Lumbar localized fat distribution parameters are independent predictors of osteoporotic vertebral compression re-fractures (OVCRFs) following Percutaneous Kyphoplasty (PKP): a retrospective matched case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential risk factors for osteoporotic vertebral compression re-fractures (OVCRFs) following percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent PKP from January 2012 to January 2020 were included in this study within the same institution. Cases were defined as patients who experienced OVCRFs, while controls were matched based on corresponding clinical characteristics from those patients without OVCRFs. The lumbar localized fat distribution parameters, including the fat infiltration ratio (FIR) in muscles [multifidus (MF), erector spinae (ES), paravertebral muscles (PVM), and psoas major (PS)] and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), were compared between the two groups through radiological data. And other clinical data that may be relevant were also compared. Independent risk factors for OVCRFs after PKP were identified through a binary logistic regression analysis. RESULT: A total of 1391 patients who underwent PKP were included in this study. 51 patients were categorized into the re-fracture group, and 102 patients were selected as matched controls from the remaining cohort. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in metrics including MF-FIR, ES-FIR, PVM-FIR, PS-FIR, bone mineral density (BMD), body-mass index (BMI), SFT, hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and triglycerides (TG) (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that PVM-FIR (P = 0.003), SFT (P < 0.001), BMD (P = 0.011), and ALP (P = 0.005) were independent predictors for the occurrence of OVCRFs. CONCLUSION: This study discovered that lumbar localized fat distribution parameters including PVM-FIR and SFT are independent predictors of OVCRFs. Additionally, BMD and ALP were found to be independent predictors of OVCRFs.

Enhanced Risk of 90-Day Medical and 2-Year Implant Related Complications in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Patients with Osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: As the average age of patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty (SA) increases, the frequency of SA patients with osteoporosis is expected to rise. While the effects of osteoporosis have been described in the broader orthopedic literature, it is presently unclear how osteoporosis affects SA postoperative medical and implant-related outcomes. METHODS: A multicenter database TriNetX was queried for patients between 2011-2021 who underwent SA with and without osteoporosis. Patients with less than 2-years of follow-up and those with a prior shoulder hemiarthroplasty were excluded. Primary outcomes included 2-year periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), prosthesis dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, and revision surgery. Secondary outcomes included 90-day medical complications and readmissions. Osteoporotic and control patient cohorts were propensity matched in a 1:1 ratio. RESULTS: 7,842 patients were included after matching in each cohort. Baseline demographic variables were similar between groups, except osteoporotic patients had a lower BMI (28.6 vs 31.0 kg/m2; p < 0.001). Osteoporotic patients undergoing SA were more likely to experience wound disruptions, stroke, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, anemia, pneumonia, renal failure, transfusion, and readmission within 90 days after surgery. At 2 years postoperative, osteoporotic SA patients experienced an elevated risk of mechanical loosening, PJI, dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, and required revision surgery at a higher rate than control patients. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporotic patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty are at greater risk for medical complications within the 90-day peri-operative period as well as implant-related complications within 2 years of surgery. Patients and surgeons should be aware of the potential higher risk of complications in osteoporotic patients following SA, and further investigation into benefits of preoperative management and treatment of osteoporosis is necessary.

The impact of long-term care insurance on healthcare utilization and expenditures among middle-aged and older Chinese adults: a quasi-experiment study.

BACKGROUND: Long-term care insurance (LTCI) is essential to alleviate the challenges of rapid aging. Research on LTCI in developing countries is limited and conclusions remain controversial. This study aims to empirically evaluate how the LTCI pilot in selected cities influences healthcare utilization and expenditures among middle-aged and older Chinese adults. METHODS: Data was from 2013, 2015, and 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. 167 LTCI and 8225 non-LTCI group participants were identified. Propensity score matching difference-in-difference method was used to evaluate the net effect of LTCI. The robustness of the findings was tested using a placebo test. RESULTS: In the pilot cities, around 17.8% of the population had LTCI coverage, with approximately 59.9% participating in urban employee medical insurance and 81.4% being urban residents. LTCI significantly reduced the monthly out-of-pocket outpatient expenditure by 313.764 yuan (P < 0.05), but had no significant effects on the inpatient utilization and expenditure. Further analysis of vulnerable subgroup revealed that LTCI decreased monthly outpatient visits frequency, total outpatient expenditure, and out-of-pocket outpatient expenditure by 0.523 times, 643.500 yuan, and 302.367 yuan, respectively (P < 0.05). Robustness tests confirmed the stability of these results. CONCLUSIONS: The LTCI coverage rate has remained low. While LTCI has contributed to reducing outpatient utilization and expenditure, its impact on controlling inpatient-related outcomes is limited. It is recommended to broaden LTCI coverage beyond existing participants to encompass more vulnerable populations, and improve awareness and quality of LTCI services to achieve a significant effect on inpatient care.

RNA Sequencing Analysis of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Treated Using PEGylated Interferon.

Purpose: Worldwide, chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection is a public health concern, ultimately leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, patients with CHB can be treated using polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated interferon (PEG-IFN) antiviral therapy, which has both immune modulatory and antiviral properties. This study aimed to reveal the mechanism underlying the effect of PEG-IFN therapy, to rationally optimize this therapeutic option. Patients and Methods: Ten patients with CHB who were positive for the hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) and were receiving PEG-IFN treatment were enrolled. Clinical and virological parameters were monitored during 48 weeks of treatment. In addition, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from the 10 patients at 0, 24, and 36 weeks. RNA sequencing technology was used to analyze the RNA expression profile in the PBMC samples. Results: Following PEG-IFN treatment, we identified 217 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), most of which were upregulated. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed that they were enriched in 29 clusters, mainly associated with "antiviral defense", "innate immunity", "immunity", "defense response to virus", "response to virus", "type I interferon signaling pathway", "negative regulation of viral genome replication", "innate immune response", and "RNA-binding". Conclusion: After PEG-IFN treatment, a certain mRNA expression profile was observed in patients with CHB, providing further mechanistic insights into the antiviral effect of this therapy.

Psychometric evaluation of the Afaan Oromo version of the exclusive breastfeeding social support scale among Ethiopian women.

PROBLEM: There is a lack of validated tools for assessing social support for Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) practice in Ethiopia. BACKGROUND: Validating instruments ensures culturally appropriate and reliable data collection for effective research and interventions. AIM: This study aimed to translate the exclusive breastfeeding social support scale into the Afaan Oromo language (EBFSS-AO) and test its psychometric properties among Ethiopian women. METHODS: The scale was first subjected to forward and backward translation before undergoing psychometric evaluation. Then, a cross-sectional study was conducted on convenience sample of 160 postpartum women. Content validity was assessed via Content Validity Index (CVI), and construct validity was tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation. The scale's reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). FINDINGS: The CFA verified that the EBFSS-AO for Ethiopian women is a three-dimensional scale with satisfactory fit indices; x2/df: 2.76; Comparative fit index: 0.917; Tucker-Lewis Index: 0.902; Standardized Root Mean square residual: 0.061; and Root mean square error of approximation: 0.105. Item-level CVI ranged from 0.86 to 1.00, and scale-level CVI was 0.98. The overall scale had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 while instrumental, emotional, and informational support subscales had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89, 0.92, and 0.93 respectively. After a 4-week re-test, the ICC yielded a value of 0.94. Partner support on EBF showed no socio-demographic differences except for income. CONCLUSION: The EBFSS-AO showed satisfactory psychometric properties, suitable for assessing social support among Ethiopian women in both research and clinical contexts.

Melatonin enhances NK cell function in aged mice by increasing T-bet expression via the JAK3-STAT5 signaling pathway.

Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial innate immune cells that provide defense against viruses and tumors. However, aging is associated with alterations in NK cell composition and compromised cell functions. Melatonin, known for its anti-tumor effects, has been reported to improve NK cell function. However, the molecular mechanism underlying melatonin's effect on senescent NK cells remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which melatonin enhances the function of senescent NK cells. Our findings revealed that melatonin significantly increased the number and function of NK cells in aging mice. The results suggest that melatonin enhances NK cell proliferation, degranulation, and IFN-γ secretion. Further investigations demonstrated that melatonin promotes NK cell maturation and activation, mainly via the JAK3/STAT5 signaling pathway, leading to increased expression of T-bet. These discoveries provide a theoretical basis for potential immunotherapy strategies based on melatonin-mediated modulation of NK cell function in aging individuals.

The correlation between social adaptability and academic procrastination of undergraduate nursing students: the mediating role of resilience.

BACKGROUND: How to mobilize nurses students' learning initiative, reduce the incidence of academic procrastination, and improve their social adaptability is a key factor in lowering nursing brain drain and improving nursing quality. OBJECTIVE: To explore the mediating role of resilience in the correlation between social adaptability and academic procrastination of undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional survey. The researchers conducted an electronic questionnaire survey of 962 nursing undergraduates in Guanzhong District, Shaanxi Province from November 2022 to April 2023, and adopted the intention sampling method. And make the following assumptions: (1) There is a significant negative correlation between academic procrastination and social adaptability. (2) Academic procrastination can directly affect the social adaptability of undergraduate nursing students, and it has a significant negative predictive effect. (3) Resilience can directly affect academic procrastination and social adaptability. At the same time, resilience plays an intermediary role between the two. In this study, the Aitken procrastination scale, the resilience scale, and the social adaptability diagnostic scale were used to evaluate undergraduate nursing students. SPSS27.0 software is used to analyze the data statistically, and the Hayes PROCESS Macro method is used to test the model. RESULTS: The study's findings are as follows: 1) Academic procrastination significantly and negatively impacts social adaptability (c = -0.292, t = -6.407, p < 0.001). 2) Even when accounting for resilience, academic procrastination still significantly predicts lower social adaptability (c'= -0.204, t = -4.338, p < 0.001). 3) The Bootstrap method test of percentile bias correction indicates that resilience serves as a significant mediator between academic procrastination and social adaptability. Bootstrap SE = 0.018, 95% CI = (-0.124, -0.055). The indirect effect contributes to 29.79% of the total effect. CONCLUSION: Resilience not only directly affects the academic procrastination and social adaptability of nursing students, but also partially intermediate the relationship between academic procrastination and social adaptability.

Three-dimensional bioprinted cell-adaptive hydrogel with anisotropic micropores for enhancing skin wound healing.

Engineered matrices with aligned microarchitectures are pivotal in regulating the fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition, a critical process for wound healing and scar reduction. However, developing a three-dimensional (3D) aligned matrix capable of effectively controlling this transition remains challenging. Herein, we developed a cell-adaptive hydrogel with highly oriented microporous structures, fabricated through bioprinting of thermo/ion/photo-crosslinked gelatin methacrylate/sodium alginate (GelMA/SA) incorporating shear-oriented polyethylene oxide (PEO) filler. The synergistic interactions among GelMA, PEO, and SA yield a homogeneous mixture conducive to the printing of biomimetic 3D constructs with anisotropic micropores. These anisotropic micropores, along with the biochemical cues provided by the GelMA/PEO/SA scaffolds, enhance the oriented spreading and organization of fibroblasts. The resultant spread and aligned cellular morphologies promote the transition of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. By co-culturing human keratinocytes on the engineered dermal layer, we successfully create a bilayer skin construct, wherein the keratinocytes establish tight junctions accompanied by elevated expression of cytokeratin-14, while the fibroblasts display a highly spread morphology with increased fibronectin expression. The printed hydrogels accelerate full-thickness wound closure by establishing a bioactive microenvironment that mitigate inflammation and stimulate angiogenesis, myofibroblast transition, and extracellular matrix remodeling. This anisotropic hydrogel demonstrates substantial promise for applications in skin tissue engineering.

Use of the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model in Piloting Vaccine Promotion and Infection Self-Protection: Intervention Development and Effectiveness Examination.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to tailor and pilot a health education program using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model to promote vaccination and enhance self-protective behaviors against COVID-19 in Hong Kong populations. STUDY DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. METHODS: Phases 1-4 of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model were used to identify the needs for COVID-19 prevention. Strategies to address predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors in the PRECEDE-PROCEED model were developed, and an intervention package was generated thereafter. A pre-post experimental study was conducted among 50 participants to preliminarily assess the effects of the intervention based on Phases 5 and 8 of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. RESULTS: The 3-month intervention package contained 16 health education videos, 36 health tips, individual consultations, regular reminders of vaccination, incentive of anti-epidemic packages, and vaccine booking services. By the third month, 33 participants took a new dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 5 participants withdrew. The vaccination rate for new dose achieved 73.3% (95% CI: 58.06-85.40%). Compared with the Hong Kong population in the same period, our study demonstrated higher increase in vaccination rate (9.97 vs. 1.36 doses per 1000 person-days). The percentage of early testing in personal and family level increased to 86.7% and 84.4%, respectively (both p < 0.05). For correct mask wearing and hand washing, the scores increased from a baseline score of 9.1 ± 1.6 and 4.9 ± 1.3 to 9.5 ± 1.0 and 5.3 ± 1.2, respectively (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model effectively facilitated the stepwise development, implementation, and evaluation of a health education program for improving vaccination rates and fostering self-protective behaviors against infections.

Intrinsic ADRB2 inhibition improves CAR-T cell therapy efficacy against prostate cancer.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has shown limited success in patients with solid tumors. Recent in vitro and in vivo data have shown that adrenoceptor beta-2 (ADRB2) is a novel checkpoint receptor that inhibits T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses. To inhibit ADRB2-mediated inhibitory signaling, we downregulated ADRB2 in CAR-T (shß2-CAR-T) cells via RNA interference, assessed different parameters, and compared them with conventional second-generation CAR-T cells. ADRB2 knockdown CAR-T cells exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against prostate cancer cell lines in vitro, by increasing CD69, CD107a, GzmB, IFN-γ, T-bet, and GLUT-1. In addition, ADRB2 deficiency led to improved proliferation, increased CD8/CD4 T cell ratio, and decreased apoptosis in CAR-T cells. shß2-CAR-T cells expressed more Bcl-2 and led to the generation of more significant proportions of T central memory cells. Finally, the ZAP-70/NF-κB signaling axis was shown to be responsible for the improved functions of novel CAR-T cells. In tumor-bearing mice, shß2-CAR-T cells performed better than conventional CAR-T cells in eradicating prostate tumors. The study provides the basis for future clinical and translational CAR-T cell research to focus on adrenergic stress-mediated challenges in the tumor microenvironment of stressed tumors.

GPR97 depletion aggravates imiquimod-induced psoriasis pathogenesis via amplifying IL-23/IL-17 axis signal pathway.

Skin psoriasis is defined as receiving external stimulation to activate skin dendritic cells (DCs) which can release interleukin 23 (IL-23) to interlink the innate and adaptive immunity as well as induce T helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiation leading to elevated production of interleukin 17 (IL-17) for keratinocytes over production. This autoimmune loop in psoriasis pathogenesis is influenced by G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling transduction, and in particular, function of adhesion molecule GPR97 in psoriasis endures to be utterly addressed. In this research, our team allocated GPR97 depletion (GPR97-/-), GPR97 conditional depletion on dendritic cell (DC-cKO), and keratin 14-conditional knockout (K14-cKO) mice models to explore the function of GPR97 which influences keratinocytes and skin immunity. It was found that significantly aggravated psoriasis-like lesion in GPR97-/- mice. In addition, hyperproliferative keratinocytes as well as accumulation of DCs and Th17 cells were detected in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced GPR97-/- mice, which was consistent with the results in DC-cKO and K14-cKO psoriasis model. Additional investigations indicated that beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), an agonist of GPR97, attenuated the psoriasis-like skin disease and restricted HaCaT cells abnormal proliferation as well as Th17 cells differentiation. Particularly, we found that level of NF-κB p65 was increased in GPR97-/- DCs and BDP could inhibit p65 activation in DCs. Role of GPR97 is indispensable and this adhesion receptor may affect immune cell enrichment and function in skin and alter keratinocytes proliferation as well as differentiation in psoriasis.

Surface-enhanced Raman scatting microfluidic chip based on the identification competition strategy were used for rapid and simultaneous detection of liver cancer related proteins.

Biomarker testing plays a crucial role in the early detection of liver cancer. Herein, we developed a dual-signal amplification approach utilizing magnetic aggregation and a recognition competition strategy for the simultaneous detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in serum. 4-MBA@AuNPs@H1 and DTNB@AuNPs@H2 were synthesized by functionalizing Raman signaling molecules and aptamer complementary chains onto the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The detection complex Raman signal molecule@AuNPs@H-Fe3O4@cDNA was assembled by conjugating 4-MBA@AuNPs@H1 and DTNB@AuNPs@H2 with two nucleic acid aptamers (cDNA1 and cDNA2) modified with Fe3O4 through partial base complementary pairing. The target protein exhibited specific binding with the aptamer, leading to the competitive displacement of 4-MBA@AuNPs@H1 and DTNB@AuNPs@H2 from the Fe3O4 array surface, consequently resulting in a reduction of the Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) signal. Through this approach, the limit of detection (LOD) for AFP and MnSOD in serum was achieved at remarkably low levels of 5.89 pg/mL and 6.23 pg/mL, respectively, with a reaction incubation period of only 5 min. Finally, the platform was utilized for the quantification of AFP and MnSOD in the serum of a nude mouse hepatocellular carcinoma model. The results obtained through SERS were consistent with those from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), validating its accuracy. This methodology presents a novel approach for the swift and concurrent detection of proteins, holding significant clinical promise for the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Temperature and carotid intima-medial thickness: The coronary artery risk development in young adults (CARDIA) study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the role of long-term (≥1 year) ambient temperature with quantitative traits of early-stage cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as carotid intima-medial thickness (cIMT). Our objective was to examine associations between temperature and cIMT, a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS: This study examined data from 3257 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, aged 18-30 years at baseline (1985-1986). We used North America Land Data Assimilation System data to derive 12 metrics of ambient daily temperature: Mean, minimum, maximum, and standard deviation temperature in summer, winter, and year-round. We examined associations with cIMT in separate cross-sectional multivariable models at CARDIA year 20 (2005-2006) as well as stratified analyses by self-reported race and sex. We also prospectively examined cumulative temperature by summing temperature variables from Y0-Y20. RESULTS: Accounting for study center attenuated most associations between cIMT and ambient temperature exposure, but the winter standard deviation remained associated (overall ß = -0.0104 mm/°C, 95 % CI: -0.0150 to -0.0059). Minimum summer temperature was also associated with cIMT in the overall study population (ß = 0.0020 mm/°C, 95 % CI: 0.0005-0.0035). Associations did not differ substantially by race, but women had stronger associations than men. Cumulative temperature was not associated with cIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a role of geography, particularly ambient temperature in cIMT. Future research to address potential residual confounding is necessary, but if validated these findings have implications for policy and strategies to mitigate health impacts of climate change.

Continuously tunable ultrasonic focusing by Moiré metalenses.

Tunable ultrasonic focusing holds great significance in both medicine and engineering. Recent advancements in metalenses have introduced approaches for tunable acoustic focusing, but their complex configurations and limited tuning range remain challenges. Here, acoustic Moiré metalenses (AMMs) are proposed to achieve continuously tunable ultrasonic focusing in water. Two cascading metasurfaces that can function as Moiré diffractive elements make up the AMM. By mutually rotating the metasurface, the focal point of the AMM can be continuously tuned in a large range. The focal length can be adjusted continuously from ∼14.3λ0to ∼50λ0for the axial focusing. We further show that the well-designed AMM can achieve the continuously tunable lateral focusing, with the deflection angle of the focal point being tunable between approximately -40°,40°. Both simulation and experimental results confirm the excellent tunable focusing performances of the AMMs. The proposed AMMs with continuously tunable focusing capability may have potential applications in ultrasonic imaging and ultrasound treatment.

Predictors of incident stroke among individuals without coronary artery calcification: A pooled cohort analysis from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, Jackson Heart Study, and Framingham Heart Study.

INTRODUCTION: The absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC = 0) is associated with low risk of stroke events; however, predictors of incident stroke among those with CAC = 0 are not known. METHODS: Individual participant-level data were pooled from three prospective cohorts (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, Jackson Heart Study, and Framingham Heart Study). Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to study the association between cardiovascular risk factors and incident adjudicated stroke among individuals with CAC = 0 who were free of clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at baseline. RESULTS: Among 6180 participants (mean age 53 [SD 11] years, 62% women, and 44% White, 36% Black, and 20% other individuals), over a median (IQR) follow up of 15 (12-16) years, there were 122 strokes (95 ischemic, 27 hemorrhagic) with an overall unadjusted event rate of 2.0 per 1000 person-years. After multivariable adjustment, risk factors associated with overall stroke included (hazard ratio [95% CI]) systolic blood pressure (SBP): 1.19 (1.05-1.36) per 10-mmHg increase and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT): 1.21 (1.04-1.42) per 0.1-mm increment. Current cigarette smoking: 2.68 (1.11-6.50), SBP: 1.23 (1.06-1.42) per 10-mmHg increase, and CIMT: 1.25 (1.04-1.49) per 0.1-mm increment were associated with ischemic stroke, whereas C-reactive protein was associated with hemorrhagic stroke risk (0.49, 0.25-0.93). CONCLUSION: In a large cohort of individuals with CAC = 0, the rate for incident stroke was low (2.0 per 1000-person years) and was associated with modifiable risk factors.

Effects of functional composition on plant competitors, stress-tolerators, ruderals ecological strategies in forest communities across different climatic zones.

Ecological strategies identified by plant functional traits are valuable descriptors for understanding species, populations, communities, and ecosystems in response to environmental conditions. Ecological strategies, in conjunction with the functional structure of plant communities, serve as crucial tools for investigating complex relationships among the environment, vegetation, and ecosystem functions. However, it remains unclear whether the functional structure (specifically, community-weighted mean [CWM] traits) accurately reflects the optimal ecological strategies in forest communities. Here, we gathered seven functional traits for each species from four distinct forest vegetation types across four climatic zones, including leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf phosphorus concentration (LPC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), wood density (WD) and maximum plant height (H). We based on CSR (Competitors, Stress-tolerators, Ruderals) theory and "StrateFy" ordination method utilizing LA, LDMC and SLA to position them within CSR triangle and categorize them into four ecological strategy groups: Competitive, Stress-tolerant, Intermediate, and Ruderal ecological strategy groups (C-group, S-group, Int-group, and R-group). We then determined the proportion of species in each group. Subsequently, we calculated the CWM trait values for the remaining four functional traits: WD (CWM-WD), LPC (CWM-LPC), LNC (CWM-LNC) and H (CWM-H). Non-metric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical partitioning revealed that CWM-WD, CWM-LPC, CWM-LNC and CWM-H significantly influenced the ecological strategies of forest communities. The synergistic interaction of CWM-WD and CWM-LPC had the most significant impact on ecological strategies within forest communities. Notably, CWM-WD emerged as the most crucial single CWM trait for explaining variation in ecological strategies within forest communities. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that CWM traits effectively reflect optimal CSR ecological strategies in forest communities across different climatic zones, with CWM-WD serving as a preferred indicator. This can improve our critical insights into key ecological processes in forest communities using trait-based approach.

Mitochondrial rewiring with small-molecule drug-free nanoassemblies unleashes anticancer immunity.

The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) remains a major obstacle to tumor control and causes suboptimal responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Thus, developing feasible therapeutic strategies that trigger inflammatory responses in the TME could improve the ICB efficacy. Mitochondria play an essential role in inflammation regulation and tumor immunogenicity induction. Herein, we report the discovery and characterization of a class of small molecules that can recapitulate aqueous self-assembly behavior, specifically target cellular organelles (e.g., mitochondria), and invigorate tumor cell immunogenicity. Mechanistically, this nanoassembly platform dynamically rewires mitochondria, induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, and causes apoptosis/paraptosis-associated immunogenic cell death. After treatment, stressed and dying tumor cells can act as prophylactic or therapeutic cancer vaccines. In preclinical mouse models of cancers with intrinsic or acquired resistance to PD-1 blockade, the local administration of nanoassemblies inflames the immunologically silent TME and synergizes with ICB therapy, generating potent antitumor immunity. This chemically programmed small-molecule immune enhancer acts distinctly from regular cytotoxic therapeutics and offers a promising strategy for synchronous and dynamic tailoring of innate immunity to achieve traceless cancer therapy and overcome immunosuppression in cancers.

Dual-engine-driven realizing high-yield synthesis of Para-Xylene directly from CO2-containing syngas.

The direct synthesis of light aromatics, especially para-xylene (p-X), from syngas/CO2 is drawing strong interest, but improving the space-time yield (STY) of p-X is a significant challenge. Here, a dynamic "dual-engine-driven" (DED) catalytic system is designed by combining two partners of ZnCr and FeMn (named "dual-engine") with Z5@SiO2 capsule zeolite. The DED catalyst of 1.0%FeMn&[ZnCr&Z5@SiO2] shows an extremely higher p-X STY of 36.1 gp-x·kgcat-1·h-1, about eight times higher than that of [ZnCr&Z5]. DED manipulates ZnCr engine for methanol formation and drives FeMn engine for light olefins generation together, and then the formed methanol and light olefins are coordinately converted in situ into p-X-rich aromatics over Z5@SiO2. The DED model boosts the driving force for syngas/CO2 conversion, simultaneously concerting the cooperation of "dual-engine" for p-X generation, resulting in extremely high STY of p-X. This study achieves non-petroleum p-X production at industrial-relevant level and advances knowledge in designing innovative heterogeneous catalysts.

Fabrication of 3D Biomimetic Smooth Muscle Using Magnetic Induction and Bioprinting for Tissue Regeneration.

Smooth muscles play a vital role in peristalsis, tissue constriction, and relaxation but lack adequate self-repair capability for addressing extensive muscle defects. Engineering scaffolds have been broadly proposed to repair the muscle tissue. However, efforts to date have shown that those engineered scaffolds focus on cell alignment in 2-dimension (2D) and fail to direct muscle cells to align in 3D area, which is irresolvable to remodel the muscle architecture and restore the muscle functions like contraction and relaxation. Herein, we introduced an iron oxide (Fe3O4) filament-embedded gelatin (Gel)-silk fibroin composite hydrogel in which the oriented Fe3O4 self-assembled and functioned as micro/nanoscale geometric cues to induce cell alignment growth. The hydrogel scaffold can be designed to fabricate aligned or anisotropic muscle by combining embedded 3D bioprinting with magnetic induction to accommodate special architectures of muscular tissues in the body. Particularly, the bioprinted muscle-like matrices effectively promote the self-organization of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and the directional differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into SMCs. This biomimetic muscle accelerated tissue regeneration, enhancing intercellular connectivity within the muscular tissue, and the deposition of fibronectin and collagen I. This work provides a novel approach for constructing engineered biomimetic muscles, holding significant promise for clinical treatment of muscle-related diseases in the future.