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Aim: To explore the actual experience of psychological distress of adult women of reproductive age at different stages after breast cancer diagnosis. Design: Qualitative. Methods: Eighty‐one patients with breast cancer‐related distress thermometer scores >4 were selected using a purposive sampling method. Patients were divided into newly diagnosed and 1‐, 3‐, 6‐, 9‐ and 12‐month groups according to time since diagnosis and then interviewed. A phenomenological approach was adopted to analyse interview content, and different themes were extracted. Results: Women exhibited different levels of psychological distress depending on the time since diagnosis, with newly diagnosed patients showing the highest distress. Within 1 year post‐diagnosis, different events caused patients distress. Themes extracted at new diagnosis and 1‐, 3‐, 6‐, 9‐ and 12 months post‐diagnosis included sadness and disbelief, loss of control, optimistic but concerned, physical and mental exhaustion, difficulties returning to society and limited sexual intimacy, respectively; all groups expressed reproductive concerns. Conclusion: Clinical nurses should focus on different psychologically distressing events to provide targeted interventions at distinct phases. For women of childbearing age, clinical nurses should pay particular attention to patients' marriage and reproductive concerns. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: During the year after a breast cancer diagnosis, patients of childbearing age experience events that cause psychological distress that differ depending on time since diagnosis. Nurses should focus on core stressful events and perform specific nursing interventions. Impact: To provide holistic care, nurses should consider the psychological and emotional changes patients may undergo. For women of childbearing age, clinical nurses should pay particular attention to patients' marriage and fertility concerns, and be able to provide evidence‐based professional guidance on reproductive preservation techniques. Reporting Method: The study was reported using the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients contributed to data collection through interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a prevalent metabolic bone disorder characterized by a decrease in bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microstructure. Despite the high prevalence of this disease, no effective treatment for osteoporosis has been developed. Exercise has long been considered a potent anabolic factor that promotes bone mass via upregulation of myokines secreted by skeletal muscle, exerting long‐term osteoprotective effects and few side effects. Irisin was recently identified as a novel myokine that is significantly upregulated by exercise and could increase bone mass. However, the mechanisms underlying exercise‐induced muscle‐bone crosstalk remain unclear. Here, we identified that polyunsaturated fatty acids (arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) are increased in skeletal muscles following a 10‐week treadmill exercise programme, which then promotes the expression and release of FNDC5/irisin. In osteoblasts, irisin binds directly to Cav1, which recruits and interacts with AMP‐activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) to activate the AMPK pathway. Nrf2 is the downstream target of the AMPK pathway and increases the transcription of HMOX1 and Fpn. HMOX1 is involved in regulating the cell cycle and promotes the proliferation of osteoblasts. Moreover, upregulation of Fpn in osteoblasts enhanced iron removal, thereby suppressing ferroptosis in osteoblasts. Additionally, we confirmed that myotube‐derived exosomes are involved in the transportation of irisin and enter osteoblasts through caveolae‐mediated endocytosis. In conclusion, our findings highlight the crucial role of irisin, present in myotube‐derived exosomes, as a crucial regulator of exercise‐induced protective effects on bone, which provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying exercise‐dependent treatment of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have numerous applications in the field of carbon nanomaterials. However, the associated toxicity concerns have increased significantly because of their widespread use. The inhalation of MWCNTs can lead to nanoparticle deposition in the lung tissue, causing inflammation and health risks. In this study, celastrol, a natural plant medicine with potent anti-inflammatory properties, effectively reduced the number of inflammatory cells, including white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, and levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, in mice lungs exposed to MWCNTs. Moreover, celastrol inhibited the activation of the NF-κB-signaling pathway. This study confirmed these findings by demonstrating comparable reductions in inflammation upon exposure to MWCNTs in mice with the deletion of NF-κB (P50−/−). These results indicate the utility of celastrol as a promising pharmacological agent for preventing MWCNT-induced lung tissue inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weight of the breasts affects women's center of gravity; thus, the loss of a unilateral breast directly causes a change in body posture when a patient undergoes unilateral modified radical mastectomy. This study examined the effects of an external prosthesis (EP), immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), and body shape training (BST) on body posture, body image, and quality of life in patients with breast cancer with unilateral mastectomy through an 18-month follow-up. Of 810 individuals screened for eligibility, 722 were enrolled and randomly assigned into three comparison groups (EP [n = 157] vs. IBR [n = 157]; EP [n = 143] vs. BST [n = 143]; IBR [n = 61] vs. BST [n = 61]). IBR was superior to EP and BST, with the smallest trend of changes in body posture, the least body image distress, and a higher quality of life. EP was superior to BST, with the smallest trend of changes in body posture, the least body image distress, and a higher quality of life. IBR can effectively maintain body posture and improve body image, thereby reducing body image distress and improving quality of life. It is the best choice for breast cancer patients with unilateral mastectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HMOs (Human milk oligosaccharide) has an impact on maternal and infant health. Colostrum samples of 70 breastfeeding women in China were collected and recorded clinical characteristics. The major oligosaccharides and microbiota were quantitated in colostrum. The concentration of fucosylated HMOs in primipara was higher than that of multipara (p = 0.030). The concentration of N-acetylated HMOs in vaginal delivery milk was less than that of cesarean (p = 0.038). Non-fucosylated HMOs of breastfeeding women were less than that of breast pump (p = 0.038). Meanwhile, the concentration of LNT was positively correlated with Lactobacillus (r = 0.250, p = 0.037). DS-LNT was negatively correlated with Staphylococcus (r = – 0.240, p = 0.045). There was a positive correlation of Streptococcus with LNFP II (r = 0.314, p = 0.011) and 3-SL (r = 0.322, p = 0.009). In addition, there was a negative correlation between 2'-FL and 3-FL (r = – 0.465, p = 0.001). There was a positive correlation between LNT and LNnT (r = 0.778, p = 0.001). Therefore, the concentration of HMOs is related to number of deliveries, delivery mode, lactation mode and perinatal antibiotic. The concentration of HMOs is related to Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Streptococcus in colostrum. In addition, there are connections between different oligosaccharides in content. The study protocol was also registered in the ClinicalTrails.gov (ChiCTR2200064454) (Oct. 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplasma capra is an emerging tickborne human pathogen initially recognized in China in 2015; it has been reported in ticks and in a wide range of domestic and wild animals worldwide. We describe whole-genome sequences of 2 A. capra strains from metagenomic sequencing of purified erythrocytes from infected goats in China. The genome of A. capra was the smallest among members of the genus Anaplasma. The genomes of the 2 A. capra strains contained comparable G+C content and numbers of pseudogenes with intraerythrocytic Anaplasma species. The 2 A. capra strains had 54 unique genes. The prevalence of A. capra was high among goats in the 2 endemic areas. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the A. capra strains detected in this study were basically classified into 2 subclusters with those previously detected in Asia. Our findings clarify details of the genomic characteristics of A. capra and shed light on its genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The mechanistic basis by which boron (B) deprivation inhibits root growth via the mediation of root apical auxin transport and distribution remains elusive. This study showed that B deprivation repressed root growth of wild‐type Arabidopsis seedlings, which was related to higher auxin accumulation (observed with DII‐VENUS and DR5‐GFP lines) in B‐deprived roots. Boron deprivation elevated the auxin content in the root apex, coinciding with upregulation of the expression levels of auxin biosynthesis‐related genes (TAA1, YUC3, YUC9, and NIT1) in shoots, but not in root apices. Phenotyping experiments using auxin transport‐related mutants revealed that the PIN2/3/4 carriers are involved in root growth inhibition caused by B deprivation. B deprivation not only upregulated the transcriptional levels of PIN2/3/4, but also restrained the endocytosis of PIN2/3/4 carriers (observed with PIN‐Dendra2 lines), resulting in elevated protein levels of PIN2/3/4 in the plasma membrane. Overall, these results suggest that B deprivation not only enhances auxin biosynthesis in shoots by elevating the expression levels of auxin biosynthesis‐related genes but also promotes the polar auxin transport from shoots to roots by upregulating the gene expression levels of PIN2/3/4, as well as restraining the endocytosis of PIN2/3/4 carriers, ultimately resulting in auxin accumulation in root apices and root growth inhibition. Significance Statement: While boron (B) deprivation‐induced root growth inhibition is causally associated with auxin accumulation and transport, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This work showed that enhanced auxin biosynthesis resulting from upregulation of the expression levels of auxin biosynthesis‐related genes in shoots and increased protein levels of PIN2/3/4 carriers in the plasma membrane mediated by increased transcript levels of PIN2/3/4 genes in roots combined with restrained endocytosis of PIN2/3/4 carriers result in auxin overaccumulation in root apices and consequently root growth inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the value of mixed reality (MR) in sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with breast cancer. Methods: A total of 300 patients with breast cancer who underwent SLNB enrolled and were randomly divided into two groups. In group A, only dye (an injection of methylene blue) was used to detect sentinel lymph nodes, while in group B MR was used for positioning in addition to dye. (MR localization method: Before the surgery, we built a 1:1 3D reconstruction model based on the patient's CT or MRI original data, and after the patient was injected with dye, we completed MR localization by overlapping the pre-marked image with the model.) Results: During surgery, the detection time in group B was significantly shorter than in group A (3.62 ± 1.20 vs.7.87 ± 1.86; p < 0.001). At 1-month post-surgery follow-up, the incidence of pain in group B was lower than that in group A (2.70 vs. 8.28%, p = 0.036). The incidence of upper limb dysfunction was lower in group B than in group A (2.03 vs. 8.97%, p = 0.009). In terms of the incidence of pain, group B was better than group A (0.68 vs. 3.45%, p = 0.094). The satisfaction of the two groups was scored, and the results showed that group B was better than group A (4.04 ± 0.91 vs.3.32 ± 0.94, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The application of MR to SLNB in breast cancer can significantly reduce the detection time and the occurrence of complications and improve patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal anxiety questionnaires such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety are widely used to measure preoperative anxiety. There is currently major interest in developing a surgery-specific preoperative anxiety assessment tool. This study aimed to develop and validate a preoperative anxiety scale for breast cancer patients. Based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews, a draft assessment scale was constructed. The scale was revised after two rounds of Delphi consultations, and a pilot test was performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale. The final scale consisted of 33 items and a global rating score with an item-level content validity of 0.765–0.941. The scale-level content validity was 0.964. Exploratory factor analysis identified four principal factors, and the cumulative contribution of variance was 62.49%. The load value of the common factors of each item was > 0.5. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a chi-square test of the goodness of fit (휒2/df) = 1.617. The root mean square error of approximation was 0.042, the goodness of fit index was 0.886, the comparative fit index was 0.956, and the normal fit index was 0.894. The total and dimension scores were positively correlated (r = 0.513–0.767, p < 0.001) with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety scores. The scale developed in this study has good reliability and validity and can be easily used to objectively assess preoperative anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Our previous study revealed that micronised bamboo powder (MBP) can promote the growth performance of broilers aged 1-22 days by improving oxidation resistance, balancing intestinal microflora and regulating metabolic pathways. Aims. This study evaluates the effects of MBP on growth performance, intestinal development, caecal chyme microflora and metabolic pathways of broilers during the grower period, age 24-45 days. Methods. Slow-growing spotted-brown broilers (n = 880, age 24 days) were randomly divided into two groups according to weight and sex and fed either a maize-based diet (control) or a diet with MBP at 1% replacing equivalent maize. Key results. No significant difference was observed in growth performance between MBP and control groups. Broilers receiving MBP exhibited significantly higher (P < 0.05) caecal organ index, jejunum villus height and villi:crypt ratio. The relative abundance of Firmicutes was higher, and relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was lower in the MBP group. Addition of MBP also significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated abundance of p_Firmicutes, f_Alicyclobacillaceae, g_Acutalibacter, f_Peptococcaceae, f_Clostridiaceae, f_Bacillaceae, g_Enterococcus and f_Enterococcaceae, while downregulating abundance of p_Bacteroidetes, f_Bacteroidaceae, g_Bacteroides, o_Bacteroidales and c_Bacteroidia. For the metabolic pathways, 66 were observed to differ between dietary groups, including alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid metabolism, butyric acid metabolism, arginine synthesis, linoleic acid metabolism and ^-alanine metabolism. Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes in caecal chyme were significantly positively correlated (P < 0.05) with some fatty acids including syringic, 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric, 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic and butyric acids. Bacteroidetes were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with some amino acids including L-alanine, L-threonine, 3-methylthiopropionic acid and L-glutamic acid. Conclusions. Replacing maize with MBP at 1% had no negative effect on growth performance of broilers. Feeding MBP improved intestinal development and increased the relative abundance of bacteria that promotes fatty acid metabolism and fibre degradation. Implications. MBP provides an alternative to maize and is a beneficial source of fibre; further research is warranted to determine the optimum feeding level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the subtype of breast cancer with the worst prognosis, and it is highly heterogeneous. There is growing evidence that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a crucial role in tumor development, maintenance, and treatment responses. Notably however, the full effects of the TIME on prognosis, TIME characteristics, and immunotherapy responses in TNBC patients have not been fully elucidated. Methods: Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas data were used to data analysis. Single‐cell sequencing and tissue microarray analysis were used to investigate gene expression. The concentrations and distributions of immune cell types were determined and analyzed using the CIBERSORT strategy. Tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score and the IMvigor210 cohort were used to estimate the sensitivity of TNBC patients with different prognostic statuses to immune checkpoint treatment. Results: Five immune‐related genes associated with TNBC prognosis (IL6ST, NR2F1, CKLF, TCF7L2, and HSPA2) was identified and a prognostic evaluation model was constructed based on those genes. The respective areas under the curve of the prognostic nomogram model at 3 and 5 years were 0.791 and 0.859. The group with a lower nomogram score, with a better prognosis survival status and clinical treatment benefit rate. Conclusion: A prognostic model for TNBC that was closely related to the immune landscape and therapeutic responses was constructed. This model may help clinicians to make more precise and personalized treatment decisions pertaining to TNBC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how family resilience and individual resilience reduce perceived stress and psychological distress in young female breast cancer survivors with fertility intention. Methods: From June 2020 to June 2021, female breast cancer survivors were selected from the cancer centers of 10 tertiary Level A general hospitals in five cities of Sichuan Province. The survivors completed the Chinese versions of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and a self-report distress thermometer. A multiple mediation effects test and structural equation modeling were used to explore the relationships among family resilience, individual resilience, perceived stress, and psychological distress. Results: The direct effect of family resilience on perceived stress was β = -0.320 (95% confidence interval -0.365, -0.271, P < 0.01). The direct effect of family resilience on psychological distress was β = -0.263 (95% confidence interval -0.363, -0.153, P < 0.001). The direct effect of family resilience on individual resilience was β = 0.593 (95% confidence interval 0.542–0.640, P < 0.001). The indirect effect of family resilience on psychological distress was β = -0.322 (95% confidence interval -0.373, -0.274, P < 0.001). Both perceived stress and individual resilience mediated the relationship between family resilience and psychological distress. Furthermore, a partial mediating effect of perceived stress and individual resilience on family resilience and psychological distress was observed. Conclusion: Young female breast cancer survivors in China experience moderate levels of psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This study examines the effects of family beliefs and family strength on individual resilience and quality of life among young breast cancer survivors and determines whether family strength mediates the effect of family beliefs on individual resilience and quality of life. Background: Family beliefs and family strength are meaningful protective factors that help individuals maintain physical and mental health. However, few studies have explored their impact on individual resilience and quality of life. Design: This study was conducted using a cross‐sectional survey with a three‐stage, stratified, convenience sampling approach following the STROBE guideline. Methods: From August 2020 to May 2021, participants completed the shortened Chinese version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, the Chinese version of the Family Beliefs Scale, the Family Strength Scale and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Breast scale. Structural equation modelling and multiple mediation effects test were used to explore the relationships among family beliefs, family strength, individual resilience and quality of life. Results: The final model accounted for 44.5% and 78.1% of the total variance of individual resilience and quality of life, respectively. Family beliefs had an indirect effect on both individual resilience and quality of life through family strength. Family strength had a direct effect on individual resilience and had both a direct and an indirect effect on quality of life. Family strength mediated the correlations of family beliefs with individual resilience and quality of life. Conclusion: Mobilising family resources to establish healthy family beliefs and exert positive family strength will help increase young breast cancer survivors' individual resilience and improve quality of life. Relevance to clinical practice: This study confirms the importance for clinical nursing practice to mobilise family resources and develop interventions centred on family beliefs and family strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The supply of boron (B) alleviates the toxic effects of aluminum (Al) on root growth; however, the mechanistic basis of this process remains elusive. This study filled this knowledge gap, demonstrating that boron modifies auxin distribution and transport in Al‐exposed Arabidopsis roots. In B‐deprived roots, treatment with Al induced an increase in auxin content in the root apical meristem zone (MZ) and transition zone (TZ), whereas in the elongation zone (EZ) the auxin content was decreased beyond the level required for adequate growth. These distribution patterns are explained by the fact that basipetal auxin transport from the TZ to the EZ was disrupted by Al‐inhibited PIN‐FORMED 2 (PIN2) endocytosis. Experiments involving the modulation of protein biosynthesis by cycloheximide (CHX) and transcriptional regulation by cordycepin (COR) demonstrated that the Al‐induced increase of PIN2 membrane proteins was dependent upon the inhibition of PIN2 endocytosis, rather than on the transcriptional regulation of the PIN2 gene. Experiments reporting on the profiling of Al3+ and PIN2 proteins revealed that the inhibition of endocytosis of PIN2 proteins was the result of Al‐induced limitation of the fluidity of the plasma membrane. The supply of B mediated the turnover of PIN2 endosomes conjugated with indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), and thus restored the Al‐induced inhibition of IAA transport through the TZ to the EZ. Overall, the reported results demonstrate that boron supply mediates PIN2 endosome‐based auxin transport to alleviate Al toxicity in plant roots. Significance Statement: Aluminum toxicity and boron deficiency are limiting factors for agricultural production in acid soils, which make up almost half of the world's arable land. Boron fertilization alleviates aluminum toxicity but the mechanism remains unclear. The study shows that boron supply releases aluminum‐induced root growth arrest by facilitating endosome‐based polar auxin transport via PIN2 polar localization in the upper half of the plasma membrane (shootward). We provide solid support for boron fertilizer in remediating aluminum toxicity in acid soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey bees use a complex form of spatial referential communication. Their “waggle dance” communicates the direction, distance, and quality of a resource to nestmates by encoding celestial cues, retinal optic flow, and relative food value into motion and sound within the nest. We show that correct waggle dancing requires social learning. Bees without the opportunity to follow any dances before they first danced produced significantly more disordered dances with larger waggle angle divergence errors and encoded distance incorrectly. The former deficit improved with experience, but distance encoding was set for life. The first dances of bees that could follow other dancers showed neither impairment. Social learning, therefore, shapes honey bee signaling, as it does communication in human infants, birds, and multiple other vertebrate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The association between nonstenotic plaque at the petrous internal carotid artery (ICA) and embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) remains unknown. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the presence of a larger build‐up of petrous plaque is more prevalent in the ipsilateral versus the contralateral side among ESUS patients without plaque in the intracranial and proximal ICA. Methods: From a total of 243 patients with ESUS and 160 patients with small‐vessel disease (SVD) without proximal ICA plaque, we enrolled 88 ESUS and 103 SVD patients without ipsilateral nonstenotic intracranial and proximal ICA plaque in the present study. Targeting the petrous segment of the ICA on two sides, plaque burden including plaque thickness, lumen area, vessel area, wall area, and percentage of luminal stenosis, and composition features (presence/absence of the ruptured fibrous cap, ulcer plaque, thrombus, discontinuity of plaque surface [DPS], intraplaque hemorrhage and complicated plaque) were assessed by high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Results: We found a higher prevalence of petrous plaque thickness ≥3.5 mm ipsilateral versus contralateral to the stroke (25/88 [28.4%] vs. 12/88 [13.6%], odds ratio [OR] 3.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34–9.70), but this imbalance was not seen in SVD. In patients with plaque thickness ≥3.5 mm, the presence of DPS (OR 4.05, 95% CI 1.11–14.78) and complicated plaque (OR 5.00, 95% CI 1.10–22.82) was more closely related to an index ESUS, a finding that was not evident in the subgroup with petrous plaque <3.5 mm (p for interaction = 0.027). Conclusions: The present study provided the first evidence supporting a potential etiological role of vulnerable petrous plaque in ESUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate an association between percentage lipid‐rich necrotic core (LRNC) and an index ischemic stroke in an embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) cohort. Methods: A total of 167 ESUS patients with 259 non‐stenotic intracranial plaques including 155 ipsilateral and 104 contralateral to stroke were finally enrolled in the current analysis. The multi‐dimensional parameters involving remodeling index (RI), plaque burden (PB), LRNC, discontinuity of plaque surface (DPS), intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and vulnerable plaque defined as presence of complicated plaque were evaluated by high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Results: We found that %LRNC was an independent predictor for ESUS in model 1 (OR: 2.574, 95% CI: 1.854–3.573, P < 0.001), and model 2 (OR: 2.550, 95% CI: 1.835–3.545, P < 0.001), but the association was not seen in PB. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the discrimination of LRNC for ESUS was significantly superior to that of PB (absolute difference: 0.121, 95% CI: 0.056–0.205, P < 0.001). Importantly, a significantly positive synergy between the remodeling pattern and LRNC in response to plaque vulnerability was found by Sankey diagram (P for interaction = 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first report that LRNC, beyond PB, may be correlated with an index ESUS, and a synergistic effect between positive remodeling and larger LRNC could promote plaque vulnerability. The findings suggest that a potential target subgroup may benefit from stroke prevention with intensive statin, although this must be confirmed in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: In this experiment, a ZnO-fibre complex was prepared using the hydrothermal methods of "water solubility," "coupling agent," and "high temperature and high pressure". Binding rate, antibacterial activity, microstructure, and the infrared spectrum were measured using biomimetic digestion, bacterial proliferation tests, and ultra-fine electron microscopes. At first, ZnO-fibre complexes were prepared with different ratios of material and water. They was divided into five groups with ratios of 1:0, 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10, respectively. The ZnO-fibre complexes were prepared with different coupling agents on the basis of experiment 1. They were divided into four groups. The ratio for material and water in the control group was 1:0, and in the treatment group, was 1:4. Treatment groups 2 and 3 had 10% guar gum or 10% bamboo fibre polymer composites (BFP) added on the basis of group 1. A ZnO-fibre complex was successfully prepared by adding 10% BFP at a ratio of material:water of 1:4, at a high temperature of 120 °C and a high pressure of 0.3 MPa for 20 min. The ZnO-binding rate reached 99.05%. The zinc oxide may bind to the carbonyl group of bamboo powder and adhere to the surface of and gaps in the bamboo fibre. The growth inhibition rate of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus was double that of the common ZnO additive and Zn concentration. It is expected to be used as a slowrelease ZnO additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the status of spouses' burdens of caring for breast cancer survivors and explore the relationships between social support, family resilience, breast cancer survivors' individual resilience, and caregiver burden.Methods: A cross-sectional study on 315 young and middle-aged breast cancer survivors and their spousal caregivers was conducted at eight comprehensive Southwest China hospitals. The caregivers completed the Chinese Version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview, while breast cancer survivors completed the shortened Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships among social support, family resilience, survivors' individual resilience, and caregiver burden.Results: Caregiver burden (45.76 ± 14.66) was found to be severe. Social support, family resilience, and individual resilience were significantly negatively associated with caregiver burden (β =  - 0.421, P < 0.001; β =  - 0.208, P < 0.001; and β =  - 0.444, P < 0.001, respectively). Individual resilience not only partially mediated the relationship between family resilience and caregiver burden (b =  - 0.052; 95% confidence interval, - 0.110, - 0.018), but also partially mediated the relationship between support and caregiver burden (b =  - 0.045; 95% confidence interval, - 0.102, - 0.011).Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher social support, family resilience, and individual resilience tend to ease caregivers' burden. Healthcare workers should have an in-depth understanding of the care needs of survivors, actively contact social security departments and social organizations to provide financial, technical, and emotional support, and provide family-based care-skills training and psychological counseling to reduce spousal caregivers' burdens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim was to investigate the characteristics of non‐stenotic intracranial plaque (NSIP) in embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) subtypes by high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Consecutive patients with ESUS who were mandatory for high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging were retrospectively enrolled. Based on the location and arterial supply of the infarct, the ESUS were categorized into three types: cortical ESUS, subcortical ESUS and mixed ESUS. The NSIP parameters including plaque location, morphology (plaque distribution, remodeling index and plaque burden) and composition (thick fibrous cap, discontinuity of plaque surface, intraplaque hemorrhage and complicated plaque) were evaluated amongst the subtypes. Results: Of 243 patients, there were 87 (35.8%) cortical ESUS, 127 (52.3%) subcortical ESUS and 29 (11.9%) mixed ESUS. Significant differences were found in plaque location (p < 0.001), plaque quadrant (p < 0.001), remodeling index (p < 0.001), plaque burden (p < 0.001), discontinuity of plaque surface (p < 0.001), intraplaque hemorrhage (p = 0.001) and complicated plaque (p < 0.001) of ipsilateral NISP amongst the different ESUS subtypes, except for fibrous cap (p = 0.135). However, no differences were found amongst contralateral NISP. In addition, the clinical characteristics of the differences between ESUS subtypes were striking, including age (p = 0.004), initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (p < 0.001), coronary artery disease (p = 0.039), serum urea (p = 0.011) and creatinine (p = 0.002). Conclusion: This is the first report of significantly heterogeneous characteristics of ipsilateral NSIP and clinical findings amongst ESUS subtypes, which may suggest their different underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brain-computer interface (BCI) translates a user's thoughts such as motor imagery (MI) into the control of external devices. However, some people, who are defined as BCI illiteracy, cannot control BCI effectively. The main characteristics of BCI illiterate subjects are low classification rates and poor repeatability. To address the problem of MI-BCI illiteracy, we propose a distribution adaptation method based on multi-kernel learning to make the distribution of features between the source domain and target domain become even closer to each other, while the divisibility of categories is maximized. Inspired by the kernel trick, we adopted a multiple-kernel-based extreme learning machine to train the labeled source-domain data to find a new high-dimensional subspace that maximizes data divisibility, and then use multiple-kernel-based maximum mean discrepancy to conduct distribution adaptation to eliminate the difference in feature distribution between domains in the new subspace. In light of the high dimension of features of MI-BCI illiteracy, random forest, which can effectively handle high-dimensional features without additional cross-validation, was employed as a classifier. The proposed method was validated on an open dataset. The experimental results show that that the method we proposed suits MI-BCI illiteracy and can reduce the inter-domain differences, resulting in a reduction in the performance degradation of both cross-subjects and cross-sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: GDF15 may be a potential biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. In this analysis, we aimed to quantitative analysis the levels of GDF15 in patients with neurological diseases and in health control, and then to determine its potential diagnostic utility. Methods: Two researchers separately conducted a systematic search of the relevant studies up to January 2021 in Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. Effect sizes were estimated to use the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated by the summary receiver operating characteristics curve (SROC) method. The sensitivity analysis was performed by the "one‐in/one‐out" approach. Considering the considerable heterogeneity among studies, random‐effects model was used for the meta‐analysis investigation. Results: A total of eight articles were included in this meta‐analysis and systematic review. The pooled results of the random effect model indicated GDF15 levels were significantly higher in patients with neurodegenerative disease than healthy people (SMD = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.44–1.40, Z = 3.75, p < 0.001). Sensitivity and specificity of biomarker of GDF15 were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.75–0.97), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.67–0.65), and AUC = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84–0.90), respectively. Conclusions: GDF15 levels were higher in patients with neurodegenerative disease than healthy people. And serum levels of GDF15 were a better marker for diagnostic utility of neurodegenerative disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Improvement of ewe reproduction is considerable by appropriately increasing litter size and sustaining non‐seasonal breeding. However, their genetic makeups have not been entirely elucidated. Genome‐wide analyses of 821 individuals were performed by combining three genomic approaches (genome‐wide association study, XP‐nSL, and runs of homozygosity). Consequently, 35 candidate genes including three domestication genes (TSHR, GTF2A1, and KITLG) were identified. Other than the FecB mutation at BMPR1B, we described a significant association of a missense mutation rs406686139 at seasonal lambing‐associated TSHR gene with litter size. Some promising novel genes may be relevant for sheep reproduction by multitude biological processes, such as FETUB functioning in fertilization, HNRNPA1 in oogenesis, DCUN1D1 in spermatogenesis, and HRG in fertility outcome. The present study suggests that improvement of ewe reproduction is attributed to selective breeding, and casts light on the genetic basis and improvement of sheep reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have compared the etiology and clinical features between pure lateral medullary infarction (LMI) and pure medial medullary infarction (MMI). Methods: All patients included were hospitalized at The First Affiliated Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2015 to July 2020. Their risk factors, clinical manifestation, stroke mechanisms and short‐term prognosis were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among the 387 patients enrolled, 266 (68.7%) had LMI, 109 (28.2%) had MMI, and 12 (3.1%) (nine men and three women) had LMI plus MMI. We analyzed the 375 patients of LMI and MMI. The average ages of LMI and MMI were 59.4 years and 62.69 years, respectively. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the existing risk factors of MMI relative to LMI. Prior infarction, poor glycemic control, and atherosclerosis were more frequently associated with MMI than with LMI. The clinical manifestation was significantly different between LMI and MMI. We used modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score as the short‐term prognostic evaluation criteria, and MMI appeared worse than LMI. Conclusions: This study reveals that: (1) patients with MMI are older than those with LMI; (2) prior infarction, poor glycemic control, and atherosclerosis are independent risk factors of MMI than that of LMI; (3) the clinical manifestations of LMI and MMI are heterogeneous; (4) short‐term prognosis of MMI is worse than LMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Characterization results show that NiO-TiO 2 heterojunction was formed. • NiO-TiO 2 heterojunction achieves a single response when H 2 and CO coexist. • NiO-TiO 2 heterojunction model was constructed by first-principle calculations. • The gas selectivity mechanism is explained in detail at the nanoscale. Utilizing p-n composite material to fabricate metal-oxide semiconductors (MOSs) gas sensors is a promising strategy to achieve ultrahigh selectivity detection of reducing gases, such as H 2 and CO. This work utilized a facile doping method to synthesize p-NiO/n-xTiO 2 nanoparticles with p-n heterojunction. The p-NiO/n-1.0TiO 2 nanoparticles annealed at 550 °C exhibited ultrahigh selectivity with an n-type gas-sensitive response to H 2 at 300 °C, eliminating the cross-sensitivity phenomenon. This gas selectivity to H 2 and CO highly depends on the Ni:Ti molar ratios and operating temperature. Under repeated ventilation conditions, the response values of p-NiO/n-1.0TiO 2 sensor to H 2 and CO remained unchanged, confirming its excellent stability. Multiple gas experiments show that the p-NiO/n-1.0TiO 2 sensor can be utilized to selectively detect any of H 2 , CH 4 , NO 2 , and SO 2 in the presence of CO. Furthermore, the study of H 2 and CO adsorption behavior on the NiO-TiO 2 revealed that H 2 is more easily adsorbed on the NiO-TiO 2 heterojunction surface than CO. Introduction of H 2 caused electron transfer between the gas molecule and surface atoms of the heterojunction, while the electronic structure of the system remained unchanged after CO adsorption. This study provides an effective method to improve the selectivity of MOS-based gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) serves as a vital regulator of bone metabolism, but its role in pathologically overactive osteoclast differentiation remains elusive. Here, we identify lncRNA Dancr (Differentiation Antagonizing Non-protein Coding RNA) as a critical suppressor of osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, which is down-regulated in response to estrogen deficiency. Global or osteoclast-specific Dancr Knockout mice display significant trabecular bone deterioration and enhanced osteoclast activity, but minimal alteration of bone formation. Moreover, the bone-targeted delivery of Dancr by Adeno-associated viral remarkably attenuates ovariectomy-induced osteopenia in mice. Mechanistically, Dancr establishes a direct interaction with Brahma-related gene 1 to prevent its binding and preserve H3K27me3 enrichment at the nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 and proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-beta promoters, thereby maintaining appropriate expression of osteoclastic genes and metabolic programs during osteoclastogenesis. These results demonstrate that Dancr is a key molecule maintaining proper osteoclast differentiation and bone homeostasis under physiological conditions, and Dancr overexpression constitutes a potential strategy for treating osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In situ techniques reveal reaction mechanism under reaction conditions. • CeO 2 stabilizes Cu active species at low temperature by keeping the cyclic transition of Cu2+ and Cu+. • CeO 2 stabilizes Fe active species at high temperature by promoting the cyclic transition between Fe3+ and Fe2+. • Ceria-Promoted and realized copper and iron oxides cooperatively catalyze NO x efficient elimination. The copper and iron oxides highly dispersed on CeO 2 composite system was successfully synthesized by solid-state based methods for NO reduction by CO with a certain sulfur and water resistance. The conversion of NO at 100, 150 and 220 °C can reach ∼40 %, ∼80 % and ∼100 % respectively, at space velocity = 65,000 mL·g−1·h−1. Here, some ex/in-situ characterization techniques are used to explore the active species and catalytic mechanism in the reaction process. The results show that the catalyst system has a large number of defects and contains highly reactive oxygen species. During the reaction, the dominant Ce species can promote the formation of Cu+ active species and enhance its relative stability. Also, under higher temperature reaction atmosphere, Ce species can stabilize Fe3+ and maintain the catalytic performance. The stabilization effect of Ce species on copper and iron makes the catalyst have a quite wider active window. To understand the selective catalytic reduction process of NO by CO, a possible reaction mechanism was proposed by in-situ DRIFTS. Overall, this work provides a possible foundation for understanding the structure, catalytic stability, and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dalitong Granules , a potent gastrointestinal motility promoting traditional Chinese medicine, is used to treat functional dyspepsia clinically. It shows good effect on alleviating gastrointestinal motility disorders and has a broad prospect of clinical application. However, there is no comprehensive study on its in vivo and in vitro chemical analysis. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with the non-targeted characteristic filter analysis and in silico prediction strategies (NCFS) were used to deduce and identify the chemical components and in vivo metabolites in the bio-samples of rats following oral administration of Dalitong Granules. In this study, 108 chemical components were identified in Dalitong granules , including 50 flavonoids, 22 alkaloids, 13 terpenes, 11 organic acids, 10 coumarins and 2 volatile oils. In the plasma, tissue, urine and fecal samples of rats after administration of Dalitong granules , a total of 147 compounds were speculated (60 prototype compounds and 87 metabolites). The main metabolic pathways in vivo include methylation, demethylation, deglycosylation, hydrogenation, hydroxylation, sulfonation and glucuronidation as there are many flavonoids existing in Dalitong Granules. In conclusion, the chemical components and metabolites of Dalitong Granules were comprehensively identified by using a rapid and accurate analysis method, which laid a foundation for dissecting its bioactive substances. In addition, it provides a scientific basis for the in-depth study of the material basis of Dalitong Granules efficacy and its further comprehensive development and utilization. [Display omitted] • Identification the components of Dalitong by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS combination with NCFS. • The components and in vivo metabolites were analyzed according to different types. • In vivo metabolites of Dalitong were identified in different bio-samples of rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new heterometallic structures of [Zn2Ba(TCA)2(H2O)2]·2n(H2O) (1) and [Cd2Ba(TCA)2(DMA)2(H2O)3]·2n(DMA) (2) were successfully prepared via the solvothermal reactions of 4,4ʹ,4″-ticarboxytriphenylamine (H3TCA) with Zn(NO3)2·6H2O salts and Ba(NO3)2 or Cd(NO3)2·4H2O salts and Ba(NO3)2. The structural characterization results show that complex 1 features a 3D framework structure based on the 1D rod-like heterometal-carboxylate chains while the 3D framework of 2 is constructed from the trinuclear [Cd2Ba(COO)4] cluster. Due to the triphenylamine chromophore of TCA3−, compounds 1–2 show intensive luminescence at room temperature. Their application values on the ICU infection treatment were explored, and we also discussed the corresponding mechanism simultaneously. The utilization of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay detection was done firstly and then content of inflammatory cytokines released into the plasma was determined. Then, the measurement of Toll-like receptor 4 activation was made by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The CCK-8 assay was conducted in this study to evaluate the toxicity of the new compound during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Accumulating evidence has shown the potential of bergamottin as an anticancer agent. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anticancer affects of bergamottin (µM) against colon cancer cells. Material and methods: Antiproliferative effects were evaluated by WST-1 cell viability assay. Apoptotic effects were studied by DAPI and Annexin V/ PI staining. Cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. Transwell assay was used to study the effects on cell invasion. Protein expression was estimated by the western blot method. Results: The results showed that bergamottin suppresses the proliferation of all the human colon cancer cell lines. Nonetheless, the growth inhibitory effects of bergamottin on the HT-29 and RKO cells were more significant (IC50, 12.5 µM). The anticancer effects of bergamottin on the HT-29 and RKO cells were mainly due to apoptosis. Bergamottin could considerably increase the expression of Bax and reduce the expression Bcl-2. The cleavage of caspase-3, 8 and 9 was also enhanced upon bergamottin treatment of the colon cancer cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that bergamottin also induced G2/M cell cycle arrest of the HT-29 and RKO cells. Additionally, bergamottin could also suppress the invasion of HT-29 and RKO cells. The Raf/ MEK/ERK pathway is regarded as one of the essential pathways involved in the development and progression of cancers. Herein, it was observed that bergamottin could concentration dependently block this pathway in colon cancer cells. In vivo study revealed that bergamottin could also suppress the growth of tumours in xenografted mice models. Conclusions: Taken together, bergamottin suppresses the proliferation of colon cancer cells and may be utilised in the development of chemotherapy for colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • QFASA was used for the first time to identify sources of indoor organic pollutants. • OPFR concentrations and lipid content in house dust were significantly related. • Clothing was the predominant contributing vector introducing indoor OPFRs. • QFASA can accurately predict most of OPFR concentrations in clothing. Indoor dust has been used as a proxy for estimating human indoor pollutant exposure risks, yet source identification remains challenging. This study tentatively investigated whether quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) of dust, could be applied to indicate sources and their respective contributions for a major class of indoor organic pollutants organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). We observed significant correlations between OPFR concentrations and lipid content (p < 0.05) in house dusts. Using 15 signature fatty acids (FAs) in various indoor sources and the QFASA model, we found that clothing (39.1% in Australia and 36.5% in China) was the predominant contributing vector of dust OPFR followed by cooking oil and pet hair. Among these sources, clothing materials were proposed to be important vectors introducing organic pollutants to the indoor environment. Our QFASA contribution estimation analyses allowed for accurate prediction of most OPFR concentrations in clothing, validating our findings that clothing materials may serve as important carrier for OPFRs in indoor migration. This is the first study attempting to identify sources of organic pollutants using QFASA in an indoor setting and will provide important insight into the transfer of organic pollutants in indoor environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the risk of acquiring syphilis from a donated kidney, we evaluated kidney transplantation pairs from West China Hospital, Sichuan, China, during 2007--2022. Donor-derived syphilis was rare. Risk may be higher if donors have active syphilis and may be reduced if recipients receive ceftriaxone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-based materials are promising catalysts for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to formate, but remain challenging in terms of activity and stability. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of Zn-doped Bi nanosheets (Zn–Bi NSs) as a highly active and robust catalyst for electrochemical reduction of CO2 to formate. Specifically, the Zn–Bi NS catalyst can be obtained using a hydrothermal method to prepare a Zn-decorated Bi2O2CO3 nanosheet followed by electrochemical reduction treatment. The as-prepared catalyst exhibits a remarkable formate faradaic efficiency of 94.6% and a high formate current density of 40.5 mA cm−2 at −1.2 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). In particular, the faradaic efficiency of formate remained at above 90% over a wide potential window from −0.8 to −1.2 V vs. RHE. In the H-type electrolytic cell, the Zn–Bi NS catalyst can be operated stably for 10 h at a cathode potential of −1.0 V vs. RHE with good retention of the physical phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare and difficult to diagnose, with diverse histological patterns and immunohistochemical and poorly defined molecular genetic characteristics. Case presentation: We report a case of a 63-year-old male admitted in 2017 with complex histomorphology, three morphological features of clear cell, eosinophilic and papillary RCC and resembling areas of glomerular and tubular formation. The immunophenotype also showed a mixture of CD10 and P504s. RCC with a high suspicion of collision tumors was indicated according to the 2014 WHO classification system; no precise diagnosis was possible. The patient was diagnosed at a different hospital with poorly differentiated lung squamous cell carcinoma one year after RCC surgery. We exploited molecular technology advances to retrospectively investigate the patient's molecular genetic alterations by whole-exome sequencing. The results revealed a 6p21 amplification in VEGFA and TFEB gene acquisition absent in other RCC subtypes. Clear cell, papillary, chromophobe, TFE3-translocation, eosinophilic solid and cystic RCC were excluded. Strong TFEB and Melan-A protein positivity prompted rediagnosis as TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified RCC as per 2022 WHO classification. TMB-L (low tumor mutational load), CCND3 gene acquisition and MRE11A and ATM gene deletion mutations indicated sensitivity to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor combinations and the FDA-approved targeted agents Niraparib (Grade C), Olaparib (Grade C), Rucaparib (Grade C) and Talazoparib (Class C). GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed major mutations and abnormal CNVs in genes involved in biological processes such as the TGF-β, Hippo, E-cadherin, lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy signaling pathways, biofilm synthesis cell adhesion substance metabolism regulation and others. We compared TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified with TFEB-translocated RCC; significant differences in disease onset age, histological patterns, pathological stages, clinical prognoses, and genetic characteristics were revealed. Conclusion: We clarified the patient's challenging diagnosis and discussed the clinicopathology, immunophenotype, differential diagnosis, and molecular genetic information regarding TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified RCC via exome analysis and a literature review. Highlights: 1. For the first time, the molecular genetics of TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified renal cell carcinoma were completely and systematically characterized by exon sequencing. 2. The first case of TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified renal cell carcinoma with genomic instability was reported, presenting a new outlook on the treatment and prognosis of this tumor. 3. A systematic review and differentiation of TFEB/6p21/VEGFA-amplified renal cell carcinoma and TFEB-translocated renal cell carcinoma in clinicopathological, histological, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet–drug interactions (DDIs) are pivotal in drug discovery and pharmacovigilance. DDIs can modify the systemic bioavailability/pharmacokinetics of drugs, posing a threat to public health and patient safety. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a platform to reveal the correlation between diets and drugs. Accordingly, we have established a publicly accessible online platform, known as Diet-Drug Interactions Database (DDID, https://bddg.hznu.edu.cn/ddid/), to systematically detail the correlation and corresponding mechanisms of DDIs. The platform comprises 1338 foods/herbs, encompassing flora and fauna, alongside 1516 widely used drugs and 23 950 interaction records. All interactions are meticulously scrutinized and segmented into five categories, thereby resulting in evaluations (positive, negative, no effect, harmful and possible). Besides, cross-linkages between foods/herbs, drugs and other databases are furnished. In conclusion, DDID is a useful resource for comprehending the correlation between foods, herbs and drugs and holds a promise to enhance drug utilization and research on drug combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to determine whether genetically predicted basal metabolic rate (BMR) was a causal risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) or whether a genetically predicted CRC risk can influence the BMR level (i.e., reverse causation). Methods: We employed 1,040 genetic variants as proxies for BMR to obtain effect estimates on CRC risk. Another 58 CRC-associated variants were used to estimate effects on BMR levels. Stratified analysis by tumor site was used to examine the causal associations between BMR and colon/rectal cancer risk. Results: The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method indicated a significant causal effect of genetically determined BMR on CRC risk (ORSD = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.07–1.51). No significant reverse causal association was identified between genetically increased CRC risk and BMR levels [IVW (β = 0, 95% CI = -0.01 to 0)]. The results of MR-Egger and the weighted median method were consistent with the IVW method. Stratified analysis by CRC sites identified significant causal associations between BMR and colon cancer [IVW (ORSD = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.16-1-80)], and null evidence of a causal association between BMR and rectal cancer risk was found (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings add to the current literature by validating a positive relationship between high BMR levels and CRC risk instead of reverse causality. The genetically predicted BMR level was causally associated with colon cancer risk but not rectal cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a pristine biochar (BC) and MgCl 2 -modified biochar (MBC) were prepared using Pennisetum sp. straw for removing Cd2+ from aqueous solutions. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as the surface area and porosity analyses were used to reveal the physico-chemical characteristics of the pristine and modified adsorbents. Results suggested that MgCl 2 impregnation during the synthesis had enhanced the specific surface area and pore volume of the biochar. Batch adsorption experiments indicated that the Cd2+ adsorption data of MBC fitted the Langmuir isothermal and pseudo-second order kinetic models, indicating a chemical adsorption was undergoing in the system. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd2+ on MBC was 763.12 mg/g, which was 11.15 times higher than that of the pristine BC. The Cd2+ removal by MBC was mainly attributed to the mechanisms in an order: Cd(OH) 2 precipitation (73.43%) > ion exchange (22.67%) > Cd2+-π interaction (3.88%), with negligible contributions from functional group complexation, electrostatic attraction and physical adsorption. The MBC could thus be used as a promising adsorbent for Cd2+ removal from aqueous solutions. [Display omitted] • MgCl 2 modification increased the specific surface area and pore volume of biochar. • MgCl 2 -modified biochar removed 763.12 mg/g Cd2+ from polluted water. • Cd(OH) 2 precipitation dominated the Cd2+ removal mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negative synergistic effect of cancer and a peripherally inserted central catheter could significantly increase the incidence of thrombosis. Rather than identifying risk factors for peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis, exploring the effect of these risk factors might be a promising method to improve the outcomes of thrombosis. To analyze the effect of systemic and local risk factors on triggering peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis in the first two weeks post–insertion in cancer patients. A prospective cohort study. The study was conducted at a 4500-bed university-affiliated medical center in China. One hundred seventy-three cancer patients with peripherally inserted central catheters were included. Peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis was assessed using ultrasound at a series of timepoints, once every two days post–insertion. Data on age, body mass index, blood hypercoagulation, insertion attempts, catheter-to-vein ratio, and blood flow velocity were collected as risk factors. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were used to describe the study samples and analyze the effects of systemic and local risk factors. Among the 173 cancer patients included, 126 (72.8%) patients were diagnosed with peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis. Most thromboses (n = 118, 93.7%) were detected within five days, and 100% were detected within nine days post–insertion. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that local risk factors [catheter-to-vein ratio (standardized path coefficient = 0.32, p < 0.05) and blood flow velocity (standardized path coefficient = −0.35, p < 0.05)] had a greater effect than systemic factors [age (standardized path coefficient = 0.13, p < 0.05) and blood hypercoagulation (standardized path coefficient = 0.17, p < 0.05)] on triggering peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis. Peripherally inserted central catheter–related thrombosis is quite common and can occur very early post–insertion in cancer patients. Among the common risk factors, local risk factors reflecting peripherally inserted central catheter technology itself had a greater effect than systemic risk factors reflecting predisposition to thrombosis. Clinical Registration: Clinical Trials ChiCTR1900024890. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The blue fox (Vulpes lagopus) is an important fur animal in China; its reproductive performance is directly related to the economic benefits of breeding. β-Defensins can protect the male reproductive system from bacterial invasion, maintain the stability of reproductive tract microenvironment and improve semen quality in mammals. Few studies have proposed to investigate the antibacterial effect of Vulpes lagopus beta-defensin (vBDs). In this study, we analyzed the antibacterial activity of recombinant vBD108 and vBD122 protein in vitro by an antibacterial activity analysis experiment. Our preliminary results demonstrate that the two vBDs have good antibacterial activity. The blue fox β-defensins may be used as an extender component of the semen diluent to protect semen from bacterial infection. The blue fox (Vulpes lagopus), a fur-bearing animal, is an important component of the breeding industry in China. Semen quality is a key factor for the reproductive process and the breeding effectiveness of the farmed blue fox. However, bacterial contamination in semen samples utilized in artificial fertilization is very common. The β-defensins, a class of important antimicrobial peptides in mammals, could protect the reproductive system of male animals from bacterial invasion, maintain the stability of the genital tract microenvironment and improve semen quality. In this study, molecular cloning and bioinformatics analysis were conducted to analyze the protein structure and function of blue fox β-defensin 108 (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensin 108, vBD108) and 122 (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensin 122, vBD122). To evaluate the bacteriostatic effect of recombinant vBDs (Vulpes lagopus beta-defensins) protein, varying concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 µg/mL) were taken to evaluate the effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at different times (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 h). The results showed that vBD108 and vBD122 existed in different forms in protein structure and had antibacterial activity. Both proteins, at 50 µg/mL, had efficacious bacteriostatic activity. This study shows that recombinant vBD108 and vBD122 proteins have good antibacterial activity in vitro. This implies a potential role in improving semen quality and hygienic measures in the process of artificial insemination as an extender of semen dilution with antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we develop and analyze a variational data assimilation method with efficient decoupled iterative numerical algorithms for the Stokes–Darcy equations with the Beavers–Joseph interface condition. By using Tikhonov regularization and formulating the variational data assimilation into an optimization problem, we establish the existence, uniqueness, and stability of the optimal solution. Based on the weak formulation of the Stokes–Darcy equations, the Lagrange multiplier rule is utilized to derive the first order optimality system for both the continuous and discrete variational data assimilation problems, where the discrete data assimilation is based on a finite element discretization in space and the backward Euler scheme in time. By rescaling the optimality system and then analyzing its corresponding bilinear forms, we prove the optimal finite element convergence rate with special attention paid to recovering uncertainties missed in the optimality system. To solve the discrete optimality system efficiently, three decoupled iterative algorithms are proposed to address the computational cost for both well-conditioned and ill-conditioned variational data assimilation problems, respectively. Finally, numerical results are provided to validate the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) has caused massive economic losses in the cattle business worldwide. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key enzyme of the fatty acid synthesis (FAS) pathway, has been shown to support virus replication. To investigate the role of fatty acids (FAs) in BVDV infection, we infected CD8+T lymphocytes obtained from healthy cattle with BVDV in vitro. During early cytopathic (CP) and noncytopathic (NCP) BVDV infection in CD8+ T cells, there is an increase in de novo lipid biosynthesis, resulting in elevated levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) and triglycerides (TG). BVDV infection promotes de novo lipid biosynthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with the FASN inhibitor C75 significantly reduces the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT in BVDV-infected CD8+ T cells, while inhibition of PI3K with LY294002 decreases FASN expression. Both CP and NCP BVDV strains promote de novo fatty acid synthesis by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Further investigation shows that pharmacological inhibitors targeting FASN and PI3K concurrently reduce FFAs, TG levels, and ATP production, effectively inhibiting BVDV replication. Conversely, the in vitro supplementation of oleic acid (OA) to replace fatty acids successfully restored BVDV replication, underscoring the impact of abnormal de novo fatty acid metabolism on BVDV replication. Intriguingly, during BVDV infection of CD8+T cells, the use of FASN inhibitors prompted the production of IFN-α and IFN-β, as well as the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Moreover, FASN inhibitors induce TBK-1 phosphorylation through the activation of RIG-1 and MDA-5, subsequently activating IRF-3 and ultimately enhancing the IFN-1 response. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that BVDV infection activates the PI3K/AKT pathway to boost de novo fatty acid synthesis, and inhibition of FASN suppresses BVDV replication by activating the RIG-1/MDA-5-dependent IFN response. • BVDV upregulated de novo fatty acid synthesis via the PI3K/AKT pathway in CD8+T cells. • The FASN inhibitor C75 effectively suppresses FFAs and TG synthesis, leading to reduced ATP production. • Inhibition of FASN inhibits BVDV replication by activateing RIG-1/MDA-5-dependent interferon-I (IFN-I) pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery and utilization of natural products derived from endophytic microorganisms have garnered significant attention in pharmaceutical research. While remarkable progress has been made in this field each year, the absence of dedicated open-access databases for endophytic microorganism natural products research is evident. To address the increasing demand for mining and sharing of data resources related to endophytic microorganism natural products, this study introduces EMNPD, a comprehensive endophytic microorganism natural products database comprising manually curated data. Currently, EMNPD offers 6632 natural products from 1017 endophytic microorganisms, targeting 1286 entities (including 94 proteins, 282 cell lines, and 910 species) with 91 diverse bioactivities. It encompasses the physico-chemical properties of natural products, ADMET information, quantitative activity data with their potency, natural products contents with diverse fermentation conditions, systematic taxonomy, and links to various well-established databases. EMNPD aims to function as an open-access knowledge repository for the study of endophytic microorganisms and their natural products, thereby facilitating drug discovery research and exploration of bioactive substances. The database can be accessed at http://emnpd.idrblab.cn/ without the need for registration, enabling researchers to freely download the data. EMNPD is expected to become a valuable resource in the field of endophytic microorganism natural products and contribute to future drug development endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic condition of the central nervous system that causes paralysis of the limbs. Micro electric fields (EF) have been implicated in a novel therapeutic approach for nerve injury repair and regeneration, but the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles that are induced by micro electric fields (EF-sEVs) stimulation on SCI remain unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether EF-sEVs have therapeutic effects a rat model of SCI. EF-sEVs and normally conditioned human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (CON-sEVs) were collected and injected intralesionally into SCI model rats to evaluate the therapeutic effects. We detect the expression of candidate long noncoding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (lncRNA-MALAT1) in EF-sEVs and CON-sEVs. The targets and downstream effectors of lncRNA-MALAT1 were investigated using luciferase reporter assays. Using both in vivo and in vitro experiments, we demonstrated that EF-sEVs increased autophagy and decreased apoptosis after SCI, which promoted the recovery of motor function. We further confirmed that the neuroprotective effects of EF-sEVs in vitro and in vivo correlated with the presence of encapsulated lncRNA-MALAT1 in sEVs. lncRNA-MALAT1 targeted miR-22-3p via sponging, reducing miR-22-3p's suppressive effects on its target, SIRT1, and this translated into AMPK phosphorylation and increased levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. Collectively, the present study identified that the lncRNA-MALAT1 in EF-sEVs plays a neuroprotective role via the miRNA-22-3p/SIRT1/AMPK axis and offers a fresh perspective and a potential therapeutic approach using sEVs to improve SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between tea and coffee consumption and mortality among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains barely explored. Herein, this study aimed to examine the association between tea and coffee consumption and the likelihood of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with MetS. Methods: A total of 118,872 participants with MetS at baseline from the UK Biobank cohort were included. Information on tea and coffee consumption was obtained during recruitment using a touchscreen questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality were determined using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During a median follow-up of 13.87 years, 13,666 deaths were recorded, with 5913, 3362, and 994 deaths from cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and respiratory disease (RD), respectively. This research showed a significant inverse association between tea intake and the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality, the respective HRs (95% CI) for consuming tea 2 vs. 0 cup/day were 0.89 (0.84–0.95), and 0.91 (0.83–0.99), and tea intake ≥ 4 cups/day could reduce CVD mortality by 11% (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81–0.98). The U-shaped nonlinear association between coffee intake and all-cause/CVD mortality was examined (all p-nonlinear < 0.001). The HRs (95% CI) for coffee consumption 1 vs. 0 cup/day were 0.93 (0.89–0.98) and 0.89 (0.80–0.99), and for ≥ 4 vs. 0 cup/day were 1.05 (1.01–1.11) and 1.13 (1.03–1.25), respectively. Notably, the combined intake of tea and coffee presented a protective effect against all-cause mortality (HR < 1). Conclusions: The importance of daily tea and moderate coffee consumption in individuals with MetS to optimise health benefits are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing accurate crop yield estimations at large spatial scales and understanding yield losses under extreme climate stress is an urgent challenge for sustaining global food security. While the data-driven deep learning approach has shown great capacity in predicting yield patterns, its capacity to detect and attribute the impacts of climatic extremes on yields remains unknown. In this study, we developed a deep neural network based multi-task learning framework to estimate variations of maize yield at the county level over the US Corn Belt from 2006 to 2018, with a special focus on the extreme yield loss in 2012. We found that our deep learning model hindcasted the yield variations with good accuracy for 2006-2018 (R² = 0.81) and well reproduced the extreme yield anomalies in 2012 (R² = 0.79). Further attribution analysis indicated that extreme heat stress was the major cause for yield loss, contributing to 72.5% of the yield loss, followed by anomalies of vapor pressure deficit (17.6%) and precipitation (10.8%). Our deep learning model was also able to estimate the accumulated impact of climatic factors on maize yield and identify that the silking phase was the most critical stage shaping the yield response to extreme climate stress in 2012. Our results provide a new framework of spatio-temporal deep learning to assess and attribute the crop yield response to climate variations in the data rich era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the area of Polymer dielectric materials, those with low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss have potential to be applied in high-frequency signal transmissions, such as antennae of mobile phones and millimeter-wave radars. This study is focused on producing fluorinated polyimide (PI) film with modified organosilicon (APDS). In this work, APDS was used to PI film. The spatial hindrance of Trifluoromethyl can reduce the high frequency dielectric loss of modified PI film. The length of molecular chain was decreased as increasing the proportion of APDS, which reduced the quantity of polar imide rings in unit volume. Meanwhile, the Si-O-Si bond combination in backbone decreased the integer polarity of PI film, which resulted in the decrease of tan 훿. The values of ε and tan 훿 were 2.48 and 0.00335 respectively under 10 GHz. The values of ε and tan훿 were reduced to 6.6% and 36.5% respectively compared with base membrane. Thus, this work provides a simple method to reduce the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of PI film. Meanwhile, the relationship between dielectric properties and molecular structure was proved. PI molecules were separated by low dielectric groups, which resulted in a decrease in dielectric constant and dielectric loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relationship between vitamin D levels and cancer incidence and mortality in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains poorly explored. Herein, we aimed to determine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and the risk of 16 cancer incidence types and cancer/all-cause mortality in patients with MetS. Methods: We enrolled 97,621 participants with MetS at recruitment from the UK Biobank cohort. The exposure factor was baseline serum 25(OH)D concentrations. The associations were examined using Cox proportional hazards models, which were displayed as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Over a median follow-up period of 10.92 years for cancer incidence outcomes, 12,137 new cancer cases were recorded. We observed that 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely related to the risk of colon, lung, and kidney cancer, and HRs (95% CI) for 25(OH)D ≥ 75.0 vs. < 25.0 nmol/L were 0.67 (0.45–0.98), 0.64 (0.45–0.91), and 0.54 (0.31–0.95), respectively. The fully adjusted model revealed a null correlation between 25(OH)D and the incidence of stomach, rectum, liver, pancreas, breast, ovary, bladder, brain, multiple myeloma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, esophagus, and corpus uteri cancer. Over a median follow-up period of 12.72 years for mortality outcomes, 8286 fatalities (including 3210 cancer mortalities) were documented. An "L-shaped" nonlinear dose–response correlation was detected between 25(OH)D and cancer/all-cause mortality; the respective HRs (95% CI) were 0.75 (0.64–0.89) and 0.65 (0.58–0.72). Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of 25(OH)D in cancer prevention and longevity promotion among patients with MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic decomposition of formic acid (HCOOH) is a crucial process for hydrogen production technologies. Herein, periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to explore the effect of N-doping on the decomposition of formic acid. We designed a series of single Pd-atoms deposited in the single vacancy of N-doped graphene sheets, namely Pd-DGr, Pd–N1Gr, Pd–N2Gr, and Pd–N3Gr, as the proposed catalysts. Our findings show that H 2 production from HCOOH dehydrogenation on these surfaces proceeds via the formate (HCOO) pathway (Path-I) rather than the carboxylate (COOH) pathway (Path-II). Furthermore, the Pd–N3Gr catalyst shows the greatest catalytic reactivity toward HCOOH dehydrogenation via Path-I , requiring an activation energy (E a) of 0.38 eV. On the other hand, the undesirable dehydration of HCOOH to carbon monoxide (CO) through COOH (Path-IIIA) or formyl (HCO) (Path-IIIB) intermediates is unlikely to occur on Pd–N3Gr due to a large activation energy. We found that the active species on the catalyst surface increased with N-doping concentration. Additionally, microkinetic simulations of the HCOOH decomposition on these surfaces confirmed the high activity and selectivity of the Pd–N3Gr catalyst toward HCOOH dehydrogenation (Path-I). These calculated results highlight that the Pd–N3Gr catalyst is a promising candidate for the formic acid decomposition reaction to yield hydrogen. The pyridinic- N atom at the graphene surface play important role in catalytic activity, The Pd–N3Gr catalyst with optimal 3 pyridinic N atoms shows the best performance (compared to N > 3 and N < 3). [Display omitted] • The pyridinic-N atoms at the graphene play important role in catalytic activity. • The optimal 3 pyridinic N atoms shows the best performance compared to N > 3 and N < 3. • Formic dehydrogenation on Pd–N3Gr require remarkably low energy barrier of 0.38 eV. • Formic dehydrogenation on Pd–N3Gr exhibit excellent selectivity toward H 2 production. • Pd–N3Gr is potentially an efficient and low-cost single atom catalyst for formic dehydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to develop and validate a plasma extracellular vesicle circular RNA (circRNA)-based signature that can predict overall survival (OS) in first-line abiraterone therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Methods: In total, 582 mCRPC patients undergoing first-line abiraterone therapy from four institutions were sorted by three phases. In the discovery phase, 30 plasma samples from 30 case-matched patients with or without early progression were obtained to generate circRNA expression profiles using RNA sequencing. In the training phase, differentially expressed circRNAs were examined using digital droplet PCR in a training cohort (n = 203). The circRNA signature was constructed using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression to predict OS. In the validation phase, the prognostic ability of this signature was prospectively validated in two external cohorts (Cohort I, n = 183; Cohort II, n = 166). Results: We developed a five-circRNA signature, based on circCEP112, circFAM13A, circBRWD1, circVPS13C and circMACROD2, which successfully stratified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The prognostic ability of this signature was prospectively validated in two external cohorts (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001). Patients with high-risk scores had shorter OS than patients with low-risk scores. Conclusion: This five-circRNA signature is a reliable predictor of OS for mCRPC patients undergoing abiraterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]