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Background: Organising pneumonia (OP) is one of the most common and lethal diseases in the category of interstitial pneumonia, along with lung cancer. Reprogramming of lipid metabolism is a newly recognized hallmark of many diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, as well as liver fibrosis and sclerosis. Increased levels of ceramides composed of sphingosine and fatty acid, are implicated in the development of both acute and chronic lung diseases. However, their pathophysiological significance in OP is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lipid metabolism reprogramming in OP, focusing on inflammation and fibrosis. Methods: Comprehensive multi‐omics profiling approaches, including single‐cell RNA sequencing, Visium CytAssist spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and mass spectrometry, were employed to analyze the tissues. OP mice model was utilized and molecular mechanisms were investigated in macrophages. Results: The results revealed a significant association between OP and lipid metabolism reprogramming, characterized by an abnormal expression of several genes related to lipid metabolism, including CD36, SCD1, and CES1 mainly in macrophages. CD36 deficiency in alveolar macrophages, led to an increased expression of C16/24 ceramides that accumulated in mitochondria, resulting in mitophagy or mitochondrial dysfunction. The number of alveolar macrophages in OP was significantly reduced, which was probably due to the ferroptosis signaling pathway involving GSH/SLC3A2/GPX4 through CD36 downregulation in OP. Furthermore, macrophage secretion of DPP7 and FABP4 influenced epithelial cell fibrosis. Conclusions: CD36 inhibited the ferroptosis pathway involving SLC3A2/GPX4 in alveolar macrophages of OP tissue by regulating lipid metabolism, thus representing a new anti‐ferroptosis and anti‐fibrosis effect of CD36 mediated, at least in part, by ceramides. Highlights: Our findings reveal a significant association between organising pneumonia and lipid metabolism reprogramming and will make a substantial contribution to the understanding of the mechanism of organising pneumonia in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) are both endemic in rural areas and some characteristics are similar between HFRS and SFTS, which usually lead to misdiagnosis. In this study, we summarized and compared some characteristics of HFRS and SFTS which will provide scientific information for differential diagnosis. From 2011 to 2022, a total of 4336 HFRS cases and 737 SFTS cases were reported in Zhejiang Province. Compared to SFTS, there was a higher proportion of males among HFRS cases (72.46% [3142/4336] vs. 50.88% [375/737], p = 0.000). The median age of all 4336 HFRS cases was 49 (39, 59), while the median age of SFTS cases was 66 (57, 74). In addition, the involved counties of HFRS were more than SFTS, but the number of counties affected by SFTS increased from 2011 to 2022. The majority of SFTS cases occurred in summer (from May to July), but besides summer, HFRS cases also showed a peak in winter. Finally, our results showed that the case fatality rate of SFTS was significantly higher than that of HFRS. Although there were some similarities between HFRS and SFTS, our study found several differences between them, such as gender distribution, age distribution, and seasonal distribution, which will provide scientific information for differential diagnosis of HFRS and SFTS. Further studies should be carried out to explore the mechanism of these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor‐associated myeloid cells (TAMCs) play a crucial role in orchestrating the dynamics of the tumor immune microenvironment. This heterogeneous population encompasses myeloid‐derived suppressor cells, tumor‐associated macrophages and dendritic cells, all of which contribute to the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu that fosters tumor progression. Tumor‐derived exosomes (TEXs), small extracellular vesicles secreted by tumor cells, have emerged as central mediators in intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment. In this comprehensive review, we explore the intricate mechanisms through which TEXs modulate immune‐suppressive effects on TAMCs and their profound implications in cancer progression. We delve into the multifaceted ways in which TEXs influence TAMC functions, subsequently affecting tumor immune evasion. Furthermore, we elucidate various therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting TEX‐mediated immune suppression, with the ultimate goal of bolstering antitumor immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes the tight sandstone of the lower sub‐member of the first member of the Eocene Shahejie Formation (Es1x) in the Suning area, Raoyang Sag, Bohai Bay Basin. Furthermore, it determines the rock type of the middle‐deep tight sandstone through lithologic profiling, core observation and log data analysis. The genetic control factors of tight sandstone in the study area are analysed using conventional thin section, pore‐casted thin section and scanning electron microscope, and the characteristics and genetic control factors of tight sandstone reservoirs are summarized. The research results show that the tight sandstones in this area are primarily feldspathic sandstone and feldspathic lithic sandstone, with high quartz contents, around 61.50%. The average porosity of the reservoir in the study area is 4.69%, and the average permeability is 2.92 mD, which are characteristics of low‐porosity and low‐permeability reservoirs. Through research, it has been found that the distribution of sedimentary facies and diagenesis in the study area control the development and distribution of 'sweet spots'. Both compaction and cementation reduce the physical properties of the reservoir, while dissolution can increase porosity, thereby increasing the physical properties of the reservoir; dissolution resulted in an increase of approximately 3.57%–3.69% in the porosity of the tight reservoir in the study area, with an average porosity increase of 3.63%, and is the main controlling factor for the development of 'sweet spots' in the reservoir. The results provide an important basis for guiding the exploration and development of tight sandstone oil and gas in the lower sub‐member of the first member of the Eocene Shahejie Formation (Es1x)in the Suning area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The embryo‐like structures (embryoids) constructed by aggregating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) have provided revolutionary tools for studying the intricate interaction between embryonic and extra‐embryonic tissues during early embryonic development, which has been achieved in mice. However, due to the opposite dependence on some signalling pathways for in vitro culture of human ESCs (hESCs) and TSCs (hTSCs), particularly WNT and TGFβ signalling pathways, which limits the construction of human post‐implantation embryoids by aggregating hESCs and hTSCs. To overcome this challenge, here, by screening 1639 chemicals, we found that an inhibitor of integrated stress response, ISRIB, can replace WNT agonists and TGFβ inhibitors to maintain the stemness and differentiation capacity of hTSCs. Thus, we developed an ISRIB‐dependent in vitro culture medium for hTSCs, namely nTSM. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ISRIB could also maintain the hESC stemness. Using a 3D co‐culture system (hESCs and hTSCs aggregate, ETA), we demonstrated that a 1:1 mixture of hESC culture medium (ESM) and nTSM improved the cell proliferation and organisation of both hESC‐ and hTSC‐compartments and the lumenogenesis of hESC‐compartment in ETAs. Overall, our study provided an ISRIB‐dependent system for co‐culturing hESCs and hTSCs, which facilitated the construction of human embryoids by aggregating hESCs and hTSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a method called selective sweep SNP-guided cloning (SSNPC) that is used to identify and clone cold-tolerance genes in rice. Traditional methods of cloning quantitative trait loci (QTLs) are time-consuming and laborious, but SSNPC offers a more efficient and high-throughput approach. The researchers used a genome-wide selective sweep analysis to identify selective sweep SNPs (SSNPs) that could serve as markers for candidate-gene selection. Through this method, they were able to identify and validate multiple cold-tolerance genes in rice within a short timeframe. The SSNPC method has the potential to be applied to other adaptive traits in rice and other crops. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are closely related to the prognosis of patients with non‐small cell lung cancer, but their effect on extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC) remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in ES‐SCLC patients treated with first‐line atezolizumab or durvalumab and platinum‐etoposide. Clinical data from three hospitals were analyzed. Significant risk factors for survival were identified using descriptive statistics and Cox regression. Homogeneity was assessed using t‐tests or nonparametric tests. Kaplan‐Meier analysis revealed an association between high NLR level and median PFS and OS. Results: A total of 300 ES‐SCLC patients were included in the study. Cox regression analysis revealed that an elevated NLR level after the second treatment cycle (defined as NLRT2) was an independent prognostic factor for survival. Stratifying patients based on median NLRT2 showed significant differences in both PFS (HR: 1.863, 95% CI: 1.62–2.12, p < 0.001) and OS (HR: 2.581, 95% CI: 2.19–3.04, p < 0.001) between NLR ≥ 1.75 and NLR < 1.75 groups. mPFS and mOS were 8.2 versus 6.1 months and 13.7 versus 9.5 months, respectively. NLR was also associated with treatment efficacy and occurrence of irAEs. Further stratification based on NLR and irAEs showed that in the NLR < 1.75 group, patients with irAEs had prolonged mPFS and mOS. In the NLR ≥ 1.75 group, only mPFS showed a significant difference between patients with and without irAEs. Conclusion: NLRT2 and irAEs can predict the prognosis of ES‐SCLC patients with first‐line ES‐SCLC receiving PD‐L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess studies on circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the chemoresistance of triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) and provide relevant references for the development of new TNBC chemotherapy sensitivity biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library, and four Chinese databases were searched up to January 27, 2023, and studies related to TNBC chemoresistance were included. The basic characteristics of the studies and the mechanisms of circRNAs in regulating TNBC chemoresistance were analyzed. A total of 28 studies published between 2018 and 2023 were included, and the chemotherapeutics included adriamycin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, 5‐fluorouracil, lapatinib, and so forth. A total of 30 circRNAs were identified, 86.67% (n = 26) of these circRNAs were reported to act as microRNA (miRNA) sponges to regulate chemotherapy sensitivity, while only two circRNAs (circRNA‐MTO1 and circRNA‐CREIT) interacted with proteins. A total of 14, 12, and 2 circRNAs were reported to be associated with chemoresistance to adriamycin, taxanes, and 5‐fluorouracil, respectively. Six circRNAs were found to act as miRNA sponges that promote chemotherapy resistance by regulating the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. CircRNAs participate in the regulation of TNBC chemoresistance and can be used as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improving chemotherapy sensitivity. However, further studies are needed to confirm the role of circRNAs in TNBC chemoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, nontyrosine kinase receptor that plays an important role in axonal growth and angiogenesis in the nervous system. Although currently more and more studies have shown that NRP1 plays an important role in some cancers, no systematic pan‐cancer analysis of NRP‐1 has been performed to date. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associated immune function and prognostic value of NRP1 in 33 tumors of various cancer types. In this study, based on The Cancer Genome Atlas, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, Genotype Tissue Expression, cBioportal for cancer genomics, and Human Protein Atlas (HPA databases), various bioinformatics analysis methods were used to investigate the potential carcinogenic effects of NRP1 activation, pan‐cancer analysis of NRP1 expression, and the relationship between NRP1 expression and prognosis indicators including overall survival, disease‐specific survival, disease‐free interval, and progression‐free interval, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). The results showed that NRP1 was highly expressed in most tumors. In addition, NRP1 was found to be positively or negatively correlated with the prognosis of different tumors. Also, the expression of NRP1 was associated with TMB and MSI in in 27 and 21 different types of tumors, respectively, and with DNA methylation in almost all the various types of tumors. The expression of the NRP1 gene was negatively correlated with the infiltration levels of most immune cells. In addition, the correlation between the level of immune cell infiltration and NRP1 expression varied according to immune cell subtype. Our study suggests that NRP1 plays an important role in tumor development and tumor immunity and could potentially be used as a prognostic indicator in a variety of malignancies. Significance statement: Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) as an immunological and prognostic biomarker The increasing demand for targeted tumor treatment can significantly guide clinical practice by comprehensively identifying treatment targets for malignant tumors. In this study, pan‐cancer analysis revealed that NRP1 has an excellent performance as an immunological and prognostic biomarker, so this study will explore these findings in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporal stability of grassland plant communities is substantially affected by soil nutrient enrichment. However, the potential main and interactive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) enrichment on the stability of plant productivity have not yet been clarified. We combined a three‐year in situ field experiment to assess the impacts of soil fertilization and AMF on the stability of plant productivity. P addition decreased the stability of plant productivity by increasing the standard deviation relative to the mean of plant productivity. However, compared to species richness, the stability of C3 grasses and other functional groups asynchrony were the most important drivers changing the stability of plant productivity. The negative impacts of P addition overrode the impacts of AMF on the stability of plant productivity. Overall, our study suggests the importance of soil nutrient availability over AMF in terms of shaping the stability of plant productivity. Our results also suggest that three‐year anthropogenic soil nutrient enrichment could reduce the stability of plant communities in grassland regardless of AMF in the P‐limited grassland ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which assessed interprofessional learner perceptions of a brief educational intervention tailored for opioid prescribing in older adults. The study evaluated pre- and post-intervention knowledge and confidence in medication safety and non-opioid treatment strategies. Findings revealed potential improvement of communication between providers and patients or their caregivers, as well as opportunity to educate caregivers and other providers.

The inductive effect of 2D material in an aqueous solution can be potentially applied in biological implantable electronic devices. In this paper, graphene oxide (GO) membranes were prepared via the vacuum filtration method and then treated under different heat temperatures. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results showed the shrinkage of the interlayer spacing in the GO membrane, while Fourier transform infrared results indicated the loss of oxygen‐containing polar groups during the heat treatment. EIS results confirmed the inductive signal of the GO membrane appeared during the ion diffusion process. And the inductive effect can be controlled by the polar groups and the interlayer spacing in the GO membrane. Moreover, at lower electrolyte concentrations (0.0100 mol/L), more polar groups lead to a stronger inductive signal, while at higher electrolyte concentrations (0.10 mol/L), narrower interlayer spacing results in a stronger inductive signal. The investigation may provide a key clue to tune the inductance of the biological electronic device based on GO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactions between extra‐embryonic tissues and embryonic tissues are crucial to ensure proper early embryo development. However, the understanding of the crosstalk between the embryonic tissues and extra‐embryonic tissues is lacking, mainly due to ethical restrictions, difficulties in obtaining natural human embryos, and lack of appropriate in vitro models. Here by aggregating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs), we revealed the hESCs robustly self‐organized into a unique asymmetric structure which the primitive streak (PS) like cells exclusively distributed at the distal end to the TS‐compartment, and morphologically flattened cells, presumed to be the extra‐embryonic mesoderm cells (EXMC) like cells, were induced at the proximal end to hTSCs. Our study revealed two potential roles of extra‐embryonic trophectoderm in regulating the proper PS formation during gastrulation and EXMCs induction from the human epiblast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the clinical and genetic spectrum of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) in Chinese children. Method: This retrospective study was conducted between January 2014 and October 2021 in children clinically diagnosed with either pure HSP (pHSP) or complex HSP (cHSP). Results: We investigated 45 children (32 males, 13 females; mean age [SD] at symptom onset 4 years [7 months]). clinically diagnosed with HSP and identified genetic causes in 35 patients. Most patients with autosomal dominant HSP had pHSP (16/18), whereas most patients with autosomal recessive HSP tended to have cHSP (14/16). SPG11 was the most common autosomal recessive subtype, followed by FA2H/SPG35, whereas SPAST/SPG4 was the most frequent cause of autosomal dominant HSP. Two patients with CPT1C mutations presented with a complex phenotype. Meanwhile, 10 patients were found to have likely pathogenic variants/variants of uncertain clinical significance in six genes related to HSP. Interpretation: SPG11 and SPG4 were the most frequent subtypes in Chinese children with autosomal recessive HSP and autosomal dominant HSP. However, the prevalence of SPG4 was much lower than that in adults, which might be explained by the late onset of the disease. On the other hand, FA2H/SPG35 was common in our cohort, while it contributed to only a small proportion of adult cases, which might be explained by its rapid progression and early death in some patients. We also expanded the genetic and clinical spectra of SPG73. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst caves are recently proposed as atmospheric methane sinks in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite of the detection of atmospheric methane‐oxidizing bacteria (atmMOB) in caves, we still know little about their ecology and potential ability of methane oxidation in this ecosystem. To understand atmMOB ecology and their potential in methane consumption, we collected weathered rocks and sediments from three different caves in southwestern China. We determined the potential methane oxidization rates in the range of 1.25 ± 0.08 to 1.87 ± 0.41 ng CH4 g−1 DW h−1, which are comparable to those reported in forest and grassland soils. Results showed that alkaline oligotrophic caves harbour high numbers of atmMOB, particularly upland soil cluster (USC), which significantly correlated with temperature, CH4 and CO2 concentrations. The absolute abundance of USCγ was higher than that of USCα. USCγ‐OPS (open patch soil) and USCγ‐SS (subsurface soil) dominated in most samples, whereas USCα‐BFS (boreal forest soil) only predominated in the sediments near cave entrances, indicating niche differentiation of atmMOB in caves. Overwhelming dominance of homogenous selection in community assembly resulted in convergence of atmMOB communities. Collectively, our results demonstrated the niche differentiation of USC in subsurface alkaline caves and their non‐negligible methane‐oxidizing potential, providing brand‐new knowledge about atmMOB ecology in subsurface biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative treatment for haematological complications in patients with Fanconi anaemia (FA). Haploidentical (haplo‐) HCT is a promising alternative for FA. We aimed to analyse the outcomes of unmanipulated haplo‐HCT in patients with FA with radiation‐free conditioning. A total of 56 patients from 11 centres between 2013 and 2021 in China were retrospectively analysed. The mean (SD) cumulative incidence was 96.4% (0.08%) for 30‐day neutrophil engraftment and 85.5% (0.24%) for 100‐day platelet engraftment. With a median (range) follow‐up of 2.4 (0.2–5.8) years, favourable mean (SD) overall survival of 80.9% (5.5%) and event‐free survival of 79.3% (5.6%) were achieved. The mean (SD) incidences of acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGvHD) Grade II–IV and Grade III–IV were 55.4% (0.45%) and 42.9 (0.45%) respectively. The mean (SD) cumulative incidence of 3‐year chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (cGvHD) was 34.7% (0.86%) and that of moderate‐to‐severe cGvHD was 9.0% (0.19%). Our data demonstrate that in unmanipulated haplo‐HCT for patients with FA, radiation‐free regimens based on fludarabine and low‐dose cyclophosphamide ± busulfan achieved favourable engraftment and survival with relatively high incidences of aGvHD and cGvHD. These results prompt the use of low‐intensity conditioning without radiation and intensive GvHD prophylaxis when considering unmanipulated haplo‐HCT in patients with FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve both high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, it is essential yet challenging to develop low‐porosity dense electrodes along with diminishment of the electrolyte and other lightweight inactive components. Herein, a compact TiO2@VN heterostructure with high true density (5.01 g cm–3) is proposed crafted by ingenious selective nitridation, serving as carbon‐free dual‐capable hosts for both sulfur and lithium. As a heavy S host, the interface‐engineered heterostructure integrates adsorptive TiO2 with high conductive VN and concurrently yields a built‐in electric field for charge‐redistribution at the TiO2/VN interfaces with enlarged active locations for trapping‐migration‐conversion of polysulfides. Thus‐fabricated TiO2@VN–S composite harnessing high tap‐density favors constructing dense cathodes (≈1.7 g cm–3) with low porosity (<30 vol%), exhibiting dual‐boosted cathode‐level peak volumetric‐/gravimetric‐energy‐densities nearly 1700 Wh L−1cathode/1000 Wh kg−1cathode at sulfur loading of 4.2 mg cm−2 and prominent areal capacity (6.7 mAh cm−2) at 7.6 mg cm−2 with reduced electrolyte (<10 µL mg−1sulfur). Particular lithiophilicity of the TiO2@VN is demonstrated as Li host to uniformly tune Li nucleation with restrained dendrite growth, consequently bestowing the assembled full‐cell with high electrode‐level volumetric/gravimetric‐energy‐density beyond 950 Wh L−1cathode+anode/560 Wh kg−1cathode+anode at 3.6 mg cm−2 sulfur loading alongside limited lithium excess (≈50%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasojejunal tube (NJT) feeding has demonstrated value in reducing pneumonia in adults who are critically ill who require enteral nutrition (EN) support. This study discusses whether EN support via NJT feeding is more cost-effective than nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding in reducing pneumonia.Methods: A decision-tree model was created. The analysis was based on data from a health care provider in China. Model inputs were derived from published data. The end points included incremental cost per pneumonia infection avoided, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), net monetary benefit (NMB), and incremental NMB (INMB) associated with prevention of pneumonia. The uncertainty was assessed through one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis.Results: The base case analysis showed that EN support via NJT feeding resulted in 0.7453 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at a cost of $3018.83 compared with NGT feeding, which resulted in 0.7354 QALYs at a cost of $4788.76. NJT feeding was better than NGT feeding, providing an INMB of $2075.09 and an ICER of -$178,813.96 per QALY gained, and the cost per pneumonia infection prevented was $16,808.51. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that NJT feeding was more cost-effective in 83.4% of the cases, with a cost below the WTP threshold. The NMB and INMB estimation for different WTP thresholds also indicated that NJT feeding is the optimal strategy.Conclusions: EN support via NJT feeding was a more cost-effective strategy than NGT feeding in preventing pneumonia in adults who are critically ill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pristine TiO2/Au (P‐TiO2/Au) is modified by hydrogen plasma (H‐TiO2/Au) or hydrogen and oxygen plasma (H‐O‐TiO2/Au) treatment, and then used as electrochemical catalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). H‐TiO2/Au shows enhanced performance for the NRR process compared with both P‐TiO2/Au and H‐O‐TiO2/Au. After hydrogenation treatment, some disordered regions on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles are formed, and a large number of oxygen vacancies are incorporated into the TiO2 crystalline structures. When the samples are used as catalysts for electrochemical NRR, the yield of NH3 of H‐TiO2/Au is about ten times compared to that of P‐TiO2/Au and about three times that of H‐O‐TiO2/Au, while the highest Faradaic efficiency of 2.7% is also obtained at the potential of −0.1 V for the H‐TiO2/Au catalyst. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation results confirm that H‐TiO2/Au with oxygen vacancies and the disordered surface layer is much preferred energetically for the NRR process. It proves that enhanced adsorption of N2 molecules on the catalyst and reduced reaction barriers due to the presence of defects play an important role in improving catalysts' performances. The results show that the plasma hydrogenation technique can be used as an efficient method to modify catalysts for electrochemical NRR processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safe fast‐charging lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) can be achieved by using LiFePO4 electrode and optimized electrolyte for the rapid development of electric vehicles. However, conventional carbonate electrolyte suffers resistive solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that hampering the fast‐charging for LIBs. Herein, a multiple additive strategy, the combination of 1,3,2‐Dioxathiolane 2,2‐dioxide (DTD) and lithium difluorophosphate (DFP), is proposed to optimize the electrode interface for graphite (Gr)/LiFePO4(LFP) pouch cells under fast‐charging. Combining DTD with DFP can significantly reduce the charge transfer resistance of anode and greatly extend the lifespan of cells with >2400 cycles at a 2 C rate, which is much better than that of baseline and single additive based electrolytes with <1000 cycles. Further mechanistic studies revealed that proper sulfurized and phosphatized species are involved in the SEI film, which stabilizes lithium carbonate in the middle of SEI to avoid being attacked by Lewis acids. Multiple additive strategies optimize the interfacial structure and provide valuable guidance for the development of safe fast‐charging engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the lack of labels in infrared and visible image fusion network, an infrared and visible image fusion model based on multi‐channel unsupervised convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed in this paper, in order to extract more detailed information through multi‐channel inputs. In contrast to conventional unsupervised fusion network, the proposed network contains three channels for extracting infrared features, visible features and common features of infrared and visible images, respectively. The square loss function is used to train the network. Pairs of infrared and visible images are input to DenseNet to extract as more useful features as possible. A fusion module is designed to fuse the extracted features for testing. Experimental results show that the proposed method can preserve both the clear target of infrared and detailed information of visible images simultaneously. Experiments also demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over the state‐of‐the‐art methods in objective metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioresistance is the potential cause of cancer metastasis and recurrence. Radiation‐induced changes in exosomes can partially explain the undesirable prognosis of radiotherapy (RT). Exosomes, newly discovered ways of cell communication, carry the characteristics of their origin, resulting in their diversity. Various exosomes in the tumor microenvironment exert different function in immune response. In this review, the dual effect of RT on the immune system was described, and the effect of radiotherapy on tumors via exosomes was explored. The molecules in exosomes after RT were described to play immunosuppressive and immunocompetent roles: immune‐related receptors and cell signaling molecules involved in both adaptive and innate immune system were present. CD69, TIGIT, TIM‐3, LAG‐3 and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family that signal to T cells were shown to be regulated by exosomes after irradiation. The change in innate immunity‐derived like receptors, Leukocyte Immunoglobin‐Like Receptors (LILR) was described, as well as B7‐H3, V‐domain containing Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), and CD155 on tumor cells. These changed molecules inhibit and activate the immune system through different mechanisms. By analyzing the relationship between exosome‐derived molecules and immunity, this review shows that radiotherapy can induce immunosuppression and immune clearance through exosomes, thereby treating tumors and improving patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oomycetes represent a unique group of plant pathogens that are phylogenetically distant from true fungi and cause significant crop losses and environmental damage. Understanding of the genetic basis of host plant susceptibility facilitates the development of novel disease resistance strategies. In this study, we report the identification of an Arabidopsis thaliana T‐DNA mutant with enhanced resistance to Phytophthora parasitica with an insertion in the Raf‐like mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase gene Raf36. We generated additional raf36 mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 technology as well as Raf36 complementation and overexpression transformants, with consistent results of infection assays showing that Raf36 mediates Arabidopsis susceptibility to P. parasitica. Using a virus‐induced gene silencing assay, we silenced Raf36 homologous genes in Nicotiana benthamiana and demonstrated by infection assays the conserved immune function of Raf36. Mutagenesis analyses indicated that the kinase activity of Raf36 is important for its immune function and interaction with MKK2, a MAPK kinase. By generating and analysing mkk2 mutants and MKK2 complementation and overexpression transformants, we found that MKK2 is a positive immune regulator in the response to P. parasitica infection. Furthermore, infection assay on mkk2 raf36 double mutant plants indicated that MKK2 is required for the raf36‐conferred resistance to P. parasitica. Taken together, we identified a Raf‐like kinase Raf36 as a novel plant susceptibility factor that functions upstream of MKK2 and directly targets it to negatively regulate plant resistance to P. parasitica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a urea substitute with little nitrogen has become a hot research topic for cleaner production in reactive printing. In the current study, a mixture made from glycerol and 1,4‐butanediol (1:1, w/w), namely, urea substitute glycerol butanediol (USGB), was used instead of urea in the printing paste formulation. USGB's abilities of moisture adsorption, swelling fibres and solubilisation to reactive dyes were compared with those of urea. The printing properties of USGB on different fabrics with reactive dyes were intensively investigated in comparison with urea and commercial 391‐H. The results showed that USGB's ability to swell viscose fibres was superior to that of urea. When the dosage of USGB was within 8‐10 wt% in the printing paste, the colour yield of USGB on viscose fabrics drew near to that of urea and was higher than that of 391‐H. During viscose printing of reactive blue dyes with different shades and structures, the colour performance of USGB was close to that of urea and higher than that of 391‐H. Furthermore, USGB could obtain good printing effects in deep printing with Reactive Turquoise K‐GL on different fabrics. Compared with urea, the content of ammonia‐nitrogen and total nitrogen in the printing wastewater using USGB were greatly reduced, which is of huge significance for lowering ammonia‐nitrogen emissions in the printing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hurricanes can have a significant impact on the functioning and capacity of healthcare systems. However, little work has been done to understand the extent to which hurricanes influence local residents' spatial access to healthcare. Our study evaluates the change in spatial access to primary care physicians (PCPs) between 2016 and 2018 (i.e., before and after Hurricane Harvey) in Harris County, Texas. We used an enhanced 2‐step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method to measure spatial access to PCPs at the census tract level. The results show that, despite an increased supply of PCPs across the county, most census tracts, especially those in the northern and eastern fringe areas, experienced decreased access during this period as measured by the spatial access ratio (SPAR). We explain this decline in SPAR by the shift in the spatial distribution of PCPs to the central areas of Harris County from the fringe areas after Harvey. We also examined the socio‐demographic impact in the SPAR change and found little variation in change among different socio‐demographic groups. Therefore, public health professionals and disaster managers may use our spatial access measure to highlight the geographic disparities in healthcare systems. In addition, we recommend considering other social and institutional dimensions of access, such as users' needs, preferences, resource capacity, mobility options, and quality of healthcare services, in building a resilient and inclusive post‐hurricane healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(n) The hypothesis of MT used for erosive oral lichen planus (OLP). gl This patient was initiated on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) sulphate 200 mg twice daily for 4 weeks and then the dosage was reduced to 100 mg twice daily for 4 weeks. Keywords: corticosteroid; hydroxychloroquine; microwave; oral lichen planus; thalidomide EN corticosteroid hydroxychloroquine microwave oral lichen planus thalidomide 150 152 3 02/17/23 20230201 NES 230201 Dear Editor, Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a relatively common chronic inflammatory disease involving the oral mucosa with unclear etiologies.[1] Erosive OLP, a subtype of OLP, is given more attention than others not only for its intense and debilitating pain but also for a higher risk of malignant transformation.[1] Corticosteroids have been widely accepted as conventional first-line treatments for erosive OLP, but a fraction of patients failed to respond to them.[1] There is a paucity of research pertaining to effective alternative therapies for refractory OLP patients who are resistant to corticosteroids. (e,f) Application of thalidomide (Thd) for 4 weeks, erosions in the right buccal mucosa obtained a stark remission, but residual erosions were seen in the left buccal mucosa. [Extracted from the article]

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS), the key enzyme in the branched‐chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine biosynthesis pathway, has gained intensive investigation because it is the target of five different AHAS herbicides widely used to control weeds in farmland. In the present study, the AHAS gene family in Brassica juncea and B. carinata and their progenitor species was characterized in combination with bioinformatics, gene‐specific PCR and qRT‐PCR analyses. The results indicated that B. juncea contains four AHAS genes, of them, BjuAHAS3 and BjuAHAS4 originated from the A genome donor of B. rapa, whereas BjuAHAS6 and BjuAHAS7 from the B genome donor of B. nigra. BjuAHAS3 and BjuAHAS6 are predicted to be functional and constitutively expressed in all vegetative and reproductive tissues in the tested B. juncea accessions. B. carinata contains five AHAS genes, of them, BcaAHAS1, BcaAHAS2, and BcaAHAS5 originated from the C genome donor of B. oleracea, whereas BcaAHAS6 and BcaAHAS7 came from the B genome donor of B. nigra. BcaAHAS1, BcaAHAS2, and BcaAHAS6 are predicted to be functional. BcaAHAS1 and BcaAHAS6 are constitutively expressed in all vegetative and reproductive tissues in the tested B. carinata accessions, however, BcaAHAS2 is mainly expressed in siliques. In addition, translocation events for the AHAS1, AHAS2, and AHAS7 genes occurred when the three amphidiploids species B. napus, B. juncea, and B. carinata were formed by hybridization of their respective diploid species. The findings in this study will provide important basic information for the breeding of herbicide‐resistant varieties in B. juncea and B. carinata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic signals of magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) preserved in rocks, soils, and sediments are effective index for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. It has been demonstrated that magnetite NPs can serve as a terminal electron sink for the microbial respiration (i.e., microbial iron reduction). The magnetic properties of magnetite NPs may be altered by microbial iron reduction, which is a critical but often overlooked process in paleomagnetism. In this study, three magnetite NPs with different particle sizes were reduced by a dissimilatory iron‐reducing bacterium (Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1) under a non‐growth condition mimicking that of the early Earth and modern oligotrophic environment. The changes in magnetic, chemical as well as crystallographic properties of the magnetite NPs during the microbial reduction process were examined. Our results showed that the bioreduction rate of magnetite NPs was mainly controlled by their particle size and redox state. In addition, the microbial iron reduction could affect both the crystallographic and magnetic properties of three types of magnetite NPs used herein. After bioreduction, the crystal lattice parameters and magnetic susceptibility of the magnetite NPs increased, while their remanence recording capability and coercivity decreased (i.e., "softer" magnetism). Furthermore, bioreduced magnetite NPs had a larger remanence loss near the Verwey transition region with low‐temperature magnetic analysis. These results indicate that the microbial reduction of magnetite NPs deserves attention when sedimentary magnetites are used in paleoenvironment reconstruction. Plain Language Summary: Natural magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) in rocks, soils, and sediments can record the paleoenvironment information when they were formed. Of note, in anaerobic post depositional environments, magnetite‐bound Fe (III) can act as an electron sink for iron‐reducing microorganisms. This microbe‐magnetite interaction has the potential to affect magnetic properties of magnetite NPs. In doing so, the original paleoenvironment information carried by magnetite NPs might also be rewritten. Therefore, to extract the paleoenvironment information from sedimentary magnetite NPs, we should understand the impact of bioreduction on natural magnetite NPs before burial diagenesis. Three magnetite NPs with different particle sizes were exposed to a typical dissimilatory iron‐reducing bacterium (Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1) under a non‐growth condition mimicking that of the early Earth and modern oligotrophic environments. We examined the changes in magnetic, chemical as well as crystallographic properties of the magnetite NPs during the bioreduction process. Our study found that the bioreduction rate of magnetite NPs was mainly controlled by their particle size and redox state. After bioreduction, the magnetism of magnetite NPs became "softer." These results indicate that the microbial reduction of magnetite NPs deserves attention when natural magnetites are used in paleoenvironment reconstruction. Key Points: Microbially reduced magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) have larger lattice parameters compared to pristine onesMicrobial reduction of magnetite NPs leads to a softer magnetism and increasing magnetic susceptibilityPartially oxidized magnetite is resistant to bioreduction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cattleyaks (CY) are interspecific hybrids between cattle (Bos taurus) and yak (Bos gruniens, YK) exhibiting the same prominent adaptability and higher performances than YK. The main problem of this crossbreeding is that the males are sterile. Different series of events of spermatogenesis coordinate to regulate gene expressing, involving microRNAs (miRNAs). As non‐coding ribonucleic acids (ncRNAs), miRNAs predominantly facilitate the regulation of gene expression at post‐transcriptional stages and play important roles in the acquisition and maintenance of male fertility in reproduction. The function of miRNA in the male reproductive system extends from the testis into the epididymis, regulating gene expression and contributing to regional gene expression variations. RNA sequencing on biological replicates, we described differentially expressed miRNAs profiles for tissue from epididymis of YK and CY. In the present study, High‐throughput sequencing analysis showed that 55 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified in the epididymis of YK and CY. Among these, 43 DE miRNAs were upregulated while the remaining 12 DE miRNAs were downregulated between epididymis of YK and CY. In addition, we identified that the top most important DE miRNAs, bta‐miR‐449c, bta‐miR‐539, bta‐ miR‐136, bta‐miR‐504, bta‐miR‐31 and bta‐miR‐222 were involved in the process of sperm maturation in epididymis CY. It was identified that the bta‐miR‐449c and bta‐miR‐222 may play major roles in the process of sperm maturation, sperm quality, sperm count, sperm production and male infertility of CY. Furthermore, GO and KEGG analyses were performed to classify the functions of target genes for DE miRNAs. In addition, RT‐qPCR validation of the DE miRNAs and its targeted genes revealed that putative miRNAs are involved in the male CY infertility by altering the gene expression. Present findings may not only increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulated by the miRNAs in epididymis, but also provide a valuable information to understand the male infertility mechanism of CY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Baculoviruses have been developed as promising biopesticides to control pests due to their high host specificity and virulence, and nontoxicity to humans and nontarget animals. However, their sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and instability in the natural environment are major constraints to its large‐scale application. In this study, polydopamine‐nucleopolyhedrovirus microcapsules were established to improve the instability of baculoviruses in sunlight. RESULTS: The optimal conditions for the preparation of polydopamine‐nucleopolyhedrovirus microcapsules were as follows: Spodoptera exigua nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV)concentration of 2 × 108 polyhedral inclusion body（PIB） mL–1, reaction time of 6 h, and pH of 9.0. The particle size of the obtained microcapsules was about 1 μm. The microencapsulated baculovirus improved its thermal stability and wettability, and enhanced its insecticidal activity against Spodoptera exigua. Moreover, under the same UV treatment, the insecticidal effect against S. exigua larvae of microencapsulated baculovirus was only reduced by 8.89%, whereas that of the nonmicroencapsulated baculovirus was reduced by 27.27%. CONCLUSION: Polydopamine‐nucleopolyhedrovirus microcapsules provided better UV resistance and preparation stability compared with unmodified SeMNPV, and demonstrate an idea for the development of a baculovirus‐based stabilized product. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zinc complexes of diphenylarsinate [(Ph2AsO2)ZnCl] (1), [(Ph2AsO2)Zn(Ph2As(O)OH)Cl] (2) and [(Ph2AsO2)2Zn] (3) were prepared through the reaction of ZnCl2 with dihydroxodiphenylarsonium chloride [Ph2As(OH)2]Cl. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses indicate that all three compounds form 1D polymer chain arrangements. Specifically, the [Ph2AsO2]− ligand coordinates with three Zn centres giving a syn,syn,anti μ3‐η1 : η2 mode in compound 1. A more diverse binding mode arised in compound 2: [Ph2AsO2]− shows a syn,anti μ2‐η1 : η1 bridging mode; while free ligand Ph2As(O)OH is bound to Zn through the oxygen atom of the As=O unit (monodentate). In addition, the hydrogen atom of Ph2As(O)OH forms a moderate hydrogen bond with the oxygen atom of [Ph2AsO2]−. Even though all [Ph2AsO2]− ligands also coordinate in a bridging mode in compound 3, a chain‐like arrangement with alternate single (anti,anti μ2‐η1 : η1) and triple (syn,syn μ2‐η1 : η1) bridging diphenylarsinate groups between tetrahedrally coordinated Zn atoms was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nitride‐based heterostructures have been effective polysulfide mediators in lithium‐sulfur batteries. Still, these heterostructures developed so far primarily rely on high‐temperature ammonification with corrosive NH3 or synthetic nitrogen‐contained reagents as nitrogen sources, casting potential environmental hazards, and additional technical challenges. Herein, a multichambered carbon nanofiber host architecture with an in‐built TiN/TiO2 heterostructure configuration derived from natural structured proteins is designed. The TiN/TiO2 heterostructure is spontaneously generated in the carbon nanofibers upon the pyrolysis of inborn N‐enriched bio‐precursor accompanied by thermal‐induced topochemical self‐nitridation without any additional nitrogen sources. Ex‐/in situ experiments with theoretical calculations identify the strong trapping and enhanced charge transfer on the polar heterointerfaces, synchronously realizing the immobilization–diffusion–transformation of polysulfides. The multichambered host framework with rich internal voids and enhanced conductivity promise the accommodation of liquid Li2S6 catholyte, meanwhile ensuring that the cells can work with lean electrolyte. Consequently, the resulted Li‐polysulfide cell exhibits an ultralow capacity decay of 0.023% per cycle over 500 cycles and considerable areal capacity (≈6 mAh cm–2) at high S loading (5.8 mg cm–2). Importantly, an ingenious configurated full battery based on lithiated silicon anode and polysulfide cathode is competent to achieve appreciable cyclability with high energy density even under a low negative/positive capacity ratio (≈1.18). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides, mitochondrial fission is increased in response to hypoxia. In this study, we sought to investigate whether hypoxia‐induced mitochondrial fission plays a critical role in regulating amyloid‐β (Aβ) production. Hypoxia significantly activated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), increased phosphorylation of dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1) at serine 616, and decreased phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine 637. Importantly, hypoxia triggered mitochondrial dysfunction, elevated β‐secretase 1 (BACE1) and γ‐secretase activities, and promoted Aβ accumulation in HEK293 cells transfected with β‐amyloid precursor protein (APP) plasmid harboring the Swedish and Indiana familial Alzheimer's disease mutations (APPSwe/Ind HEK293 cells). Then, we investigated whether the ERK inhibitor PD325901 and Drp1 inhibitor mitochondrial division inhibitor‐1 (Mdivi‐1) would attenuate hypoxia‐induced mitochondrial fission and Aβ generation in APPSwe/Ind HEK293 cells. PD325901 and Mdivi‐1 inhibited phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine 616, resulting in reduced mitochondrial fission under hypoxia. Furthermore, hypoxia‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction, BACE1 activation, and Aβ accumulation were downregulated by PD325901 and Mdivi‐1. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia induces mitochondrial fission, impairs mitochondrial function, and facilitates Aβ generation. The ERK–Drp1 signaling pathway is partly involved in the hypoxia‐induced Aβ generation by regulating mitochondrial fission and BACE1 activity. Therefore, inhibition of hypoxia‐induced mitochondrial fission may prevent or slow the progression of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual expertise refers to proficiency in visual recognition. It is attributed to accumulated visual experience in a specific domain and manifests in widespread neural activities that extend well beyond the visual cortex to multiple high‐level brain areas. An extensive body of studies has centered on the neural mechanisms underlying a distinctive domain of visual expertise, while few studies elucidated how visual experience modulates resting‐state whole‐brain connectivity dynamics. The current study bridged this gap by modeling the subtle alterations in interregional spontaneous connectivity patterns with a group of superior radiological interns. Functional connectivity analysis was based on functional brain segmentation, which was derived from a data‐driven clustering approach to discriminate subtle changes in connectivity dynamics. Our results showed there was radiographic visual experience accompanied with integration within brain circuits supporting visual processing and decision making, integration across brain circuits supporting high‐order functions, and segregation between high‐order and low‐order brain functions. Also, most of these alterations were significantly correlated with individual nodule identification performance. Our results implied that visual expertise is a controlled, interactive process that develops from reciprocal interactions between the visual system and multiple top‐down factors, including semantic knowledge, top‐down attentional control, and task relevance, which may enhance participants' local brain functional integration to promote their acquisition of specific visual information and modulate the activity of some regions for lower‐order visual feature processing to filter out nonrelevant visual details. The current findings may provide new ideas for understanding the central mechanism underlying the formation of visual expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein tyrosine phosphatase non‐receptor type 5 (PTPN5), also called striatal‐enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP), is highly expressed in neurons of the basal ganglia, hippocampus, cortex, and related structures, also in the pituitary. Gonadotropins are the key regulator of the reproduction in mammals. In this study, PTPN5 is detected to express in murine pituitary in a developmental manner. Moreover, the expression of PTPN5 in the pituitary is heavily reduced after ovary removal. Follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion in gonadotropes is regulated by PTPN5 via binding GnRH to GnRH‐R. Two parallel signaling pathways, Gs‐protein kinase A (PKA)‐PTPN5 and Gq‐phospholipases C (PLC)‐p38 MAPK‐PTPN5, cooperatively regulate GnRH‐induced FSH secretion. We also show that influx of Ca2+ activates the Ca2+‐dependent phosphatase calcineurin, leading to the phosphorylation and activation of PTPN5. The intracellular release of Ca2+ is reduced via TC2153. In conclusion, blocking or knocking out of PTPN5 reduces the release of FSH in whole pituitary. Mechanically, PTPN5 regulates gonadotropes' function through regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epididymis is the site of post‐testicular sperm maturation, which constitutes the acquisition of sperm motility and the ability to recognize and fertilize oocytes. The role of miRNA in male reproductive system, including the control of different steps leading to proper fertilization such as gametogenesis, sperm maturation and maintenance of male fertility where the deletion of Dicer in mouse germ cells led to infertility, has been demonstrated. The identification of miRNA expression in a region‐specific manner will therefore provide valuable insight into the functional differences between the regions of the epididymis. In this study, we employed RNA‐seq technology to explore the expression pattern of miRNAs and establish some miRNAs of significant interest with regard to epididymal sperm maturation in the CY epididymis. We identified a total of 431 DE known miRNAs; 119, 185 and 127 DE miRNAs were detected for caput versus corpus, corpus versus cauda and caput versus cauda region pairs, respectively. Our results demonstrate region‐specific miRNA expression in the CY epididymis. The GO and KEGG enrichment for the predicted target genes indicated the functional values of miRNAs. Furthermore, we observed that the expression of miR‐200a was downregulated in the caput, compared with cauda. Since the family of miR‐200 has previously been suggested to contribute to the distinct physiological function of sperm maturation in epididymis of adult rat, we speculate that the downregulation of miR‐200a in CY caput epididymis may play an important role of sperm maturation in the epididymis of CY. Therefore, our findings may not only increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulated by the miRNA functions in region‐specific miRNA expression in the CY epididymis, it could provide a valuable information to understand the mechanism of male infertility of CY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Melkersson‐Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a rare neuro‐mucocutaneous disease. In addition to the traditional clinical triad, there is also a diversity of clinical signs, and it may be related to other systemic diseases. Methods: In the present study, we report a case of MRS with endocrine disorders that exhibits extraordinary therapeutic efficiency by using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), explore whether there is an internal connection between MRS and endocrine disorders, and discuss the mechanism of the therapeutic efficiency of using HCQ. The hypothesis proposed for the first time is that MRS may essentially be a systemic granulomatous disease. Results: The physical examination revealed orofacial swelling and fissured tongue. The histopathologic examination showed epithelioid granulomas. Combined with the other examination, this case was diagnosed as incomplete MRS. HCQ and local drugs were introduced. The patient achieved clinical recovery and psychological cure by the 18‐week follow‐up, and the 1‐year follow‐up found no reactivation of MRS. Moreover, the levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic were within normal ranges. Conclusions: After the drug therapy was targeted at granuloma, not only did all of the symptoms related to MRS disappear, but the endocrine system also returned to normal. It is speculated that the endocrine disorder in this patient may be related to MRS. We further propose the first‐time hypothesis that MRS may essentially be a systemic granulomatous disease. It provides a new medication method with high‐level efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tacrolimus has been used to treat various inflammatory skin diseases, but its safety for topical application on the oral mucosa is unknown. Exfoliative cheilitis (EC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lips characterised by repeated scaling; it is difficult to manage. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus 0.03% ointment as a topical treatment in patients with EC. Methods: In this randomised controlled clinical trial, 40 patients with EC were randomly assigned to receive either tacrolimus 0.03% ointment (experimental group, n = 20) or triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% cream (control group, n = 20) treatment for a 3‐week period. Medication was administered in 3, 2 and 1 daily doses during the first, second and third weeks, respectively. The patients with complete healing were followed up for 3 months. The clinical outcomes were measured, including the scores regarding signs (scale, dryness, rhagades and swelling) and symptoms (rough, dry, pain, pruritus and burning sensation) at every visit. Blood concentrations of tacrolimus were assessed. Results: After the 3‐week treatment, healing rates of scale in the experimental and control groups were 65% and 10%, respectively (P =.018). Improvement in all signs and two symptoms (rough, pruritus) was much greater in the experimental group (P <.05). The 3‐month recurrence rate was higher in the control group (P =.029). Tacrolimus blood concentrations were in the safe range (< 5 ng/mL). Conclusion: Topical tacrolimus 0.03% ointment has good short‐term efficacy and safety for treating EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a refractory disease that seriously affects female fertility. Growing body of evidence has indicated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as promising resources in regenerative medicine. In this study, we treated POI patients with umbilical cord‐derived MSCs (UCMSCs) and then investigated the restoration of ovarian function and clinical outcomes through follow‐ups. Materials and methods: Sixty‐one patients diagnosed with POI participated in this study. UCMSCs were isolated and cultured according to GMP standards, and then transplanted to the patients' ovary by orthotopic injection under the guidance of vaginal ultrasound. We monitored side effects, vital signs and changes in clinical and collected haematological and imaging parameters during the follow‐ups. Results: All patients showed normal clinical behaviour without serious side effects or complications relevant to the treatment. Transplantation of UCMSCs rescued the ovarian function of POI patients, as indicated by increased follicular development and improved egg collection. POI patients who experienced shorter amenorrhoea durations (<1 year) seemed to obtain mature follicles more easily after stem cell therapy, and patients with better ovarian conditions (pre‐operative antral follicles) were more likely to derive the better outcomes by UCMSC injection. Four successful clinical deliveries were obtained from POI patients after UCMSC transplantation, and all of these babies are developed normally. Conclusions: The clinical trial result sugggests a possible therapy for POI by UCMSC transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multicellular organism's development is coupled with cellular self‐organization, which is regulated by cell–cell interactions and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) crosstalk. Testicular cells from different species such as mouse, rat, and porcine can self‐organize into seminiferous tubules both in vitro and in vivo, but the understanding of the functional role of the ECM during this process is limited. Here, it is shown that mouse testicular cells encapsulated with the biomaterial Matrigel can self‐organize into seminiferous tubules with blood‐testis barrier (BTB) formation and Leydig cell differentiation. By varying the encapsulation method, a combination of sodium alginate and collagen is used to promote reorganization of seminiferous tubules, which resemble those in vivo. In addition, the self‐organization ability of testicular cells declines with advanced cell age, and those germ cells play a pivotal role in this process. These findings will be helpful to understand the self‐organization process of testicular cells and provide insights for the reconstruction of testes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly 8‐aminoquioline based fluorescent probe (NQA) was designed and synthesized as a good turn‐on fluorescence sensor to reversibly detect Zn2+. The probe can detect Zn2+ in an aqueous solution with good selectivity without interference from other metal ions (Cd2+ in particular). And the limit of detection was calculated to be 2.15×10−9 M. The probe can efficiently monitor the change of concentration of Zn2+ in a broad pH range from 4.0 to 11.0. NQA can detection of Zn2+ reversibly based on the coordination interaction. NQA is biocompatibility and can be used to monitor the concentration of Zn2+ in living cells without the interference from other similar cations, especially Cd2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abnormalities of early post‐implantation embryos can lead to early pregnancy loss and many other syndromes. However, it is hard to study embryos after implantation due to the limited accessibility. The success of embryo culture in vitro can avoid the challenges of embryonic development in vivo and provide a powerful research platform for research in developmental biology. The biophysical and chemical cues of the microenvironments impart significant spatiotemporal effects on embryonic development. Here, we summarize the main strategies which enable researchers to grow embryos outside of the body while overcoming the implantation barrier, highlight the roles of engineered microenvironments in regulating early embryonic development, and finally discuss the future challenges and new insights of early embryo culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]