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Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic syndrome characterized by chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and islet cell damage. The prevention of T2DM and its associated complications is an urgent public health issue that affects hundreds of millions of people globally. Numerous studies suggest that disturbances in gut metabolites are important driving forces for the pathogenesis of diabetes. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of most commensal bacteria in T2DM remain largely unknown. Methods: The quantification of bile acids (BAs) in fecal samples was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). The anti-diabetic effects of Bacteroides uniformis (B. uniformis) and its metabolites cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) were assessed in T2DM mice induced by streptozocin (STZ) plus high-fat diet (HFD). Results: We found that the abundance of B. uniformis in the feces and the contents of CA and CDCA were significantly downregulated in T2DM mice. B. uniformis was diminished in diabetic individuals and this bacterium was sufficient to promote the production of BAs. Colonization of B. uniformis and intragastric gavage of CA and CDCA effectively improved the disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM mice by inhibiting gluconeogenesis and lipolysis in the liver. CA and CDCA improved hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism by acting on the Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5)/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway since knockdown of TGR5 minimized the benefit of CA and CDCA. Furthermore, we screened a natural product—vaccarin (VAC)—that exhibited anti-diabetic effects by promoting the growth of B. uniformis in vitro and in vivo. Gut microbiota pre-depletion abolished the favorable effects of VAC in diabetic mice. Conclusions: These data suggest that supplementation of B. uniformis may be a promising avenue to ameliorate T2DM by linking the gut and liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of global climate change and the need for energy diversification, electrocatalytic technology emerges as an eco‐friendly solution. However, persistent electrode failures hinder long‐term stability. This review comprehensively outlines the primary causes leading to the failure of self‐supported electrodes, encompassing substrate passivation, substrate/catalyst dissolution, CO poisoning, catalyst migration and agglomeration, as well as cathodic etching. Proposed strategies center on material design, emphasizing anchoring, lattice matching, substrate stability, and morphological control. Advanced characterization techniques and in situ technologies offer promising ways. The integrated deployment of these strategies will provide crucial guidance and support for the sustainable advancement of electrocatalytic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐energy‐driven photoreduction of CO2 is promising in alleviating environment burden, but suffers from low efficiency and over‐reliance on sacrificial agents. Herein, rhenium (Re) is atomically dispersed in In2O3 to fabricate a 2Re‐In2O3 photocatalyst. In sacrificial‐agent‐free photoreduction of CO2 with H2O, 2Re‐In2O3 shows a long‐term stable efficiency which is enhanced by 3.5 times than that of pure In2O3 and is also higher than those on Au‐In2O3, Ag‐In2O3, Cu‐In2O3, Ir‐In2O3, Ru‐In2O3, Rh‐In2O3 and Pt‐In2O3 photocatalysts. Moreover, carbon‐based product of the photoreduction overturns from CO on pure In2O3 to CH3OH on 2Re‐In2O3. Re promotes charge separation, H2O dissociation and CO2 activation, thus enhancing photoreduction efficiency of CO2 on 2Re‐In2O3. During the photoreduction, CO is a key intermediate. CO prefers to desorption rather than hydrogenation on pure In2O3, as CO binds to pure In2O3 very weakly. Re strengthens the interaction of CO with 2Re‐In2O3 by 5.0 times, thus limiting CO desorption but enhancing CO hydrogenation to CH3OH. This could be the origin for photoreduction product overturn from CO on pure In2O3 to CH3OH on 2Re‐In2O3. The present work opens a new way to boost sacrificial‐agent‐free photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of life (QoL) and self‐efficacy in older adults with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as the factors affecting their QoL. Previous research has shown that self‐efficacy is one of the factors affecting the QoL of individuals. Diminished self‐efficacy can impair cognitive and behavioural function, while heightened self‐efficacy can drive changes in treatment acceptance behaviour and, subsequently, physical and mental health. Although past research has investigated QoL among patients with BPH, no known studies have investigated the impact of self‐efficacy on QoL, specifically among the Chinese aged population who may have a different disease status. The study followed a cross‐sectional design and included 372 older adults with BPH. The Chinese version of the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia QoL Scale (BPH‐QLS), the Chinese version of the Self‐rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale (SRAHP) and General Survey Questionnaire were used. One‐way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were employed to identify factors influencing QoL and evaluate the relationship between self‐efficacy and QoL. The results indicated a positive correlation between QoL and self‐efficacy. Educational level, sexual intercourse, disease duration, marital status, monthly family income and self‐efficacy were identified as factors influencing QoL in older adults with BPH. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that self‐efficacy for health responsibility had the most significant impact on QoL scores. To enhance QoL in older adults with BPH, active measures are needed. Future studies should focus on intervention programmes that target self‐efficacy, which is a modifiable factor with significant potential for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GX0101 is the first field Marek’s disease virus (MDV) recombinant with an REV LTR insert isolated in China. We speculated that there was a selective advantage of GX0101 becoming the more prevalent field strain from a very low percentage of recombinant virus. In the study, dual fluorescence quantitative real-time PCR (DF-qPCR) that detects GX0101 and GX0101ΔLTR simultaneously was established based on the genomic difference of GX0101 and its LTR deletion strain GX0101ΔLTR. MDV natural transmission was simulated in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicks, and continuous tracking of GX0101 and GX0101ΔLTR in chicks was carried out. The results showed that GX0101 possessed high horizontal transmission capacity, which could infect SPF chicks by contact in a short time and became the predominant strain following contact infections in chicken flocks. GX0101 still had a more significant advantage of horizontal transmission than GX0101ΔLTR after continuous passage even if the initially infectious dose was significantly lower. There were 72 differentially expressed MDV genes between GX0101 and GX0101ΔLTR, with the genes and gene products mainly involved in virus replication, tegument protein, glycoprotein, nucleocapsid protein, immune evasion, tumor development and/or pathogenesis, and hypothetical protein. Sixteen genes related to virus replication and transmission were significantly up-regulated. This is the first study to illuminate that increased horizontal transmission of recombinant MDV due to REV LTR was the competitive advantage of the virus being a prevalent strain and define the differential transcription profile of viral genes between GX0101 and GX0101ΔLTR. This will be helpful for in-depth study on the molecular mechanism of increased horizontal transmission of MDV by REV LTR.

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In2O3), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In2O3 photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In2O3 with electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions, with CH4 selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In2O3 without electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4 also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron‐hole pairs and convert CO2 into CO2δ−, which can be easily hydrogenated into CH4 via a CO2δ−→HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH4 path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In2O3), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In2O3 photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In2O3 with electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions, with CH4 selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In2O3 without electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4 also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron‐hole pairs and convert CO2 into CO2δ−, which can be easily hydrogenated into CH4 via a CO2δ−→HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH4 path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production is significant to overcome challenges like fossil fuel depletion and carbon dioxide emission, but its efficiency is still far below that which is needed for commercialization. Herein, we achieve long‐term stable H2 bubbling production from water (H2O) and lactic acid via visible‐light‐driven photocatalysis in a porous microreactor (PP12); the catalytic system benefits from photocatalyst dispersion, charge separation, mass transfer, and dissociation of O−H bonds associated with H2O. With the widely used platinum/cadmium‐sulfide (Pt/CdS) photocatalyst, PP12 leads to a H2 bubbling production rate of 602.5 mmol h−1 m−2, which is 1000 times higher than that in a traditional reactor. Even when amplifying PP12 into a flat‐plate reactor with an area as large as 1 m2 and extending the reaction time to 100 h, the H2 bubbling production rate still remains at around 600.0 mmol h−1 m−2, offering great potential for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we explore how OH groups on Pt/γ‐AlOOH and Pt/γ‐Al2O3 catalysts affect CO2 hydrogenation with H2 at temperatures from 250°C to 400°C. OH groups are abundant on γ‐AlOOH, but rare at Pt‐(γ‐AlOOH) interface which is the most favorable site for CO2 conversion on Pt/γ‐AlOOH. This makes CO2 hydrogenation on Pt/γ‐AlOOH form CO weakly bonding to γ‐AlOOH, which prefers to desorption from Pt/γ‐AlOOH rather than further conversion, thus enhancing CO production on Pt/γ‐AlOOH. Different from Pt/γ‐AlOOH, OH groups are abundant at Pt‐(γ‐Al2O3) interface which is the most favorable site for CO2 conversion on Pt/γ‐Al2O3. This promotes CO2 hydrogenation on Pt/γ‐Al2O3 to form CO strongly bonding to Pt, which prefers to further hydrogenation to CH4, and thereby increases CH4 selectivity on Pt/γ‐Al2O3. Therefore, the OH groups at metal‐support interface are crucial factor influencing product distribution, and must be considered seriously when fabricating catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic overall splitting of pure water (H2O) without sacrificial reagent to hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) holds a great potential for achieving carbon neutrality. Herein, by anchoring cobalt sulfide (Co9S8) as cocatalyst and cadmium sulfide (CdS) as light absorber to channel wall of a porous polymer microreactor (PP12), continuous violent H2 and O2 bubbling productions from photocatalytic overall splitting of pure H2O without sacrificial reagent is achieved, with H2 and O2 production rates as high as 4.41 and 2.20 mmol h−1 gcat.−1 respectively. These are significantly enhanced than those in the widely used stirred tank‐type reactor in which no O2 is produced and H2 production rate is only 0.004 mmol h−1 gcat.−1. Besides improved charge separation and interaction of H2O with photocatalyst in PP12, bonding interaction of Co9S8 with PP12 creates abundant catalytic active sites for simultaneous productions of H2 and O2, thus leading to the significantly enhanced H2 and O2 bubbling productions in PP12. This offers a new strategy to enhance photocatalytic overall splitting of pure H2O without sacrificial reagent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In2O3), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In2O3 photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In2O3 with electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions, with CH4 selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In2O3 without electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4 also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron‐hole pairs and convert CO2 into CO2δ−, which can be easily hydrogenated into CH4 via a CO2δ−→HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH4 path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In2O3), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In2O3 photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In2O3 with electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions, with CH4 selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In2O3 without electronic Pt−In2O3 interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4 also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt‐(metal‐oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron‐hole pairs and convert CO2 into CO2δ−, which can be easily hydrogenated into CH4 via a CO2δ−→HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH4 path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO2 to CH4. This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-energy-driven photoreduction of CO 2 is promising in alleviating environment burden, but suffers from low efficiency and over-reliance on sacrificial agents. Herein, rhenium (Re) is atomically dispersed in In 2 O 3 to fabricate a 2Re-In 2 O 3 photocatalyst. In sacrificial-agent-free photoreduction of CO 2 with H 2 O, 2Re-In 2 O 3 shows a long-term stable efficiency which is enhanced by 3.5 times than that of pure In 2 O 3 and is also higher than those on Au-In 2 O 3 , Ag-In 2 O 3 , Cu-In 2 O 3 , Ir-In 2 O 3 , Ru-In 2 O 3 , Rh-In 2 O 3 and Pt-In 2 O 3 photocatalysts. Moreover, carbon-based product of the photoreduction overturns from CO on pure In 2 O 3 to CH 3 OH on 2Re-In 2 O 3 . Re promotes charge separation, H 2 O dissociation and CO 2 activation, thus enhancing photoreduction efficiency of CO 2 on 2Re-In 2 O 3 . During the photoreduction, CO is a key intermediate. CO prefers to desorption rather than hydrogenation on pure In 2 O 3 , as CO binds to pure In 2 O 3 very weakly. Re strengthens the interaction of CO with 2Re-In 2 O 3 by 5.0 times, thus limiting CO desorption but enhancing CO hydrogenation to CH 3 OH. This could be the origin for photoreduction product overturn from CO on pure In 2 O 3 to CH 3 OH on 2Re-In 2 O 3 . The present work opens a new way to boost sacrificial-agent-free photoreduction of CO 2 ., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The comprehensive management of multiple ecosystem services is the focus of current research in the field of ecosystem service. The ecological space in the central urban area is scarce, but ecological needs are diverse. How to scientifically use urban land while considering various ecological functions has gradually become an academic hotspot. Taking the central urban area of Qiqihar as an example, we applied the ecosystem service bundle theory to analyze the supply and demand relationship of five ecosystem services in the study area, including flood regulation, air purification, carbon storage and sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and cultural recreation. Based on the supply-demand ratio, we identified the supply-demand bundles of ecosystem services in the study area, completed the division of ecological functional areas, and proposed corresponding spatial control strategies. The results showed that the supply of those five services presented a spatial pattern of low in the city center and south side, while high in the northwest and southeast side, and that the demand for those five services presented a spatial pattern of high in the city center and low around the city. Air purification, biodiversity conservation, and cultural recreation ser-vices were in short supply, with a supply-demand ratio of -0.160, -0.071, and -0.008, respectively. The supply to demand ratios of flood regulation and carbon storage and sequestration services were in excess, with a supply to demand ratio of 0.089 and 0.008, respectively. The spatial imbalance between supply and demand of various services was significant. The research area could be divided into six types of ecosystem service bundles. After comprehensive analysis, the research area would be further divided into four types of zones: urban ecological restoration zone, urban ecological strengthening zone, urban development transition zone, and urban ecological conservation zone. We proposed targeted functional optimization strategies based on the spatial relationship, ecological background characteristics, and supply and demand ratios of various services within the zone.

By supporting platinum (Pt) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles on indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ), we fabricated a CdS/Pt/In 2 O 3 photocatalyst. Selective photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to methane (CH 4 ) was achieved on CdS/Pt/In 2 O 3 with electronic Pt-In 2 O 3 interactions, with CH 4 selectivity reaching to 100 %, which is higher than that on CdS/Pt/In 2 O 3 without electronic Pt-In 2 O 3 interactions (71.7 %). Moreover, the enhancement effect of electronic Pt-(metal-oxide) interactions on selective photoreduction of CO 2 to CH 4 also occurs by using other common metal oxides, such as photocatalyst supports, including titanium oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, and tungsten oxide. The electronic Pt-(metal-oxide) interactions separate photogenerated electron-hole pairs and convert CO 2 into CO 2 δ- , which can be easily hydrogenated into CH 4 via a CO 2 δ- →HCOO*→HCO*→CH*→CH 4 path, thus boosting selective photoreduction of CO 2 to CH 4 . This offers a new way to achieve selective photoreduction of CO 2 ., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)