High-Performance Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Ultraviolet Photodetectors Based on an In2O3 Nanocube Film

Ultraviolet photodetectors (UV PDs) have attracted significant attention due to their wide range of applications, such as underwater communication, biological analysis, and early fire warning systems. Indium oxide (In2O3) is a candidate for developing high-performance photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type UV PDs owing to its high UV absorption and good stability. However, the self-powered photoresponse of the previously reported In2O3-based PEC UV PDs is unsatisfactory. In this work, high-performance self-powered PEC UV PDs were constructed by using an In2O3 nanocube film (NCF) as a photoanode. In2O3 NCF photoanodes were synthesized on FTO by using hydrothermal methods with a calcining process. The influence of the electrolyte concentration, bias potential, and irradiation light on the photoresponse properties was systematically studied. In2O3 NCF PEC UV PDs exhibit outstanding self-powered photoresponses to 365 nm UV light with a high responsivity of 44.43 mA/W and fast response speed (20/30 ms) under zero bias potential, these results are superior to those of previously reported In2O3-based PEC UV PDs. The improved self-powered photoresponse is attributed to the higher photogenerated carrier separation efficiency and faster charge transport of the in-situ grown In2O3 NCF. In addition, these PDs exhibit excellent multicycle stability, maintaining the photocurrent at 98.69% of the initial value after 700 optical switching cycles. Therefore, our results prove the great promise of In2O3 in self-powered PEC UV PDs.

Association of the triglyceride-glucose index variability with blood pressure and hypertension: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Several studies have indicated that the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) index is associated with hypertension; however, evidence on the association of change in the TyG index with blood pressure and hypertension is limited.

AIMS

To assess the association of the TyG index with blood pressure and hypertension.

DESIGN

A cohort study.

METHODS

We included 17 977 individuals with a mean age of 60.5 years from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dl)×fasting glucose (mg/dl)/2]. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg, self-reported current use of antihypertensive medication or self-reported physician diagnosis of hypertension.

RESULTS

In the longitudinal analyses, we found a linear dose-response relationship between changes in the TyG index and change in blood pressure. Each one-unit change in the TyG index was associated with a 1.93 (1.23-2.63) mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a 1.78 (1.42-2.16) mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). During a median follow-up of 9.37 years, a total of 3594 individuals were newly diagnosed with hypertension. We also found a linear dose-response relationship between the TyG index and the incidence of hypertension. The hazard ratio (HR) of hypertension for each one-unit increase in the TyG index was 1.21 (1.13-1.29). In addition, the best cut-off point of TyG for predicting hypertension was 8.4797, with sensitivity, and specificity of 57.85% and 55.40%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The TyG index had a positive dose-response relationship with blood pressure and could be used to predict the risk of hypertension.

Overexpression of a Fragaria vesca NAM, ATAF, and CUC (NAC) Transcription Factor Gene (FvNAC29) Increases Salt and Cold Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2) family of transcription factors (TFs) is a vital transcription factor family of plants. It controls multiple parts of plant development, tissue formation, and abiotic stress response. We cloned the FvNAC29 gene from Fragaria vesca (a diploid strawberry) for this research. There is a conserved NAM structural domain in the FvNAC29 protein. The highest homology between FvNAC29 and PaNAC1 was found by phylogenetic tree analysis. Subcellular localization revealed that FvNAC29 is localized onto the nucleus. Compared to other tissues, the expression level of FvNAC29 was higher in young leaves and roots. In addition, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing FvNAC29 had higher cold and high-salinity tolerance than the wild type (WT) and unloaded line with empty vector (UL). The proline and chlorophyll contents of transgenic Arabidopsis plants, along with the activities of the antioxidant enzymes like catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) under 200 mM NaCl treatment or -8 °C treatment, were higher than those activities of the control. Meanwhile, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content were higher in the WT and UL lines. FvNAC29 improves transgenic plant resistance to cold and salt stress by regulating the expression levels of AtRD29a, AtCCA1, AtP5CS1, and AtSnRK2.4. It also improves the potential to tolerate cold stress by positively regulating the expression levels of AtCBF1, AtCBF4, AtCOR15a, and AtCOR47. These findings suggest that FvNAC29 may be related to the processes and the molecular mechanisms of F. vesca response to high-salinity stress and LT stress, providing a comprehensive understanding of the NAC TFs.

Descriptive study of causes of death and COVID-19-associated morbidities from the New York City electronic death record: first wave of the pandemic March-July 2020

OBJECTIVE

Assessing excess deaths from benchmarks across causes of death during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and identifying morbidities most frequently mentioned alongside COVID-19 deaths in the death record.

METHODS

Descriptive study of death records between 11 March 2020 and 27 July 2020, from the New York City Bureau of Vital Statistics. Mortality counts and percentages were compared with the average for the same calendar period of the previous 2 years. Distributions of morbidities from among forty categories of conditions were generated citywide and by sex, race/ethnicity and four age groups. Causes of death were assumed to follow Poisson processes for Z-score construction.

RESULTS

Within the study period, 46 563 all-cause deaths were reported; 132.9% higher than the average for the same period of the previous 2 years (19 989). Of those 46 563 records, 19 789 (42.5%) report COVID-19 as underlying cause of death. COVID-19 was the most prevalent cause across all demographics, with respiratory conditions (prominently pneumonia), hypertension and diabetes frequently mentioned morbidities. Black non-Hispanics had greater proportions of mentions of pneumonia, hypertension, and diabetes. Hispanics had the largest proportion of COVID-19 deaths (52.9%). Non-COVID-19 excess deaths relative to the previous 2-year averages were widely reported.

CONCLUSION

Mortality directly due to COVID-19 was accompanied by significant increases across most other causes from their reference averages, potentially suggesting a sizable COVID-19 death undercount. Indirect effects due to COVID-19 may partially account for some increases, but findings are hardly dispositive. Unavailability of vaccines for the time period precludes any impact over excess deaths. Respiratory and cardiometabolic-related conditions were most frequently reported among COVID-19 deaths across demographic characteristics.

Evaluation and optimization of outdoor wind environment in block based on space syntax and CFD simulation

The wind environment quality at the height of pedestrians can significantly affect the thermal comfort and physical and mental health of pedestrians, promote the diffusion of air pollutants and inhibit the formation of urban heat island effect, and has been paid more and more attention in the field of urban and rural planning. This paper takes Jianlan Road commercial pedestrian Street as an example to maximize the thermal comfort of pedestrians. Based on CFD numerical simulation technology and space syntax theory, the pedestrian wind environment of the accessible space of the block is selected for quantitative research. Through numerical simulation, the influence of block spatial form on the wind environment at pedestrian height under the initial condition of uniform air flow is analyzed, and some suggestions are put forward for the optimization of block spatial form. Finally, the block optimization scheme is verified and simulated. The visualization results show that the wind environment quality of the optimized high-accessibility space is significantly improved, the proportion of comfort zone is increased from 58.2% to 86%, and the static wind rate is reduced from 41.8% to 14%. The wind environment optimization effect is obvious.

[Auxiliary diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis with metagenomic next-generation sequencing: a case report]

This case report summarizes the experience from diagnosis and treatment of a patient with repeated high fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. Following exclusion of bacterial, viral, fungal infections and hematological diseases, metagenomic next-generation sequencing of the patient's peripheral blood revealed Leishmania infantum infection, and rK39 rapid diagnostic test showed positive for anti-Leishmania antibody, while microscopic examination of bone marrow smears identified Leishmania amastigotes. Therefore, the case was definitively diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis, and given anti-infective treatment with sodium antimony gluconate and hormone, hepatoprotection, elevation of white blood cell counts and personalized nursing. Then, the case was cured and discharged from hospital. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is of great value in etiological detection of fever patients with unknown causes, which deserves widespread clinical applications.

The Function of SD1 on Shoot Length and its Pyramiding Effect on Shoot Length and Plant Height in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Strong seedling vigor is imperative to achieve stable seedling establishment and enhance the competitiveness against weeds in rice direct seeding. Shoot length (SL) is one of the important traits associated with seedling vigor in rice, but few genes for SL have been cloned so far. In the previous study, we identified two tightly linked and stably expressed QTLs for SL, qSL-1f and qSL-1d by genome-wide association study, and cloned the causal gene (LOC_Os01g68500) underlying qSL-1f. In the present study, we identify LOC_Os01g66100 (i.e. the semidwarf gene SD1), a well-known gene controlling plant height (PH) at the adult-plant stage, as the causal gene underlying qSL-1d through gene-based haplotype analysis and knockout transgenic verification. By measuring the phenotypes (SL and PH) of various haplotypes of the two genes and their knockout lines, we found SD1 and LOC_ Os01g68500 controlled both SL and PH, and worked in the same direction, which provided the directly genetic evidence for a positive correlation between SL and PH combined with the analysis of SL and PH in the diverse natural population. Moreover, the knockout transgenic experiments suggested that SD1 had a greater effect on PH compared with LOC_ Os01g68500, but no significant difference in the effect on SL. Further investigation of the pyramiding effects of SD1 and LOC_Os01g68500 based on their haplotype combinations suggested that SD1 may play a dominant role in controlling SL and PH when the two genes coexist. In this study, the effect of SD1 on SL at the seedling stage is validated. In total, two causal genes, SD1 and LOC_ Os01g68500, for SL are cloned in our studies, which controlled both SL and PH, and the suitable haplotypes of SD1 and LOC_ Os01g68500 are beneficial to achieve the desired SL and PH in different rice breeding objectives. These results provide a new clue to develop rice varieties for direct seeding and provide new genetic resources for molecular breeding of rice with suitable PH and strong seedling vigor.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

Effect of extrusion on the protein structure and digestibility of extruded soybean protein

BACKGROUND

Extrusion is the main method for the preparation of plant-based meat. Current studies have focused on the effect of different extrusion parameters on the texture and quality of plant-based meat, but there has been less research on their digestibility. This study determined the textural properties of extruded soybean protein (ESPro) for different extrusion parameters and the digestibility after in vitro simulated digestion experiments. The effect of extrusion on the structure and digestibility of ESPro and the relationship between them were elucidated.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the digestibility of ESPro through extrusion, with the highest values for cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, fibrous degree, digestibility, and proportion of digested peptides with <1 kDa molecular weight at an extrusion temperature of 160 °C and a screw speed of 30 rpm (ESPro1). In addition, β-sheet content in the secondary structure of the ESPro showed a significant negative association with ESPro digestibility.

CONCLUSION

In this study, extrusion could improve the digestibility of ESPro by altering the protein structure. This advancement holds the potential for more effective applications in plant-based meats. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Basic-helix-loop-helix family member e41 suppresses osteoclastogenesis and abnormal bone resorption disease via NFATc1

Overactivation of osteoclasts due to altered osteoclastogenesis causes multiple bone metabolic diseases. However, how osteoclast differentiation is tightly regulated and involved in multiple pathophysiological states remains mystery. In this study, we noticed that the downregulation of BHLHE41 (basic-helix-loop-helix family member e41) was tightly associated with osteoclast differentiation and osteoporosis. Functionally, the upregulation or downregulation of BHLHE41 suppressed or promoted osteoclast differentiation, respectively, in vitro. A mechanism study indicated that the direct binding of BHLHE41 to the promoter region of NFATc1 that led to its downregulation. Notably, the inhibition of NFATc1 abrogated the enhanced osteoclast differentiation in BHLHE41-knockdown bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). Additionally, upregulation of BHLHE41 impeded bone destruction in OVX mice with osteoporosis. Therefore, our research reveals the mechanism by which BHLHE41 regulates osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption via NFATc1, and targeting BHLHE41 is a potential strategy for the treatment of osteoporosis.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

[Effect of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain after mandibular third molar extraction: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain following the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars in a Chinese population, aiming to provide a clinical reference for its application. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted from April 2022 to October 2023 at the Capital Medical University School of Stomatology (40 cases), Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University (22 cases), and Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University (20 cases). It included 82 patients with impacted mandibular third molars, with 41 in the ibuprofen group and 41 in the control group. Participants in the ibuprofen group received 300 mg of sustained-release ibuprofen capsules orally 15 min before surgery, while the control group received a placebo. Both groups were instructed to take sustained-release ibuprofen capsules as planned for 3 days post-surgery. Pain intensity was measured using the numerical rating scale at 30 min, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after surgery, and the use of additional analgesic medication was recorded during days 4 to 6 postoperatively. Results: All 82 patients completed the study according to the protocol. No adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, or allergies were reported in either group during the trial. The ibuprofen group exhibited significantly lower pain scores at 4 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 4.0 (3.0, 5.0)] (Z=-3.73, P<0.001), 6 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0(2.5, 6.0)] (Z=-3.38, P<0.001), and 8 h [2.0 (1.0, 4.0) vs. 5.0 (2.0, 6.0)] (Z=-2.11, P=0.035) postoperatively compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in pain scores between the groups at 30 min, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively (P>0.05). Additionally, 11 out of 41 patients (26.8%) in the ibuprofen group and 23 out of 41 patients (56.1%) in the control group required extra analgesic medication between days 4 and 6 post-surgery, with the ibuprofen group taking significantly fewer additional pills [0.0 (0.0, 1.0) vs. 1.0 (0.0, 3.0)] (Z=-2.81, P=0.005). Conclusions: A pain management regimen involving 300 mg of oral sustained-release ibuprofen capsules administered 15 minutes before surgery and continued for 3 d postoperatively effectively reduces pain levels and the total amount of analgesic medication used after the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Considering its efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness, ibuprofen is recommended as a first-line drug for perioperative pain management, enhancing patient comfort during diagnosis and treatment in a feasible manner.

Separation and quantification of tire and road wear particles in road dust samples: Bonded-sulfur as a novel marker

Tire road wear particles (TRWPs) are a large source of microplastics in the environment, while the quantification of TRWPs is still challenging due to the complex interferences and the uncertainties and inconsistencies among different methods. This study developed a TRWPs quantification method using optimized pretreatments and bonded-sulfur as marker. Road dust samples (n = 48) were collected, pretreatments including density separation, digestion and extraction were optimized to remove interferences of the bonded-sulfur (minerals, sulfur-containing proteins, hydrosoluble/hydrophobic sulfur-containing substances). Presence of TRWPs in the samples was confirmed by microscopy and scanning electron microscopyenergy dispersive spectrometry. Bonded-sulfur in the samples were quantified by inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICPMS). Additionally, bonded-sulfur in tire wear particles (TWPs) abraded from tires of top 10 best-selling brands were measured to calculate conversion factor (1.1 ×104 μg/g) for the quantification of TRWPs in real samples. TRWPs contents were 5.40 × 104 μg/g11.02 × 104 μg/g and 2.36 × 104 μg/g5.30 × 104 μg/g in samples from heavy and light traffic roads, respectively. The method provided better recoveries (88-107%, n = 18) and repeatability (RSD=2.0-7.9%, n = 3) compared to methods using rubber, benzothiazole and organic zinc as markers. Furthermore, stability of the bonded-sulfur was validated by Raman and ICPMS. Thus, this accurate and stable quantification method could promote research on TRWPs.

Integrated virtual screening and in vitro studies for exploring the mechanism of triterpenoids in Chebulae Fructus alleviating mesaconitine-induced cardiotoxicity via TRPV1 channel

Background: In traditional Mongolian or Tibetan medicine in China, Chebulae Fructus (CF) is widely used to process or combine with aconitums to decrease the severe toxicity of aconitums. Researches in this area have predominantly focused on tannins, with few research on other major CF components for cardiotoxicity mitigation. The present study aimed to clarify whether triterpenoids can attenuate the cardiotoxicity caused by mesaconitine (MA) and investigate the mechanism of cardiotoxicity attenuation. Methods: Firstly, the pharmacophore model, molecular docking, and 3D-QSAR model were used to explore the mechanism of CF components in reducing the toxicity of MA mediated by the TRPV1 channel. Then three triterpenoids were selected to verify whether the triterpenoids had the effect of lowering the cardiotoxicity of MA using H9c2 cells combined with MTT, Hoechst 33258, and JC-1. Finally, Western blot, Fluo-3AM, and MTT assays combined with capsazepine were used to verify whether the triterpenoids reduced H9c2 cardiomyocyte toxicity induced by MA was related to the TRPV1 channel. Results: Seven triterpenoids in CF have the potential to activate the TRPV1 channel. And they exhibited greater affinity for TRPV1 compared to other compounds and MA. However, their activity was relatively lower than that of MA. Cell experiments revealed that MA significantly reduced H9c2 cell viability, resulting in diminished mitochondrial membrane potential and nuclear pyknosis and damage. In contrast, the triterpenoids could improve the survival rate significantly and counteract the damage of MA to the cells. We found that MA, arjungenin (AR), and maslinic acid (MSA) except corosolic acid (CRA) upregulated the expression of TRPV1 protein. MA induced a significant influx of calcium, whereas all three triterpenoids alleviated this trend. Blocking the TRPV1 channel with capsazepine only increased the cell viability that had been simultaneously treated with MA, and AR, or MSA. However, there was no significant difference in the CRA groups treated with or without capsazepine. Conclusion: The triterpenoids in CF can reduce the cardiotoxicity caused by MA. The MSA and AR function as TRPV1 agonists with comparatively reduced activity but a greater capacity to bind to TRPV1 receptors, thus antagonizing the excessive activation of TRPV1 by MA.

High-speed multihull anti-pitching control based on heave velocity and pitch angular velocity estimation

This paper proposes a novel anti-pitching control algorithm based on algebraic model predictive control (AMPC) for high-speed multihull, in which the heave velocity and pitch angular velocity cannot be measured directly. Specifically, a multihull vertical control model is established with the employed anti-pitching appendages, and the uncertainty of the model as well as the coupling between heave and pitch motion are investigated. To address unmeasurable of the heave velocity and pitch angular velocity, a novel kinematics-based Kalman filter is designed to estimate these states online, which is substantially different from the existing works. Then, the AMPC strategy for varying receding-horizon optimization is proposed, which significantly reduces the amount of online calculation. To estimate the lumped uncertainty, the second-order filter data of input and output is used to design a disturbance observer with less parameters, which can perform feed-forward compensation to enhance the robustness. The convergence of the disturbance observer and the closed-loop system is analyzed mathematically. Finally, the advantages of the proposed anti-pitching control approach are demonstrated in both theory and simulation.

Effect of UV irradiation on the densification behavior, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties of low temperature sintering Al2O3 ceramics

In this paper, Al2O3 ceramics co-doped with 0.3 wt%CuO-0.6 wt%TiO2-0.1 wt%MnCO3 (CTM, the same below) were prepared. The effect of CTM and UV irradiation on the sintering behavior, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties have been investigated systematically. The results indicate that the sintering temperature of Al2O3 ceramics could be effectively decreased to about 1200 °C by adding 1 wt% CTM. UV irradiation can further increase the density of the Al2O3 ceramics, improve its microstructure and microwave dielectric properties. By using the Al2O3 powders UV irradiated for 15 min as raw materials, CTM co-doped Al2O3 ceramics can sintered at 1200 °C with a high density of 3.93 g/cm3 and a very high Q × f value of 175,086 GHz.

Suppression of the METTL3-m6A-integrin β1 axis by extracellular acidification impairs T cell infiltration and antitumor activity

The acidic metabolic byproducts within the tumor microenvironment (TME) hinder T cell effector functions. However, their effects on T cell infiltration remain largely unexplored. Leveraging the comprehensive The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, we pinpoint 16 genes that correlate with extracellular acidification and establish a metric known as the "tumor acidity (TuAci) score" for individual patients. We consistently observe a negative association between the TuAci score and T lymphocyte score (T score) across various human cancer types. Mechanistically, extracellular acidification significantly impedes T cell motility by suppressing podosome formation. This phenomenon can be attributed to the reduced expression of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) and the modification of RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A), resulting in a subsequent decrease in the expression of integrin β1 (ITGB1). Importantly, enforced ITGB1 expression leads to enhanced T cell infiltration and improved antitumor activity. Our study suggests that modulating METTL3 activity or boosting ITGB1 expression could augment T cell infiltration within the acidic TME, thereby improving the efficacy of cell therapy.

Nebulized pH-Responsive Nanospray Combined with Pentoxifylline and Edaravone to Lungs for Efficient Treatments of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The COVID-19 pandemic has become an unprecedented global medical emergency, resulting in more than 5 million deaths. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19, characterized by the release of a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the production of excessive toxic ROS, is the most common serious complication leading to death. To develop new strategies for treating ARDS caused by COVID-19, a mouse model of ARDS was established by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Subsequently, we have constructed a novel nanospray with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity by loading pentoxifylline (PTX) and edaravone (Eda) on zeolite imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8). This nanospray was endowed with synergetic therapy, which could kill two birds with one stone: (1) the loaded PTX played a powerful anti-inflammatory role by inhibiting the activation of inflammatory cells and the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines; (2) Eda served as a free radical scavenger in ARDS. Furthermore, compared with the traditional intravenous administration, nanosprays can be administered directly and inhaled efficiently and reduce the risk of systemic adverse reactions greatly. This nanospray could not only coload two drugs efficiently but also realize acid-responsive release on local lung tissue. Importantly, ZIF8-EP nanospray showed an excellent therapeutic effect on ARDS in vitro and in vivo, which provided a new direction for the treatment of ARDS.

Cystine deprivation triggers CD36-mediated ferroptosis and dysfunction of tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells

Cancer cells develop multiple strategies to evade T cell-mediated killing. On one hand, cancer cells may preferentially rely on certain amino acids for rapid growth and metastasis. On the other hand, sufficient nutrient availability and uptake are necessary for mounting an effective T cell anti-tumor response in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we demonstrate that tumor cells outcompete T cells for cystine uptake due to high Slc7a11 expression. This competition induces T-cell exhaustion and ferroptosis, characterized by diminished memory formation and cytokine secretion, increased PD-1 and TIM-3 expression, as well as intracellular oxidative stress and lipid-peroxide accumulation. Importantly, either Slc7a11 deletion in tumor cells or intratumoral cystine supplementation improves T cell anti-tumor immunity. Mechanistically, cystine deprivation in T cells disrupts glutathione synthesis, but promotes CD36 mediated lipid uptake due to dysregulated cystine/glutamate exchange. Moreover, enforced expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (Gclc) promotes glutathione synthesis and prevents CD36 upregulation, thus boosting T cell anti-tumor immunity. Our findings reveal cystine as an intracellular metabolic checkpoint that orchestrates T-cell survival and differentiation, and highlight Gclc as a potential therapeutic target for enhancing T cell anti-tumor function.

Guest adaptative supramolecular sensing strategy for warning the risky aflatoxins in contaminated cereals

In the face of diversified analytes, it is a great challenge and infeasible task to design and synthesize corresponding macrocyclic hosts to realize the ideal supramolecular sensing. Herein, we proposed a novel supramolecular sensing strategy, guest adaptative assay (GAA), in which analyte was quantitatively transformed under mild conditions to perfectly adapt to macrocyclic host. As a health-threatening "landmine" in cereals, aflatoxins were converted by the aid of alkali hydrolysis to satisfactorily obtain aflatoxins transformants in ionic state, resulting in sensitive response by the guanidinocalix[5]arene•fluorescein reporter pair. Surprisingly, the established strategy not only exhibited effective practicality in screening out high-risk cereals contaminated with aflatoxins, but also relieved the laborious task of macrocycle design and screening in supramolecular sensing.

A novel bystander effect in tamoxifen treatment: PPIB derived from ER+ cells attenuates ER- cells via endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis

Tamoxifen (TAM) is the frontline therapy for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer in premenopausal women that interrupts ER signaling. As tumors with elevated heterogeneity, amounts of ER-negative (ER-) cells are present in ER+ breast cancer that cannot be directly killed by TAM. Despite complete remissions have been achieved in clinical practice, the mechanism underlying the elimination of ER- cells during TAM treatment remains an open issue. Herein, we deciphered the elimination of ER- cells in TAM treatment from the perspective of the bystander effect. Markable reductions were observed in tumorigenesis of ER- breast cancer cells by applying both supernatants from TAM-treated ER+ cells and a transwell co-culture system, validating the presence of a TAM-induced bystander effect. The major antitumor protein derived from ER+ cells, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B (PPIB), is the mediator of the TAM-induced bystander effect identified by quantitative proteomics. The attenuation of ER- cells was attributed to activated BiP/eIF2α/CHOP axis and promoted endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-induced apoptosis, which can also be triggered by PPIB independently. Altogether, our study revealed a novel TAM-induced bystander effect in TAM treatment of ER+ breast cancer, raising the possibility of developing PPIB as a synergistic antitumor agent or even substitute endocrine therapy.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

[System analysis of the ecological distribution of bacteriophages in hospital wastewater]

Phage therapy is one of the most important tools for the treatment of infections with multi-drug resistant bacteria. Such phages are usually isolated from hospital effluents, however, no systematic study on the distribution of phages in hospital effluents has been conducted so far. The aim of this study was to isolate the corresponding phages of common pathogenic bacteria isolated in the clinic as hosts, so as to assess the ecological distribution of phages in hospital wastewater and to provide a reference for the isolation and application of phages of drug-resistant bacteria in the clinic. A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The 125 pathogenic bacteria (belonging to 16 different strains) isolated from the clinical microbiology laboratory of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from May to June 2023 were selected as the target strains, and the phages corresponding to these strains were isolated and purified from the hospital wastewater by using the double-layer plate sandwich method. At the same time, the distribution of pathogenic bacteria in the same batch of wastewater was analyzed with the help of mNGS sequencing technology, so as to preliminarily investigate the abundance correspondence between pathogenic bacteria and phages in wastewater. The results showed that a total of 56 phage strains were isolated from 125 clinical pathogens as hosts, corresponding to six pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. All six pathogenic bacteria contained strains with different degrees of drug resistance, with a higher percentage of multi-drug resistant strains in A. baumannii, Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa. The phage acquisition rates of these six pathogens were, in descending order, Escherichia coli (80%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (75%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (70%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (66.67%), Acinetobacter baumannii (36.36%) and Staphylococcus aureus (12.5%). Preliminary mNGS sequencing results showed that the pathogenic bacteria with higher abundance in the batch of effluent were Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella michiganensis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In conclusion, phages of most common clinical Gram-negative pathogens were isolated from hospital wastewater with high isolation rates; however, phages of Gram-positive pathogens were isolated at lower rates, and only phages corresponding to Staphylococcus aureus were isolated in this study. The corresponding mNGS sequencing results showed that the distribution of Gram-negative pathogens in sewage may had a positive correlation with the ecological distribution of phages.

Organophosphate Esters in Building Materials from China: Levels, Sources, Emissions, and Preliminary Assessment of Human Exposure

Source characteristics and health risks of indoor organophosphate esters (OPEs) are limited by the lack of knowledge on emission processes. This study attempted to integrate the contents and emissions of OPEs from indoor building materials to assess human health effects. Thirteen OPEs were investigated in 80 pieces of six categories of building materials. OPEs are ubiquitous in the building materials and ∑13OPE contents varied significantly (p < 0.05) from 72.8 ng/g (seam agent) to 109,900 ng/g (wallpaper). Emission characteristics of OPEs from the building materials were examined based on a microchamber method. Depending on the sample category, the observed initial area-specific emission rates of ∑13OPEs varied from 154 ng/m2/h (carpet) to 2760 ng/m2/h (wooden floorboard). Moreover, the emission rate model was developed to predict the release levels of individual OPEs, quantify source contributions, and assess associated exposure risks. Source apportionments of indoor OPEs exhibited heterogeneities in multiple environmental media. The joint OPE contribution of wallpaper and wooden floorboard to indoor dust was up to 94.8%, while latex paint and wooden floorboard were the main OPE contributors to indoor air (54.2%) and surface (76.1%), respectively. Risk assessment showed that the carcinogenic risks of tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (3.35 × 10-7) were close to the acceptable level (1 × 10-6) and deserved special attention.

Bi-functionality of glyoxal caged nucleic acid coupled with CRISPR/Cas12a system for Hg2+ determination

A highly sensitive and selective fluorescence method has been conducted for the detection of Hg2+ based on aminophenylboronic acid-modified carboxyl magnetic beads (CMB@APBA) and CRISPR/Cas12a system mediated by glyoxal caged nucleic acid (gcDNA). As a bi-functional DNA linker, gcDNA offers advantages of simultaneous recognition by boronic acid and complementary DNA/RNA. Under acidic condition, gcDNA can be immobilized on CMB@APBA through the formation of borate ester bond. The formed boric acid-esterified gcDNA can further bind with complementary CRISPR RNA through A-T base pairing to activate Cas12a with kcat/Km ratio of 3.4 × 107 s-1 M-1, allowing for amplified signal. Hg2+ can specifically combine with CMB@APBA, resulting in the release of gcDNA from CMB@APBA and the following inhibition on the activation of CRISPR/Cas12a system around magnetic bead. Under optimal conditions, the method exhibits a linear range from 20 to 250 nM, with a detection limit of 2.72 nM. The proposed method can detect Hg2+ in milk and tea beverages, providing a great significance for on-site monitoring of Hg2+ contamination in food.