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360-degree video is an emerging technology that creates virtually authentic learning environment. It has received considerable attention in the last few years. Nevertheless, not many scholars have reviewed research articles on this technology and its applications in education. This study intends to address this gap. To this end, fifty-two research articles published in the last five years on 360-degree video and its applications in the field of education are reviewed. The study focuses on (1) the tools used in the reviewed research, (2) the theories that were used to frame reviewed research, (3) the methodology used to collect the data, and (4) the findings reported in the reviewed research. In this study, we report the results and make several implications and suggestions for educators and researchers in the field.

In reality, environmental accounting information disclosure still faces a series of issues, such as information asymmetry and lack of transparency. This results in discrepancies in the information held by both buyers and sellers. The party with information advantage may conceal their known information as a means of profit, while the other party takes various actions to obtain information to avoid losses. This article primarily introduces the background of environmental accounting information disclosure and its importance in market operations and management. It then analyses the motives behind accounting games and the potential dynamics of decision-making processes in non-cooperative relationships and conflicts of interest. In the study, qualitative research methods were mainly employed, including literature reviews, specific case studies, and mathematical measurements. Additionally, data on environmental accounting information disclosure from typical publicly listed companies were collected to construct a model of the bargaining relationship and consider its depth quantitatively. The research results indicate that in accounting games, the factors influencing the bargaining of both parties are not singular but are affected by various situations and conditions. Because of the divergent interests pursued by both parties, the intended outcomes of environmental accounting information disclosure, such as information symmetry and transparency, are compromised. Based on these findings, this article presents some optimization suggestions and actionable plans to prevent publicly listed companies from exploiting policy loopholes and to encourage them to more actively fulfill their obligations in disclosing accounting information, thus improving the stability of the domestic market.

Efficient bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions (HER/OER) are critical for industrial application of overall water splitting. Herein, a self-supported nanostructure consisting of CoNi–P and embedded carbon dots (denoted as CoNi–P/CDs/NF) with large specific surface area has been designed and fabricated, through a phosphorization process on precursors grown on 3D porous Ni foam. The resultant electrocatalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance for both the HER (45.2 mV@10 mA cm−2) and OER (184.8 mV@20 mA cm−2) under alkaline conditions. The cell voltage of the full water splitting device assembled was only 1.50 V to achieve 20 mA cm−2 and exhibited great durability benefiting from the self-supported nanostructure. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations and XPS analysis suggest that the synergistic coupling effect between CDs and substrate CoNi–P could tune the electronic structure. Moreover, the embedded CDs increase electrical conductivity and active sites of the catalyst. Both of these and the high specific surface benefited from the 1D/3D hierarchical structure could explain the excellent electrocatalytic performance. The rational materials design of 1D/3D hierarchical structured non-noble bimetallic phosphide catalysts in this work may suggest a new strategy for designing bifunctional electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), as a non-invasive physical agent modality, was effective in relieving spasticity, reducing pain, and improving dysfunction. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of ESWT on nerve conduction, and to find out whether the ESWT group is superior to the control or other comparison groups, thus providing support for guiding the rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injury in clinical work. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched from inception to August 20, 2024. This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42024500891). It aimed to compare (1) the ESWT group (ESWT) and baseline, and (2) subgroup analyses: ESWT and the control group (Control), ESWT and the local corticosteroid injection group (LCI), ESWT combined with physical therapy (ESWT + PT) and PT alone, and ESWT and PT. Outcome indicators extracted were nerve conduction study results: sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude, SNAP distal latency, sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV), compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude, motor nerve distal latency (MNDL), motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), H/M ratio and H-reflex latency. Results: A total of 879 papers were identified through the database searches. Twenty-four trials were included in the systematic review, and 22 trials were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that: (1) compared to the baseline, ESWT reduced SNAP distal latency mid-term (MD, −0.39; 95% CI: −0.52, −0.26; I 2 = 85%), and improved SNCV both short-term (MD, 4.36; 95% CI: 1.23, 7.49; I 2 = 91%) and mid-term (MD, 2.65; 95% CI: 1.79, 3.51; I 2 = 61%). At the same time, it reduced MNDL short-term (MD, −0.61; 95% CI: −0.91, −0.30; I 2 = 92%), but had no significant effect on MNCV. (2) Subgroup analyses showed that ESWT was superior to Control but not significantly better than LCI, especially in SNCV. The excitatory effect of ESWT + PT on the sensory and motor nerves was significantly better than that of PT alone. Conclusion: ESWT had some excitatory effect on peripheral nerves, especially on sensory nerve studies. Although the efficacy of this treatment was superior to that of the control group, and the combined treatment with PT was more effective than PT alone, its efficacy might not exceed that of LCI. Systematic review registration: Unique identifier: PROSPERO (CRD42024500891). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, characterized by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors that contribute to its onset and progression. Recent advances in researches have illuminated the critical role of exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis and development of asthma. Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles that facilitate intercellular communication by transporting a variety of bioactive molecules, including miRNAs, and play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and immune responses, which are central to the inflammatory processes underlying asthma. Exosomal miRNAs are emerging as key players in asthma due to their involvement in various aspects of the disease, including the regulation of inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling. Their ability to influence the behavior of target cells and tissues makes them valuable both as diagnostic biomarkers and as potential therapeutic targets. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the biogenesis of exosomes, the functional roles of exosomal miRNAs in asthma, and their clinical potential. It will explore the mechanisms by which these miRNAs contribute to asthma pathophysiology, discuss their utility in diagnosing and monitoring the disease, and highlight ongoing research efforts to harness their therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Abstract] Objective: To observe the effect of Pingchuan granules on METTL3-mediated m6A modification of miR-29a-3p in airway epithelial cells, and to clarify its molecular mechanism in inhibiting airway inflammation of asthma. Methods: 16HBE was induced by LPS (50 mg/L) to construct a cell model, and Pingchuan granules-containing serum and dexamethasone were given for intervention. The cell activity was detected by CCK8 assay, the content of inflammatory factors (TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-8) and the m6A modification level of miR-29a-3p were detected by ELISA, the expression of METTL3 and PAN-apoptotic protein was detected by Western blot and the expression of METTL3 and miR-29a-3p was detected by qRT-PCR, respectively. Results: Compared with the model group, Pingchuan granules could significantly increase the activity of 16HBE, inhibit the contents of inammatory factors TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-8, and downregulate PANoptosisTelated proteins p-RIPK3, p-MLKL, cleaved Cas- pase-1, cleaved Caspase-3 and the ratio of GSDMD-NT/FL-GSDMD and GSDME-NT/FL-GSDME, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). In addition, Pingchuan granules can significantly increase the expression levels of miR-29a-3p and METTL3 in 16HBE, and promote the m6A modification level of miR-29a-3p when compared with the model group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Pingchuan granules enhance the m6A modification level of miR-29a-3p through METTL3, thereby inhibiting the PANoptosis of airway epithelial cells and improving airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver fibrosis is a common pathological condition marked by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting in irreversible cirrhosis and cancer. Dendritic cells (DCs) act as the crucial component of hepatic immunity and are believed to affect fibrosis by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a key mediator of fibrogenesis, and by interplaying with immune cells in the liver. This review concisely describes the process of fibrogenesis, and the phenotypic and functional characteristics of DCs in the liver. Besides, it focuses on the interaction between DCs and HSCs, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as the dual roles of DCs in liver fibrosis, for the sake of exploring the potential of targeting DCs as a therapeutic strategy for the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground: The 4-Stage Balance test is one of the most commonly used tests to assess balance for older adults. Although it is generally accepted that the four positions (including side-by-side (SBSS), semi-tandem (STS), tandem (TS), and single-leg stance (SLS)) in this test are progressively more difficult, there are no studies comparing the balance parameters of the four positions in older adults to prove this result. The purpose of this study is to determine the difficulty of 4 positions in the 4-Stage Balance test and the effect of the dominant and non-dominant lower extremities on static balance among healthy older adults; Methods: A total of 115 community-dwelling healthy older adults were included. The postural parameters (including sway range standard deviation (SR), velocity of body sway (V), total sway area (TSA) and sway perimeter (TSP) of the center of pressure) were measured during 8 static postures (including SBSS, left STS, right STS, left TS, right TS, left SLS, right SLS and comfortable stance (CS)). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the postural parameters in 8 static postures; Results: The static balance stability of the five stances in older adults can be ranked in the following sequence: CS > SBSS/STS > TS > SLS. Moreover, changing foot placement in STS, TS and SLS tasks has no influence on stability. This study has been registered in China Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200065803). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that it is feasible to simplify the 4-Stage Balance test to a 3-Stage Balance test in the older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite legislative enforcement on authorized drugs, off-label and unapproved pediatric drug use is prevalent. The present study aimed to assess the global prevalence of off-label and unlicensed prescriptions among hospitalized children via meta-analysis. A comprehensive examination of articles published between 1990 and 2023 from the PubMed, Scopus, Excerpta Medica Database, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases was conducted. Key word-based advanced searches were executed using the aforementioned databases. A total of 45 studies that reported the prescriptions of off-label and unlicensed drugs to pediatric patients were included. The global prevalence of off-label and unlicensed drug prescriptions to children in pediatrics or neonatal departments was 56%. Patient sample sizes varied from 40-13,426, with a range of 240-8,891 total prescriptions issued. Of the 45 studies examined, 22 studies originated from Europe, 13 from Asia, 3 from South America, 3 from Africa, and 2 each from North America and Australia. Africa had the highest prevalence rate at 66%, followed by Asia, South America, North America, Australia and Europe. The present meta-analysis demonstrated that the prevalence of off-label and unlicensed drug prescriptions given to pediatric patients was notably high and geographically diverse. Therefore, drug authorities should standardize pediatric prescription practices in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on establishing a novel heuristic algorithm for life-cycle performance evaluation. Special attention is given to decision-making algorithms for concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridge maintenance. The main procedure is developed, including the ultimate loading-capacity modeling of CFST members, multi-parameter selection, ultimate thresholds presetting based on the finite element method, data processing, crucial parameters determination among sub-parameters, multi-parameter regression, ultimate state prediction, and system maintenance decision-making suggestions based on the multi-parameter performance evaluation. A degenerated ultimate loading-capacity model of CFST members is adopted in the finite element analysis and multi-parameter performance assessment. The multi-source heterogeneous data processing and temperature-effect elimination are performed for the data processing. The key sub-parameters were determined by the Principal Component Analysis method and the Entropy-weight method. The polynomial mathematical model is used in the multi-parameter regression, and the ±95% confidence bounds were verified. The system maintenance decision-making model combines the relative monitoring state, the relative ultimate state by the numerical analysis, and the relative residual life of degenerated members. The optimal system maintenance decision-making suggestions for the bridge maintenance system can be identified, including the most unfavorable maintenance time and parameter index. A case study on a CFST truss-arch bridge is conducted to the proposed algorithms. The obtained results demonstrated that the crack width deserves special attention in concrete bridge maintenance. Additionally, these technologies have enormous potential for the life-cycle performance assessment of the structural health monitoring system for existing concrete bridge structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions (HER/OER) bifunctional catalysts are critical to the overall water splitting efficiency. In this paper, a 1D rod-like structure bifunctional catalyst was firstly prepared, with ultralow Ru (1.19 wt%) loaded into CoNi bimetallic phosphides derived from 1D MOF-74-CoNi nanorods. Due to the strong interface interaction between Co and Ni bimetals which tunes the electronic structure and the Ru loading which increases the number of active sites of the catalyst, the electrocatalytic performance for both HER (8.7mV@10 mA cm−2) and OER (179.4mV@10 mA cm−2) under alkaline condition were significantly improved. The cell voltage of the full water splitting device assembled by the catalysts was only 1.47 V to achieve 10 mA cm−2. The rational materials design of 1D rod-like structured bimetallic phosphide catalysts in this work may suggest a new strategy for the preparation of other bifunctional electrocatalysts. The 1D rod-like structure bifunctional catalyst with ultralow Ru loaded into CoNi bimetallic phosphides exhibits outstanding water splitting performance in alkaline solution. [Display omitted] • Ru loaded CoNi bimetallic phosphides (Ru–CNP) bifunctional electrocatalyst was synthesized. • Ru loading could induce electron interactions and increase intrinsic activity. • The interface interaction between Co and Ni bimetals facilitates the HER/OER performance. • Ru–CNP exhibited excellent HER performance under alkaline and acidic conditions. • Ru–CNP presented superior OER and overall water splitting activity in alkaline solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractRecently, 360-degree video technology (360VT) received considerable attention in the field of computer-assisted language learning as it creates authentic and immersive virtual reality environments to assist the language learning process. However, not many studies focused on applications of 360VT to assist the evaluation of learner’ performance and providing them with relevant feedback. Therefore, the present study was set to shed light on this aspect. We carried out an experiment to explore the effects of evaluation and feedback in two different video learning environments, i.e. a traditional video technology-based (TVT) and 360VT-based, on learning outcomes. In the context of the present study, evaluation referred to evaluating the content of videos created by students, and feedback referred to providing students with relevant feedback for further improvement of their videos. English as a foreign language (EFL) course was administered for 52 university students. The participants were equally divided into TVT and 360VT groups. They attended EFL classes, and after classes, they created videos using either a traditional video camera (TVT group) or a 360-degree video camera (360VT group) on four learning topics. The evaluators watched videos, evaluated them, and then provided feedback to students. Students then revised their works based on received feedback. The results showed an insignificant difference between the two groups in their pre-test scores when measuring prior knowledge. However, when measuring knowledge after the study, 360VT group students outperformed their counterparts in the post-test. According to the results, students in the 360VT group received significantly more feedback, and it was more detailed compared to that of their counterparts. In addition, the evaluators scored affordances of 360VT higher than those of TVT. The results showed many advantages of 360VT such as it was useful and easy to use during the evaluation process, 360VT created immersive environments so that the evaluators had a realistic experience and a high level of vividness when watching and evaluating videos. The results suggest that evaluation and feedback in 360VT environments had better effects on learning outcomes, and the evaluators positively perceived their experiences in 360VT settings. Therefore, it is suggested that educators and researchers consider implementing 360VT in situations when language learners are tasked with creating their own content, which can subsequently be evaluated with relevant feedback provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melittin (MEL) is a 26-amino acid polypeptide with a variety of pharmacological and toxicological effects, which include strong surface activity on cell lipid membranes, hemolytic activity, and potential anti-tumor properties. However, the clinical application of melittin is restricted due to its severe hemolytic activity. Different nanocarrier systems have been developed to achieve stable loading, side effects shielding, and tumor-targeted delivery, such as liposomes, cationic polymers, lipodisks, etc. In addition, MEL can be modified on nano drugs as a non-selective cytolytic peptide to enhance cellular uptake and endosomal/lysosomal escape. In this review, we discuss recent advances in MEL's nano-delivery systems and MEL-modified nano drug carriers for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracks induced by evaporation or rainfall have a great influence on the stability of unsaturated soil slopes, which can lead to landslides during the rainfall process. In order to study the effect of crack characteristics on the evolution of stress and deformation of unsaturated soil slopes, a series of numerical analyses under different conditions were performed using a coupled elastoplastic finite element program that we developed for unsaturated soil. When carrying out the numerical analyses, the effective stress for unsaturated soil proposed by Bishop and an elastoplastic double-hardening constitutive model for the soil skeleton were employed. The varying parameters, including the crack location, the discharge speed, evaporation rate, infiltration rate, and tensile strength, were investigated to study the coupling process of pore water pressure and deformation in the process of evaporation and rainfall infiltration. The numerical results showed that the minimum pore water pressure of the soil slope at the end of evaporation/rainfall decreased gradually and the crack width increased gradually as the crack set closer to the slope; the larger the discharge speed of pore air, the greater the crack width. With the increase in the evaporation rate, the pore water pressure of the soil slope reduced and the crack initiated earlier and became wider. As the infiltration rate increased, the pore water pressure of the soil slope and the crack width increased, but the decreasing duration became shorter. The change of tensile strength had little effect on the pore water pressure, but the development of the crack width changed with evaporation and rainfall infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of balance and postural stability holds significant importance in both medical rehabilitation and daily life. However, the clinical method is hindered by the inconvenience of immobility and relatively high costs associated with the force platforms. Wearable sensors, such as accelerometers, have emerged as an alternative solution, overcoming the limitations of traditional force platforms. Thus, the purpose of this study is to utilize data obtained from a low-cost, portable, small-sized IMU (specifically an accelerometer) to predict indicators derived from force platform devices. A miniaturized and portable acceleration test equipment was proposed. Together with the random forest algorithm, our classification method achieved classification results with accuracy, recall, precision, f1-score, and specificity scores above 95%, This study provides a more portable and highly accurate tool for assessing balance ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To synthesize the current understanding of RNA-based regulatory mechanisms, focusing on how RNA splicing and non-coding RNAs shape immune responses and airway remodeling in asthma, with the aim of exploring their potential as therapeutic targets for asthma treatment., Datasource: Recent advances and emerging research in molecular biology and immunology related to RNA splicing, non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs, circRNAs), and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation in asthma pathogenesis., Study Selections: The review incorporates studies highlighting the roles of alternative RNA splicing, non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs and circRNAs), and RNA methylation (m6A) in regulating immune and inflammatory pathways involved in asthma., Results: RNA splicing events, non-coding RNAs, and m6A RNA methylation are critical in modulating immune dysregulation, airway remodeling, and inflammation in asthma. These mechanisms influence key inflammatory pathways, mRNA stability, and the overall immune landscape of the disease., Conclusion: RNA splicing and non-coding RNAs represent promising areas of research for understanding asthma's immune pathology and hold potential as novel therapeutic targets for more effective treatment strategies.

Despite the advanced technologies and global attention on cancer treatment strategies, cancer continues to claim lives and adversely affects socio-economic development. Although combination therapies were anticipated to eradicate this disease, the resilient and restorative nature of cancers allows them to proliferate at the expense of host immune cells energetically. This proliferation is driven by metabolic profiles specific to the cancer type and the patient. An emerging field is exploring the metabolic reprogramming (MR) of cancers to predict effective treatments. This mini-review discusses the recent advancements in cancer MR that have contributed to predictive, preventive, and precision medicine. Current perspectives on the mechanisms of various cancer types and prospects for MR and personalized cancer medicine are essential for optimizing metabolic outputs necessary for personalized treatments., 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 Gao, Yang, Zhang, Bajinka and Yuan.)

Background: YinChen WuLing Powder (YCWLP) has been recommended by consensus for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); nevertheless, its specific pharmacological mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study aims to dissect the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of YCWLP on NASH using a hybrid approach that encompasses network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experimental validation., Methods: We compiled the chemical constituents of YCWLP from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), while potential targets were predicted using the SwissTargetPrediction database. To identify NASH-related candidate targets, comprehensive retrieval was carried out using five authoritative databases. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks of direct targets of YCWLP in NASH treatment were then constructed using the String database, and functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, were conducted through the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database. Core targets were discerned using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) and cytoHubba algorithms. Subsequently, molecular docking of key compounds to core targets was conducted using AutoDock software. Moreover, we established a free fatty acid-induced HepG2 cell model to simulate NASH in vitro , with YCWLP medicated serum intervention employed to corroborate the network pharmacology-derived hypotheses. Furthermore, a combination of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blotting analyses was employed to investigate the lipid, hepatic enzyme, SHP2/PI3K/NLRP3 signaling pathway and associated cytokine levels., Results: The network pharmacology analysis furnished a list of 54 compounds from YCWLP and 167 intersecting targets associated with NASH. Through analytic integration with multiple algorithms, PTPN11 (also known as SHP2) emerged as a core target of YCWLP in mitigating NASH. The in vitro experiments validated that 10% YCWLP medicated serum could remarkably attenuate levels of total cholesterol (TC, 1.25 vs. 3.32) and triglyceride (TG, 0.23 vs. 0.57) while ameliorating alanine aminotransferase (ALT, 7.79 vs. 14.78) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 4.64 vs. 8.68) leakage in NASH-afflicted cells. In addition, YCWLP significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of SHP2 (0.55 vs. 0.20) and downregulated the expression of molecules within the SHP2/PI3K/NLRP3 signaling axis, including p-PI3K (0.42 vs. 1.02), NLRP3 (0.47 vs. 0.93), along with downstream effectors-cleaved Caspase-1 (0.21 vs. 0.49), GSDMD-NT (0.24 vs. 0.71), mature interleukin-1β (IL-1β, 0.17 vs. 0.48), pro-IL-1β (0.49 vs. 0.89), mature interleukin-18 (IL-18, 0.15 vs. 0.36), and pro-IL-18 (0.48 vs. 0.95)., Conclusion: Our research reveals that YCWLP exerts therapeutic effects against NASH by inhibiting lipid accumulation and inflammation, which involves the attenuation of pyroptosis via the SHP2/PI3K/NLRP3 pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yuan, Yang, Gao, Gao, Wang, Liu and Yuan.)

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer worldwide. Cancer cells' local infiltration, proliferation, and spread are mainly influenced by the protein hydrolyzing function of different matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). However, no study has determined the relationship between MMPs and prognostic prediction in HCC., Methods: Expression profiles of mRNA and MMPs-related genes were obtained from publicly available databases. Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analysis were used to identify and predict MMPs-related prognostic signature and construct predictive models for overall survival (OS). A nomogram was used to validate the accuracy of the prediction model. Drug prediction was performed using the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) dataset, and single-cell clustering analysis was performed to further understand the significance of the MMPs-related signature., Results: A MMPs-related prognostic signature (including RNPEPL1, ADAM15, ADAM18, ADAMTS5, CAD, YME1L1, AMZ2, PSMD14, and COPS6) was identified. Using the median value, HCC patients in the high-risk group showed worse OS than those in the low-risk group. Immune microenvironment analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group had higher levels of M0 and M2 macrophages. Drug sensitivity analysis revealed that the IC 50 values of sorafenib, cisplatin, and cytarabine were higher in the high-risk group. Finally, the single-cell cluster analysis results showed that YME1L1 and COPS6 were the major genes expressed in the monocyte cluster., Conclusions: A novel MMPs-related signature can be used to predict the prognosis of HCC. The findings of this research could potentially impact the predictability of the prognosis and treatment of HCC.

Background: There are significant differences in terms of the pathophysiology and clinical manifestations between intra- and extra-luminal bleeding, and it is also difficult to determine the reasonable management of the bleeding. This study is to analyze the clinical characteristics of postoperative bleeding in gastric cancer, and to explore the management of postoperative intra-intestinal and extra-intestinal bleeding., Methods: We collected the clinical data of 2,978 patients with gastric cancer from the Department of Surgery, Fujian Cancer Hospital, from May 2014 to September 2019. A total gastrectomy or a distal or proximal subtotal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection (D1+ or D2) was included. The clinic data and management of both early (postoperative days ≤6 d) and delayed (postoperative days ≥7 d) post-operative hemorrhage were explored. This retrospective study is to compare the clinical characteristics and treatment of intra-intestinal and extra-intestinal hemorrhage., Results: The incidence of postoperative bleeding in gastric cancer was 2.85% (n=85), and the bleeding-related mortality was 4.7% (4/85). There were 67 men and 18 women, and four patients died, with a bleeding-related mortality rate of 4.7%. There were 46 cases of intra-intestinal hemorrhage and 39 cases of extra-intestinal hemorrhage. The reoperation rate in the extraneous bleeding group was higher than that in the intra-intestinal bleeding group (66.67% vs. 19.57%, P<0.001), and the incidence of delayed bleeding in the extra-intestinal bleeding group was higher than that in the intra-intestinal bleeding group (46.15% vs. 8.70%, P<0.001). In the delayed phase, 11 patients underwent reoperation to stop the bleeding, and three patients died due to bleeding-related complications. Hemostasis was successfully achieved in four patients by transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). In the reoperation group, 72.73% (8/11) suffered hemodynamic instability and 63.64% (7/11) had an abdominal infection, while in the TAE group, 25% (1/4) had hemodynamic instability and 50% (2/4) had an abdominal infection., Conclusions: A greater number of gastric cancer patients with intra-intestinal hemorrhage are treated conservatively, while more patients with extra-intestinal hemorrhage are treated by reoperation. External bleeding is more likely to occur in the delayed period of bleeding. TAE is a safe and effective means of hemostasis if the hemodynamics is stable., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jgo.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jgo-22-1203/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Little is known about the role of local therapy in elderly patients with stage IV breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of local therapy including surgery and radiotherapy in this kind of population by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database., Methods: Eligible patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the SEER database. Baseline characteristics, way of local therapy and survival information were collected for survival and analysis of prognostic factors. Cause-specific survival (CSS) curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method and compared by the log-rank test. Cox regression and multivariate competing risk analyses were used to analyze prognosis factors., Results: A total of 1,900 patients were enrolled with the median age of 71 (range, 65 to 95) years. The 5-year CSS of patients with surgery was significantly better than that of those who did not (36.5% vs. 22.4%, P<0.001). Moreover, surgery was an independent protective factor for CSS in both multivariate Cox regression analysis [hazard ratio (HR), 0.588; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.485-0.643; P<0.001] and multivariate competing risk analysis [subdistribution HR (SHR), 0.620; 95% CI, 0.535-0.718; P<0.001]. Stratified analysis showed that most subgroup patients could benefit from surgery. The 5-year CSS of patients with radiotherapy was comparable to those without radiotherapy (28.9% vs. 26.5%, P=0.060), and radiotherapy was not an independent prognostic factor for CSS (SHR, 1.005; 95% CI, 0.846-1.202; P=0.954). However, subgroup analysis found that patients with moderate grade in histopathology, luminal A, or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype could benefit from radiotherapy (all P<0.05)., Conclusions: Elderly patients with stage IV breast cancer can benefit from surgical treatment. This study helps to select the appropriate group for local surgery or radiotherapy according to the personal situation of the elderly to obtain the maximum benefit., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/atm-22-5124/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2022 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a green and sustainable strategy for artificial nitrogen fixation but remains a significant challenge because of the lack of high-performance electrocatalysts. In this study, flower-like hollow MoSe 2 nanospheres as efficient earth-abundant NRR electrocatalysts with a high faradaic efficiency of 14.2% and an ammonia yield of 11.2 μg h -1 mg cat. -1 at ambient conditions were prepared. Such excellent NRR activity can be attributed to the higher specific surface area, more active sites, and longer N 2 retention time within the shells because of the design of the hollow structure. Density functional theory calculations were performed to further understand the catalytic mechanism involved. This work demonstrates the feasibility of transition-metal selenides as NRR electrocatalysts and suggests an electrocatalyst materials structure design for efficient electrochemical nitrogen fixation.

In this article, the interaction between a designed antimicrobial peptide (AMP) G(IIKK) 3 I-NH 2 (G 3 ) and four typical conventional surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (C 16 TAB), polyoxyethylene (23) lauryl ether (C 12 EO 23 ), and tetradecyldimethylamine oxide (C 14 DMAO)) has been studied through surface tension measurement and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activities of AMP/surfactant mixtures have also been studied with Gram-negative Escherichia coli , Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus , and the fungus Candida albicans . The cytotoxicity of the AMP/surfactant mixtures has also been assessed with NIH 3T3 and human skin fibroblast (HSF) cells. The surface tension data showed that the AMP/SDS mixture was much more surface-active than SDS alone. CD results showed that G 3 conformation changed from random coil, to β-sheet, and then to α-helix with increasing SDS concentration, showing a range of structural transformation driven by the different interactions with SDS. The antimicrobial activity of G 3 to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria decreased in the presence of SDS due to the strong interaction of electrostatic attraction between the peptide and the surfactant. The interactions between G 3 and C 16 TAB, C 12 EO 23 , and C 14 DMAO were much weaker than SDS. As a result, the surface tension of surfactants with G 3 did not change much, neither did the secondary structures of G 3 . The antimicrobial activities of G 3 were little affected in the presence of C 12 EO 23 , slightly improved by C 14 DMAO, and clearly enhanced by cationic surfactant C 16 TAB due to its strong cationic and antimicrobial nature, consistent with their surface physical activities as binary mixtures. Although AMP G 3 did not show activity to fungus, the mixtures of AMP/C 16 TAB and AMP/C 14 DMAO could kill C. albicans at high surfactant concentrations. The mixtures had rather high cytotoxicity to NIH 3T3 and HSF cells although G 3 is nontoxic to cells. Cationic AMPs can be formulated with nonionic, cationic, and zwitterionic surfactants during product development, but care must be taken when AMPs are formulated with anionic surfactants, as the strong electrostatic interaction may undermine their antimicrobial activity.

The function and properties of peptide-based materials depend not only on the amino acid sequence but also on the molecular conformations. In this paper, we chose a series of peptides G m (XXKK) n X-NH 2 ( m = 0, 3; n = 2, 3; X = I, L, and V) as the model molecules and studied the conformation regulation through N-terminus lipidation and their formulation with surfactants. The structural and morphological transition of peptide self-assemblies have also been investigated via transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and small-angle neutron scattering. With the terminal alkylation, the molecular conformation changed from random coil to β-sheet or α-helix. The antimicrobial activities of alkylated peptide were different. C 16 -G 3 (IIKK) 3 I-NH 2 showed antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, while C 16 -(IIKK) 2 I-NH 2 and C 16 -G 3 (IIKK) 2 I-NH 2 did not kill the bacteria. The surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfonate could rapidly induce the self-assemblies of alkylated peptides (C 16 -(IIKK) 2 I-NH 2 , C 16 -G 3 (IIKK) 2 I-NH 2 , C 16 -G 3 (VVKK) 2 V-NH 2 ) from nanofibers to micelles, along with the conformation changing from β-sheet to α-helix. The cationic surfactant hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide made the lipopeptide nanofibers thinner, and nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene (23) lauryl ether (C 12 EO 23 ) induced the nanofibers much more intensively. Both the activity and the conformation of the α-helical peptide could be modulated by lipidation. Then, the self-assembled morphologies of alkylated peptides could also be further regulated with surfactants through hydrophobic, electrostatic, and hydrogen-bonding interactions. These results provided useful strategies to regulate the molecular conformations in peptide-based material functionalization.

In the present study, a novel cocrystal of felodipine (FEL) and β-resorcylic acid (βRA) was developed. We specially focused on the change of binding pattern with bovine serum albumin (BSA) induced by cocrystallization of FEL with βRA. The solid characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) simulation verified that FEL-βRA cocrystal formed in equimolar ratio (1 : 1 M ratio) through C=O … H-O hydrogen bond between C=O group in FEL and O-H group in βRA. The binding interactions between FEL-βRA system and BSA were studied using fluorescence spectral and molecular docking methods. Two guest molecule systems, including a physical mixture of FEL and βRA and FEL-βRA cocrystal were performed binding to BSA in molecular docking. According to the K b and binding energy, the supramolecular form of FEL-βRA system was retained during binding to BSA. Molecular docking simulation suggested that FEL and its cocrystal inserted into the subdomain IIIA (site II') of BSA. The interactions between FEL and BSA including hydrogen bonding with ASN390 residue and intermolecular hydrophobic interactions with LEU429 and LEU452 residues. However, the size of supramolecular FEL-βRA better matched that of active cavity of BSA; the cocrystal is closely bound to BSA through hydrogen bonding with ASN390 residue and intermolecular hydrophobic interactions with LEU429, VAL432, LEU452 and ILE387 residues. This change on binding affinity of FEL to BSA induced by cocrystallization with βRA provided theoretical basis to evaluate the transportation, distribution and metabolism of cocrystal drug.