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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Lichong decoction (LD) is extensively employed in the treatment of uterine leiomyoma (ULM), demonstrating remarkable clinical effectiveness with an absence of notable adverse reactions. Its composition aligns with the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) etiology of ULM, making it a highly suitable therapy. Nonetheless, the precise mechanisms underlying its therapeutic actions remain to be fully elucidated., Aim of the Study: The objective of this study was to clarify the therapeutic mechanism of LD improving ULM., Materials and Methods: The effects of LD on ULM cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed using CCK-8, crystal violet staining, EdU incorporation, TUNEL, and Annexin V-FITC/PI assays. Gene microarray was used to profile differential gene expression after LD treatment. A rat ULM model was created to evaluate LD's anti-tumor efficacy, measuring body weight, uterine weight index, and sex hormone levels. Histopathological changes were analyzed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and transmission electron microscopy. Protein and RNA expression changes were analyzed via immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and qPCR. UHPLC-QE-MS enabled a detailed non-targeted LD analysis. Key components were identified through their correlation with serum sex hormones and inflammatory cytokines, and then examined by molecular docking studies., Results: Experiments showed that LD reduced ULM cell viability and induced apoptosis. Gene expression profiling identified 313 differentially expressed genes. Enrichment analysis combined with experimental validation demonstrated that LD can reduce ULM fibrosis and inflammation by inhibiting the CXCL8/PI3K/AKT pathway. The analysis identified 494 primary compounds and 87 serum components in LD. Key compounds such as formononetin, palmatine, curcumenol, and hecogenin, which exhibit high affinity for CXCL8, may contribute to the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties of LD., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that LD effectively inhibits ULM proliferation and fibrosis by improving the inflammatory microenvironment, primarily through the inhibition of CXCL8. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of LD for ULM and provide new insights into its mechanisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately sway their work, nor any interests in products, services, or companies that might bias the content or evaluation of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We examined differences in physiological responses to aversive and non-aversive naturalistic audiovisual stimuli and their auditory and visual components within the same experiment. We recorded five physiological measures that have been shown to be sensitive to affect: electrocardiogram, electromyography (EMG) for zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii muscles, electrodermal activity (EDA), and skin temperature. Valence and arousal ratings confirmed that aversive stimuli were more negative in valence and higher in arousal than non-aversive stimuli. Valence also showed an emotional enhancement effect for cross-modal integration. Both heart rate deceleration and facial EMG potentiation for corrugator supercilii were larger for aversive compared to non-aversive conditions for audiovisual stimuli and their auditory components, even after controlling for arousal. Facial EMG potentiation for zygomaticus major was greater for aversive compared to non-aversive conditions for audiovisual stimuli and EDA was greater for aversive compared to non-aversive conditions for visual stimuli. Neither of these effects remained significant after controlling for arousal. These findings provide a benchmark for examining atypical sensory processing of mundane aversive stimuli for clinical populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Svetlana Shinkareva reports financial support was provided by Misophonia Research Fund. If there are other authors, they 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 © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have garnered attention for their potential in photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production. However, their photocatalytic efficiency is impeded by insufficient exciton dissociation and charge carrier transport. Constructing COFs with superior planarity is an effective way to enhance the π-conjugation degree and facilitate electron-hole separation. Nonetheless, the conventional linear linkers of COFs inevitably introduce torsional strain that disrupts coplanarity. Herein, we address this issue by introducing inherently coplanar triazine rings as linkers and fused building blocks as monomers to create covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) with superior coplanarity. Both experimental and theoretical calculations confirm that CTFs constructed from fused building blocks significantly enhance the electron-hole separation efficiency and improve the photocatalytic performance, compared to the CTFs constructed with non-fused building blocks. The frontier molecular orbitals and electrostatic potentials (ESP) revealed that the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is preferentially facilitated by the triazine rings, with the water oxidation reaction (WOR) likely occurring at the thiophene-containing moiety. Remarkably, CTF-BTT achieved an exceptional H 2 O 2 production rate of 74956 μmol g -1  h -1 when employing 10 % benzyl alcohol (V/V) as a sacrificial agent in an O 2 -saturated atmosphere, surpassing existing photocatalysts by nearly an order of magnitude. Our findings provide valuable insights for designing highly coplanar polymer-based photocatalysts that enhance the solar-to-chemical energy conversion process., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In-plane heterostructures exhibit extraordinary chemical and electron transfer properties, which have received remarkable research attention. However, the synthesis of an in-plane Mo 2 C/MoO 3 heterostructure has been rarely reported, and the deep investigation of the effect of its fine structure on reactivity is of great significance. Notably, the in-plane heterostructures endow the material with abundant grain boundaries, which facilitate the formation of surface acid sites and active oxygen species, thus contributing to the sensing performance. Our work provides a promising platform to design in-plane heterostructures for various advanced applications.

Synthesis and assembly of two-dimensional (2D) polymeric materials present a tricky trade-off between the high reaction rate and precise morphology control. Here we report a nanoconfined synthesis of imine-based 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) at the interface of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion droplets stabilized by cationic surfactants. Highly uniform nanocapsules (NCs) could be prepared without adding extra catalysts at room temperature in just 4.5 h at a yield of 86 %. The NCs have tunable average diameters of 114-565 nm and shell thicknesses of 12-63 nm, depending on the monomer and surfactant types/concentrations. Their BET-specific surface areas are up to 139.0 m 2 /g, mainly contributed by narrowly-distributed mesopores at ~5.0 nm and micropores at 1.4 nm at a volume ratio (V 1.4 /V 5.0 ) of 1.68. The surfactant plays the role of a catalyst during the reaction and interestingly, it also regulates the formation of mesopores and their sizes. Both theoretical and experimental studies confirm that the reaction has been accelerated by two orders of magnitude at the microdroplet interface, compared to that without emulsification. The resulting NCs could be well dispersed in water for at least six weeks with little size-distribution change, and they have been demonstrated to be highly efficient nanocatalysts in application of water-based hydrogen evolution, reaching a stable hydrogen production rate at 10.2 mmol ⋅ g -1  ⋅ h -1 for 6 hours. Such microdroplet interface-confined synthesis may facilitate the future development of 2D polymeric materials for more advanced applications., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The occurrence of off-flavor in osmanthus absolutes has emerged as a significant concern that could hinder its broad market acceptance and associated economic development. In this study, key off-flavor molecules in industrial osmanthus absolute were identified through sensomics and chemometric approaches. A group of 10 off-flavor (OF) samples, eliciting smoky/phenolic, sweaty/sour, and spicy odors, were compared with 10 pleasant aroma (PA) samples through various analyses, including overall aroma assessment, comprehensive chemical profiling, aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), and orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). High-throughput gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry proved to be a powerful tool for efficiently and accurately identifying trace compounds in complex matrices. 50 odor-active compounds were identified, and further filtering resulted in 25 markers with variable importance in projection scores (VIP) greater than 1. All these markers, except citronellol, exhibited higher odor activity values (OAVs) of ≥1 in OF samples. Subsequent spiking and omission experiments confirmed that 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol, o -cresol, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol significantly contributed to the smoky/phenolic attribute. Moreover, 3-methylbutyric acid, hexanoic acid, citronellic acid, butyric acid, and 2-methylbutyric acid had significantly negative effects on the sweaty/sour odor. Additionally, a combination of ethyl cinnamate and p -anisaldehyde may have contributed to the spicy off-flavor through a synergistic effect.

Nanobubble water (NBW) or temperature-phased anaerobic digestion assisted by microbial electrolysis cell (MEC-TPAD) can promote sludge hydrolysis and methanogenesis. However, the role of the combined application of NBW and MEC-TPAD in terms of anaerobic performance and related microbial properties remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of Air-NBW on hydrolysis and methanogenesis of dewatered sludge MEC-TPAD. Under different temperatures, NBW increased ammonia nitrogen by 7.8%-13.7% in the hydrolysis phase and ultimate methane yield by 23.3%-41.5%. NBW can significantly promote hydrolysis under mesophilic-mesophilic conditions, while it can promote substantially methanogenesis under thermophilic-thermophilic conditions. Moreover, NBW increased the diversity and richness of microorganisms in hydrolysis. As to bacteria, NBW increased the relative abundance (RA) of Firmicutes but decreased the RA of Proteobacteria. As to archaea, NBW increased the RA of Methanosarcina in hydrolysis but decreased it in methanogenesis. NBW synchronized with MEC-TPAD improved hydrolysis and methanogenesis of the dewatered sludge digestion process., 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 © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: At present, the existing internal medicine drug treatment can alleviate the high glucose toxicity of patients to a certain extent, to explore the efficacy of laparoscopic jejunoileal side to side anastomosis in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the report is as follows., Aim: To investigate the effect of jejunoileal side-to-side anastomosis on metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 patients with T2DM who were treated via jejunoileal lateral anastomosis. Metabolic indicators were collected preoperatively, as well as at 3 and 6 months postoperative. The metabolic indicators analyzed included body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour blood glucose (PBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting C-peptide, 2-hour C-peptide (PCP), fasting insulin (Fins), 2-hour insulin (Pins), insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), β Cellular function index (HOMA-β), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein, and uric acid (UA) levels., Results: SBP, DBP, PBG, HbA1c, LDL-C, and TG were all significantly lower 3 months postoperative vs preoperative values; body weight, BMI, SBP, DBP, FBG, PBG, HbA1c, TC, TG, UA, and HOMA-IR values were all significantly lower 6 months postoperative vs at 3 months; and PCP, Fins, Pins, and HOMA-β were all significantly higher 6 months postoperative vs at 3 months (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Side-to-side anastomosis of the jejunum and ileum can effectively treat T2DM and improve the metabolic index levels associated with it., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

The effects of foliar Se (selenium) fertilizer on melatonin and its biosynthesis in four different colored sweet potatoes were studied. Solutions containing 1.25 mg Se/plant of inorganic selenium (ISe) and organic selenium (OSe) and a control check (CK) were applied three times during the swelling stage. Except for ISe in purple variety, both types of Se applications significantly increased melatonin in four colored varieties. The effect of OSe was greater than that of ISe, mainly because of higher concentration of tryptophan and activities of tryptophan decarboxylase, tryptamine-5 hydroxylase, 5-hydroxytryptamine N-acetyltransferase and N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine methyltransferase. The orange variety had highest melatonin with the application of ISe and OSe, and highest melatonin among all applications was achieved by OSe in orange variety, followed by OSe in purple variety. These findings revealed that melatonin with extremely strong health benefits could be found and significantly increased in sweet potatoes through Se 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Gastric glomus tumor is a rare submucosal mesenchymal tumor with no distinct features on endoscopy. In clinical practice, it is often treated with laparoscopic partial gastrectomy. Here, we report a case of gastric glomus tumor successfully resected using a combination of gastroscopy and laparoscopy., Case Description: The patient was an elderly male who underwent gastroscopy, which revealed a submucosal mass in the gastric antrum. The lesion was suspected to be a stromal tumor. Further evaluation with computed tomography (CT) imaging indicated a space-occupying lesion in the gastric antrum, with the possibility of benign pathology. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed that the tumor originated from the muscular layer and was approximately 28.8 mm ×22.5 mm. Blood flow was detected behind the lesion, suggesting the possibility of a gastric glomus tumor. The tumor was removed using a combination of gastroscopy and laparoscopy. Postoperative pathology suggested that it was a benign gastric glomus tumor. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 7 days later., Conclusion: Gastric glomus tumor is a rare submucosal tumor that should be included in the differential diagnosis of gastric submucosal tumors. A combined approach using gastroscopy and laparoscopy offers a minimally invasive and effective treatment option., 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 © 2025 Yang, Guo, Yan, Xu, Cui and Guo.)

Quantum dots (QDs) have shown great application potential in a variety of optoelectronic devices due to their unique optoelectronic properties, especially playing a key role in the development of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). Inorganic ligands, including metal or non-metal chalcogenides, oxoanions, halides, and metal cations, play crucial roles in the synthesis, stabilization, and functionalization of QDs. Compared to long-chain organic ligands, inorganic ligands are shorter and possess higher electron mobility, which facilitates their application in high-performance QLEDs. This review explores the mechanisms of ligand exchange, classifies the types of inorganic ligands, and discusses their impact on the properties of QDs. Special attention is given to the latest research developments in inorganic ligand QDs for LEDs and their prospective applications in optoelectronics. This review highlights the versatility and efficacy of inorganic ligands, showcasing their potential to revolutionize QLED technology for future high-resolution displays and efficient optoelectronic devices., (© 2025 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.)

In-plane heterostructures has attracted considerable interest due to exceptional electron transport properties, high specific surface area, and abundant active sites. However, synthesis of in-plane SnS 2 -SnO 2 heterostructures are rarely reported, and the deep investigation of the fine structure on reactivity is of great significance. Here, we propose partial in-situ oxidation strategy to construct the in-plane SnS 2 -SnO 2 heterostructures and the surface properties, the ratio of two components can be finely tuned by precisely adjusting the treatment temperature. In particular, the SnS 2 -SnO 2 heterostructures formed after annealing of SnS 2 nanosheets at 350 °C exhibits a unique electronic structure and surface properties due to rich grain boundaries, which exhibits excellent gas sensing performance to H 2 S (R a /R g  = 169.81 for 5 ppm H 2 S at 160 °C, fast response and recovery dynamic (41/101 s), excellent reliability (σ = 0.01) and sensing stability (φ = 0.11 %)). Notably, the in-plane heterostructures endow the material with abundant grain boundaries and effectively regulates the electronic structure of the Sn p-orbital, which facilitate the formation of active oxygen species (O - (ad)), thus contributing to the sensing performance. Our work provides a promising platform to design in-plane heterostructures for various advanced applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rapid gas sensing with high sensitivity and selectivity is pivotal in advanced production, in smart living, and increasingly in medical health applications. This study presents a novel Pt@InNiO x nanoflake isoprene sensor that achieves an exceptionally low limit of detection (LOD) at 2 ppb, the lowest reported for isoprene sensors to date. Notably, it exhibits high selectivity and remarkable antihumidity capacity, thus meeting the stringent requirements for lung cancer screening. To unravel the sensing mechanism, we fabricate an operando DRIFTS-Raman cell coupled to online electrical measurements. It reveals that the ultrasensitive performance of Pt@InNiO x nanoflakes stems from the activated conjugated structure of isoprene by Pt nanoclusters and from the enhanced isoprene adsorption and electron interaction due to the nanoflake morphology. The p-n junction constructed by doping Ni maintains Fermi level equilibrium, shielding it from humidity interference. Practically, we integrate these ultrasensitive Pt@InNiO x nanoflakes into a miniaturized portable electronic device that successfully distinguishes lung cancer patients with expiratory isoprene below 40 ppb, from the healthy population with isoprene above 60 ppb, enabling an accurate diagnosis in clinics. Our work not only provides a breakthrough in low-cost, noninvasive cancer screening through breath analysis but also advances the rational design of cutting-edge gas sensing materials.

Expression of the compact mitochondrial genome is regulated by nuclear encoded, mitochondrially localized RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). RBPs regulate the lifecycles of mitochondrial RNAs from transcription to degradation by mediating RNA processing, maturation, stability and translation. The Fas-activated serine/threonine kinase (FASTK) family of RBPs has been shown to regulate and fine-tune discrete aspects of mitochondrial gene expression. Although the roles of specific targets of FASTK proteins have been elucidated, the molecular mechanisms of FASTK proteins in mitochondrial RNA metabolism remain unclear. Therefore, we resolved the structure of FASTKD4 at atomic level that includes the RAP domain and the two FAST motifs, creating a positively charged cavity resembling that of the very short patch repair endonuclease. Our biochemical studies show that FASTKD4 binds the canonical poly(A) tail of MT-ND3 enabling its maturation and translation. The in vitro role of FASTKD4 is consistent with its loss in cells that results in decreased MT-ND3 polyadenylation, which destabilizes this messenger RNA in mitochondria., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

This study aimed to develop eco-friendly multifunctional nanocellulose (NC) hybrid films with tailored properties for versatile applications including packaging and photovoltaics. Hybrid films composed by cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were produced at various mass ratio (CNC - 100:0 to 0:100). Montmorillonite clay (MTM) was incorporated (50 % by mass) into the CNC:CNF films. CNC-only films easily dispersed in water, but by adding CNF or MTM, the structural integrity was enhanced. Films with ≥50 % CNF and MTM had a strength reduction of 9-35 % and increased brittleness. The hybrid films presented transmittance above 60 % and haze varying from 5 % to 60 % at 550 nm which can be a beneficial for light management. All films kept color stability over 1000 h of artificial sunlight, a critical packaging feature for long-term storage. CNC: CNF films without MTM showed better potential for optoelectronic applications due to higher transmittance and smoother surfaces, while those with MTM presented UV protection (up to 250 nm) and swelling resistance (28-53 %) which could also benefit optoelectronics increasing their lifespan. Balancing the hybrid films composition is key for optoelectronics, while packaging applications tolerate broader compositions. These findings demonstrate the versatility of NC hybrid films in creating sustainable materials for diverse 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), caused by enteroviruses, mostly including EV71, CVA6, CVA10, and CVA16, is an acute infectious disease commonly found in children. Due to no approved antiviral therapies and available vaccines, except for EV71, developing accurate diagnostic methods of HFMD is essential for controlling its spread and mitigating its impact on public health. Here, we create a MIRA-HEV-PAND multiple nucleic acid typing method that utilizes Pf Ago to identify enterovirus type A pathogens (EV71, CVA6, CVA10, and CVA16) and universal type EVU. The MDC (minimum detection concentration) level of MIRA-HEV-PAND is within the range of 1.66 aM (1.0 copy/μL), which was matched to that of qPCR assays and even more sensitive up to 10%. Importantly, the MIRA-HEV-PAND method exhibits higher sensitivity and less time-consuming efficiency compared to the approach that combines PCR amplification instead of MIRA amplification. Meanwhile, though the quintuple and single-tube multiple MIRA-HEV-PAND detection system can be used for one viral target or multiple viral target detection, the single-tube detection system detects more efficiently and rapidly than the quintuple-tube multiple detection system. Moreover, the diagnostic results obtained by evaluating clinical samples using MIRA-HEV-PAND show a complete consistency of 100% with qPCR assays. The MIRA-HEV-PAND method can screen a wider range of target regions using low-cost guide DNA without being limited to PAM sequences, compared to the MARPLES based on the CRISPR-Cas12a. The utilization of this correlation can be beneficial for the application of molecular testing for clinical diagnoses and the study of human enteroviruses A infection and virus typing on an epidemiological scale.

The performances and properties of random copolyesters, including biodegradability, mechanical and thermal properties, transparency, etc., are highly influenced by their chain structures. However, obtaining detailed chain sequence information remains a significant challenge. This study introduces a mathematical model based on a probabilistic approach to determine the sequence length and distribution in random copolyesters. Two types of copolyesters, A 1 A 1 BB-A 2 A 2 BB, representing poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate) (PBAT), and A 1 A 1 B 1 B 1 -A 2 B 2 , using poly(butylene succinate- co -glycolic acid) (PBT-PGA) as an example, are the focus. The predicted sequence lengths of various copolyesters derived from the model are in good agreement with the values reported in the literature. The chain sequence distribution obtained from the model provides better insights into the unique properties of the copolyesters. It is observed that the incorporation of hydroxyl acid units into copolyester chains effectively reduces the sequence length without altering the copolymer composition, offering a strategic approach for enhancing degradation performance while maintaining mechanical properties of random copolyesters. The influence of the number-average sequence length becomes particularly significant when the copolymer composition ranges between 0.7 and 0.9, with a higher copolymer composition required for copolyesters containing hydroxyl acid monomer units. This model represents a powerful tool for researchers, enabling a deeper understanding of the relationship between copolymer composition and its structural characteristics in random copolyesters and facilitating the development of high-performance random copolyesters.

Applying conductive hydrogels in electronic skin, health monitoring, and wearable devices has aroused great research interest. Yet, it remains a significant challenge to prepare conductive hydrogels simultaneously with superior mechanical, self-recovery, and conductivity performance. Herein, a dual ionically cross-linked double network (DN) hydrogel is fabricated based on K + and Fe 3+ ion cross-linked κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) and Fe 3+ ion cross-linked poly(sodium acrylate-co-acrylamide) P(AANa-co-AM). Benefiting from the abundance of hydrogen bonds and metal coordination bonds, the conductive hydrogel has excellent mechanical properties (fracture strain up to 1420 %, fracture stress up to 2.30 MPa, and toughness up to 20.63 MJ/m 3 ) and good self-recovery performance (the recovery rate of the toughness can reach 85 % after waiting for 1 h). Meanwhile, due to the introduction of dual metal ions of K + and Fe 3+ , the ionic conductivity of conductive hydrogel is up to 1.42 S/m. Furthermore, the hydrogel strain sensor has good sensitivity with a gauge factor (GF) of 2.41 (0-100 %). It can be a wearable sensor that monitors different human motions, such as sit-ups. This work offers a new synergistic strategy for designing a hydrogel strain sensor with high mechanical, self-recovery, and conductive properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To improve the extraction process and quality of Camellia oleifera Abel. oil (COO). This study examined the influence of explosion-puffing (EP) pretreatment on the physicochemical properties, characteristic compounds and sensory quality of the COO. The results revealed that the seeds after EP pretreatment had cavities surface, which facilitated the extraction of the COO and the dissolution of bioactive compounds. Compared to the untreated group, the oil yield of the 6-7%/20 min was increased from 71.41 to 88.94%, as well as higher levels of squalene, phytosterol, α-tocopherol, and phenolic acids, leading to an increase in the antioxidant abilities. Moreover, the fatty acid composition in the COO was not significantly affected (P > 0.05). W1C, W5S, W3C, W5C, and W1W were the main sensors to distinguish the flavor profile of the COO. In summary, EP pretreatment may be a promising method for enhancing oil yield and quality of the COO., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome of multiorgan failure caused by dysregulation of the host response to infection and is a major cause of death in critically ill patients. In recent years, with the continuous development of sequencing technology, the intestinal microecology of this disease has been increasingly studied. The gut microbiota plays a host-protective role mainly through the maintenance of normal immune function and the intestinal barrier. Recent evidence suggests that intestinal flora dysbiosis plays a crucial role in sepsis. Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) , which has been used as a probiotic in poultry feed since its discovery, has been found to play a potential protective role in intestinal infections, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer, and other diseases in recent studies. In this review, we continue to focus on the important role and mechanism of C. butyricum as a probiotic in human diseases, especially intestinal diseases. Additionally, we evaluate the research progress of C. butyricum in treatment of sepsis to identify more therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment of sepsis., 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 Zhao, Jiang, He, Han, Yang, Wu and Zhong.)

Catalytic cracking of polyolefin wastes into valuable chemicals at mild conditions using non-noble metal catalysts is highly attractive yet challenging. Herein it is reported that 2D tungsten trioxide (2D WO 3 ) nanosheets, after decorating with group VIII metal promoters (i.e., Fe, Co, or Ni), convert high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into alkylaromatics and olefins at low temperature and ambient pressure without using any solvent or hydrogen: 2D Ni/WO 3 with abundant Brønsted acidic sites initiates HDPE cracking at a low temperature of 240 °C; 2D Fe/WO 3 with low energy barrier of cyclization achieves a high HDPE conversion to 84.2% liquid hydrocarbons with a selectivity of 30.9% to aromatics at 300 °C. In-situ spectroscopic investigations and supplementary theoretical calculations illustrate that these aromatics are formed through the cyclization of alkene intermediates. These 2D catalysts also display high efficiency in the low-temperature cracking of single-use commercial polyethylene wastes such as packaging bags and bottles. This work has demonstrated the high potential of 2D non-noble metal catalysts in the efficient upcycling of waste polyolefin at mild conditions., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Real-world data is typically distributed on low-dimensional manifolds embedded in high-dimensional Euclidean spaces. Accurately extracting spatial distribution features on general manifolds that reflect the intrinsic characteristics of data is crucial for effective feature representation. Therefore, we propose a generalized geodesic basis function neural network (G 2 BFNN) architecture. The generalized geodesic basis functions (G 2 BF) are defined based on generalized geodesic distances. The generalized geodesic distance metric (G 2 DM) is obtained by learning the manifold structure. To implement this architecture, a specific G 2 BFNN, named discriminative local preserving projection-based G 2 BFNN (DLPP-G 2 BFNN) is proposed. DLPP-G 2 BFNN mainly contains two modules, namely the manifold structure learning module (MSLM) and the network mapping module (NMM). In the MSLM module, a supervised adjacency graph matrix is constructed to constrain the learning of the manifold structure. This enables the learned features in the embedding subspace to maintain the manifold structure while enhancing the discriminability. The features and G 2 DM learned in the MSLM are fed into the NMM. Through the G 2 BF in the NMM, the spatial distribution features on manifold are obtained. Finally, the output of the network is obtained through the fully connected layer. Compared with the local response neural network based on Euclidean distance, the proposed network can reveal more essential spatial structure characteristics of the data. Meanwhile, the proposed G 2 BFNN is a generalized network architecture that can be combined with any manifold learning method, showcasing high scalability. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed DLPP-G 2 BFNN outperforms existing methods by utilizing fewer kernels while achieving higher recognition performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Yang Zhao reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Jihong Pei reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Jihong Pei reports financial support was provided by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation. Xuan Yang reports financial support was provided by Shenzhen Science and Technology Projection. Yang Zhao reports financial support was provided by Shenzhen Science and Technology Projection. Jihong Pei reports financial support was provided by Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Intelligent Information Processing. Xuan Yang reports financial support was provided by Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Popular High Performance Computers. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Birnessite-type MnO 2 (δ-MnO 2 ) exhibits great potential as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). However, the structural instability and sluggish reaction kinetics restrict its further application. Herein, a unique protons intercalation strategy was utilized to simultaneously modify the interlayer environment and transition metal layers of δ-MnO 2 . The intercalated protons directly form strong O  H bonds with the adjacent oxygens, while the increased H 2 O molecules also establish a hydrogen bond network (O  H···O) between H 2 O molecules or bond with adjacent oxygens. Based on the Grotthuss mechanism, these bondings ultimately enhance the stability of layered structures and facilitate the rapid diffusion of protons. Moreover, the introduction of protons induces numerous oxygen vacancies, reduces steric hindrance, and accelerates ion transport kinetics. Consequently, the protons intercalated δ-MnO 2 (H-MnO 2-x ) demonstrates exceptional specific capacity of 401.7 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and a fast-charging performance over 1000 cycles. Density functional theory analysis confirms the improved electronic conductivity and reduced diffusion energy barrier. Most importantly, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance tests combining with ex-situ characterizations verify the inhibitory effect of the interlayer proton environment on basic zinc sulfate formation. Protons intercalation behavior provides a promising avenue for the development of MnO 2 as well as other cathodes in AZIBs., 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.)

Introduction: Electro-acupuncture (EA) has demonstrated potential in improving mild-to-moderate dementia in clinics, but the underlying scientific target remains unclear., Methods: EA was administered to APP/PS1 Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice, with untreated AD, and wild type (WT) mice serving as controls. The efficacy of EA was assessed by the Morris water maze cognitive functional tests. Brain magnetic resonance imaging-positron emission tomography (PET) scans using [ 18 F]TZ4877 targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) and [ 18 F]AV45 targeting amyloid beta fibrils were conducted. The correlation between regional brain PET quantifications and cognitive functions was analyzed., Results: EA significantly improved cognitive and memory functions of AD (p  = 0.04) and reduced the uptake of [ 18 F]TZ4877 in the cortex (p  = 0.02) and hippocampus (p  = 0.03). Immunofluorescence confirmed colocalizations of S1PR1 with glial fibrillary acidic protein and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry showed a significant reduction of interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α after EA treatment., Discussion: EA may reverse AD by suppressing neuroinflammation, and the PET imaging of S1PR1 seemed potent in evaluating the treatment for AD patients HIGHLIGHTS: Electro-acupuncture (EA) was administered to APP/PS1 Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice, with untreated AD, and wild type (WT) mice serving as controls. The efficacy of EA was assessed by the Morris water maze cognitive functional tests and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging quantifications. PET tracer [ 18 F]AV45 was used to detect amyloid beta deposition. An increased uptake of [ 18 F]AV45 was found in AD compared to WT mice, with significance observed only in the cortex and not in the hippocampus. EA treatment exhibited a trend toward reduced [ 18 F]AV45 uptake in AD mouse brains post-treatment. However, statistical difference was not attained in most brain regions. EA "Baihui (DU20) and Sishencong (EX-HN1)" significantly improved cognitive and memory functions of AD (p = 0.04). Brain magnetic resonance imaging p(MRI)-positron emission tomography (PET) quantifications revealed that significantly reduced the uptake of [ 18 F]TZ4877 in the cortex (p = 0.02) and hippocampus (p = 0.03) after EA treatment. The correlation between PET quantifications and cognitive functions was analyzed and the most notable correlations were found between escape latency (reaction cognitive and memory behavior) and volume distribution (V T ) quantifications of [ 18 F]TZ4877. V T quantifications of [ 18 F]TZ4877 in key brain regions for cognitive and memory ability, such as the cortex and hippocampus, positively correlated with platform latency (cortex p < 0.01, r = 0.7102; hippocampus p < 0.01, r = 0.6891). Immunofluorescence confirmed colocalizations of S1PR1 with glial fibrillary acidic protein and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 in the AD brain. And the EA treatment significantly reduced the signals in the cortex and hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry showed a significant reduction of interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α after EA treatment. EA reversed AD by suppressing neuroinflammation in the cortex and hippocampus. The S1PR1 targeting PET tracer [ 18 F]TZ4877 showed promise in evaluating the pathological progression of AD in clinical settings., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

In this study, pullulanase-assisted bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLF) were employed to ameliorate limitations of fluidity and digestibility of cooked yam flour via physicochemical properties, digestion, structure and interaction analysis. The results showed that 1) Pullulanase-assisted BLF significantly increased the water solubility (9.02% → 69.38%) and inhibited the swelling (5.54 g/g → 2.29 g/g) during heating and cooling of yam flour, causing it to have liquid-like rheological properties (the tanδ tended to 1). 2) Pullulanase and BLF synergistically affected the anti-digestion of yam flour, reducing the estimated glycemic index to a lower level (58.27 → 48.26, dose-dependent of BLF). 3) Pullulanase-assisted BLF mainly interacted hydrophobic with various components, especially starch, increasing the short/long-range ordered structure of starch, changing the secondary structure of proteins, and forming a tight three-dimensional network structure. This study provided a theoretical foundation for the development of functional foods using yam flour and its potential application in liquid foods., 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.)

Fraud detection within transaction data is crucial for maintaining financial security, especially in the era of big data. This paper introduces a novel fraud detection method that utilizes quantum computing to implement community detection in transaction networks. We model transaction data as an undirected graph, where nodes represent accounts and edges indicate transactions between them. A modularity function is defined to measure the community structure of the graph. By optimizing this function through the Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) model, we identify the optimal community structure, which is then used to assess the fraud risk within each community. Using a Coherent Ising Machine (CIM) to solve the QUBO model, we successfully divide 308 nodes into four communities. We find that the CIM computes faster than the classical Louvain and simulated annealing (SA) algorithms. Moreover, the CIM achieves better community structure than Louvain and SA as quantified by the modularity function. The structure also unambiguously identifies a high-risk community, which contains almost 70% of all the fraudulent accounts, demonstrating the practical utility of the method for banks' anti-fraud business.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose caused by insufficient absolute or relative secretion of insulin. Once diagnosed, patients need long-term treatment with hypoglycemic drugs. Currently, the existing first-line hypoglycemic drugs do not provide effective treatment for DM and its complications. In the past, the first generation and the second generation of weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastric surgery, had strict body mass index requirements. Moreover, post-surgery, patients are prone to fluctuating hypoglycemia, gastroesophageal reflux, and dumping syndrome. Hence, the curative effect of this type of surgery was compromised to a certain extent. Jejunoileostomy is a third-generation surgery for patients with DM, which has been shown to improve glucose and lipid metabolism, without changing the original gastrointestinal tract structure. Different from previous weight loss surgeries, jejunoileostomy has been clinically observed to delay the development of DM-related complications. Additionally, the postoperative complications are mild and do not affect the patient's quality of life. Based on our clinical observations from multi-center large samples, our team developed a consensus on the operative period and perioperative management of jejunoileostomy as a reference for clinical researchers., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Atmospheric pollutants PM2.5 and CO 2 share similar sources and impact mechanisms. Green innovations and urban greening significantly reduce these pollutants while promoting economic growth. However, the synergies and trade-offs between carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and economic growth remain understudied. This paper examines 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), China's premier green development site, as a unified system. Using fractional-order synthesis analysis, this paper constructs an assessment indicator system and measures synergy with a coupled coordination degree model. The driving factors are explored using a system-generalized method of moments estimation. The findings indicate that most cities in the YREB are at an intermediate coordination stage. The coupling of greening with carbon reduction, pollution control, and growth has a low degree, highlighting an urgent need to strengthen greening efforts. Key drivers include the digital economy, advanced industrial structure, innovative talent aggregation, infrastructure construction, financial investment, and marketization. The digital economy significantly influences all regions of the Yangtze River. Notable heterogeneity exists in the impact of other drivers across different regions. These results offer valuable policy insights for managing carbon emissions and pollutants, contributing to sustainable urban 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 © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production from water and oxygen offers a clean and sustainable alternative to the conventional energy-intensive anthraquinone oxidation method. Compared to powdered covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs), the film morphology of CTFs provides better connectivity in 2D, yielding several advantages: more efficient connections between active sites, reduced electron-hole pair recombination, increased resistance to superoxide radical induced corrosion, and decreased light scattering. Leveraging these benefits, it has incorporated dual active sites for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the water oxidation reaction (WOR) into a CTF film system. This dual-active CTF film demonstrated an exceptional hydrogen peroxide production rate of 19 460 µmol h⁻¹ m⁻ 2 after 1 h and 17 830 µmol h⁻¹ m⁻ 2 after 5 h under visible light irradiation (≥420 nm) without the need for sacrificial agents., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: We examined the burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADOD) and attributable factors at the national and provincial levels in China., Methods: Using the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021, we estimated incidence, prevalence, mortality rate, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and the ratio of years lived with disability (YLD) to DALYs for ADOD in China. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were used to quantify the temporal trends from 1990 to 2021., Results: In 2021, China experienced the highest ADOD burden among Group of 20 member nations. The EAPCs for age-standardized rates for incidence, age-standardized rates for prevalence, and age-standardized mortality rate were 0.41 (uncertainty intervals [UIs] 0.34-0.49); 0.44 (UI: 0.36-0.52); and -0.19 (UI: -0.23 to -0.15), respectively. Between 1990 and 2021, the number of people with ADOD increased by 322.18% and DALYs associated with ADOD increased by 272.71%; most of these increases were explained by population aging., Discussion: Considering the aging Chinese population, targeted strategies to prevent dementia are urgently needed., Highlights: China experienced the highest dementia burden among Group of 20 member nations. High body mass index, high fasting plasma glucose, and smoking were major risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADOD) burden. Since 1990, the incidence and prevalence of ADOD increased substantially in China. The mortality rate related to ADOD decreased consistently. Considering the aging Chinese population, targeted strategies are urgently needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Cellulose has outstanding potential for application in energy storage batteries due to its high temperature resistance, high electrolyte affinity, renewability, and suppression of the shuttle effect, but single cellulose membranes still suffer from problems such as inhomogeneous pore distribution and unstable three-dimensional network structure. In this study, a green and sustainable regenerative cellulose (RC)/sodium alginate (SA) gel electrolyte membrane is developed by sol-gel process, the double crosslinked network scaffold centered on Zn 2+ was constructed by the synergistic hydrogen-bonding and metal ion- coordination network, the stable and uniform pore structure was also formed. The obtained RC-SA gel electrolyte membrane exhibits outstanding performance, featuring a dual crosslinked network with abundant pore structure and numerous polar groups that effectively enhance Zn 2+ transport, significantly improving battery cycling performance. The corresponding RC-SA gel electrolyte membrane demonstrates high ionic conductivity (6.30 mS·cm -1 ) and Zn 2+ transference number (0.66), leading to excellent reversible capacity (159 mA·h·g -1 ) and self-discharge suppression capability (maintaining 99.2 % of capacity after a 24 h standstill) in Zn//V 2 O 5 full-cell. The coulombic efficiency and cycling stability of the Zn//Cu half-cell and Zn//Zn symmetric cell using RC-SA gel electrolyte membrane outperforms that of the glass fiber separator, highlighting its multifunctionality and potential 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Previous studies have demonstrated that the donor (D)-acceptor (A) structure enables conjugated polymers (CPs) to effectively inhibit charge recombination, reduce exciton binding energy to a minimum, and broaden the light absorption spectrum, ultimately enhancing photocatalytic activity. Besides, side chain engineering is an effective approach to enhance photocatalytic performance by regulating surface chemistry and energy band structure of CPs. Herein, three D-A type CPs, namely TPD-T, TPD-MOT and TPD-DOT, were designed and synthesized using thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) as A units and thiophene with different alkyl/alkoxy groups side chain (as 3-octylthiophene (T), 3-methoxythiophene (MOT) and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (DOT)) as D units, via an atom- and step-economic CH/CH cross-coupling polycondensation. The photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of these polymers driven by visible light was systematically evaluated in pure water and natural seawater. The results show that the hydrogen evolution rates (HERs) of the as-synthesized CPs in pure water and natural seawater significantly increased by 5 and 7 times, respectively, when the number of alkoxy groups on the side chain of polymers increased from 0 to 2. In particular, HERs of three polymers in natural seawater are distinctly better than that in pure water. Further, the steady-state photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved fluorescence decay, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies combined with density functional theory (DFT) simulations were carried out to figure out the possible mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic performance of CPs by side chain engineering. This work indicates that side chain engineering contributes significantly to determine the photocatalytic activity of D-A polymers-based photocatalysts, and could serve as guidelines for organic photocatalysts with highly efficient hydrogen evolution performance., 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.)

To replace precious metals and reduce production costs for large-scale hydrogen production, developing stable, high-performance transition metal electrocatalysts that can be used in a wide range of environments is desirable yet challenging. Herein, a self-supported hybrid catalyst (NiFeCrS x /NF) with high electrocatalytic activity was designed and constructed using conductive nickel foam as a substrate via manipulation of the cation doping ratio of transition metal compounds. Due to the strong coupling synergy between the metal sulfides NiS 2 , Fe 9 S 11 , and Cr 2 S 3 , as well as their interaction with the conductive nickel foam (NF), the energy barrier for catalytic reactions is reduced, and the charge transfer rate is enhanced. This significantly improves the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance of NiFeCrS x /NF, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm -2 with an overpotential of just 66 mV. Furthermore, doping with chromium generates different valence states of Cr during the catalytic process, which can synergize with the high-valent Fe and Ni, promoting the formation of oxygen vacancies and enriching the active sites for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Consequently, at a current density of 10 mA cm -2 in 1.0 M KOH, the overpotential for OER is only 223 mV for NiFeCrS x /NF. Additionally, the in situ grown of self-supporting nanoflower structure on NiFe-LDH not only provides a large catalytic surface area but also facilitates electrolyte penetration during the catalytic process, endowing NiFeCrS x /NF with high long-term stability. When used as a bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting, the NiFeCrS x /NF||NiFeCrS x /NF electrolyzer requires only 1.29 V to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm -2 . Simultaneously, Cr doping protects the Fe sites by maintaining stable valence states, ensuring high performance and stability of NiFeCrS x /NF, even when it is utilized for seawater splitting. This strategy offers novel concepts for creating catalysts based on non-precious metals that can be utilized in various application scenarios., 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.)

Porous structures exhibit an increased access surface area, thereby promoting the efficient transportation of active oxygen species. Reinforcing the development of artificial light-harvesting systems (LHSs) with porous structured supramolecular organic frameworks (SOFs) as the energy donor can significantly enhance its photocatalytic performance, thereby facilitating efficient organic transformation via photocatalysis. In this investigation, we have successfully fabricated a supramolecular organic framework (MT-SOF) composed of cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) and triphenylamine derivative (MeTPPA). Because of the framework structure and large ring restriction in MT-SOF, its fluorescence emission shows a significant increase when compared to that of the individual MeTPPA molecule. By harnessing the remarkable fluorescence emission characteristics of MT-SOF, it was employed as an energy donor in conjunction with Sulforhodamine 101 (SR101) and Cyanine 5 (Cy5) as acceptors to fabricate sequential energy transfer LHS. MT-SOF-SR101-Cy5 has the ability to act as a photosensitizer, facilitating the CP bond coupling with broad applicability. It is important to mention that when compared to MeTPPA, MT-SOF and MT-SOF-SR101, the photocatalytic performance of MT-SOF-SR101-Cy5, featuring continuous two-step energy transfer, shows significant improvement, which can be attributed to the porous structure of MT-SOF and the increased efficiency in generating superoxide anion radical (O 2 - )., 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 colon cancer prognosis is influenced by multiple factors, including clinical, pathological, and non-biological factors. However, only a few studies have focused on computed tomography (CT) imaging features. Therefore, this study aims to predict the prognosis of patients with colon cancer by combining CT imaging features with clinical and pathological characteristics, and establishes a nomogram to provide critical guidance for the individualized treatment., Aim: To establish and validate a nomogram to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with colon cancer., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the survival data of 249 patients with colon cancer confirmed by surgical pathology between January 2017 and December 2021. The patients were randomly divided into training and testing groups at a 1:1 ratio. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors associated with OS, and a nomogram model was constructed for the training group. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve were used to evaluate the nomogram model in the training and testing groups., Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis on CT, perineural invasion, and tumor classification were independent prognostic factors. A nomogram incorporating these variables was constructed, and the C-index of the training and testing groups was 0.804 and 0.692, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated good consistency between the actual values and predicted probabilities of OS., Conclusion: A nomogram combining CT imaging characteristics and clinicopathological factors exhibited good discrimination and reliability. It can aid clinicians in risk stratification and postoperative monitoring and provide important guidance for the individualized treatment of patients with colon cancer., 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.)

Metallic biomaterials, including traditional bioinert materials (such as stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloys, pure titanium, and titanium alloys), novel biodegradable metals (such as pure magnesium and magnesium alloys, pure zinc and zinc alloys, and pure iron and iron alloys), and biomedical metallic glasses, have been widely used and studied as various biomedical implants and devices. Many scientists and researchers have investigated their superior biomechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and biocompatibility. However, their surface characteristics are of extreme importance due to continuing interactions between the surface/interface of an implanted metallic biomaterial and the surrounding physiological environment. Surface morphologies on these metallic biomaterials can modulate their in vitro and in vivo biological responses. In this review, we have summarized and investigated the effect of various surface morphologies on the corrosion behavior, cellular response, antibacterial activity, and osteogenesis of biomedical metallic materials. In addition, future research directions and challenges of surface morphologies on biomedical metallic materials have been elaborated. This review can lay a theoretical and practical foundation for further research and development on biomedical metallic materials.

Background: Normative clinical values for wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) are not well-established., Aims: This study aims to define the normative contour plot characteristics of WAI and evaluate its diagnostic value in detecting tympanic effusion., Materials and Methods: Data were collected from subjects with normal hearing (76 ears) and type C tympanograms on 226-Hz tympanometry (130 ears). Matlab was used to process and analyze the data. The maximum absorbance of WAI was used as the primary indicator, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to determine the optimal cut-off value. WAI contour plots were compared to 226-Hz tympanometry and otoendoscopy, the latter being the gold standard., Results: Mean WAI plots in the normal group showed single peaks (absorbance, >70%) and a nearly symmetrical distribution of the peak area around the 0 daPa pressure line. The ROC curve indicated an AUC value of 0.910, with 78% as the optimal cut-off value of maximum absorbance for detecting effusion. WAI demonstrated better diagnostic performance (sensitivity: 82.26%, specificity: 86.76%, kappa: 0.691) than 226-Hz tympanometry (sensitivity: 61.29%, specificity: 61.76%, kappa: 0.230)., Conclusions and Significance: Normative WAI values were established, and WAI proved more accurate than 226-Hz tympanometry for identifying tympanic effusion, offering valuable guidance for selecting treatment options.

Growing evidence suggests that conceptual knowledge influences emotion perception, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this effect are not fully understood. Recent studies have shown that brain representations of facial emotion categories in visual-perceptual areas are predicted by conceptual knowledge, but it remains to be seen if auditory regions are similarly affected. Moreover, it is not fully clear whether these conceptual influences operate at a modality-independent level. To address these questions, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study presenting participants with both facial and vocal emotional stimuli. This dual-modality approach allowed us to investigate effects on both modality-specific and modality-independent brain regions. Using univariate and representational similarity analyses, we found that brain representations in both visual (middle and lateral occipital cortices) and auditory (superior temporal gyrus) regions were predicted by conceptual understanding of emotions for faces and voices, respectively. Additionally, we discovered that conceptual knowledge also influenced supra-modal representations in the superior temporal sulcus. Dynamic causal modeling revealed a brain network showing both bottom-up and top-down flows, suggesting a complex interplay of modality-specific and modality-independent regions in emotional processing. These findings collectively indicate that the neural representations of emotions in both sensory-perceptual and modality-independent regions are likely shaped by each individual's conceptual knowledge., (© 2024 The Author(s). Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Algae oil has garnered widespread acclaim due as a result of its high purity of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and excellent safety profile. The present study aimed to develop stable nanoemulsions (NEs) systems containing DHA from algae oil through thermal sterilization by combining modified whey protein concentrate (WPC) with low methoxyl pectin (LMP), as well as to investigate the impact of LMP concentration on the thermal stability and the gastrointestinal delivery efficiency of DHA NEs., Results: The addition of LMP enhanced the stability of the emulsion after sterilization, at the same time as improving the protective and sustained release effects of DHA in the gastrointestinal tract. Optimal effect was achieved at a LMP concentration of 1% (10 g kg -1 sample), the stability of the emulsion after centrifugation increased by 17.21 ± 5.65% compared to the group without LMP, and the loss of DHA after sterilization decreased by only 0.92 ± 0.09%. Furthermore, the addition of 1% LMP resulted in a substantial reduction in the release of fatty acids from the NEs after gastrointestinal digestion simulation, achieving the desired sustained-release effect. However, excessive addition of 2% (20 g kg -1 sample) LMP negatively impacted all aspects of the NEs system, primarily because of the occurrence of depletion effects., Conclusion: The construction of the LMP/WPC-NEs system is conducive to the protection of DHA in algae oil and its sustained-release in the gastrointestinal tract. The results of the present study can provide reference guidance for the application of algae oil NEs in the food field. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is ranked as the sixth most common malignant tumor, and the overall survival rate with current treatment options remains concerning, primarily due to drug resistance that develops following antitumor therapy. Recent studies indicate that non-coding RNAs play a crucial role in drug resistance among HNC patients. This article systematically reviews the current research landscape, explores novel targets and treatment strategies related to non-coding RNAs and HNC resistance, raises some unresolved issues, and discusses five promising research directions in this field: ferroptosis, nanomedicine, exosomes, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), and artificial intelligence. We hope that our work will contribute to advancing research on overcoming HNC resistance through the regulation of non-coding RNAs., Competing Interests: All authors declared that there are no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Aim: To investigate whether retinal nerve fiber layer defects (RNFLDs) is a potential risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Chinese adults., Methods: The Kailuan Eye Study was a population-based study that included 14 440 participants. All participants underwent detailed assessments, RNFLDs were diagnosed using color fundus photographs., Results: Overall, 12 507 participants [8533 males (68.23%)] had complete systemic examination data and at least one evaluable fundus photograph. RNFLDs were found in 621 participants [5.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.6%-5.34%], and 70 cases of multiple RNFLDs were found (11.27%). After adjusting multiple factors, RNFLDs was significantly associated with CKD severity, the ORs of CKD stage 3, stage 4 and stage 5 were 1.698, 4.167, and 9.512, respectively. Multiple RNFLDs were also associated with CKD severity after adjusting multiple factors, the ORs of CKD stage 3 and stage 5 were 4.465 and 11.833 respectively. Furthermore, 2294 participants had CKD (18.34%, 95%CI: 17.68%-18.99%). After adjusting for other factors, CKD presence was significantly correlated with the presence of RNFLDs., Conclusion: The strongest risk factors for RNFLDs are CKD and hypertension. Conversely, RNFLDs can be an ocular feature in patients with CKD. Fundoscopy can help detect systemic diseases, and assessment for RNFLDs should be considered in CKD patients., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Wan QQ, None; Zhou JQ, None; Fang LJ, None; Wang YX, None; Wang YN, None; Wang Q, None; Yan YN, None; Yang X, None; Wu SL, None; Chen SH, None; Jonas JB, None; Wei WB, None., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Large language models (LLMs) have shown remarkable abilities recently, including passing advanced professional exams and demanding benchmark tests. This performance has led many to suggest that they are close to achieving humanlike or "true" understanding of language, and even artificial general intelligence (AGI). Here, we provide a new open-source benchmark, the Two Word Test (TWT), that can assess semantic abilities of LLMs using two-word phrases in a task that can be performed relatively easily by humans without advanced training. Combining multiple words into a single concept is a fundamental linguistic and conceptual operation routinely performed by people. The test requires meaningfulness judgments of 1768 noun-noun combinations that have been rated as meaningful (e.g., baby boy) or as having low meaningfulness (e.g., goat sky) by human raters. This novel test differs from existing benchmarks that rely on logical reasoning, inference, puzzle-solving, or domain expertise. We provide versions of the task that probe meaningfulness ratings on a 0-4 scale as well as binary judgments. With both versions, we conducted a series of experiments using the TWT on GPT-4, GPT-3.5, Claude-3-Optus, and Gemini-1-Pro-001. Results demonstrated that, compared to humans, all models performed relatively poorly at rating meaningfulness of these phrases. GPT-3.5-turbo, Gemini-1.0-Pro-001 and GPT-4-turbo were also unable to make binary discriminations between sensible and nonsense phrases, with these models consistently judging nonsensical phrases as making sense. Claude-3-Opus made a substantial improvement in binary discrimination of combinatorial phrases but was still significantly worse than human performance. The TWT can be used to understand and assess the limitations of current LLMs, and potentially improve them. The test also reminds us that caution is warranted in attributing "true" or human-level understanding to LLMs based only on tests that are challenging for humans., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Supramolecular polymers, with their specific functional units and structures, can effectively enhance the absorption and utilization of light energy, thereby facilitating more efficient photocatalytic organic reactions. In the present work, we constructed a supramolecular polymer consisting of benzothiazole derivatives (BTBP) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). The BTBP monomer, known for its unique chemical structure and properties, has been found to exhibit a remarkable capability in generating singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ). As a result of the constraining impact of the macrocyclic molecule, the inclusion of CB[8] resulted in an effective enhancement in the ability to generate 1 O 2 while forming supramolecular polymer BTBP-CB[8]. When evaluating the quantum yield of 1 O 2 using Rose Bengal (RB) as a reference photosensitizer (75% in water), BTBP-CB[8] demonstrated an enhanced 1 O 2 quantum yield compared to BTBP, with an impressive yield of 152.4%, demonstrating that the formation of supramolecular polymer contributes to its ability to generate 1 O 2 . Subsequently, BTBP-CB[8], a highly efficient 1 O 2 generator, was employed for the photocatalytic Minisci alkylation reaction, resulting in an impressive reaction yield of up to 89%. The supramolecular polymer strategies employed in the construction of photocatalytic systems have exhibited remarkable efficacy in the production of 1 O 2 , underscoring their immense prospects in photocatalysis.

Two-dimensional materials, owing to their unique physical properties and high surface area, play a crucial role in intelligent sensing, particularly in the domain of atmospheric pollutant monitoring. In this work, we have extensively investigated the gas-sensing capabilities of the HfNBr monolayer for ammonia detection by introducing point defects, utilizing density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function calculations. Upon the introduction of point defects, the adsorption energy of HfNBr monolayers for ammonia significantly increased (from -0.162 to -1.257 eV), indicating a markedly strengthened affinity. To further elucidate the sensing mechanism, we conducted an in-depth investigation into the charge transfer dynamics, the density of states, and the charge density difference between the adsorbent and the adsorbate. Besides, we employed the NEGF method to evaluate the changes in the current-voltage characteristics of the HfNBr monolayer before and after adsorption, which revealed a remarkable change in the apparent resistance, thereby demonstrating excellent sensitivity. The exceptional performance of the HfNBr monolayer toward NH 3 demonstrates its significant value in practical applications for ammonia detection.

Layered P2-type sodium manganese oxide has emerged as a promising cathode candidate for sodium-ion batteries due to its appealing cost-effectiveness and high discharge voltage. However, its practical capacity within the voltage range of 2.0-4.0 V (vs Na + /Na) is relatively low, and its rate capability is hampered by the adverse charge/vacancy ordering during charge/discharge. In this study, a layered P'2/P3 mixed-phase Na 0.8- a Mn 0.675 Ni 0.225 Li 0.1 O 2- x cathode with high (003) crystal plane intensity was designed by introducing oxygen vacancies to P2-structured materials. Aided by these advantages, the hybrid cathode material demonstrates impressive structural and thermal stability and faster Na-ion diffusion kinetics compared to a regular P2 material. Half-cell shows an initial discharge capacity retention of 101 mA h/g at 12 mA/g and 92.25% retention after 500 cycles at 120 mA/g. In combination with a hard carbon anode, the 0.5 A h pouch cell achieved a prevailing capacity retention of 95.2% after 2600 cycles at 36 mA/g. This work opens new dimensions for layered cathode materials with the aim of achieving superior cyclabilities.

Employing hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) as mild photocatalysts for organic conversions is still considerably challenging. In this work, we synthesized a hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF-16) and achieved the photocatalytic oxidation of silanes to generate silanols. Considering the constraints imposed by the framework structure, a significant improvement in the efficacy of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) generation is observed. HOF-16 exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance when it comes to silane hydroxylation, displaying high efficiency, low catalyst loading, and good recyclability. This research highlights the immense potential of HOFs in the realm of organic photocatalysis.

The host kinase casein kinase 2 (CSNK2) has been proposed to be an antiviral target against β-coronaviral infection. To pharmacologically validate CSNK2 as a drug target in vivo, potent and selective CSNK2 inhibitors with good pharmacokinetic properties are required. Inhibitors based on the pyrazolo[1,5- a ]pyrimidine scaffold possess outstanding potency and selectivity for CSNK2, but bioavailability and metabolic stability are often challenging. By strategically installing a fluorine atom on an electron-rich phenyl ring of a previously characterized inhibitor 1 , we discovered compound 2 as a promising lead compound with improved in vivo metabolic stability. Compound 2 maintained excellent cellular potency against CSNK2, submicromolar antiviral potency, and favorable solubility, and was remarkably selective for CSNK2 when screened against 192 kinases across the human kinome. We additionally present a co-crystal structure to support its on-target binding mode. In vivo, compound 2 was orally bioavailable, and demonstrated modest and transient inhibition of CSNK2, although antiviral activity was not observed, possibly attributed to its lack of prolonged CSNK2 inhibition.

Conductive polymer hydrogels exhibit unique electrical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties, making them highly competitive electrode materials for stretchable high-capacity energy storage devices for cutting-edge wearable electronics. However, it remains extremely challenging to simultaneously achieve large mechanical stretchability, high electrical conductivity, and excellent electrochemical properties in conductive polymer hydrogels because introducing soft insulating networks for improving stretchability inevitably deteriorates the connectivity of rigid conductive domain and decreases the conductivity and electrochemical activity. This work proposes a distinct confinement self-assembly and multiple crosslinking strategy to develop a new type of organic-inorganic hybrid conductive hydrogels with biphase interpenetrating cross-linked networks. The hydrogels simultaneously exhibit high conductivity (2000 S m -1 ), large stretchability (200%), and high electrochemical activity, outperforming existing conductive hydrogels. The inherent mechanisms for the unparalleled comprehensive performances are thoroughly investigated. Elastic all-hydrogel supercapacitors are prepared based on the hydrogels, showing high specific capacitance (212.5 mF cm -2 ), excellent energy density (18.89 µWh cm -2 ), and large deformability. Moreover, flexible self-powered luminescent integrated systems are constructed based on the supercapacitors, which can spontaneously shine anytime and anywhere without extra power. This work provides new insights and feasible avenues for developing high-performance stretchable electrode materials and energy storage devices for wearable electronics., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)