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Background: Primary osteoporosis has increasingly emerged as a major issue affecting human health, with a complex specific pathogenic mechanism. As a research hotspot, ferroptosis plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of primary osteoporosis, aiming to explore the link and specific target genes between ferroptosis and primary osteoporosis., Methods: By utilizing TMT proteomics and bioinformatics analyses, we elucidated the linkages and key targets of the ferroptosis pathway in an ovariectomized osteoporotic rat model. Forty 12-week-old SD female rats were employed in the study, of which 20 female SD rats were ovariectomized as the OVX group and 20 female SD rats were employed as the SHAM group. At the end of the experiments, the femurs of the rats were excised for computed tomography tests and used for hematoxylin and eosin staining. Finally, we extracted bone tissue proteins for TMT proteomics analysis and protein blotting verification., Results: The proteomics results of the VX and SHAM groups showed that 133 proteins were significantly changed, of which 91 proteins were upregulated and 42 proteins were downregulated, including TXN, TMSB4X, TFRC, TF, RELA, PARP14, CP, CAPG, and ADIPOQ. The expression of key proteins in the bone tissues was detected by protein blotting. The expression of TFR1, TFRC and TF was upregulated, whereas the expression of Cp, TXN and BMP-2 was downregulated., Conclusions: TMT proteomics and functional enrichment analyses in our study substantiated that in osteoporosis, disturbances in lipid metabolism lead to the emergence of oxidative stress with iron homeostasis imbalance., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Animal ethics was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Laboratory Animal Management and Ethics Committee, Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (20231204-04). The experimental operation strictly followed the regulations of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The glioblastoma (GBM) microenvironment is enriched in immunosuppressive factors that potently interfere with the function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Cancer cells can directly impact the immune system, but the mechanisms driving these interactions are not completely clear. Here we demonstrate that the polyamine metabolite spermidine (SPD) is elevated in the GBM tumor microenvironment. Exogenous administration of SPD drives tumor aggressiveness in an immune-dependent manner in pre-clinical mouse models via reduction of CD8+ T cell frequency and reduced cytotoxic function. Knockdown of ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in spermidine synthesis, did not impact cancer cell growth in vitro but did result in extended survival. Furthermore, glioblastoma patients with a more favorable outcome had a significant reduction in spermidine compared to patients with a poor prognosis. Our results demonstrate that spermidine functions as a cancer cell-derived metabolite that drives tumor progression by reducing CD8+ T cell number and function.

Precipitation/dissolution of insulating Li 2 S has long been recognized as the rate-determining step in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, which dramatically undermines sulfur utilization at elevated charging rates. Herein, we present an orientated Li 2 S deposition strategy to achieve extreme fast charging (XFC, ≤15 min) through synergistic control of porosity, electronic conductivity, and anchoring sites of electrode substrate. Via magnesiothermic reduction of a zeolitic imidazolate framework, a nitrogen-doped and hierarchical porous carbon with highly graphitic phase was developed. This design effectively reduces interfacial resistance and ensures efficient sequestration of polysulfides during deposition, leading to (110)-preferred growth of Li 2 S nanocrystalline between (002)-dominated graphitic layers. Our approach directs an alternative Li 2 S deposition pathway to the commonly reported lateral growth and 3D thickening growth mode, ameliorating the electrode passivation. Therefore, a Li-S cell capable of charging/discharging at 5C (12 min) while maintaining excellent cycling stability (82% capacity retention) for 1000 cycles is demonstrated. Even under high S loading (8.3 mg cm -2 ) and low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (3.8 mL mg -1 ), the sulfur cathode still delivers a high areal capacity of >7 mAh cm -2 for 80 cycles.

Substantial efforts are dedicated to optimizing the additive dosage in the electrolyte and studying its effect on solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in Li-ion batteries (LIBs). This study reveals that the decomposition characteristics of the additive based on its lithium-ion solvation nature significantly contribute to controlling SEI formation. During SEI formation, the strong lithium-ion solvating additive spontaneously migrates to the negative electrode due to negative charge accumulation on the surface, and SEI reinforcement is feasible by increasing the additive dosage. In contrast, population-based SEI formation occurs with a weaker solvating additive, so dosage-dependent modification of the SEI is not effective. These findings demonstrate that compositional electrolyte engineering based on the solvation properties of the additive can be more effective than empirical and experimental studies based on trial and error., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

DDX3 is a DEAD-box RNA helicase that plays multiple roles in RNA metabolism, including translation. We previously reported that DDX3 is required for translation of PACT, a binding partner of Dicer, suggesting a role for DDX3 in microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis and RNA interference (RNAi). Emerging evidence suggests that DDX3 plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression, however, its underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. Here, we showed that the control of PACT by DDX3 is conserved in human cells and Caenorhabditis elegans. Using a miRNA microarray, we found that DDX3 regulates the expression of a small subset of cancer-related miRNAs. These oncogenic miRNAs were down-regulated by knockdown of DDX3 or PACT and up-regulated by overexpression of DDX3 or PACT in HEK293T cells. Similar results were obtained in human cancer HCT116 and HeLa cells. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that DDX3 and PACT are required for short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-induced RNAi. We also performed co-immunoprecipitation to confirm the interaction between DDX3 and AGO2, a significant component of the RNA-induced silencing complex, supporting a role for DDX3 in the RNAi pathway. We further examined the effects of DDX3 and PACT on cell proliferation, and stable overexpression of DDX3 in HEK293 cells results in loss of contact inhibition of cell growth. Hence, we propose that DDX3 may participate in cancer development by regulating the RNAi pathway., (© 2024 The Author(s). FEBS Open Bio published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.)

Objective: Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet(CHHF) is a common condition that reduces the quality of life and causes daily discomfort. The current treatments are primarily pharmacological. This study aimed to expand treatment options by comparing the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) and acupuncture (AC) with that of no treatment (control)., Methods: A three-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 72 women diagnosed with cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet, as confirmed by subjective symptoms and objective temperature differences. Participants were randomly assigned to the EA, AC, or control groups. Outcome measures included hand and feet visual analog scale (VAS) scores, temperature changes measured using a non-contact thermometer, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scores assessed at pretreatment (T0), posttreatment (T1), and follow-up (T2). Repeated measures ANOVA and 2-way mixed-model ANOVA were used to evaluate group, time, and interaction effects., Results: Both the EA and AC groups showed significant improvements in hand and feet VAS and WHOQOL-BREF scores compared with those of the control group posttreatment (T1). Notably, the EA group demonstrated sustained benefits at follow-up (T2), with significant reductions in feet VAS scores and positive changes in several WHOQOL-BREF domains. Interaction effects between group and time were observed, indicating that the changes in the EA and AC groups were meaningfully different form those in the control group. The control group also exhibited a statistically significant reduction in the VAS scores at follow-up (T2), likely due to the natural variability of cold extremity symptoms and psychological factors., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that EA and AC are effective in alleviating the symptoms of CHHF and enhancing the quality of life compared to no treatment. EA showed long-lasting effects than those of AC, suggesting its potential to regulate the autonomic nervous system. These findings provide a foundation for expanding non-pharmacological treatment options for CHHF and offer clinical guidance on the use of EA and AC., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Kwon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Stable and active oxygen reduction electrocatalysts are essential for practical fuel cells. Herein, we report a novel class of highly ordered platinum-cobalt (Pt-Co) alloys embedded with cobalt nitride. The intermetallic core-shell catalyst demonstrates an initial mass activity of 0.88 A mg Pt -1 at 0.9 V with 71% retention after 30,000 potential cycles of an aggressive square-wave accelerated durability test and loses only 9% of its electrochemical surface area, far exceeding the US Department of Energy 2025 targets, with unprecedented stability and only a minimal voltage loss under practical fuel cell operating conditions. We discover that regulating the atomic ordering in the core results in an optimal lattice configuration that accelerates the oxygen reduction kinetics. The presence of cobalt nitride decorated within PtCo superlattices guarantees a larger barrier to Co dissolution, leading to the excellent endurance of the electrocatalysts. This work brings up a transformative structural engineering strategy for rationally designing high-performing Pt-based catalysts with a unique atomic configuration for broad practical uses in energy conversion technology.

( S )-Methoprene has been widely applied as a powerful biochemical pesticide to control disease vectors and other pestiferous arthropods of economic importance. As a juvenile hormone analogue, many products based on ( S )-methoprene are developed and commercialized in the USA, Europe, and elsewhere. However, the agricultural use of ( S )-methoprene and its analogues remains underexplored. Here, based on an intermediate derivatization strategy and structural modification, a series of enantiopure ( S )-methoprene derivatives were designed for their expected bioactivity against two crop-threatening pests. Six compounds showed more than 2-fold stronger inhibition of emergence against Plutella xylostella than ( S )-methoprene, among which one that was designated as B2 showed even superior activity to the conventional chemical pesticide and biopesticide with IE 50 of 0.02 mg/L. Nine compounds exhibited over 2-fold higher bioactivity against Aphis craccivora growth than ( S )-methoprene. The physicochemical property evaluation and toxicological test showed that the potent ( S )-methoprene derivatives were low toxic to the nontarget organism and the environment. Molecular docking studies further demonstrated that the high bioactivity of B2 may be partially attributed to its great affinity for binding to juvenile hormone receptors of P. xylostella . The current study suggests that B2 is a biochemical pesticide candidate with potency to be developed as a new agrochemical for lepidopteran control.

Designing cathode materials that exhibit excellent rate performance and extended cycle life is crucial for the commercial viability of aqueous zinc (Zn)-ion batteries (ZIBs). This report presents a hydrothermal synthesis of stable Ni 0.22 V 2 O 5 ·1.22H 2 O (NVOH) cathode material, demonstrating high-rate performance and extended cycle life. A successful in situ phase transformation yields Zn 3 (OH) 2 V 2 O 7 ·nH 2 O (ZVO), which undergoes an irreversible phase transition and exhibits exceptional energy storage properties. The procedure maintains the lattice structure of ZVO and ensures high structural stability throughout the phase transformation. The NVOH cathode material exhibits the discharge capacities of 399 mA h g -1 at a rate of 1 A g -1 after 400 cycles and 303 mA h g -1 at 10 A g -1 after 2000 cycles. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the material is protected by electrostatic forces and exhibits structural stability, with a Zn-ion migration barrier of 0.32 eV across the host lattice and the electrode-electrolyte interface. Due to these properties, NVOH also exhibits high energy/power densities of 395 Wh kg -1 /406 W kg -1 at 0.5 A g -1 and 288 Wh kg -1 /8830 W kg -1 at 10 A g -1 . Ex situ characterizations indicate structural modifications and irreversible phase changes of NVOH, highlighting the potential of H + intercalation and in situ phase transitions for high-performance aqueous ZIBs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

We report an H-bond donor controlled diastereoselective switchable intramolecular aza-Henry reaction of ketimines derived from α-ketoesters and 2-(2-nitroethyl)anilines, allowing facile access to chiral tetrahydroquinolines bearing an aza-quaternary carbon stereocenter, which are privileged scaffold for medicinal researches. While newly developed cinchona alkaloid derived phosphoramide-bearing quaternary ammonium salt C2 selectively give cis-adducts in up to 20 : 1 dr and 99 % ee, the corresponding urea-bearing analogue C8 preferentially give trans-adducts in up to 20 : 1 dr and 99 % ee., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive procedure used to ablate abnormal tissue in a targeted fashion. It is most commonly used to treat epileptic foci, brain tumors, and radiation necrosis. This study aimed to compare immediate postoperative outcomes between these indications., Methods: This study analyzed clinical data from the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) from 2016 to 2019 and identified 2234 patients who underwent LITT procedures using ICD-10 codes. The authors analyzed patient demographics, complications, discharge disposition, readmission rates, and mortality. Following propensity score matching, 317 patients treated for epilepsy and 323 patients treated for brain tumors were compared., Results: The mean ages were similar (epilepsy: 45.7 vs tumor: 49.0 years, p = 0.55), as were the proportions of female patients (epilepsy: 45.4% vs tumor: 52.9%, p = 0.83), all-payer costs (p = 0.81), income quartiles (p = 0.58), insurance types (p = 0.70), frailty rates (p = 0.85), and comorbid disease burdens as assessed by ECI score (p = 0.73). No significant differences were observed in rates of hemorrhage (p = 0.1), pulmonary embolism (p = 0.32), or infection (p = 0.16). However, the tumor cohort had higher rates of deep vein thrombosis (3.4% vs < 3.15%, p = 0.045), nonroutine discharge (26.6% vs 16.4%, p = 0.04), and 1-year hospital readmission (32.5% vs 18.6%, p = 0.006). One-year mortality rates were similar (tumor: 3.4% vs epilepsy: < 3.15%, p = 0.08)., Conclusions: While postoperative complications and 1-year mortality rates were similar among patients undergoing LITT for epilepsy and brain tumors, the tumor cohort experienced higher rates of deep vein thrombosis, nonroutine discharge, and 1-year hospital readmission.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs that results in airway inflammation and narrowing. BS012 is an herbal remedy containing Asarum sieboldii , Platycodon grandiflorum , and Cinnamomum cassia extracts. To elucidate the anti-asthma effect of BS012, this study analyzed the immune response, respiratory protection, and changes in metabolic mechanisms in an ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to ovalbumin to induce allergic asthma. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were analyzed for interleukin and immunoglobulin E levels. Histological analyses of the lungs were performed to measure morphological changes. Apoptosis-related mediators were assayed by western blotting. Plasma and lung tissue metabolomic analyses were performed to investigate the metabolic changes. A T-helper-2-like differentiated cell model was used to identify the active components of BS012. BS012 treatment improved inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus production, and goblet cell hyperplasia in lung tissues. BS012 also significantly downregulated ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E in plasma and T-helper-2-specific cytokines, interleukin-4 and -5, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The lungs of ovalbumin-inhaled mice exhibited nerve growth factor-mediated apoptotic protein expression, which was significantly attenuated by BS012 treatment. Ovalbumin-induced abnormalities in amino acid and lipid metabolism were improved by BS012 in correlation with its anti-inflammatory properties and normalization of energy metabolism. Additionally, the differentiated cell model revealed that N -isobutyl-dodecatetraenamide is an active component that contributes to the anti-allergic properties of BS012. The current findings demonstrate the anti-allergic and respiratory protective functions of BS012 against allergic asthma, which can be considered a therapeutic candidate.

Following on from the 2015 Lancet Oncology Commission on expanding global access to radiotherapy, Radiotherapy and theranostics: a Lancet Oncology Commission was created to assess the access and availability of radiotherapy to date and to address the important issue of access to the promising field of theranostics at a global level. A marked disparity in the availability of radiotherapy machines between high-income countries and low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been identified previously and remains a major problem. The availability of a suitably trained and credentialled workforce has also been highlighted as a major limiting factor to effective implementation of radiotherapy, particularly in LMICs. We investigated initiatives that could mitigate these issues in radiotherapy, such as extended treatment hours, hypofractionation protocols, and new technologies. The broad implementation of hypofractionation techniques compared with conventional radiotherapy in prostate cancer and breast cancer was projected to provide radiotherapy for an additional 2·2 million patients (0·8 million patients with prostate cancer and 1·4 million patients with breast cancer) with existing resources, highlighting the importance of implementing new technologies in LMICs. A global survey undertaken for this Commission revealed that use of radiopharmaceutical therapy-other than 131 I-was highly variable in high-income countries and LMICs, with supply chains, workforces, and regulatory issues affecting access and availability. The capacity for radioisotope production was highlighted as a key issue, and training and credentialling of health professionals involved in theranostics is required to ensure equitable access and availability for patient treatment. New initiatives-such as the International Atomic Energy Agency's Rays of Hope programme-and interest by international development banks in investing in radiotherapy should be supported by health-care systems and governments, and extended to accelerate the momentum generated by recognising global disparities in access to radiotherapy. In this Commission, we propose actions and investments that could enhance access to radiotherapy and theranostics worldwide, particularly in LMICs, to realise health and economic benefits and reduce the burden of cancer by accessing these treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests HH serves (unpaid) on an external advisory board of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, on the International Advisory Board of the University of Vienna, on the Scientific Committee of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), on the Board of Trustees of the DKFZ, and on the advisory board of The Lancet Oncology; is remunerated for serving on the Board of Directors of Ion Beam Applications; receives stock options for serving on the Board of Directors of iCAD; and reports research funding to their institution (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center Support Grant/Core Grant P30 CA008748) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)–National Cancer Institute (NCI). AA reports funding to their institution from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the NIH. GB reports research funding to their institution from the Science and Technology Facilities Council UK and reports travel support from International Council Expert Corps. MD reports research funding to their institution from Science and Technology Facilities Council UK and reports travel support from International Council Expert Corps. TE reports honoraria from the University of Washington and the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology (JASTRO) and reports receiving travel support to attend meetings from JASTRO, the Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology, and the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). SGr reports receiving grants from the NCI; reports consulting fees from Lumonus and the Sustainable Dialogue on Peaceful Uses; and has stock options in Harbinger Health. KH reports research funding to their institution from Novartis and Sofie Biosciences; reports consulting fees from Advanced Accelerator Applications, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bain Capital, Bayer, Boston Scientific, Convergent, Curiun, Debiopharm, EcoR1, Fusion, GE Healthcare, Immedica, Isotopen Technologien Munchen, Janssen, Merck, Molecular Partners, Nvision, POINT Biopharma, Pfizer, Radiopharm Theranostics, Telix, Theragnostics, and Ymabs; reports honoraria for lectures from PeerVoice; serves on paid advisory boards for Fusion and GE Healthcare; reports travel support from Janssen; and has stock options from Sofie Biosciences, Pharma15, Nvision, Convergent, Aktis Oncology, and AdvanCell. MSH reports research funding to their institution from the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the US Department of Defence, Movember, and the Peter MacCallum Foundation; reports clinical trial funding to their institution from Bayer and Isotopia; reports clinical trial support to their institution from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation; reports consulting fees from Merck Sharp & Dohme and Novartis; reports speaker fees from Janssen and AstraZeneca; reports fees to their institution for serving on the advisory board on Novartis; reports unremunerated participation in the Scientific Committee at the Australian Friends of Sheba; and is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator grant. DJ reports royalties from Elekta Oncology System, Precision X-ray System, and Modus Medical; reports license of technology to iRT; reports board membership on Break Through Cancer; reports being an advisor to ACS BrightEdge; and is a founder and stockholder in Nanovista. JK reports participation on a data safety monitoring board and advisory board from Novartis (personal fees) and reports lecture honoraria from Monrol. JSL reports research support from Clarity Pharmaceuticals and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals; has acted as an adviser of Alpha-9 Theranostics, Clarity Pharmaceuticals, Earli, Evergreen Theragnostics, Suba Therapeutics, Inhibrx, Precirix, Solve, Goldman Sachs, TPG Capital, Curie Therapeutics, NextTech Invest, and Telix Pharmaceuticals; is secretary/treasurer of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI); holds equity in Curie Therapeutics, Summit Biomedical Imaging, Telix Pharmaceuticals, and Evergreen Theragnostics; and is supported by NIH R35 CA232130. YL reports funding to their institution for the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) Chair on Health Economics in Radiation Oncology (HERO)–Value-Based Radiation Oncology, for a proton beam project from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)–Applied Biomedical Research with a Primary Finality, and for the ARCHERY trial; reports unpaid positions on advisory boards for the HALT trial and PROSECCA trial; is a member of the ESTRO Scientific Council and the Belgian Board of Oncology; is co-chair of the ESTRO-HERO project; and is principal investigator of the E2-Radiate trial, a joint project of ESTRO, and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). JRP reports being an unpaid chair of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) International Council. AAR received consulting fees from Novartis; received honoraria for lectures from the European Society for Medical Oncology, Sociedade Brasileira de Mastologia, and Instituto Oncoclinicas; received financial support for attending meetings from ASTRO, Congresso Gramado, and Congresso Oncolinicas; reports an unpaid leadership position at the Sociedade Brasileira de Radioterapia; and has stock and stock options in Grupo Oncoclinicas. MMS reports research funding to their institution from Aktis, Point Biopharma, and Telix Pharmaceuticals; reports speaker honoraria from Novartis, Ion Beam Applications, and Johnson and Johnson; and holds positions in the Africa Health Research Institute and Adcock. VV holds positions as editor of the Journal of Clinical Oncology/Global Oncology and Translational Oncology and is a member of the board for City Cancer Challenge. RLW reports research funding to their institution from Siemens Healthineers, White Rabbit AI, Fusion, Perspective Therapeutics, Rayze, and Bayer; provides consulting services to Voximetry, Molecular Targeting Technologies (MTT), Perspective, Siemens, Abdera, and Seno; reports speaker payment from Hamad Health Qatar; reports travel support from Rayze and Hamad Health Qatar; has stock options in Voximetry and MTT; is a stockholder in Clarity Pharmaceuticals; participates on advisory boards for Perspective and Fusion; is a member of the SNMMI Mars Shot Board; and was a past president of SNMMI. JSY reports funding to their institution from the NIH, the IVY Foundation, and the Falk Research Medical Trust; reports honoraria from the University of Maryland and the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center; and holds an unpaid position in the Clinical Advisory Council at the American Brain Tumor Association. AMS reports trial funding to their institution from EMD Serono, ITM, Telix Pharmaceuticals, AVID Radiopharmaceuticals, Fusion Pharmaceuticals, and Cyclotek; reports research funding to their institution from Medimmune, Antengene, Humanigen, and Telix Pharmaceuticals; is on advisory boards of Imagion and ImmunOs; reports unpaid board membership of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine and the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology; and is supported by a NHMRC Investigator grant (number 1177837). All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Purpose: To investigate the association between metabolic syndrome and perirenal fat stranding (PRFS), which is defined as linear or curvilinear soft tissue densities in the perirenal fat on computed tomography (CT)., Material and Methods: Adults who had abdominal CT for health screening at a single institution between October 2022 and March 2023 were included retrospectively. Two radiologists assessed the extent of PRFS for each CT and graded it as absent, mild/moderate, and severe. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between PRFS and metabolic syndrome-related factors, as well as age and gender., Results: Among 701 participants (mean age, 56.8 years ± 9.7; 336 women and 365 men), 87 (12.4%) had mild (n = 80) or moderate (n = 7) PRFS. None had severe PRFS. The presence of PRFS was independently associated with higher body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 2.561 and 9.842 for overweight and obese, respectively; p ≤ 0.001), elevated blood pressure with or without anti-hypertensive medication (OR, 2.232; p = 0.015), anti-diabetic medication (OR, 3.129; p < 0.001), and lipid-lowering medication (OR, 1.919; p = 0.019), older age (OR, 4.545 and 9.109 for 50-59 years and ≥ 60 years, respectively; p ≤ 0.002), and male gender (OR, 10.065; p < 0.001). Sixty three of 87 (72.4%) participants with PRFS had metabolic syndrome, while 265 of 614 (43.2%) participants without PRFS did (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Incidental mild or moderate PRFS may be associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome or related disorders in otherwise healthy adults., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interests The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethical approval Institutional Review Board approval was obtained and the requirement for written informed consent was waived., (© 2024. Italian Society of Medical Radiology.)

Objective: The escalating healthcare expenditures in the United States, particularly in neurosurgery, necessitate effective tools for predicting patient outcomes and optimizing resource allocation. This study explores the utility of combining frailty and comorbidity indices, specifically the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups (JHACG) frailty index and the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), in predicting hospital length of stay (LOS), non-routine discharge, and one-year readmission in patients undergoing craniotomy for benign and malignant primary brain tumors., Methods: Leveraging the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) for 2016-2019, we analyzed data from 645 patients with benign and 30,991 with malignant tumors. Frailty, ECI, and frailty + ECI were assessed as predictors using generalized linear mixed-effects models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated predictive performance., Results: Patients in the benign tumor cohort had a mean LOS of 8.1 ± 15.1 days, and frailty + ECI outperformed frailty alone in predicting non-routine discharge (AUC 0.829 vs. 0.820, p = 0.035). The malignant tumor cohort patients had a mean LOS of 7.9 ± 9.1 days. In this cohort, frailty + ECI (AUC 0.821) outperformed both frailty (AUC 0.744, p < 0.0001) and ECI alone (AUC 0.809, p < 0.0001) in predicting hospital LOS. Frailty + ECI (AUC 0.831) also proved superior to frailty (AUC 0.809, p < 0.0001) and ECI alone (AUC 0.827, p < 0.0001) in predicting non-routine discharge location for patients with malignant tumors. All indices performed comparably to one another as a predictor of readmission in both cohorts., Conclusion: This study highlights the synergistic predictive capacity of frailty + ECI, especially in malignant tumor cases, and further suggests that comorbid diseases may greatly influence perioperative outcomes more than frailty. Enhanced risk assessment could aid clinical decision-making, patient counseling, and resource allocation, ultimately optimizing patient outcomes., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Construction of a robust artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer has proposed an effective strategy to overcome the instability of the lithium (Li). However, existing artificial SEI layers inadequately controlled ion distribution, leading to dendritic growth and penetration. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and materials of the artificial layer is often overlooked. In this work, a chemically and physically reinforced membrane (C-Li@P) composed of the biocompatible Li + coordinated carboxymethyl guar gum (CMGG) and polyacrylamide (PAM) polymers serves as an artificial SEI membrane for dendrite-free Li. This membrane with hollow channels not only directs ion flux along the interspace of fibers, fostering uniform Li plating but also induces a desirable interface chemistry. Consequently, artificial SEI membrane-covered Li exhibits stable electrochemical plating/stripping reactions, surpassing the cycle life of ≈750% of bare Li. It demonstrates exceptional capacity retention of ≈93.9%, ≈88.1%, and ≈79.18% in full cells paired with LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811), LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC622) and S cathodes, respectively over 200 cycles at 1 C rate. Additionally, the water-based green manufacturing and biodegradability of the membrane demonstrated the sustainable development and disposal of electrodes. This work provides a comprehensive framework for the design of an artificial layer chemically and physically regulating dendritic growth., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

In recent years, the implementation of energy-harvesting technology in medical equipment has attracted significant interest owing to its potential for self-powered and smart healthcare systems. Herein, the integration of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is proposed into an inhaler for energy-harvesting and smart inhalation monitoring. For this initially, barium sodium niobium oxide (Ba 2 NaNb 5 O 15 ) microparticles (BNNO MPs) are synthesized via a facile solid-state synthesis process. The BNNO MPs with ferroelectricity and high dielectric constant are incorporated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer to make BNNO/PDMS composite films (CFs) for TENG fabrication. The fabricated TENG is operated in a contact-separation mode, and its electrical output performance is compared to establish the optimal BNNO MPs concentration. Furthermore, multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), a conductive filler material, are used to enhance the electrical conductivity of the CFs, thereby improving the electrical output performance of the TENG. The robustness/durability of the proposed BNNO-MWCNTs/PDMS CF-based TENG are investigated. The proposed TENG device is demonstrated to harvest electrical energy from mechanical motions via regular human activities and power portable electronics. The TENG is integrated into the inhaler casing to count the number of sprays remaining in the canister, send the notification to a smartphone via Bluetooth, and harvest energy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies in revision total joint arthroplasty (rTJA) are essential to investigate the effectiveness of interventions. However, there has been limited research investigating how patient cohorts comprising rTJA RCT samples resemble the U.S. patient population undergoing rTJA in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to compare the patient characteristics of rTJA RCT cohorts with the characteristics of national patient database cohorts. RCT studies for rTJA were aggregated. Patient demographics in this group were compared against Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) patient cohorts. Forty-six RCTs met inclusion criteria. There were 3,780 total patients across 46 RCTs. The average age of patients in the rTJA RCT cohort was 66.4 ± 9.4 while in the NIS cohort was 67.3 ± 11.1 ( d  = 0.08, effect size = small). The average body mass index (BMI) of the rTJA RCT cohort was 31.1 ± 5.7 while the NSQIP cohort was 31.7 ± 8.3 ( d  = 0.08, effect size = small). For rTJA, effect sizes for age, BMI, sex, ethnicity, smoking, and diabetes were all small or very small.Overall, the rTJA RCT patient cohort does not differ significantly compared with the general patient population undergoing rTJA. Differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between the rTJA RCT cohort and database cohorts were minimal to small, indicating that these differences are unlikely to impact clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

The e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s1}(2536)^{-} and e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s2}^{*}(2573)^{-} processes are studied using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies from 4.530 to 4.946 GeV. The absolute branching fractions of D&#95;{s1}(2536)^{-}→D[over ¯]^{*0}K^{-} and D&#95;{s2}^{*}(2573)^{-}→D[over ¯]^{0}K^{-} are measured for the first time to be (35.9±4.8±3.5)% and (37.4±3.1±4.6)%, respectively. The e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s1}(2536)^{-} and e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s2}^{*}(2573)^{-} cross sections are measured, and a resonant structure at around 4.6 GeV with a width of 50 MeV is observed in both processes with a statistical significance of 7.2σ and 15σ, respectively. The state is observed for the first time in e^{+}e^{-}→D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s2}^{*}(2573)^{-} and could be the Y(4626) found by the Belle oration in the D&#95;{s}^{+}D&#95;{s1}(2536)^{-} final state, since they have similar masses and widths. There is also evidence for a structure at around 4.75 GeV in both processes.

Chiral organofluorine compounds featuring a monofluoromethyl (CH 2 F)-substituted stereocenter are often encountered in a number of drugs and bioactive molecules. Consequently, the development of catalytic asymmetric methods for the enantioselective construction of CH 2 F-substituted stereocenters has made great progress over the past two decades, and a variety of enantioselective transformations have been accordingly established. According to the types of fluorinated reagents or substrates employed, these protocols can be divided into the following major categories: (i) enantioselective ring opening of epoxides or azetidinium salts by fluoride anions; (ii) asymmetric monofluoromethylation with 1-fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methane; (iii) asymmetric fluorocyclization of functionalized alkenes with Selectfluor; and (iv) asymmetric transformations involving α-CH 2 F ketones, α-CH 2 F alkenes, or other CH 2 F-containing substrates. This feature article aims to summarize these recent advances and discusses the possible reaction mechanisms, advantages and limitations of each protocol and their applications. Synthetic opportunities still open for further development are illustrated as well. This review article will be an inspiration for researchers engaged in asymmetric catalysis, organofluorine chemistry, and medicinal chemistry.

In this report, rare-earth-free Mg 4 Nb 2 O 9 :Mn 4+ phosphors were obtained through a high-temperature solid-state reaction. This work aims to investigate the photoluminescence properties of Mg 4 Nb 2 O 9 :Mn 4+ phosphors and the temperature sensitive performance of the optimized phosphor. The crystal structure and lattice parameters as well as the effects of the dopant ions on the host structure were investigated. It should be noted that the Mg 4 Nb 2 O 9 crystal is in a trigonal system P 3̄ c 1. The as-prepared phosphors exhibited good thermal sensitivity, and the relative sensitivity of the optimal Mg 4 Nb 2 O 9 :0.004Mn 4+ phosphor was calculated to be 0.48% K -1 , allowing it to activate optical temperature sensing applications.

Using 7.33  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies in the range of sqrt[s]=4.128-4.226  GeV, we search for the rare decays D&#95;{s}^{+}→h^{+}(h^{0})e^{+}e^{-}, where h represents a kaon or pion. By requiring the e^{+}e^{-} invariant mass to be consistent with a ϕ(1020), 0.98

Achieving high-performance aqueous zinc (Zn)-ion batteries (AZIBs) requires stable and efficient cathode materials capable of reversible Zn-ion intercalation. Although layered vanadium oxides possess high Zn-ion storage capacity, their sluggish kinetics and poor conductivity present significant hurdles for further enhancing the performance of AZIBs. In response to this challenge, a dissolution-regrowth and conversion approach is formulated using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a sacrificial template, which enables the in situ creation of copper vanadium oxides (CuVO x ) with porous 1D channels and distinctive nanoarchitectures. Owing to their distinctive structure, the optimized CuVO x cathode experiences a reaction involving the synergistic insertion/extraction of Zn 2+ , resulting in rapid Zn 2+ diffusion kinetics and enhanced electrochemical activity postactivation. Specifically, the activated electrode delivers a reversible capacity of 519 mAh g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 for AZIBs. It is noteworthy that the electrode exhibits a remarkable reversible rate capacity of 220 mAh g -1 at 5 A g -1 with excellent durable cycleability, retaining 88% of its capacity even after 3000 cycles. Various ex situ testing methods endorse the reversible insertion/extraction of Zn 2+ in the CuVO x cathode. This study provides a novel insight into high-performance MOF-derived unique structure designs for AZIB electrodes., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small Methods published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Recent advancements in flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have widely focused on converting mechanical energy into electrical energy to power small wearable electronic gadgets and sensors. To effectively achieve this, an efficient energy-converted power management circuit is required. Herein, we report on Aurivillius-type strontium bismuth titanate (SrBi 4 Ti 4 O 15 ) nanoparticles (SBT NPs)-loaded polyglucosamine (PGA) composite film-based flexible TENG to be used for energy harvesting/storage and biomechanical applications. Initially, SBT NPs were synthesized and then, different weight concentrations were loaded into PGA. The TENG devices were fabricated using different wt % composite films (SBT/PGA) and polydimethylsiloxane as positive and negative triboelectric layers, respectively, and aluminum was used as a conductive electrode attached to two tribo films. To evaluate the electrical output from the device, contact-separation operation mode was used. An optimized TENG consisting of 2 wt % SBT/PGA composite film produced the maximum electrical output voltage and current of approximately ∼239 V and ∼7.5 μA, respectively. Efficient TENG energy harvesting and storage circuits have been proposed for storing charges in capacitors and for operating electronic gadgets. The optimized TENG was employed to generate electrical energy from various biomechanical movements. Thereafter, the biodegradability of the composite film was also tested. The fabricated films were completely biodegraded within a few hours. Furthermore, the TENG was utilized as a tap-indication transducer for multipurpose switching applications.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in bridging innate and adaptive immune responses. They are widely distributed in various tissues and organs, including the eyes. In the ocular context, permanent DCs are present at the peripheral edge of the retina and the peripapillary area in an immature state. However, during the inflammatory process, DCs become activated and contribute to the development of uveitis. This review focuses on introducing the characteristics and status of DC-induced uveitis, exploring factors that can influence the status of DCs, and discussing feasible methods for treating DCs in both experimental autoimmune uveitis animal models and humans. It emphasizes the importance of further research on molecular pathways and signaling pathways that regulate the function of DCs. For example, investigating molecules such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, which inhibits the B7-CD28 co-stimulatory interaction, can help improve immune homeostasis. The aim is to identify new therapeutic targets and develop targeted strategies for DCs, such as DC vaccine therapy or the use of immune modulators. These approaches can be tailored to the immune characteristics and disease manifestations of individual patients, enabling personalized treatment strategies. This may include the personalized design and precise medication of DC therapy, with the ultimate goal of improving treatment efficacy while minimizing adverse reactions., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

The J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} processes and subsequent decays are studied using the world's largest J/ψ and ψ(3686) data samples collected with the BESIII detector. The parity-violating decay parameters of the decays Σ^{0}→Λγ and Σ[over ¯]^{0}→Λ[over ¯]γ, α&#95;{Σ^{0}}=-0.0017±0.0021±0.0018 and α[over ¯]&#95;{Σ^{0}}=0.0021±0.0020±0.0022, are measured for the first time. The strong CP symmetry is tested in the decays of the Σ^{0} hyperons for the first time by measuring the asymmetry A&#95;{CP}^{Σ}=α&#95;{Σ^{0}}+α[over ¯]&#95;{Σ^{0}}=(0.4±2.9±1.3)×10^{-3}. The weak CP test is performed in the subsequent decays of their daughter particles Λ and Λ[over ¯]. Also for the first time, the transverse polarizations of the Σ^{0} hyperons in J/ψ and ψ(3686) decays are observed with opposite directions, and the ratios between the S-wave and D-wave contributions of the J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} decays are obtained. These results are crucial to understand the decay dynamics of the charmonium states and the production mechanism of the Σ^{0}-Σ[over ¯]^{0} pairs.

Background: Single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or surgical resection alone for brain metastases larger than 2 cm results in unsatisfactory local control. We conducted a phase I trial for brain metastases(>2 cm) to determine the safety of preoperative SRS at escalating doses., Methods: Radiosurgery dose was escalated at 3 Gy increments for 3 cohorts based on maximum tumor dimension starting at: 18 Gy for >2-3 cm, 15 Gy for >3-4 cm, and 12 Gy for >4-6 cm. Dose-limiting toxicity was defined as grade III or greater acute toxicity., Results: A total of 35 patients/36 lesions were enrolled. For tumor size >2-3 cm, patients were enrolled up to the second dose level (21 Gy); for >3-4 cm and >4-6 cm cohorts the third dose level (21 and 18 Gy, respectively) was reached. There were 2 DLTs in the >3-4 cm arm at 21 Gy. The maximum tolerated dose of SRS for >2-3 cm was not reached; and was 18 Gy for both >3-4 cm arm and >4-6 cm arm. With a median follow-up of 64.0 months, the 6- and 12-month local control rates were 85.9% and 76.6%, respectively. One patient developed grade 3 radiation necrosis at 5 months. The 2-year rate of leptomeningeal disease (LMD) was 0%., Conclusions: Preoperative SRS with dose escalation followed by surgical resection for brain metastases greater than 2 cm in size demonstrates acceptable acute toxicity. The phase II portion of the trial will be conducted at the maximum tolerated SRS doses., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A phytochemical study on the stems and leaves of Cratoxylum cochinchinense (Lour.) Blume resulted in the isolation and characterisation of a new polyprenylated xanthone, cratocochinone ( 1 ), as well as seven known analogues, fuscaxanthone K ( 2 ), pruniflorone Q ( 3 ), 1,3,5,8-tetrahy-droxy- 2-(3-methybut-2-enyl)-4-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienyl) xanthone ( 4 ), cochinensoxanthone ( 5 ), cratoxylum-xanthone B ( 6 ), cochinchinone I ( 7 ) and cochinchinone K ( 8 ). The chemical structure of 1 was determined by comprehensive spectral analyses. The known compounds 2  -  8 were identified by comparing their experimental spectroscopic data with those reported data in the literature. The anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV effects of all isolates 1 - 8 were evaluated. As a result, compounds 1 - 8 showed remarkable inhibitory effects against nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells showing IC 50 values ranging from 0.68 ± 0.06 to 10.27 ± 0.18 μM. Meanwhile, compounds 1 - 8 displayed notable anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) effects with EC 50 values ranging from 0.19 to 10.72 µM.

Dementia is a syndrome exhibiting progressive impairments on cognition and behavior beyond the normal course of aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the neurodegenerative diseases known to cause dementia. We investigated the effect of KGC07EH, the 30% ethanol extract of Euonymus hamiltonianus, against amyloid-β (Aβ) production and cognitive dysfunction in dementia models. KGC07EH was treated on Hela cells expressing the Swedish mutant form of amyloid precursor protein (APP), and the AD triple transgenic (3× TG) mice were given KGC07EH orally during 11-14 months of age (100 and 300 mg/kg/day). SH-SY5Y cell line was used to test KGC07EH on scopolamine-induced elevation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with scopolamine, and KGC07EH was administered orally (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. KGC07EH treatment decreased Aβ, sAPPβ-sw, and sAPPβ-wt levels and APP protein expressions while sAPPα was increased in Swedish mutant-transfected HeLa cells. KGC07EH treatment also significantly reduced the accumulation of Aβ plaques and tau tangles in the brain of 3× TG mice as well as improving the cognitive function. In SH-SY5Y cells cultured with scopolamine, KGC07EH dose-dependently attenuated the increase of AChE activity. KGC07EH also improved scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in scopolamine-injected mice, and in their cerebral cortex and hippocampus, the expression levels of p-ERK, p-CREB, p-Akt, and BDNF were attenuated. KGC07EH inhibits APP processing and Aβ production both in vitro and in vivo, while enhancing acetylcholine signaling and cognitive dysfunction which are the major symptoms of dementia., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Korea Institute of Science & Technology (Dec. 20th, 2019/approval no. KIST-2019-109). Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Taiwan habu (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus), green bamboo viper (Viridovipera stejnegeri), and Taiwan cobra (Naja atra) are the most venomous snakebites in Taiwan. Patients commonly present with limb swelling but misdiagnosis rates are high, and currently available diagnostic tools are limited. This study explores the immune responses in snakebite patients to aid in differential diagnosis., Methods: This prospective observational study investigated the changes in cytokines in snakebite patients and their potential for diagnosis., Results: Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α were observed in all snakebite patients compared to the healthy control group. While no significant disparities were observed in humoral immune response cytokines, there were significant differences in IFN-γ levels, with significantly higher IL-10 levels in patients bitten by cobras. Patients with TNF-α levels exceeding 3.02 pg/mL were more likely to have been bitten by a cobra., Conclusion: This study sheds light on the immune responses triggered by various venomous snakebites, emphasizing the potential of cytokine patterns for snakebite-type differentiation. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings for clinical use, ultimately improving snakebite diagnosis and treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Chih-Chuan Lin reports financial support was provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (grant MOST 108-2314-B-182A-081). Chun-Hsiang Ou Yang reports financial support was provided by Chang Gung Medcial Foundation, Taoyuan, Taiwan. 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. The Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan and Chang Gang Medical Foundation have no role in this study proposal design, experiment performance, data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Silicon-stereogenic chiral organosilanes have found increasing applications in synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and materials science. In this context, various asymmetric catalytic methods have been established for the diverse synthesis of silicon-stereogenic silanes. In particular, asymmetric organocatalysis is emerging as an important and complementary synthetic tool for the enantioselective construction of silicon-stereocenters, along with the rapid development of chiral-metal catalyzed protocols. Its advent provides a powerful platform to achieve functionalized silicon-stereogenic organosilanes with structural diversity, and should lead to great development in chiral organosilicon chemistry. In this Tutorial Review, we highlight these latest achievements from two aspects: desymmetrizations of prochiral tetraorganosilanes and dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations of racemic organosilanes by employing five organocatalytic activation modes. The advantages, limitations and synthetic value of each protocol, as well as the synthetic opportunities still open for further exploration, are also discussed.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The gut microbiome has been implicated in outcomes for HCC, and gut microbe-derived products may serve as potential non-invasive indices for early HCC detection. This study evaluated differences in plasma concentrations of gut microbiota-derived metabolites., Methods: Forty-one patients with HCC and 96 healthy controls were enrolled from surgical clinics at the Cleveland Clinic from 2016 to 2020. Gut microbiota-derived circulating metabolites detectable in plasma were compared between patients with HCC and healthy controls. Hierarchical clustering was performed for generating heatmaps based on circulating metabolite concentrations using ClustVis, with Euclidean and Ward settings and significant differences between metabolite concentrations were tested using a binary logistic regression model., Results: In patients with HCC, 25 (61%) had histologically confirmed cirrhosis. Trimethylamine (TMA)-related metabolites were found at higher concentrations in those with HCC, including choline ( p < 0.001), betaine ( p < 0.001), carnitine ( p = 0.007), TMA ( p < 0.001) and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO, p < 0.001). Notably, concentrations of P-cresol glucuronide ( p < 0.001), indole-lactic acid ( p = 0.038), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid ( p < 0.0001) and 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid ( p < 0.001) were also increased in those with HCC compared to healthy controls. Hierarchical clustering of the metabolite panel separated patients based on the presence of HCC ( p < 0.001), but was not able to distinguish between patients with HCC based on the presence of cirrhosis ( p = 0.42)., Conclusions: Gut microbiota-derived metabolites were differentially abundant in patients with HCC versus healthy controls. The observed perturbations of the TMAO pathway in HCC seem particularly promising as a target of future research and may have both diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.80 to 4.95 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20  fb^{-1}, a measurement of Born cross sections for the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} processes is presented with unprecedented precision. Many clear peaks in the line shape of e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} around the mass range of G(3900), ψ(4040), ψ(4160), Y(4260), and ψ(4415), etc., are foreseen. These results offer crucial experimental insights into the nature of hadron production in the open-charm region.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent cancer worldwide, exhibiting unique regional prevalence. Despite advancements in diagnostics and therapy, the 5-year survival rate for patients has seen limited improvement. A deeper understanding of OSCC pathogenesis, especially its molecular underpinnings, is essential for improving detection, prevention, and treatment. In this context, noncoding RNAs, such as circular RNAs (circRNAs), have gained recognition as crucial regulators and potential biomarkers in OSCC progression. Our study highlights the discovery of previously uncharacterized circRNAs, including a SNX5 gene-derived circRNA, circSNX5, through deep sequencing of OSCC patient tissue transcriptomes. We established circSNX5's tumor-specific expression and its strong correlation with patient survival using structure-specific and quantitative PCR analyses. In vitro and in vivo experiments underscored circSNX5 RNA's regulatory role in cancer growth and metastasis. Further, our omics profiling and functional assays revealed that ADAM10 is a critical effector in circSNX5-mediated cancer progression, with circSNX5 maintaining ADAM10 expression by sponging miR-323. This novel circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis significantly contributes to oral cancer progression and malignancy. Moreover, we discovered that circSNX5 RNA is produced via noncanonical sequential back-splicing of pre-mRNA, a process negatively regulated by the RNA-binding protein STAU1. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of exonic circRNA biogenesis in the eukaryotic transcriptome. Collectively, our findings offer a detailed mechanistic dissection and functional interpretation of a novel circRNA, shedding light on the role of the noncoding transcriptome in cancer biology and potentially paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Alloys of platinum with alkaline earth metals promise to be active and highly stable for fuel cell applications, yet their synthesis in nanoparticles remains a challenge due to their high negative reduction potentials. Herein, we report a strategy that overcomes this challenge by preparing platinum-magnesium (PtMg) alloy nanoparticles in the solution phase. The PtMg nanoparticles exhibit a distinctive structure with a structurally ordered intermetallic core and a Pt-rich shell. The PtMg/C as a cathode catalyst in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell exhibits a mass activity of 0.50 A mg Pt -1 at 0.9 V with a marginal decrease to 0.48 A mg Pt -1 after 30,000 cycles, exceeding the US Department of Energy 2025 beginning-of-life and end-of-life mass activity targets, respectively. Theoretical studies show that the activity stems from a combination of ligand and strain effects between the intermetallic core and the Pt-rich shell, while the stability originates from the high vacancy formation energy of Mg in the alloy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Hypoxia is associated with poor prognosis in many cancers including glioblastoma (GBM). Glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) often reside in hypoxic regions and serve as reservoirs for disease progression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in GBM. However, the lncRNAs that modulate GSC adaptations to hypoxia are poorly understood. Identification of these lncRNAs may provide new therapeutic strategies to target GSCs under hypoxia., Methods: lncRNAs induced by hypoxia in GSCs were identified by RNA-seq. Lung cancer-associated transcript-1 (LUCAT1) expression was assessed by qPCR, RNA-seq, Northern blot, single molecule FISH in GSCs, and interrogated in IvyGAP, The Cancer Genome Atlas, and CGGA databases. LUCAT1 was depleted by shRNA, CRISPR/Cas9, and CRISPR/Cas13d. RNA-seq, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, co-IP, ChIP, ChIP-seq, RNA immunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assay were performed to investigate mechanisms of action of LUCAT1. GSC viability, limiting dilution assay, and tumorigenic potential in orthotopic GBM xenograft models were performed to assess the functional consequences of depleting LUCAT1., Results: A new isoform of Lucat1 is induced by Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) and Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in GSCs under hypoxia. LUCAT1 is highly expressed in hypoxic regions in GBM. Mechanistically, LUCAT1 formed a complex with HIF1α and its co-activator CBP to regulate HIF1α target gene expression and GSC adaptation to hypoxia. Depletion of LUCAT1 impaired GSC self-renewal. Silencing LUCAT1 decreased tumor growth and prolonged mouse survival in GBM xenograft models., Conclusions: A HIF1α-LUCAT1 axis forms a positive feedback loop to amplify HIF1α signaling in GSCs under hypoxia. LUCAT1 promotes GSC self-renewal and GBM tumor growth. LUCAT1 is a potential therapeutic target in GBM., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Global demands for cost-effective, durable, highly active, and bifunctional catalysts for metal-air batteries are tremendously increasing in scientific research fields. In this work, a strategy for the rational fabrication of carbon layer-encapsulated cobalt tin sulfide nanopores (CoSnOH/S@C NPs) material as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc (Zn)-air batteries by a cost-effective and facile two-step hydrothermal method is reported. Moreover, the effect of metal elements on the morphology of CoSnOH nanodisks material via the hydrothermal method is investigated. Owing to its excellent nanostructure, exclusive porous network, and high specific surface area, the optimized CoSnOH/S@C NPs material reveals superior catalytic properties. The as-prepared CoSnOH/S@C NPs electrocatalyst reveals better properties of oxygen reduction reaction (half-wave potential of -0.88 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode) and oxygen evolution reaction (overpotential of 137 mV at 10 mA cm -2 ) when compared with commercial Pt/C and IrO 2 catalyst materials. Most significantly, the CoSnO/S@C NPs-based Zn-air battery exhibits more excellent cycling stability than the Pt/C+IrO 2 catalyst-based one. Consequently, the proposed material provides a new route for fabricating more active and stable multifunctional catalyst materials for energy conversion and storage systems., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background and Aims: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease often accompanied by multisystem damage. This study aimed to explore the causal association between genetically predicted PBC and diabetes, as well as multiple cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)., Methods: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data of PBC in 24,510 individuals of European ancestry from the European Association for the Study of the Liver was used to identify genetically predicted PBC. We conducted 2-sample single-variable Mendelian randomization (SVMR) and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) to estimate the impacts of PBC on diabetes (N = 17,685 to 318,014) and 20 CVDs from the genetic consortium (N = 171,875 to 1,030,836)., Results: SVMR provided evidence that genetically predicted PBC is associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke, ischemic stroke, and small-vessel ischemic stroke. Additionally, there was no evidence of a causal association between PBC and coronary atherosclerosis. In the MVMR analysis, PBC maintained independent effects on T1D, HF, MI, and small-vessel ischemic stroke in most models., Conclusion: Our findings revealed the causal effects of PBC on diabetes and 7 CVDs, and no causal relationship was detected between PBC and coronary atherosclerosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Spin-transfer torque (STT) and spin-orbit torque (SOT) form the core of spintronics, allowing for the control of magnetization through electric currents. While the sign of SOT can be manipulated through material and structural engineering, it is conventionally understood that STT lacks a degree of freedom in its sign. However, this study presents the first demonstration of manipulating the STT sign by engineering heavy metals adjacent to magnetic materials in magnetic heterostructures. Spin torques are quantified through magnetic domain-wall speed measurements, and subsequently, both STT and SOT are systematically extracted from these measurements. The results unequivocally show that the sign of STT can be either positive or negative, depending on the materials adjacent to the magnetic layers. Specifically, Pd/Co/Pd films exhibit positive STT, while Pt/Co/Pt films manifest negative STT. First-principle calculations further confirm that the sign reversal of STT originates from the sign reversal of spin polarization of conduction electrons., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Cyclin D1 protein-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has an immunophenotype of CD5(-) cyclin D1(+) SOX11(-), and most cases lack a CCND1 rearrangement and have a gene expression profile of DLBCL. Rarely, cyclin D1 protein-positive DLBCL harbors a CCND1 rearrangement, and some genetic copy number features typical of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) have been detected. Since gene expression studies have not been performed, whether such CCND1-rearranged cases represent cyclin D1 protein-positive DLBCL or CD5/SOX11 double-negative pleomorphic MCL remains unclear. To date, no cases of CD5/SOX11 double-negative MCL have been reported. In this study, we collected eight cases initially diagnosed as cyclin D1 protein-positive DLBCL, including four with a CCND1 rearrangement and four without. Immunohistochemically, all four CCND1-rearranged cases had >50% of tumor cells positive for cyclin D1 protein, whereas only one (25%) non-rearranged case had >50% positive tumor cells. Analysis of genome-wide copy number, mutational, and gene expression profiles revealed that CCND1-rearranged cases were similar to MCL, whereas CCND1-non-rearranged cases resembled DLBCL. Despite the SOX11 negativity by immunohistochemistry, CCND1-rearranged cases had a notable trend (P = 0.064) of higher SOX11 mRNA levels compared to non-rearranged cases. Here, we show for the first time that CCND1 rearrangement could be useful for identifying CD5/SOX11 double-negative pleomorphic MCL in cases diagnosed as cyclin D1 protein-positive DLBCL. Cases with >50% cyclin D1 protein-positive tumor cells immunohistochemically and higher SOX11 mRNA levels are more likely to have a CCND1 rearrangement, and fluorescence in situ hybridization can be used to detect the rearrangement., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Improving the layered-structure stability and suppressing vanadium (V) dissolution during repeated Zn 2+ insertion/extraction processes are key to promoting the electrochemical stability of V-based cathodes for aqueous zinc (Zn)-ion batteries (AZIBs). In this study, barium vanadate (Ba 2 V 2 O 7 , BVO) nanostructures (NSs) are synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method. The formation process of the BVO NSs is controlled by adjusting the concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and these NSs are employed as potential cathode materials for AZIBs. As the H 2 O 2 content increases, the corresponding electrochemical properties demonstrate a discernible parabolic trend, with an initial increase, followed by a subsequent decrease. Benefiting from the effect of H 2 O 2 concentration, the optimized BVO electrode with 20 mL H 2 O 2 delivers a specific capacity of 180.15 mA h g -1 at 1 A g -1 with good rate capability and a long-term cyclability of 158.34 mA h g -1 at 3 A g -1 over 2000 cycles. Thus, this study provides a method for designing cathode materials with robust structures to boost the electrochemical performance of AZIBs., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring, the cross section of the inclusive process e^{+}e^{-}→η+X, normalized by the total cross section of e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons, is measured at eight center-of-mass energy points from 2.0000 to 3.6710 GeV. These are the first measurements with momentum dependence in this energy region. Our measurement shows a significant discrepancy compared to the existing fragmentation functions. To address this discrepancy, a new QCD analysis is performed at the next-to-next-to-leading order with hadron mass corrections and higher twist effects, which can explain both the established high-energy data and our measurements reasonably well.

Objective: To study the expression of the Homeobox C6 (HOXC6) gene in the homeobox family in PCa, its effect on the biological behavior of PCa cells and its action mechanism., Methods: Based on the studies of HOXC6 retrieved from the database of Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), we analyzed the expression of HOXC6 in PCa and the relationship of its expression level with the survival prognosis of the patients. We detected the expression of the HOXC6 protein in PCa tissues and cells by Western blot, stably interfered with the expression of the HOXC6 gene in human PCa DU145 and PC-3 cells and normal prostatic epithelial RWPE-1 cells using the siRNA plasmid, and determined the effects of HOXC6 on the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of PCa cells by CCK8, plate cloning and scratch healing and Transwell invasion assays. Using the GEPIA database, we analyzed the correlation of the Wnt tumor inhibitory factor-secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) gene with HOXC6, and detected the expressions of HOXC6, SFRP1, Wnt and β-catenin in PC-3 cells after siRNA-HOXC6 transfection by Western blot., Results: The expression of HOXC6 was dramatically higher in the PCa than in the normal prostate tissue (P< 0.01), and in the PCa cells than in the normal prostatic epithelial cells (P< 0.01). Bioinformatics analysis indicated a lower survival rate of the PCa patients with a high than those with a low HOXC6 expression (P = 0.011). The relative expression of the HOXC6 protein, absorbance value, number of clones formed and number of invaded cells were significantly lower in the siRNA group than in the negative controls (P< 0.05). According to the GEPIA database, highly expressed SFRP1 was associated with a good prognosis of PCa, and the protein expressions of Wnt and β-catenin were markedly increased while that of SFRP1 decreased in the PCa PC-3 cell line (P< 0.05). The expressions of the Wnt and β-catenin proteins were decreased and that of SFRP1 increased significantly in the siRNA-HOXC6 transfection group compared with those in the siRNA negative control and PCa PC-3 groups (P< 0.05)., Conclusion: HOXC6 is highly expressed in PCa tissues and related to the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of PCa cells. HOXC6 promotes the growth of DU145 and PC-3 cells in PCa by inhibiting the SFRP1/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and may be a potential target for clinical treatment of PCa.

Purpose: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a major cancer of the genitourinary system. Although cystoscopy is the standard protocol for diagnosing BLCA clinically, this procedure is invasive and expensive. Several urine-based markers for BLCA have been identified and investigated, but none has shown sufficient sensitivity and specificity. These observations underscore the importance of discovering novel BLCA biomarkers and developing a noninvasive method for detection of BLCA. Exploring the cancer secretome is a good starting point for the development of noninvasive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis., Experimental Design: In this study, we established a comprehensive secretome dataset of five representative BLCA cell lines, BFTC905, TSGH8301, 5637, MGH-U1, and MGH-U4, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Expression of BLCA-specific secreted proteins at the transcription level was evaluated using the Oncomine cancer microarray database., Results: The expressions of four candidates-COMT, EWSR1, FUSIP1, and TNPO2-were further validated in clinical human specimens. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed that transportin-2 was highly expressed in tumor cells relative to adjacent noncancerous cells in clinical tissue specimens from BLCA patients, and was significantly elevated in BLCA urine compared with that in urine samples from aged-matched hernia patients (controls)., Conclusions: Collectively, our findings suggest TNPO2 as a potential noninvasive tumor-stage or grade discriminator for BLCA management., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Although myricetin (3,3',4',5,5',7-hexahydroxyflavone, MYR) has a high antioxidant capacity and health functions, its use as a functional food material is limited owing to its low stability and water solubility. Amylosucrase (ASase) is capable of biosynthesizing flavonol α-glycoside using flavonols as acceptor molecules and sucrose as a donor molecule. Here, ASase from Deinococcus deserti (DdAS) efficiently biosynthesizes a novel MYR α-triglucoside (MYRαG3) using MYR as the acceptor molecule. Comparative homology analysis and computational simulation revealed that DdAS has a different active pocket for the transglycosylation reaction. DdAS produced MYRαG3 with a conversion efficiency of 67.4 % using 10 mM MYR and 50 mM sucrose as acceptor and donor molecules, respectively. The structure of MYRαG3 was identified as MYR 4'-O-4″,6″-tri-O-α-D-glucopyranoside using NMR and LC-MS. In silico analysis confirmed that DdAS has a distinct active pocket compared to other ASases. In addition, molecular docking simulations predicted the synthetic sequence of MYRαG3. Furthermore, MYRαG3 showed a similar DPPH radical scavenging activity of 49 %, comparable to MYR, but with significantly higher water solubility, which increased from 0.03 μg/mL to 511.5 mg/mL. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the efficient biosynthesis of a novel MYRαG3 using DdAS and highlighted the potential of MYRαG3 as a functional material., 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.)

Various vaccine platforms were developed and deployed against the COVID-19 disease. The Fc-mediated functions of IgG antibodies are essential in the adaptive immune response elicited by vaccines. However, the long-term changes of protein subunit vaccines and their combinations with messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are unknown. A total of 272 serum and plasma samples were collected from individuals who received first to third doses of the protein subunit Medigen, the mRNA (BNT, Moderna), or the adenovector AstraZeneca vaccines. The IgG subclass level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Fc-N glycosylation was measured using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Antibody-dependent-cellular-phagocytosis (ADCP) and complement deposition (ADCD) of anti-spike (S) IgG antibodies were measured by flow cytometry. IgG1 and 3 reached the highest anti-S IgG subclass level. IgG1, 2, and 4 subclass levels significantly increased in mRNA- and Medigen-vaccinated individuals. Fc-glycosylation was stable, except in female BNT vaccinees, who showed increased bisection and decreased galactosylation. Female BNT vaccinees had a higher anti-S IgG titer than that of males. ADCP declined in all groups. ADCD was significantly lower in AstraZeneca-vaccinated individuals. Each vaccine produced specific long-term changes in Fc structure and function. This finding is critical when selecting a vaccine platform or combination to achieve the desired immune response., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Medical Virology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

In this report, we successfully synthesized a novel trivalent europium (Eu 3+ )-activated Ca 4 Nb 2 O 9 phosphor emitting reddish-orange light via its 5 D 0 → 7 F 1 and 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 transitions. In the Ca 4 Nb 2 O 9 host, Eu 3+ ions exhibited optimal doping at a concentration of 15 mol%, with the concentration-quenching mechanism predominantly driven by electric dipole-dipole interactions. In addition, the Ca 4 Nb 2 O 9 :Eu 3+ phosphor exhibited excellent thermal stability with a photoluminescence (PL) intensity of 71.6% at a working temperature of 423 K. Interestingly, the internal PL quantum yield (PLQY) of the optimal sample was obtained to be 87.43%, and the external PLQY was determined to be 47.81%. The fabricated white light-emitting diode that employed this optimized phosphor alongside commercial phosphors, via a novel silica epoxy gel (parts A and B)-based method, exhibited good color rendering index (color rendering index = 80.65), excellent warm-correlated color temperature (correlated color temperature = 3753 K), and Commission International de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinate (0.3922, 0.3845). Moreover, the optimal phosphor was introduced into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer film, creating a translucent film. These films were then fabricated on glass, plastic, and card, which showed a satisfying emission under ultraviolet radiation. Consequently, the proposed Eu 3+ -activated Ca 4 Nb 2 O 9 phosphors can be used as light sources and the Ca 4 Nb 2 O 9 :Eu 3+ -PVA film is proposed for anti-counterfeiting applications.