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BaNi2As2 is a nonmagnetic analog of the iron pnictide superconductors, and exhibits an incommensurate charge density wave (IC-CDW) and a sizable elastoresistance. In this Letter, phonons in BaNi2As2 associated with the IC-CDW and uniform in-plane lattice distortions are investigated using high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering. The in-plane transverse acoustic phonons reveal no softening at temperatures where the elastoresistance increases strongly, indicating the latter to be electronically driven. Systematic phonon measurements suggest the IC-CDW occurs in two stages upon cooling: Underdamped phonons first soften to zero energy well above the IC-CDW ordering temperature, then the resulting quasielastic IC-CDW fluctuations gradually slow down and coalesce into the static IC-CDW order. A possible origin for our observations is the IC-CDW in BaNi2As2 being uniaxial, which provides an additional Ising degree of freedom favorable for disordered IC-CDW modulations, and accounts for the elastoresistance through a weak coupling to the lattice.

The replenishment of water resources in a space station is essential for achieving an astronaut's long-term and on-orbit residence. Recycling his or her urine is one of important and major ways of wastewater recovery. However, traditional urine treatment methods have the disadvantages of equipment that takes large space, complex procedures and low atomic utilization. Therefore, this paper designs a novel wastewater reuse system that treats urine based on urea electrooxidation technology, introduces methane fuel cell coupled with the Sabatier reactor and hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell to further utilize urine treatment products and to allocate water resources precisely in the space station through designing grading treatment and dynamic control systems. The wastewater reuse system designed in the paper contributes to saving valuable space and reducing energy consumption during urine treatment, thus improving water recovery rate and optimizing resource allocation.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology in the central nervous system (CNS) infection. Methods Utilizing the Infectious Disease Metagenomic Testing Platform at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, we conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data, routine laboratory test results, and mNGS results of patients diagnosed with infectious CNS diseases from April to December 2022. The aim was to assess the diagnostic significance of mNGS technology in CNS infection. Results Among 39 patients clinically with CNS infection, suspected pathogenic microorganism-specific sequences were detected in 29 cases (74.4%). Among them, 11 cases (37.9%) were positive for bacteria, 13 cases (44.8%) for viruses, 3 cases (10.3%) for fungi, 1 case (3.5%) for both bacteria and viruses, and 1 case (3.5%) for both fungi and viruses, yielding a positivity rate of 74.4%. Ten cases reported negative results, resulting in a false-negative rate of 25.6%. The positivity rate of mNGS was significantly higher than that of conventional clinical pathogen detection methods (including cerebrospinal fluid smears, cultures, pathogen antigens, and nucleic acid polymerase chain reactions), with rates of 74.4% compared to 23.7%, respectively. Conclusions Compared to available conventional clinical pathogen detection methods, mNGS technology demonstrates a higher positivity rate in the diagnosis of infectious CNS diseases. This advancement could potentially contribute to the early diagnosis of CNS infection.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread gastrointestinal disorder known for its multifaceted pathogenesis and varied extraintestinal manifestations, yet its implications for bone and muscle health are underexplored. Recent studies suggest a link between IBS and musculoskeletal disorders, but a comprehensive understanding remains elusive, especially concerning the role of bile acids (BAs) in this context. This study aimed to elucidate the potential contribution of IBS to bone and muscle deterioration via alterations in gut microbiota and BA profiles, hypothesizing that cholestyramine could counteract these adverse effects. We employed a mouse model to characterize IBS and analysed its impact on bone and muscle health. Our results revealed that IBS promotes bone and muscle loss, accompanied by microbial dysbiosis and elevated BAs. Administering cholestyramine significantly mitigated these effects, highlighting its therapeutic potential. This research not only confirms the critical role of BAs and gut microbiota in IBS‐associated bone and muscle loss but also demonstrates the efficacy of cholestyramine in ameliorating these conditions, thereby contributing significantly to the field's understanding and offering a promising avenue for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the association between frailty and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly cardiac surgery patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of older patients admitted to the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery at a tertiary academic medical center in Boston from 2008 to 2019. Frailty was measured using the Modified Frailty Index (MFI), which categorized patients into frail (MFI ≥3) and non‐frail (MFI = 0–2) groups. Delirium was identified using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit and nursing notes. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between frailty and POD, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Of the 2080 patients included (median age approximately 74 years, 30.9% female), 614 were frail and 1466 were non‐frail. The incidence of delirium was significantly higher in the frail group (29.2% vs. 16.4%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for age, sex, race, marital status, Acute Physiology Score III (APSIII), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), albumin, creatinine, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, type of surgery, alcohol use, smoking, cerebrovascular disease, use of benzodiazepines, and mechanical ventilation, multivariate logistic regression indicated a significantly increased risk of delirium in frail patients (adjusted OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23–2.10, p < 0.001, E‐value: 1.85). Conclusions: Frailty is an independent risk factor for POD in older patients after cardiac surgery. Further research should focus on frailty assessment and tailored interventions to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of potassium chloride (KCl) to be used as a substitute for sodium chloride (NaCl) was studied by monitoring the effects of salt treatment on thermal behavior, aggregation kinetics, rheological properties, and protein conformational changes. The results show that the addition of KCl can improve solubility, reduce turbidity and particle size, and positively influence rheological parameters such as apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient (K value), and fluidity index (n). These changes indicate delayed thermal denaturation. In addition, KCl decreased the content of β-sheet and random coil structures and increased the content of α-helix and β-turn structures. The optimal results were obtained with 2% KCl addition, leading to an increase in Tp up to 85.09 °C. The correlation results showed that Tp was positively correlated with solubility, α-helix and β-turn but negatively correlated with ΔH, turbidity, β-sheet and random coil. Overall, compared to NaCl, 2% KCl is more effective in delaying the thermal aggregation of LWE, and these findings lay a solid theoretical foundation for the study of sodium substitutes in heat-resistant liquid egg products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]