Search

Designing efficient and cost-effective nonprecious electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution still remains a significant challenge. Herein, we fabricated a three-dimensional (3D) transition bimetallic phosphate/reduced graphene oxide grown in situ on a nickel foam (NiCoP@rGO/NF) for the HER in alkaline media. NiCoP@rGO/NF exhibits a unique three-dimensional spherical nanostructure with a large specific surface area and short diffusion path, which are conducive to the transfer of electrons. NiCoP@rGO/NF requires an overpotential of only 94 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, with a low Tafel slope (39 mV dec−1), and demonstrates excellent durability in 1.0 M KOH condition. Our work provides a new idea for designing high-performance HER electrocatalysts, which are highly needed in various practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are commonly found in heavy metal-contaminated environments and form extraradical mycelium (ERM), but knowledge of their ecological functions is limited. In the present study, a soil column was filled with sterilized cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil and contained an in-growth core for AMF-inoculated maize seedling growth. The in-growth core was static to maintain or rotated to disrupt ERM growth. Compared with the static treatment, the rotation treatment caused significant decreases in the content of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), the photosynthetic physiology of leaves, and maize growth, while increasing the Cd content in shoots and roots by 64 and 82%, respectively; additionally, the rotation treatment resulted in increases in the Cd concentration of the soil solution inside and outside the growth core by 30–38 and 17–52%, respectively, and Cd leaching loss by 29–39%. Moreover, the rotation treatment significantly altered the Cd forms in the soil solution and leachate, increasing the proportion of free Cd2+ by 0.8–2.1% and decreasing the proportions of CdSO4(aq) and CdOH+ by 6.1–56.1% and 26.1–48.7%, respectively. The structural equation model indicated that AMF directly and indirectly reduced maize Cd uptake and Cd leaching loss by decreasing Cd availability in the soil and soil solution through the GRSP secreted by ERM. Thus, AMF plays a crucial role in inhibiting Cd migration in soil through mycelial exudates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate reduction represents a sustainable strategy for water denitrification. Herein we design an AuPt@ZIF-8 composite film, via coating a zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) on a porous AuPt alloy, for an efficient electrocatalytic nitrate reduction. It exhibits a superior ammonia yield of (131.5 ± 3.4) μg h−1 mgcat−1, faradaic efficiency of (95.8 ± 3.0)% and selectivity of 96%, overcoming individual Au, Pt, ZIF-8, and other widely-used Au-based alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image labeling and graph partitioning aim to divide a set of pixels or vertices into a specific number of meaningful groups. In this paper, we propose effective truncated regularization methods for both image labeling and graph partitioning problems. More specifically, we present optimization models for piecewise constant and piecewise smooth image labeling that minimize the truncation of different potential functions. The efficient alternating direction method of multipliers based algorithm is put forward for solving these models, where all subproblems can be solved by the closed-form solution or fast Fourier transform. Moreover, we propose a semi-supervised graph partitioning model based on truncated regularization under the definition of the graph, which is solved by the proximal gradient method. The efficiency of the proposed methods is demonstrated through labeling results on synthetic and real images and semi-supervised partitioning results on graph data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after chemotherapy (abbreviated as "chemotherapy") treated with Fuzheng Jiedu prescription, and to explore the association between lymphocyte subset levels and the survival of DLBCL patients after chemotherapy. method A total of 234 patients with DLBCL who had completed chemotherapy and achieved complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) were enrolled in the outpatient clinics and wards of the Department of Hematology of Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Oriental Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Tongji University from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2023. A cohort study design was adopted, and "whether or not to receive Fuzheng Jiedu prescription treatment for ≥6 months after chemotherapy" was used as an exposure factor. Patients who met this exposure factor were divided into the traditional Chinese medicine cohort, and patients who did not meet this exposure factor were divided into the observation cohort. The 1- and 2-year progression-free survival rates, overall survival rates, and duration of remission (DOR) of the two cohorts were compared, and the survival curves of the progression-free survival time and overall survival time of the two cohorts were drawn. Subgroup survival analysis was performed to further screen factors affecting disease progression and observe the effects of Fuzheng Jiedu prescription on the levels of lymphocyte subset counts in patients. result A total of 234 patients with DLBCL after chemotherapy were included in this study, including 126 cases in the TCM cohort and 108 cases in the observation cohort. Compared with the observation cohort, the 2-year progression-free survival rate, 2-year overall survival rate, and DOR of the TCM cohort were increased (all P < 0.05). The PFS of the TCM cohort was higher than that of the observation cohort [HR = 0.542, 95% CI (0.345-0.853), P < 0.01]. Subgroup analysis results showed that in the subgroups of age ≥ 60 years, Ann Arbor (AA) stage III-IV, and CD4 + < lower limit of normal range (LLN), the progression-free survival time of the TCM cohort was higher than that of the observation cohort (all P < 0.05). The results of COX regression showed that AA stage III-IV [HR = 2.180, 95% CI (1.064-4.466), P < 0.05] and CD4 + < LLN [HR = 2.840, 95% CI (1.253-6.434), P < 0.05] were independent risk factors for DLBCL disease progression after chemotherapy; the traditional Chinese medicine cohort was a protective factor [HR = 0.538, 95% CI (0.297-0.974), P < 0.05], which could reduce the risk of disease progression by 46.2%. The results of absolute count analysis of lymphocyte subsets showed that in the TCM cohort, CD3 +, CD4 +, and CD19 + were higher 2 years after the end of induction chemotherapy than at the end of induction chemotherapy (all P < 0.05). When the two cohorts were compared, the difference in CD3 + and CD4 + in the TCM cohort widened, while that in the observation cohort narrowed . The difference in changes between the two cohorts was statistically significant (all P < 0.05). in conclusion Maintenance therapy with Fuzheng Jiedu prescription can improve the survival rate and prolong the survival time of DLBCL patients after chemotherapy, and the benefits are more obvious in people aged ≥60 years, AA stage III-IV, and CD4 + < LLN. Fuzheng Jiedu prescription can significantly reduce the risk of disease progression in patients with DLBCL after chemotherapy and improve the level of immune cells in patients. After the end of Western medicine chemotherapy, sequential maintenance therapy with Fuzheng Jiedu prescription can bring better therapeutic effects to DLBCL patients. Objective To evaluate the survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after chemotherapy using Fuzheng Jiedu Formula and to explore the intrinsic correlation between the lymphocyte subset level and the survival of patients with DLBCL. Methods A total of 234 patients with DLBCL who had completed chemotherapy and achieved complete or partial response in the Department of Hematology, Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2023, were recruited. A cohort study design was adopted, with "whether to receive continuous Fuzheng Jiedu Formula treatment for ≥ 6 months after chemotherapy" as the exposed factor. Patients meeting this exposed factor were divided into the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cohort, whereas those who did not meet this exposed factor were divided into the observation cohort. The 1- and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate, overall survival (OS) rate, and duration of response (DOR) of the two cohorts were compared. The survival curves of PFS and OS of the two cohorts were drawn, and subgroup survival analysis was performed to determine factors affecting disease progression. The effect of Fuzheng Jiedu Formula on lymphocyte subset count level was observed. Results The study included 126 and 108 patients in the TCM and observation cohorts, respectively. Compared with the observation cohort, the 2-year PFS rate, 2-year OS rate, and DOR were increased in the TCM cohort (P<0.05). The PFS in the TCM cohort was higher than that in the observation cohort [HR=0.542, 95%CI(0.345-0.853), P<0.01]. The result of subgroup analysis showed that PFS in the TCM cohort was higher than that in the observation cohort in the age ≥60 years, AA stage III-IV, CD4+

Background/Objectives: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall, which involves multiple cell types. Peptide OG-5 is identified from collagen hydrolysates derived from Salmo salar and exhibits an inhibitory effect on early atherosclerosis. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the impact of OG-5 on advanced atherosclerotic lesions as well as its stability during absorption. Methods: In this study, the ApoE-/- mice were employed to establish advanced atherosclerosis model to investigate the treatment effect of peptide OG-5. Results: The results showed that oral administration of OG-5 at a dosage of 150 mg/kg bw resulted in a 30% reduction in the aortic plaque formation area in ApoE−/− mice with few bleeding risks. Specifically, intervention with a low dose of OG-5 (50 mg/kg bw), initiated in the early stage of atherosclerosis, continues to provide benefits into the middle and late stages without bleeding risks. Furthermore, treatment of OG-5 increased expression levels of contractile phenotype markers and reduced the accumulation of lipoprotein in VSMCs induced by ox-LDL. Peptide OG-5 could ensure transport across Caco-2 cell monolayers, exhibiting a Papp value of 1.80 × 10−5 cm/s, and exhibited a robust stability in plasma with remaining content >70% after 8 h incubation. In vivo studies revealed that OG-5 reached maximum concentration in blood after 120 min. Conclusion: The present results demonstrate the potential efficacy of peptide OG-5 as a promising agent for intervention in anti-atherogenesis strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, an indoor potting experiment was conducted to study the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation and Magnaporthe oryzae on the growth, stomatal structure, photosynthesis, and endogenous hormone contents of a traditional rice cultivar Baijiaolaojing in the Yuanyang terraces of Yunnan Province. In addition, the relationships between these parameters and disease indices were analyzed. We aimed to clarify the response of the photosynthetic physiology of rice under the combined stress of UV-B radiation and M. oryzae. Compared with the M. oryzae infection treatment, all the treatments, including M. oryzae infection before (MBR), simultaneously with (MSR), and after (MAR) UV-B radiation significantly increased the rice height and biomass by 4%–11% and 30%–111%, respectively, and the stomatal structure and carotenoids content of leaves, while decreasing the contents of chlorophyll a and b, by 21%–41% and 63%–73%, respectively. Both the MSR and MBR treatments significantly increased the photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of rice leaves. The MAR treatment weakened chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, including the actual photosystem II (PS II) photochemical efficiency, electron transport rate, photochemical quenching, and nonphotochemical quenching by 40%, 39%, 43%, and 24%, respectively. Moreover, the treatments of MAR, MSR, and MBR decreased the phytohormones content and the M. oryzae disease index by 27%–62% in rice leaves. Thus, the enhanced UV-B radiation contributed to suppressing the M. oryzae infection and alleviating its damage to the photosynthesis of rice leaves. This study is valuable for the control of rice blast fungus and offers important insights into plant pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exponential growth of digital data, there is a pressing need for innovative storage media and techniques. DNA molecules, due to their stability, storage capacity, and density, offer a promising solution for information storage. However, DNA storage also faces numerous challenges, such as complex biochemical constraints and encoding efficiency. This paper presents Explorer , a high-efficiency DNA coding algorithm based on the De Bruijn graph, which leverages its capability to characterize local sequences. Explorer enables coding under various biochemical constraints, such as homopolymers, GC content, and undesired motifs. This paper also introduces Codeformer , a fast decoding algorithm based on the transformer architecture, to further enhance decoding efficiency. Numerical experiments indicate that, compared with other advanced algorithms, Explorer not only achieves stable encoding and decoding under various biochemical constraints but also increases the encoding efficiency and bit rate by ¿10%. Additionally, Codeformer demonstrates the ability to efficiently decode large quantities of DNA sequences. Under different parameter settings, its decoding efficiency exceeds that of traditional algorithms by more than two-fold. When Codeformer is combined with Reed–Solomon code, its decoding accuracy exceeds 99%, making it a good choice for high-speed decoding applications. These advancements are expected to contribute to the development of DNA-based data storage systems and the broader exploration of DNA as a novel information storage medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meningioma subtype is crucial in treatment planning and prognosis delineation, for grade 1 meningiomas. T2 relaxometry could provide detailed microscopic information but is often limited by long scanning times. Purpose: To investigate the potential of T2 maps derived from multiple overlapping‐echo detachment imaging (MOLED) for predicting meningioma subtypes and Ki‐67 index, and to compare the diagnostic efficiency of two different region‐of‐interest (ROI) placements (whole‐tumor and contrast‐enhanced, respectively). Study Type: Prospective. Phantom/Subjects: A phantom containing 11 tubes of MnCl2 at different concentrations, eight healthy volunteers, and 75 patients with grade 1 meningioma. Field Strength/Sequence: 3 T scanner. MOLED, T2‐weighted spin‐echo sequence, T2‐dark‐fluid sequence, and postcontrast T1‐weighted gradient echo sequence. Assessment: Two ROIs were delineated: the whole‐tumor area (ROI1) and contrast‐enhanced area (ROI2). Histogram parameters were extracted from T2 maps. Meningioma subtypes and Ki‐67 index were reviewed by a neuropathologist according to the 2021 classification criteria. Statistical Tests: Linear regression, Bland–Altman analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis, independent t test, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test with Bonferroni correction, and multivariate logistic regression analysis with the P‐value significance level of 0.05. Results: The MOLED T2 sequence demonstrated excellent accuracy for phantoms and volunteers (Meandiff = −1.29%, SDdiff = 1.25% and Meandiff = 0.36%, SDdiff = 2.70%, respectively), and good repeatability for volunteers (average coefficient of variance = 1.13%; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.877). For both ROI1 and ROI2, T2 variance had the highest area under the curves (area under the ROC curve = 0.768 and 0.761, respectively) for meningioma subtyping. There was no significant difference between the two ROIs (P = 0.875). Significant correlations were observed between T2 parameters and Ki‐67 index (r = 0.237–0.374). Data Conclusion: MOLED T2 maps can effectively differentiate between meningothelial, fibrous, and transitional meningiomas. Moreover, T2 histogram parameters were significantly correlated with the Ki‐67 index. Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the mucosa, some of which will develop into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the pathogenesis of OLP remains unknown, but autoimmunity has been suggested as a potential cause. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are small noncoding RNAs, have been reported to be involved in a series of physiological events as well as the progression of diseases. The evidence indicates that miRNAs may be highly related to both the initiation and malignant progression of OLP. MiR-146a, miR-26b, miR-155, miR-19a and miR-125a are able to trigger OLP by regulating autoimmunity, and miR-137, miR-125b, and miR-27b may accelerate the carcinogenesis of OLP. These miRNAs may be potential targets for prognosis and treatment. Subsequent studies are expected to focus on a more comprehensive exploration of the role of miRNAs in OLP (including specific action pathways and other OLP-related miRNAs), as well as the potential for miRNAs to predict the treatment outcome of OLP. This review provides an updated summary of the roles of miRNAs in OLP to provide new ideas and approaches to OLP research.