modified nucleosides and nucleotides have been successfully separated in HILIC. A wide range of stationary phases with different retention and selectivity are suitable for the separation of nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides; and a sufficient knowledge base is also available to guide method development. Although oligonucleotides are significantly different from nucleotides in terms of polarity and charges, HILIC has been shown to be a viable alternative to ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography (IP-RPLC). Only a few polar stationary phases have been shown to provide satisfactory performance; however, the requirements for the mobile phase composition including organic solvent, mobile phase pH and salt concentration are sufficiently understood. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the chromatographic conditions with a historical perspective on adopting and developing HILIC for the separation of nucleobases, nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides. The areas for more research and potential directions for future development activities are identified and discussed., 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.)

The electro-catalytic oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) provides an attractive route to produce 2, 5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a substitute for terephthalic acid used in the plastics industry. Herein, we prepared MoNi4 alloy on nickel foam (NF) using a simple hydrothermal method followed by hydrogen reduction. Applied MoNi4/NF as the bifunctional electrodes for the electro-catalytic HMF oxidation reaction (HMFOR) and HER, 98.7% FDCA yield and 97.3% Faraday efficiency (FE) can be achieved even with HMF concentration as high as 200 mM. Notably, no obvious deactivation was observed after ten consecutive cycles. In-situ Raman, XANES and EXAFS results show that the nickel species of MoNi4/NF is first oxidized to Ni3+ species under the applied voltage, and after undergoing the electro-catalytic HMFOR, then reduced to Ni2-δ state (with a valence between 0 and +2) due to the electron-donating effect from Mo. MoNi4/NF with more than one electron transfer between Ni3+ and Ni2-δ during the HMFOR enables it to have excellent electro-catalytic oxidation ability toward HMFOR., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Bubble dynamics is paramount in comprehending the heat transfer mechanisms of flow boiling in the microchannel within ultrasonic field, which is regarded as a promising method to confront challenges of thermal management posed by microelectronic devices. Nevertheless, the impact of ultrasound on bubble behaviors and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study first delves into the effect of ultrasonic parameters on bubble dynamic behaviors and associated mechanisms, subsequently further analyzing the forces acting on bubbles through the constructed force model. The findings suggest that although growth force serves as the significant resistance, the primary Bjerknes force dominates the rapid detachment of bubbles. The secondary Bjerknes force results in the bubble only sliding along the bottom wall rather than lifting off. Furthermore, the elevated ultrasonic pressure amplitude resulting from augmenting ultrasonic power induces a substantial increase in the critical detachment diameter and growth rate by 55.49 % and 59.42 %, respectively. The enhanced primary Bjerknes force, attributed to the rise in ultrasonic frequency, leads to a 71.42 % increase in sliding velocity and a 46.45 % reduction in growth time. The positive impacts arising from ultrasonic power and frequency are anticipated to notably enhance the thermal performance of microchannels. Besides, surface tension acts as the resistance and diminishes slightly with an augmentation of the boiling number, resulting in a moderate variation in sliding velocity and growth time., 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 Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The texture of human skin is influenced by both external and internal factors, and changes in wrinkles can most directly reflect the state of the skin. Skin roughness is primarily used to quantify the wrinkle features of the skin. Therefore, effective and accurate quantification of skin roughness is essential in skincare, medical treatment, and product development. This study proposes a method for estimating the skin surface roughness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) combined with a convolutional neural network (CNN). The proposed algorithm is validated through a roughness standard plate. Then, the experimental results revealed that skin surface roughness including arithmetic mean roughness and depth of roughness depends on age and gender. The advantage of the proposed method based on OCT is that it can reduce the effect of the skin surface's natural curvature on roughness. In addition, the method is combined with the epidermal thickness and dermal attenuation coefficient for multi-parameter characterization of skin features. It could be seen as a potential tool for understanding the aging process and developing strategies to maintain and enhance skin health and appearance., 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 Zhang, Chen, Li, Zou, Guo, Chen, Guo and Li.)

In practical sensing tasks, noise is usually regarded as an obstacle that degrades the sensitivity. Fortunately, stochastic resonance can counterintuitively harness noise to notably enhance the output signal-to-noise ratio in a nonlinear system. Although stochastic resonance has been extensively studied in various disciplines, its potential in realistic sensing tasks remains largely unexplored. Here, we propose and demonstrate a noise-enhanced microwave sensor using a thermal ensemble of interacting Rydberg atoms. Using the strong nonlinearity present in the Rydberg ensembles and leveraging stochastic noises in the system, we demonstrate the stochastic resonance driven by a weak microwave signal (from several microvolts per centimeter to millivolts per centimeter). A substantial enhancement in the detection is achieved, with a sensitivity surpassing that of a heterodyne atomic sensor by 6.6 decibels. Our results offer a promising platform for investigating stochastic resonance in practical sensing scenarios.

Epilepsy associated with high-titer glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) IgG is often refractory to immunotherapies and antiseizure medication. This study sought to determine the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and surgical resection in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy associated with GAD65-IgG. We retrospectively identified 15 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and high serum GAD65 antibody titers (>20 nmol·L -1 ) who underwent VNS implantation (n = 6), surgical resection (n = 7), or both (n = 2). A responder to VNS was defined as someone with a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency, and a favorable surgical outcome was defined as Engel I-II. Of the eight patients who underwent VNS implantation, three (37.5%) were initially responders, but this was not sustained in two. Of the nine patients who underwent surgical resection, three (33.3%) had a favorable outcome; however, only one patient was seizure-free at last follow-up. Pathology was available in six patients, and only one had evidence of inflammation; this patient had seizure onset 1 year prior to surgery. Favorable seizure outcome correlated with older age at time of resective surgery, with a trend favoring later age of seizure onset. Taken together, surgical resection and VNS implantation may have limited efficacy in this patient population but can be considered in carefully selected cases., (© 2024 International League Against Epilepsy.)

Metformin is an important antidiabetic drug that has the potential to reduce skeletal muscle atrophy and promote the differentiation of muscle cells. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying these functions remains unclear. Previous studies revealed that the transcription factor zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), which participates in tumor progression, inhibits muscle atrophy. Therefore, we hypothesized that the protective effect of metformin might be related to ZEB1. We investigated the positive effect of metformin on IL-1β-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating ZEB1 in vitro and in vivo. Compared with the normal cell differentiation group, the metformin-treated group presented increased myotube diameters and reduced expression levels of atrophy-marker proteins. Moreover, muscle cell differentiation was hindered, when we artificially interfered with ZEB1 expression in mouse skeletal myoblast (C2C12) cells via ZEB1-specific small interfering RNA (si-ZEB1). In response to inflammatory stimulation, metformin treatment increased the expression levels of ZEB1 and three differentiation proteins, MHC, MyoD, and myogenin, whereas si-ZEB1 partially counteracted these effects. Moreover, marked atrophy was induced in a mouse model via the administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the skeletal muscles of the lower limbs. Over a 4-week period of intragastric administration, metformin treatment ameliorated muscle atrophy and increased the expression levels of ZEB1. Metformin treatment partially alleviated muscle atrophy and stimulated differentiation. Overall, our findings may provide a better understanding of the mechanism underlying the effects of metformin treatment on skeletal muscle atrophy and suggest the potential of metformin as a therapeutic drug., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Renal fibrosis is the common final pathway of progressive renal diseases, in which the macrophages play an important role. ELISA was used to detect CD5 antigen-like (CD5L) in serum samples from end-stage renal disease (ESRD), as well as in mice serum with unilateral ureteral occlusion (UUO). Recombinant CD5L was injected into UUO mice to assess renal injury, fibrosis, and macrophage infiltration. The expression of CD5L was significantly upregulated in the serum of patients with ESRD and UUO mice. Histological analysis showed that rCD5L-treated UUO mice had more severe renal injury and fibrosis. Furthermore, rCD5L promoted the phenotypic transfer of monocytes from Ly6C high to LyC6 low . RCD5L promoted TGF-β signaling pathway activation by promoting Smad2/3 phosphorylation. We used Co-IP to identify HSPA5 interact with CD5L on cell membrane could inhibit the formation of the Cripto/HSPA5 complex, and promote the activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway. The CD5L antibody could reduce the degree of renal fibrosis in UUO mice., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recent advancements in cancer treatment have underscored the inadequacy of conventional monotherapies in addressing complex malignant tumors. Consequently, there is a growing interest in synergistic therapies capable of overcoming the limitations of monotherapies, leading to more personalized and effective approaches. Among these, the combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy has emerged as a promising avenue for tumor management. In this study, we present a novel approach utilizing thermoresponsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as a delivery system for the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin. By incorporating photothermal agent copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles into the MSN, the resulting composite material exhibits potent photothermal properties. Furthermore, the integration of an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer within the silica outer layer serves as a "gatekeeper", enabling precise control over drug release kinetics. This innovative nanomaterial effectively merges thermoresponsive behavior with PTT, thereby minimizing the collateral damage associated with traditional chemotherapy on healthy tissues. Moreover, in both in vitro studies using mouse breast carcinoma cells (4 T1) and in vivo experiments utilizing a 4 T1 tumor-bearing mouse model, our nanomaterials demonstrated synergistic effects, enhancing the anti-tumor efficacy of combined PTT and chemotherapy. With its remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency, robust stability, and biocompatibility, the UCST-responsive nanoplatform holds immense potential for clinical applications., 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: Surgical resection and liver transplantation (LT) are the most effective curative options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, few patients with huge HCC (> 10 cm in diameter), especially those with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), can receive these treatments. Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) can be used as a conversion therapy for them because it has the dual benefit of shrinking tumors and increasing residual hepatic volume. However, in patients with huge HCC, high lung absorbed dose often prevents them from receiving SIRT., Case Summary: A 35-year-old man was admitted because of emaciation and pain in the hepatic region for about 1 month. The computed tomography scan showed a 20.2 cm × 19.8 cm tumor located in the right lobe-left medial lobes with right portal vein and right hepatic vein invasion. After the pathological type of HCC was confirmed by biopsy, two conversions were presented. The first one was drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization plus hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and lenvatinib and sintilimab, converted to SIRT, and the second one was sequential SIRT with continued systemic treatment. The tumor size significantly decreased from 20.2 cm × 19.8 cm to 16.2 cm × 13.8 cm, then sequentially to 7.8 cm × 6.8 cm. In the meantime, the ratio of spared volume to total liver volume increased gradually from 34.4% to 55.7%, then to 62.9%. Furthermore, there was visualization of the portal vein, indicating regression of the tumor thrombus. Finally, owing to the new tumor in the left lateral lobe, the patient underwent LT instead of resection without major complications., Conclusion: Patients with inoperable huge HCC with PVTT could be converted to SIRT first and accept surgery sequentially., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to declare for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are becoming increasingly serious, making the development of novel antimicrobials urgent. Here, we synthesized some amphiphilic honokiol derivatives bearing an oxazole moiety and investigated their antibacterial and hemolytic activities. Bioactivity evaluation showed that E17 possessed significant in vitro antibacterial activity against S. aureus and MRSA, along with low hemolytic activity. Moreover, E17 exhibited rapid bactericidal properties and was not susceptible to resistance. Mechanistic studies indicated that E17 interacts with phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin of bacterial cell membranes, leading to changes in cell membrane permeability and polarization, increased intracellular ROS, and leakage of DNA and proteins, thus accelerating bacterial death. Transcriptome analysis further demonstrated that E17 has membrane-targeting effects, affecting the expression of genes related to cell membranes and ABC transporter proteins. Notably, in vivo activity showed that E17 has prominent anti-MRSA efficacy, comparable to vancomycin, and is expected to be a new anti-MRSA drug candidate.

Hydrogels can imitate the extracellular matrix, therefore facilitating the creation of an ideal healing environment for wounds. Consequently, they are popular as a material choice for wound dressings. Polysaccharides have been widely used in wound dressings due to their good biocompatibility and degradability. In this study, we first discuss skin and wound physiology before summarizing the methods for producing hydrogels from polysaccharides and their derivatized. These include not just normal polysaccharides like chitosan, cellulose, and alginate, but also Chinese medicinal polysaccharides with therapeutic properties. Then, strategies for causing hydrogel production from polysaccharides or their derivatives are briefly explained. Finally, the functions of hydrogel dressings are reviewed, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and adhesive properties, as well as the methods for achieving these properties. Furthermore, current issues and concerns are discussed, with the goal of providing fresh paths for the development of future wound dressings., 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.)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) presents as a condition marked by a sudden and rapid decrease in kidney function over a short timeframe, resulting from diverse causes. As a transcription factor, PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16), has recently been implicated in brown fat biogenesis and heart diseases. Our recent works indicated that PRDM16 could suppress the occurrence of renal interstitial fibrosis in diabetic kidney disorder. Nonetheless, the effect and regulatory mechanism of PRDM16 in AKI remain elusive. Our study demonstrated that PRDM16 inhibited apoptosis induced by ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) in BUMPT (Boston University mouse kidney proximal tubular) cells and HK-2(Human Kidney-2) cells. Mechanistically, PRDM16 not only bound to the promoter region of S100 Calcium Binding Protein A6 (S100A6)and upregulated its expression but also interacted with its amino acids 945-949, 957-960, and 981-984 to suppress the p38MAPK and JNK axes via inhibition of PKC-η activity and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, cisplatin- and I/R-stimulated AKI progression were ameliorated in PRDM16 proximal-tubule-specific knockin mice, whereas exacerbated in PRDM16 knockout proximal-tubule-specific mice). Moreover, we observed that formononetin ameliorated I/R- and cisplatin-triggered AKI progression in mice. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel self-protective mechanism in AKI, whereby PRDM16 regulates the S100A6/PKC-η/ROS/p38MAPK and JNK pathways to inhibit AKI progression., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). MedComm published by Sichuan International Medical Exchange & Promotion Association (SCIMEA) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: In people with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) receiving imatinib and achieving major molecular response (MMR), dose reduction may decrease adverse events but may be associated with a loss of molecular response. Whether digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) can identify persons in whom dose reduction might be unsuccessful is unknown., Methods: Data from 716 consecutive subjects who achieved MMR after initial imatinib therapy (400 mg/day) were obtained. A total of 486 subjects remained on full-dose imatinib, whereas 230 subjects had their dose reduced to 300 or 200 mg/day. The outcomes of these cohorts were compared via landmark and propensity score matching analyses., Results: Imatinib dose reduction showed no significant effect on the subsequent achievement of deeper molecular responses (4- and 4.5-log reductions in BCR::ABL1 transcripts; MR 4 and MR 4.5 ), maintenance of MMR, or attainment of therapy-free remission when compared with subjects without dose reduction. In subjects achieving MR 4 , however, the probability of maintaining MR 4 (p = .002) was lower in the reduced-dose group. In multivariable analyses, failure to achieve MR 4.5 as determined by ddPCR at the time of dose reduction was significantly associated with briefer MMR failure-free survival (FFS; hazard ratio [HR], 10.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-82.9; p = .03) and MR 4 FFS (HR, 6.8; 95% CI, 2.6-18.0; p < .001)., Conclusions: Imatinib dose reduction after achieving MMR does not adversely affect response deepening or MMR maintenance in chronic-phase CML but compromises MR 4 maintenance. The results of ddPCR may identify people who benefit from imatinib dose reduction., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Cancer Society.)

Nitrate pollution is a significant environmental issue closely related to human activities, complicated hydrological interactions and nitrate fate in the valley watershed strongly affects nitrate load in hydrological systems. In this study, a nitrate reactive transport model by coupling SWAT-MODFLOW-RT3D between surface water and groundwater interactions at the watershed scale was developed, which was used to reproduce the interaction between surface water and groundwater in the basin from 2016 to 2019 and to reveal the nitrogen transformation process and the evolving trend of nitrate load within the hydrological system of the valley watershed. The results showed that the basin exhibited groundwater recharge to surface water in 2016-2019, particularly in the northwestern and northeastern mountainous regions of the valley watershed and the southern Beishan Reservoir vicinity. Groundwater recharge to surface water declined by 20.17 % from 2016 to 2019 due to precipitation. Nitrate loads in the hydrologic system of the watershed are primarily derived from human activities (including fertilizer application from agricultural activities and residential wastewater discharges) and the nitrogen cycle. Nitrate loads in surface water declined 16.05 % from 2016 to 2019. Nitrate levels are higher in agricultural farming and residential areas on the eastern and northern sides of the watershed. Additionally, hydrological interactions are usually accompanied by material accumulation and environmental changes. Nitrate levels tend to rise with converging water flows, a process that becomes more pronounced during precipitation events and cropping seasons in agriculturally intensive valley watersheds. However, environmental changes alter nitrogen transformation processes. Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and ammonification intensify nitrogen inputs during river pooling, enhancing nitrogen cycling fluxes and elevating nitrate loads. These processes are further enhanced during groundwater recharge to surface water, leading to evaluated nitrate load. Enhanced denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), anaerobic ammonia oxidation, and assimilation promote the nitrogen export from the system and reduce the nitrate load during surface water recharge to groundwater., 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.)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a serious threat to human public health and global economic development, and there is an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial agents. Flavonoids are the largest group of plant secondary metabolites, and the anti- S. aureus and anti-MRSA activities of flavonoids have now been widely reported. The aim of this Review is to describe plant-derived flavonoid active ingredients and their effects and mechanisms of inhibitory activity against MRSA in order to provide insights for screening novel antimicrobial agents. Here, 85 plant-derived flavonoids (14 flavones, 21 flavonols, 26 flavanones, 9 isoflavones, 12 chalcones, and 3 other classes) with anti-MRSA activity are reviewed. Among these flavonoids, flavones and isoflavones generally showed the most significant anti-MRSA activity (MICs: 1-8 μg/mL). The results of the present Review display that most of the flavonoids with excellent anti-MRSA activity were derived from Morus alba L. and Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. The antibacterial mechanism of flavonoids against MRSA is mainly achieved by disruption of membrane structures, inhibition of efflux pumps, and inhibition of β-lactamases and bacterial virulence factors. We hope this Review can provide insights into the development of novel antimicrobials based on natural products for treating MRSA infections.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a leading cause of non-traumatic disability in young adults. The highly dynamic nature of MS lesions has made them difficult to study using traditional histopathology due to the specificity of current stains. This requires numerous stains to track and study demyelinating activity in MS. Thus, we utilized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to generate holistic biomolecular profiles of demyelinating activities in MS brain tissue. Multivariate analysis can differentiate MS tissue from controls. Analysis of the absorbance spectra shows profound reductions of lipids, proteins, and phosphate in white matter lesions. Changes in unsaturated lipids and lipid chain length indicate oxidative damage in MS brain tissue. Altered lipid and protein structures suggest changes in MS membrane structure and organization. Unique carbohydrate signatures are seen in MS tissue compared to controls, indicating altered metabolic activities. Cortical lesions had increased olefinic lipid content and abnormal membrane structure in normal appearing MS cortex compared to controls. Our results suggest that FTIR spectroscopy can further our understanding of lesion evolution and disease mechanisms in MS paving the way towards improved diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel therapeutics., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To investigate the characteristics of grassland degradation on a regional scale in Xizang, data on grassland degradation from the second grassland survey of Xizang and 12 vegetation and soil indicators from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center were collected. Using ArcMap, 10 000 random sample points were selected on raster data （excluding non-grassland, desertification, and salinization data, leaving 7 949 valid sample points）. The multi-value extraction to-point method was applied to extract degradation and indicator data for each sample point. The characteristics of degraded grassland vegetation and soil and their relationships were analyzed in Xizang. Moreover, random forest modeling was conducted to predict the trend of grassland ecosystem changes. The results indicated that： ① The grasslands in Xizang were primarily composed of alpine steppe and alpine meadow types, accounting for 45.83% and 41.15% of the valid sample points, respectively. ② With the intensification of grassland degradation, the number of steppe-type species among the 17 grassland types gradually decreased, and the proportion of steppe dominated by species such as Stipa purpurea and Carex moorcroftii decreased, whereas the proportion of miscellaneous grasses and Dasiphora fruticosa increased. ③ As the degree of degradation increased, vegetation indicators generally showed a declining trend, with soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, and organic carbon decreasing, whereas soil pH and bulk density increased, and soil moisture content was not significant. ④ A positive correlation exists between soil moisture content, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, organic carbon, vegetation cover, net primary productivity of vegetation, normalized difference vegetation index, aboveground biomass, and habitat quality. However, there was a negative correlation between pH and soil bulk density, and the correlation coefficients among various indicators decreased with the intensification of degradation. ⑤ The random forest simulation results showed that during the degradation process, the contribution rates of soil bulk density and habitat quality both exceeded 12%, with the model prediction accuracy reaching 78%. The study revealed that grassland degradation in Xizang was closely related to soil bulk density and habitat quality, indicating that higher soil bulk density or lower habitat quality may correspond to more severe grassland degradation. This provides a scientific basis for future grassland conservation and management.

Board furniture's performance and scientific design are making it popular. Research on simplifying furniture joints reduces design cycles and costs and improves structural safety. In this article, using a cantilever beam to calculate deflection theoretically simplifies the L-shaped component model and yields a joint elastic modulus formula. Finite element analysis (FEA) confirms the effectiveness of this simplified model by comparing its results with experimental data. In simplified components, the joint elastic modulus increases with length ( l 2 ) and stabilizes at l 2 / b ≥ 6 ( b is the board's thickness). The variation pattern of the joint elastic modulus equals that of the stiffness, proving its usefulness in assessing component deformation resistance. Furthermore, the component strength and stiffness are also affected by the screw spacing and connector type. In particular, the connectors type affects bamboo-oriented strand board (BOSB) component performance more than wood-oriented strand board (WOSB). Compared to WOSB, BOSB components have superior strength and stiffness and are more stable. The recommended screw spacing for L-shaped components is 48 mm. BOSB components fixed with two-in-one and metal nuts utilizing threads embedded in the board have better strength and stiffness, while for WOSB components, nylon nuts, and wooden dowel pins are more appropriate for securing.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant disease with high aggressiveness and a dismal prognosis, which is challenging to diagnose clinically early and gains low benefit from standard therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have become a hot topic in oncology research. Current evidence indicates that miRNAs are regulators involved in the entire process of PC, providing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this fatal disease. Related research has been rapidly updated, making it necessary to review it to propose new directions and ideas and provide guidance for the development of precision medicine for PC. We reviewed the relevant literature through Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Medline, showing that abnormally expressed miRNAs in PC patients have the potential to be used as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, highlighting the excellent prospect of combining miRNAs with traditional therapies, and the effective application of these factors for PC, especially miRNA mimics and inhibitors. MiRNAs participate in the entire process of PC and play important roles in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. They are potential factors in conquering PC in the future., 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 Yuan, Yan, Guo and Li.)

Background: To date, limited research has been conducted on the functionality of the glymphatic system during the recovery phase of severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). This study aimed to use a diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) to evaluate glymphatic system function in patients recovering from sTBI who underwent unilateral decompressive craniectomy, and to examine the correlation between the ALPS index and the size of the cranial defect. We hypothesized that assessments would reveal ongoing impairments in glymphatic system function among sTBI patients during the recovery phase., Methods: A total of 23 patients with a history of sTBI who had previously undergone unilateral decompressive craniectomy at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2020 to December 2020 were enrolled in the study, along with 33 healthy control (HC) subjects. All the subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with DTI scans, and the ALPS index was subsequently calculated to assess glymphatic system functionality. Additionally, the circumference and sectional area of the cranial defect were measured for each patient. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the ALPS index values between the sTBI patients and HC subjects, while a Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between the ALPS index and cranial defect characteristics., Results: The ALPS index values of both the craniectomy side (t=-9.08, P<0.001) and non-craniectomy side (t=-5.06, P < 0.001) of the sTBI group were significantly lower than those of the HC group. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the ALPS index values of the craniectomy and non-craniectomy sides. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in the ALPS index values of both the craniectomy and non-craniectomy sides among the early, intermediate, and late recovery phases. In the sTBI patients, a moderately strong negative correlation was found between the circumference of the cranial defect and the ALPS index of the craniectomy side (r=-0.62, P=0.002), and a moderately negative correlation was found between the sectional area of the cranial defect and the ALPS index of the craniectomy side (r=-0.56, P = 0.005)., Conclusions: The non-invasive DTI-ALPS technique revealed significantly reduced ALPS index values during the recovery phase of sTBI, indicating persistent impairment in glymphatic system function. A significant negative correlation was found between the ALPS index value of the craniectomy side and the size of the cranial defect. These findings suggest that the ALPS index may serve as a valuable prognostic factor in the recovery phase of sTBI., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://qims.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/qims-24-348/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery. All rights reserved.)

The influences of the positive Fe 3+ and the negative Cr 2 O 7 2- on the tetracycline (TC) photodegradation by N-doped dissolved black carbon (NDBC) have been investigated in this work. A series of samples (NDBC300, NDBC400 and NDBC500) have been extracted from the corresponding biochar. NDBC400 has the best photodegradation performance (79%) for TC under visible light irradiation. Adding Cr 2 O 7 2- and Fe 3+ can reduces TC photodegradation efficiency into 37% and 53%, respectively. This maybe from that Cr 2 O 7 2- has stronger interaction with NDBC400 than Fe 3+ since it can quench more fluorescence intensity of NDBC400 than Fe 3+ . Furthermore, Cr 2 O 7 2- can reduce the steady-state concentration of 3 NDBC400*, 1 O 2 and •OH, whereas Fe 3+ can just reduce the steady-state concentration of 3 NDBC400* and increase the concentration of •OH. This may explain why Cr 2 O 7 2- has stronger inhibit performance of TC photodegradation by NDBC400 than Fe 3+ . The band structures of NDBC400, NDBC400-Fe 3+ and NDBC400-Cr 2 O 7 2- are constructed. And the VB of NDBC400-Fe 3+ has a stronger ability to produce •OH than NDBC400. In summary, coupling interaction and band structure characterization of NDBC400, NDBC400-Fe 3+ and NDBC400-Cr 2 O 7 2- can explain well why Cr 2 O 7 2 has stronger inhibition effect than Fe 3+ and Fe 3+ can increase the concentration of •OH. This work provides a deep insight for the photochemical behavior of dissolved black carbon and the transformation behavior of the co-existed metal ions and antibiotics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that no competing financial interest will influence this paper reported in the journal., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The precise and controllable preparation of carbon nanomaterials under mild conditions poses a great challenge, especially for metal-catalysed multiphase preparation. This work proposes an efficient method that utilizing high-density ultrasound to enhance the liquid-liquid interfacial reaction system. Iron-doped carbon dots (Fe-CDs) are successfully synthesized in such a normal temperature and atmospheric-pressure reaction condition. It is shown that transient cavitation provides a high-temperature and high-pressure microenvironment for the preparation of Fe-CDs. Moreover, the size of the reactant droplets is reduced from 200.0 ± 17.3 μm to 8.1 ± 2.9 μm owing to the acoustic flow and cavitation effects, which increases the specific surface area of the two reacting phases and improves the mass transfer coefficient by more than 252.0 %. As a result, the yield increases by more than an order of magnitude (from 0.7 ± 0.1 % to 11.9 ± 0.2 %) and the Fe doping rate reaches 20.9 %. The photocatalytic oxidation conversion of 1,4-Dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) using the obtained Fe-CDs is as high as 98.2 %. This research gives a new approach for the efficient and safe production of Fe-CDs, which is promising for industrial applications., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

The metal-catalyzed sulfur reaction in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries usually suffers from the strong binding of sulfur species to the catalyst surface, which destroys the electric double layer (EDL) region there. This causes rapid catalyst deactivation because it prevents the desorption of sulfur species and mass transport through the EDL is hindered. This work introduces a competitive adsorption factor (f sulfur ) as a new indicator to quantify the competitive adsorption of sulfur species in the EDL and proposes an alloying method to change it by strengthening the p-d hybridization of alloying metals with electrolyte solvents. A cobalt-zinc alloy catalyst with a moderate f sulfur lowers the activation energy of the rate-limiting step of the conversion of lithium polysulfides to lithium sulfide, giving a platform capacity proportion that is 96% of the theoretical value and has a greatly improved anti-passivation ability, especially at high sulfur loadings and lean electrolyte conditions (a low E/S ratio of 5 µL mg S -1 ). A pouch cell using this approach has a high energy density of up to 464 Wh kg -1 . Such a competitive adsorption indicator and alloying strategy offer a new guideline for catalyst design and a practical electrocatalysis solution for Li-S batteries., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: The process of osteogenic differentiation hinges upon the pivotal role of mechanical signals. Previous studies found that mechanical tensile strain of 2500 microstrain (με) at a frequency of 0.5 ​Hz promoted osteogenesis in vitro. However, the mechanism of the mechanical strain influencing osteogenesis at the cellular and molecular levels are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of mechanical strain on osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells., Materials and Methods: Proteomics analysis was conducted to explore the mechanical strain that significantly impacted the protein expression. Bioinformatics identified important mechanosensitive proteins and the expression of genes was investigated using real-time PCR. The dual-luciferase assay revealed the relationship between the miRNA and its target gene. Overexpression and downexpression of the gene, to explore its role in mechanically induced osteogenic differentiation and transcriptomics, revealed further mechanisms in this process., Results: Proteomics and bioinformatics identified an important mechanosensitive lowexpression protein ATP13A3, and the expression of Atp13a3 gene was also reduced. The dual-luciferase assay revealed that microRNA-3070-3p (miR-3070-3p) targeted the Atp13a3 gene. Furthermore, the downexpression of Atp13a3 promoted the expression levels of osteogenic differentiation-related genes and proteins, and this process was probably mediated by the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway., Conclusion: Atp13a3 responded to mechanical tensile strain to regulate osteogenic differentiation, and the TNF signaling pathway regulated by Atp13a3 was probably involved in this process. These novel insights suggested that Atp13a3 was probably a potential osteogenesis and bone formation regulator., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest concerning the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

One new 2-arylbenzo[ b ]furan named iteafuranal F ( 1 ) as well as two known analogues ( 2-3 ) were isolated from the 95% EtOH extract of aerial parts of Itea omeiensis . Their chemical structures were constructed based on extensive analyses of UV, IR, 1D/2D NMR and HRMS spectra. Antioxidant assays revealed significant superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity of 1 with IC 50 value of 0.66 mg/mL, which was comparable to the efficiency of positive control of luteolin. In addition, the preliminary MS fragmentation patterns in negative ion mode were established to distinguish 2-arylbenzo[ b ]furans with C-10 in different oxidation states: the characteristic loss of CO molecule [M-H-28] - was observed for 3-formyl-2-arylbenzo[ b ]furans, and the loss of CH 2 O fragment [M-H-30] - for 3-hydroxymethyl-2-arylbenzo[ b ]furans, and the loss of CO 2 fragment [M-H-44] - for 2-arylbenzo[ b ]furan-3-carboxylic acids.

Although microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective, its efficiency is constrained by challenges such as low bacterial activity and heavy metal stress. This study explored the enhancement of mineralization efficiency by incorporating zinc (Zn) into the cultivation system of carbonate-mineralized bacteria. All Zn salts at a concentration of 30 μmol/L significantly enhanced the density and heavy metal resistance of bacterial cells, while also promoting CO 2 hydration efficiency. The activities of urease and carbonic anhydrase (CA) were significantly elevated after treatment with 30 μmol/L ZnCl 2 and Zn(C 3 H 5 O 3 ) 2 (ZnL) compared to the control. The results from qRT-PCR and ELISA confirmed that ZnL exhibited a stable biological effect on CA gene expression. Through the analysis of surface chemistry of cells and the subcellular distribution pattern of cadmium (Cd), it was observed that Zn supplementation maintained the cell surface stability and strengthened the cellular barrier against Cd uptake. SEM, FTIR and XRD results further confirmed that Zn supplementation significantly increased the complexity of the mineral morphology, resulting in a more stable crystal structure of CdCO 3 . This study offers additional theoretical and technical backing, opening a new avenue for the practical application of MICP technology in heavy metal remediation., 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.)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major pathogen causing infections in hospitals and the community, and there is an urgent need for the development of novel antibacterials to combat MRSA infections. Herein, a series of amphiphilic honokiol derivatives containing an oxazolethione moiety were prepared and evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial and hemolytic activities. The screened optimal derivative, I3, exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity against S. aureus and clinical MRSA isolates with MIC values of 2-4 μg/mL, which was superior to vancomycin in terms of its rapid bactericidal properties and was less susceptible to the development of resistance. The SARs analysis indicated that amphiphilic honokiol derivatives with fluorine substituents had better antibacterial activity than those with chlorine and bromine substituents. In vitro and in vivo toxicity studies revealed that I3 has relatively low toxicity. In a MRSA-infected mouse skin abscess model, I3 (5 mg/kg) effectively killed MRSA at the infected site and attenuated the inflammation effects, comparable to vancomycin. In a MRSA-infected mouse sepsis model, I3 (12 mg/kg) was found to significantly reduce the bacterial load in infected mice and increase survival of infected mice. Mechanistic studies indicated that I3 has membrane targeting properties and can interact with phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL) of MRSA cell membranes, thereby disrupting MRSA cell membranes, further inducing the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein and DNA leakage to achieve rapid bactericidal effects. Finally, we hope that I3 is a potential candidate molecule for the development of antibiotics to conquer superbacteria-related infections., 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 Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)