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Background: Multimorbidity is a prevalent risk factor for COVID-19-related complications and death. We sought to evaluate the association of homologous booster vaccination using BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or CoronaVac (Sinovac) with COVID-19-related deaths among people with multimorbidity during the initial Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using routine clinical records from public health care facilities in Hong Kong, we conducted a territory-wide retrospective cohort study comparing people aged 18 years or older with 2 or more chronic conditions who received a homologous booster (third) dose with those who received only 2 doses, between Nov. 11, 2021, and Mar. 31, 2022. The primary outcome was death related to COVID-19. Results: We included 120 724 BNT162b2 recipients (including 87 289 who received a booster), followed for a median of 34 (interquartile range [IQR] 20-63) days and 127 318 CoronaVac recipients (including 94 977 who received a booster), followed for a median of 38 (IQR 22-77) days. Among BNT162b2 recipients, booster-vaccinated people had fewer COVID-19-related deaths than those who received 2 doses (5 v. 34, incidence rate 1.3 v. 23.4 per million person-days, weighted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.16). We observed similar results among recipients of CoronaVac booster vaccination compared with those who received only 2 doses (26 v. 88, incidence rate 5.3 v. 53.1 per million person-days, weighted IRR 0.08, 95% CI 0.05-0.12). Interpretation: Among people with multimorbidity, booster vaccination with BNT162b2 or CoronaVac was associated with reductions of more than 90% in COVID-19-related mortality rates compared with only 2 doses. These results highlight the crucial role of booster vaccination for protecting vulnerable populations as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve., Compared with the general population, people living with multimorbidity are disproportionately burdened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (1) Research shows a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (2) and death related [...]

This work was designed for the in-depth characterization and holistic comparison of up to 12 ginseng varieties, which can benefit the development of functional foods and ensure their authenticity in the food industry. An online comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D-LC/QTOF-MS) approach was established by configurating the XCharge C18 and HSS Cyano columns. Under the optimal conditions, we characterized a total of 1146 ginsenosides (including 876 potentially new compounds) from 12 ginseng varieties by reference to an in-house library of 573 known ginsenosides and 70 reference compounds. The online 2D-LC/QTOF-MS-based untargeted metabolomics workflows were developed, by which 126 potential ginsenoside markers were unveiled and utilized to establish the key identification points for each ginseng species. Compared with the conventional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry metabolomics, our multidimensional chromatography approach performed better in discriminating multiple ginseng varieties. This work demonstrates a potent and practical methodology to identify easily confused functional plants.

An integrated strategy by combining cocrystallization with nanotechnology is developed to optimize in vitro/vivo performances of marine antitumor drug cytarabine (ARA) and further obtain innovative insights into the exploitation of cocrystal alloy nanoformulation. Therein, the optimization of properties and synergistic effects of ARA mainly depends on assembling with uracil (U) and antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil (FU) into the same crystal by cocrystallization technology, while the long-term efficacy is primarily maintained by playing the superiority of nanotechnology. Along this line, the first cocrystal alloy of ARA, viz., ARA-FU-U (0.6:0.4), is successfully obtained and then transformed into a nanocrystal. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrates that this cocrystal alloy consists of two isomorphic cocrystals of ARA, namely, ARA-FU and ARA-U, in 0.6:0.4 ratio. An R22(8) hydrogen-bonding cyclic system formed by a cytosine fragment of ARA with U or FU can protect and stabilize the amine group on ARA, laying the foundation for regulating its properties. The in vitro/in vivoproperties of the cocrystal alloy and its nanocrystals are investigated by theoretical and experimental means. It reveals that both the alloy and nanocrystal can improve physicochemical properties and promote drug absorption, thus bringing to optimized pharmacokinetic behaviors. The nanocrystal produces superior effects than the alloy that helps to extend therapeutic time and action. Particularly, relative to the corresponding binary cocrystal, the synergistic antitumor activity of ARA and FU in the cocrystal alloy is heightened obviously. It may be that U contributes to reducing the degradation of FU, specifically increasing its concentration in tumors to enhance the synergistic effects of FU and ARA. These findings provide new thoughts for the application of cocrystal alloys in the marine drug field and break fresh ground for cocrystal alloy formulations to optimize drug properties.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a multifactorial mental illness, thus it will be beneficial for exploring this disease using multimodal data, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), genes, and the gut microbiome. Previous studies reported combining multimodal data can offer complementary information for better depicting the abnormalities of SCZ. However, the existing multimodal-based methods have multiple limitations. First, most approaches cannot fully use the relationships among different modalities for the downstream tasks. Second, representing multimodal data by the modality-common and modality-specific components can improve the performance of multimodal analysis but often be ignored. Third, most methods conduct the model for classification or regression, thus a unified model is needed for finishing these tasks simultaneously. To this end, a multi-loss disentangled generative-discriminative learning (MDGDL) model was developed to tackle these issues. Specifically, using disentangled learning method, the genes and gut microbial biomarkers were represented and separated into two modality-specific vectors and one modality-common vector. Then, a generative-discriminative framework was introduced to uncover the relationships between fMRI features and these three latent vectors, further producing the attentive vectors, which can help fMRI features for the downstream tasks. To validate the performance of MDGDL, an SCZ classification task and a cognitive score regression task were conducted. Results showed the MDGDL achieved superior performance and identified the most important multimodal biomarkers for the SCZ. Our proposed model could be a supplementary approach for multimodal data analysis. Based on this method, we could analyze the SCZ by combining multimodal data, and further obtain some interesting findings.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) present a significant global public health threat, contributing to a substantial number of cases involving morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the early and accurate detection of CVDs plays an indispensable role in enhancing patient outcomes. Decades of extensive research on electrocardiography at high frequencies have yielded a wealth of knowledge regarding alterations in the QRS complex during myocardial ischemia, as well as the methodologies to assess and quantify these changes. In recent years, the analysis of high-frequency QRS (HF-QRS) components has emerged as a promising non-invasive approach for diagnosing various cardiovascular conditions. Alterations in HF-QRS amplitude and morphology have demonstrated remarkable sensitivity as diagnostic indicators for myocardial ischemia, often surpassing measures of ST-T segment changes. This comprehensive review aims to provide an intricate overview of the current advancements, challenges, and prospects associated with HF-QRS analysis in the field of CVDs.

The preferable antigen delivery profile accompanied by sufficient adjuvants favors vaccine efficiency. Mitochondria, which feature prokaryotic characteristics and contain various damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), are easily taken up by phagocytes and simultaneously activate innate immunity. In the current study, we established a mitochondria engineering platform for generating antigen-enriched mitochondria as cancer vaccine. Ovalbumin (OVA) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) were used as model antigens to synthesize fusion proteins with mitochondria-localized signal peptides. The lentiviral infection system was then employed to produce mitochondrial vaccines containing either OVA or TRP2. Engineered OVA- and TRP2-containing mitochondria (OVA-MITO and TRP2-MITO) were extracted and evaluated as potential cancer vaccines. Impressively, the engineered mitochondria vaccine demonstrated efficient antitumor effects when used as both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines in murine tumor models. Mechanistically, OVA-MITO and TRP2-MITO potently recruited and activated dendritic cells (DCs) and induced a tumor-specific cell-mediated immunity. Moreover, DC activation by mitochondria vaccine critically involves TLR2 pathway and its lipid agonist, namely, cardiolipin derived from the mitochondrial membrane. The results demonstrated that engineered mitochondria are natively well-orchestrated carriers full of immune stimulants for antigen delivery, which could preferably target local dendritic cells and exert strong adaptive cellular immunity. This proof-of-concept study established a universal platform for vaccine construction with engineered mitochondria bearing alterable antigens for cancers as well as other diseases.

Fast and accurate forced oscillation source location (FOSL) is critical for mitigating forced oscillations in power systems. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional dissipating energy flow (DEF) in decomposing the forced oscillation components from the measurement responses, a multivariate variational mode decomposition (MVMD)-assisted FOSL is proposed in this paper to locate the forced oscillation sources from measurements in time-frequency (TF) plane. The multi-channel measurement matrix of each generator is formed, then the multi-channel modes are decomposed from the formed multi-channel measurement matrix using the MVMD. Further, the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) associated with the forced oscillation mode are distinguished from the decomposed modes according to the relative energy weights. With the distinguished IMFs, the MVMD-assisted DEF calculation method is developed to locate the forced oscillation source. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is evaluated using the simulation data of the WECC 179-bus test system and IEEE-NASPI Oscillation Source Location Contest as well as the actual PMU data of ISO New England. The results validated the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method in the FOSL.

Oil content is a crucial indicator for evaluating the quality of peanuts. A rapid and non-destructive method to determine oil content of individual peanut seed can provide robust technical support for breeding high-oil-content peanut varieties. In this study, we established a rapid determination method using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics to assess the oil content of single peanut seed. After selecting key wavelengths through competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), uninformative variable elimination (UVE), and random frog (RF), we constructed an oil content calibration model based on partial least squares regression for single peanut seed. Validation results demonstrated that the correlation coefficient was 0.8393 with a root mean square error of 1.7771 in the calibration set, while it was 0.7915 with a root mean square error of 2.2943 in the independent prediction set. Most samples exhibited relative errors below 5%, confirming the reliability of this model in predicting oil content of single peanut seed.

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to clarify the effect of Undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) on cognitive function in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This research reviewed the cognitive function of 35 diabetic patients, 33 non-diabetic patients and the serum levels of Undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) in patients. What’s more, we analyzed the correlation between serum ucOC levels and cognitive function. Diabetic rats were treated with high (30 μg·kg−1·d−1) and low (10 μg·kg−1·d−1) doses of ucOC to investigate its effects in regulating ucOC on blood lipid, blood glucose and cognitive function. We systematically detected the phosphorylation levels of cognitive level-related proteins (PI3K, AKT, and GSK/3β) in the hippocampus by Western Blot. Finally, PI3K-Akt pathway involved in regulating cognitive function in diabetic rats by ucOC was verified with AKT pathway inhibitor LY294002. MoCA score and serum ucOC levels were significantly reduced in patients with diabetes mellitus. ucOC could concentration-dose-dependently decrease the blood glucose and lipid levels, and improve glucose metabolism and weaken insulin resistance in diabetic rats (P < 0.001). In addition, escape latency in diabetic rats was significantly higher than that of normal rats in the Morris maze test, and ucOC dose-dependently shortened the escape latency in diabetic rats (all with P < 0.05). After using AKT pathway inhibitor, ucOC failed to shorten the escape latency in diabetic rats. In conclusion, this study explored the relevant mechanisms in inducing cognitive dysfunction of T2DM, suggesting the potential value of ucOC as a drug to improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with T2DM in clinical.

Hyperglycaemia-induced ferroptosis is a significant contributor to kidney dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients. In addition, targeting ferroptosis has clinical implications for the treatment of DN. However, effective therapeutic targets for ferroptosis have not been identified. In this study, we aimed to explore the precise role of protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) in regulating ferroptosis in DN. In the present study, we utilized a mouse DN model consisting of both wild-type and PRMT6-knockout (PRMT6−/−) mice. Transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses, along with various molecular biological methodologies, were used to determine the potential mechanism by which PRMT6 regulates ferroptosis in DN. Our results indicate that PRMT6 downregulation participates in kidney dysfunction and renal cell death via the modulation of ferroptosis in DN. Moreover, PRMT6 reduction induced lipid peroxidation by upregulating acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1) expression, ultimately contributing to ferroptosis. Furthermore, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which PRMT6 interacts with signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) to jointly regulate ACSL1 transcription. Additionally, treatment with the STAT1-specific inhibitor fludarabine delayed DN progression. Furthermore, we observed that PRMT6 and STAT1 synergistically regulate ACSL1 transcription to mediate ferroptosis in hyperglycaemic cells. Our study demonstrated that PRMT6 and STAT1 comodulate ACSL1 transcription to induce the production of phospholipid-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PL-PUFAs), thus participating in ferroptosis in DN. These findings suggest that the PRMT6/STAT1/ACSL1 axis is a new therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of DN.

Atrazine (ATZ), a widely used herbicide, disrupts mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism in the liver. Melatonin (MLT), a naturally synthesized hormone, combats mitochondrial dysfunction and alleviates lipid toxicity. However, the mechanisms behind ATZ-induced lipid metabolism toxicity and the protective effects of MLT remain unexplored. Mice were randomly assigned to four groups: control (Con), 5 mg/kg MLT, 170 mg/kg ATZ, and a cotreatment group receiving 170 mg/kg ATZ with 5 mg/kg MLT (ATZ+MLT). Additionally, we analyzed the effects of MLT and Rab8a on mRNA and proteins related to mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism disrupted by ATZ in AML12 cells. In conclusion, ATZ induced mitochondrial stress and disrupted fatty acid metabolism in mouse hepatocytes and AML12 cells. Exogenous MLT restores Rab8a levels, regulating fatty acid utilization in mitochondria and mitochondrial function. Notably, targeting Rab8a does not significantly affect mitochondrial function but prevents ATZ-induced lipid metabolism disorders in hepatocytes.

In order to fully utilize low-energy near-infrared (NIR) light for photoinduced atom transfer radical polymerization (photo-ATRP), it is essential to develop suitable photocatalytic systems capable of participating in photoinduced electron transfer processes with ATRP catalysts, generating activating species. By employing structural and morphological engineering techniques, a range of hollow conjugated microporous polymers (HCMPs) were fabricated by incorporating photoactive phenothiazine as the donor unit and various alkyne-terminated linkers as acceptor units via the Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling reaction on silica templates, followed by removal of the silica inner cores. Manipulating the electron affinity of the acceptor units allowed for control over the electron delocalization and exciton binding energy of the HCMPs, ultimately enhancing the charge separation efficiency and photocatalytic performance for photo-ATRP. Because of the superior penetration abilities of NIR wavelengths, photo-ATRP was effectively performed through nontransparent physical and biological barriers, showcasing rapid polymerization rates. This led to the efficient polymerization of diverse acrylates and methacrylates with high monomer conversion, precise molecular weight, and narrow dispersity. Notably, this approach enabled the synthesis of enzyme–polymer bioconjugates without the need for tedious deoxygenation at NIR wavelengths, rendering them ideal for highly stable and circular photobiocatalysis in aerobic environments. The heterogeneous nature of the HCMPs facilitates easy separation and effective reusability in subsequent polymerization processes.

Objective: Porphyromonas gingivalis(P.gingivalis) is a gram-negative bacterium found in the human oral cavity and is a recognized pathogenic bacterium associated with chronic periodontitis and systemic diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the roles and molecular mechanism of P.gingivalisin CKD pathogenesis are unclear. Methods: In this study, an animal model of oral P.gingivalisadministration and glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) cocultured with M1-polarized macrophages and P.gingivalissupernatant were constructed. After seven weeks of P.gingivalisgavaged, peripheral blood was collected to detect the changes in renal function. By collecting the teeth and kidneys of mice, H&E staining and IHC were used to analyze the expression of periodontal inflammatory factors in mice, PAS staining was used to analyze glomerular lesions. The supernatant of macrophages was treated with 5% P.gingivalissupernatant. H&E staining, IHC, Western blot and RT-PCR were applied to analyze renal inflammatory factors, macrophage M1 polarization, NF-κB, NLRP3 and ferroptosis changes in vitro. Results: We found that oral P.gingivalisadministration induced CKD in mice. P.gingivalissupernatant induced macrophage polarization and inflammatory factor upregulation, which triggered the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and ferroptosis in GMCs. By inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and ferroptosis in GMCs, cell viability and the inflammatory response were partially alleviated in vitro. Conclusion: We demonstrated that P.gingivalisinduced CKD in mice by triggering crosstalk between the NF κB/NLRP3 pathway and ferroptosis in GMCs. Overall, our study suggested that periodontitis can promote the pathogenesis of CKD in mice, which provides evidence of the importance of periodontitis therapy in the prevention and treatment of CKD. P.gingivalispromotes ferroptosis in kidneys and accelerates the progression of CKD through NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway

Network pharmacology is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes computer science, technology, and biological networks to investigate the intricate interplay among compounds/ingredients, targets, and diseases. Within the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), network pharmacology serves as a scientific approach to elucidate the compatibility relationships and underlying mechanisms of action in TCM formulas. It facilitates the identification of potential active ingredients within these formulas, providing a comprehensive understanding of their holistic and systematic nature, which aligns with the holistic principles inherent in TCM theory. TCM formulas exhibit complexity due to their multi-component characteristic, involving diverse targets and pathways. Consequently, investigating their material basis and mechanisms becomes challenging. Network pharmacology has emerged as a valuable approach in TCM formula research, leveraging its holistic and systematic advantages. The manuscript aims to provide an overview of the application of network pharmacology in studying TCM formula compatibility rules and explore future research directions. Specifically, we focus on how network pharmacology aids in interpreting TCM pharmacological theories and understanding formula compositions. Additionally, we elucidate the process of utilizing network pharmacology to identify active ingredients within TCM formulas. These findings not only offer novel research models and perspectives for integrating network pharmacology with TCM theory but also present new methodologies for investigating TCM formula compatibility. All in all, network pharmacology has become an indispensable and crucial tool in advancing TCM formula research.

Due to the typical intercalation-deintercalation mechanism, TiO2holds great promise as a sustainable anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, commercial TiO2(C–TiO2) is granular and shows slow ionic conductivity, which greatly hinders its development due to sluggish kinetics, leading to low reversible capacity and inferior rate capability. In this study, a two-dimensional layered TiO2(L-TiO2) anode is prepared via a one-step calcination process, which can effectively shorten the lithium ions diffusion path and improve its lithium ions conductivity. We elucidated the enhanced electrochemical performance of L-TiO2as an anode in LIBs through pseudocapacitive acceleration of lithium ions intercalation and deintercalation using various characterization techniques, including different scan rate cyclic voltammetry tests, in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and in situ X-ray diffraction. In comparison to C–TiO2material, L-TiO2material showcases remarkable electrochemical performance, achieving a capacity of 166 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.1 C. Additionally, the lithium-ion diffusion coefficient calculated for the L-TiO2is two orders of magnitude greater, underscoring its potential as a negative electrode material for LIBs.

PanaxL. (Araliaceae) has a long history of medicinal and edible use due to its significant tonifying effects, and ginseng research has been a hot topic in natural products research and food science. In continuation of our recent ginseng review, we highlighted the advances in ginseng research from 2021 to 2023 with 157 citations, which exhibited the increasingly systematic, collaborative, and intelligent characteristics. In this review, we firstly updated the progress in phytochemistry involving the ginsenosides and polysaccharides and summarized the researches on the active components. Then, some specific applications by feat of the multidimensional chromatography, mass spectrometry imaging, DNA barcoding, and metabolomics, were analyzed, which could provide rich information supporting the multi-component characterization, authentication, and quality control of ginseng and the versatile products. Finally, the recent biosynthesis studies concerning ginsenosides were retrospected. Additionally, the current challenges and future trends with respect to ginseng research were discussed.

Epigenetic therapies have emerged as a key paradigm for treating malignancies. In this study, a series of DNMT1/HDAC dual inhibitors were obtained by fusing the key pharmacophores from DNMT1 inhibitors (DNMT1i) and HDAC inhibitors (HDACi). Among them, compound (R)-23ademonstrated significant DNMT1 and HDAC inhibition both in vitro and in cells and largely phenocopied the synergistic effects of combined DNMT1i and HDACi in reactivating epigenetically silenced tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). This translated into a profound tumor growth inhibition (TGI = 98%) of (R)-23ain an MV-4-11 xenograft model, while displaying improved tolerability compared with single agent combination. Moreover, in a syngeneic MC38 mouse colorectal tumor model, (R)-23aoutperformed the combinatory treatment in reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment and inducing tumor regression. Collectively, the novel DNMT1/HDAC dual inhibitor (R)-23aeffectively reverses the cancer-specific epigenetic abnormalities and holds great potential for further development into cancer therapeutic agents.

A composite silicone emulsion-biomass polymer paper-based barrier coating material with high barrier performance was prepared by double-layer coating, and the material was tested for oil repellency. The composition-structure-property data set of the paper-based barrier materials was constructed based on the experimental data. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was used to construct a prediction model of the coating structure in high-temperature environments to achieve quantitative analysis of the barrier performance in high-temperature environments. The ANFIS prediction model was constructed based on two algorithms, the grid partitioning algorithm and the subtractive clustering algorithm, and the accuracy of the model determined by the two algorithms was compared for training, validation and testing of this experimental data. The results showed that the prediction model of the grid partitioning method had a better fit with the experimental data, with a root mean square error (RMSE) value of 7.00383 and a R-squared (R2) of 0.9644 between the model prediction data and the actual data.

Methylated arsenicals, including highly toxic species, such as methylarsenite [MAs(III)], are pervasive in the environment. Certain microorganisms possess the ability to detoxify MAs(III) by ArsI-catalyzed demethylation. Here, we characterize a bifunctional enzyme encoded by the arsIgene from Acidovoraxsp. ST3, which can detoxify MAs(III) through both the demethylation and oxidation pathways. Deletion of the 22 C-terminal amino acids of ArsI increased its demethylation activity while reducing the oxidation activity. Further deletion of 44 C-terminal residues enhanced the MAs(III) demethylation activity. ArsI has four vicinal cysteine pairs, with the first pair being necessary for MAs(III) demethylation, while at least one of the other three pairs contributes to MAs(III) oxidation. Molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis indicated that one of the C-terminal vicinal cysteine pairs is involved in modulating the switch between oxidase and demethylase activity. These findings underscore the critical role of the C-terminal region in modulating the enzymatic activities of ArsI, particularly in MAs(III) demethylation. This research reveals the structure–function relationship of the ArsI enzyme and advances our understanding of the MAs(III) metabolism in bacteria.

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries represent a promising energy storage system with the potential to replace traditional lithium-ion batteries. Recent research has explored the practical applications of Li–S batteries. However, due to the insulation properties of the sulfur components and the shuttle effect of polysulfides, the practical application of Li–S batteries is hindered by poor cycle stability and short life. In this study, we developed a controllable three-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 structure design process, and through in situ growth of TiO 2 nanocrystals, we prepared three-dimensional porous materials with TiO 2 @Ti 3 C 2 heterostructures. These materials constructed using two-dimensional lamellar Ti 3 C 2 function as a conductive skeleton to improve the conductivity of the sulfur cathodes, and through the in-situ growth of nano-TiO 2 to introduce more binding sites and provide more chemisorption sites to limit the dissolution and shuttle of polysulfides. In addition, the TiO 2 @Ti 3 C 2 heterointerface generated in situ on the surface of the lamellar structure can induce an internal electric field and increase active reaction sites, which promotes reaction kinetics, accelerates charge diffusion/transport, and promotes LiPS transformation. The materials designed in this study can effectively restrain the shuttle effect by realising the association process of adsorption, capture, and transformation of polysulfides. Thus, when applied as the sulfur cathode frame, it shows a high specific capacity of 1261.41 mAh g−1 at a rate of 0.1 C. In addition, a specific capacity of 66.5 % is maintained over 500 cycles at a rate of 1 C. This strategy supports the development of Li–S batteries with extraordinary performance and opens up a promising way to design next-generation electrochemical energy storage devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn the context of the burgeoning digital fashion industry, this study investigates the factors influencing consumer purchase intentions for virtual garments. Through literature review, this study constructed a theoretical model comprising seven latent variables: trendiness, novelty, sociability, craftsmanship, perceived value, perceived quality, and purchase intention, the data of 347 surveys from China are analysed effectively. Results show that novelty, sociability, and craftsmanship not only have a direct positive impact on consumers’ purchase intentions but also indirectly influence purchase intentions through the mediating variables of perceived value and perceived quality. Although trendiness itself did not have a direct significant impact on purchase intention, it could indirectly affect it through perceived value and perceived quality. These insights offer valuable implications for the design and marketing strategies of virtual garment brands, aiming to better align with consumer motives in the digital fashion realm.

The creation and application of massive open online courses, online and offline blended courses, and AI-empowered courses drive the reform in higher education. In this context, the establishment of grassroots teaching organisations should be increasingly promoted. By leading more schools and teachers to more efficiently develop courses and effectively implement teaching reforms through cross-regional and cross-university grassroots teaching organisations, virtual teaching and research section (VTRS) has emerged as a new means to explore the creation of such organisations in the “Internet +” era. This paper introduces the background of the VTRS proposal, analyses the connotations of three types of VTRS, and explains seven characteristics of VTRS. Next, it proposes a VTRS construction framework that involves team building, platform construction, mechanism construction, and content construction. Finally, using computational thinking virtual teaching and research section as an example, this paper introduces the construction cases and methods for VTRS. As a new model of collaborative teaching and research, VTRS will improve teaching skills and research engagements of university teachers and will enhance teaching management and professional development in universities.

Chinese yam (Dioscorea oppositaThunb.), as one of the medicinal and edible homologous plants, is rich in various nutrients and functional factors. In this study, Chinese yam fermented by Saccharomyces boulardiiwas performed to investigate its bioactive components and metabolic profile. And then, the main bioactive components and biological activities of fermented Chinese yam ethanol extract (FCYE) were evaluated. Results showed that there were 49 up-regulated metabolites and 52 down-regulated metabolites in fermented Chinese yam compared to unfermented Chinese yam. Besides, corresponding metabolic pathways analysis initially revealed that the distribution of bioactive substances was concentrated on alcohol-soluble small molecular substances. Ulteriorly, the total polyphenol content and the total flavonoid content in FCYE were significantly increased, and the corresponding antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities in vitrowere also significantly enhanced. Our study provided a new reference for the comprehensive utilization of Chinese yam and laid a theoretical foundation for the development and application of natural probiotic-fermented products.

Self-powered photodetectors (PDs) based on heterostructured nanocomposites have been widely studied but are still being explored for further performance enhancement in bandwidth and photoresponsivity. Herein, we report a self-powered PD operating in ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) regions, which was prepared by incorporating of 1-D vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanorods (VNRs) with 1-D TiO2 nanorod arrays (TNRAs) for enhancing the photoelectric performance. A low-cost hydrothermal method was used to prepare the powder of VNRs and freestanding TNRAs on the F-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate, respectively. The single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were incorporated with VNRs to form the SWCNTs@VNRs nanocomposite for enhancing the conductivity of V2O5. The self-powered broadband PDs were assembled as ITO/SWCNTs@VNRs/TNRAs/FTO configuration. Experimental results show that, without external bias, the typical sensitivity of the optimum PD can reach around 4.2, 1.2, and $0.6~\mu $ A/mW $\cdot $ cm $^{-{2}}$ for UV light of 360 nm and visible lights of 460 and 510 nm, respectively. It is suggested that the incorporation of the SWCNTs-modified 1-D VNRs with the 1-D TNRAs enables the formation of V2O5/TiO2 heterojunction network, effectively promoting the transportation and separation of photogenerated charges in the heterostructure and thus enhancing photoresponse performance of PDs.

Studies have reported that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality for women. Meanwhile, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) substantially elevate the risk of CVD. However, no studies have quantified the impact of PCOS on the overall CVD burden. This study performed a meta-analysis to assess the risk of CVD in an all-age group and 10- to 54-year-old women, living with PCOS with 17 articles, and estimated the burdens of PCOS-associated CVD burden globally, in 7 World Bank–defined regions, and in 204 countries, from 1990 to 2019, using population attributable fraction (PAF) modelling. Our study implicated that women in all-age group and 10 to 54 years old with PCOS face a 1.51-fold and 1.37-fold increased risk of CVD compared to those without, respectively. Globally, ∼0.85% of CVD new cases in 2019 were associated with PCOS, corresponding to a more than two-fold increase in PCOS-associated CVD cases from 1990. However, the burden of PCOS-associated CVD varies widely by region; for instance, nearly 1.49% of CVD new cases were attributed to PCOS in North America. Meanwhile, the East Asia and Pacific region had the highest PCOS-associated new CVD case, and South Asia experienced the highest increase in age-standardized incidence rates of CVD due to PCOS. Notably, we found higher worldwide PAFs and an annual increase in ASIR than that in all-age group women. This result suggests that premature CVDs in women with PCOS under 55 years deserve more attention.

Joining dissimilar Mg/Cu alloys was still an intractable problem because of the excessive intermetallic compounds (IMCs) and poor mechanical properties using conventional welding methods. In the present study, friction stir welding was employed for the butt joining of dissimilar AZ31B Mg-alloy and T2 pure Cu plates. Defect-free Mg/Cu joints were obtained with Mg-RS and Cu-AS configuration, at a welding speed of 50 mm/min and tool rotating speeds of 325 r/min, 625 r/min and 925 r/min. At the joining interface, both Mg2Cu and MgCu2IMC phases were observed, with a clear, uniform and continuous IMCs layer composed of two sub-layers, layer-A of Mg + Mg2Cu and layer-B of Mg2Cu + MgCu2. The maximum ultimate tensile strength of the Mg/Cu friction stir welding joint reached 130 MPa at 925 r/min due to enhanced mechanical interlocking between Mg and Cu, as well as sufficient metallurgical bonding at the joining interface with an IMCs layer thickness in the range of 1.0–2.0 μm.

Forced oscillation source location (FOSL) plays a significant role in mitigating forced oscillations (FOs), which threaten the power system stability. This paper proposes a data-driven approach for FOSL in power systems using synchrosqueezing wavelet transform (SWT). The proposed approach conducts SWT on the measured system responses to obtain the SWT matrix. Then, the SWT-based dissipating energy flow (DEF) model in time-frequency domain and dissipating energy spectrum (DES) model in frequency domain are derived from the traditional DEF model. Further, the characteristics of SWT-based DEF and DES are revealed by referring to the traditional DEF, and the FOSL criteria of the SWT-based DEF and DES can be hereby obtained. Using the obtained FOSL criteria, the FO source can be located from the measured responses. The performance of the proposed FOSL method is evaluated by simulation data of the WECC 179-bus test system and field-measurement PMU data of the ISO New England. The results confirm the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method in the FOSL.

Owing to a combination of reportedly unique morphological characters and an unlocatable type specimen, Marchantiopsis stoloniscyphulahas been regarded as an enigmatic species in Marchantiaceae since its description, and all subsequent taxonomic treatments of this species were made without examination of the type. We located the original material of M. stoloniscyphulawhich was included as an admixture within the holotype of Wiesnerella fasciariadeposited in IFP. Our morphological examination found that M. stoloniscyphulaand W. fasciariaare conspecific with Marchantia papillatasubsp. grossibarbaand Sandea japonica, respectively. The nomenclature of Marchantiopsisand M. stoloniscyphulaare discussed. Lectotypes for M. stoloniscyphulaand W. fasciariaare also designated.

In this study, we investigated a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor based on noble metal palladium-modified reduced graphene oxide (Pd-rGO) for the detection of a low concentration of NO2 gas at room temperature. A spin-coating technique was used to deposit Pd-rGO films onto an ST-cut quartz substrate. The SEM and Brunauer-Emmett–Teller (BET) characterization results indicate that the Pd-rGO composite film possesses large specific surface areas and provides sufficient adsorption active sites for NO2 gas. The experimental results showed that the prepared Pd-rGO SAW sensor had an enhanced gas-sensing performance to the NO2 gas (1–50 ppm) with high sensitivity (146.9 Hz/ppm), lower limit of detection (LOD, ~1 ppm), and excellent long-term stability, which can be attributed to the dissociation catalytic ability of the noble metal Pd. Meanwhile, compared to interfering gases such as CO, C6H6, C2H5OH, HCl, and H2S, the SAW sensor with Pd-rGO film exhibited a good selectivity toward NO2. These results identified the potential value of the Pd-rGO composite in the field of gas sensing, and it holds great promise in the realm of environmental protection.

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AbstractObjective:Klebsiella pneumoniaeare common pathogens causing bloodstream infection (BSI) that increasingly express carbapenem resistance worldwide. To date, no study has precisely investigated the impact of carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae(CRKP) BSI on mortality.Methods:This retrospective study included 87 patients with CRKP BSI and 321 patients with carbapenem-susceptible K. pneumoniae(CSKP) BSI from 2015 to 2020. Propensity score analyses with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW-S) was applied to balance covariates. The hazard ratio for 30-day mortality associated with carbapenem resistance was estimated using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier curves.Results:The 30-day crude mortality rates were 43.7% in patients with CRKP BSI and 17.8% in patients with CSKP BSI (P< .001). Age ≥55 years, underlying hematological malignancies and hemodialysis were independently associated with mortality in CRKP BSI. A skin or soft-tissue infection source, urinary catheter, and underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were predictors of mortality in CSKP BSI. The group characteristics were well balanced after IPTW-S. The adjusted hazard ratio for 30-day mortality for CRKP BSI was 1.607 (interquartile range, 0.814–3.171).Conclusions:Carbapenem resistance was not associated with a significant increase in 30-day mortality in KP BSI; patient and disease factors were primary determinants of outcomes.

The metal–support interaction is crucial for the performance of Cu-based catalysts. However, the distinctive properties of the support metal element itself are often overlooked in catalyst design. In this paper, a sheet Cu–Zn–Ce with [Ce3+–OV–Ce4+] located on the surface was designed by the sol–gel method. Through EPR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the relationship between the content of oxygen vacancies and Ce was revealed. Ce itself induces the generation of [Ce3+–OV–Ce4+]. Through ICP-MS, XPS, and SEM-mapping, the Ce-induced formation of [Ce3+–OV–Ce4+] located on the catalyst surface was demonstrated. CO2-TPD and DFT calculations further revealed that [Ce3+–OV–Ce4+] enhanced CO2adsorption, leading to a 10% increase in methanol selectivity compared to Cu–Zn–Ce synthesized via the coprecipitation method.

Enhancing the stability of multienzyme cascade reactions in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) is a challenging task in the fields of biotechnology and chemistry. However, addressing this challenge could yield far-reaching benefits across the application range in the biomedical, food, and environmental sectors. In this study, multienzyme partitioning immobilization that sequentially immobilizes cascade enzymes with hierarchical MOFs is proposed to reduce substrate diffusion resistance. Conversion results of ginsenosides indicate that this strategy improves the cascade efficiency up to 1.26 times. The substrate diffusion model is used to investigate the dual-interenzyme mass transfer behavior of substrates in the restricted domain space and evaluate the substrate channeling effect under partitioning immobilization. Molecular docking and kinetic simulations reveal that the MOFs effectively limit the conformational changes of cascade enzymes at high temperatures and in organic solvents while maintaining a large pocket of active centers. This phenomenon increased efficient substrate docking to the enzyme molecules, further optimizing cascade efficiency. The results of the immobilization of GOXand horseradish peroxidase as model enzymes indicate that the partitioned MOF immobilization strategy could be used for universal adaptation of cascade enzymes.

Atrazine (ATR) is a widely used herbicide worldwide that can cause kidney damage in humans and animals by accumulation in water and soil. Lycopene (LYC), a carotenoid with numerous biological activities, plays an important role in kidney protection due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The current study sought to investigate the role of interactions between mtDNA and the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in LYC mitigating PANoptosis and inflammation in kidneys induced by ATR exposure. In our research, 350 mice were orally administered LYC (5 mg/kg BW/day) and ATR (50 or 200 mg/kg BW/day) for 21 days. Our results reveal that ATR exposure induces a decrease in mtDNA stability, resulting in the release of mtDNA into the cytoplasm through the mPTP pore and the BAX pore and the mobilization of the cGAS-STING pathway, thereby inducing renal PANoptosis and inflammation. LYC can inhibit the above changes caused by ATR. In conclusion, LYC inhibited ATR exposure-induced histopathological changes, renal PANoptosis, and inflammation by inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway. Our results demonstrate the positive role of LYC in ATR-induced renal injury and provide a new therapeutic target for treating renal diseases in the clinic.

In optical communication systems, a laser is used as a light source to transmit information using optical signals. However, as the speed of data transmission and the distance between telecommunications stations increase, the possibility of errors in data transmission also increases. One of the main causes of errors in optical communication systems is the intensity of laser light output. Optical communication systems are a common means of transferring information from one place to another, often using lasers as strong light sources, such as in fiber optic communications and communication networks. However, the fluctuating power of laser output is a major issue when using lasers for data transmission. Therefore, stabilizing the laser output light intensity can greatly improve the quality of data transmission in optical communication systems, reducing the likelihood of errors in the light source. Various factors, such as temperature, voltage, and current, can cause fluctuations in the intensity of laser output. Changes in the intensity of laser output light can result in inaccuracies in data transmission, which can be avoided using laser output intensity stabilization techniques. These techniques reduce the intensity of light and source errors by continuously adjusting and correcting the amount of output light intensity over time. The manufacturing of semiconductor lasers and their continuous monitoring, including laser power and temperature regulation, are the most important components of these systems. Finally, with a comparison between the gain and the output waveform as a light source, for three bias currents of 0.85, the limit current at the modulation frequency of 109 GHz and the input power of – 40 dbm has been done. This paper presents a system that can adapt to 0–50 °C temperature fluctuations while stabilizing a semiconductor laser's operating parameters and power with an accuracy of 0.1%.

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a deadly form of altitude sickness, and there is no effective treatment for HAPE. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cell isolated from dental pulp tissues and possess various functions, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress. DPSCs have been used to treat a variety of diseases, but there are no studies on treating HAPE. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to acute low-pressure hypoxia to establish the HAPE model, and SOD1-modified DPSCs (DPSCsHiSOD1) were administered through the tail vein. Pulmonary arterial pressure, lung water content (LWC), total lung protein content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung homogenates, oxidative stress, and inflammatory indicators were detected to evaluate the effects of DPSCsHiSOD1on HAPE. Rat type II alveolar epithelial cells (RLE-6TN) were used to investigate the effects and mechanism of DPSCsHiSOD1on hypoxia injury. We found that DPSCs could treat HAPE, and the effect was better than that of dexamethasone treatment. SOD1 modification could enhance the function of DPSCs in improving the structure of lung tissue, decreasing pulmonary arterial pressure and LWC, and reducing the total lung protein content of BALF and lung homogenates, through anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, we found that DPSCsHiSOD1could protect RLE-6TN from hypoxic injury by reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Our findings confirm that SOD1 modification could enhance the anti-oxidative stress ability of DPSCs through the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway. DPSCs, especially DPSCsHiSOD1, could be a potential treatment for HAPE.

• Providing a novel strategy for ameliorating the coherent interface between orthorhombic ceramic particles and the FCC metal matrix. • Constructing an extremely fine, in situ–formed coherent nanolamellar twinning architecture with periodic segregation of solute atoms in twin boundaries. • Explaining the formation mechanism of this novel architecture factoring energy minimization and mechanics of the composite interface. • Providing an interpretation of their high strengths at elevated temperatures using the density functional theory. The interface of ceramic particles and metal matrixes extremely impacts the mechanical properties of particle-reinforced metal matrix composites, especially at elevated temperatures. We provide a strategy for constructing extremely fine, in situ-formed coherent nanolamellar solute-twining architectures in a supersaturated MAX/Ni composite to modify the interface, aiming for higher strengths. Through this unique architecture, a coherent interface of ceramic particles and a metal matrix is formed, with an enormous coherent interface known as a ladder interface. The tensile strength at 1023 K is approximately 1 GPa by forming a thermally stable Schwarz crystal structure (< 3 nm). Developing heat-tolerant composites using this architecture may enhance the materials' available properties for high-temperature applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive bleeding can give rise to a range of pathologies, encompassing hypothermia, coagulation disorders, infection, and hemorrhagic shock. Uncontrolled massive blood loss stands as one of the foremost contributors to mortality. Consequently, higher requirements are put forward for the promptness and efficacy of hemostasis. At present, the hemostatic materials available on the market still have the problem that the hemostatic effect is not ideal, the antibacterial effect is poor, which is easy to cause wound infection, and the removal of hemostatic materials will cause secondary bleeding. The present study describes the development of a novel multifunctional hemostatic material based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC). First, the fluorinated CMC (CMC‐FDA) is successfully synthesized via the Michael addition reaction utilizing 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H‐fluorodecyl alcohol (FDA), followed by the preparation of CMC‐FDA/PHMB materials through electrostatic interactions with polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB). The successful synthesis of CMC‐FDA/PHMB was characterized by XPS, FT‐IR, NMR, and so forth. The CMC‐FDA/PHMB coating exhibits excellent hemostatic properties through in vivo liver hemostasis and in vitro caudation hemostasis experiments. The hemostatic effect of CMC‐FDA/PHMB is highly pronounced, as evidenced by the results obtained for hemostasis time and blood loss. The experiment of simulating dynamic blood loss further confirmed that the gauze coated with CMC‐FDA/PHMB has excellent hemostatic performance. Moreover, the synthesized CMC‐FDA/PHMB coating demonstrates significant anti‐adhesion and antibacterial properties of Staphylococcus aureusand Escherichia coli, which could prevent of wound infection. Furthermore, the CMC‐FDA/PHMB coating exhibits non‐wettability due to its low surface energy of FDA, which can prevent blood wetting and thus play a hemostatic effect, synergistically with CMC. Additionally, the CMC‐FDA/PHMB coating demonstrates easy separation from the wound site attributed to it hydrophobic property. The results of the hemolysis and cytotoxicity tests verified the excellent biocompatibility of the CMC‐FDA/PHMB coating. This CMC‐FDA/PHMB material hold promising potential for rapid hemostasis and prevention of wound infection.

Protein–protein interactions are the basis of many protein functions, and understanding the contact and conformational changes of protein–protein interactions is crucial for linking the protein structure to biological function. Although difficult to detect experimentally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are widely used to study the conformational ensembles and dynamics of protein–protein complexes, but there are significant limitations in sampling efficiency and computational costs. In this study, a generative neural network was trained on protein–protein complex conformations obtained from molecular simulations to directly generate novel conformations with physical realism. We demonstrated the use of a deep learning model based on the transformer architecture to explore the conformational ensembles of protein–protein complexes through MD simulations. The results showed that the learned latent space can be used to generate unsampled conformations of protein–protein complexes for obtaining new conformations complementing pre-existing ones, which can be used as an exploratory tool for the analysis and enhancement of molecular simulations of protein–protein complexes.

Cadmium (Cd) is a transition metal ion that is extremely harmful to human and animal biological systems. Cd is a toxic substance that can accumulate in the food chain and cause various health issues. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural bioactive compound with potent antioxidant properties. In our study, 80 1 day-old chicks were fed with Cd (140 mg/kg BW/day) and/or SFN (50 mg/kg BW/day) for 90 days. The blood–thymus barrier (BTB) is a selective barrier separating T-lymphocytes from blood and cortical capillaries in the thymus cortex. Our research revealed that Cd could destroy the BTB by downregulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and induce immunodeficiency, leading to irreversible injury to the immune system. The study emphasizes the health benefits of SFN in the thymus. SFN could ameliorate Cd-triggered BTB dysfunction and pyroptosis in the thymus tissues. SFN modulated the PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 axis, improving the level of claudin-5 (CLDN5) in the thymus to alleviate BTB breakdown. Our findings indicated the toxic impact of Cd on thymus, and BTB could be the specific target of Cd toxicity. The finding also provides evidence for the role of SFN in maintaining thymic homeostasis for Cd-related health issues.

This cross‐sectional study aimed to determine the epidemiology of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to COVID‐19 in China. This study was conducted by 45 tertiary Grade‐A hospitals in China. Online and offline questionnaire data were obtained from patients infected with COVID‐19 between December 28, 2022, and February 21, 2023. The collected information included basic demographics, medical history, smoking and drinking history, vaccination history, changes in olfactory and gustatory functions before and after infection, and other postinfection symptoms, as well as the duration and improvement status of olfactory and gustatory disorders. Complete questionnaires were obtained from 35,566 subjects. The overall incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunction was 67.75%. Being female or being a cigarette smoker increased the likelihood of developing olfactory and taste dysfunction. Having received four doses of the vaccine or having good oral health or being a alcohol drinker decreased the risk of such dysfunction. Before infection, the average olfactory and taste VAS scores were 8.41 and 8.51, respectively; after infection, they decreased to 3.69 and 4.29 and recovered to 5.83 and 6.55 by the time of the survey. The median duration of dysosmia and dysgeusia was 15 and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% of patients having symptoms lasting for more than 28 days. The overall self‐reported improvement rate was 59.16%. Recovery was higher in males, never smokers, those who received two or three vaccine doses, and those that had never experienced dental health issues, or chronic accompanying symptoms. The incidence of dysosmia and dysgeusia following infection with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus is high in China. Incidence and prognosis are influenced by several factors, including sex, SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination, history of head‐facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking and drinking history, and the persistence of accompanying symptoms.

A basket grinder was used as mechanochemical activation equipment to study low-grade lead–zinc oxide ores in the Lanping area, China and a mechanochemical leaching (MCL) process combining grinding with NaOH solution leaching was proposed for zinc leaching. The effects of leaching temperature, NaOH concentration, leaching time, liquid–solid ratio, and stirring speed on zinc leaching rate were investigated. Experimental results show that under the optimal conditions, the zinc leaching rate of MCL reaches 92.3%, which is 7.2% higher than that of conventional stirring leaching (CSL). And small difference in energy consumption is observed between the two processes, indicating the superiority of MCL. The strengthening mechanism of mechanochemical activation was investigated by analyzing the zinc phase of raw ore, and XRD, SEM−EDS, EPMA and particle size analyses were conducted on leaching residues from different processes under the optimal conditions.