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Basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs) are aggressive, and their drivers are unclear. We have found that wild-type N-RAS is overexpressed in BLBCs but not in other breast cancer subtypes. Repressing N-RAS inhibits transformation and tumor growth, whereas overexpression enhances these processes even in preinvasive BLBC cells. We identified N-Ras-responsive genes, most of which encode chemokines; e.g., IL8. Expression levels of these chemokines and N-RAS in tumors correlate with outcome. N-Ras, but not K-Ras, induces IL-8 by binding and activating the cytoplasmic pool of JAK2; IL-8 then acts on both the cancer cells and stromal fibroblasts. Thus, BLBC progression is promoted by increasing activities of wild-type N-Ras, which mediates autocrine/paracrine signaling that can influence both cancer and stroma cells.

Defining the molecular networks that drive breast cancer has led to therapeutic interventions and improved patient survival. However, the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer subtype (TNBC) remains recalcitrant to targeted therapies because its molecular etiology is poorly defined. In this study, we used a forward genetic screen to discover an oncogenic network driving human TNBC. SCYL1, TEX14, and PLK1 (“STP axis”) cooperatively trigger degradation of the REST tumor suppressor protein, a frequent event in human TNBC. The STP axis induces REST degradation by phosphorylating a conserved REST phospho-degron and bridging REST interaction with the ubiquitin-ligase βTRCP. Inhibition of the STP axis leads to increased REST protein levels and impairs TNBC transformation, tumor progression, and metastasis. Expression of the STP axis correlates with low REST protein levels in human TNBCs and poor clinical outcome for TNBC patients. Our findings demonstrate that the STP-REST axis is a molecular driver of human TNBC.

To enhance the retention of compost nutrients, specifically in nitrogen metabolism and humification, compound microbial agents were added during the aerobic composting of bagasse pith and buffalo manure. The introduction of the microbial agent successfully colonized the mixture, boosted the degradation capacity of organic matter, and facilitated the formation of nitrogenous substances and humic substances (HSs). The incorporation of a composite microbial inoculum led to a substantial rise in total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) by 62.04%, nitrate nitrogen (NO- 3-N) by 291.65%, and amino acid (AA) by 78.77%. Furthermore, this intervention resulted in achieving a humic acid (HA) to fulvic acid (FA) ratio of 1.64. Metagenomic sequencing revealed enhanced synergistic interactions among microorganisms through inoculation, increasing the abundance of functional genes related to nitrification and nitrogen fixation compared to the uninoculated control. Spearman correlation analysis identified unclassified_c__Deltaproteobacteria, unclassified_f__Planctomycetaceae, Chryseosolibacter, unclassified_f__Hyphomicrobiaceae as the principal producers of HA. This research provides insights into the interactions between nitrogen metabolism and humification in composting, aiming to effectively retain compost nutrients and support the long-term sustainability of agriculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hydroxyl radical is the most oxidizing type of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is closely related to body health. In this work, a novel turn-on fluorescent probe BIJ-H for OH with high sensitivity was reported. BIJ-H was synthesized by a three-step reaction, and the pure product was obtained by only washing with poor solvents. In a neat aqueous solution containing BIJ-H, after adding OH, the probe was oxidized to BIJ, which produced fluorescence emission at 625 nm under the excitation with 550 nm. This sensing behavior can be achieved under physiological pH conditions. The detection limit of BIJ-H for OH was as low as 0.1379 μM. Thanks to the good analytical properties of BIJ-H, the probe has been applied to fluorescence imaging of OH in HepG2 cells and in acute liver injury induced by acetaminophen. The probe BIJ-H is expected to be used in the qualitative and quantitative detection of OH in physiological or pathological processes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is a naturally occurring mycotoxin produced by various fungi and plants. Despite reports on its toxicity, the potential impact of 3-NP exposure on reproductive health remains elusive. To this end, we conducted an in vitro study to investigate the toxic effects of 3-NP on the developmental processes of mouse embryos. Our results suggested that exposure to 50 μM 3-NP resulted in significant pre-implantation developmental arrest , with most embryos arrested at the 2-cell stage, indicating disruption of normal development. Further analysis indicated that 3-NP exposure altered embryonic gene expression, disrupted zygotic genome activation and maternal gene degradation, and inhibited maternal-zygote transition. Moreover, it impaired mitochondrial dysfunction, causing dysfunctional cellular energy metabolism and elevated intracellular oxidative stress, culminating in increased DNA damage. Additionally, 3-NP exposure caused aberrant epigenetic modifications, particularly the upregulation of histone methylation levels, including elevated H3K27me3 and H3K9me3, which are strongly related to gene expression silencing. In summary, this study elucidates the in vitro toxic effects of 3-NP on mouse embryo development and highlights its potential adverse effects on female reproductive health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Slow-release fertilizers show great promise for advancing agricultural sustainability by enhancing nutrient efficiency and mitigating environmental impacts. Herein, we propose an approach that embeds chitosan hydrogel membranes with metal-modified biochars to encapsulate N-P-K compound fertilizers, referred to as CS-MBC-SRFs. Our results demonstrate that CS-MBC-SRFs exhibit superior slow-release performance for N, P, and K compared to others (commercial NPK compound fertilizers, chitosan-coated, and biochar-embedded chitosan-coated fertilizers). Over a 33-day soil column test, CS-MBC-SRFs showed cumulative leaching ratios of <8.93 % for N, 18.4 % for P, and 14.4 % for K. Incorporating metal-modified biochar into the chitosan hydrogel membrane significantly enhances its swelling and mechanical properties while maintaining biodegradability and water-retention capacity. Mechanistic investigations reveal that nutrient release from CS-MBC-SRFs primarily occurs via diffusion through the hydrogel membrane, with the metal-modified biochar surface enhancing nutrient adsorption and delaying release. Additionally, the metal-modified biochars improved swelling and mechanical properties of the chitosan hydrogel membrane, significantly reducing nutrient diffusion. Pot tests demonstrated that CS-MBC-SRFs effectively promoted chili plant growth, ensuring high N-P-K utilization and improving chili fruit nutritional indices. Economic analysis further highlights the promising application prospects of CS-MBC-SRFs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Osteogenesis of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) is an important trigger for calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stone formation, but whether macrophages are involved in RTEC osteogenesis is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of macrophages in CaOx kidney stones on RTEC osteogenesis. Oxalate or ethylene glycol was used to construct in vitro and in vivo CaOx kidney stone models, respectively. Macrophage-derived conditioned medium was used to induce osteogenesis in HK-2 cells, and genetic controls and pharmacological interventions were used to investigate the underlying mechanism. The results demonstrated that macrophage-conditioned medium under oxalate intervention facilitated the increase of alkaline phosphatase and calcium salts as well as the upregulation of osteogenic marker genes (BMP2 and RUNX2) expression in HK-2 cells. On the one hand, the knockdown of the JAK2 gene in HK-2 cells reverses the role of macrophage-derived conditioned medium in promoting osteogenesis in HK-2 cells. On the other hand, inhibition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) generation in macrophages reverses osteogenesis in HK-2 cells. Moreover, inhibition of PGE2 generation would cure ethylene glycol-induced renal injury and calcium salt deposition, as well as osteogenesis of RTEC. This study illustrates that in the presence of oxalate, macrophages secret PGE2 to activate JAK2/STAT3 signaling in RTEC, which could trigger osteogenesis. It provides new insights into the mechanism of CaOx kidney stone formation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Climate change and air pollution pose significant global health threats, including impacts on diabetes risk; however, their long-term effects on insulin resistance (IR), a key determinant in diabetes pathophysiology, remain unclear. This study investigated whether exposure to heatwaves, temperature fluctuations, and warm-season ozone (O 3 ) contributes to or exacerbates IR and explored the potential mediating role of biological aging. The study enrolled 6901 participants and assessed both traditional and novel IR indicators: estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-c), metabolic score for IR (METS-IR), TyG-body mass index (TyG-BMI), TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), TyG-WHtR, and lipid accumulation product (LAP). Ordinary least squares regression models were applied to evaluate the long-lasting effects of heatwaves, temperature fluctuation, and warm-season O 3 on IR, incorporating Huber-White robust standard errors for model stability. Causal mediation analysis was utilized to investigate the mediating effects of biological aging. We found that exposure to heatwaves and higher concentrations of warm-season O 3 was associated with elevated IR levels, with males, smokers, drinkers, and low-income individuals being more vulnerable. Accelerated biological aging (including body age, metabolomic aging rate, etc.) could significant mediate the long-lasting effects of heatwaves and warm-season O 3 . Our findings suggest that climate change and air pollution could amplify the vulnerability of glucose metabolism, particularly in males, smokers, drinkers, and individuals with low-income. More importantly, our findings reveal the importance of mitigating biological aging to prevent IR in the future, as global diabetes prevalence escalates rapidly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The association of protein from different food sources and different plasma amino acids with risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unclear., Objectives: We aimed to investigate longitudinal relationships of dietary protein intake from different sources and quantity of plasma amino acids with new-onset CKD in the general population., Methods: Participants (mean age: 56 y) without CKD at baseline were included in the UK Biobank. A total of 176,980 were included in the analysis for protein intakes and 99,061 participants were included in the analysis for plasma amino acids. Information on dietary protein was collected based on a 24-h dietary recall from the previous day. Plasma amino acid concentrations were measured by a high-throughput NMR-based metabolic biomarker profiling platform. The study outcome was new-onset CKD., Results: During a median follow-up of 12 y (beginning between 2006 and 2010 and ending in 2021), 3542 participants (2,128,626 person-year) developed new-onset CKD. Higher intakes of dairy-derived and fish-derived protein were associated with lower incidence of CKD [per standard deviation, SD increment, adjusted hazard ratio, HR (95% confidence interval, 95% CI): 0.95 (0.91, 0.98) and 0.95 (0.92, 0.99), respectively], but protein intake from other foods was not (P-trend > 0.1). Moreover, incident CKD was lower among those with higher plasma histidine (per SD increment; adjusted HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.95), tyrosine (0.90; 0.87, 0.94), isoleucine (0.89; 0.85, 0.92), leucine (0.89; 0.85, 0.93), and valine (0.89; 0.85, 0.93)., Conclusions: The protein intake from dairy and fish, as well as the concentration of plasma histidine, tyrosine, isoleucine, leucine, and valine, was inversely associated with new-onset CKD., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest SRS is a member of the Journal’s Editorial Board. All other authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2025 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, lignocellulose-degrading microbes were added to cattle manure and bagasse co-compost through initial- and two-stage inoculations. A comparison was made between the effects of the two inoculations on compost humification parameters, and an investigation was conducted into the dynamic succession of the microbial community, microbial interactions, and amino acid metabolism to uncover the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that two-stage inoculation increased the humus (HS) and humic acid (HA) contents to 86.59 mg/g and 25.80 mg/g, respectively, and achieved a germination index (GI) of 128.77%. At the genus level, it stimulated the growth of Corynebacterium, Thermobifida, and Aspergillus during the high-temperature period, and Luteimonas, Pseudomonas, Actinomadura, and Rhizopus during the maturity period. Two-stage inoculation increased the stability of the bacterial network and microbial cooperation within the fungal network. Additionally, from the cooling to the maturity period, it boosted ten amino acid synthesis pathways. In conclusion, two-stage inoculation is an effective method to promote the maturation and stabilization of co-compost., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Utilizing biomass corn stalks as the raw material to manufacture high-value carbon materials is a promising method for mitigating environmental impact while fostering economic growth. In this study, polysaccharides and lignin in biomass corn stalks were successfully converted into N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) using the catalytic chemical vapor deposition method, with FeCl 3 as the catalyst precursor and melamine as the nitrogen doping source. The incorporation of nitrogen doping and the formation of oxygen-containing functional groups introduced defects in the N-CNTs walls. The interpenetrating network of N-CNTs facilitates rapid electron transport and provides sufficient space to accommodate sulfur. Compared to the biomass carbon synthesized from stalk powder, biomass N-CNTs exhibit a higher specific surface area of 49.861 m 2  g -1 . When used as host materials for lithium‑sulfur (LiS) batteries, these N-CNTs/S cathodes demonstrate better cycling stability and rate capability. After 700 cycles at 1.0C, the N-CNTs/S cathodes still maintained a specific discharge capacity of around 574.6 mAh g -1 and nearly 100 % coulombic efficiency. The use of the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method combined with biomass precursors for CNTs production is expected to lower production costs and improve the sustainability of energy storage systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers. is a respected medicinal and edible fungus known for its outstanding nutritional profile. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is viewed as a valuable medicinal resource offering various benefits, such as liver protection, spleen fortification, stomach nourishment, and improved digestion. The primary active ingredient, H. erinaceus polysaccharides (HEPs), exhibits diverse biological activities, including immunomodulatory, gastrointestinal protective, regulation of intestinal flora, anti-Alzheimer's, and antioxidant activities. These activities underscore the significant potential of HEPs for treating various diseases and developing HEPs-based pharmaceuticals. For instance, HEPs can exert immunomodulatory effects through the TLR4/NFκB/MyD88/MAPK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Additionally, HEPs achieve immunomodulatory, gastrointestinal protection, and anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects by modulating intestinal microbiota. This review systematically summarizes the past five years' research on the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, pharmacological properties, structure-activity relationships, structural modifications, toxicological effects, and potential applications of HEPs. It highlights the diverse biological activities of HEPs in vivo and in vitro and discusses structural modification methods and their broad application prospects in food, medicine, industry, and other fields. These studies will enhance the understanding of HEPs and promote further exploration and innovation in the field of biological activity research and the development of potential applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Thermosensitive hydrogels show great potential in healing diabetic wounds, but they are still challenged by the long healing time, risk of infectivity, and accumulation of melanin. Herein, a dual network hydrogel is designed, which consists of chlorogenic acid (CA) modified chitosan (CS) (CA@CS), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), and glabridin liposomes (GL). The gelation transition temperature of the hydrogel is 32-34 °C, which thus endows it with superior injectability at ambient temperature. Moreover, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS also exhibits excellent biocompatibility, and can promote the growth of epidermal cells, and the healing of diabetic wounds. GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS can also control the immune reactions by enhancing the release of CD206, and decreasing the formation of CD86 and ROS, which further promotes the production of CD31 and VEGF, and reduces the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, thus aiding in the healing of diabetic wounds. Furthermore, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS can also suppress the growth bacterial, which can thus decrease the wound microbiota levels and facilitate the recovery of diabetic wounds. More importantly, it can reduce melanin production by 80 % due to the action of glabridin. Consequently, GL/PNIPAm/CA@CS shows significant promise in enhancing the wound healing in future and decreasing the accumulation of melanin., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper. The authors declare no competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

p-Phenylenediamines (PPDs) are widely used as antioxidants in numerous rubber products to prevent or delay oxidation and corrosion. However, their derived quinones (PPD-Qs), generated through reactions with ozone, are ubiquitous in the environment and raise significant health and toxicity concerns. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on environmental distribution and fate, human exposure, and biological toxicity of PPDs and PPD-Qs, and makes recommendations for future research directions. Although PPDs and PPD-Qs have been monitored in a variety of environmental matrices, studies on soil, sediment, and organisms remain limited. This shortcoming hinders our understanding of their distribution patterns and migration mechanisms in these specific environments. These contaminants can enter the human body through various exposure routes, but toxicological studies have not yielded sufficient results to derive risk thresholds for the assessment of human health. Most studies examining biological and toxicological effects have focused on acute exposure scenarios, which do not accurately reflect the long-term interactions that occur in natural settings. The toxic effects of PPDs and PPD-Qs on zebrafish, nematodes, and mammals include neurobehavioral changes, reproductive dysfunction, and digestive damage, which are linked to mitochondrial stress, DNA adduct formation, and disrupted lipid metabolism, respectively. However, the underlying toxicological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Future research should prioritize the investigation of the impacts of PPDs and PPD-Qs on various organizational levels within biota to provide a scientific basis for developing effective risk management measures., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics have gained significant social attention, as they can enter our bodies through food and drinking water. The adrenal gland is essential for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and stress responses. Nevertheless, the effects of microplastics on the steroid synthesis in the adrenal cortex was still unclear. In this study, through both in vivo and in vitro models, we found that polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) impaired adrenal steroid synthesis, leading to a reduction in corticosterone levels. In vivo, we further observed that chronic exposure to PS-MPs (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/d for 4 weeks) could induce abnormal mitochondrial morphology and functional disruptions of adrenal glands in male mice, along with an imbalance in cellular oxidative stress, manifested as increased level of reactive oxygen species, diminished antioxidant activity (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). In vitro, these occurrences coincided with an elevated rate of cell apoptosis observed in adrenocortical cells following exposure to PS-MPs. We proposed that mitochondrial dysfunction not only directly influenced the biosynthetic processes of steroid hormones but also induced cell apoptosis through the initiation of cellular oxidative stress. The latter may represent a common mechanism underlying the multi-organ toxicity induced by PS-MPs in the body. Our findings would provide new insights for the development of more effective environmental protection measures and the reduction of plastic pollution., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The use of Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely restricted due to its adverse health effects. Bisphenol Z (BPZ) is used as an alternative to BPA, and humans are widely exposed to BPZ through various routes. Recent studies have shown that BPZ exposure adversely affects mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. This study investigates the impact of BPZ exposure on early mouse embryonic development alongside an exploration of the underlying mechanisms. The findings reveal that exposure to BPZ leads to a reduction in early embryo quality and hinders developmental progression. RNA sequencing analysis has identified 593 differentially expressed genes as a result of BPZ exposure, highlighting considerable changes in early embryonic gene expression. Mechanistically, BPZ exposure inhibits the activation of the zygotic genome and impedes maternal mRNA degradation, thereby interfering with maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). Further analysis indicates compromised mitochondrial function, as evidenced by abnormal distribution, diminished membrane potential, and lower ATP levels. Consequently, BPZ-exposed embryos exhibit elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, superoxide anions, and oxidative DNA damage. Moreover, BPZ exposure is associated with an increase in γ-H2A.X expression. Additionally, BPZ exposure alters the expression levels of histone modifications, including H3K27me2, H3K27me3, H3K9me3, and H3K27ac, in early embryos. Collectively, BPZ exposure significantly impairs early embryo quality by disrupting mitochondrial function, inducing oxidative stress and DNA damage, altering histone modifications, and inhibiting MZT, ultimately resulting in hindered blastocyst formation. These findings underscore the profound adverse effects of BPZ on early embryonic development, indicating the need for caution when considering it as a safe alternative to BPA., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Arsenic is a pollutant that can cross the placenta; however, research on the effects of arsenic exposure during pregnancy on the fertility of female offspring is limited. To address this gap, we developed a mouse model to investigate the relationship between arsenic exposure during pregnancy and fertility in female offspring. Our fertility assessment revealed that gestational exposure to 1 mg/kg arsenic or higher (10 mg/kg) resulted in reduction in litter size, ovarian volume, and multistage-follicle number in female offspring. By assessing the in vitro developmental capacity of oocytes and zygotes, we confirmed that the reduced fertility was due not to impaired oocyte quality but rather to a reduction in oocyte quantity. Arsenic exposure impedes synapsis formation in MPI and compromises homologous recombination-mediated repair of double-strand breaks, resulting in fewer crossovers. This disruption activates the pachytene-checkpoint, hindering the progression of the MPI and resulting in the elimination of defective oocytes through p-Chk2 activation. Our study reveals for the first time the detrimental effects of arsenic exposure during pregnancy on the fertility of female offspring, underscoring the urgent need to prevent such exposure to safeguard reproductive health., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rare earth elements (REEs) are crucial metallic resources that play an essential role in national economies and industrial production. The reclaimation of REEs from wastewater stands as a significant supplementary strategy to bolster the REEs supply. Adsorption techniques are widely recognized as environmentally friendly and sustainable methods for the separation of REEs from wastewater. Despite the growing interest in adsorption-based REEs separation, comprehensive reviews of both traditional and novel adsorbents toward REEs recovery remain limited. This review aims to provide a thorough analysis of various adsorbents for the recovery of REEs. The types of adsorbents examined include activated carbons, functionalized silica nanoparticles, and microbial synthetic adsorbents, with a detailed evaluation of their adsorption capacities, selectivity, and regeneration potential. This study focuses on the mechanisms of REEs adsorption, including electrostatic interactions, ion exchange, surface complexation, and surface precipitation, highlighting how surface modifications can enhance REEs recovery efficiency. Future efforts in designing high-performance adsorbents should prioritize the optimization of the density of functional groups to enhance both selectivity and adsorption capacity, while also maintaining a balance between overall capacity, cost, and reusability. The incorporation of covalently bonded functional groups onto mechanically robust adsorbents can significantly strengthen chemical interactions with REEs and improve the structural stability of the adsorbents during reuse. Additionally, the development of materials with high specific surface areas and well-defined porous structures is benifitial to facilitating mass transfer of REEs and maximizing adsorption efficiency. Ultimately, the advancement of the design of efficient, highly selective and recyclable adsorbents is critical for addressing the growing demand for REEs across diverse industrial applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Feiping Zhao reports financial support was provided by National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation. Liyuan Chai reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is bioactive in mammals. Reduced H 2 S was observe in pregnancy complications, pre-eclampsia (PE). Our previous data demonstrated that low dose of H2S enhanced cytotrophoblast (CTB) invasion and migration via mitochondria dynamics without knowing the mechanisms. This study was designed to explore the functional regulation of CTB by mitochondrial fission regulator 1 like (MTFR1L) and the mechanisms. By studying human placenta samples and HTR-8/SVneo cell line, MTFR1L was found expressed in CTB. While MTFR1L expression was lower in PE placenta and CTB comparing with Normal pregnancy. Knockdown of MTFR1L decreased CTB invasion and migration, as well as the ATP production, while increased the mitochondria fragmentation, ROS production and mitochondria membrane potential indicating MTFR1L was key regulator of mitochondria. The posttranslational modulation analysis showed enhanced persulfidation of MTFR1L on cystine 222 and 230 by H 2 S. Mutations of MTFR1L C222/C230 suppressed ATP production, CTB invasion, migration, and increased mitochondria fragmentation, ROS production and mitochondria membrane potential. The present study showed the functional MTFR1L received endogenous CBS/H2S regulation. MTFR1L C222/230 persulfidation by H 2 S maintained mitochondria morphology and functions thus restored CTB invasion and migration. These findings established a new regulatory pathway for CTB invasion and migration, and provided new targets for PE treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Conventional biochar-based fertilizers, which typically consist of a mixture of biochar, chemical fertilizers, and additives, offer benefits but often exhibit rapid nutrient release, limiting their long-term effectiveness. Herein, we explored the enhancement of slow-release performance in biochar-based compound fertilizers by incorporating a kaolinite-infused polyvinyl alcohol/starch (K-PVA/ST) coating, resulting in a new formulation denoted as K-PVA/ST-BCF. The results demonstrated that, compared to traditional NPK fertilizers, nitrogen leaching from K-PVA/ST-BCF in soil column leaching tests was reduced to 19.1 % over 29 days, while phosphorus and potassium leaching were reduced to 48.5 % and 72.3 %, respectively. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the inclusion of kaolinite in the PVA/ST matrix reduces swelling, improves water retention, and enhances mechanical properties, leading to a more gradual and sustained release of nutrients. Field trials on reclaimed land showed that K-PVA/ST-BCF increased wheat yield by up to 100 % compared to conventional NPK treatment. It also enhanced soil nitrogen content and organic matter, with organic matter reaching 22.7 g/kg at grain maturity. The economic assessment indicated that despite higher initial production costs compared to conventional NPK fertilizers, K-PVA/ST-BCF offers higher nutrient use efficiency, reduced management costs, and a net profit increase of $1525.86 per hectare., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In plants, cytochrome P450s are monooxygenase that play key roles in the synthesis and degradation of intracellular substances. In tobacco, the majority of studies examining the P450 superfamily have concentrated on the CYP82E subfamily, where multiple family members function as demethylases, facilitating the synthesis of nornicotine. In this study, NtCYP82C4, a tobacco P450 superfamily member, was identified from a gene-edited tobacco mutant that nicotine biosynthesis in tobacco leaves is evidently reduced. Compared to the wild-type plants, the knockout of NtCYP82C4 resulted in a significantly lower nicotine content and biomass in tobacco leaves. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicated that the knockout of NtCYP82C4 inhibites secondary metabolic processes in tobacco plants, leading to the accumulation of some important precursors in the nicotine synthesis process, including aspartic acid and nicotinic acid, and increases nitrogen partitioning associated with those processes such as amino acid synthesis and utilization. It is speculated that NtCYP82C4 may function as an important catalase downstream of the nicotine synthesis. Currently, most of the steps and enzymes involved in the nicotine biosynthesis process in tobacco have been elucidated. Here, our study deepens the current understanding of nicotine biosynthesis process and provides new enzyme targets for nicotine synthesis in tobacco plants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare neither competing interests nor conflict of financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Qingyuan Partridge chickens represent a notable breed of high-quality, slow-growing chickens. The cost of feed constitutes 65-70 % of the total breeding expense for Qingyuan Partridge chickens. Enhancing feed utilization efficiency and reducing feed consumption are crucial for the advancement of Qingyuan Partridge chickens and the broader poultry industry. To investigate the key candidate genes associated with feed efficiency in Qingyuan Partridge chickens for genome selection, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed in this study. Genetic parameters estimation results indiated that the heritability of 12-17 feed conversion ratio was 0.19, with the highest genetic correlation observed with 17 body weight (-0.96). Additionally, the heritability of 12-17 residual feed intake was 0.09, with the highest genetic correlation with 12-14 average daily feed intake (0.93). GWAS results revealed 28 significant SNPs associated with body weight, feed intake, metabolic weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and residual feed intake. The multiple genes are significantly enriched in the aromatic compound biosynthetic process, heterocycle biosynthetic process, and nucleobase-containing compound biosynthetic process. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression levels of four genes-exocyst complex component 4(EXOC4), fibrosin like 1(FBRSL1), methionine adenosyltransferase 2 non-catalytic beta subunit (MAT2B), and cytidine/uridine monophosphate kinase 1(CMPK1)-related to significant SNPs exhibited significant differences in the liver tissues of high residual feed intake group compared with low residual feed intake group. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chicken feed efficiency traits, enabling further genetic improvement of Qingyuan Partridge chickens, and improving industrial efficiency., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

CD8 subunit alpha (CD8A) is an important gene in immunity and is involved in the functional regulation of T lymphocytes. However, the specific role and regulatory mechanism of CD8A in chicken T lymphocytes remain unknown. In this study, we overexpressed and interfered with CD8A in chicken T lymphocytes and found that interfering with CD8A expression inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of T lymphocytes and that the overexpression of CD8A promoted T lymphocyte activation. Additionally, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of chicken T lymphocytes with CD8A overexpression or interference were performed. The overexpression and interference of the CD8A gene caused widespread changes in gene and metabolite expression in chicken T cells. The results of the transcriptome analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) caused by altered expression of the CD8A gene were associated with multiple "neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction", "cell adhesion molecules", "calcium signaling pathway", etc. The metabolome analysis results revealed that different metabolites (DMs) caused by altered CD8A gene expression were associated with "Glutathione metabolism", "Arginine biosynthesis", "D-amino acid metabolism", etc. The combined transcriptional and metabolic analysis revealed one metabolically related pathway, "Glutathione metabolism". Our findings further revealed that interference and overexpression of CD8A plays a role in the metabolism of Glutathione. Thus, CD8A may be a critical regulator of "Glutathione metabolism" and may subsequently affect T-cell function in chickens. These results provide an important reference for further research on the effect of CD8A on the immune performance of chickens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The utilization of metal-modified biochars (MBCs) for practical phosphorus recovery has attracted significant research interest recently. However, the optimal choice of metals and modification methods for MBCs remains unclear. This study addresses this gap by comparing the phosphate adsorption capabilities of various MBCs using real municipal wastewater. The results show that zinc-modified biochar exhibits superior phosphate adsorption compared to biochars modified with calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and iron. Specifically, zinc-modified biochar prepared through metal-mediated biomass pyrolysis with alkaline soaking (ZnBC-OH) demonstrates the highest adsorption capacity, achieving 36.6 mg P/g in wastewater with a phosphate concentration of 5 mg P/L. This performance surpasses that of previously reported non-lanthanide modified biochars and is comparable to lanthanide-modified biochars. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the exceptional performance of ZnBC-OH is due to the presence of highly dispersed ZnO sites, which facilitate the formation of Zn 3 (PO 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O precipitation, effectively retaining phosphate. Furthermore, a techno-economic analysis indicates that using ZnBC-OH in a fixed-bed column system can reduce phosphate levels from 6 mg L -1 to below 0.5 mg L -1 at a cost of 1.834 USD per ton of secondary treated wastewater, underscoring its promising application potential., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

While community walkability is recognized as a key environmental factor for health status, evidence linking it specifically to hypertension is rather limited. To fill the knowledge gap, we concluded a cross-sectional study among 6421 eligible participants from the Wuhan Chronic Disease Cohort. A well-developed algorithm was performed to evaluate community walkability across Wuhan, quantified as Walk Score. We then calculated each participant residential Walk Score using the geographic information system. The logistic and linear regression models were conducted to determine the relationship between walkability, hypertension and blood pressure, respectively. We further performed the mediation analysis to explore potential mechanisms. After adjusting for extra confounders, we observed a higher community walk score was associated with a lower hypertension risk (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.84), a lower systolic blood pressure (β = -3.152 mmHg; 95% CI: -4.25, -2.05), a lower diastolic blood pressure (β = -2.237 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.95, -2.53) and a lower mean arterial pressure (β = -2.976 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.75, -2.20). The effect of community walkability on hypertension was partially mediated by body fat rate. Our study indicates a positive correlation between high walkability and a reduced odds of hypertension in China. This highlights the potential role of urban design in hypertension prevention, emphasizes the need for walkability-focused planning strategies to foster healthier communities, and guides future interventions and research to mitigate hypertension., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The excessive accumulation of abdominal fat in chickens has resulted in a reduction in both the feed conversion efficiency and the slaughter yield. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms and metabolic pathways affecting abdominal fat deposition in the context of broiler breeding, a cohort of 400 Qingyuan partridge chickens with varying abdominal fat deposition was established. Whole transcriptome sequencing analyses were conducted on the duodenum of 20 representative chickens to ascertain the regulatory networks at this vital digestive and absorptive organ. Consequently, 116 differentially expressed genes were identified, exhibiting a trend of increasing or decreasing expression in correlation with the accumulation of abdominal fat. A total of 36 DEmRNAs, 170 DElncRNAs, 92 DEcircRNAs and 88 DEmiRNAs were identified as differentially expressed between chickens with extremely high and low abdominal fat deposition. The functional enrichment analyses demonstrated that the differentially expressed RNA in the duodenum were involved in the regulation of chicken abdominal fat deposition by mediating a series of metabolic pathways, including the Wnt signaling pathway, the PPAR signaling pathway, the Hippo signaling pathway, the FoxO signaling pathway, the MAPK signaling pathway and other signaling pathways that are involved in fatty acid metabolism and degradation. The construction of putative interaction pairs led to the suggestion of two lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks comprising two mRNAs, two miRNAs, and 29 lncRNAs, as well as two circRNA-lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks comprising 26 mRNAs, 12 miRNAs, 17 lncRNAs, and nine circRNAs, as core regulatory networks in the duodenum affecting chicken abdominal fat deposition. The aforementioned genes including TMEM150C, REXO1, PIK3C2G, ppp1cb, PARP12, SERPINE2, LRAT, CYP1A1, INSR and APOA4, were proposed as candidate genes, while the miRNAs, including miR-107-y, miR-22-y, miR-25-y, miR-2404-x and miR-16-x, as well as lncRNAs such as ENSGALT00000100291, TCONS&#95;00063508, TCONS&#95;00061201 and TCONS&#95;00079402 were the candidate regulators associated with chicken abdominal fat deposition. The findings of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the molecular mechanisms of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs in duodenal tissues on abdominal fat deposition in chickens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any competing commercial or financial interests that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study involved the fabrication of double-layer intelligent films using chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), grape skin anthocyanin (GSA), gellan gum (GG) and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). The CS/PVA/GSA layer functioned as the internal indicator layer, and the GG/SeNPs layer acted as the external layer for antioxidant and antimicrobial purposes. SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA results confirmed the successful fabrication of double-layer films as well as the presence of hydrogen bonding interaction between the two layers. The tensile strength of double-layer films (8.06 MPa-9.61 MPa) fallen between that of single-layer CS/PVA/GSA film (12.51 MPa) and GG/SeNPs film (1.50 MPa-7.67 MPa). The double-layer films demonstrated good UV-blocking abilities, as well as outstanding antioxidant (ABTS scavenging rate can be up to ∼80 %) and antimicrobial properties. Compared with single-layer CS/PVA/GSA film, the double-layer film incorporated with 6.6 wt% SeNPs (CPG/GS2 film) possessed a more rapid and stronger response towards NH 3 /acetic acid as well as enhanced storage stability. Furthermore, the CPG/GS2 film can increase the shelf life of strawberries at 25 °C by 4 days, and its visible color change showed strong correlation with the weight loss rate (R 2  = 0.99) and hardness (R 2  = 0.98) of strawberries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of bio-based composites and products from natural biomass offers a viable solution to the resource and environmental issues caused by non-renewable petrochemical feedstocks. Nevertheless, the high carbon content inherent in biomass renders bio-based materials highly flammable, thereby increasing their susceptibility to fire hazards and limiting their potential applications. In this study, flame retardant starch/wood fiber composites (SWA) were developed, utilizing starch as the matrix, wood fiber as the reinforcing phase, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as the flame retardant, and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) as both an inorganic filler and a flame retardant synergist. The SWA composites incorporating 5 % (SWA-5) and 10 % (SWA-10) APP achieved UL-94 V-0 rating, with limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 41.5 % and 57.8 %, respectively. Compared to the control group, SWA-10 exhibited significantly reduced heat release and smoke emission rates, with total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) reduced by 50.4 % and 72 %, respectively. Additionally, SWA-5 exhibited excellent mechanical properties and outstanding thermal insulation, while SWA-10 showed remarkable biodegradability. Therefore, this work developed ultra-high flame retardant bio-based composites with excellent overall performance, making them suitable for thermal insulation and green building applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The environmental problems caused by the abuse of antibiotics are raising serious attention, and the removal of antibiotics in wastewater is meaningful yet challenging. In this work, lignin-derived carbon fibers loaded layered double hydroxides (LDH@LCF) has been prepared for the removal of ofloxacin (OFX) from wastewater via photocatalysis, which exhibit a high degradation efficiency of 96 % under visible light and maintained 90 % after five reuses. The effects of Zn 2+ /Fe 3+ in the samples and other parameters affecting the photocatalytic efficiency of OFX have been systematically investigated. Results demonstrated that the enhanced photocatalytic efficiency is derived from the synergistic effect of the Zn 2+ and Fe 3+ in the LDH with a reduced band gap of the catalyst, higher number of oxygen and metal unsaturated coordination sites, and rapid removal of photogenerated electrons. The working mechanism and degradation pathways for OFX by LDH@LCF are also elucidated in detail., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal cardiovascular disorder that is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling. Our previous results demonstrated that heat shock protein (Hsp110) was significantly activated to induce vascular remodeling by enhancing the Hsp110-STAT3 interaction. The development of inhibitors that disrupt this association represents a novel strategy for the treatment of PAH. This study is committed to finding new inhibitors targeting the Hsp110-STAT3 interaction based on the structure of the lead compound 2h. A fusion design principle was employed in conjunction with structural optimization in the identification of the compound 10b. In vitro data indicates that 10b exhibited greater potency in the inhibition of pulmonary vascular cells malignant phenotypes via impeding the chaperone function of Hsp110 and the Hsp110-STAT3 interaction. In hypoxia-induced PAH rats, administration of 10b significantly attenuated vascular remodeling and right ventricular hypertrophy by inhibiting the Hsp110-STAT3 association. In short, this work identified a novel and promising lead compound for the development of anti-PAH drugs targeting the Hsp110-STAT3 interaction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background and Aim: The association between lung function with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the general population remains unknown. We aimed to examine the association between lung function and NAFLD among the general population in an observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) study., Methods and Results: 340, 253 participants without prior liver diseases were included from the UK Biobank. Of these, 30,397 participants had liver proton density fat fraction (PDFF) measurements by magnetic resonance image (MRI). Lung function parameters included forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). The primary outcome was the presence of NAFLD, defined as a PDFF greater than 5.5%. The secondary outcome included incident severe NAFLD and severe liver diseases (including liver cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death), defined by the International Classification of Disease codes with different data sources. During a media follow-up duration of 9.3 years, 7335 (24.1%) the presence of NAFLD cases were documented. There was an inverse association of FEV1 (% predicted) (Per SD increment, adjusted OR = 0.91, 95%CI: 0.88-0.94) and FVC (% predicted) (Per SD increment, adjusted OR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.87-0.92) with the presence of NAFLD. Similar results were found for incident severe NAFLD, severe liver disease, liver cirrhosis, liver failure and liver-related death. MR analyses showed that the genetically predicted FEV1 (adjusted OR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.46-0.87) and FVC (adjusted OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.51-0.95) were both inversely associated with the presence of NAFLD., Conclusions: There was an inverse causal relationship between lung function and NAFLD in the general population., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The biotransformation of natural compounds by fungal microorganisms is a complex biochemical process. Tandem whole-cell biotransformation offers a promising, alternative, and cost-effective method for modifying of bioactive novel compounds. This approach is particularly beneficial for structurally complex natural products that are difficult to be synthesized through traditional synthetic methods. Biotransformation also provides significant regio- and stereoselectivity, making it a valuable tool for the chemical modification of natural compounds. By utilizing microbial conversion reactions, the biological activity and structural diversity of natural products can be enhanced. In this review, we have summarized 282 novel metabolites resulting from microbial transformation by various microorganisms. We discussed the chemical structures and pharmacological properties of these novel biotransformation products. The review would assist scientists working in the fields of biotechnology, organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and polystyrene microplastics (PS-MP) share common environmental niches, their interactions can modulate their hazard impacts. Herein, we assessed the developmental toxicity of 1 mg/L PS-MP, 0.5 mg/L AgNPs and the mixtures of AgNPs and PS-MP on embryo-larval zebrafish. We found that AgNPs co-exposure with PS-MP remarkably decreased mortality rates, malformation rates, heart rates and yolk sac area, while it increased hatching rates and eye size compared to the AgNPs group. These phenomena revealed that the cell cycle, oxidative stress, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, ferroptosis and p53 signalling pathway were obviously affected by single AgNPs exposure at 96 hpf (hours post fertilization). Interestingly, all these effects were effectively ameliorated by co-exposure with PS-MP. The combination of transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that the imbalance of DEGs (differentially expressed genes) and DEMs (differentially expressed metabolites) (PI, phosphatidylinositol and TAG-FA, triacylglycerol-fatty acid) disturbed both the cell cycle and lipid metabolism following single AgNPs exposure and co-exposure with PS-MP. These findings suggest that PS-MP attenuates the developmental toxicity of AgNPs on embryo-larval zebrafish. Overall, this study provides important insight into understanding the transcriptional responses and mechanisms of AgNPs alone or in combination with PS-MPs on embryo-larval zebrafish, providing a reference for ecological risk assessment of combined exposure to PS-MP and metal nanoparticles., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To improve chitosan hemostasis, carboxylated sisal fiber and kaolin were introduced to obtain carboxylated sisal fiber/chitosan/kaolin (SF/CS/K) composite sponges (the weight ratio of 3: 3:4, 4:4:2, 5:5:0) by freeze-drying method. The results showed that the ionic cross-linking of the carboxylated sisal fiber with chitosan and kaolin-loading endowed the composite sponges with not only oriented groove porous structure, high mechanical strength, porosity, water absorption and compress recovery, but also suitable biodegradation, good cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, protein adsorption, antibacterial activity. Especially, compared with commercial gelatin hemostatic sponges, the composite sponge of SF/CS/K displayed better coagulation ability and hemostatic effect, and animal experiments further demonstrated that the bleeding amount and hemostatic time of SF/CS/K were greatly reduced in rat hemostatic models of tail amputation, femoral vein trauma and liver injury, owing to the synergistic hemostatic effect of chitosan, kaolin and sisal fiber, as well as the groove porous structure, which endowed them with strong adhesion for red blood cells. Conclusively, SF/CS/K 2 composite sponge had the best hemostatic effect because of the most appropriate component ratio, which is a novel promising natural hemostatic sponge for effective and rapid hemostasis in deep massive bleeding sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of the manuscript entitled, “A natural carboxylated sisal fiber/chitosan/kaolin porous sponge for rapid and effective hemostasis”., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)