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Image 1., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Photocatalytic selective oxidation plays an important role in developing green chemistry. However, it is challenging to design an efficient photocatalyst for controlling the selectivity of photocatalytic oxidation reaction and exploring its detailed mechanism. Here, we synthesized three conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) with D-A structures, named M-SATE-CMPs (MZn, Cu and Co), with different d-band centers based on different metal centers, resulting in the discrepancy in adsorption and activation capacities for the reactants, which produces the selectivity of β-keto esters being catalyzed into α-hydroperoxide β-keto esters (ROOH) or to α-hydroxyl β-keto esters (ROH). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations also demonstrate that the adsorption and activation capacities of the metal active centers in M-SATE-CMPs (MZn, Cu and Co) for ROOH are the key factors to influence the photocatalytic selective oxidation of β-keto ester. This study provides a promising strategy for designing a metallaphotoredox catalyst whose photocatalytic selectivity depends on the d-band center of metal site in the catalyst., 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.)

Background: The escalation of global population aging has accentuated the prominence of senile diabetes mellitus (SDM) as a consequential public health concern. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory cascades prevalent in individuals with senile diabetes significantly amplify disease progression and complication rates. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emerges as a pivotal player in enhancing blood sugar homeostasis and retarding complication onset in the clinical management of senile diabetes. Nonetheless, an evident research gap persists regarding the integration of TCM's renal tonification pharmacological mechanisms with experimental validation within the realm of senile diabetes therapeutics., Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of action of New Shenqi Pills (SQP) in the treatment of SDM and make an experimental assessment., Methods: Network analysis is used to evaluate target pathways related to SQP and SDM. Mitochondrial-related genes were obtained from the MitoCarta3.0 database and intersected with the common target genes of the disease and drugs, then constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network making use of the GeneMANIA database. Representative compounds in the SQP were quantitatively measured using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to ensure quality control and quantitative analysis of the compounds. A type 2 diabetes mice (C57BL/6) model was used to investigate the pharmacodynamics of SQP. The glucose lowering efficacy of SQP was assessed through various metrics including body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG). To elucidate the modulatory effects of SQP on pancreatic beta cell function, we measured oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin histochemical staining and tunel apoptosis detection, then assessed the insulin-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase A (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) pathway in diabetic mice via Western blotting. Additionally, we observe the structural changes of the nucleus, cytoplasmic granules and mitochondria of pancreatic islet β cells., Results: In this investigation, we identified a total of 1876 genes associated with senile diabetes, 278 targets of SQP, and 166 overlapping target genes, primarily enriched in pathways pertinent to oxidative stress response, peptide response, and oxygen level modulation. Moreover, an intersection analysis involving 1,136 human mitochondrial genes and comorbidity targets yielded 15 mitochondria-related therapeutic targets. Quality control assessments and quantitative analyses of SQP revealed the predominant presence of five compounds with elevated concentrations: Catalpol, Cinnamon Aldehyde, Rehmanthin D, Trigonelline, and Paeonol Phenol. Vivo experiments demonstrated notable findings. Relative to the control group, mice in the model group exhibited significant increases in body weight and fasting blood glucose levels, alongside decreased insulin secretion and heightened islet cell apoptosis. Moreover, β-cells nuclear condensation and mitochondrial cristae disappearance were observed, accompanied by reduced expression levels of p-GSK-3β protein in islet cells ( p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Conversely, treatment groups administered SQP and Rg displayed augmented expressions of the aforementioned protein markers ( p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), alongside preserved mitochondrial cristae structure in islet β cells., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SQP can ameliorate diabetes by reducing islet cell apoptosis and resist oxidative stress. These insulin-mediated PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β pathway plays an important regulatory role in this process., 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, Zhou, Wen, Wang, Zhang and Ni.)

Background: Abnormalities in glucose metabolism may be the underlying cause of β-cell dysfunction and identity impairment resulting from high glucose exposure. In China, Coptis deltoidea C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao (YL) has demonstrated remarkable hypoglycemic effects., Hypothesis/purpose: To investigate the hypoglycemic effect of YL and determine the mechanism of YL in treating diabetes., Methods: A type 2 diabetes mouse model was used to investigate the pharmacodynamics of YL. YL was administrated once daily for 8 weeks. The hypoglycemic effect of YL was assessed by fasting blood glucose, an oral glucose tolerance test, insulin levels, and other indexes. The underlying mechanism of YL was examined by targeting glucose metabolomics, western blotting, and qRT-PCR. Subsequently, the binding capacity between predicted AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and important components of YL (Cop, Ber, and Epi) were validated by molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance. Then, in AMPK knockdown MIN6 cells, the mechanisms of Cop, Ber, and Epi were inversely confirmed through evaluations encompassing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, markers indicative of β-cell identity, and the examination of glycolytic genes and products., Results: YL (0.9 g/kg) treatment exerted notable hypoglycemic effects and protected the structural integrity and identity of pancreatic β-cells. Metabolomic analysis revealed that YL inhibited the hyperactivated glycolysis pathway in diabetic mice, thereby regulating the products of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. KEGG enrichment revealed the intimate relationship of this process with the AMPK signaling pathway. Cop, Ber, and Epi in YL displayed high binding affinities for AMPK protein. These compounds played a pivotal role in preserving the identity of pancreatic β-cells and amplifying insulin secretion. The mechanism underlying this process involved inhibition of glucose uptake, lowering intracellular lactate levels, and elevating acetyl coenzyme A and ATP levels through AMPK signaling. The use of a glycolytic inhibitor corroborated that attenuation of glycolysis restored β-cell identity and function., Conclusion: YL demonstrates significant hypoglycemic efficacy. We elucidated the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of YL and its active constituents on β-cell function and identity by observing glucose metabolism processes in pancreatic tissue and cells. In this intricate process, AMPK plays a pivotal regulatory role., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Qing Ni reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China (82,174,354). Qing Ni reports financial support was provided by Construction Special funding project of the Centers for Clinical Medicine Research Center of Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (2022LYJSZX02). Qing Ni reports financial support was provided by the horizontal research project (81,597). Shan Zhang reports financial support was provided by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M733912)., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Purpose: To analyze the role of and mechanism underlying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-derived exosomes in inducing non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD)., Methods: The role of OSA-derived exosomes was analyzed in inducing hepatocyte fat accumulation in mice models both in vivo and in vitro., Results: OSA-derived exosomes caused fat accumulation and macrophage activation in the liver tissue. These exosomes promoted fat accumulation; steatosis was more noticeable in the presence of macrophages. Macrophages could internalize OSA-derived exosomes, which promoted macrophage polarization to the M1 type. Moreover, it inhibited sirtuin-3 (SIRT3)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and autophagy and promoted the activation of nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes. The use of 3-methyladenine (3-MA) to inhibit autophagy blocked NLRP3 inflammasome activation and inhibited the M1 polarization of macrophages. miR-421 targeting inhibited SIRT3 protein expression in the macrophages. miR-421 was significantly increased in OSA-derived exosomes. Additionally, miR-421 levels were increased in OSA + NAFLD mice- and patient-derived exosomes. In the liver tissues of OSA and OSA + NAFLD mice, miR-421 displayed similar co-localization with the macrophages. Intermittent hypoxia-induced hepatocytes deliver miR-421 to the macrophages via exosomes to inhibit SIRT3, thereby participating in macrophage M1 polarization. After OSA and NAFLD modeling in miR-421 -/- mice, liver steatosis and M1 polarization were significantly reduced. Additionally, in the case of miR-421 knockout, the inhibitory effects of OSA-derived exosomes on SIRT3 and autophagy were significantly alleviated. Furthermore, their effects on liver steatosis and macrophage M1 polarization were significantly reduced., Conclusions: OSA promotes the delivery of miR-421 from the hepatocytes to macrophages. Additionally, it promotes M1 polarization by regulating the SIRT3/AMPK-autophagy pathway, thereby causing NAFLD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the critical role played by macrophages and their underlying mechanisms in the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). It begins by discussing the origins and diverse subtypes of macrophages, elucidating their spatial distribution and modes of intercellular communication, thereby emphasizing their significance in the pathogenesis of DCM. The review then delves into the intricate relationship between macrophages and the onset of DCM, particularly focusing on the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms employed by macrophages in the context of DCM condition. Additionally, the review discusses various therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting macrophages to manage DCM. It specifically highlights the potential of natural food components in alleviating diabetic microvascular complications and examines the modulatory effects of existing hypoglycemic drugs on macrophage activity. These findings, summarized in this review, not only provide fresh insights into the role of macrophages in diabetic microvascular complications but also offer valuable guidance for future therapeutic research and interventions in this field., 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, Zhu, Chen, Wen, Shi and Ni.)

A correlation exists between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and the severity of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), OSA can induce more severe MASLD. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism between the two is unclear. To this end, this study explored the role and possible molecular mechanisms of adipocyte-derived exosomes under OSA in aggravating MASLD. Through sequencing technology, miR-455-3p was identified as a co-differentially expressed miRNA between the MASLD + OSA and Control groups and between the MASLD + OSA and MASLD groups. Upregulation of TCONS-00039830 and Smad2 and downregulation of miR-455-3p in the MASLD and MASLD + OSA groups were validated in vivo and in vitro. TCONS-00039830, as a differentially expressed LncRNA in exosomes found in the sequencing results, transfection notably downregulated miR-455-3p and upregulated Smad2 in hepatocytes. TCONS&#95;00039830 overexpression increased fat, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, while miR-455-3p overexpression decreased these levels. Furthermore, exosome administration promoted the accumulation of fat, triglyceride and cholesterol, upregulated TCONS&#95;00039830 and Smad2, and downregulated miR-455-3p. Overexpression of miR-455-3p reversed the increased fat accumulation and upregulated TCONS&#95;00039830 and Smad2. In conclusion, OSA-derived exosomes promoted hepatocyte steatosis by regulating TCONS&#95;00039830/miR-455-3p/Smad2 axis, thereby aggravating liver damage in MASLD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Research on the imbalance of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)/agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons in the hypothalamus holds potential insights into the pathophysiology of diabetes. Jinkui Shenqi pills (JSP), a prevalent traditional Chinese medicine, regulate hypothalamic function and treat diabetes., Purpose: To investigate the hypoglycemic effect of JSP and explore the probable mechanism in treating diabetes., Methods: A type 2 diabetes mouse model was used to investigate the pharmacodynamics of JSP. The glucose-lowering efficacy of JSP was assessed through various metrics including body weight, food consumption, fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum insulin levels, and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). To elucidate the modulatory effects of JSP on hypothalamic mechanisms, we quantified the expression and activity of POMC and AgRP and assessed the insulin-mediated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase A (AKT)/forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) pathway in diabetic mice via western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, primary hypothalamic neurons were exposed to high glucose and palmitic acid levels to induce insulin resistance, and the influence of JSP on POMC/AgRP protein expression and activation was evaluated by PI3K protein inhibition using western blotting and immunofluorescence., Results: Medium- and high-dose JSP treatment effectively inhibited appetite, resulting in a steady declining trend in body weight, FBG, and OGTT results in diabetic mice (p < 0.05). These JSP groups also had significantly increased insulin levels (p < 0.05). Importantly, the medium-dose group exhibited notable protection of hypothalamic neuronal and synaptic structures, leading to augmentation of dendritic length and branching (p < 0.05). Furthermore, low-, medium-, and high-dose JSP groups exhibited increased phosphorylated (p) INSR, PI3K, pPI3K, AKT, and pAKT expression, as well as decreased FOXO1 and increased pFOXO1 expression, indicating improved hypothalamic insulin resistance in diabetic mice (p < 0.05). Treatment with 10% JSP-enriched serum produced a marked elevation of both expression and activation of POMC (p < 0.05), with a concurrent reduction in AgRP expression and activation within primary hypothalamic neurons (p < 0.05). Intriguingly, these effects could be attributed to the regulatory dynamics of PI3K activity., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that JSP can ameliorate diabetes by regulating POMC/AgRP expression and activity. The insulin-mediated PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 pathway plays an important regulatory role in this intricate process., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Qing Ni reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Qing Ni reports financial support was provided by Construction Special funding project of the Centers for Clinical Medicine Research Center of Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Shan Zhang reports financial support was provided by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Solid-state sodium (Na) batteries (SSNBs) hold great promise but suffer from several major issues, such as high interfacial resistance at the solid electrolyte/electrode interface and Na metal dendrite growth. To address these issues, a piezoelectric interlayer design for an Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 (NZSP) solid electrolyte is proposed herein. Two typical piezoelectric films, AlN and ZnO, coated onto NZSP function as interlayers designed to generate a local stress-induced field for alleviating interfacial charge aggregation coupling stress concentration and promoting uniform Na plating. The results reveal that the interlayer (ZnO) with matched modulus, high Na-adhesion, and sufficient piezoelectricity can provide a favorable interphase. Low interfacial resistances of 91 and 239 Ω cm 2 are achieved for the ZnO layer at 30 and 0 °C, respectively, which are notably lower than those for bare NZSP. Moreover, steady Na plating/stripping cycles are rendered over 850 and 4900 h at 0 and 30 °C, respectively. The superior anodic performance is further manifested in an Na 2 MnFe(CN) 6 -based full cell which delivers discharge capacities of 125 mA h g -1 over 1600 cycles at 30 °C and 90 mA h g -1 over 500 cycles at 0 °C. A new interlayer-design insight is clearly demonstrated for SSNBs breaking low-temperature limits., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Despite advancements, breast cancer outcomes remain stagnant, highlighting the need for precise biomarkers in precision medicine. Traditional TNM staging is insufficient for identifying patients who will respond well to treatment., Methods: Our study involved over 6,900 breast cancer patients from 14 datasets, including in-house clinical data and single-cell data from 8 patients (37,451 cells). We integrated 10 machine learning algorithms in 55 combinations and analyzed 100 existing breast cancer signatures. IHC assays were conducted for validation, and potential immunotherapies and chemotherapies were explored., Results: We pinpointed six stable Panoptosis-related genes from multi-center cohorts, leading to a robust Panoptosis-model. This model outperformed existing clinical and molecular features in predicting recurrence and mortality risks, with high-risk patients showing worse outcomes. IHC validation from 30 patients confirmed our findings, indicating the model's broader applicability. Additionally, the model suggested that low-risk patients benefit more from immunotherapy, while high-risk patients are sensitive to specific chemotherapies like BI-2536 and ispinesib., Conclusion: The Panoptosis-model represents a major advancement in breast cancer prognosis and treatment personalization, offering significant insights for effectively managing a wide range of breast cancer patients., 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 Wang, Li, Hou, Li, Ni and Wang.)

Context: The mesophase pitch prepared by acid catalytic method typically had the advantages of low softening point and high solubility. To fully understand the mechanism of acid-catalyzed reactions and gain a deeper understanding of the microstructure of mesophase pitch, this article studied the mechanism of hydrofluoride/boron trifluoride (HF/BF 3 )-catalyzed anthracene using molecular simulation methods. The results showed that there might be two types of carbocations present in the system: classical and non-classical carbocations, and five reactions might occur, protonation reaction, chain elongation reaction, intramolecular cyclization reaction, deprotonation reaction, and dehydrogenation reaction. Classical carbocations acted as reactive intermediates in the chain elongation reaction and intramolecular cyclization reaction. When anthracene occurred chain elongation reactions with carbocations to form polymers, the generation of the tetramer required lager energy barriers than that of the dimer and trimer. The stiffness and flatness of molecules could be increased via intramolecular cyclization reactions. The polymers of anthracene might also occurred dehydrogenation reactions when the non-classical carbocations played the role of reactive intermediates. The dehydrogenation reactions required large energy barriers, which might be the reason for the product having a high aliphatic hydrogen content., Method: The Materials Studio (MS) 2020 software was used to complete the simulation. The atomic charge distribution calculation and the structure optimization of molecules were carried out using the B3LYP functional and DNP basis. The DFT-D (TS) dispersion corrections were added to calculate the dispersion interaction between aromatic molecules. The complete LST/QST method was used to search the transition states and calculate the reaction energy barrier., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

DNA repair is a vital mechanism in cells that protects against DNA damage caused by internal and external factors. It involves a network of signaling pathways that monitor and transmit damage signals, activating various cellular activities to repair DNA damage and maintain genomic integrity. Dysfunctions in this repair pathway are strongly associated with the development and progression of cancer. However, they also present an opportunity for targeted therapy in breast cancer. Extensive research has focused on developing inhibitors that play a crucial role in the signaling pathway of DNA repair, particularly due to the remarkable success of PARP1 inhibitors (PARPis) in treating breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 mutations. In this review, we summarize the current research progress and clinical implementation of BRCA and BRCAness in targeted treatments for the DNA repair pathway. Additionally, we present advancements in diverse inhibitors of DNA repair, both as individual and combined approaches, for treating breast cancer. We also discuss the clinical application of DNA repair-targeted therapy for breast cancer, including the rationale, indications, and summarized clinical data for patients with different breast cancer subtypes. We assess their influence on cancer progression, survival rates, and major adverse reactions. Last, we anticipate forthcoming advancements in targeted therapy for cancer treatment and emphasize prospective areas of development., 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 © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Supramolecular aggregation has provided the archetype concept to understand the variants in an emerging systems property. Herein, we have achieved the supramolecular assembly of carbon nanodots (CDs) for the first time and employ supramolecular aggregation to understand their alteration in photophysical properties. In detail, we have employed the CDs as a block to construct the supramolecular assembly of aggregates in the CDs' antisolvent of ethanol. The CD-based aggregates exhibit complex and organized morphologies with another long-wavelength excitation-dependent emission band. The experimental results and density functional theoretical calculations reveal that the supramolecular assembly of CDs can decrease the energy gap between the ground and excited states, contributing to the new long-wavelength excitation-dependent emission. The supramolecular aggregation can be employed as one universal strategy to manipulate and understand the luminescence of CDs. These findings cast new light to build the emerging systems and understand the light emission of CDs through supramolecular chemistry.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a chronic cardiovascular complication caused by diabetes that is characterized by changes in myocardial structure and function, ultimately leading to heart failure and even death. Mitochondria serve as the provider of energy to cardiomyocytes, and mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. In response to a series of pathological changes caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, the mitochondrial quality control system is activated. The mitochondrial quality control system (including mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion and fission, and mitophagy) is core to maintaining the normal structure of mitochondria and performing their normal physiological functions. However, mitochondrial quality control is abnormal in diabetic cardiomyopathy, resulting in insufficient mitochondrial fusion and excessive fission within the cardiomyocyte, and fragmented mitochondria are not phagocytosed in a timely manner, accumulating within the cardiomyocyte resulting in cardiomyocyte injury. Currently, there is no specific therapy or prevention for diabetic cardiomyopathy, and glycemic control remains the mainstay. In this review, we first elucidate the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy and explore the link between pathological mitochondrial quality control and the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Then, we summarize how clinically used hypoglycemic agents (including sodium-glucose cotransport protein 2 inhibitions, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, metformin, and α-glucosidase inhibitors) exert cardioprotective effects to treat and prevent diabetic cardiomyopathy by targeting the mitochondrial quality control system. In addition, the mechanisms of complementary alternative therapies, such as active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, exercise, and lifestyle, targeting mitochondrial quality control for the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy are also added, which lays the foundation for the excavation of new diabetic cardioprotective drugs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Please declare any financial or personal interests that might be potentially viewed to influence the work presented. Interests could include consultancies, honoraria, patent ownership or other. If there are none state ‘there are none., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN)., Methods: Eight electronic databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed, were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of BYHWD to treat DPN. We identified all RCTs related to BYHWD and those on the treatment of DPN with the combination of mecobalamin. RevMan software was used for the statistical analysis., Results: Twentyone RCTs with a total of 1945 patients were included. The methodological quality of the literature included was low. Metaanalysis showed that the efficacy of the treatment group was significantly better than that of the control group in the treatment of DPN with BYHWD [risk ratio () = 0.33, 95% (0.27, 0.40), 11.25, 0.000 01]. The median nerve of median motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) [mean difference () = 4.16, 95% (1.35, 6.98)] and median sensory NCV (SNCV) [(= 3.28, 95% (2.35, 4.22)] were improved in the treatment group. The MNCV in the common peroneal nerve [(= 1.63, 95% (0.39, 2.87)] and SNCV [(= 4.56, 95% (3.16, 5.97)] were significantly higher than those in the control group ( 0.01). Plasma viscosity [(= －0.15, 95% (－0.20, －0.09), 5.17, 0.01)], whole blood high shear [(= 0.83, 95% (1.56, －0.11), 2.26, 0.02)]and whole blood low shear [(= 1.61, 95% (2.28, 0.94), 4.68, 0.01)] decreased significantly after treatment. There was no significant difference in fasting blood glucose [(= 0.42, 95% ( 0.89, 0.05), 1.76, 0.08)] between the treatment and control groups; postprandial blood glucose [(= 0.62, 95% ( 1.19, 0.05), 2.12, 0.03)] decreased significantly. No significant difference was found in the blood lipid levels between the treatment and control groups, including triglycerides [(= 0.21, 95% (0.52, 0.10), 1.34, 0.18)] and cholesterol [(= 0.13, 95% ( 0.27, 0.00), 1.92, 0.06)]. Of the 21 RCTs, only five reported adverse reactions, and four studies reported the length of followup. No serious adverse events were reported. None of the studies reported the quality of life and economic conditions., Conclusions: Our study suggests that BYHWD has a significant therapeutic effect on DPN. Highquality, largescale RCTs are needed to provide more reliable evidence.

Small-diameter artificial blood vessels are increasingly being used in clinical practice. However, these vessels are prone to thrombus, and it is necessary to improve blood compatibility. Surface coating is one of the commonly used methods in this regard. Inspired by the biomimicry of mussels, the use of deposition technology to obtain coating coverage on the surface of fibers has significantly piqued the interest of researchers recently. In this study, tubular scaffolds consisting of a composite of poly(caprolactone), cellulose acetate, and tannic acid (TA) were electrospun, and then the scaffolds were treated with different Fe(III) solutions (iron(III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl 3 ' 6H 2 O)) to obtain four tubular scaffolds: F0, F5, F15, and F45. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field emission-SEM results, TA/Fe(III) complex is coated on the fiber of the scaffold after post-treatment; the fiber surface morphology changes with different Fe(III) concentrations. This provides designability to the performance of tubular scaffolds. The tensile strength of the F5 tubular scaffold (3.33 MPa) is higher than that of F45 (3.14 MPa), while the strain (83.9%) of the F45 tubular stent was 2.26 times that of the F5 (37.2%). In addition, cytotoxicity and antithrombotic performance were evaluated. The test results show that surface TA/Fe(III) coating treatment can affect the cytotoxicity and anticoagulation performance of the scaffold surface. The biomimetic TA/Fe(III) coating of mussels used in this study improves the performance of artificial blood vessels.

Achieving satisfactory performance for a solid-state Na-metal battery (SSNMB) with an inorganic solid electrolyte (SE), especially under freezing temperatures, poses a challenge for stabilizing a Na-metal anode. Herein, this challenge is addressed by utilizing a Natrium super ionic conductor (NASICON) NASICON-type solid electrolyte, enabling the operation of a rechargeable SSNMB over a wide temperature range from -20 to 45 °C. The interfacial resistance at the Na metal/SE interface is only 0.4 Ω cm 2 at 45 °C and remains below 110 Ω cm 2 even at -20 °C. Remarkably, long-term Na-metal plating/stripping cycles lasting over 2000 h at -20 °C are achieved with minimal polarization voltages at 0.1 mA cm -2 . Further analysis reveals the formation of a uniform Na 3- x Ca x PO 4 interphase layer at the interface, which significantly contributes to the exceptional interfacial performance observed. By employing a Na 3 V 1.5 Al 0.5 (PO 4 ) 3 cathode, the full battery system demonstrates excellent adaptability to low temperatures, exhibiting a capacity of 80 mA h g -1 at -20 °C over 50 cycles and retaining a capacity of 108 mAh g -1 (88.5% of the capacity at 45 °C) at 0 °C over 275 cycles. This research significantly reduces the temperature threshold for SSNMB operation and paves the way toward solid-state batteries suitable for all-season applications., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The aim of this study was to validate the diagnostic efficacy of acoustic attenuation imaging (ATI) and ultrasonic shear wave elastography (SWE) in classifying nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A total of 100 patients with NAFLD were recruited from our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022. Patient demographics and clinical data were collected, and 2-dimensional ultrasound was used to screen patients based on liver echo characteristics. Patients without liver space-occupying lesions underwent routine ultrasound examinations. Imaging or serology was used to confirm the presence of fatty liver in patients or healthy individuals. Patients with alcoholic liver disease (alcohol equivalent content < 20 g/day for women, <30 g/day for men), as well as those with lenticular degeneration, total parenteral nutrition, autoimmune liver disease, drug-induced hepatitis, and viral hepatitis, were excluded from the study. Out of the 100 included patients, 24 had normal liver, 21 had mild fatty liver, 30 had moderate fatty liver, and 25 had severe fatty liver. There were age differences between the normal group and patients with mild fatty liver, and the average body mass index (BMI) varied across the 4 groups. As the severity of the disease increased, the average BMI also increased (P < .05). The ATI scores and SWE scores differed significantly among the different groups (P < .05), with both scores showing an upward trend as the fatty liver condition worsened. Correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between ATI and SWE scores and the degree of fatty liver (P < .05), positive correlations with BMI (P < .05), and negative correlations with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol expression (P < .05). The area under the curve (AUC) for the ATI score in diagnosing different degrees of fatty liver was > 0.750, and the AUC for the SWE score was also > 0.750. The AUC for SWE score in diagnosing different degrees of fatty liver ranged from 1.01 to 4.57, while the combined AUC for ATI and SWE scores was > 0.850, with respective cutoff values of 3.62, 5.72, and 7.57 based on the maximum approximate entry index. The combination of ATI and SWE has a significant impact on the grading diagnosis of NAFLD, and its application can be extended to clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Room-temperature phosphorescence has received much attention owing to its potential applications in information encryption and bioelectronics. However, the preparation of full-color single-component-derived phosphorescent materials remains a challenge. Herein, a facile in situ confining strategy is proposed to achieve full-color phosphorescent carbon dots (CDs) through rapid microwave-assisted carbonization of citric acid in NaOH. By tuning the mass ratio of citric acid and NaOH, the obtained CDs exhibit tunable phosphorescence wavelengths ranging from 483 to 635 nm and alterable lifetimes from 58 to 389 ms with a synthesis yield of up to 83.7% (>30 g per synthesis). Theoretical calculations and experimental results confirm that the formation of high-density ionic bonds between cations and CDs leads to efficient afterglow emission via the dissociation of CD arrangement, and the evolution of the aggregation state of CDs results in redshifted phosphorescence. These findings provide a strategy for the synthesis of new insights into achieving and manipulating room-temperature phosphorescent CDs, and prospect their applications in labeling and information encryption., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The pathogeneses of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome are closely related; however, the underlying biological mechanisms are yet to be clarified. A psoriasis training set was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and analyzed to identify the differentially expressed genes (|logFC|> 1 and adjust P < 0.05). Differentially expressed genes for metabolic syndrome were obtained from the GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, and DisGeNET databases, and crosstalk genes were obtained for multiple enrichment analysis after identifying the disease intersection. Characteristic crosstalk genes were screened using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model and random forest tree model, and the genes with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.7 were selected for validation by the two validation sets. Differential analyses of immune cell infiltration were performed on psoriasis lesion and control samples using the CIBERSORT and ImmuCellAI methods, and correlation analyses were performed between the screened signature crosstalk genes and immune cell infiltration. Significant crosstalk genes were analyzed based on the psoriasis area and severity index and on the responses to biological agents. We found five signature genes (NLRX1, KYNU, ABCC1, BTC, and SERPINB4) were screened based on two machine learning algorithms, and NLRX1 was validated. The infiltration of multiple immune cells in psoriatic lesions and non-lesions was associated with NLRX1 expression. NLRX1 was found to be associated with psoriasis severity and response rate after the use of biologics. NLRX1 could be a significant crosstalk gene for psoriasis and metabolic syndrome., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Natural gas plays an important role in daily life and the petrochemical industry, but there are often large amounts of impurities which prevent the full use of methane in natural gas. Developing excellent adsorbents to purify CH 4 from multi-component mixtures is crucial, but also faces great challenges. Here, by utilizing a ligand conformation preorganization strategy, we employ a flexible nonplanar hexacarboxylate ligand with C 2 symmetry to successfully construct a robust microporous metal-organic framework {[Cu 3 (bmipia)(H 2 O) 3 ]·(DMF)(CH 3 CN) 2 } n (GNU-1, bmipia = 5-[ N , N -bis(5-methylisophthalic acid)amion] isophthalate) with an unprecedented topology. More importantly, the obtained GNU-1 not only exhibits good stability in acid-base and water environments, but also shows potential utility as an adsorbent for efficient separation and purification of natural gas under ambient conditions. The adsorption isotherms of GNU-1a (activated GNU-1) exhibit strong binding affinities for C 2 H 6 and C 3 H 8 , a remarkable uptakes of C 3 H 8 (6.64 mmol g -1 ) and C 2 H 6 (4.6 mmol g -1 ) and an excellent selectivity of 330.1 and 17.5 for C 3 H 8 /CH 4 and C 2 H 6 /CH 4 mixtures, respectively, at 298 K and 1 bar. The breakthrough experiments demonstrate that the ternary CH 4 /C 2 H 6 /C 3 H 8 mixtures are completely separated using a fixed-bed separator packed with GNU-1a at ambient temperature and also show great potential for recovering the C 2 H 6 and C 3 H 8 contents from natural gas. Finally, Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations are adopted to ascertain potential gas adsorption mechanisms. This work proves the feasibility of optimizing the structure and pore size of MOF materials by regulating the conformation of ligands for application in the field of light hydrocarbon adsorption/separation.

Cognitive dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a complication and comorbidity of diabetes, supported by evidence of abnormal brain structure and function. Although few mechanistic metabolic studies have shown clear pathophysiological links between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, there are several plausible ways in which this connection may occur. Since, brain functions require a constant supply of glucose as an energy source, the brain may be more susceptible to abnormalities in glucose metabolism. Glucose metabolic abnormalities under diabetic conditions may play an important role in cognitive dysfunction by affecting glucose transport and reducing glucose metabolism. These changes, along with oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and other factors, can affect synaptic transmission, neural plasticity, and ultimately lead to impaired neuronal and cognitive function. Insulin signal triggers intracellular signal transduction that regulates glucose transport and metabolism. Insulin resistance, one hallmark of diabetes, has also been linked with impaired cerebral glucose metabolism in the brain. In this review, we conclude that glucose metabolic abnormalities play a critical role in the pathophysiological alterations underlying diabetic cognitive dysfunction (DCD), which is associated with multiple pathogenic factors such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and others. Brain insulin resistance is highly emphasized and characterized as an important pathogenic mechanism in the DCD., 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 © 2023 Zhang, Zhang, Wen, Yang, Bu, Bu and Ni.)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health burden, accounting for approximately 10% of all new cancer cases worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that the crosstalk between the host mucins and gut microbiota is associated with the occurrence and development of CRC. Mucins secreted by goblet cells not only protect the intestinal epithelium from microorganisms and invading pathogens but also provide a habitat for commensal bacteria. Conversely, gut dysbiosis results in the dysfunction of mucins, allowing other commensals and their metabolites to pass through the intestinal epithelium, potentially triggering host responses and the subsequent progression of CRC. In this review, we summarize how gut microbiota and bacterial metabolites regulate the function and expression of mucin in CRC and novel treatment strategies for CRC., 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 © 2023 Gu, Yin, Zhang, Yin, Tang, Ling, Tang, Yin, Wang, Ni, Zhu and Chen.)

Simplicillium species are widely distributed with a broad spectrum of hosts and substrates. Generally, these species are entomopathogenic or mycoparasitic. Notably, some isolates of Simplicillium lanosoniveum and Simplicillium obclavatum were obtained from human tissues. In this study, two fungi were isolated from the annular itchy patch of infected skin of a 46-year-old man with diabetes mellitus. Based on a combination of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, a novel species, Simplicillium sinense , was introduced herein. It morphologically differs from the remaining Simplicillium in the size of phialides and conidia. Additionally, it grows slowly on YPD at 37°C. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing presented that this fungus is resistant to most azole antifungals. Therefore, the diagnosis of tinea faciei was made, and after 2 weeks of being treated with oral terbinafine (250 mg, once a day) and topical terbinafine cream for 1 month, the rash was mainly resolved and no recurrence happened after 6 months of follow-up. Herein, Simplicillium sinense was introduced as a new fungal taxon. Meanwhile, a case of superficial infection caused by S. sinense was reported. So far, it is the third Simplicillium species obtained from human tissue. Meanwhile, terbinafine is recommended as the first-line antifungal treatment against Simplicillium infection., 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 © 2023 Yan, Ni, Gu, Liu, Sun and Yuan.)

Advanced antibacterial technologies are needed to counter the rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Image-guided therapy is one of the most promising strategies for efficiently and accurately curing bacterial infections. Herein, a chemiluminescence (CL)-dynamic/guided antibacteria (CDGA) with multiple reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity and chemiexcited near-infrared emission has been designed for the precise theranostics of bacterial infection by employing near-infrared emissive carbon nanodots (CDs) and peroxalate as CL fuels. Mechanistically, hydrogen peroxide generated in the bacterial microenvironment can trigger the chemically initiated electron exchange between CDs and energy-riched intermediate originated from the oxidized peroxalate, enabling bacterial induced inflammation imaging. Meanwhile, type I/II photochemical ROS production and type III ultrafast charge transfer from CDs under the self-illumination can inhibit the bacteria proliferation efficiently. The potential clinical utility of CDGA is further demonstrated in bacteria infected mice trauma model. The self-illuminating CDGA exhibits an excellent in vivo imaging quality in early detecting wound infections and internal inflammation caused by bacteria, and further are proven as efficient broad-spectrum antibacterial nanomedicines without drug-resistance, whose sterilizing rate is up to 99.99%., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Herein, we investigate synthetic routes to a close mimic of natural pheomelanin. Three different oxidative polymerization routes were attempted to generate synthetic pheomelanin, each giving rise to structurally dissimilar materials. Among them, the route employing 5-cysteinyl-dihydroxyphenylalanine (5-CD) as a monomer was verified as a close analogue of extracted pheomelanin from humans and birds. The resulting biomimetic and natural pheomelanins were compared via various techniques, including solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ssNMR) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). This synthetic pheomelanin closely mimics the structure of natural pheomelanin as determined by parallel characterization of pheomelanin extracted from multiple biological sources. With a good synthetic biomimetic material in hand, we describe cation-π interactions as an important driving force for pheomelanogenesis, further advancing our fundamental understanding of this important biological pigment., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Small-diameter artificial blood vessels have always faced the problem of thrombosis. In this research, three types of poly(-caprolactone)-cellulose acetate (PCL-CA) composite nanofiber membranes were prepared by various collectors to make into a tubular scaffold with a 4.5-mm diameter. The collector consisted of two sizes of stainless steel wire mesh large-mesh (LM) and small-mesh (SM), respectively. There is also a random flat (RF) that acts as the third type collector. The nanofiber membrane's surface structure mimicked the collectors' surface morphology, they named LM, SM and RF scaffolds. The water contact angles of RF and LM scaffolds are 126.5° and 105.5°, and the distinct square-groove construction greatly improves the contact angle of LM. The tubular scaffolds' radial mechanical property test demonstrated that the large-mesh (LM) tubular scaffold enhanced the strain and tensile strength; the tensile strength and strain are 30 % and 148 % higher than that of the random-flat (RF) tubular scaffold, respectively. The suture retention strength value of the LM tubular scaffold was 103 % higher than that of the RF tubular scaffold. The cytotoxicity and antithrombogenicity performance were also evaluated, the LM tubular scaffold has 88 % cell viability, and the 5-min blood coagulation index (BCI) value was 89 %, which is much higher than other tubular scaffolds. The findings indicate that changing the tubular scaffold's surface morphology cannot only enhance the mechanical and hydrophilic properties but also increase cell survival and antithrombogenicity performance. Thus, the development of a small-diameter artificial blood vessel will be a big step toward solving the problem on thrombosis. Furthermore, artificial blood vessel is expected to be a candidate material for biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The pathophysiological mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy have been extensively studied, but there is still a lack of effective prevention and treatment methods. The ability of flavonoids to protect the heart from diabetic cardiomyopathy has been extensively described. In recent years, epigenetics has received increasing attention from scholars in exploring the etiology and treatment of diabetes and its complications. DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs play key functions in the development, maintenance and progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Hence, prevention or reversal of the epigenetic alterations that have occurred during the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy may alleviate the personal and social burden of the disease. Flavonoids can be used as natural epigenetic modulators in alternative therapies for diabetic cardiomyopathy. In this review, we discuss the epigenetic effects of different flavonoid subtypes in diabetic cardiomyopathy and summarize the evidence from preclinical and clinical studies that already exist. However, limited research is available on the potential beneficial effects of flavonoids on the epigenetics of diabetic cardiomyopathy. In the future, clinical trials in which different flavonoids exert their antidiabetic and cardioprotective effects through various epigenetic mechanisms should be further explored., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement 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 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Small-diameter artery disease is the most common clinical occurrence, necessitating the development of small-diameter artificial blood vessels. In this study, seven types of poly(-caprolactone)-cellulose acetate (PCL-CA) composite nanofiber membranes were prepared with different proportions of PCL and CA. The adhesion and growth of Mc3t3-e1 cells were considered to confirm the in vitro cytocompatibility of PCL-CA membranes. A smooth stainless-steel mandrel with a diameter of 4 mm was used to roll up the prepared nanofiber membranes to produce the tubular scaffold with 50 °C hot water. The tubular scaffolds were subjected to axial and circumferential tensile tests. The mechanical performance of the PCL-CA tubular scaffold could be improved by increasing the layers. In addition, the burst pressure (BP) of the tubular scaffolds was increased with the layers, and the BPs of six-layer (2380 ± 36.8 mmHg) and eight-layer (3720 ± 80.5 mmHg) tubular scaffolds were much higher than that of the human saphenous vein (2000 mmHg). The compression shape memory performances of the PCL-CA tubular scaffold with different layers were also investigated to simulate and analyze the contraction and expansion of tubular scaffolds. The experimental results showed that the compression strain of the tubular scaffold in the diameter direction reached 35%, and the ultimate shape recovery rate reached 87%. However, the shape fixity rate and shape recovery rate increased, demonstrating that the optimum number of layers can improve the compression shape memory performance of the tubular scaffold. The results of this study, including comprehensive morphological and mechanical properties and cytocompatibility, indicated the potential applicability of PCL-CA tubular scaffolds as tissue engineering grafts.

Adaptive empirical Fourier decomposition (AEFD) is a recently developed approach of nonstationary signal mode separation. However, it requires to set the spectrum segmentation boundary relying on the users' professional experience ahead of time. In this paper, a novel spectral envelope-based adaptive empirical Fourier decomposition (SEAEFD) method is proposed to improve the performance of AEFD for rolling bearing vibration signal analysis. In the proposed SEAEFD approach, fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the raw signal is calculated to obtain the frequency spectrum at first. Then, the spectral envelope processing is implemented on the spectrum signal obtained by FFT to achieve an adaptive segmentation. In the traditional segmentation method, generally, the minima and midpoints between adjacent extreme points are taken as the spectrum segmentation boundary, in which the obtained frequency band contains more interference components. To achieve the effect of denoising and restrain the noise that existed in the collected vibration signal, SEAEFD is proposed to optimize the spectrum segmentation boundary so that the obtained frequency band contains the least noise components. Lastly, the inverse FFT is used to reconstruct the component signal within each frequency band and the gained signals are termed as Fourier intrinsic mode functions (FIMFs). Therefore, SEAEFD enables a nonstationary signal to be decomposed into several single-component signals with instantaneous frequencies of physical significance. The proposed SEAEFD method is compared with recently developed methods, including EAEFD, AEFD, EWT, VMD and EMD methods, by analyzing the simulation signals and the measured data of rolling bearing. The results indicate that SEAEFD is valid in diagnosing rolling bearing faults and gets a better diagnosis performance than the compared methods., 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 © 2022 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Severe challenges are restraining the practical application of solid-state batteries, such as the dendrite growth and unsatisfactory compatibility between solid electrolyte and electrode. Here, we propose an interface dynamic control (IDC) strategy to ensure the stable operation of NASICON-based solid-state sodium batteries. First, we introduce intergranular phase (CuO) to effectively promote the densification of Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 with an optimized ionic conductivity of 1.74 × 10 -3 S cm -1 at 25 °C. Moreover, the kinetically formed Na-Cu-O interlayer reveals outstanding conductive capability. The dramatically reduced interfacial area-specific resistance (70 ohm cm -2 ) boosts the resistance to Na dendrite growth, ensuring the excellent cycling stability of symmetric Na cells at a current density of 0.4 mA cm -2 and room temperature. All-solid-state sodium metal batteries with Na 3 V 1.5 Cr 0.5 (PO 4 ) 3 cathode and modified Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 ceramic electrolyte reveal a high retention of 87.4% at 100 mA g -1 over 300 cycles. This work opens up a new route for the rational interface design of NASICON-structure solid electrolyte toward the application in the high energy-density and high safety electrochemical energy storage devices.

The structural parameters of multibell underreamed anchors play a crucial role in anchoring performance. The parameters of multibell underreamed anchor investigations are helpful when exploring optimized anchor structures. Based on the results of small-scale physical modelling tests, two types of multibell underreamed anchors were adopted under vertical uplifting loads. Numerical investigations were employed to study the effect of bell spacing, underream structure and bell dimension on the ultimate uplift bearing capacity. After an analysis of the anchorage mechanism, the anchoring efficiency was evaluated by the anchoring force provided by the unit concrete usage of the anchor, and the structural parameter λ equal to the surface area ratios of the expanded bell cone to the straight shaft between bells was defined. Then, the anchoring efficiency optimized structural parameters were presented. An analysis of model tests and simulation results showed that compared to concave bell surfaces, the convex shape could enhance the ultimate bearing capacity of a multibell underreamed anchor. There is an optimal value for the spacing of neighbouring bells, and there are three models of mechanisms for multibell anchors pulling out. When λ ∈ [1, 1.8], the multibell anchors can perform most efficiently to achieve their structural advantages., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Recently, sodium-ion batteries have shown great potential for energy storage owing to their favorable electrochemical properties and intrinsic cost performance, which fuels the research and development of Mn-based layered oxides as promising sodium-ion cathodes. However, the undesirable structural evolution and oxygen redox impose great challenge on the cycling stability and rate capability of such cathodes. In this work, it is reported that Fe and Al can effectively tailor the Na 2/3 Mn 2/3 Fe 1/6 Al 1/6 O 2 to trigger a stable cationic and anionic redox behavior. In situ X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the retention of a stable P2 phase upon cycling, and density functional theory results demonstrate that Al 3+ doping can strengthen the covalency of MnO bond. The Na 2/3 Mn 2/3 Fe 1/6 Al 1/6 O 2 cathode can retain 90% of its initial capacity within the voltage range of 2.0-4.2 V versus Na + /Na at 200 mA g -1 after 100 cycles. Moreover, ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that the specific capacity can be replenished by the synergistic reactions between Fe 3+ /Fe 4+ /Fe 3+ and O 2- /(O 2 ) n - pairs within the voltage range of 4.0-4.4 V versus Na + /Na, which is also elucidated by theoretical calculation., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

This article uses deep neural network technology and combines digital HRM knowledge to research human-job matching systematically. Through intelligent digital means such as 5G communication, cloud computing, big data, neural network, and user portrait, this article proposes the design of the corresponding digital transformation strategy of HRM. This article further puts forward the guaranteed measures in enhancing HRM thinking and establishing HRM culture to ensure the smooth implementation of the digital transformation strategy of the HRM. This system uses charts for data visualization and flask framework for background construction, and the data is stored through CSV files, My SQL, and configuration files. The system is based on a deep learning algorithm for job applicant matching, intelligent recommendation of jobs for job seekers, and more real help for job applicants to apply for jobs. The job intelligent recommendation algorithm partly adopts bidirectional long and short-term memory neural network (Bi-LSTM) and the word-level human post-matching neural network APJFNN built by the attention mechanism. By embedding the text representation of job demand information into the representation vector of public space, a joint embedded convolutional neural network (JE-CNN) for post matching analysis is designed and implemented. The quantitative analysis method analyzes the degree of matching with the job., 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., (Copyright © 2022 Qing Ni.)

Although melanin is one of the most ubiquitous polymers in living systems, our understanding of its molecular structure, biosynthesis and biophysical properties has been limited to only a small number of organisms other than humans. This is in part due to the difficulty associated with isolating pure melanin. While purification methods exist, they typically involve harsh treatments with strong acid/base conditions combined with elevated temperatures that can lead to the polymer backbone degradation. To be successful, a viable isolation method must deliver a selective, yet complete degradation of non-melanin biopolymers as well as remove small molecule metabolites that are not integrative to the melanin backbone. Here, we demonstrate the use of chemoenzymatic processing guided by fluorescent probes for the purification and isolation of native mammalian melanin without significant induction of chemical degradation. This multi-step purification-tracking methodology enables quantitative isolation of pure melanin from mammalian tissue for spectroscopic characterization., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Solid-state metal batteries are attracting unprecedented concern because of their high energy density and safety. However, their service life, especially at high specific density, is hindered by the undesirable reversibility of metal anodes, owing to the inhomogeneous ion distribution and awkward charge transfer dynamics at the electrode/electrolyte interface. In this work, it is well demonstrated that ferroelectric phase BaTiO 3 reinforced Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 ceramic electrolyte can deconcentrate the distribution of charge transfer and self-accelerate Na + migration at the Na/Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 interface upon cycling, realizing a compact Na deposition morphology together with a high critical current density (1.05 mA cm -2 at ambient conditions). Assembled symmetric cells based on the proposed composite electrolyte render stable cycling up to 1000 h at 0.3 mA cm -2 . Specifically, the all solid-state sodium metal batteries paired with Na 3 V 1.5 Cr 0.5 (PO 4 ) 3 cathode material can deliver a capacity of 95 mAh g -1 at 100 mA g -1 and maintain 84.4% of the initial capacity after 400 cycles. This excellent electrochemical performance clearly confirm the feasibility of the introduction of ferroelectric BaTiO 3 to suppress the dendrite nucleation and Na propagation within ceramic electrolyte. This research offers new insight into the rational design of inorganic electrolyte, revealing dendrite-free and long-term all-solid-state sodium batteries., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: Serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) has a critical role in serine-glycine metabolism to drive cancer cell proliferation. Yet, the function of SHMT2 in tumorigenesis, especially in human colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, remains largely unclear., Materials and Methods: CRC and paired normal samples were collected in the Department of Colorectal Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis, western blot (WB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Moreover, SHMT2 expression in human CRC cells was identified by qPCR and WB. The CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion after SHMT2 knockdown were explored through in vitro and in vivo assays. mRNA-seq assays were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms behind the SHMT2 function., Results: It was found that SHMT2 mRNA and protein were overexpressed in CRC tissue compared to the levels in normal mucosa. Positive expression of SHMT2 was significantly correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis, and elevated expression of SHMT2 resulted as an independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC. SHMT2 knockdown impaired the proliferation of CRC in vitro and in vivo and induced cell cycle arrest by regulating UHRF1 expression., Conclusion: Taken together, our findings reveal that UHRF1 is a novel target gene of SHMT2, which can be used as a potential therapeutic strategy for CRC therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ximao Cui et al.)

Observational studies have evaluated the potential association of socioeconomic factors such as higher education with the risk of stroke but reported controversial findings. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential causal association between higher education and the risk of stroke. Here, we performed a Mendelian randomization analysis to evaluate the potential association of educational attainment with ischemic stroke (IS) using large-scale GWAS datasets from the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium (SSGAC, 293,723 individuals), UK Biobank (111,349 individuals), and METASTROKE consortium (74,393 individuals). We selected three Mendelian randomization methods including inverse-variance-weighted meta-analysis (IVW), weighted median regression, and MR-Egger regression. IVW showed that each additional 3.6-year increase in years of schooling was significantly associated with a reduced IS risk (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.41-0.71, and p = 1.16 × 10 -5 ). Importantly, the estimates from weighted median (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.33-0.73, and p = 1.00 × 10 -3 ) and MR-Egger estimate (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06-0.60, and p = 5.00 × 10 -3 ) were consistent with the IVW estimate in terms of direction and magnitude. In summary, we provide genetic evidence that high education could reduce IS risk., 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 © 2022 Gao, Wang, Ni, Fan, Zhao, Huang, Yang and Li.)

Melanin, a widespread pigment found in many taxa, is widely recognized for its high refractive index, ultraviolet (UV) protection, radical quenching ability, metal binding, and many other unique properties. The aforementioned characteristic traits make melanin a potential candidate for biomedical, separation, structural coloration, and space applications. However, the commercially available natural (sepia) and synthetic melanin are very expensive, limiting their use in various applications. Additionally, eumelanin has been the primary focus in most of these studies. In the present study, we demonstrate that melanin can be extracted from the pathogenic black knot fungus Apiosporina morbosa with a yield of ∼10% using the acid-base extraction method. The extracted melanin shows irregular morphology. Chemical characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that the melanin derived from black knots is the less explored nitrogen-free allomelanin. Additionally, the extracted melanin shows broadband UV absorption typical of other types of melanin. Because of the wide availability and low cost of black knots and the invasive nature of the fungus, black knots can serve as an alternative green source for obtaining allomelanin at a low cost, which could stimulate its use as an UV light absorber and antioxidant in cosmetics and packaging industries., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Excessive glutamate leading to excitotoxicity worsens brain damage after SAH and contributes to long-term neurological deficits. The drug ifenprodil is a non-competitive antagonist of GluN1-GluN2B N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which mediates excitotoxic damage in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glutamate level within 48 h was significantly elevated in aSAH patients who later developed poor outcome. In rat SAH model, ifenprodil can improve long-term sensorimotor and spatial learning deficits. Ifenprodil attenuates experimental SAH-induced neuronal death of basal cortex and hippocampal CA1 area, cellular and mitochondrial Ca 2+ overload of basal cortex, blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage, and cerebral edema of early brain injury. Using in vitro models, ifenprodil declines the high-concentration glutamate-mediated intracellular Ca 2+ increase and cell apoptosis in primary cortical neurons, reduces the high-concentration glutamate-elevated endothelial permeability in human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC). Altogether, our results suggest ifenprodil improves long-term neurologic deficits through antagonizing glutamate-induced excitotoxicity., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background . Early intervention in prediabetes can prevent or delay the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM) is widely used in China to prevent T2DM. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCPMs for preventing T2DM. Method/Design . This study is a multicenter, cohort study with two arms. A total of 600 participants will be recruited. The participants will be divided into either intervention or control groups according to their own desire, and the exposure factor is the application of TCPMs. All participants will be encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle, and the intervention group also used TCPMs based on syndrome differentiation. Incident diabetes and normalization of blood glucose are indexes of end point. Safety assessments and adverse event monitoring will also be conducted. The treatment duration is set for 24 weeks, and we will follow-up for another 2 years. Discussion . This trial may provide initial evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of TCPMs plus lifestyle intervention (LI) compared to LI alone for preventing T2DM and provide a comprehensive intervention plans that choose suitable TCPMs for diabetes prevention according to syndrome differentiation. Trial Registration Number. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ID: ChiCTR1900023541, registered on 1 Jun 2019. The version identifier is 2018121702., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Bing Pang et al.)

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) is a glycoprotein hormone whose abnormal expression has been reported to be associated with a variety of tumors, but its function in breast cancer is not well understood. Through modulation of STC1 expression in different breast cancer cell lines, our study found that STC1 could promote the proliferation and growth of breast cancer cells and promote metastasis. Furthermore, STC1 reduced apoptosis induction by irradiation. We also found that STC1 could promote a homologous recombination-mediated DNA damage repair by recruiting BRCA1 to sites of damage. Moreover, STC1 silencing sensitized breast cancer cells to treatment with irradiation (IR), olaparib, or cisplatin in vitro . In clinical settings, the serum concentration of STC1 was higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy women, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer specimens showed that a high expression of STC1 was negatively correlated with recurrence-free survival in breast cancer, indicating that STC1 expression could be used as a predictive marker for a poor prognosis in breast cancer. All these findings indicate that STC1 promotes breast cancer tumorigenesis and that breast cancers with a high level of STC1 are more resistant to treatment, probably through homologous recombination (HR) promotion. Furthermore, combining STC1 inhibition and DNA damage-inducing drugs may be a novel approach to improve the survival of patients with STC1-expressing breast cancer., 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 © 2021 Hou, Cheng, Dai, Wei, Chen, Wang, Dai, Li, Wang and Ni.)

Psychological disorders are associated with increased risk of severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by causing gut microbiota dysbiosis and colonic mucosal barrier damage. However, the interaction between chronic restraint stress (CRS), gut microbiota composition, and colonic mucus remains unclear. We demonstrated that mice under CRS conditions exhibited alterations in microbiota composition, disruption of colonic mucus, and aggravation of colitis. In addition, the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly decreased in mice under CRS and UC patients with depression, and positively associated with the expression of MUC2. After antibiotic treatment, the recipient mice colonized with CRS microbiota showed barrier defects and severe colitis. Administration of Akkermansia muciniphila was found to restore colonic mucus and modify the gut microbiota. We confirm that CRS-mediated gut microbiota dysbiosis results in colonic mucosal barrier damage and aggravation of colitis. Our results suggest that A. muciniphila is expected to be a potential probiotic to protect and treat colonic mucus that is involved in IBD with psychological disorders., 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 © 2021 Chen, Wang, Duan, Yuan, Ding, Feng, Bu, Liu, Wang, Zhou, Zhu, Ni, Shi and Chen.)

The controlling synthesis of novel nanoclusters of noble metals (Au, Ag) and the determination of their atomically precise structures provide opportunities for investigating their specific properties and applications. Here we report a novel silver nanocluster [Ag 307 Cl 62 (SPh t Bu) 110 ] (Ag 307 ) whose structure is determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The structure analysis shows that nanocluster Ag 307 contains a Ag 167 core, a surface shell of [Ag 140 Cl 2 S 110 ], and a Cl 60 intermediate layer located between Ag 167 and [Ag 140 Cl 2 S 110 ]. It is a first example that such many chlorides are intercalated into a Ag nanocluster. Chlorides are released in situ from solvent CHCl 3 . Nanocluster Ag 307 exhibits superstability. Differential pulse voltammetry experiment reveals that Ag 307 has continuous charging/discharging behavior with a capacitance value of 1.39 aF, while the Ag 307 has a surface plasmonic feature. These characteristics show that Ag 307 is of metallic behavior. However, its electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra display a spin magnetic behavior which could be originated from the unpassivated dangling bonds of surface atoms. The direct capture of EPR signals can be attributed to the Cl - intercalating layer which partly suppresses the electronic interactions between core and surface atoms, resulting in the relatively independent electronic states for core and surface atoms.

Banxia xiexin decoction (BXXX) is a classic preparation used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, and also has certain therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal tumors. BXXX has been reported to regulate the expression of proteins associated with drug resistance and sensitivity in tumors, and thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms of BXXX drug sensitivity in gastric cancer (GC). The expression levels of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD‑L1), 6‑O‑methylguanine‑DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and STAT3 were immunohistochemically detected in the cancer and adjacent non‑cancer tissues of patients with GC, and in vitro experimentation was conducted using drug‑resistant and ‑sensitive GC cells. The expression levels of PD‑L1, MGMT and STAT3 were determined using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Different concentrations of BXXX drug serum were used to treat the cells and the cellular inhibition rate was assessed using a Cell Counting Kit‑8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis, and western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of IL‑6, IFN‑γ, JAK/STAT3 pathway proteins, PD‑L1 and MGMT. The association between PD‑L1 and MGMT protein expression levels was subsequently assessed via co‑immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, in vivo studies were conducted following the establishment of a drug‑resistant tumor‑bearing mouse model, where GC tumor size was assessed under different treatment conditions, and western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of related pathway proteins. The expression levels of PD‑L1, MGMT and STAT3 were significantly increased in GC tissues, GC cells and cisplatin‑resistant cells. Furthermore, BXXX inhibited the proliferation of drug‑resistant cells and promoted the inhibitory effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on drug‑resistant cells. BXXX also inhibited the expression levels of IL‑6, IFN‑γ and JAK/STAT3 pathway proteins, as well as the expression levels of PD‑L1 and MGMT. Colivelin, an activator of STAT3, reversed the effects of BXXX on drug‑resistant GC cells, and significantly reversed the effect of BXXX on PD‑L1 expression. In conclusion, BXXX was found to influence the drug sensitivity of GC cells by regulating the expression of MGMT. This process functions viaPD‑L1, which was itself mediated by IL‑6/JAK/STAT3 signaling.

After the concept of ecological efficiency (eco-efficiency) was put forward and constantly supplemented, it generally refers to the maximization of economic benefits with minimum energy consumption and environmental damage. In a new eco-efficiency model proposed by this paper, the input indexes take into account the consumption of capital, human, resources and energy, and the environmental load caused by them. The output indexes take into account GDP, income, and tax revenue. An optimal weighted cross-evaluation efficiency (OWCE) model based on data standardization is proposed, by improving the traditional data envelopment models of CCR and BCC. The OWCE model not only objectively weights but also unifies the comparison scale, and facilitates the establishment of the super-efficiency decomposition model, which is conducive to further exploring the reasons for the difference of eco-efficiency in various regions. Empirically, the eco-efficiencies of 11 provinces (municipalities) along the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) were analyzed based on the data from 2008 to 2019. The results show that there has been a serious imbalance in the 11 provinces, showing a trend of high in the east and low in the west, although the eco-efficiency has been improving continuously in the past 10 years. Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu, which are located in the traditional Yangtze River lower delta region, are the top in terms of eco-efficiency, among which Shanghai ranks the first place with absolute advantage, and also is far ahead in sub-efficiencies of basic input, energy consumption, capital and human input, and environmental cost. Geographical location, especially whether it is close to the ocean, and the length of river flow have a certain positive impact on eco-efficiency. Through in-depth analysis, high-energy consumption, high pollution, and low economic output are the main reasons for low eco-efficiency in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

A semiconductor emitter can possibly achieve a sharp cutoff wavelength due to its intrinsic bandgap absorption and almost zero sub-bandgap emission without doping. A germanium-wafer-based selective emitter with front-side antireflection and backside metal coating is studied here for thermophotovoltaic (TPV) energy conversion. Optical simulation predicts the spectral emittance above 0.9 in the wavelengths from 1 to 1.85 µm and below 0.2 in the sub-bandgap range with a sharp cutoff around the bandgap, indicating superior spectral selectivity behavior. This is confirmed by excellent agreement with indirectly measured spectral emittance of the fabricated Ge-based selective emitter sample. Furthermore, the TPV efficiency by pairing the Ge-based selective emitter with a GaSb cell is theoretically analyzed at different temperatures. This Letter facilitates the development of the semiconductor-based selective emitters for enhancing TPV performance.

Purpose: Banxia xiexin decoction (BXXX) is a classical Chinese herbal compound for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Its ingredients are also considered helpful for cancer rehabilitation. Here, we will explore the regulatory mechanism of BXXX acting on PD-L1 in gastric cancer (GC)., Methods: GC samples and the general baseline data of the patients were collated. Immunohistochemical (IHC) detected the expression of programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), interferon-γ receptor (IFNGR) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). ELISA detected the expressions of EGF, IFNG and IL-6 in serum samples. Network tools were used to analyze the potential molecules of BXXX. In the cell experiment, CCK-8 detected the cell proliferation. Tunel detected the apoptosis. Western blot detected the expression of related proteins. In animal experiments, the tumor volume of GC-bearing mice was observed. Expression of EGF, IFNG and IL-6 in the serum of tumor-bearing GC mice were detected by ELISA. Western blot detected the expression of related proteins., Results: The expressions of PD-L1, HIF-1, EGFR, IFNGR and TLR4 in the tissues of GC patients were significantly increased, and the expressions of EGF, IFNG and IL-6 in serum were increased. The molecular results of the network tools showed that BXXX and its main components have a targeting effect on the key molecules of each pathway in the PD-L1 regulatory network. Cell experiments showed that BXXX can inhibit the expression of PD-L1, HIF-1, EGFR and TLR4, but has no significant effect on the expression of IFNGR, thus inhibiting the proliferation and promoting the apoptosis of GC cells. The results were consistent with the animal experiments on tumor-bearing gastric cancer mice., Conclusion: BXXX inhibited the expression of PD-L1 through multi-target and multi-pathway regulation of major oncogenes in GC, thus effect cell proliferation and apoptosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial or other interests., (© 2021 Feng et al.)

Aim: To investigate the protective effect of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) against H 2 O 2 -induced apoptosis in human ARPE-19 cells., Methods: The lentiviral vector expressing HO-1 was prepared and transfected into apoptotic ARPE-19 cells induced by H 2 O 2 . Functional experiments including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry (FCM) and mitochondrial membrane potential assay were conducted., Results: The ultrastructure of ARPE-19 cells was observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was found that exogenous HO-1 significantly ameliorated H 2 O 2 -induced loss of cell viability, apoptosis and intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in ARPE-19 cells. The overexpression of HO-1 facilitated the transfer of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) from cytoplasm to nucleus, which in turn upregualted expressions HO-1 and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Furthermore, HO-1 upregulation further inhibited H 2 O 2 -induced release of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (caspase-3)., Conclusion: Exogenous HO-1 protect ARPE-19 cells against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress by regulating the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, Bcl-2, and caspase-3., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)