Effects of Carbon Spacer Length on Conformational Transitions and Protein Adsorption of Polyzwitterions.

The properties of polyzwitterions are closely linked to their carbon spacer length (CSL) between oppositely charged groups. A thorough understanding of the effect of CSL on the properties of polyzwitterion-functionalized membranes is important for their fouling resistance and separation performances. In this work, polyzwitterion-functionalized membranes with different CSLs are prepared by coupling selective swelling-induced pore generation with zwitterionization, and the investigation is focused on comprehending the molecular mechanisms underlying protein resistance and conformational transitions within polyzwitterions under varying CSLs. The zwitterionized films show an enhancement in the surface negative potential with the increase of CSL, attributed to the negatively charged groups distanced from the positively charged groups. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) demonstrates that zwitterionized films with different CSLs display distinct levels of resistance to protein adsorption. The trimethylamine N-oxide-derived polymer (PTMAO, CSL = 0) zwitterionized film shows the highest resistance compared to the poly(3-[dimethyl(2'-methacryloyloxyethyl] ammonio) ethanesulfonate (PMAES, CSL = 2) zwitterionized film and the poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA, CSL = 3) zwitterionized film, owing to its electrical neutrality and pronounced hydrophilicity. Moreover, analysis of the anti-polyelectrolyte behaviors reveals that PTMAO does not undergo a significant conformation transition in deionized water and salt solutions, while the conformations of PMAES and PSBMA display to be more salt-dependent as the CSL increases, attributed to their increased polarization and dipole moment. As a result, the permeability of zwitterionized membranes exhibits enhanced salt responsiveness with the increase in CSL. The findings of this study are expected to facilitate the design of adsorption-resistant surfaces desired in diverse fields.

Insight into the fracture energy dissipation mechanism in elastomer composites via sacrificial bonds and fillers.

Most tough elastomer composites are reinforced by introducing sacrificial structures and fillers. Understanding the contribution of fillers and sacrificial bonds in elastomer composites to the energy dissipation is critical for the design of high-toughness materials. However, the energy dissipation mechanism in elastomer composites remains elusive. In this study, using a tearing test and time-temperature superposition, we investigate the effect of fillers and sacrificial bonds on the energy dissipation of elastomer composites consisting of poly(lipoic acid)/silver-coated Al fillers. We found that the fillers and sacrificial bonds mutually enhance both the intrinsic fracture energy and the bulk energy dissipation, and moreover the sacrificial bonds play a more important role in enhancing fracture toughness than the fillers. It is unreasonable to rely solely on the loss factor for bulk energy dissipation. The addition of sacrificial bonds results in a chain segment experiencing greater binding force compared to the addition of fillers. This suggests that the chain segment consumes more energy during its movement. By calculating the length of the Kuhn chain segment and the Kuhn number, it is evident that the addition of sacrificial bonds results in a greater binding force for the chain segment than the addition of fillers, and this enhanced binding force increases the energy consumption during the motion of the chain segment.

Unveiling Interfacial Effects for Efficient and Stable Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Ruthenium Nanoparticles-Embedded Pentlandite Composites.

Heterogenous catalysis is important for future clean and sustainable energy systems. However, an urgent need to promote the development of efficient and stable hydrogen evolution catalysts still exists. In this study, ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) are in situ grown on Fe5 Ni4 S8 support (Ru/FNS) by replacement growth strategy. An efficient Ru/FNS electrocatalyst with enhanced interfacial effect is then developed and successfully applied for pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The Fe vacancies formed by FNS during the electrochemical process are found to be conducive to the introduction and firm anchoring of Ru atoms. Compared to Pt atoms, Ru atoms get easily aggregated and then grow rapidly to form NPs. This induces more bonding between Ru NPs and FNS, preventing the fall-off of Ru NPs and maintaining the structural stability of FNS. Moreover, the interaction between FNS and Ru NPs can adjust the d-band center of Ru NPs, as well as balance the hydrolytic dissociation energy and hydrogen binding energy. Consequently, the as-prepared Ru/FNS electrocatalyst exhibits excellent HER activity and improved cycle stability under pH-universal conditions. The developed pentlandite-based electrocatalysts with low cost, high activity, and good stability are promising candidates for future applications in water electrolysis.

Temporal trends and outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke patients with a current or historical diagnosis of cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim was to evaluate the temporal trends, characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) between those with and without current or historical malignancies. METHODS: Adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of AIS were identified from the National Inpatient Sample database 2007-2017. Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the utilization of AIS interventions and in-hospital outcomes. For further analysis, subgroup analyses were performed stratified by cancer subtypes. RESULTS: There were 892,862 hospitalizations due to AIS, of which 108,357 (12.14%) had a concurrent diagnosis of current cancer (3.41%) or historical cancer (8.72%). After adjustment for confounders, patients with current malignancy were more likely to have worse clinical outcomes. The presence of historical cancers was not associated with an increase in poor clinical outcomes. Additionally, AIS patients with current malignancy were less likely to receive intravenous thrombolysis (adjusted odds ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.63-0.71). Amongst the subgroups of AIS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy, outcomes varied by cancer types. Notably, despite these acute stroke interventions, outcome remains poor in AIS patients with lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Although AIS patients with malignancy generally have worse in-hospital outcomes versus those without, there were considerable variations in these outcomes according to different cancer types and the use of AIS interventions. Finally, treatment of these AIS patients with a current or historical cancer diagnosis should be individualized.

Electromagnetic fields ameliorate hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress: potential role of CaMKKß/AMPK/SREBP-1c and Nrf2 pathways.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide, and is related to disturbed lipid metabolism and redox homeostasis. However, a definitive drug treatment has not been approved for this disease. Studies have found that electromagnetic fields (EMF) can ameliorate hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress. Nevertheless, the mechanism remains unclear. METHODS: NAFLD models were established by feeding mice a high-fat diet. Simultaneously, EMF exposure is performed. The effects of the EMF on hepatic lipid deposition and oxidative stress were investigated. Additionally, the AMPK and Nrf2 pathways were analysed to confirm whether they were activated by the EMF. RESULTS: Exposure to EMF decreased the body weight, liver weight and serum triglyceride (TG) levels and restrained the excessive hepatic lipid accumulation caused by feeding the HFD. The EMF boosted CaMKKß protein expression, activated AMPK phosphorylation and suppressed mature SREBP-1c protein expression. Meanwhile, the activity of GSH-Px was enhanced following an increase in nuclear Nrf2 protein expression by PEMF. However, no change was observed in the activities of SOD and CAT. Consequently, EMF reduced hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MDA levels, which means that EMF relieved liver damage caused by oxidative stress in HFD-fed mice. CONCLUSIONS: EMF may activate the CaMKKß/AMPK/SREBP-1c and Nrf2 pathways to control hepatic lipid deposition and oxidative stress. This investigation indicates that EMF may be a novel therapeutic method for NAFLD.

Anti-Proteolytic Peptide R7I Protects the Intestinal Barrier and Alleviates Fatty Acid Malabsorption in Salmonella typhimurium-Infected Mice.

With a wide range of hosts, environmental adaptation, and antibiotic resistance, Salmonella typhimurium is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the world. Infection with Salmonella typhimurium not only results in intestinal inflammation but also damages the intestinal barrier and interferes with the host's ability to absorb nutrients. It is imperative to find alternatives to antibiotics for eradicating bacteria, reducing intestinal damage, and reestablishing nutrient absorption, especially given that antibiotics are currently prohibited. This research aims to understand the protective role of anti-proteolytic peptide R7I on the gut in the setting of Salmonella typhimurium infection and its impact on nutritional absorption, maybe offering an alternative to antibiotics for bacterial killing. The findings demonstrated that R7I reduced the production of inflammatory factors, including IL-6, TNF-α, and L-1ß in the jejunum and decreased the expression of genes like TLR4 and NF-κB in the jejunum (p < 0.05). R7I enhanced antioxidant capacity and preserved the antioxidant/pro-oxidant balance in the jejunum (p < 0.05). R7I also normalized intestinal shape and restored tight junction protein expression. Fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) and fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4) expression in the jejunum was restored by R7I. In addition, serum-free fatty acids and lipid metabolites were significantly higher in the R7I group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Overall, the anti-enzyme peptide R7I maintained the healthy state of the intestine and alleviated the abnormal fatty acid absorption caused by bacterial infection.

Improved Catalytic Activity and Stability of Co9S8 by Se Incorporation for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Combining an excellent electrocatalytic activity with the good structural stability of Co9S8 remains challenging for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this study, density functional theory was used to demonstrate the importance of moderate adsorption strength with *O and *OOH intermediate species on Co9S8 for achieving excellent electrocatalytic performances. A novel strategy was proposed to effectively optimize the *O oxidation to *OOH by introducing Se heteroatoms to adjust adsorption of the two intermediates. This process also allowed prediction of the simultaneous enhancement of the structural stability of Co9S8 due to the weak electronegativity of a Se dopant. The experimental results demonstrated that Se doping can regulate the charge density of Co2+ and Co3+ in Co9S8-xSex, leading to a substantially improved OER performance of Co9S8-xSex. As a result, our Co9S6.91Se1.09 electrode exhibited an overpotential of 271 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in a 1.0 M KOH solution. In particular, it also demonstrated an excellent stability (∼120 h) under a current density of 10 mA cm-2, indicating the potential for practical applications. Overall, the proposed strategy looks promising for regulating the electronic structures and improving the electrochemical performances of sulfide materials.

Effects of Extraction Technique on the Content and Antioxidant Activity of Flavonoids from Gossypium Hirsutum linn. Flowers.

Cotton is one of the Uyghur medical materials in China and is rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids have important pharmacological effects. The yield of flavonoids in traditional extraction methods is low, which affects the development of flavonoids. Therefore, it is urgent to optimize the extraction techniques. The yield of flavonoids in cotton flowers was effectively improved by response surface methodology, and the highest yield of flavonoids reached 5.66%, and the optimal extraction process conditions were obtained. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate, hydroxyl free radical scavenging rate, superoxide anion free radical scavenging rate, and reducing ability were tested to reflect the antioxidant capacity of flavonoids. The flavonoids had an excellent antioxidant effect. Cell experiments suggested that the flavonoids had the effect of protecting glutamate-induced damage to HT-22 cells. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the extraction of cotton flowers flavonoids and the comprehensive evaluation of antioxidant products, as well as the extraction of other plant flavonoids.

Discharge Against Medical Advice in Acute Ischemic Stroke: the Risk of 30-Day Unplanned Readmission.

BACKGROUND: Discharge against medical advice may be associated with more readmissions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate DAMA in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and identify the relationship between DAMA and 30-day unplanned readmissions. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The National Readmission Database was used to identify inpatients with a primary diagnosis of AIS who were either discharged home or DAMA between 2010 and 2017 in the USA. MEASURES: Demographic features, hospital type, comorbidities, stroke risk factors, severity indices, and treatments were compared between patients discharged routinely and DAMA. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of DAMA, and a double robust inverse probability of treatment weighting method was used to assess the association between DAMA and 30-day unplanned readmissions. KEY RESULTS: Overall, 1,335,484 patients with AIS were included, of whom 2.09% (n = 27,892) were DAMA. The prevalence of DAMA in AIS patients increased from 1.65 in 2010 to 2.57% in 2017. The rates of 30-day unplanned readmissions for DAMA and non-DAMA patients were 16.81% and 7.78%, respectively. Patients with drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking, prior stroke, psychoses, and intravenous thrombolysis had greater odds of DAMA. DAMA was associated with all-cause readmissions (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 2.01-2.07) and remained a strong predictor for transient ischemic attack/stroke-specific and cardiac-specific causes of readmissions. CONCLUSIONS: Although the DAMA rate is low in AIS patients, DAMA is a risk factor for all-cause and recurrent stroke-specific readmissions. Future studies are needed to address issues around compliance and engagement with health care to reduce DAMA.

Absolute and Fast Removal of Viruses and Bacteria from Water by Spraying-Assembled Carbon-Nanotube Membranes.

Membrane separation is able to efficiently remove pathogens like bacteria and viruses from water based on size exclusion. However, absolute and fast removal of pathogens requires highly permeable but selective membranes. Herein, we report the preparation of such advanced membranes using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as one-dimensional building blocks. We first disperse CNTs with the help of an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-block-polystyrene (PDMAEMA-b-PS, abbreviated as BCP). The PS blocks adsorb on the surface of CNTs via the π-π interaction, while the PDMAEMA blocks are solvated, thus forming homogeneous and stable CNT dispersions. We then spray the CNT dispersions on porous substrates, producing composite membranes with assembled CNT layers as the selective layers. We demonstrate that the optimized membrane shows 100% rejection to phage viruses and bacteria (Escherichia coli) while giving a water permeance up to ∼3300 L m-2 h-1 bar-1. The performance of the resultant BCP/CNT membrane outperforms that of state-of-the-art membranes and commercial membranes. The BCP/CNT membrane can be used for multiple runs and regenerated by water rinsing. Membrane modules assembled from large-area membrane sheets sustain the capability of absolute and fast removal of viruses and bacteria.

MicroRNA-92a promotes vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration through the ROCK/MLCK signalling pathway.

To identify the interaction between known regulators of atherosclerosis, microRNA-92a (miR-92a), Rho-associated coiled-coil-forming kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), we examined their expressions during proliferation and migration of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-regulated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), both in vivo and in vitro. During the formation of atherosclerosis plaque in mice, a parallel increase in expression levels of MLCK and miR-92a was observed while miR-92a expression was reduced in ML-7 (an inhibitor of MLCK) treated mice and in MLCK-deficient VSMCs. In vitro results indicated that both MLCK and miR-92a shared the same signalling pathway. Transfection of miR-92a mimic partially restored the effect of MLCK's deficiency and antagonized the effect of Y27632 (an inhibitor of ROCK) on the down-regulation of VSMCs activities. ML-7 increased the expression of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4, a target of miR-92a), and siRNA-KLF4 increased VSMCs' activity level. Consistently, inhibition of either MLCK or ROCK enhanced the KLF4 expression. Moreover, we observed that ROCK/MLCK up-regulated miR-92a expression in VSMCs through signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation. In conclusion, the activation of ROCK/STAT3 and/or MLCK/STAT3 may up-regulate miR-92a expression, which subsequently inhibits KLF4 expression and promotes PDGF-BB-mediated proliferation and migration of VSMCs. This new downstream node in the ROCK/MLCK signalling pathway may offer a potential intervention target for treatment of atherosclerosis.

Preparation and Characterization of Nanosized Bi-Doped SnO2/Reduced Graphene Oxide 3D Hybrids for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis.

The nanosized Bi-doped SnO2/reduced graphene oxide 3D hybrids have been synthesized via one-step hydrothermal method. The structures, morphologies, photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared samples were discussed, respectively. The formation mechanism of the as-prepared hybrids was also proposed. Experimental results indicated that the usage amount of Bi2Sn2O7 obviously affected the photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared products. When it was 450 mg, the as-prepared sample possessed the band gap energy of 1.9 eV and the photocatalytic efficiency of 90% in 210 min for degradation of rhodamine B solution. In addition, triethylene tetramine and the as-prepared carbon hydrogel could act as reductant to synergistically reduce Bi2Sn2O7 into Bi-doped SnO2 particles during the formation of the hybrids.

Zn2SnO4-Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis.

Zn2SnO4-reduced graphene oxide photocatalysts were synthesized by using SnCl4 5H2O, Zn(NO3)2 · 6H2O and graphene oxide via hydrothermal process. The structure, morphology, specific surface area and photo response of the as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, Brunauer-emmett-teller surface area measurement and Photoluminescence emission spectra. Experimental results showed that the Zn2SnO4 nanoparticles, with 20-30 nm a size range, were uniformly dispersed on the surfaces of reduced graphene oxide. Moreover, the as-prepared Zn2SnO4-reduced graphene oxide photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activities for degradation of Rhodamine B compared to those of pure Zn2SnO4. When the amount of reduced graphene oxide was 4 wt%, it showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency of 99.7% for 240 min, and the photocatalytic efficiency was still 98.5% after it was recycled 4 times. It also possessed the band gap of 2.48 eV and specific surface area of 58.1 m2 g-1.

Dynamic landscape of tandem 3' UTRs during zebrafish development.

Tandem 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), produced by alternative polyadenylation (APA) in the terminal exon of a gene, could have critical roles in regulating gene networks. Here we profiled tandem poly(A) events on a genome-wide scale during the embryonic development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) using a recently developed SAPAS method. We showed that 43% of the expressed protein-coding genes have tandem 3' UTRs. The average 3' UTR length follows a V-shaped dynamic pattern during early embryogenesis, in which the 3' UTRs are first shortened at zygotic genome activation, and then quickly lengthened during gastrulation. Over 4000 genes are found to switch tandem APA sites, and the distinct functional roles of these genes are indicated by Gene Ontology analysis. Three families of cis-elements, including miR-430 seed, U-rich element, and canonical poly(A) signal, are enriched in 3' UTR-shortened/lengthened genes in a stage-specific manner, suggesting temporal regulation coordinated by APA and trans-acting factors. Our results highlight the regulatory role of tandem 3' UTR control in early embryogenesis and suggest that APA may represent a new epigenetic paradigm of physiological regulations.

Predicting the immunity landscape and prognosis with an NCLs signature in liver hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Activated neutrophils release depolymerized chromatin and protein particles into the extracellular space, forming reticular Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs). This process is accompanied by programmed inflammatory cell death of neutrophils, known as NETosis. Previous reports have demonstrated that NETosis plays a significant role in immune resistance and microenvironmental regulation in cancer. This study sought to characterize the function and molecular mechanism of NETosis-correlated long non-coding RNAs (NCLs) in the prognostic treatment of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). METHODS: We obtained the transcriptomic and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and evaluated the expression of NCLs in LIHC. A prognostic signature of NCLs was constructed using Cox and Last Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso) regression, while the accuracy of model was validated by the ROC curves and nomogram, etc. In addition, we analyzed the associations between NCLs and oncogenic mutation, immune infiltration and evasion. Finally, LIHC patients were classified into four subgroups based on consensus cluster analysis, and drug sensitivity was predicted. RESULTS: After screening, we established a risk model combining 5 hub-NCLs and demonstrated its reliability. Independence checks suggest that the model may serve as an independent predictor of LIHC prognosis. Enrichment analysis revealed a concentration of immune-related pathways in the high-risk group. Immune infiltration indicates that immunotherapy could be more effective in the low-risk group. Upon consistent cluster analysis, cluster subgroup 4 presented a better prognosis. Sensitivity tests showed the distinctions in therapeutic effectiveness among various drugs in different subgroups. CONCLUSION: Overall, we have developed a prognostic signature that can discriminate different LIHC subgroups through the 5 selected NCLs, with the objective of providing LIHC patients a more precise, personalized treatment regimen.

A retrospective study on the effect of Chinese patent medicine combined with conventional treatment on the survival outcomes of 313 patients with stage II-III NSCLC.

PURPOSE: We aim to explore the effect of Chinese Patent Medicine (CPM), including Huisheng oral solution (HSOS) on the 4-year survival rate of patients with stage II and III non-small cell lung cancer, and assess the association between blood coagulation indicators and survival outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 313 patients diagnosed with stage II and III NSCLC were collected during 2015-2016. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model were applied to analyze the factors affecting the 4-year survival rate of patients. RESULTS: According to the effect of CPM, the medicine prescribed in this study could be classified into two types. The proportion of patients who received "Fuzheng Quyu" CPM for more than three months was higher than the proportion of patients who received other two types of CPM for more than three months. Medical records of 313 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. 4-year survival rate for patients received CPM more than 6 months and 3 months were higher than those received CPM less than 3 months (P = 0.028 and P = 0.021 respectively. In addition, 4-year survival rate for patients who received HSOS for more than 3 months was higher than those who received HSOS for less than 3 months (P = 0.041). Patients with elevated preoperative fibrinogen (FIB) level and those without surgery had an increased mortality risk (HR = 1.98, P < 0.01, and HR = 2.76, P < 0.01 respectively). CONCLUSION: The medium and long-term use of CPM/HSOS was positively associated with higher survival rate in NSCLC patients. Patients with high-level preoperative FIB level and those without surgery might have a poor prognosis in the following years.

Edaravone Alleviates Traumatic Brain Injury by Inhibition of Ferroptosis via FSP1 Pathway.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a highly severe form of trauma with complex series of reactions in brain tissue which ultimately results in neuronal damage. Previous studies proved that neuronal ferroptosis, which was induced by intracranial haemorrhage and other reasons, was one of the most primary causes of neuronal damage following TBI. However, the association between neuronal mechanical injury and ferroptosis in TBI and relevant treatments remain unclear. In the present study, we first demonstrated the occurrence of neuronal ferroptosis in the early stage of TBI and preliminarily elucidated that edaravone (EDA), a cerebroprotective agent that eliminates oxygen radicals, was able to inhibit ferroptosis induced by TBI. A cell scratching model was established in PC12 cells, and it was confirmed that mechanical injury induced ferroptosis in neurons at the early stage of TBI. Ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) plays a significant role in inhibiting ferroptosis, and we found that iFSP, a ferroptosis agonist which is capable to inhibit FSP1 pathway, attenuated the anti-ferroptosis effect of EDA. In conclusion, our results suggested that EDA inhibited neuronal ferroptosis induced by mechanical injury in the early phase of TBI by activating FSP1 pathway, which could provide evidence for future research on prevention and treatment of TBI.

Is there a causal association between gestational diabetes mellitus and immune mediators? A bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Diabetes that only appears or is diagnosed during pregnancy is referred to as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The maternal physiological immune profile is essential for a positive pregnancy outcome. However, the causal relationship between GDM and immunophenotypes is not fully defined. Methods: Based on the high-density genetic variation data at the genome-wide level, we evaluated the logical associations between 731 specific immune mediators and GDM using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR). The inverse variance weighted (IVW) was the main method employed for MR analysis. We performed multiple methods to verify the robustness and dependability of the MR results, and sensitivity measures were applied to rule out potential heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Results: A substantial causal association between several immune mediators and GDM was detected. After FDR testing, HLA DR++ monocyte %leukocyte and HLA DR on plasmacytoid DC were shown to increase the risk of GDM; in contrast, CD127 on CD28+ CD45RA+ CD8br and CD19 on PB/PC were shown to attenuate the effect of GDM. Moreover, the progression of GDM has been shown to decrease the maternal levels of CD39+ activated Treg AC, CD39+ activated Treg %CD4 Treg, CD39+ resting Treg AC, CD39+ resting Treg %CD4 Treg, and CD39+ CD8BR %T cell. Conclusions: Our findings support a possible causal association between GDM and various immunophenotypes, thus facilitating the provision of multiple options for preventive recognition as well as for the diagnostic and therapeutic management of GDM in clinical practice.

The Effects of Crataegus pinnatifida and Wolfiporia extensa Combination on Diet-Induced Obesity and Gut Microbiota.

Obesity is a multifactorial chronic metabolic disease with multiple complications. Crataegus pinnatifida (CP) and Wolfiporia extensa (WE) are traditional functional foods with improving metabolic health properties. This study demonstrated the effect of CP and WE combination on ameliorating obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Moreover, the CP-WE food pair ameliorated HFD-induced metabolic disorders, including glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hepatic steatosis. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and analysis revealed that CP combined with WE reshaped the composition of gut microbiota in HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed a substantial association between the obesity-related parameters and the shifts in predominant bacterial genera influenced by the food pair intervention. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the CP-WE food pair ameliorated HFD-induced obesity and reshaped gut microbiota composition, providing a promising approach to combat obesity through specific food combinations.

3D Talking Face With Personalized Pose Dynamics.

Recently, we have witnessed a boom in applications for 3D talking face generation. However, most existing 3D face generation methods can only generate 3D faces with a static head pose, which is inconsistent with how humans perceive faces. Only a few articles focus on head pose generation, but even these ignore the attribute of personality. In this article, we propose a unified audio-driven approach to endow 3D talking faces with personalized pose dynamics. To achieve this goal, we establish an original person-specific dataset, providing corresponding head poses and face shapes for each video. Our framework is composed of two separate modules: PoseGAN and PGFace. Given an input audio, PoseGAN first produces a head pose sequence for the 3D head, and then, PGFace utilizes the audio and pose information to generate natural face models. With the combination of these two parts, a 3D talking head with dynamic head movement can be constructed. Experimental evidence indicates that our method can generate person-specific head pose sequences that are in sync with the input audio and that best match with the human experience of talking heads.