Independent and combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function in older adults: evidence from a national cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Although there have been studies on the association of handgrip strength or walking speed alone with cognitive abilities, few studies have determined the combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function. Therefore we aimed to explore the independent and combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function in Chinese older adults using a nationally representative sample. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 4,577 adults aged 60 and older. Handgrip strength was measured using a dynamometer and walking speed was assessed using a 2.5-meter walking test. Both handgrip strength and walking speed were organized into low, normal, and high tertiles according to the sample distribution. Cognitive function was measured using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. RESULTS: Handgrip strength and walking speed were significantly associated with cognitive function. Participants with low handgrip strength or low walking speed separately had a higher rate of lower cognitive function (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.22 (95% CI: 1.04 - 1.44) for low handgrip strength; 1.54 (95% CI: 1.31 - 1.81) for low walking speed). Those with both low handgrip strength and low walking speed had an additively higher rate of lower cognitive function (adjusted OR: 1.72 (95% CI: 1.32 - 2.24)). CONCLUSION: Having low handgrip strength or low walking speed is associated with a greater likelihood of lower cognitive function and vice versa. The concurrence of having low handgrip strength and low walking speed has an additive effect on cognitive function in older adults.

Closed-loop recycling of tough epoxy supramolecular thermosets constructed with hyperbranched topological structure.

The regulation of topological structure of covalent adaptable networks (CANs) remains a challenge for epoxy CANs. Here, we report a strategy to develop strong and tough epoxy supramolecular thermosets with rapid reprocessability and room-temperature closed-loop recyclability. These thermosets were constructed from vanillin-based hyperbranched epoxy resin (VanEHBP) through the introduction of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and dual dynamic covalent bonds, as well as the formation of intramolecular and intermolecular cavities. The supramolecular structures confer remarkable energy dissipation capability of thermosets, leading to high toughness and strength. Due to the dynamic imine exchange and reversible noncovalent crosslinks, the thermosets can be rapidly and effectively reprocessed at 120 °C within 30 s. Importantly, the thermosets can be efficiently depolymerized at room temperature, and the recovered materials retain the structural integrity and mechanical properties of the original samples. This strategy may be employed to design tough, closed-loop recyclable epoxy thermosets for practical applications.

Association between nocturnal sleep duration and midday napping and the incidence of sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults: a 4-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying treatment targets for sarcopenia is a public health concern. This study aimed to examine the association of nocturnal sleep duration and midday napping with the presence of sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults, utilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 and 2015. METHODS: A sum of 7,926 individuals (≥40 years) took part in this study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data on nocturnal sleep duration and midday napping. Nocturnal sleep duration was categorized into three groups: short sleepers (<6 h), normal sleepers (6-8 h), and long sleepers (>8 h). Midday napping was coded as a dichotomous outcome (yes/no). RESULTS: The incidence of sarcopenia was 5.3% during the 4-year follow-up. Short sleep duration (<6 h) was substantially linked to an increased incidence of sarcopenia (OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.21-1.87) as compared to nocturnal sleep length (6-8 h). Adults with midday napping had a lower risk of developing sarcopenia than non-nappers (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.95). We further found that short sleepers with midday napping did not have a significantly higher risk of subsequent diagnosis of sarcopenia compared to normal sleepers without midday napping. CONCLUSION: These findings imply that short sleep duration in middle-aged and older persons is related to an increased incidence of sarcopenia. However, the adverse effect of short sleep duration on sarcopenia can be compensated by midday napping.

Alleles on locus chromosome 4B from different parents confer tiller number and the yield-associated traits in wheat.

Pleiotropy is frequently detected in agronomic traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum). A locus on chromosome 4B, QTn/Ptn/Sl/Sns/Al/Tgw/Gl/Gw.caas-4B, proved to show pleiotropic effects on tiller, spike, and grain traits using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Qingxinmai × 041133. The allele from Qingxinmai increased tiller numbers, and the allele from line 041133 produced better performances of spike traits and grain traits. Another 52 QTL for the eight traits investigated were detected on 18 chromosomes, except for chromosomes 5D, 6D, and 7B. Several genes in the genomic interval of the locus on chromosome 4B were differentially expressed in crown and inflorescence samples between Qingxinmai and line 041133. The development of the KASP marker specific for the locus on chromosome 4B is useful for molecular marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding.

The impact of bolus on clinical outcomes for post-mastectomy breast cancer patients treated with IMRT: data from China.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of chest wall bolus in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technology on clinical outcomes for post-mastectomy breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with invasive carcinoma ((y)pT0-4, (y)pN0-3) who received photon IMRT after mastectomy at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2014 to 2019. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received daily bolus application or not, and the baseline characteristics were matched using propensity score matching (PSM). Cumulative incidence (CI) of local recurrence (LR), locoregional recurrence (LRR), overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated with a log-rank test. Acute skin toxicity and late radiation pneumonia was analyzed using chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 529 patients were included in this study, among whom 254 (48%) patients received bolus application. The median follow-up time was 60 months. After matching, 175 well-paired patients were selected. The adjusted 5-year outcomes (95% confidence interval) in patients treated with and without bolus were, respectively: CI of LR 2.42% (0.04-4.74) versus 2.38% (0.05-4.65), CI of LRR 2.42% (0.04-4.74) versus 3.59% (0.73-6.37), DFS 88.12% (83.35-93.18) versus 84.69% (79.42-90.30), OS 94.21% (90.79-97.76) versus 95.86% (92.91-98.91). No correlation between bolus application and skin toxicity (P = 0.555) and late pneumonia (P = 0.333) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed a low recurrence rate using IMRT technology. The daily used 5 mm chest wall bolus was not associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Amorphous FeSnOx Nanosheets with Hierarchical Vacancies for Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries, noted for their low material costs and high energy density, are emerging as a promising alternative to LIBs in various applications including power grids and standalone renewable energy systems. These batteries are commonly assembled with glass fiber membranes, which face significant challenges like the dissolution of polysulfides, sluggish sulfur conversion kinetics, and the dendrites growth. Here, we develop an amorphous FeSnOx nanosheet with hierarchical vacancies, including abundant oxygen vacancies (Ovs) and nano-sized perforations, that can be assembled into a multifunctional layer overlaying commercial separators for RT Na-S batteries. The Ovs offer strong adsorption and abundant catalytic sites for polysulfides, while the defect concentration is finely tuned to elucidate the polysulfides conversion mechanisms. The nano-sized perforations aid in regulating Na ions transport, resulting in uniform Na deposition. Moreover, the strategic addition of trace amounts of Ti3C2 forms an amorphous/crystalline interface that significantly improves the mechanical properties of the separator and suppresses dendrite growth. As a result, the task-specific layer achieves ultra-light (~0.1mg cm-2), ultra-thin (~200nm), and ultra-robust (modulus = 4.9GPa) characteristics. Consequently, the RT Na-S battery maintained a high capacity of 610.3mAh g-1 and an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.9% after 400 cycles at 0.5C.

Dual-Energy-Barrier Stable Superhydrophobic Structures for Long Icing Delay.

Using superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) with the water-repellent Cassie-Baxter (CB) state is widely acknowledged as an effective approach for anti-icing performances. Nonetheless, the CB state is susceptible to diverse physical phenomena (e.g., vapor condensation, gas contraction, etc.) at low temperatures, resulting in the transition to the sticky Wenzel state and the loss of anti-icing capabilities. SHSs with various micronanostructures have been empirically examined for enhancing the CB stability; however, the energy barrier transits from the metastable CB state to the stable Wenzel state and thus the CB stability enhancement is currently not enough to guarantee a well and appliable anti-icing performance at low temperatures. Here, we proposed a dual-energy-barrier design strategy on superhydrophobic micronanostructures. Rather than the typical single energy barrier of the conventional CB-to-Wenzel transition, we introduced two CB states (i.e., CB I and CB II), where the state transition needed to go through CB I and CB II then to Wenzel state, thus significantly improving the entire CB stability. We applied ultrafast laser to fabricate this dual-energy-barrier micronanostructures, established a theoretical framework, and performed a series of experiments. The anti-icing performances were exhibited with long delay icing times (over 27,000 s) and low ice-adhesion strengths (0.9 kPa). The kinetic mechanism underpinning the enhanced CB anti-icing stability was elucidated and attributed to the preferential liquid pinning in the shallow closed structures, enabling the higher CB-Wenzel transition energy barrier to sustain the CB state. Comprehensive durability tests further corroborated the potentials of the designed dual-energy-barrier structures for anti-icing applications.

Strategies in product engineering of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: unveiling the mechanisms underpinning the promotive effects of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes.

Articular cartilage injuries present a significant global challenge, particularly in the aging population. These injuries not only restrict movement due to primary damage but also exacerbate elderly degenerative lesions, leading to secondary cartilage injury and osteoarthritis. Addressing osteoarthritis and cartilage damage involves overcoming several technical challenges in biological treatment. The use of induced mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) with functional gene modifications emerges as a solution, providing a more stable and controllable source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) with reduced heterogeneity. Furthermore, In addition, this review encompasses strategies aimed at enhancing exosome efficacy, comprising the cultivation of MSCs in three-dimensional matrices, augmentation of functional constituents within MSC-derived exosomes, and modification of their surface characteristics. Finally, we delve into the mechanisms through which MSC-exosomes, sourced from diverse tissues, thwart osteoarthritis (OA) progression and facilitate cartilage repair. This review lays a foundational framework for engineering iMSC-exosomes treatment of patients suffering from osteoarthritis and articular cartilage injuries, highlighting cutting-edge research and potential therapeutic pathways.

Membranes with Molecular Gatekeepers for Efficient CO2 Capture and H2 Purification.

The urgent need for CO2 capture and hydrogen energy has attracted great attention owing to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming problems. Efficient CO2 capture and H2 purification with membrane technology will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help reach a carbon-neutral society. Here, 4-sulfocalix[4]arene (SC), which has an intrinsic cavity, was embedded into the Matrimid membrane as a molecular gatekeeper for CO2 capture and H2 purification. The interactions between SC and the Matrimid polymer chains immobilize SC molecules into the interchain gaps of the Matrimid membrane, and the strong hydrogen and ionic bondings were able to form homogeneous mixed-matrix membranes. The incorporation of the SC molecular gatekeeper with exceptional molecular-sieving properties improved the gas separation performance of the mixed-matrix membranes. Compared with that of the Matrimid membrane, the CO2 permeability of the Matrimid-SC-3% membrane increased from 16.75 to 119.78 Barrer, the CO2/N2 selectivity increased from 29.39 to 106.95, and the CO2/CH4 selectivity increased from 29.91 to 140.92. Furthermore, when the permeability of H2 was increased to 172.20 Barrer, the H2/N2 and H2/CH4 selectivities reached approximately 153.75 and 202.59, respectively, which are far superior to those of most existing Matrimid-based materials. The mixed-matrix membranes also exhibited excellent long-term operation stability, with separation performance for several important gas pairs still overtaking the Robeson upper limit after aging for 400 days.

[Therapeutic mechanism of basic fibroblast growth factor on spinal cord injury in rats based on the Notch/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway].

Objective: To explore the therapeutic effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats and the influence of Notch/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. Methods: A total of 40 10-week-old male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected to establish T 10-segment SCI model by a free falling object. Among them, 32 successful models were randomly divided into model group and bFGF group, with 16 in each group. Another 16 SD rats were selected as sham-operation group, with only T 10 processes, dura mater, and spinal cord exposed. After modeling, the rats in bFGF group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 µg/kg bFGF (once a day for 28 days), and the rats in model group and sham-operation group were injected with normal saline in the same way. The survival of rats in each group were observed after modeling. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scores were performed before modeling and at immediate, 14 days, and 28 days after modeling to evaluate the functional recovery of hind limbs. Then, the spinal cord tissue at the site of injury was taken at 28 days and stained with HE, Nissl, and propidium iodide (PI) to observe the pathological changes, neuronal survival (number of Nissl bodies) and apoptosis (number of PI red stained cells) of the spinal cord tissue; immunohistochemical staining and ELISA were used to detect the levels of astrocyte activation markers [glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] and inflammatory factors [interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interferon γ (IFN-γ)] in tissues, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Notch/STAT3 signaling pathway related proteins [Notch, STAT3, phosphoryl-STAT3 (p-STAT3), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2)] in tissues. Results: All rats survived until the experiment was completed. At immediate after modeling, the BBB scores in model group and bFGF group significantly decreased when compared to sham-operation group ( P<0.05). At 14 and 28 days after modeling, the BBB scores in model group significantly decreased when compared to sham-operation group ( P<0.05); the bFGF group showed an increase compared to model group ( P<0.05). Compared with before modeling, the BBB scores of model group and bFGF group decreased at immediate after modeling, and gradually increased at 14 and 28 days, the differences between different time points were significant ( P<0.05). The structure of spinal cord tissue in sham-operation group was normal; in model group, there were more necrotic lesions in the spinal cord tissue and fewer Nissl bodies with normal structures; the number of necrotic lesions in the spinal cord tissue of the bFGF group significantly reduced compared to the model group, and some normally structured Nissl bodies were visible. Compared with sham-operation group, the number of Nissl bodies in spinal cord tissue significantly decreased, the number of PI red stained cells, GFAP, IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Notch, p-STAT3 /STAT3, BMP-2 protein expression levels significantly increased in model group ( P<0.05). The above indexes in bFGF group significantly improved when compared with model group ( P<0.05). Conclusion: bFGF can improve motor function and pathological injury repair of spinal cord tissue in SCI rats, improve neuronal survival, and inhibit neuronal apoptosis, excessive activation of astrocytes in spinal cord tissue and inflammatory response, the mechanism of which may be related to the decreased activity of Notch/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Incremental high average-utility itemset mining: survey and challenges.

The High Average Utility Itemset Mining (HAUIM) technique, a variation of High Utility Itemset Mining (HUIM), uses the average utility of the itemsets. Historically, most HAUIM algorithms were designed for static databases. However, practical applications like market basket analysis and business decision-making necessitate regular updates of the database with new transactions. As a result, researchers have developed incremental HAUIM (iHAUIM) algorithms to identify HAUIs in a dynamically updated database. Contrary to conventional methods that begin from scratch, the iHAUIM algorithm facilitates incremental changes and outputs, thereby reducing the cost of discovery. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art iHAUIM algorithms, analyzing their unique characteristics and advantages. First, we explain the concept of iHAUIM, providing formulas and real-world examples for a more in-depth understanding. Subsequently, we categorize and discuss the key technologies used by varying types of iHAUIM algorithms, encompassing Apriori-based, Tree-based, and Utility-list-based techniques. Moreover, we conduct a critical analysis of each mining method's advantages and disadvantages. In conclusion, we explore potential future directions, research opportunities, and various extensions of the iHAUIM algorithm.

Phoenixin 20 ameliorates pulmonary arterial hypertension via inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe pathophysiological syndrome resulting in heart failure, which is found to be induced by pulmonary vascular remodeling mediated by oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation. Phoenixin-20 (PNX-20) is a reproductive peptide first discovered in mice with potential suppressive properties against OS and inflammatory response. Our study will explore the possible therapeutic functions of PHN-20 against PAH for future clinical application. Rats were treated with normal saline, PHN-20 (100 ng/g body weight daily), hypoxia, hypoxia+PHN-20 (100 ng/g body weight daily), respectively. A signally elevated RVSP, mPAP, RV/LV + S, and W%, increased secretion of cytokines, enhanced malondialdehyde (MDA) level, repressed superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and activated NLRP3 signaling were observed in hypoxia-stimulated rats, which were notably reversed by PHN-20 administration. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMECs) were treated with hypoxia with or without PHN-20 (10 and 20 nM). Marked elevation of inflammatory cytokine secretion, increased MDA level, repressed SOD activity, and activated NLRP3 signaling were observed in hypoxia-stimulated PMECs, accompanied by a downregulation of SIRT1. Furthermore, the repressive effect of PHN-20 on the domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway in hypoxia-stimulated PMECs was abrogated by sirtuin1 (SIRT1) knockdown. Collectively, PHN-20 alleviated PAH via inhibiting OS and inflammation by mediating the transcriptional function of SIRT1.

Regulating Local Atomic Environment around Vacancies for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution.

Defect engineering is essential for the development of efficient electrocatalysts at the atomic level. While most work has focused on various vacancies as effective catalytic modulators, little attention has been paid to the relation between the local atomic environment of vacancies and catalytic activities. To face this challenge, we report a facile synthetic approach to manipulate the local atomic environments of vacancies in MoS2 with tunable Mo-to-S ratios. Our studies indicate that the MoS2 with more Mo terminated vacancies exhibits better hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance than MoS2 with S terminated vacancies and defect-free MoS2. The improved performance originates from the adjustable orbital orientation and distribution, which is beneficial for regulating H adsorption and eventually boosting the intrinsic per-site activity. This work uncovers the underlying essence of the local atomic environment of vacancies on catalysis and provides a significant extension of defect engineering for the rational design of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) catalysts and beyond.

Associations of physical activity intensity, frequency, duration, and volume with the incidence of sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults: a 4-year longitudinal study in China.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in the process of several chronic diseases. It may be also associated with the incidence of sarcopenia. This study aimed to determine the association of PA from different components including frequency, duration, intensity, and volume with the incidence of sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: This study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 and 2015. A total of 3,760 individuals aged ≥ 40 years were involved in this study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using muscle mass, strength and physical performance according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. PA information including frequency, duration, intensity, and volume was obtained by a self-reported questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the association between PA and the incidence of sarcopenia at 4-year follow-up. RESULTS: The incidence of sarcopenia was 5.9% during the 4-year follow-up. Compared to sedentary individuals, those taking 1-2 days or more per week, or a minimum of 10 min each time on vigorous-intensity PA (VPA) had a lower incidence of sarcopenia. Adults spending 3 days or more each week, a minimum of 30 min each time, or 150 min or more per week on moderate-intensity PA (MPA) had a lower presence of sarcopenia than sedentary adults. Adults taking 3 days or more per week, at least 30 min each time, or 150 min or more each week on light-intensity PA (LPA) tended to have a lower incidence of sarcopenia than sedentary individuals. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings after removing persons with hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the frequency, duration, and volume of VPA or MPA are negatively associated with the presence of sarcopenia. Participation in LPA tends to have a lower incidence of sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults.

Difference in mortality risk predicted by leukocyte and lymphocyte levels in COVID-19 patients infected with the Wild-type, Delta, and Omicron strains.

This study aimed to investigate the changing trends, level differences, and prognostic performance of the leukocyte and lymphocyte levels of patients infected with the Wild strains, Delta strains and Omicron strains to provide a reference for prognostic assessment. In the current study, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to evaluate the changing trends, level differences, and prognostic performance of leukocyte and lymphocyte of different strains at admission and discharge may already exist in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infected with the Wild type, Delta, and Omicron strains. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. We recruited and screened the 243 cases infected with the Wild-type strains in Wuhan, the 629 cases infected with the Delta and 116 cases infected strains with the Omicron strains in Xi'an. The leukocyte and lymphocyte levels were compared the cohort of Wild-type infection with the cohort of Delta and the Omicron. The changes in the levels of leukocytes and lymphocytes exhibit a completely opposite trend in patients with COVID-19 infected with the different strains. The lymphocyte level at admission and discharge in patients with COVID-19 infected with Omicron strains (area under curve [AUC] receiver operating characteristic curve [ROC] 72.8-90.2%, 82.8-97.2%) presented better performance compared patients with COVID-19 infected with Wild type strains (AUC ROC 60.9-80.7%, 82.3-97.2%) and Delta strains (AUC ROC 56.1-84.7%, 40.3-93.3%). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the leukocyte levels above newly established cutoff values and the lymphocyte levels below newly established cutoff values had a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with Wild-type and Omicron strains (P < .01). The levels of leukocyte and lymphocyte at admission and discharge in patients with COVID-19 infected with the Wild type, Delta, and Omicron strains may be differences among strains, which indicates different death risks. Our research may help clinicians identify patients with a poor prognosis for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.

Dynamically Reconstructed Triple-Copper-Vacancy Associates Confined in Cu Nanowires Enabling High-Rate and Selective CO2 Electroreduction to C2+ Products.

Electrochemically reconstructed Cu-based catalysts always exhibit enhanced CO2 electroreduction performance; however, it still remains ambiguous whether the reconstructed Cu vacancies have a substantial impact on CO2-to-C2+ reactivity. Herein, Cu vacancies are first constructed through electrochemical reduction of Cu-based nanowires, in which high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy image manifests the formation of triple-copper-vacancy associates with different concentrations, confirmed by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. In situ attenuated total reflection-surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy discloses the triple-copper-vacancy associates favor *CO adsorption and fast *CO dimerization. Moreover, density-functional-theory calculations unravel the triple-copper-vacancy associates endow the nearby Cu sites with enriched and disparate local charge density, which enhances the *CO adsorption and reduces the CO-CO coupling barrier, affirmed by the decreased *CO dimerization energy barrier by 0.4 eV. As a result, the triple-copper-vacancy associates confined in Cu nanowires achieve a high Faradaic efficiency of over 80% for C2+ products in a wide current density range of 400-800 mA cm-2, outperforming most reported Cu-based electrocatalysts.

MAHyNet: Parallel Hybrid Network for RNA-Protein Binding Sites Prediction Based on Multi-Head Attention and Expectation Pooling.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can regulate biological functions by interacting with specific RNAs, and play an important role in many life activities. Therefore, the rapid identification of RNA-protein binding sites is crucial for functional annotation and site-directed mutagenesis. In this work, a new parallel network that integrates the multi-head attention mechanism and the expectation pooling is proposed, named MAHyNet. The left-branch network of MAHyNet hybrids convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and gated recurrent neural network (GRU) to extract the features of one-hot. The right-branch network is a two-layer CNN network to analyze physicochemical properties of RNA base. Specifically, the multi-head attention mechanism is a computational collection of multiple independent layers of attention, which can extract feature information from multiple dimensions. The expectation pooling combines probabilistic thinking with global pooling. This approach helps to reduce model parameters and enhance the model performance. The combination of CNN and GRU enables further extraction of high-level features in sequences. In addition, the study shows that appropriate hyperparameters have a positive impact on the model performance. Physicochemical properties can be used to supplement characterization information to improving model performance. The experimental results show that MAHyNet has better performance than other models.

Polyene phosphatidylcholine enhances the therapeutic response of oxaliplatin in gastric cancer through Nrf2/HMOX1 mediated ferroptosis.

Oxaliplatin (OXA)-based chemotherapy is one of the first-line treatments for advanced gastric cancer. However, the potential risk for chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury can hinder its effectiveness. Polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is often used as a hepatoprotective agent to counter OXA-induced hepatic injury; however, its impact on the antitumour effectiveness of OXA remains uncertain. Our retrospective study examined 98 patients with stage IV gastric cancer to assess the impact of PPC on progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate (DCR). Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to elucidate the combined biological effects of OXA and PPC (OXA+PPC) on gastric cancer. RNA sequencing, luciferase reporter assays, live/dead cell assays, immunofluorescence, and western blotting were used to identify the activated signalling pathways and downstream factors post OXA+PPC treatment. The findings indicated that PPC served as an independent prognostic factor, correlating with prolonged PFS and improved DCR in patients with gastric cancer. The combination of OXA and PPC significantly inhibited tumour cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing revealed that OXA+PPC treatment amplified reactive oxygen species and ferroptosis signalling pathways. Mechanistically, OXA+PPC upregulated the expression of haem oxygenase-1 by promoting the nuclear migration of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), thereby enhancing its transcriptional activity. Drug-molecule docking analysis demonstrated that PPC competitively bound to the peptide structural domains of both Nrf2 and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), accounting for the increased translocation of Nrf2. In conclusion, our study reveals the synergistic antitumour potential of PPC and OXA while protecting patients against hepatic injury. This suggests a promising combined treatment approach for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Mechanically robust, self-reporting and healable polyurethane elastomers by incorporating symmetric/asymmetric chain extenders.

Self-healing elastomers usually show poor mechanical properties and environmental stability, and they cannot self-report mechanical/chemical damage. Herein, an innovative design strategy is reported that combines symmetric/asymmetric chain extenders to create large yet disordered hard domains within polyurethane (PU) elastomers, enabling the integration of mechanical robustness and self-reporting and self-healing capabilities to overcome both mechanical and chemical damage. Specifically, large yet disordered hard domains were created by governing the molar contents of asymmetric fluorescent 2-(4-aminophenyl)-5-aminobenzimidazole (PABZ) and symmetric 4-aminophenyl disulfide (APDS). Such a structural feature led to a small free-volume fraction, prominent strain-induced crystallization (SIC), and high energy of dissipation, enabling the PU elastomer to display outstanding mechanical strength (60.7 MPa) and toughness (177.9 MJ m-3). Meanwhile, the loose stacking of disordered hard domains imposed small restriction on network chains and imparted the network with high relaxation dynamics, leading to high healing efficiency (97.8%). More importantly, the fluorescence intensity was stimulus-responsive and thus the PU elastomer could self-report mechanical/chemical damage and healing processes. The PU elastomer also showed potential application prospects in information encoding and encryption. Furthermore, selecting polydimethylsiloxane as one of the soft segments could effectively endow the PU elastomer with intrinsic hydrophobicity. Therefore, this work provides valuable guidance for designing multi-functional materials with anti-counterfeiting, self-reporting, and healing properties as well as high mechanical properties and hydrophobicity.

Deciphering the influencing mechanism of hydraulic retention time on purification performance of a mixotrophic system from the perspective of reaction kinetics.

At present, eutrophication is increasingly serious, so it is necessary to effectively reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies. In this study, a pyrite/polycaprolactone-based mixotrophic denitrification (PPMD) system using pyrite and polycaprolactone (PCL) as electron donors was developed and compared with pyrite-based autotrophic denitrification (PAD) system and PCL-based heterotrophic denitrification (PHD) system through continuous flow experiment. The removal efficiency of NO3--N (NRE) and PO43--P (PRE) and the contribution proportion of PAD in the PPMD system were significantly increased by prolonging hydraulic retention time (HRT, from 1 to 48 h). When HRT was equal to 24 h, the PPMD system conformed to the zero-order kinetic model, so NRE and PRE were mainly limited by the PAD process. When HRT was equal to 48 h, the PPMD system met the first-order kinetic model with NRE and PRE reaching 98.9 ± 1.1% and 91.8 ± 4.5%, respectively. When HRT = 48 h, the NRE and PRE by PAD system were 82.7 ± 9.1% and 88.5 ± 4.7%, respectively, but the effluent SO42- concentration was as high as 152.1 ± 13.7 mg/L (the influent SO42- concentration was 49.2 ± 3.3 mg/L); the NRE by PHD system was 98.5 ± 1.7%, but the PO43--P could not be removed ideally. The concentrations of NO3--N, total nitrogen, PO43--P, and SO42- in the PPMD system also showed distinct changes along the reactor column. In addition, the microbial diversity analysis showed that prolonging HRT (from 24 to 48 h) increased the abundance of autotrophic denitrifying microorganisms in the PPMD system, ultimately increasing the contribution proportion of PAD.