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Abstract Background Cardiovascular events secondary to stroke–collectively classified as stroke-heart syndrome–greatly impair the patient’s prognosis, however its underlying mechanism has yet to be determined. To investigate the mechanism of central neuroinflammation and its effects on stroke-heart syndrome, a temperature-ultrasound responsive brain-targeted drug delivery system, DATS/MION-LPE, was synthesized to specifically study neuroinflammation in the mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Results The specific polymer of DATS/MION-LPE can close the nanoparticle pores at 37 °C, restricting drug release in the circulation. After the nanoparticles were targeted to brains, the polymer can be cleaved under external ultrasound irradiation, reopening the nanoparticle pores and allowing drug release, therefore directly managing the neuroinflammation. After a stroke, a significant cerebral inflammation occurred, with elevated IL-1β and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Accordingly, significantly increased histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and decreased sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were observed. An antagonistic relationship between HDAC6 and SIRT1 was found, which can jointly regulate the cerebral NLRP3 expression. The systemic IL-1β and ATP levels were increased after the stroke, accompanied by a significant heart injury including contractile dysfunction, elevated IL-1β levels, and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, neuroinflammation can trigger sympathetic nervous overexcitation with associated heart damage. DATS/MION-LPE can targetedly effect on ischemic brain, exhibiting cerebral and cardiac protective effects including downregulated cerebral NLRP3 and HDAC6 expressions, upregulated SIRT1 expressions in brain, reduced IL-1β and ATP in circulation, and alleviated cardiac impairment. Conclusion This study introduced the key role of neuroinflammation in stroke-heart syndrome and first investigated the crucial HDAC6/SIRT1-NLRP3 circuit in this process. Heart injury secondary to stroke is mediated by neuroinflammation induced systemic inflammatory responses and sympathoexcitation. DATS/MION-LPE is a unique tool and effective therapeutic agent, which provides new insights into combinational heart and cardiac protection. Graphical Abstract

In this work, a qualitative and quantitative investigation on inclusions in molten Al–Mg, Al–Cu, and Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys, and the evolution behavior of inclusions in these three alloys during off-line and on-line purification steps were studied via the porous disc filtration technique. It was found that the removal of oxide from 2219 and 5A06 aluminum alloys melt via furnace refining is difficult, both of which can only remove the oxide by about 27 %, whereas the furnace refining can remove oxide from 7A04 aluminum alloy melt effectively, it can reduce the oxide by 55 %. Moreover, we determined that the furnace refining and degassing can reduce the boride content in 5A06 aluminum alloy effectively, but the boride content in 7A04 and 2219 aluminum alloy varied little after these two purification processes. Also, the furnace refining and on-line degassing were found to increase the carbide in 7A04 aluminum alloy, which was not found in the other two alloys. Further, we correlated the relationship between the slopes of the melt mass-time curves of the filtrates and the inclusion content for 2219, 5A06, and 7A04 aluminum alloys, which implies a higher concentration of inclusion possesses a lower slope for the melt mass-time curves of the filtrates. The obtained result could offer some guidelines for the production of high-quality ingot for the studied three alloys.

This work presents a method for achieving soliton transformation in a cold Rydberg atomic system to enable the realization of diverse optical potentials. Our investigation demonstrates that this system can generate various solitons, including Gaussian, elliptical, ring, and necklace structures, based on different optical lattice potentials. Additionally, stable transitions from Gaussian profile to three other profiles can be achieved either abruptly or gradually by adjusting the centers and modulation depths of potentials along the direction of light propagation. These findings highlight the versatility of this system for generating and manipulating solitons. The ability to control soliton transformation offers prospects for various applications, including all-optical switching, optical information processing, and other areas.

Abstract Background A growing number of Chinese residents are seeking orthodontic treatment. The aim of the study was to investigate rates of orthodontic publicity, orthodontic treatment history and related factors among college freshmen in China, to preliminarily understand the current situation of orthodontic publicity and treatment in China, especially after the 2020s. Methods Referred to previous studies, a self-designed online questionnaire of Chinese college freshmen was conducted. The questionnaire was divided into two parts, after collecting basic information, we investigated orthodontic publicity rate and orthodontic treatment history with starting age, relapse phenomenon, satisfaction score and willingness to re-treatment. Factors hindering first-time and second-time treatment were also collected. The statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test, t-test, Kruskal–Wallis test and logistic regression analysis. Results The response rate was 100% and 3308 responses were included. The male to female ratio was 1524:1784 with a mean age of 18.43 years (SD 0.91 years). Statistically significant of economic administrative regions, age, major and orthodontics engagement of relatives or friends were found on prevalence and rate of orthodontic treatment (P

Abstract Aluminum–metal batteries show great potential as next‐generation energy storage due to their abundant resources and intrinsic safety. However, the crucial limitations of metallic Al anodes, such as dendrite and corrosion problems in conventional aluminum–metal batteries, remain challenging and elusive. Here, we report a novel electrodeposition strategy to prepare an optimized 3D Al anode on carbon cloth with an uniform deposition morphology, low local current density, and mitigatory volume change. The symmetrical cells with the 3D Al anode show superior stable cycling (>450 h) and low‐voltage hysteresis (~170 mV) at 0.5 mA cm−2. High reversibility (~99.7%) is achieved for the Al plating/stripping. The graphite | | Al‐4/CC full batteries show a long lifespan of 800 cycles with 54 mAh g−1 capacity at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1, benefiting from the high capacitive‐controlled distribution. This study proposes a novel strategy to design 3D Al anodes for metallic‐Al‐based batteries by eliminating the problems of planar Al anodes and realizing the potential applications of aluminum–graphite batteries.

BackgroundAs the most common arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, which causes high disability and mortality. To date, the underlying mechanism of stroke occurring after AF remains unclear. Herein, we studied hub genes and regulatory pathways involved in AF and secondary stroke and aimed to reveal biomarkers and therapeutic targets of AF-related stroke.MethodsThe GSE79768 and GSE58294 datasets were used to analyze AF- and stroke-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to obtain a DEG1 dataset. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify modules associated with AF-related stroke in GSE66724 (DEG2). DEG1 and DEG2 were merged, and hub genes were identified based on protein-protein interaction networks. Gene Ontology terms were used to analyze the enriched pathways. The GSE129409 and GSE70887 were applied to construct a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in AF-related stroke. Hub genes were verified in patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).ResultsWe identified 3,132 DEGs in blood samples and 253 DEGs in left atrial specimens. Co-expressed hub genes of EIF4E3, ZNF595, ZNF700, MATR3, ACKR4, ANXA3, SEPSECS-AS1, and RNF166 were significantly associated with AF-related stroke. The hsa_circ_0018657/hsa-miR-198/EIF4E3 pathway was explored as the regulating axis in AF-related stroke. The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the bioinformatic analysis.ConclusionsHub genes EIF4E3, ZNF595, ZNF700, MATR3, ACKR4, ANXA3, SEPSECS-AS1, and RNF166 have potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AF-related stroke. The hsa_circ_0018657/hsa-miR-198/EIF4E3 axis could play an important role regulating the development of AF-related stroke.

This paper explores the processes underlying eye movement control in Chinese reading among a population of young 4th and 5th grade readers. Various proposals to explain the underlying mechanisms involved in eye movement control are examined and the paper concludes that the most likely account is of a two-factor process whereby the character is the main driver for longer saccades and that the word plays a role in shorter ones. A computational model is proposed to provide an integrated account of the dynamic interaction of these two factors.

BackgroundAt present, the conclusions about the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) on the clinical outcomes of preterm infants are inconsistent. This study used the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis to evaluate the effect of HDP on clinical outcomes of extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight (EP/ELBW) infants.MethodsRetrospective analysis was performed on the EP/ELBW infants discharged from 26 tertiary neonatal intensive care units or died during hospitalization from 2008 to 2017, who were divided into HDP group and non-HDP group. The six covariates including sex, gestational age, birth weight, twin or multiple pregnancy, antenatal steroids administration, and conception method were matched through the PSM method at a ratio of 1:1. The survival rate at discharge and the major clinical complications were compared between the two groups.ResultsAfter matching the six covariates, compared with the non-HDP group, there was no significant difference in the survival rate at discharge (64 vs. 63.2%, p > 0.05), the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or moderate to severe BPD in the HDP group (58.3 vs. 54.9%, p > 0.05; 5.2 vs. 6.2%, p > 0.05). The incidence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in the HDP group was significantly increased (5.7 vs. 1.9%, p < 0.05).ConclusionsHDP increased the risk of PVL in EP/ELBW infants, but had no significant effect on the survival rate at discharge, or the occurrence of other complications.

Abstract Nonfullerene organic solar cells (OSCs) have achieved breakthrough with pushing the efficiency exceeding 17%. While this shed light on OSC commercialization, high-performance flexible OSCs should be pursued through solution manufacturing. Herein, we report a solution-processed flexible OSC based on a transparent conducting PEDOT:PSS anode doped with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (CF3SO3H). Through a low-concentration and low-temperature CF3SO3H doping, the conducting polymer anodes exhibited a main sheet resistance of 35 Ω sq−1 (minimum value: 32 Ω sq−1), a raised work function (≈ 5.0 eV), a superior wettability, and a high electrical stability. The high work function minimized the energy level mismatch among the anodes, hole-transporting layers and electron-donors of the active layers, thereby leading to an enhanced carrier extraction. The solution-processed flexible OSCs yielded a record-high efficiency of 16.41% (maximum value: 16.61%). Besides, the flexible OSCs afforded the 1000 cyclic bending tests at the radius of 1.5 mm and the long-time thermal treatments at 85 °C, demonstrating a high flexibility and a good thermal stability.

BackgroundMany factors can affect the clinical outcome of extremely premature infants (EPIs), but the effect of sex is paradoxical. This study used propensity score matching to adjust baseline information to reassess the clinical outcome of EPIs based on sex.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on EPIs admitted in the Department of Neonatology of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from 2011 to 2020. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to adjust the confounding factors including gestational age, birth weight, 1-minute Apgar score ≤ 3, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment(WWLST), mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation, the mother with advanced age (≥35 years old), complete-course antenatal steroid therapy and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The survival rate at discharge and the incidence of major complications were evaluated between the male and female groups.ResultsA total of 439 EPIs were included, and 240 (54.7%) infants were males. After matching the nine confounding factors, 148 pairs of infants were finally enrolled. There was no significant difference in the survival rate at discharge, as well as the mortality of activating treatment or WWLST between the two groups (all P>0.05). However, the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and moderate to severe BPD in the male group was significantly increased (all P

Conducting polymers have received tremendous attentions owing to their great potentials to harvest both luminous and thermal energies. Here, we reported a flexible transparent electrode of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) with highly electrical conductivity and raised Seebeck coefficient via thionyl chloride treatments. The comprehensive studies of optical, electrical, morphological, structural, and thermoelectrical properties, work function, and stability of the PEDOT:PSS transparent electrodes were systematically evaluated and described. On the basis of the PEDOT:PSS transparent electrodes, the resultant flexible organic solar cells yielded a high power conversion efficiency of 15.12%; meanwhile, the flexible thermoelectricities exhibited the raised power factor of 115.9 μW m−1 K−2, which outperformed the four kinds of rigid thermoelectricities with conventional acid and base treatments.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination of croplands has become a threat to crop food safety and human health. In this study, we investigated the effect of sulfur on the growth of water spinach under Cd stress and the amount of Cd accumulation by increasing the soil sulfate content. We found that the biomass of water spinach significantly increased after the application of sulfur while the shoot Cd concentration was considerably reduced (by 31%). The results revealed that sulfur could promote the expression of PME and LAC genes, accompanied by an increase in PME activity and lignin content. Also, the cell wall Cd content of water spinach roots was significantly increased under sulfur treatment. This finding suggests that sulfur could enhance the adsorption capacity of Cd by promoting the generation of cell wall components, thereby inhibiting the transportation of Cd via the apoplastic pathway. In addition, the higher expression of Nramp5 under the Cd1S0 (concentration of Cd and sulfur are 2.58 and 101.31 mg/kg respectively) treatment led to increased Cd uptake. The CAX3 and ABC transporters and GST were expressed at higher levels along with a higher cysteine content and GSH/GSSR value under Cd1S1 (concentration of Cd and sulfur are 2.60 and 198.36 mg/kg respectively) treatment, which contribute to the Cd detoxification and promotion of Cd compartmentalization in root vacuoles, thereby reducing the translocation of Cd to the shoot via the symplastic pathway.

Background: Feeding intolerance (FI) is a common condition in premature infants that results in growth retardation and even necrotizing enterocolitis. The gut microbiome is linked to FI occurrence; however, the outcome after FI recovery is unclear.Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 11 pairs of premature twins/triplets for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Initial fecal samples were collected shortly after admission, and then every other week until 7 weeks or discharge.Results: After FI recovery, there was no significant difference in the β-diversity of the intestinal flora between the FI group and the feeding tolerance (FT) group. By contrast, there was a significant difference in the β-diversity. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum in the microbiome of the FI group, whereas Firmicutes was the predominant phylum in the microbiome of the FT group. The predominant bacteria with LDA >4 between the two groups at 13–15 days after birth, 19–28 days after birth, and at discharge were different, with the proportions of Bacillus, Clostridium butyricum, and Clostridium being highest in the FT group and Firmicutes, unidentified_Clostridiales, and Proteobacteria being highest in the FI group. Similarly, there were significant differences in the relative abundances of KEGG pathways, such as fatty acid metabolism, DNA repair and recombination proteins, energy metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, between the two groups (P < 0.01).Conclusions: There was a significant difference in diversity of the intestinal flora after feeding intolerance recovery. Feeding intolerance may disturb the succession of the intestinal bacterial community.

This paper describes the use of semantic similarity measures based on distributed representations of words, sentences, and paragraphs (so-called“embeddings”) to assess the impact of supra-lexical factors on eye movement data from early readers of Chinese. In addition, we used a corpus-based measure of surprisal to assess the impact of local word predictability. Eye movement data from 56 Chinese students were collected (a) in the students’ 4th grade and (b) one year later while they were in 5th grade. Results indicated that surprisal and some text similarity measures have a significant impact on the moment-to-moment processing of words in reading. The paper presents an easy-to-use set of tools for linking the low-level aspects of fixation durations to a hierarchy of sentence-level and paragraph-level features that can be computed automatically. The study is the first attempt, as far as we are aware, to track the developmental trajectory of these influences in developing readers across a range of reading abilities. The similarity-based measures described here can be used (a) to provide a measure of reader sensitivity to sentence and paragraph cohesion and (b) to assess specific texts for their suitability for readers of different reading ability levels.

Abstract Substantial effort has been devoted to both scientific and technological developments of wearable, flexible, semitransparent, and sensing electronics (e.g., organic/perovskite photovoltaics, organic thin‐film transistors, and medical sensors) in the past decade. The key to realizing those functionalities is essentially the fabrication of conductive electrodes with desirable mechanical properties. Conductive polymers (CPs) of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) have emerged to be the most promising flexible electrode materials over rigid metallic oxides and play a critical role in these unprecedented devices as transparent electrodes, hole transport layers, interconnectors, electroactive layers, or motion‐sensing conductors. Here, the current status of research on PEDOT:PSS is summarized including various approaches to boosting the electrical conductivity and mechanical compliance and stability, directly linked to the underlying mechanism of the performance enhancements. Along with the basic principles, the most cutting edge‐progresses in devices with PEDOT:PSS are highlighted. Meanwhile, the advantages and plausible problems of the CPs and as‐fabricated devices are pointed out. Finally, new perspectives are given for CP modifications and device fabrications. This work stresses the importance of developing CP films and reveals their critical role in the evolution of these next‐generation devices featuring wearable, deformable, printable, ultrathin, and see‐through characteristics.

Transition metal trichalcogenides are layered materials with strong in-plane anisotropy, and their vibrational characteristics remain largely unexplored. Here, the authors present high-pressure Raman studies to uncover unusual vibrational effects within this specific class of materials.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) inflicts terrifying consequences, which can cause permanent paralysis. During acute SCI, the damaged tissue undergoes pathological processes such as ischemia, hypoxia, and edema, simultaneously causing a significant accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the injured spinal cord. The continuous accumulation of ROS destroys cell integrity, promotes the secretion of proinflammatory factors, and further exacerbates edema and necrosis in the damaged spinal cord tissue, ultimately leading to neuronal apoptosis and failure of axon regeneration. Therefore, it is crucial to combat oxidative stress following SCI. In our study, we utilized environmentally friendly methods to extract Onion exosomes (Onion-ex), which inherit onions' antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties of onions. Surprisingly, we observed that Onion-ex had an unexpected positive impact on functional recovery following SCI. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the antioxidative stress mechanism of Onion-ex depends on the KEAP1/NRF2/ARE signaling pathway. Onion-ex's remarkable therapeutic effects and biological safety provide valuable insights for clinical treatment involving plant-derived exosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are at the forefront of research into perovskite photovoltaics. Both high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and simple manufacturing without perovskite modifications are significant for the adaptation of flexible PSCs. However, flexible modification-free PSCs suffer from a PCE of no higher than 21.1%. Herein, we report a highly efficient flexible modification-free PSC with an electrode-silica-substrate via magnetron sputtering. We explored the underlying mechanism of how indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes affected and increased the device efficiency, and found the key factors that determined the device efficiency. The thermoplastic substrates coated with electrode and silica not only had a low optical reflectance for high transparencies, but also showed a uniform and peak- and valley-free morphology and distribution-uniform surface potentials for a better perovskite with enhanced crystallinity and few defects. The flexible modification-free PSCs exhibited an excellent PCE of 22.43%. 22.43% is the highest PCE among these flexible modification-free PSCs reported so far. Furthermore, the flexible PSCs exhibited increases in operational stability, storage stability, air stability and mechanical flexibility. This work significantly guides the development of ITO products in high-performance flexible modification-free PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumorous bone defects present significant challenges for surgical bio‐reconstruction due to the dual pathological conditions of residual tumor presence and extensive bone loss following excision surgery. To address this challenge, a "thermal switch" smart bone scaffold based on the silicene nanosheet‐modified decalcified bone matrix (SNS@DBM) is developed by leveraging the natural affinity between collagen and silicene, which is elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations. Benefitting from its exceptional photothermal ability, biodegradability, and bioactivity, the SNS@DBM "thermal switch" provides an integrated postoperative sequential thermotherapy for tumorous bone loss by exerting three levels of photothermal stimulation (i.e., strong, moderate, and nonstimulation). During the different phases of postoperative bioconstruction, the SNS@DBM scaffold realizes simultaneous residual tumor ablation, tumor recurrence prevention, and bone tissue regeneration. These biological effects are verified in the tumor‐bearing nude mice of patient‐derived tissue xenografts and critical cranium defect rats. Mechanism research prompts moderate heat stimulus generated by and coordinating with SNSs can upregulate osteogenic genes, promote macrophages M2 polarization, and intensify angiogenesis of H‐type vessels. This study introduces a versatile approach to the management of tumorous bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, severe pain after perianal surgery has seriously affected the prognosis of hospitalized patients. How to maximize the improvement of postoperative pain and perioperative comfort becomes particularly important. Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial (Registration No.: ChiCTR2100048760, Registration Date: 16 July 2021, Link: www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=130226), and patients were randomly divided into two groups: one group underwent postoperative 20 mL bilateral pudendal nerve block with 0.5% ropivacaine (P group), and the other group underwent postoperative 20 mL bilateral pudendal nerve block with 0.5% ropivacaine + 8 mg dexamethasone (PD group). The primary outcome was the incidence of moderate to severe pain at the first postoperative dressing change. Secondary outcomes included Quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 3 days after surgery, sleep quality, pain score at 3 days after surgery, and incidence of adverse events. Results: In the main outcome indicators, the incidence was 41.7% in the P group and 24.2% in the PD group (p = 0.01). The QoR-15 score and sleep quality in PD group were better than those in P group 2 days before surgery. The incidence of postoperative urinary retention was significantly decreased in PD group (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Local anesthesia with dexamethasone combined with pudendal nerve block after perianal surgery can reduce the incidence of moderate to severe pain during the first dressing change. This may be one of the approaches to multimodal analgesia after perianal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from photocatalysis via the usage of multicomponent photocatalysts represents a promising pathway for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, owing to their structural advantages in dealing with the three crucial processes in photocatalysis, namely, light harvesting, charge transfer, and surface redox reactions. We demonstrate the fabrication of a MOF‐based multicomponent photocatalyst, denoted as semiconductor/MOF/cocatalyst, by a one‐pot electrochemical synthetic route. The as‐fabricated multicomponent photocatalyst has a clean interface among the components, leading to close connections that contribute to high‐quality heterojunction and facilitate photogenerated charge transfer and separation, thereby the efficient hydrogen evolution. The hydrogen production rate of the resultant ZrO2/Zr‐MOF/Pt is 1327 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1, which is much higher than that of ZrO2/Zr‐MOF (15 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1) and pure Zr‐MOF (10.1 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1), as well as the photodeposited‐Pt products ZrO2/Zr‐MOF/PtPD (287 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1) and Zr‐MOF/PtPD (192 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1) obtained by the step‐wise synthetic approach. The work gives a good inspiration for the rational design and construction of MOF‐based multicomponent photocatalysts through the one‐pot electrosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain unconjugated hyperbranched polysiloxane (HBPSi), the triethoxyvinylsilane (A-151) and simple polyol compounds were used as raw materials, and two kinds of unconjugated HBPSi which the terminal group is -OH group and C=C bond were synthesized via a simply transesterification condensation, and the factors that affecting their luminescence are also further discussed. The results showed that, both of these two HBPSi exhibits excellent aggregate induced emission effect. The structure rich in π electrons or lone pair electrons in the raw materials basically maintains its original state in the polymer, and the spatial conjugation of the two leads to the luminescence of non-conjugated polymers. A large number of -OH groups in the polymer can form hydrogen bonds, and the promotion of hydrogen bonds makes the target products further gather spontaneously, which further enhances the spatial conjugation and improves the rigidity of the molecules. It can be concluded that under certain conditions, the larger steric hindrance of the molecule itself will affect the polymerization degree of the final product and the aggregation degree of the polymer molecule, while low polymerization and aggregation degree will result in higher energy required for the material to fluoresce. This study provides some reference significance for the preparation of non-conjugated luminescent materials with higher fluorescence intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]