Revealing the role of 1T- & 2H- molybdenum Disulfide/Nickel sulfide heterojunction for efficient overall water splitting.

In the ongoing quest for cost-effective and durable electrocatalysts for hydrogen production-a critical element of sustainable energy transformation-the 1T phase of Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) faces challenges due to its thermodynamic instability and the trade-off between efficiency and durability. Conversely, the 2H phase of MoS2, often disregarded in favor of the metallic 1T phase, suffers from its inert nature and limited active sites. To overcome these limitations, this study employs a straightforward hydrothermal synthesis strategy that couples both 1T and 2H phases of MoS2 with Ni3S2, forming 1T- and 2H- MoS2/Ni3S2 heterojunctions. Enhanced by Ni3S2's abundant active sites, improved electron transport capabilities, synergistic interface effects, and better structural stability, these heterojunctions achieve a high current density exceeding 500 mA cm-2 at low overpotentials, along with prolonged durability for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolytes. Remarkably, an electrolyzer assembly utilizing 1T-MoS2/Ni3S2 as the cathode and 2H-MoS2/Ni3S2 as the anode demonstrates a competitive voltage of 1.58 V at 20 mA cm-2, showcasing superior performance in overall water splitting compared to other non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts. This study not only offers a viable method for synthesizing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for water splitting using transition metal-based heterogeneous structures but also addresses the fundamental challenges associated with 1T and 2H phases of MoS2.

Air stable and fast-charging cathode material for all climate sodium-ion batteries.

The off-stoichiometric compound Na3.12Fe2.44(P2O7)2 (NFPO) is a highly promising, cost-effective, and structurally robust cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the slowing Na-ion migration kinetics and poor interface stability have seriously limited its rate capability and air stability. In this work, we successfully synthesis a sodium titanium pyrophosphate (NaTiP2O7 donated as NTPO) coating NFPO (denoted as NFPO-NTPO) cathode material via a liquid phase coating method for SIBs. After optimizing NTPO content, at 0.1C, NFPO-NTPO-4 % cathode achieves a reversible specific capacity of 108.4 mAh g-1. Remarkably, it maintains 88.39 % capacity at 10C comparing to 0.1C and stabilizes over 3000 cycles with 92.66 % retention rate. Moreover, it retains 88.89 % capacity after 5000 cycles at 20C, even after 28 days of air exposure. The NFPO-Ti cathode, alongside the complete battery system, exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance across a broad temperature range spanning from -40 to 60 ℃.

Interfacial SbOC bond and structural confinement synergistically boosting the reaction kinetics and reversibility of Sb2Se3/NC nanorods anode for sodium storage.

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has been considered as a prospective material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of its large theoretical capacity. Whereas, grievous volume expansion caused by the conversion-alloying reaction leads to fast capacity decay and inferior cycle stability. Herein, the confined Sb2Se3 nanorods in nitrogen-doped carbon (Sb2Se3/NC) with interfacial chemical bond is designed to further enhance sodium storage properties of Sb2Se3. The robust enhancing effect of interfacial SbOC bonds can significantly promote electron transfer, Na+ ions diffusion kinetics and alloying reaction reversibility, combining the synergistic effect of the unique confinement structure of N-doped carbon shells can efficiently alleviate the volume change to ensure the structural integrity. Moreover, in-situ X-ray diffraction reveals intercalation/de-intercalation, conversion/reversed conversion reaction and alloying/de-alloying reaction mechanisms, and the kinetics analysis demonstrates the diffusion-controlled to contribute high capacity. As a result, Sb2Se3/NC anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 612.6 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g with a retentive specific capacity of 471.4 mAh/g after 1000 cycles, and long-cycle durability of over 2000 cycle with the reversible capacities of 371.1 and 297.3 mAh/g at 1 and 2 A/g are achieved, respectively, and an good rate capability. This distinctive interfacial chemical bonds and confinement effect design shows potential applications in the improved conversion/alloying-type materials for SIBs.

Activation of Bi2MoO6/Zn0.5Cd0.5S charge transfer through interface chemical bonds and surface defects for photothermal catalytic CO2 reduction.

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to high-value fuels has been proposed as a solution to the energy crisis caused by the depletion of energy resources. Despite significant advancements in photocatalytic CO2 reduction catalyst development, there are still limitations such as poor CO2 adsorption/activation and low charge transfer efficiency. In this study, we employed a defect-induced heterojunction strategy to construct atomic-level interface Cd-O bonds and form Bi2MoO6/Zn0.5Cd0.5S heterojunctions. The sulfur vacancies (VS) formed in Bi2MoO6/Zn0.5Cd0.5S acted as activation sites for CO2 adsorption. While the interfacial stability provided by the Cd-O bonds served as an electron transfer channel that facilitated the movement of electrons from the interface to the catalytic site. The VS and Cd-O bonds simultaneously influence the distribution of charge, inducing the creation of an interface electric field that facilitates the upward displacement of the center of the d-band. This enhances the adsorption of reaction intermediates. The optimized Bi2MoO6/Zn0.5Cd0.5S heterostructure exhibited high selectivity and stability of photoelectrochemical properties for CO, generating 42.97 µmol⋅g-1⋅h-1 of CO, which was 16.65-fold higher than Zn0.5Cd0.5S under visible light drive. This research provides valuable insights for designing photocatalyst interfaces with improved CO2 adsorption conversion efficiency.

Reflectance spectroscopy analysis and lithium content estimation in lithium-rich rocks and stream sediments: Insights from Tuanjie Peak, Western Kunlun, China.

Lithium, a rare metal of strategic importance, has garnered heightened global attention. This investigation delves into the laboratory visible-near infrared and short-wavelength infrared reflectance (VNIR-SWIR 350 nm-2500 nm) spectral properties of lithium-rich rocks and stream sediments, aiming to elucidate their quantitative relationship with lithium concentration. This research seeks to pave new avenues and furnish innovative technical solutions for probing sedimentary lithium reserves. Conducted in the Tuanjie Peak region of Western Kunlun, Xinjiang, China, this study analyzed 614 stream sediments and 222 rock specimens. Initial steps included laboratory VNIR-SWIR spectral reflectance measurements and lithium quantification. Following the preprocessing of spectral data via Savitzky-Golay (SG) smoothing and continuum removal (CR), the absorption positions (Pos2210nm, Pos1910nm) and depths (Depth2210, Depth1910) in the rock spectra, as well as the Illite Spectral Maturity (ISM) of the rock samples, were extracted. Employing both the Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA) and genetic algorithm (GA), wavelengths indicative of lithium content were identified. Integrating the lithium-sensitive wavelengths identified by these feature selection methods, A quantitative predictive regression model for lithium content in rock and stream sediments was developed using partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), and convolutional neural network (CNN). Spectral analysis indicated that lithium is predominantly found in montmorillonite and illite, with its content positively correlating with the spectral maturity of illite and closely related to Al-OH absorption depth (Depth2210) and clay content. The SPA algorithm was more effective than GA in extracting lithium-sensitive bands. The optimal regression model for quantitative prediction of lithium content in rock samples was SG-SPA-CNN, with a correlation coefficient prediction (Rp) of 0.924 and root-mean-square error prediction (RMSEP) of 0.112. The optimal model for the prediction of lithium content in stream sediment was SG-SPA-CNN, with an Rp and RMSEP of 0.881 and 0.296, respectively. The higher prediction accuracy for lithium content in rocks compared to sediments indicates that rocks are a more suitable medium for predicting lithium content. Compared to the PLSR and SVR models, the CNN model performs better in both sample types. Despite the limitations, this study highlights the effectiveness of hyperspectral technology in exploring the potential of clay-type lithium resources in the Tuanjie Peak area, offering new perspectives and approaches for further exploration.

Precooked state based on protein denaturation kinetics impacts moisture status, protein oxidation and texture of prepared chicken breast.

The quality of meat in prepared dishes deteriorates due to excessive protein denaturation resulting from precooking, freezing, and recooking. This study aimed to link the precooked state with chicken breast's recooked quality. Cooked Value (CV), based on protein denaturation kinetics, was established to indicate the doneness of meat during pre-heating. The effects of CVs after pre-heating on recooked qualities were investigated compared to fully pre-heated samples (control). Mild pre-heating reduced water migration and loss. While full pre-heating inhibited protein oxidation during freezing, intense oxidation during pre-heating led to higher oxidation levels. Surface hydrophobicity analysis revealed that mild pre-heating suppressed aggregation during recooking. These factors contributed to a better texture and microstructure of prepared meat with mild pre-heating. Finally, a potential mechanism of how pre-heating affects final qualities was depicted. This study underlines the need for finely controlling the industrial precooking process to regulate the quality of prepared meat.

Investigating the synergistic antibacterial effects of chlorogenic and p-coumaric acids on Shigella dysenteriae.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a well-known plant secondary metabolite exhibiting multiple physiological functions. The present study focused on screening for synergistic antibacterial combinations containing CGA. The combination of CGA and p-coumaric acid (pCA) exhibited remarkably enhanced antibacterial activity compared to that when administering the treatment only. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that a low-dose combination treatment could disrupt the Shigella dysenteriae cell membrane. A comprehensive analysis using nucleic acid and protein leakage assay, conductivity measurements, and biofilm formation inhibition experiments revealed that co-treatment increased the cell permeability and inhibited the biofilm formation substantially. Further, the polyacrylamide protein- and agarose gel-electrophoresis indicated that the proteins and DNA genome of Shigella dysenteriae severely degraded. Finally, the synergistic bactericidal effect was established for fresh-cut tomato preservation. This study demonstrates the remarkable potential of strategically selecting antibacterial agents with maximum synergistic effect and minimum dosage exhibiting excellent antibacterial activity in food preservation.

Probing the interactions between asphaltenes and a PEO-PPO demulsifier at oil-water interface: Effect of temperature.

HYPOTHESIS: Asphaltenes are primary stabilizers in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions that cause corrosion and fouling issues. In oil sands industry, oil/water separation processes are generally conducted at high temperatures. A high temperature is expected to impact the interactions between asphaltenes and emulsion breakers (EBs), consequently influencing demulsification performance. EXPERIMENTS: The adsorption and interactions of asphaltenes and a PEO-PPO type EB (Pluronic F68) at the oil-water interface were investigated at various temperatures, using tensiometer, quartz crystal microbalance with energy dissipation (QCM-D), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The effect of temperature on EB's demulsification performance was explored through bottle tests. Additionally, demulsification mechanisms were studied using direct force measurements with the droplet probe AFM technique. FINDINGS: Dynamic interfacial tension and QCM-D results demonstrate that the PEO-PPO type EB exhibits higher interfacial activity than asphaltenes and can disrupt rigid asphaltene films at the oil-water interfaces. Elevated temperatures accelerate the displacement of adsorbed asphaltenes by EB molecules, leading to sparse interfacial films, rapid droplet coalescence, and improved demulsification efficiency (supported by AFM and bottle test results). This work provides valuable insights into interfacial interactions between asphaltenes and EB at different temperatures, enhancing the understanding of demulsification mechanisms and offering useful implications for the development of efficient EBs to enhance oil/water separation performance.

Estimation of gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and characteristics of atmospheric PAHs at a traffic site in Kanazawa, Japan.

Size-fractionated particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM>2.5) was collected at a traffic site in Kanazawa, Japan in a seasonal sampling work in 2020. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (4- to 6-ring PAHs) were determined in fine and coarse particles. The gas/particle partitioning coefficients (Kp) of the PAHs were calculated from the supercooled liquid vapour pressure and octanol-air partitioning coefficient based on the relationships obtained in previous traffic pollution-related studies. Gaseous PAHs were estimated by Kp and the concentrations of PM and particulate PAHs. The concentrations of total PAHs were 32.5, 320.1 and 5646.2 pg/m3 in the PM>2.5, PM2.5 and gas phases, respectively. Significant seasonal trends in PAHs were observed (particle phase: lowest in summer, gas phase: lowest in spring, particle and gas phase: lowest in spring). Compared to 2019, the total PAH concentrations (in particles) decreased in 2020, especially in spring and summer, which might be due to reduced traffic trips during the COVID-19 outbreak. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) calculated from the toxic equivalent concentrations relative to benzo[a]pyrene (BaPeq) was lower than the acceptable limit issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency, indicating a low cancer risk in long-term exposure to current PAH levels. It is notable that gaseous PAHs considerably contributed to BaPeq and ILCR (over 50%), which highlighted the significance of gaseous PAH monitoring for public health protection. This low-cost estimation method for gaseous PAHs can be expected to reliably and conveniently obtain PAH concentrations as a surrogate for traditional sampling in the future work.

Chi-circ_0009659 modulates goat intramuscular adipocyte differentiation through miR-3431-5p/STEAP4 axis.

Objective: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely involved in the regulation of lipid deposition in animals, but there are few reports on key circRNAs regulating intramuscular adipocyte differentiation in goats. Therefore, this study took an abundantly expressed in goat adipocytes chi-circ_0009659 as the object. Methods: Based on the identification of back splicing site in chi-circ_0009659, its expression level during the goat intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation was detected by qPCR. The chi-circ_0009659 loss-of-function and gain-of-function cell models were obtained by adenovirus and smarter silencer, respectively. and the adipocyte differentiation were explored by Oil Red O staining, Bodipy staining and qPCR. Its major cytoplasmic localization was determined by FISH, nucleocytoplasmic separation and qPCR. The interaction between chi-circ_0009659, miR-3431-5p, and STEAP family member 4 (STEAP4) was verified by bioinformatics, RNA pull down and dual luciferase reporter assay. Results: Silencing chi-circ_0009659 inhibited lipid droplet accumulation and the expression of differentiation-determining genes in goat intramuscular adipocytes, while overexpression of chi-circ_0009659 reversed these results. chi-circ_0009659 was predominantly localized to the cytoplasm and could regulate miR-3431 expression which in turn affects STEAP4. Consistent with expectations, miR-3431-5p acted as a negative regulator of GIMPA differentiation, while STEAP4 promoted differentiation. Conclusion: We demonstrated chi-circ_0009659 positively regulates goat intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation by sponging miR-3431-5p to further regulate the expression of STEAP4. This research provides a new reference for in-depth understanding of the effects of circRNA on adipocyte differentiation.

Isolation and pathogenicity of a highly virulent group III porcine Getah virus in China.

Introduction: Getah virus (GETV) is a multi-host virus found in pigs, horses, and blue foxes. Clinically, GETV can cause fever, diarrhea, and reproductive disorders in pigs, representing significant threats to pig breeding. At present, few studies have examined the pathogenicity of GETV in pigs of different ages. Methods: In the present study, a new strain, named GETV-QJ, was isolated from clinically ill pigs, and whole genome sequencing analysis was performed. Besides the pathogenicity of piglets and pregnant sows of this strain was further studied. Results: the results illustrated that the strain belonged to group III. The strain had 93.6%-96.3% homology with other subtypes, and its homology with the same subtype strain ranged 96.5%-99%. Further studies on the pathogenicity of the virus indicated that this strain caused severe diarrhea, fever, and intestinal and lung damage in 7-day-old piglets, resulting in their death. The piglet survival rate was 0%. In pregnant sows, this strain did not cause fever, death, or abortion, but it induced viremia, which affected the farrowing performance of sows and led to reduced piglet survival. Discussion: In this study, we isolated a highly virulent group III and comprehensively established a pathogenic model of GETV in piglets and sows, providing a reference and guidance for the prevention and control of this infection.

Heterogeneity in peripheral blood immune lymphocyte subsets predicts the response of immunotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in advanced lung cancer: an analysis across different pathological types, treatment modalities and age.

Background: The shaping of the tumor immune microenvironment does not only rely on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes but on the recruitment of lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Monitoring peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets level (PBLSL) can predict treatment response and prognosis with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This study investigated the heterogeneity of PBLSL in response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or combined with immunotherapy (CRIT) in advanced lung cancer patients. Methods: 77 patients with advanced lung cancer receiving CRT or CRIT were divided into treatment-responsive and non-responsive groups based on efficacy. The study analyzed short-term efficacy and progression-free survival (PFS) according to baseline PBLSL and explored the impact under different stratifications, including treatment modality, pathology type, and age. Results: In all patients, higher levels of B cells, higher CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios, and lower CD8+ T cell levels were associated with better short-term outcomes (P = 0.0035, P = 0.044, P = 0.022). Subgroup analysis revealed that in the CRT group, higher B cell levels correlated with improved efficacy (P = 0.011) and superior PFS (P = 0.048, HR = 0.3886, 95% CI = 0.1696 to 0.8902). In the CRIT group, higher CD4+ T cell levels, lower CD8+ T cell levels, and higher CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios were linked to better efficacy (P = 0.038, P = 0.047, P = 0.017). For adenocarcinoma patients, higher CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios and lower CD8+ T cell levels predicted better efficacy (P = 0.0155, P = 0.0119). B cell levels were significant in squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.0291), while no PBLSL was predictive for small cell lung cancer. Among patients under 65, higher B cell levels were linked to improved efficacy and prolonged PFS (P = 0.0036, P = 0.0332, HR = 0.4111, 95% CI = 0.1973 to 0.8563). For patients over 65, differences in CD4+ T cell levels and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios were significant (P = 0.0433, P = 0.0338). Conclusion: PBLSL predicted efficacy and prognosis in various patient stratifications, suggesting PBLSL is a reliable predictor for CRT and CRIT in advanced lung cancer. Detecting different cellular subpopulations helps identify patients with significant treatment responses across different stratifications.

Predictive value of the dynamic systemic immune-inflammation index in the prognosis of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: a 10-year retrospective analysis.

Background and purpose: The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a novel immune inflammatory marker which has been proven to have excellent predictive value for many diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of SII at different time points after admission for functional outcome at discharge in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: The clinical data of patients with ICH who were treated at a medical center for neurological diseases in China between October 2012 and April 2022 were analyzed in this retrospective study. The SII was calculated based on neutrophil×platelet/lymphocyte counts and collected within the first 14 days after admission to analyze the dynamic changes. Adverse outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 4-6 at discharge. The correlation between the SII and the outcome was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The ability of SII to predict outcome was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Results: A total of 1,569 patients with ICH were included, of whom 790 had adverse outcome (50.35%). The Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that SII at any time point within 14 days after admission was significantly associated with adverse outcome. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the SII within 7 days after admission was found to be an independent predictor of adverse functional outcome in ICH patients at discharge. The ROC curve demonstrated that compared to other time points, the SII on day 2 after admission exhibited stronger predictive power for the functional outcome of patients with ICH at discharge (AUC:0.733, 95%CI = 0.679-0.787) (sensitivity 47.09%, specificity 87.02%) (OR 1.074, 95%CI = 1.033-1.126, p = 0.001). Conclusion: SII within 7 days after admission, especially on day 2, is independently associated with adverse functional outcome in ICH patients at discharge. This association could be utilized in clinical practice and warrants further investigation.

Radiosurgery versus observation for brainstem cavernous malformations: a 5-year multicentre cohort study.

The role of radiosurgery in preventing haemorrhage in brainstem cavernous malformations remains a subject of debate. This study aims to evaluate whether radiosurgery provides a protective benefit against haemorrhage in these patients. This multicentre, prospective observational study was conducted in 17 centres and enrolled eligible patients with brainstem cavernous malformations consecutively. Data collected included clinical baseline information, radiosurgery planning details, periodic follow-up evaluations, and any adverse radiation effects. The primary outcome of the study was the incidence of first prospective haemorrhage, while the secondary outcome was the development of new or worsening neurological dysfunctions. The impact of radiosurgery was assessed using multivariate Cox regression analysis. From March 2016 to August 2018, the study enrolled 377 patients: 280 in the observation group receiving standard care alone and 97 in the radiosurgery group receiving both radiosurgery and standard care. The overall cohort consisted of 173 females (45.9%) with a mean age of 40.5 years (range, 18-68 years), and there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. After a median follow-up period of 70 months, haemorrhage occurred in 25.0% (n = 70) of patients in the observation group and 10.3% (n = 10) of patients in the radiosurgery group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified radiosurgery as an independent protective factor against haemorrhage (hazard ratio 0.379, 95% confidence interval 0.195-0.738, P = 0.004). Following 1:2 propensity score matching, the incidence of prospective haemorrhage were 24.9% (45/181) in the observation group compared to 10.3% (10/97) in the radiosurgery group (hazard ratio 0.379, 95% confidence interval 0.190-0.755, P = 0.006). Adverse radiation effects were observed in 12 patients (12.4%), with none were permanent. Additionally, new or worsening neurological dysfunctions were significantly more common in the observation group (28.9%) compared to the radiosurgery group (16.5%) (P = 0.016). These results suggest that radiosurgery is associated with a low rate of haemorrhage in patients with brainstem cavernous malformations and could provide a benefit in selected patients. However, further research is required to confirm these findings.

CFTrack: Advanced Diagnostic, Monitoring, and Tracking Device for Cystic Fibrosis Care.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. In the United States, approximately 32,000 individuals, spanning both children and adults, suffer from CF, and roughly 1,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. The current gold standard for CF diagnosis is the sweat test, yet this method is plagued by issues such as being time-consuming, expensive, challenging to replicate, and lacking treatment monitoring capabilities. In contrast, the emerging field of wearable sweat biosensors has gained significant attention due to their potential for noninvasive health monitoring. Despite this, there remains a conspicuous absence of a wearable sweat biosensor tailored specifically for CF diagnosis and monitoring. Here, this study introduces a flexible wearable sweat biosensor, named CFTrack, designed to address the unique challenges associated with CF. This proposed CFTrack biosensor not only facilitates CF diagnosis but also enables the monitoring of medication treatment effectiveness and tracks therapy activities. In addition, it operates in a self-powered and customized manner, ensuring seamless integration into the daily lives of individuals with CF. Given that sweat tests and fitness routines are the predominant methods for diagnosing and treating cystic fibrosis patients, respectively, the proposed CFTrack biosensor leverages ion concentration in sweat for diagnostic purposes. Additionally, it incorporates a motion-tracking function to monitor physical activity, providing a comprehensive approach to CF management. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed CFTrack biosensor, a comprehensive evaluation has been performed including numerical simulations, theoretical analyses, and experimental tests. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed CFTrack biosensor in diagnosing and monitoring CF conditions while also showcasing its ability to effectively track the progress of patients undergoing physical therapy. The proposed CFTrack biosensor resolves key issues associated with existing sweat sensors including high energy consumption, intricate fabrication procedures, and the absence of continuous monitoring capabilities. By addressing these challenges, the proposed sweat biosensor aims to revolutionize CF diagnosis and monitoring, offering a more efficient and user-friendly alternative to current methods.

Real-world effectiveness of inactivated vaccine on COVID-19 patients with comorbidities.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with underlying diseases do not respond adequately to vaccines. Thus, continued research on the effects of vaccination in patients with comorbidities is crucial to evaluate the necessity of vaccination in this population. This study assessed the protective effects of inactivated vaccines on the severity and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with comorbidities. METHODOLOGY: A real-world retrospective cohort study was conducted from April 7, 2022, to June 6, 2022, at the Fudan University Pudong Medical Center. The collected data included demographic characteristics, symptoms, clinical severity, and outcomes of the COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: A total of 3,996 indigenous confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections with the Omicron variant were enrolled. Of these, 1322 (33.1%) patients had chronic comorbidities. Compared to others, COVID-19 patients with comorbidities were older, had lower vaccination rates, longer days of nucleic acid conversion and hospitalization, and a higher incidence of severe-critical illness and composite endpoint. Multivariable analyses suggested that in the comorbidity group, two-dose- (odds ratio [OR] 0.38, 95% CI 0.24-0.60; OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08-0.51) and three-dose vaccinated patients (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14-0.47; OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.58) had a lower risk of aggravation and the composite endpoint; similar results were observed in the non-comorbidity group. CONCLUSION: Two or more doses of inactivated vaccines could prevent deterioration and poor prognosis in Omicron-infected patients, regardless of the presence of an underlying disease. Our findings support maximizing coverage with inactivated vaccines in highly vaccinated populations, such as those in China.

IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 3 (IRAK3) in lung adenocarcinoma predicts prognosis and immunotherapy resistance: involvement of multiple inflammation-related pathways.

Background: Lung cancer is a globally prevailing malignancy, and the predominant histological subtype is lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). IL-1 receptor-associated kinase 3 (IRAK3) has been identified in connection with innate immune and inflammatory response. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of IRAK3 on prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy in LUAD, which remains incompletely elucidated. Methods: Our study delved into multiple online databases to find out expression, methylation and prognostic potentials of IRAK3 in LUAD and other malignancies. We employed tissue microarrays to assess IRAK3 protein levels in our LUAD cohort [National Cancer Center (NCC), China] and explore prognostic values. The correlations between IRAK3 and immune infiltration based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were analyzed by corresponding algorithms. The contribution of IRAK3 to immunotherapy response was explored through the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm. Both LinkedOmics database and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were applied to investigate how IRAK3 influences the tumor immune microenvironment and regulates immunotherapy response. We applied single-cell RNA sequencing datasets for the investigation of IRAK3 expression across diverse immune cells. Moreover, we employed genomics of drug sensitivity in cancer (GDSC) databases to examine how IRKA3 expression correlates with different drug responses. Results: Compared with normal tissues, various tumor tissues had lower IRAK3 expression which could be regulated by its high methylation level. Reduced IRAK3 protein level was observed to correlate with advanced tumor stages and unfavorable prognosis among patients with LUAD, especially individuals with lymph node metastasis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and tumor infiltration analysis proved that IRAK3 provoked immune infiltration. Macrophages/monocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and neutrophils correlated significantly with IRAK3 expression. With TIDE algorithm, IRAK3 was verified to be related to poor immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response. IRAK3 demonstrated positive associations with T-cell dysfunction score and immune checkpoint markers. Conversely, it exhibited negative correlations with microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutation burden (TMB). High IRAK3 expression exacerbated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) dysfunction and predicted immunotherapy resistance by involvement of multiple inflammation-related pathways including IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling, inflammatory response and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) response pathways. Additionally, elevated IRAK3 expression was predicted to be related with better responses to chemotherapeutic and molecular targeted drugs. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that IRAK3 could function as an independent prognostic predictor and an immunotherapeutic indicator in LUAD through involvement of multiple inflammation-related pathways.

Direct Photopatterning of Colloidal Quantum Dots with Electronically Optimized Diazirine Cross-Linkers.

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) with a wide color gamut and high luminescent efficiency are promising for next-generation electronic and photonic devices. However, precise and scalable patterning of QDs without degrading their properties and their integration into commercially relevant devices, such as digitally addressable QD light-emitting diode (QLED) displays, remain challenging. Here, we develop electronically optimized diazirine-based cross-linkers for nondestructive, direct photopatterning of QDs and, ultimately, building the active-matrix QLED displays. The key to the cross-linker design is the introduction of electron-donating substituents that permit the formation of ground-state singlet carbenes for air-stable and benign QD photopatterning. Under ambient conditions, these cross-linkers enable the patterning of heavy metal-free QDs at a resolution of over 13,000 pixels per inch using commercial i-line photolithography. The patterned QD layers fully preserved their optical and optoelectronic properties. Pixelated electroluminescent devices with patterned InP/ZnSe/ZnS QD layers show a peak external quantum efficiency of 15.3% and a maximum luminance of about 40,000 cd m-2, outperforming those made by existing QD patterning approaches. We further show the seamless integration of patterned QLEDs with thin-film transistor circuits and the fabrication of dual-color active-matrix displays. These results underscore the importance of designing photochemistry for QD patterning, and promise the implementation of direct photopatterning methods in manufacturing commercial QLED displays and other integrated QD device platforms.

Uncovering neural substrates across Alzheimer's disease stages using contrastive variational autoencoder.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common major neurocognitive disorder. Although currently, no cure exists, understanding the neurobiological substrate underlying Alzheimer's disease progression will facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, slow disease progression, and improve prognosis. In this study, we aimed to understand the morphological changes underlying Alzheimer's disease progression using structural magnetic resonance imaging data from cognitively normal individuals, individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease via a contrastive variational autoencoder model. We used contrastive variational autoencoder to generate synthetic data to boost the downstream classification performance. Due to the ability to parse out the nonclinical factors such as age and gender, contrastive variational autoencoder facilitated a purer comparison between different Alzheimer's disease stages to identify the pathological changes specific to Alzheimer's disease progression. We showed that brain morphological changes across Alzheimer's disease stages were significantly associated with individuals' neurofilament light chain concentration, a potential biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, highlighting the biological plausibility of our results.