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Although bimetallic noble nanostructures often possess high activity in nanocatalysis, their controllable fabrication, tunable catalytic activity, and easy separation remain significant challenges. In this study, an Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/Polydopamine (Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/PDA) nanosnowman loaded with an AgPd nanocage was designed by a one-step template-disposition-redox polymerization method. The AgPd nanocage endowed the product with high catalytic activity for the reduction of organic pollutants (4-NP, MO, MB). Interestingly, under near-infrared (NIR) light, the catalytic kinetics of the Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/PDA nanosnowman on catalytic reduction of organic pollutants increased by 2.6, 1.57, and 5.45 times, respectively. The asymmetric nanostructure facilitated the separation of electron-hole pairs, promoted electron transfer, and accelerated the catalytic activity. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis indicated that the electron transfer between the AgPd alloy and the Fe 3 O 4 nanosphere played a critical role on the high catalytic activity. Moreover, Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/PDA also demonstrated excellent catalytic activity in the Heck carbon-carbon coupling reaction with a >95% conversion rate and >99% selectivity. Owing to the well-encapsulated PDA shell and outstanding magnetic properties, the Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/PDA nanosnowman exhibited good cyclic catalytic activity. With its multi-mode catalysis, NIR-enhanced catalytic activity, and easy separation, the Fe 3 O 4 @AgPd/PDA nanosnowman exhibits great application potential in nanocatalysis.

Warmth preservation in cold climates requires a long-term heat supply. Conventional thermal devices usually deliver excessive heat and have difficulty preventing heat loss. Herein, to achieve durable thermal comfort, an asymmetric composite (AAAC) is devised through vacuum-filtrating silver nanowires (AgNWs) onto the surface of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-infiltrated aramid nanofiber aerogel. AgNW e-skin can transfer strong Joule heat to the back side of the AAAC, where the infused PEG further stores thermal energy by phase transition and then releases it to the body constantly after the power is off. Base on the Janus structure, the AAAC can provide thermotherapy for human waists and knees, holding a suitable temperature range of 37-39 °C for 5-8 min without a heat source. In addition, low infrared emissivity (0.064-0.315) of e-skin allows the AAAC to conceal thermal targets while producing Joule heat, which achieves comfortable and safe thermal management in multiple occasions including daily life and military warfare.

Background and Aims: Quality of life in patients with active Crohn's disease may be significantly reduced. We evaluated the effects of upadacitinib induction and maintenance therapy on fatigue, quality of life, and work productivity in the phase 3 trials U-EXCEL, U-EXCEED, and U-ENDURE., Methods: Clinical responders to upadacitinib 45 mg in U-EXCEL and U-EXCEED induction trials were re-randomised 1:1:1 to upadacitinib 30 mg, 15 mg, or placebo for 52 weeks of maintenance in U-ENDURE. Clinically meaningful improvements in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [IBDQ] response, IBDQ remission, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-Fatigue], and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment were evaluated. Percentages of patients achieving clinically meaningful improvements were assessed at induction Weeks 4 and 12 and maintenance Week 52., Clinical Registration Number: U-EXCEED induction trial [NCT03345836], U-EXCEL induction trial [NCT03345849], U-ENDURE maintenance trial [NCT03345823]., Results: Analysis included 1021 and 502 patients assessed at induction and maintenance, respectively. In U-EXCEL, greater improvements [all p ≤ 0.001] in IBDQ response [71.0% vs 50.2%], IBDQ remission [44.2% vs 23.7%], and FACIT-Fatigue [42.0% vs 27.0%] were observed in upadacitinib-treated patients versus placebo at Week 4. Improvements in IBDQ response, IBDQ remission, and FACIT-Fatigue were similar or greater at Week 12. Clinically meaningful improvement in overall work impairment [52.1% vs 38.1%, p ≤ 0.05] was demonstrated at Week 12. Similar results were observed in U-EXCEED. Improvements were sustained through 52 weeks of upadacitinib maintenance treatment., Conclusions: In patients with active Crohn's disease, upadacitinib treatment relative to placebo significantly improved fatigue, quality of life, and work productivity as early as Week 4. These effects were sustained through 52 weeks of maintenance., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation.)

Chitosan is an ideal coating film for food preservation, but the performance of a single chitosan coating film is not good. Herein, the liposome was prepared by embedding copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and thyme essential oil (TEO) in the hydrophilic and hydrophobic double-domain structure formed by phospholipids, and combining with chitosan to obtain a chitosan-based coating film for litchi preservation. The liposome was well-dispersed and stable with an average particle size of about 190 nm. The liposome showed excellent controllable release properties, and the cumulative release rate of TEO was 65.17 % and that of CuNPs was 15.17 % after 7 days. Furthermore, the oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of the coating film were greatly improved. Importantly, the film possessed effective antioxidant, antibacterial activity and excellent safety, which presents a better fresh-keeping effect on litchi. This study provides insights into the design and manufacture of food packaging for controllable and long-lasting preservation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To investigate the short-term and long-term efficacy and safety of thalidomide in the treatment of intermediate and severe β-thalassemia. We analyzed patients with intermediate and severe β-thalassemia treated at our hospital from February 2019 to February 2024. Patients who received treatment for more than 3 months were included. The efficacy of thalidomide was assessed by comparing changes in hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, bilirubin, and Hb electrophoresis before and after treatment. Adverse drug reactions during treatment were also recorded. A total of 42 β-thalassemia patients were included, with thalidomide dosages ranging from 75 to 150 mg/d. The response rates at 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment were 73.8% (31/42), 75.0% (24/32), and 94.7% (18/19), respectively. The increase in Hb levels was primarily attributed to fetal hemoglobin (HbF). After 1 month of treatment, the HbF percentage increased from a baseline of 34.04 ± 27.58% to 56.25 ± 28.40% (P < .001). At 3 and 6 months, HbF further increased to 67.21 ± 27.12% (P < .001) and 73.93 ± 22.96% (P < .001), respectively. The average duration of thalidomide treatment was 25.3 ± 9.2 months (range: 4-60 months), with 6 patients treated for over 60 months and 18 patients for over 48 months. Two homozygous patients who failed thalidomide treatment achieved Hb levels above 100 g/L and discontinued transfusion therapy after 3 months of hydroxyurea treatment. The most common adverse reaction was somnolence, which was mild and tolerable. Thalidomide demonstrates significant and sustained therapeutic effects in β-thalassemia patients. The adverse reactions are mild and tolerable, allowing patients to continue treatment., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Leaf heading is an important agronomic trait of Chinese cabbage, which directly affects its yield. Leaf heading formation in Chinese cabbage is controlled by its internal genotype and external environmental factors, the underlying mechanism of which remains poorly understood. To discover the leaf heading formation mechanism more deeply, this study analyzed the correlation between proteomic and transcriptomic data in the leaf heading formation mutant fg-1 generated by EMS. iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics techniques were performed to identify the protein expression profiles during the key periods of the early heading stage in the section of the soft leaf apical region (section a) and the whole leaf basal region (section d). We first identified 1,246 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in section a and 1,055 DEPs in section d. Notably, transcriptome-proteome integrated analysis revealed that 207 and 278 genes showed consistent trends at the genes' and proteins' expression levels in section a and section d, respectively. KEGG analyses showed that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was enriched in both sections a and d. Furthermore, 86 TFs exhibited co-upregulation or co-downregulation, and seven out of 86 were involved in plant hormone synthesis and signal transduction pathways. This indicates that they are potentially related to the leaf heading formation in Chinese cabbage. Taken together, we have identified several key early-heading-formation-related factors via integration analysis of the transcriptomics and proteomics data. This provides sufficient gene resources to discover the molecular mechanism of leaf heading formation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Li, Fan, Zhang, Yang, Hou, Yang, Li, Xuan and Zhao.)

Proton transfer is essential in virtually all biochemical processes, with enzymes facilitating this transfer by optimizing the proximity and orientation of reactants through site-specific hydrogen bonds. Proton transfer is also crucial in the rate-determining step for the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs), widely used to prepare various peptidomimetic materials. This study utilizes side chain-assisted strategy to accelerate the rate of chain propagation by using NCAs with tertiary amine pendants. This moiety enables hydrogen bond formation between the incoming NCA and the polymer amino growing end. The tertiary amine side chain of the NCA forms a proton shuttle, via a less constrained transition state, to facilitate the proton transfer process. Moreover, the tertiary amine side chains enable the precipitation of NCA monomers through in situ protonation during the monomer synthesis. This greatly facilitates the synthesis of these unreported monomers, allowing the direct controlled synthesis of tertiary amine-pendant polypeptoids. This side chain-promoted polymerization has rarely been reported. Additionally, the tertiary amine side chains, as widely used functional groups, endow the polymers with unique properties including pH- and thermo-responsiveness, tunable pK a s, and siRNA transfection capability. The self-promoted synthesis, facile monomer preparation, and attractive properties make tertiary amine-pendant polypeptoids promising materials for various applications., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

With the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria and the waning effects of antibiotics, nanoplatform has become an effective strategy for fighting infections. This work reports a dipolar-hollowed α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/Polydopamine (PDA) nanospindle which possesses both photothermal-photodynamic (PTT-PDT) coupling antibacterial and drug carrying performance. Firstly, the spindle type α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/PDA particle was prepared by a simple one-step strategy and then the dipolar-hollow structure was obtained by controlling etching the inside α-Fe 2 O 3 core with hydrochloric acid. After further loading the photosensitizer zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), the dipolar-hollowed α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/PDA-ZnPc nanospindles were obtained. Owing to the dipolar-hollowed interior, the nanospindles are also effective in carrying antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) and shows a good drug loading-release behavior. The dipolar-hollowed α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/PDA nanospindles exhibits a high antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under near-infrared (NIR) and Xenon lamp irradiation. When α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/PDA-ZnPc nanospindles concentration was increased to 100 μg/mL, the antibacterial rate was close to 100 %. In comparison to the original α-Fe 2 O 3 @Au/PDA nanospindles, the product achieved a lower effective antibacterial temperature. This triple-mode therapy (PTT/PDT/Drug) provides an interesting design idea for anisotropic therapeutic nanoplatform which can be applied in low-temperature antibacterial and drug delivery., 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.)

Background: Our study aims to address two pivotal questions: "What are the recent advancements in understanding the etiology of urological tumors through Mendelian Randomization?" and "How can Mendelian Randomization be more effectively applied in clinical settings to enhance patient health outcomes in the future?", Methods: In our systematic review conducted in April 2023, we utilized databases like PubMed and Web of Science to explore the influence of Mendelian Randomization in urological oncological diseases. We focused on studies published from January 2018, employing keywords related to urological tumors and Mendelian Randomization, supplemented with MeSH terms and manual reference checks. Our inclusion criteria targeted original research studies, while we excluded reports and non-relevant articles. Data extraction followed a PICO-based approach, and bias risk was independently evaluated, with discrepancies resolved through discussion. This systematic approach adhered to PRISMA guidelines for accuracy and thoroughness in reporting., Results: From the initial 457 publications, we narrowed down to 43 full-text articles after screening and quality assessments. A deeper understanding of Mendelian Randomization can help us explore risk factors with a clear causal relationship to urological tumors. This insight may pave the way for future research in early diagnosis, treatment, and management of associated diseases., Conclusion: Our review underscores the value of MR in urogenital tumor research, highlighting its efficacy in establishing causality and its potential to clarify disease mechanisms. Despite challenges like large sample sizes and variant identification, MR offers new perspectives for understanding and managing these tumors, suggesting a trend towards more inclusive and diverse research approaches.

Introduction: Evidence on the comparative efficacy and safety of approved therapies for ulcerative colitis (UC) during induction and maintenance, including upadacitinib (UPA), vedolizumab (VEDO), ustekinumab (UST), and tofacitinib (TOFA), is limited., Methods: Using data from phase 3 trials, three placebo (PBO)-anchored matching-adjusted indirect comparisons of the efficacy and safety of UPA versus VEDO, UST, and TOFA (U-ACHIEVE and U-ACCOMPLISH, GEMINI-1, UNIFI, and OCTAVE induction and maintenance trials) have been conducted. Baseline characteristics from UPA trials were weighted separately to match each comparator trial. Induction responders were re-randomized to oral UPA 15 or 30 mg, VEDO 300 mg intravenously every 8 weeks (Q8W), UST 90 mg SC Q8W, or oral TOFA 5 mg, or PBO in maintenance. Treat-through efficacy outcomes at weeks 44(UST)/46(VEDO)/52(UPA/TOFA) were adjusted by the likelihood of induction response and included clinical response, clinical remission, and endoscopic improvement. Safety outcomes included adverse events (AEs), serious AEs (SAEs), and AEs leading to discontinuation (except UPA vs. VEDO). Benefit-risk was assessed by numbers needed to treat (NNT)/harm, calculated as the inverse of the difference in proportions of patients achieving each efficacy/safety outcome for UPA versus comparator., Results: The proportions of patients who demonstrated clinical response or endoscopic improvement was greater with UPA 15 mg versus VEDO and TOFA (p < 0.05). The proportions of patients demonstrating all treat-through efficacy outcomes were significantly greater with UPA 30 mg versus VEDO, UST, or TOFA with NNTs 3.2-8.7. No significant differences in proportions of AEs, SAEs, and AEs leading to discontinuation were observed between the two doses of UPA and comparators., Conclusion: In patients with active UC, greater clinical efficacy, and similar safety after 1 year of maintenance were observed with UPA versus VEDO, UST, and TOFA, suggesting a favorable benefit-risk profile for UPA. Despite matched baseline characteristics, differences in trial design and endpoints may persist., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Backgrounds/aims: Transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) E167K variant is closely associated with the occurrence and development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the role and mechanism of TM6SF2 E167K variant during MASLD progression are not yet fully understood., Methods: The Tm6sf2167K knock-in (KI) mice were subjected to high-fat diet (HFD). Hepatic lipid levels of Tm6sf2167K KI mice were detected by lipidomics analysis. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used to measure the newly synthesized triglyceride (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC)., Results: The TM6SF2 E167K variant significantly aggravated hepatic steatosis and injury in HFD-induced mice. Decreased polyunsaturated PC level and increased polyunsaturated TG level were found in liver tissue of HFD-induced Tm6sf2167K KI mice. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the TM6SF2 E167K variant increased the interaction between TM6SF2 and PNPLA3, and impaired PNPLA3-mediated transfer of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from TG to PC. The TM6SF2 E167K variant increased the level of fatty acid-induced malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, and decreased fatty acid-downregulated cell membrane fluidity. Additionally, the TM6SF2 E167K variant decreased the level of hepatic PC containing C18:3, and dietary supplementation of PC containing C18:3 significantly attenuated the TM6SF2 E167K-induced hepatic steatosis and injury in HFD-fed mice., Conclusion: The TM6SF2 E167K variant could promote its interaction with PNPLA3 and inhibit PNPLA3-mediated transfer of PUFAs from TG to PC, resulting in the hepatic steatosis and injury during MASLD progression. PC containing C18:3 could act as a potential therapeutic supplement for MASLD patients carrying the TM6SF2 E167K variant.

Although cinnamaldehyde (CA) is an excellent antimicrobial agent, its application in the food industry was limited by its volatility and lack of antimicrobial persistence. Herein, aminated hollow mesoporous silica (NH 2 -HMSN) was prepared by selective etching and amino-modified. Subsequently, long-acting antibacterials with regulated release (NH 2 -HMSN@CA) were obtained by using NH 2 -HMSN as cinnamaldehyde carrier. NH 2 -HMSN@CA can effectively regulate the release of CA, and has 100 % inhibition effect on the growth of E. coli, S. aureus and C. acutatum. In addition, nanocellulose/NH 2 -HMSN@CA (CHA) coating film was prepared for postharvest preservation of loquat. The coating film effectively improved the storage quality and shelf life of loquat, and delayed the postharvest decay of loquat. The prepared coating film active packaging for long-term preservation is expected to provide a scheme for promoting sustainable preservation of postharvest loquat., 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.)

Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted significant attention for their ability to prevent ice formation and facilitate deicing without requiring external energy. However, these surfaces are often vulnerable to damage from external forces, leading to functional failure due to poor mechanical stability, which limits their widespread use. Drawing inspiration from the hierarchical groove of rose petals and the micropapillae of lotus leaves, a simple laser-based method is proposed to create a superhydrophobic surface with a micro/nano hierarchical crater-like structure (HCLS). To enhance the surface, boiling water treatment is applied to induce dense nanostructures, resulting in an optimal contact angle (CA) of 162° and a desirable sliding angle (SA) of 2.0°. The initial ice adhesion strength of HCLS is as low as 1.4 kPa and remains below 10 kPa even after 300 cm sandpaper abrasion. Furthermore, the HCLS demonstrates excellent mechanical durability, maintaining its performance under conditions that simulate the continuous impact of water and sand in extreme weather. This approach offers an innovative design concept that has the potential to advance the development of anti-icing and deicing surfaces for future aircraft., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Compact and user-friendly nucleic acid biosensors play a crucial role in advancing infectious disease research, particularly for coronavirus (COVID-19). While nanophotonic metasurface sensors hold promise for high-performance sensing, they face challenges due to their complexity and bulky readout instruments. In this study, we propose a gradient nanoplasmonic imaging (GNI) metasurface that incorporates the concept of an optical potential well, enabling label-free single-step detection of SARS-CoV-2 sequences. The metasurface sensor consists of nanopillars with continuous variations, forming an optical potential well that results in a centimeter-scale dark ring. This dynamic well exhibits high sensitivity to refractive index changes, recorded by a CCD. To further enhance the visualized sensing performance, plasmonic coupling of gold nanoparticles with the gold nanostructure is employed. Our metasurface-based biosensor achieves rapid single-step detection of SARS-CoV-2 sequences, with a low detection limit of 77.2 pM and a detection range of 0.1-100 nM. This biosensor not only demonstrates exceptional reproducibility and outstanding detection performance, but also maintains remarkable specificity in differentiating SARS-CoV-2 from other diseases with similar symptoms. This simple and spectrometer-free refractometric sensing scheme enables the construction of a compact and cost-efficient prototype. Our imaging-based metasurface biosensing strategy demonstrates valuable merits for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection, showcasing its potential as a valuable on-site nucleic acid diagnostic tool., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The liver plays a crucrial role in detoxification, metabolism, and nutrient storage. Because liver cancer ranks among the top three leading causes of death globally, there is an urgent need for developing treatment strategies for liver cancer. Although traditional approaches such as radiation, chemotherapy, surgical removal, and transplantation are widely practiced, the number of patients with liver cancer continues to increase rapidly each year. Some novel therapeutics for liver cancer have been studied for many years. In the past decade, oncolytic therapy has emerged, in which viruses selectively infect and destroy cancer cells while sparing normal cells. However, oncolytic virotherapy for liver cancer remains relatively obscure due to the aggressive nature of the disease and the limited effectiveness of treatment. To keep pace with the latest developments in oncolytic tumor therapy for liver cancer, this review summarizes basic science studies and clinical trials conducted within 5 years, focusing on the efficacy and safety profiles of the five most commonly used oncolytic viruses: herpes simplex virus, adenovirus, influenza virus, vaccinia virus, and coxsackievirus., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Hua, Xuan, Tang, You, Zhao, Qiu, Li, Li, Su and Qu.)

Realizing the full potential of genome editing for crop improvement has been slow due to inefficient methods for reagent delivery and the reliance on tissue culture for creating gene-edited plants. RNA viral vectors offer an alternative approach for delivering gene engineering reagents and bypassing the tissue culture requirement. Viruses, however, are often excluded from the shoot apical meristem, making virus-mediated gene editing inefficient in some species. Here, we developed effective approaches for generating gene-edited shoots in Cas9-expressing transgenic tomato plants using RNA virus-mediated delivery of single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs). RNA viral vectors expressing sgRNAs were either delivered to leaves or sites near axillary meristems. Trimming of the apical and axillary meristems induced new shoots to form from edited somatic cells. To further encourage the induction of shoots, we used RNA viral vectors to deliver sgRNAs along with the cytokinin biosynthesis gene, isopentenyl transferase. Abundant, phenotypically normal, gene-edited shoots were induced per infected plant with single and multiplexed gene edits fixed in the germline. The use of viruses to deliver both gene editing reagents and developmental regulators overcomes the bottleneck in applying virus-induced gene editing to dicotyledonous crops such as tomato and reduces the dependency on tissue culture., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:E.E.E. and D.F.V. filed a patent through the University of Minnesota on the use of viruses for plant gene editing. Reviewers C.G. and M.M.M. were co-authors with D.F.V. on a report of a scientific meeting that took place in 2021.

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are nano-sized vesicles actively released by Gram-negative bacteria, playing a crucial role in bacterial survival and interactions with phages. This review focuses on OMVs and succinctly delineates the stimuli instigating OMV formation, their functional repertoire, and their involvement in bacterial-phage interplays. Initially, the discussion centers on the drivers prompting OMV genesis, encompassing both extrinsic environmental pressures and intrinsic regulatory mechanisms within bacterial systems. Subsequently, a comprehensive examination of OMVs' multifaceted functions in bacterial physiology ensues, spanning signaling cascades, nutrient transport, antibiotic resilience, and evasion of immune surveillance. Particular emphasis is placed on elucidating the paramount significance of OMVs in mediating bacterial-phage dynamics. OMVs function as decoys, providing protection to bacterial hosts against phages, and concurrently promoting the spread of phage receptors, thereby rendering phage-resistant strains susceptible to phage invasion. This comprehensive review deepens our comprehension of membrane vesicles biogenesis in bacteria and their pivotal role in microbial community dynamics., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: We evaluated the association of achieving endoscopic outcomes at week 12 of induction with improvements in clinical outcomes and quality of life (QoL) at week 52 of maintenance in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) treated with upadacitinib (UPA)., Methods: This post hoc analysis evaluated data from 2 phase 3 induction trials (NCT03345836 and NCT03345849) and 1 maintenance (NCT03345823) trial. Clinical responders to 12-week induction therapy with UPA who also received 52-week maintenance treatment with UPA were included. Endoscopic response, remission, healing, and ulcer-free endoscopy were assessed at week 12. Meaningful improvements in clinical and QoL outcomes were evaluated at week 52., Results: A significantly greater proportion of patients who achieved an endoscopic response at the end of induction, compared with patients who did not, attained Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) remission (52.0% vs 34.6%; P ≤ .01), corticosteroid-free CDAI remission (50.0% vs 30.9%), Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire remission (52.6% vs 30.3%), and meaningful improvements in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue response (46.7% vs 25.9%), overall work impairment (47.1% vs 26.5%), and daily activity impairment (53.3% vs 34.1%) (all P < .05) at week 52. Similar findings were observed for patients who achieved endoscopic remission, endoscopic healing, and ulcer-free endoscopy at the end of induction vs those who did not., Conclusions: Early improvement in endoscopic outcomes after UPA induction treatment was associated with long-term meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes and QoL in patients with CD., Clinical Registration Number: U-EXCEED induction trial (NCT03345836), U-EXCEL induction trial (NCT03345849), and U-ENDURE maintenance trial (NCT03345823)., (© 2024 Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.)

This study aims to explore the effects of long-term high fructose intake (LHFI) on the structure, functionality, and physiological homeostasis of mouse extra-orbital lacrimal glands (ELGs), a critical component of ocular health. Our findings reveal significant reprogramming of the circadian transcriptome in ELGs following LHFI, alongside the activation of specific inflammatory pathways, as well as metabolic and neural pathways. Notably, LHFI resulted in increased inflammatory infiltration, enhanced lipid deposition, and reduced nerve fiber density in ELGs compared to controls. Functional assessments indicated a marked reduction in lacrimal secretion following cholinergic stimulation in LHFI-treated mice, suggesting impaired gland function. Overall, our results suggest that LHFI disrupts lacrimal gland homeostasis, potentially leading to dry eye disease by altering its structure and secretory function. These insights underscore the profound impact of dietary choices on ocular health and highlight the need for strategies to mitigate these risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) often cycle through conventional therapies (CT) with different mechanisms of action (MOA) before initiating advanced therapy (AT). We describe treatment patterns among patients with CD/UC., Methods: Using Merative MarketScan Research databases, adult patients with CD/UC were identified from medical/pharmacy claims (2017-2021). Patients had ≥1 hospitalization or ≥2 outpatient visits (≥30 days apart within 1 year) for CD/UC. Two cohorts were established; cohort 1: Newly diagnosed patients (index date is the date of first diagnosis) and cohort 2: Patients initiating AT (index date is the date of first AT). First-line treatment patterns (cohort 1) and CT pathways before AT initiation (cohort 2) by the number of episodes (ie, adding a new therapy, switching to another therapy, or restarting the same therapy after ≥60 days) and MOA are reported., Results: Among newly diagnosed patients in cohort 1 (CD: n  = 1739; UC: n  = 2740), 14.4% (CD) and 5.9% (UC) of patients had any AT use during the follow-up period (mean: 2.3 years; ≥ 77% initiated corticosteroids). Among patients in cohort 2 (CD: n  = 2594; UC: n  = 2431), the mean number of CT episodes before AT initiation was 4.0 ± 4.3 (CD) and 5.9 ± 5.0 (UC). Among those with ≥1 corticosteroid episode (CD: 82.2%; UC: 91.5%), the mean number of episodes was 4.6 ± 4.3 (CD) and 6.3 ± 5.0 (UC). Overall, 13.3% (CD) and 23.7% (UC) of patients cycled through 3 MOAs before AT initiation., Conclusions: Despite treatment recommendations, few newly diagnosed CD/UC patients initiated AT as their first treatment. Moreover, patients cycled through multiple CTs before initiating AT., Competing Interests: C.A.S. has received consultant/advisory board fees from AbbVie, BMS, Fresnius, Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, ProciseDx, Prometheus, and Takeda; speaker fees for CME activities for AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Pfizer, Takeda; grant support from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, Takeda. D.S., J.G., and S.X. are employees of AbbVie and may own stock or stock options. Q.D. is a former employee of AbbVie and may own stock or stock options. L.M. has received medical education grants from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, and Takeda and served on an advisory board for AbbVie, BMS, Celltrion, Janssen, Merck, Pfizer, and Takeda. She has served as a consultant for AbbVie. She also holds the position of Associate Editor for Crohn’s & Colitis 360 and has been recused from reviewing or making decisions for the manuscript., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.)

Introduction: Negative oxygen ions are produced by plants through photosynthesis, utilizing "tip discharge" or the photoelectric effect, which has various functions such as sterilization, dust removal, and delaying aging. With global warming, high temperatures may affect the ability of Phalaenopsis aphrodite Rchb. f. to produce negative oxygen ions. P. aphrodite is commonly used in modern landscape planning and forest greening., Methods: In this study, P. aphrodite was selected as the research object. By artificially simulating the climate, the control group (CK) and the high temperature stress group (HS) were set up in the experiment., Results: The study found that compared with the control group, the ability of P. aphrodite to produce negative oxygen ions significantly decreased when exposed to high temperature stress. Meanwhile, under high temperature stress treatment, peroxidase content increased by 102%, and proline content significantly increased by 35%., Discussion: Redundancy analysis results indicated a significant correlation between the root endophytic microbial community of P. aphrodite and negative oxygen ions, as well as physiological indicators. Under high temperature stress, P. aphrodite may affect the regulation of physiological indicators by modifying the composition of root endophytic microbial communities, thereby influencing the ability to release negative oxygen ions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ye, Lv, Lu, Wei, Guo, Wang, Sun, Tong, Xuan, Lin and Guo.)

Uncontrolled antibacterial, insufficient barrier and low strength are the bottlenecks of food packaging applications. Herein, Ta 4 C 3 T x nanosheet as a template was used to prepare Ta 4 C 3 T x immobilized silver nanoparticles (Ta 4 C 3 T x -AgNPs), which was compounded with nanocellulose to obtain high-strength and high barrier controllable bactericidal nanocellulose-based bioplastic packaging (CTa-Ag). The results indicated that due to the hydrogen bonding between nanocellulose and Ta 4 C 3 T x , the bridging effect of QCS (quaternized chitosan) and the filling of Ta 4 C 3 T x -AgNPs, the CTa-Ag had tightly stacked microstructure, which endowed them with excellent mechanical properties (4.0 GPa), ultra-low oxygen permeability (0.009 cm 3 /m 2 ·d·atm) and stable photothermal conversion efficiency. Importantly, the packaging exhibits the ability to control the release of antibacterial active ingredients. Moreover, the synergistic effects of controllable release of nano active factors, photothermal and photocatalysis in CTa-Ag gave it long-lasting antibacterial properties. This study brings new insights into the design and manufacture of multifunctional, controllable and long-lasting antibacterial bioplastic food packaging., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Croton crassifolius Geisel. (CCG) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used in South China. It has various pharmacological effects and is often used in treating rheumatoid arthritis and gastric and duodenal ulcers. However, the chemical characteristics and its effective constituents are still scarcely studied., Objective: To determine the phytochemical profile of the CCG extract and to investigate the chemical characteristics of terpenoids extracted from rat plasma following oral administration of CCG extract based on UPLC-Q/TOF-MS. Moreover, six terpenoids in CCG were quantified, and in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior after oral CCG extract was further explored., Results: In total, 56 terpenoids were tentatively identified in the CCG extract and 16 terpenoids were detected in rat plasma after oral CCG extract. In addition, the contents of six terpenoids in CCG were clarified. The plasma quantification method of six terpenoids was further established, validated, and confirmed to have good sensitivity and specificity. The six analytes exhibited excellent linearity in respective concentration ranges (r ≥ 0.998). The intra-day and inter-day precisions relative standard deviation (RSD, %) were less than 11.27%, and the accuracies ranged from -7.06% to 9.91%. Stability, extraction recovery, and matrix effect in plasma were within the required limits (RSD < 15%)., Conclusion: A total of 56 terpenoids were identified in CCG and 16 prototype components in plasma after oral CCG. The validated quantitative method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of six major terpenoids in plasma. The pharmacokinetic parameters are clarified, which can guide the clinical application of CCG., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Multispectral imaging, combined with stoichiometric values, was used to construct a prediction model to measure changes in dietary fiber (DF) content in Chinese cabbage leaves across different growth periods. Based on all the spectral bands (365-970 nm) and characteristic spectral bands (430, 880, 590, 490, 690 nm), eight quantitative prediction models were established using four machine learning algorithms, namely random forest (RF), backpropagation neural network, radial basis function, and multiple linear regression. Finally, a quantitative prediction model of RF learning algorithm is constructed based on all spectral bands, which has good prediction accuracy and model robustness, prediction performance with R 2 of 0.9023, root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.7182 g/100 g, residual predictive deviation (RPD) of 3.1220 > 3.0. In summary, this model efficiently detects changes in DF content across different growth periods of Chinese cabbage, which offers technical support for vegetable sorting and grading in the field., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The solar anti-icing/deicing (SADI) strategy represents an environmentally friendly approach for removing ice efficiently. However, the extensive use of photothermal materials could negatively impact financial performance. Therefore, enhancing light utilization efficiency, especially by optimizing the design of a structure with a low content of photothermal materials, has rapidly become a focal point of research. Drawing inspiration from the antireflective micro-nano structure of compound eyes and the thermal insulating hollow structure of polar bear hair, we proposed a new strategy to design a bionic micro-nano hollow film (MNHF). The MNHF was created using a composite manufacturing process that combines femtosecond laser ablation with template transfer techniques. Both theoretical simulations and empirical tests have confirmed that this structure significantly improves photothermal conversion efficiency and thermal radiation capability. Compared to plane film, the photothermal conversion efficiency of MNHF is increased by 45.85%. Under 1.5 sun, the equilibrium temperature of MNHF can reach 73.8 °C. Moreover, even after 10 icing-deicing cycles, MNHF maintains an ultra-low ice adhesion strength of 1.8 ± 0.3 kPa. Additionally, the exceptional mechanical stability, chemical resistance, and self-cleaning capabilities of the MNHF make its practical application feasible. This innovative structure paves the way for designing cost-effective and robust surfaces for efficient photothermal anti-icing/deicing on airplane wings.

Type I and III interferons (IFNs) are robustly induced during infections and protect cells against viral infection. Both type I and III IFNs are also produced at low levels in the thymus at steady state; however, their role in T cell development and immune tolerance is unclear. Here, we found that both type I and III IFNs were constitutively produced by a very small number of AIRE + murine thymic epithelial cells, independent of microbial stimulation. Antigen-presenting cells were highly responsive to thymic IFNs, and IFNs were required for the activation and maturation of thymic type 1 conventional dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells. Loss of IFN sensing led to reduced regulatory T cell selection, reduced T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity, and enhanced autoreactive T cell responses to self-antigens expressed during peripheral IFN signaling. Thus, constitutive exposure to IFNs in the thymus is required for generating a tolerant and diverse TCR repertoire.

Background: Corneal dermoid is a congenital benign tumor and ocular malformation, often diagnosed at birth or in early childhood. Its treatment and long-term prognosis remain under-researched, necessitating further investigation., Purpose: This study aims to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of corneal dermoid, evaluate the efficacy of different surgical methods, and identify factors influencing treatment outcomes., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 58 patients treated for corneal dermoid at our hospital from 2017 to 2021. Patients' demographic information, tumor characteristics, surgical methods, and postoperative outcomes were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t -test, chi-square ( χ 2 ) test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used to evaluate the distribution characteristics and intergroup differences of corneal dermoid., Results: The average age of the patients was 6.3 years, with 55.2% being male and 44.8% female. The right eye was affected in 63.8% of cases, with the temporal limbus being the most common site (75.9%). Pathological examination revealed tumors covered by squamous epithelium, containing hair follicles, sebaceous glands, adipose tissue, and fibrous tissue; some cases also had cartilage and glandular tissue. Surgical methods included corneal dermoid excision (100%), lamellar keratoplasty (37.9%), amniotic membrane grafting (31.0%), and autologous limbal stem cell transplantation (8.6%). None of the 50 followed up patients experienced tumor recurrence. Postoperative vision improved in 58.0% of patients, with more females (61.9%) experiencing visual impairment compared to males (38.1%) ( χ ²=4.711, p=0.030)., Conclusions: This study analyzed 58 corneal dermoid patients treated from 2017 to 2021, focusing on epidemiological and clinical characteristics, surgical efficacy, and treatment outcomes. It identified common pathological features and effective surgical methods, with no tumor recurrence in followed up patients. The study highlights the need for further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ethics Committee of Henan Provincial People's Hospital issued approval HNEECKY-2022(22). Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: This work was supported by the Henan Provincial Medical Science and Technology Research Joint Co-construction Project (grant number LHGJ20220085); the Basic Science Project of Henan Eye Institute/Henan Eye Hospital (grant numbers 22JCQN004 and 21JCZD001); the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (grant number 2018YFC0114500); and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 82171014, 81470603, and 81770962). Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Xuan et al.)