Search

Abstract Femtosecond lasers are powerful in studying matter’s ultrafast dynamics within femtosecond to attosecond time scales. Drawing a three-dimensional (3D) topological map of the optical field of a femtosecond laser pulse including its spatiotemporal amplitude and phase distributions, allows one to predict and understand the underlying physics of light interaction with matter, whose spatially resolved transient dielectric function experiences ultrafast evolution. However, such a task is technically challenging for two reasons: first, one has to capture in single-shot and squeeze the 3D information of an optical field profile into a two-dimensional (2D) detector; second, typical detectors are only sensitive to intensity or amplitude information rather than phase. Here we have demonstrated compressed optical field topography (COFT) drawing a 3D map for an ultrafast optical field in single-shot, by combining the coded aperture snapshot spectral imaging (CASSI) technique with a global 3D phase retrieval procedure. COFT can, in single-shot, fully characterize the spatiotemporal coupling of a femtosecond laser pulse, and live stream the light-speed propagation of an air plasma ionization front, unveiling its potential applications in ultrafast sciences.

Abstract Background Developing wheat cultivars with durable resistance to powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is crucial for sustainable agriculture. The wheat genotype MYC exhibited high resistance to the Bgt isolate E09 at the seedling stage. Genetic analysis identified a recessive gene, temporarily named PmMYC, responsible for this resistance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance is essential for advancing breeding programs. Results Bulked Segregant RNA-Seq revealed numerous alternative splicing events generated following Bgt infection, suggesting powdery mildew may disrupt alternative splicing and affect immune responses. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes in “response to stimuli” and “immune system processes”, implying their roles in disease defense. BSR-Seq analysis identified two high-confidence candidate regions for PmMYC on chromosome 2B, spanning 40,451,950 − 102,426,703 bp and 421,707,046–449,840,516 bp. Within these intervals, 740 genes were identified, with nonsynonymous mutations in 46 genes in the parents and bulks. Real-time PCR showed distinct expression profiles in four genes in resistant MYC compared to susceptible Yannong 21. KEGG and COG analyses of differentially expressed genes in candidate intervals revealed enrichment in immune processes related to plant-pathogen interactions, confirming that PmMYC initiated a broad immune response to prevent Bgt invasion. Conclusion The study identified key genetic intervals and genes involved in the resistance of wheat genotype MYC to Bgt. The identified genes, particularly those with altered expression profiles, could serve as valuable targets for breeding programs aimed at developing wheat cultivars with durable resistance to powdery mildew. These findings enhanced our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions and provided a foundation for future genetic and functional studies.

Abstract Background Diabetic retinopathy (DR), the principal cause of acquired blindness among the working-age population, is the most frequent microvascular complication of diabetes. Although metabolic disorders are hypothesized to play a role in its pathogenesis, the underlying mechanism remains largely elusive. Methods To elucidate the mechanism, we initially compared metabolite profiles of vitreous fluid between 23 patients with DR and 12 non-diabetic controls using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, identifying the distinct metabolite indoxyl sulfate (IS). Subsequently, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic and IS-injected rat models were established to examine the effects of IS on retinal microvasculature. RNA sequencing was conducted to identify potential regulatory mechanisms in IS-treated human retinal endothelial cells (HREC). Finally, target gene knockdown in HREC and treatment of IS-injected rats with inhibitors (targeting IS production or downstream regulators) were employed to elucidate the detailed mechanisms and identify therapeutic targets for DR. Results Metabolomics identified 172 significantly altered metabolites in the vitreous humor of diabetics, including the dysregulated tryptophan metabolite indoxyl sulfate (IS). IS was observed to breach the blood-retinal barrier and accumulate in the intraocular fluid of diabetic rats. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that elevated levels of IS induced endothelial apoptosis and disrupted cell junctions. RNA sequencing pinpointed prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthetase-cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) as a potential target of IS. Validation experiments demonstrated that IS enhanced COX-2 expression, which subsequently increased PGE2 secretion by promoting transcription factor EGR1 binding to COX-2 DNA following entry into cells via organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP2B1). Furthermore, inhibition of COX-2 in vivo or silencing EGR1/OATP2B1 in HREC mitigated IS-induced microcapillary damage and the activation of COX-2/PGE2. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin originating from the gut microbiota product indole, increased significantly and contributed to retinal microvascular damage in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Mechanistically, IS impaired retinal microvascular integrity by inducing the expression of COX-2 and the production of PGE2. Consequently, targeting the gut microbiota or the PGE2 pathway may offer effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of DR. Graphical Abstract

Abstract National and global food security depend on both supply and demand, yet the vast majority of studies on the impact of climate change on food security have focused somewhat myopically on the supply side. Here, we assess planetary implications of the changing climate for food supply, concurrently considering implications of shifts in dietary preferences on food security. From 1990 to 2018, climate change detrimentally impacted on the food production of 92% of nations assessed. During this time, demand decreased at a greater rate than food supply in 28% of countries; food security for 35% of the global population was unperturbed by climate change. On the other hand, 2% of the global population did not benefit from positive impacts of climate change on food production, due to dietary changes faster increasing food demand. If consumers shift dietary preferences en masse towards healthier diets, detrimental impacts of the climate crisis on food security may be abated, although en mass and/or abrupt transitions in dietary preferences are unlikely.

Chloro-haloacetonitrile (Cl-HAN), belongs to a group of nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs) found in surface water, and are known to pose a major risk to the safety of human drinking water. However, the exact biological toxicity mechanism and the extent of the stress response caused by Cl-HAN remain unclear, resulting in a lack of effective measures to control its presence. Thus, the quantitative toxicological genomics and bioinformatics methods were applied to explore the effects of three chloro-haloacetonitriles (Cl-HANs) on the transcription of fusion genes under varying concentrations of stress in E. coli over 2-hour period. The initial stress response and their toxic mechanism were analyzed. The study also identified the molecular toxicity endpoint, and the core genes that are responsible for the specific toxicity of different Cl-HANs. Cl-HANs exhibited concentration-dependent characteristics of toxic effects, and caused changes in gene expression related oxidative and membrane stress. The stress response results showed that dichloroacetonitrile (dCAN) still caused significant DNA damage under the lowest concentration stress. Chloroacetonitrile (CAN) and trichloroacetonitrile (tCAN) exhibited lower genetic toxicity levels at 513 μg/L and 10.7 μg/L, respectively. The toxic effects of tCAN were widespread. And there was a good correlation between the molecular endpoint (EC-TELI1.5) and the phenotypic endpoint (LD50) with rp=-0.8634 (P=0.0593). In all concentrations of stress in CAN, dCAN, and tCAN, the number of overexpressed genes shared was 15, 2, and 14, respectively. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that Cl-HANs affected genes associated with general stress pathways, such as cell biochemistry and physical homeostasis, resulting in changes in biological processes. And for CAN-induced DNA damage, polA played a dominant role, while katG, oxyR, and ahpC were the core genes involved in oxidative stress induced by dCAN and tCAN, respectively. These findings provide valuable data for the toxic effect of Cl-HANs.

Abstract Carbon quantum dots are emerging as promising nanomaterials for next-generation displays. The elaborate structural design is crucial for achieving thermally activated delayed fluorescence, particularly for improving external quantum efficiency of electroluminescent light-emitting diodes. Here, we report the synthesis of onion-like multicolor thermally activated delayed fluorescence carbon quantum dots with quantum yields of 42.3–61.0%. Structural, spectroscopic characterization and computational studies reveal that onion-like structures assembled from monomer carbon quantum dots of different sizes account for the decreased singlet-triplet energy gap, thereby achieving efficient multicolor thermally activated delayed fluorescence. The devices exhibit maximum luminances of 3785–7550 cd m−2 and maximum external quantum efficiency of 6.0–9.9%. Importantly, owing to the weak van der Waals interactions and adequate solution processability, flexible devices with a maximum luminance of 2554 cd m−2 are realized. These findings facilitate the development of high-performance carbon quantum dots-based electroluminescent light-emitting diodes that are promising for practical applications.

Abstract Cardiac macrophage contributes to the development of cardiac fibrosis, but factors that regulate cardiac macrophages transition and activation during this process remains elusive. Here we show, by single-cell transcriptomics, lineage tracing and parabiosis, that cardiac macrophages from circulating monocytes preferentially commit to macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition (MMT) under angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension, with accompanying increased expression of the RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylases, ALKBH5. Meanwhile, macrophage-specific knockout of ALKBH5 inhibits Ang II-induced MMT, and subsequently ameliorates cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction. Mechanistically, RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing identifies interlukin-11 (IL-11) mRNA as a target for ALKBH5-mediated m6A demethylation, leading to increased IL-11 mRNA stability and protein levels. By contrast, overexpression of IL11 in circulating macrophages reverses the phenotype in ALKBH5-deficient mice and macrophage. Lastly, targeted delivery of ALKBH5 or IL-11 receptor α (IL11RA1) siRNA to monocytes/macrophages attenuates MMT and cardiac fibrosis under hypertensive stress. Our results thus suggest that the ALKBH5/IL-11/IL11RA1/MMT axis alters cardiac macrophage and contributes to hypertensive cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in mice, and thereby identify potential targets for cardiac fibrosis therapy in patients.

Abstract Thanks to the significantly higher energy density compared with universal commercialized Li‐ion batteries, lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are being investigated for use in prospective energy storage devices. However, the inadequate electrochemical kinetics of reactants and intermediates hinder commercial utilization. This limitation results in substantial capacity degradation and short battery lifespans, thereby impeding the battery's power export. Meanwhile, the capacity attenuation induced by the undesirable shuttle effect further hinders their industrialization. Considerable effort has been invested in developing electrocatalysts to fix lithium polysulfides and boost their conversion effectively. In the conventional process, the planar electrodes are prepared by slurry‐casting, which limits the electron and ion transfer paths, especially when the thickness of the electrodes is relatively large. Compared with traditional manufacturing methods, direct ink writing (DIW) technology offers unique advantages in both geometry shaping and rapid prototyping, and even complex three‐dimensional structures with high sulfur loading. Hence, this review presents a detailed description of the current developments in terms of Li–S batteries in DIW of metal‐based electrocatalysts. A thorough exploration of the behavior chemistry of electrocatalysis is provided, and the adhibition of metal‐based catalysts used for Li–S batteries is summarized from the aspect of material usage and performance enhancement. Then, the working principle of DIW technology and the requirements of used inks are presented, with a detailed focus on the latest advancements in DIW of metal‐based catalysts in Li–S battery systems. Their challenges and prospects are discussed to guide their future development.

Abstract. Background:. Ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome associated with considerable mortality and healthcare costs. Up to now, the underlying pathogenesis of ischemic AKI remains incompletely understood, and specific strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of ischemic AKI are still lacking. Here, this study aimed to define the transcriptomic landscape of AKI patients through single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis in kidneys. Methods:. In this study, scRNA-seq technology was applied to kidneys from two ischemic AKI patients, and three human public scRNA-seq datasets were collected as controls. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and cell clusters of kidneys were determined. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, as well as the ligand–receptor interaction between cells, were performed. We also validated several DEGs expression in kidneys from human ischemic AKI and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury induced AKI mice through immunohistochemistry staining. Results:. 15 distinct cell clusters were determined in kidney from subjects of ischemic AKI and control. The injured proximal tubules (PT) displayed a proapoptotic and proinflammatory phenotype. PT cells of ischemic AKI had up-regulation of novel pro-apoptotic genes including USP47, RASSF4, EBAG9, IER3, SASH1, SEPTIN7, and NUB1, which have not been reported in ischemic AKI previously. Several hub genes were validated in kidneys from human AKI and renal I/R injury mice, respectively. Furthermore, PT highly expressed DEGs enriched in endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling. DEGs overexpressed in other tubular cells were primarily enriched in nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling, estrogen signaling, interleukin (IL)-12 signaling, and IL-17 signaling. Overexpressed genes in kidney-resident immune cells including macrophages, natural killer T (NKT) cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells were associated with leukocyte activation, chemotaxis, cell adhesion, and complement activation. In addition, the ligand–receptor interactions analysis revealed prominent communications between macrophages and monocytes with other cells in the process of ischemic AKI. Conclusion:. Together, this study reveals distinct cell-specific transcriptomic atlas of kidney in ischemic AKI patients, altered signaling pathways, and potential cell–cell crosstalk in the development of AKI. These data reveal new insights into the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies in ischemic AKI.

● The goals of Chinese food and agriculture have shifted from grain self-sufficiency to diversified goals, including protecting natural resources, reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and improving food safety and nutrition. ● Addressing the challenges and achieving future goals requires a systems approach to transforming the Chinese food and agriculture sector. ● The nexus of food, nutrition and the environment is at the core of food systems. ● Pathways are proposed, which include repositioning subsidies/supports, promoting multiple benefit technologies, reorienting investment and finance, guiding consumer behavior, and catalyzing global cooperation. After decades of development, China has made significant progress in ensuring national food security. However, the country currently faces multiple challenges, including the double burden of malnutrition, i.e., micronutrient deficiencies and overweight/obesity, climate change, resource stress and environmental degradation, and an increasingly complex global market. This paper reviews past developments in food and agriculture, and offers initial insights into transforming the Chinese food system for achieving multiple national development goals using a systems approach. Strategies and solutions from China can also inform the design and implementation of food system transformation in other emerging economies.

AIM: To analyze the changes of serum homocysteine(Hcy), vitamin B12(VitB12)and folic acid in the serum of patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR), and to explore their significance in the occurrence and development of DR.METHODS: A case-control study was designed. A total of 95 patients with DR(DR group), 94 patients with diabetes mellitus(DM group)treated in endgcrinology department and 87 patients with age-related cataract(normal control group)from the ophthalmology department of Shenzhen People's Hospital between July 2021 and January 2022 were selected. Fasting venous blood was collected and serum was separated. The concentration of Hcy in serum was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and chemiluminescence immunoassay was used to detect the concentration of VitB12 and folic acid. Pearson linear correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between Hcy and clinical parameters. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the main factors which affect Hcy level. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was designed to analyze the diagnostic value of serum Hcy, VitB12 and folic acid in DR.RESULTS: The concentration of serum Hcy in DR group was 16.52±3.54 μmol/L, which was significantly higher than that in DM group(10.86±3.47 μmol/L)and control group(6.84±1.39 μmol/L; all P

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different Conbercept treatment on diabetic macular edema(DME)with 3+PRN and 5+PRN.METHODS: Retrospective case-control study. A total of 51 patients(92 eyes)with DME who were treated in our hospital during December 2019 and June 2020 were included, and they were divided into 3+PRN group with 26 cases(48 eyes)and 5+PRN group with 25 cases(44 eyes). All patients received monthly follow-up for 12mo and the changes of best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and central macular thickness(CMT), the number of intravitreal injections and the occurrence of complications were compared and observed in the two groups.RESULTS:After follow-up for 12mo, there was no difference in the average injection times between the 3+PRN group and the 5+PRN group(7.24±0.91 times vs. 7.56±1.04 times, P=0.117). The BCVA and CMT of the two groups improved at 3, 6, 9, and 12mo after treatment compared with those before treatment(all P

The accuracy of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in estimating the computed tomography radiation dose is highly dependent on the accuracy of CT scanner model. A system was developed to observe the 3D model intuitively and to calculate the X-ray energy spectrum and the bowtie (BT) filter model more accurately in Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP). Labview's built-in Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) was used to display basic surfaces, and constructive solid geometry (CSG) method was used to realize Boolean operations. The energy spectrum was calculated by simulating the process of electronic shooting and the BT filter model was accurately modeled based on the calculated shape curve. Physical data from a study was used as an example to illustrate the accuracy of the constructed model. RMSE between the simulation and the measurement results were 0.97% and 0.74% for two filters of different shapes. It can be seen from the comparison results that to obtain an accurate CT scanner model, physical measurements should be taken as the standard. The energy spectrum library should be established based on Monte Carlo simulations with modifiable input files. It is necessary to use the three-segment splicing modeling method to construct the bowtie filter model.

Background and PurposeNonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) occurs in the early stages of Diabetic retinopathy (DR), and the study of its metabolic markers will help to prevent DR. Hence, we aimed to establish a risk score based on multiple metabolites through untargeted metabolomic analysis of venous blood from NPDR patients and diabetic non-DR patients.Experimental ApproachUntargeted metabolomics of venous blood samples from patients with NPDR, diabetes melitus without DR were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.ResultsDetailed metabolomic evaluation showed distinct clusters of metabolites in plasma samples from patients with NPDR and diabetic non-DR patients. NPDR patients had significantly higher levels of phenylacetylglycine, L-aspartic acid, tiglylglycine, and 3-sulfinato-L-alaninate, and lower level of indolelactic acid, threonic acid, L-arginine (Arg), and 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid compared to control. The expression profiles of these eight NPDR risk-related characteristic metabolites were analyzed using Cox regression to establish a risk score model. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine that this risk score model was a predictor of independent prognosis for NPDR.ConclusionsUntargeted metabolome analysis of blood metabolites revealed unreported metabolic alterations in NPDR patients compared with those in diabetic non-DR patients or MH. In the venous blood, we identified depleted metabolites thA and Arg, indicating that they might play a role in NPDR development.

BackgroundPrevious studies from our group and other investigators have shown that lung involvement is one of the independent predictors for treatment resistance in patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)–anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (MPO-AAV). However, it is unclear which image features of lung involvement can predict the therapeutic response in MPO-AAV patients, which is vital in decision-making for these patients. Our aim was to develop and validate a radiomics nomogram to predict treatment resistance of Chinese MPO-AAV patients based on low-dose multiple slices computed tomography (MSCT) of the involved lung with cohorts from two centers.MethodsA total of 151 MPO-AAV patients with lung involvement (MPO-AAV-LI) from two centers were enrolled. Two different models (Model 1: radiomics signature; Model 2: radiomics nomogram) were built based on the clinical and MSCT data to predict the treatment resistance of MPO-AAV with lung involvement in training and test cohorts. The performance of the models was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC). The better model was further validated. A nomogram was constructed and evaluated by DCA and calibration curves, which further tested in all enrolled data and compared with the other model.ResultsModel 2 had a higher predicting ability than Model 1 both in training (AUC: 0.948 vs. 0.824; p = 0.039) and test cohorts (AUC: 0.913 vs. 0.898; p = 0.043). As a better model, Model 2 obtained an excellent predictive performance (AUC: 0.929; 95% CI: 0.827–1.000) in the validation cohort. The DCA curve demonstrated that Model 2 was clinically feasible. The calibration curves of Model 2 closely aligned with the true treatment resistance rate in the training (p = 0.28) and test sets (p = 0.70). In addition, the predictive performance of Model 2 (AUC: 0.929; 95% CI: 0.875–0.964) was superior to Model 1 (AUC: 0.862; 95% CI: 0.796–0.913) and serum creatinine (AUC: 0.867; 95% CI: 0.802–0.917) in all patients (all p< 0.05).ConclusionThe radiomics nomogram (Model 2) is a useful, non-invasive tool for predicting the treatment resistance of MPO-AAV patients with lung involvement, which might aid in individualizing treatment decisions.

This study focuses on the choice of rural residents to provide ecotourism services and the effects on their household income as a path to alleviate urban-rural income discrepancy using survey data collected in villages located in Beijing Province in China. The empirical modelling of the decision to offer ecotourism services originated from the framework of the random utility model (RUM). The decision equation and income equation are estimated using the logit and ordered logit techniques, respectively. The calculated probability changes based on the estimated regression coefficients provide measures of the likelihood of choosing to provide services or factors related to the change in rural household income. Older residents, those with children in a household, and those having relatively more income are less likely to decide to provide ecotourism services. Factors affecting income are identified in another equation. Income increases if a rural resident completed high school, is married, or male, but decreases as resident age increases. The probability changes are largest for households with a relatively lower income (excluding any income from ecotourism services), although the specific probability changes vary by household income level. Improvement in income is possible for households engaged in ecoservice provision and is facilitated by enhancing education of residents. However, low income households are unlikely to engage in tourism services and appear to be run by older, less educated residents.

Abstract The key to designing and fabricating highly efficient mixed protonic–electronic conductors materials (MPECs) is to integrate the mixed conductive active sites into a single structure, to break through the shortcomings of traditional physical blending. Herein, based on the host–guest interaction, an MPEC is consisted of 2D metal–organic layers and hydrogen‐bonded inorganic layers by the assembly methods of layered intercalation. Noticeably, the 2D intercalated materials (≈1.3 nm) exhibit the proton conductivity and electron conductivity, which are 2.02 × 10−5 and 3.84 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 100 °C and 99% relative humidity, much higher than these of pure 2D metal–organic layers (>>1.0 × 10−10 and 2.01×10−8 S cm−1), respectively. Furthermore, combining accurate structural information and theoretical calculations reveals that the inserted hydrogen‐bonded inorganic layers provide the proton source and a networks of hydrogen−bonds leading to efficient proton transport, meanwhile reducing the bandgap of hybrid architecture and increasing the band electron delocalization of the metal–organic layer to greatly elevate the electron transport of intrinsic 2D metal–organic frameworks.

This study investigated the efficacy of using micro-flocculation as a pretreatment approach in alleviating ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling caused by organic matter in treated wastewater. Three typical model dissolved organic matters (DOM), humic acid, fulvic acid, and sodium alginate, were employed to simulate membrane fouling. The results showed that micro-flocculation using poly aluminum chloride (PAC) or polymerized ferric sulfate (PFS) as flocculant could effectively enhance the treatment performance of the UF process on DOM. With 6 mg/L PAC, the removal efficiency of humic acid, fulvic acid, and sodium alginate by micro-flocculation combined UF process reached 79.95%, 63.25%, and 51.14%, respectively. Specifically, after micro-flocculation, micromolecular hydrophilic organic matter (e.g., fulvic acid) tended to form a compact cake layer. The macromolecular hydrophobic organic matter (e.g., humic acid) and macromolecular hydrophilic organic matter (e.g., sodium alginate) generally led to a loose cake layer. At PAC dosage of 6 mg/L, the membrane specific flux (J/J0) at the end was improved by 11.71%, 10.27%, and 2.2% for humic acid, sodium alginate and fulvic acid solutions, respectively, compared with the UF process alone. It could be inferred that micro-flocculation pretreatment can effectively mitigate the membrane fouling when treating wastewater containing humic acid, sodium alginate, or fulvic acid. HIGHLIGHTS Micro-flocculation could enhance the capability of the UF process in removing DOM.; Micro-flocculation pretreatment effectively alleviated UF membrane fouling.; Cake layer played an important role in mitigating UF membrane fouling.; The compactness of cake layer was related to the molecular weight, hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of organic matters.;

In the past decade, single-atom and nanocluster catalysts have emerged as promising materials for high efficiency electrocatalysis, while geometric morphologies and electronic properties of the supporting substrates dramatically affect the overall electrocatalytic performances. We have constructed highly oriented nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes on carbon cloth (V-CNTs/CC) and demonstrated it can serve as superior substrate for Pt nanoclusters that are typical electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions. Compared with Pt@CNTs/CC, the Pt@V-CNTs/CC has significantly improved electron transport and charge transfer efficiency, as well as gas diffusion capability, leading to excellent catalytic activity and stability. The V-CNTs/CC designed in this work can serve as general support for various single-atom or nanocluster catalysts for high-performance electrocatalysis.

BackgroundSeveral lines of evidence implicate that there are distinct differences between patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody double-seropositive patients (DPPs) and single-positive patients. Hence, we conducted a retrospective study from a single center in China to analyze the clinical and pathological features, and prognosis of DPPs.Methods109 patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis (MPO-AAV), 20 DPPs and 23 patients diagnosed with anti-GBM disease from a large center in China were included in this study. The ratio of patients with renal biopsy in three groups were 100%, 50% and 100%, respectively. Their clinical and pathological characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed. The intensity of immune deposits in the kidney at diagnosis was detected by immunofluorescence (IF). Furthermore, multivariate Cox hazard model analysis was used to assess the clinical and histological predictors of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and death for DPPs.ResultsIn our study, we found that patients in the DPPs group were older than the other two groups (p = 0.007, MPO-AAV vs. DPPs; p < 0.001, DPPs vs. anti-GBM). The DPPs group had a higher value of serum creatinine (p = 0.041) and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (p = 0.032) compared with MPO-AAV patients. On the contrary, the DPPs group had a lower serum creatinine (p = 0.003) compared with patients with anti-GBM group. The proportion of patients with cardiac system involvement in the DPPs group was higher than anti-GBM patients (p = 0.014). Cellular crescents could be generally observed in renal biopsy of DPPs and patients with anti-GBM glomerulonephritis. In addition, Bowman’s capsule rupture was more common in DPPs than MPO-AAV patients (p = 0.001). MPO-AAV had a better renal and overall survival outcome than DPPs (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference of renal and overall survival outcome between DPPs and patients with anti-GBM disease. The incidence of ESRD in DPPs was negatively associated with lymphocyte count (HR 0.153, 95% CI 0.027 to 0.872, p = 0.034) and eGFR (HR 0.847, 95% CI 0.726 to 0.989, p = 0.036). Elevated serum creatinine was confirmed as a risk factor of both renal (HR 1.003, 95% CI 1.000 to 1.005, p = 0.019) and patient survival in DPPs (HR1.461, 95% CI 1.050 to 2.033, p = 0.024).ConclusionIn summary, compared with anti-GBM disease, DPPs tended to involve multi-organ damage rather than limited to the kidney. It is highlighted that serologic DPPs have a worse renal and patient prognosis than MPO-AAV. Moreover, we found that the risk factors of renal survival of DPPs include low lymphocyte count, elevated serum creatinine and reduced eGFR, and serum creatinine can predict patient survival.

To date, the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated membranous nephropathy (MN) remains elusive. This study aimed to decipher the etiopathogenesis of HBV-associated MN by performing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of kidney biopsy specimens from a patient with HBV-associated MN and two healthy individuals. We generated 4,114 intrarenal single-cell transcriptomes from the HBV-associated MN patient by scRNA-seq. Compared to healthy individuals, podocytes in the HBV-associated MN patient showed an increased expression of extracellular matrix formation-related genes, including HSPA5, CTGF, and EDIL3. Kidney endothelial cells (ECs) in the HBV-associated MN were enriched in inflammatory pathways, including NF-kappa B signaling, IL-17 signaling, TNF signaling and NOD-like receptor signaling. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) further revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of ECs from the HBV-associated MN patients were enriched in apoptotic signaling pathway, response to cytokine and leukocyte cell-cell adhesion. The up-regulated DEGs in glomerular ECs of HBV-associated MN patients were involved in biological processes such as viral gene expression, and protein targeting to endoplasmic reticulum. We further verified that the overexpressed genes in ECs from HBV-associated MN were mainly enriched in regulation of protein targeting to endoplasmic reticulum, exocytosis, viral gene expression, IL-6 and IL-1 secretion when compared with anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R)-positive idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). The receptor-ligand crosstalk analysis revealed potential interactions between endothelial cells and other cells in HBV-associated-MN. These results offer new insight into the pathogenesis of HBV-associated MN and may identify new therapeutic targets for HBV-associated MN.

Abstract. Background:. Since 2019, a novel coronavirus named 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has emerged worldwide. Apart from fever and respiratory complications, acute kidney injury has been observed in a few patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Furthermore, according to recent findings, the virus has been detected in urine. Angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) has been proposed to serve as the receptor for the entry of 2019-nCoV, which is the same as that for the severe acute respiratory syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the possible cause of kidney damage and the potential route of 2019-nCoV infection in the urinary system. Methods:. We used both published kidney and bladder cell atlas data and new independent kidney single-cell RNA sequencing data generated in-house to evaluate ACE2 gene expression in all cell types in healthy kidneys and bladders. The Pearson correlation coefficients between ACE2 and all other genes were first generated. Then, genes with r values larger than 0.1 and P values smaller than 0.01 were deemed significant co-expression genes with ACE2. Results:. Our results showed the enriched expression of ACE2 in all subtypes of proximal tubule (PT) cells of the kidney. ACE2 expression was found in 5.12%, 5.80%, and 14.38% of the proximal convoluted tubule cells, PT cells, and proximal straight tubule cells, respectively, in three published kidney cell atlas datasets. In addition, ACE2 expression was also confirmed in 12.05%, 6.80%, and 10.20% of cells of the proximal convoluted tubule, PT, and proximal straight tubule, respectively, in our own two healthy kidney samples. For the analysis of public data from three bladder samples, ACE2 expression was low but detectable in bladder epithelial cells. Only 0.25% and 1.28% of intermediate cells and umbrella cells, respectively, had ACE2 expression. Conclusion:. This study has provided bioinformatics evidence of the potential route of 2019-nCoV infection in the urinary system.

Abstract In recent years, carbon dots (CDs), including carbon nanodots, carbonized polymer dots, carbon quantum dots, and graphene quantum dots have attracted a mounting interest as readily accessible, nontoxic, and relatively inexpensive carbon‐based nanomaterials. Yet, despite intense research for a number of years, a unifying picture is still lacking to clarify the exact definition, clear chemical structure, and unique optical properties of this family of nanomaterials. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent development of CDs from molecular design to related properties of excited states as well as their applications in optoelectronic devices and biology. We point out the current challenges, including exploring precise synthesis, clarifying the structure‐property relationship, and regulating singlet and triplet states of fluorescence, phosphorescence, and delayed fluorescence. Moreover, the structural optimization of optoelectronic devices, tumor targeting mechanism, selective imaging, and drug delivery of CDs are also highlighted. We hope that the information provided in this review will inspire more exciting research on CDs from a brand‐new perspective and promote practical application of CDs in multiple directions of current and future research.

The IPCC indicates that global mean temperature increases of 2°C or more above preindustrial levels negatively affect such crops as wheat. Canadian climate model projections show warmer temperatures and variable rainfall will likely affect Saskatchewan's canola and spring wheat production. Drier weather will have the greatest impact. The major climate change challenges will be summer water availability, greater drought frequencies, and crop adaptation. This study investigates the impact of precipitation and temperature changes on canola and spring wheat yield distributions using Environment Canada weather data and Statistics Canada crop yield and planted area for 20 crop districts over the 1987-2010 period. The moment-based methods (full- and partial-moment-based approaches) are employed to characterize and estimate asymmetric relationships between climate variables and the higher-order moments of crop yields. A stochastic production function and the focus on crop yield's elasticity imply choosing the natural logarithm function as the mean function transformation prior to higher-moment function estimation. Results show that average crop yields are positively associated with the growing season degree-days and pregrowing season precipitation, while they are negatively affected by extremely high temperatures in the growing season. The climate measures have asymmetric effects on the higher moments of crop yield distribution along with stronger effects of changing temperatures than precipitation on yield distribution. Higher temperatures tend to decrease wheat yields, confirming earlier Saskatchewan studies. This study finds pregrowing season precipitation and precipitation in the early plant growth stages particularly relevant in providing opportunities to develop new crop varieties and agronomic practices to mitigate climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Smart combination of manifold carbonaceous materials with admirable functionalities (like full of pores/functional groups, high specific surface area) is still a mainstream/preferential way to address knotty issues of polysulfides dissolution/shuttling and poor electrical conductivity for S-based cathodes. However, extensive use of conductive carbon fillers in cell designs/technology would induce electrolytic overconsumption and thereby shelve high-energy-density promise of Li–S cells. To cut down carbon usage, we propose the incorporation of multi-functionalized NiFe2O4 quantum dots (QDs) as affordable additive substitutes. The total carbon content can be greatly curtailed from 26% (in traditional S/C cathodes) to a low/commercial mass ratio (~ 5%). Particularly, note that NiFe2O4 QDs additives own superb chemisorption interactions with soluble Li2Sn molecules and proper catalytic features facilitating polysulfide phase conversions and can also strengthen charge-transfer capability/redox kinetics of overall cathode systems. Benefiting from these intrinsic properties, such hybrid cathodes demonstrate prominent rate behaviors (decent capacity retention with ~ 526 mAh g−1 even at 5 A g−1) and stable cyclic performance in LiNO3-free electrolytes (only ~ 0.08% capacity decay per cycle in 500 cycles at 0.2 A g−1). This work may arouse tremendous research interest in seeking other alternative QDs and offer an economical/more applicable methodology to construct low-carbon-content electrodes for practical usage.

As a decentralized distributed ledger, blockchain has developed rapidly since its birth and has been highly valued by governments, academia, and industry. Start in the financial field, blockchain technology has been rapidly applied to various fields such as the Internet of Things, supply chain, and healthcare. Blockchain technology has made sufficient development and innovation, but it also faces many challenges, such as security, scalability, and waste of resources. This paper starts with the development history of blockchain and combines the characteristics and technical principles of it to analyze the current academic research status and application scenarios. Meanwhile, this paper analyzes the existing outstanding blockchain projects and elaborates on their key advantages and current challenges. With discussing the ongoing development trend of blockchain, the development direction, and the research trend of blockchain in the future, this paper provides a useful reference for related research.

BackgroundA significant proportion of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated glomerulonephritis eventually progresses to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) thus requiring long-term dialysis. There is no consensus about which dialysis modality is more recommended for those patients with associated vasculitis (AAV-ESRD). The primary objective of this study was to compare patient survival in patients with AAV-ESRD treated with hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD).MethodsThis double-center retrospective cohort study included dialysis-dependent patients who were treated with HD or PD. Clinical data were collected under standard format. The Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) was used to evaluate disease activity at diagnosis and organ damage was assessed using the vasculitis damage index (VDI) at dialysis initiation.ResultsIn total, 85 patients were included: 64 with hemodialysis and 21 with peritoneal dialysis. The patients with AAV-PD were much younger than the AAV-HD patients (48 vs. 62, P < 0.01) and more were female (76.2 vs. 51.6%, P = 0.05). The laboratory data were almost similar. The comorbidities, VDI score, and immuno-suppressive therapy at dialysis initiation were almost no statistical difference. Patient survival rates between HD and PD at 1 year were 65.3 vs. 90% (P = 0.062), 3 year were 59.6 vs. 90% (P < 0.001), and 5 years were 59.6 vs. 67.5% (P = 0.569). The overall survival was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.086) and the dialysis modality (HD or PD) was not shown to be an independent predictor for all-cause death (hazard ratio (HR) 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31–1.7; P = 0.473). Cardio-cerebrovascular events were the main cause of death among AAV-HD patients while infection in patients with AAV-PD.ConclusionThese results provide real-world data that the use of either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis modality does not affect patient survival for patients with AAV-ESRD who need long-term dialysis.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes that has a serious impact on the quality of life of patients. VEGFA is necessary in the physiological state to maintain endothelial activity and physical properties of blood vessels. VEGFA plays an important role in the promotion of neovascularization; therefore, inhibition of VEGFA can degrade the structure of blood vessels and reduce neovascularization. In the present study, HERB, a high-throughput experimental and reference-oriented database of herbal medicines, was used for compound mining targeting VEGFA. The compounds most likely to interact with VEGFA were screened by molecular docking. Next, the compounds were used to verify whether it could inhibit the activity of the VEGF signaling pathway in vitro and neovascularization in vivo. In vitro, we found that dioscin could inhibit the activation of the VEGFA–VEGFR2 signaling pathway and cell proliferation of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells in a high-glucose (HG) environment. A more important dioscin intervention inhibits the expression of pro-angiogenic factors in the retinas of db/db mice. In conclusion, our study indicates that dioscin reduces the vascular damage and the expression of pro-angiogenic factors in the retina of db/db mice and implies an important and potential application of dioscin for treatment of DR in clinics.

To develop a safe, targeted, and efficient assembly of a stable polypeptide delivery system, in this work, chitosan, sodium alginate, and sodium tripolyphosphate were used as materials for the preparation of hydrogels. M-SCT hydrogels were prepared by ionic gelation and the layer-by-layer (LBL) method. The composite hydrogels exhibited excellent pH sensitivity and Ganoderma lucidum peptides (GLP) loading capacity. The prepared hydrogels were characterized and evaluated. The internal three-dimensional network structure of the hydrogel was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the electrostatic interactions among the components. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to observe the crystal structure of the hydrogel. The maximum peptide encapsulation efficiency was determined to be 81.73%. The digestion stability and thermal stability of M-SCT hydrogels loaded GLP were demonstrated to be improved. The amount of peptides released from the GLP/M-SCT-0.75 hydrogels in simulated gastric fluid was lower than 30%. In addition, the ABTS assays showed that the free radical scavenging ability of the GLP/M-SCT-0.75 hydrogels confirmed the efficacy of the hydrogels in retaining the antioxidant activity of GLP. The study suggested the M-SCT-0.75 hydrogels had a great deal of potential as a peptide carrier for oral delivery.

Background: Neuroinflammation triggered by chronic cerebral ischemia-induced microglial pyroptosis is a significant contributor to vascular cognitive impairment. It has been shown that emodin possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, however, it’s potential molecular and signaling transduction pathway remains to be illuminated. This study researched the neuroprotective mechanisms of emodin focussing on emodin effects on lipopolysaccharide/adenosine triphosphate (LPS/ATP)-caused pyroptosis in BV2 cells and HT-22 hippocampal neurons. Methods: To explore the neuroprotective effect of emodin, Emodin was applied to BV2 cells, HT-22 hippocampal neurons, and BV2/HT-22 co-cultures stimulated with LPS/ATP to evaluate the cell morphology, levels of inflammatory factors, NLRP3 inflammatory inflammasome activity and focal pyroptosis-related protein expression, as same as neuronal apoptosis. Results: Emodin alleviated LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis of BV2 cells by preventing the activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the cleavage of pyroptosis executive protein Gasdermin D (GSDMD). Furthermore, levels of interleukin (IL)-18, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were reduced, the apoptosis of HT-22 hippocampal neurons was attenuated, and cell viability was restored. Conclusions: Emodin can antagonize microglial neurotoxicity by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

Using organic fertilizer to replace chemical fertilizer is an effective way to promote sustainable agricultural development. Based on survey data of 514 farmers from five provinces and cities in the Bohai Rim region of China, collected in 2019, organic fertilizer substitution’s effects on farmers’ technical efficiency were analyzed. The PSM method is used to solve the problem of farmers’ self-selection. Considering the causal relationship between the substitution behavior of organic fertilizer and farmers’ technical efficiency, the IV-Tobit model, 2SLS, and ML estimation methods are used to solve the endogenous problem. The study found that: (1) quality and safety awareness, part-time employment level, participation in insurance, and training significantly promote using organic fertilizers to replace chemical fertilizers; (2) the technical efficiency of farmers who use organic fertilizer to substitute the chemical fertilizers is 0.625, 9.46% higher than their counterparts; and (3) the promotion effect of organic fertilizer substitution on technical efficiency has heterogeneity, which has a significant role among small-scale farmer households with fewer and low-educated family laborers. Regarding the policy implications, it is necessary to strengthen agricultural subsidies by improving the accuracy of policy formulation and implementation, fully considering the heterogeneity of farmers for implementation.

The world is experiencing population ageing, which will extend to the future across the world. The ageing population is sure to impact a country’s welfare policy and economy. Macau is a special administrative region (SAR) of China with a long-life expectancy and a decreasing reproduction rate, making the population ageing particularly obvious. This study adopts a mixed methods approach to analyze the relationship between the ageing population, pension recipients, and pension payments to suggest the pension system and welfare leaking strategies of Macau SAR. The Granger causality test and focus group were conducted to test and discuss the ageing population, pension recipients, and pension payments. Results show that the ageing population positively affects pension payments. The ageing recipients are not corresponding to the ageing population and payments show welfare leakage. Suggestions are offered accordingly for a welfare policy to offer remedy strategies and reform the pension system.

Substrate has been proven to be a useful way to enhance the purification effect of ecological floating bed (EFB), and it also affected the microbial community. While at cold temperature, there was a lack of research on the effect of substrates on plant growth and microbial communities. In this study, three EFBs, namely plant EFB (EFB-P), substrate EFB (EFB-S) and plant–substrate EFB (EFB-PS), were constructed. The effects of zeolite–sponge iron combined substrate on pollutant removal, plant growth and microbial community in the EFBs were investigated at low temperature (3.1 ∼ 11.7 °C). Results showed that the removal efficiencies of total nitrogen, total phosphorus and nitrate nitrogen by EFB-PS (60.35%, 95.09% and 64.43%) was significantly better than that of EFB-P (47.71%, 88.59% and 51.65%), but the relative growth of the aboveground biomass of plants (50.41%) was less than that of EFB-P (81.16%). In addition, the microbial biomass in EFB-PS (69.14 mg/(g DW·day)) and EFB-S (68.76 mg/(g DW·day)) was much larger than that in EFB-P (50.69 mg/(g DW·day)). High-throughput sequencing showed that the microbial diversity (Shannon (6.06 ∼ 8.33) and Simpson (0.88 ∼ 0.97)) and richness (Chao1 (1621.7 ∼ 2556.2) and Observed _ species (1437 ∼ 2423.3)) of EFB with adding zeolite–sponge iron combined substrate were also higher than those of EFB-P. In addition, the addition of combined substrates changed the microbial community structure, some genera with denitrification and nitrogen fixation functions, including Rhodobacter (36.03 ∼ 48.59%) , Hydrogenopha (2.21 ∼ 5.89%), were abundantly enriched in the EFB with adding zeolite-sponge iron combined substrate. These results improved the effects of substrate low temperature operation on plant growth and microbial characteristics in EFB, and provide a theoretical basis for strengthening the operation of the low temperature conditions of the EFB.

A micropolarizer array (MPA) that can be integrated into a scientific camera is proposed as a real-time polarimeter that is capable of extracting the polarization parameters. The MPA is based on highly aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) films inspired by their typical anisotropy and selectivity for light propagation over a wide spectral range. The MPA contains a dual-tier CNT pixel plane with 0° and 45° orientations. The thickness of the dual-tier structure of the CNT-based MPA is limited to less than 2 μm with a pixel size of 7.45 μm × 7.45 μm. The degree of polarization of the CNT-MPA reached 93% at a 632 nm wavelength. The specific designs in structure and semiconductor fabrication procedures are described. Compared with customary MPAs, CNT-based MPA holds great potential in decreasing the cross-talk risk associated with lower film thickness and can be extended to a wide spectral range.

Abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and excessive accumulation of dysfunctional PVAT are hallmarks of pathogenesis after angioplasty. Recent genome-wide association studies reveal that single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in MIA3 is associated with atherosclerosis-relevant VSMC phenotypes. However, the role of MIA3 in the vascular remodeling response to injury remains unknown. Here, we found that expression of MIA3 is increased in proliferative VSMCs and knockdown of MIA3 reduces VSMCs proliferation, migration, and inflammation, whereas MIA3 overexpression promoted VSMC migration and proliferation. Moreover, knockdown of MIA3 ameliorates femoral artery wire injury-induced neointimal hyperplasia and increases brown-like perivascular adipocytes. Collectively, the data suggest that MIA3 deficiency prevents neointimal formation by decreasing VSMC proliferation, migration, and inflammation and maintaining BAT-like perivascular adipocytes in PVAT during injury-induced vascular remodeling, which provide a potential therapeutic target for preventing neointimal hyperplasia in proliferative vascular diseases.

This paper presents a longitudinal–torsional transducer for use during the ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling (UVAM) of honeycomb aramid material. The mechanism of longitudinal–torsional conversion was analyzed to guide the design of a vibration transducer. The transducer features five spiral grooves around the front cover plate, which function under the excitation of a group of longitudinal piezoelectric ceramics. A portion of the longitudinal vibration was successfully converted into torsional vibration. The resonant frequency, longitudinal vibration displacement and torsional amplitude at the top of the disk milling cutter were 24,609 Hz, 19 μm and 9 μm, respectively. In addition, the directivity of the longitudinal–torsional transducer was theoretically analyzed. Compared with conventional milling, UVAM with the longitudinal-torsional could significantly reduce the cutting force (40–50%) and improve the machining stability.

Currently, the quality and safety of agricultural products and the enhancement of the agroecological environment are widely discussed. In response to solving the problem of insufficient exploitation of the market potential regarding sustainable agricultural products, this study uses rice on e-commerce platforms as an empirical case and constructs a hedonic price model aiming to explore the impact of the sustainable label on the price premium of agricultural products. The results show that: (1) There is a significant price premium for rice with sustainable labeling over ordinary rice, which is about 47.55%. In addition, within the types of sustainable labels, the price premium for rice with an organic food label is higher than that of rice with a green food label. (2) Except for the sustainable label, factors affecting the price premium of rice products include e-commerce platforms, rice varieties, package types, and whether it is imported. The price premium indicates the actual recognition and preference of consumers for agricultural products with the sustainable label. Departments of agricultural and food management departments should cooperate to improve the agricultural certification system (i.e., the sustainable label), further unblock a positive market mechanism of “green label—high quality—good price”, and facilitate the green transformation of China’s agricultural production from the consumer side.

In order to study the impact of food safety concerns and government regulation on Chinese urban residents’ organic food consumption willingness and behavior, an “online + offline” survey of 799 urban residents in Beijing has been conducted. Based on the theory of planned behavior, a structural equation model (SEM) was established and the government’s food production support regulation (GP) and sales guarantee regulation (GC) were incorporated separately into the SEM as moderator variables. The path influence coefficients of respondents’ food safety concerns, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on organic food consumption willingness were 0.065 (p < 0.05), 0.174 (p < 0.01) and 0.574 (p < 0.01), respectively. The influence of GP on organic food consumption willingness was 0.243 (p < 0.01), but its moderating effect on the promotion effect of food safety concerns and attitude to organic food consumption willingness was −0.001 (p < 0.01). The moderating effect of GC on the transformation from consumption willingness to behavior was 0.083 (p < 0.05). The results show that respondents attach the most importance to the comparison of costs and the benefits of organic food. Although the government’s food production regulation will weaken the driving effect of food safety concern and benefit perception of organic food consumption willingness, it will still promote organic food consumption willingness on the whole. The government’s supervision of food processing and sales is conducive to the occurrence of organic food consumption behavior.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), consisted of brown adipocytes and stromal vascular fraction, which includes endothelial cells, lymphocytes, fibroblasts and stem cells, plays a vital role in regulating cardiovascular health and diseases. As a thermogenic organ, BAT can influence body through strengthening energy expenditure by promoting glucose and lipid metabolism. In addition, BAT is also an endocrine organ which is able to secret adipokines in an autocrine and/or paracrine fashion. BAT plays a protective role in cardiovascular system through attenuating cardiac remodeling and suppressing inflammatory response. In this review, we summarize the advances from the discovery of BAT to the present and provide an overview on the role of BAT dysfunction in cardiovascular diseases.

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease of the kidney glomerulus. It may gradually progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) characterized by increased proteinuria, which leads to serious consequences. Although substantial advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular bases of IMN in the last 10 years, certain questions remain largely unanswered. To define the transcriptomic landscape at single-cell resolution, we analyzed kidney samples from 6 patients with anti-PLA2R positive IMN and 2 healthy control subjects using single-cell RNA sequencing. We then identified distinct cell clusters through unsupervised clustering analysis of kidney specimens. Identification of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enrichment analysis as well as the interaction between cells were also performed. Based on transcriptional expression patterns, we identified all previously described cell types in the kidney. The DEGs in most kidney parenchymal cells were primarily enriched in genes involved in the regulation of inflammation and immune response including IL-17 signaling, TNF signaling, NOD-like receptor signaling, and MAPK signaling. Moreover, cell-cell crosstalk highlighted the extensive communication of mesangial cells, which infers great importance in IMN. IMN with massive proteinuria displayed elevated expression of genes participating in inflammatory signaling pathways that may be involved in the pathogenesis of the progression of IMN. Overall, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing to IMN to uncover intercellular interactions, elucidate key pathways underlying the pathogenesis, and identify novel therapeutic targets of anti-PLA2R positive IMN.

The molecular mechanisms underlying renal damage of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remain incompletely defined. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was applied to kidney biopsies from IgAN and control subjects to define the transcriptomic landscape at single-cell resolution. We presented a comprehensive scRNA-seq analysis of human renal biopsies from IgAN. We showed for the first time that IgAN mesangial cells displayed increased expression of several novel genes including MALAT1, GADD45B, SOX4, and EDIL3, which were related to cell proliferation and matrix accumulation. The overexpressed genes in tubule cells of IgAN were mainly enriched in inflammatory pathways including TNF signaling, IL-17 signaling, and NOD-like receptor signaling. Furthermore, we compared the results of 4 IgAN patients with the published scRNA-Seq data of healthy kidney tissues of three human donors in order to further validate the findings in our study. The results also verified that the overexpressed genes in tubule cells from IgAN patients were mainly enriched in inflammatory pathways including TNF signaling, IL-17 signaling, and NOD-like receptor signaling. The receptor-ligand crosstalk analysis revealed potential interactions between mesangial cells and other cells in IgAN. IgAN patients with overt proteinuria displayed elevated genes participating in several signaling pathways compared with microproteinuria group. It needs to be mentioned that based on number of mesangial cells and other kidney cells analyzed in this study, the results of our study are preliminary and needs to be confirmed on larger number of cells from larger number of patients and controls in future studies. Therefore, these results offer new insight into pathogenesis and identify new therapeutic targets for IgAN.

Objectives Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a complication of diabetes mellitus that leads to diabetic retinopathy. Thus far, the role of serum exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in DME progression remains elusive. This study investigated serum exosomal miRNAs from patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and DME to identify miRNAs associated with expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a pivotal component in DME progression; it also evaluated the diagnostic values of these miRNAs for DME. Methods Serum was collected from patients with T2D who did (n = 20) and did not have DME (n = 24). Exosomes were isolated from serum and subjected to real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, luciferase reporter, and miRNA profiling analyses. Results VEGF was significantly upregulated in ARPE-19 cells treated with exosomes from patients with T2D and DME, compared with exosomes from patients with T2D alone. Among the top 10 downregulated miRNAs identified during exosomal miRNA profiling, miR-377-3p inhibited the expression of VEGF. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that miR-377-3p could directly regulate VEGF expression. Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified serum exosomal miR-377-3p as a potential biomarker for DME. Conclusion Serum exosomal miR-377-3p inhibits VEGF expression to suppress retinal pigment epithelium proliferation and offers a diagnostic biomarker for DME.