Impact of bladder size and shape on the accuracy of formula method for bladder volume evaluation.

BACKGROUND: To explore the impact of bladder size and shape on the accuracy of the formula method (V = 0.52 × d1 × d2 × d3) for bladder volume evaluation. METHODS: Data was retrospectively collected from 220 patients without reportable bladder diseases. CT images were imported into 3D Slicer software to measure the bladder volume VA (reference standards). Bladder volume was also measured by the formula method VB = 0.52 × d1 × d2 × d3. Results of these two methods were compared based on bladder size and shape. RESULTS: The bldder volume was 121.0 ± 83.6 mL with the formula method, compared with 128.5 ± 82.6 mL measured by 3D Slicer (P < 0.0001). Patients were divided into three groups based on bladder size, the mean percent deviations between the two methods were 18.8 ± 20.8%, 3.4 ± 12.9% and 4.6 ± 10.6%, respectively. According to the bladder shape, it can be divided into 5 types. For round and triangle shapes, there was no significant statistical difference in the results of the two methods. For bladder shapes with ellipse, rectangle and irregular shape, the volume evaluated by the formula method was statistically lower. Their deviations were 9.7 ± 17.5%, 12.9 ± 9.6% and 14.4 ± 21.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of the formula method for estimating bladder volume is affected by bladder size and shape. Overall, the formula method tends to underestimate the bladder volume. The error of small-sized bladders is much greater than that of large-sized bladders. Furthermore, the formula method has high accuracy in measuring bladder volume with round and triangle shapes.

Multi-omics features of immunogenic cell death in gastric cancer identified by combining single-cell sequencing analysis and machine learning.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignancy with high mortality rates. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a unique form of programmed cell death that is closely linked to antitumor immunity and plays a critical role in modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME). Nevertheless, elucidating the precise effect of ICD on GC remains a challenging endeavour. ICD-related genes were identified in single-cell sequencing datasets and bulk transcriptome sequencing datasets via the AddModuleScore function, weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA), and differential expression analysis. A robust signature associated with ICD was constructed using a machine learning computational framework incorporating 101 algorithms. Furthermore, multiomics analysis, including single-cell sequencing analysis, bulk transcriptomic analysis, and proteomics analysis, was conducted to verify the correlation of these hub genes with the immune microenvironment features of GC and with GC invasion and metastasis. We screened 59 genes associated with ICD and developed a robust ICD-related gene signature (ICDRS) via a machine learning computational framework that integrates 101 different algorithms. Furthermore, we identified five key hub genes (SMAP2, TNFAIP8, LBH, TXNIP, and PIK3IP1) from the ICDRS. Through single-cell analysis of GC tumor s, we confirmed the strong correlations of the hub genes with immune microenvironment features. Among these five genes, LBH exhibited the most significant associations with a poor prognosis and with the invasion and metastasis of GC. Finally, our findings were validated through immunohistochemical staining of a large clinical sample set, and the results further supported that LBH promotes GC cell invasion by activating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway.

Deletion of the foxO1 gene reduces hypoxia tolerance in zebrafish embryos by influencing erythropoiesis.

FoxO1 (Forkhead box O1) belongs to the evolutionarily conserved FoxO subfamily and is involved in diverse physiologic processes, including apoptosis, cell cycle, DNA damage repair, oxidative stress and cell differentiation. FoxO1 plays an important role in regulating the hypoxia microenvironment such as cancers, but its role in hypoxia adaptation remains unclear in animals. To understand the function of foxO1 in hypoxia response, we constructed foxO1a and foxO1b mutant zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. It was found that foxO1a and foxO1b destruction affected the hematopoietic system in the early zebrafish embryos. Specifically, FoxO1a and FoxO1b were found to affect the transcriptional activity of runx1, a marker gene for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Moreover, foxO1a and foxO1b had complementary features in hypoxia response, and foxO1a or/and foxO1b destruction resulted in tolerance of zebrafish becoming weakened in hypoxia due to insufficient hemoglobin supply. Additionally, the transcriptional activity of these two genes was demonstrated to be regulated by Hif1α. In conclusion, foxO1a and foxO1b respond to Hif1α-mediated hypoxia response by participating in zebrafish erythropoiesis. These results will provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the function of FoxO1 in hematopoiesis and hypoxia response.

A Roadmap for Ferroelectric-Antiferroelectric Phase Transition.

Antiferroelectric materials have shown great potential in electronic devices benefiting from the reversible phase transition between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases. Understanding the dipole arrangements and clear phase transition pathways is crucial for design of antiferroelectric materials-based energy storage and conversion devices. However, the specific phase transition details remain largely unclear and even controversial to date. Here, we have grown a series of PbZrO3 on SrTiO3 substrates and elucidated the fine atom structures and phase transition pathways using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Specifically, a roadmap for ferroelectric to antiferroelectric phase transitions, here with increasing film thickness, is determined as ferroelectric rhombohedral (R3c)-ferroelectric monoclinic (Pc)-ferrielectric orthorhombic (Ima2)-antiferroelectric orthorhombic (Pbam), where Pc and Ima2 phases act as structural bridges. Moreover, the phase transition pathway is strongly related to the synergistic effect of oxygen octahedral tilting and cation displacement. These findings provide an insightful understanding for the theories and related properties of antiferroelectrics.

Protective effect of ferulic acid-hyaluronic acid copolymer against UVB irradiation in a human HaCaT cell line.

Excessive UVB exposure increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative damage and epidermal inflammation. To enhance UVB protection effect, a strong phenolic antioxidant, ferulic acid (FA) was designed onto HA via a free radical mediated method. Our previous work has confirmed its structural characterization and in vitro antioxidant. The aim of this study was to evaluate its protective effects against UVB-induced damage in human HaCaT cells. We observed a significant reduction in cell viability to 57.43 % following UVB exposure at a dose of 80 mJ/cm2. However, pretreatment with FA-HA (250 to 2000 µg·mL-1) significantly attenuated cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, FA-HA was found to suppress the intracellular generation of ROS and up-regulated the expression of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD). The elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as well as the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1/9 (MMP-1/9) induced by UVB irradiation, were also effectively reduced by FA-HA. Additionally, FA-HA treatment decreases the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), ultimately preventing apoptosis. These findings suggest that FA-HA is a promising candidate for UVB protection in skincare formulations.

Efficient and Stable Red Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes via Thermodynamic Crystallization Control.

Efficient and stable red perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) demonstrate promising potential in high-definition displays and biomedical applications. Although significant progress has been made in device performance, meeting commercial demands remains a challenge in the aspects of long-term stability and high external quantum efficiency (EQE). Here, an in situ crystallization regulation strategy is developed for optimizing red perovskite films through ingenious vapor design. Mixed vapor containing dimethyl sulfoxide and carbon disulfide (CS2) is incorporated to conventional annealing, which contributes to thermodynamics dominated perovskite crystallization for well-aligned cascade phase arrangement. Additionally, the perovskite surface defect density is minimized by the CS2 molecule adsorption. Consequently, the target perovskite films exhibit smooth exciton energy transfer, reduced defect density, and blocked ion migration pathways. Leveraging these advantages, spectrally stable red PeLEDs are obtained featuring emission at 668, 656, and 648 nm, which yield record peak EQEs of 30.08%, 32.14%, and 29.04%, along with prolonged half-lifetimes of 47.7, 60.0, and 43.7 h at the initial luminances of 140, 250, and 270 cd m-2, respectively. This work provides a universal strategy for optimizing perovskite crystallization and represents a significant stride toward the commercialization of red PeLEDs.

Effects of migratory birds activities on the stoichiometry of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in a Carex-dominated wetland of Poyang Lake.

Studying the stoichiometric characteristics of soil nutrients aids in evaluating soil quality and deciphering the coupling of soil nutrients. The influence of migratory bird activities on the dynamics of wetland soil nutrients and their stoichiometric remains unclear. We classified the central, peripheral and adjacent natural grassy areas as severe, mild, and no bird activity (control), respectively, in Donghu Carex meadow, a representative migratory bird habitat in Poyang Lake, based on flock characteristics and initial surveys. We analyzed the contents and stoichio-metry of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) across soil depths of 0-100 cm under different intensities of migratory bird activities. The results showed that the activities of migratory birds significantly impacted nutrient levels exclusively within 0-30 cm soil. Mild activities markedly enhanced SOC and TN across 0-30 cm soil, while both mild and severe activities significantly raised TP within the same depth. For the 0-100 cm soil profiles, soil C/N ratios were 10.0, 10.8, and 9.9, C/P ratios were 23.5, 30.0, and 22.7, and N/P ratios were 2.3, 2.7, and 2.3 under no, mild, and severe bird activities, respectively. Further, mild activities of migratory birds significantly increased soil C/N, C/P and N/P ratios only within the 0-30 cm depth, while the stoichiometric ratios of all soil layer had no significant difference under severe bird activity. Soil stoichiometric ratios strongly correlated with physicochemical properties. SOC, TN, and TP primarily mediated the effects of migratory bird activity on soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometric ratios in Poyang Lake wetland. In conclusion, the influence of migratory bird activity on the stoichiometric ratios of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in Poyang Lake wetland exhibited depth threshold (approximately 30 cm), aligning with the "Intermediate Distur-bance Hypothesis". These findings could provide a new perspective for the protection of wetlands and migratory birds.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of free perampanel concentrations in practice: A practical analytical technique based on centrifugal ultrafiltration sample separation.

Objectives: The centrifugal ultrafiltration-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was established to determine the free perampanel (PER) concentration in children with epilepsy. Methods: Free PER concentration was obtained using centrifugal ultrafiltration devices. The internal standard was PER-D5. The method was investigated for selectivity, carryover, lower limit of quantification, calibration curve, accuracy, precision, matrix effects, recovery, and stability. The Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between the free and total PER concentrations. A nonparametric test was used to estimate the effects of PER along with other antiepileptic drugs on the total and free PER concentrations. Results: The free PER concentration was positively correlated with the total PER concentration in the 57 plasma samples (r = 0.793 > 0, P < 0.001). Additionally, the free PER concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in valproic acid (VPA) co-therapy (9.87 ± 5.83) compared with non-VPA co-therapy (5.03 ± 4.57). Conclusions: The proposed method is efficient, sensitive, and suitable for detecting free PER concentrations in children with epilepsy. Simultaneously, the free PER concentration response to clinical outcomes in children with epilepsy was more clinically significant, particularly when combined with VPA.

DEAD-box RNA helicase RH20 positively regulates RNAi-based antiviral immunity in plants by associating with SGS3/RDR6 bodies.

RNA silencing plays a crucial role in defending against viral infections in diverse eukaryotic hosts. Despite extensive studies on core components of the antiviral RNAi pathway such as DCLs, AGOs and RDRs proteins, host factors involved in antiviral RNAi remain incompletely understood. In this study, we employed the proximity labelling approach to identify the host factors required for antiviral RNAi in Nicotiana benthamiana. Using the barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-encoded γb, a viral suppressor of RNA silencing (VSR), as the bait protein, we identified the DEAD-box RNA helicase RH20, a broadly conserved protein in plants and animals with a homologous human protein known as DDX5. We demonstrated the interaction between RH20 and BSMV γb. Knockdown or knockout of RH20 attenuates the accumulation of viral small interfering RNAs, leading to increased susceptibility to BSMV, while overexpression of RH20 enhances resistance to BSMV, a process requiring the cytoplasmic localization and RNA-binding activity of RH20. In addition to BSMV, RH20 also negatively regulates the infection of several other positive-sense RNA viruses, suggesting the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of RH20. Mechanistic analysis revealed the colocalization and interaction of RH20 with SGS3/RDR6, and disruption of either SGS3 or RDR6 undermines the antiviral function of RH20, suggesting RH20 as a new component of the SGS3/RDR6 bodies. As a counter-defence, BSMV γb VSR subverts the RH20-mediated antiviral defence by interfering with the RH20-SGS3 interaction. Our results uncover RH20 as a new positive regulator of antiviral RNAi and provide new potential targets for controlling plant viral diseases.

Integrated mental stress smartwatch based on sweat cortisol and HRV sensors.

Mental stress, a human's common emotion that is difficult to recognize and describe, can give rise to serious psychological disorders. Skin and sweat are easily accessible sources of biomarkers and bio-signals that contain information about mental stress. It is challenging for current wearable devices to monitor psychological stress in real-time with a non-invasive manner. Therefore, we have developed a smartwatch integrated with a sweat cortisol sensor and a heart rate variation (HRV) sensor. This smartwatch can simultaneously record the cortisol levels in sweat and HRV index in real time over a long period. The cortisol sensors based on organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) are fabricated by utilizing the Prussian-blue (PB) doped molecular imprinting polymer (MIP) modified gate electrode. The sensor signal current will decrease following the combination of sweat cortisol, due to the blocking of the PBMIP conductive path, demonstrating good sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. The HRV sensor is manufactured by a photoplethysmography method. We have integrated the two sensors into a wearable smartwatch that can match well with the mobile phone APP and the upper computer software. Through the use of this smartwatch, we have observed a negative correlation between cortisol levels in sweat and the HRV index in short-term stressful environments. Our research presents a great progress in real-time and non-invasive monitoring human's stress levels, which promotes not only the stress management, but also better psychological research.

Repeated platelet-rich plasma injections improve erectile dysfunction in a rat model of hyperhomocysteinemia.

ABSTRACT: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) shows promise as a regenerative modality for mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). However, its efficacy in treating severe ED remains unknown. Blood samples from 8-week-old male rats were used to prepare PRP through a two-step centrifugation procedure, followed by chitosan activation and freeze‒thaw cycle. A hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy)-related ED model was established using a methionine-enriched diet, and an apomorphine (APO) test was conducted during the 4 th week. APO-negative rats were divided into two groups and were injected with PRP or saline every 2 weeks. Erectile function and histological analyses of the corpus cavernosum were performed during the 16 th week. The results revealed that erectile function was significantly impaired in rats with HHcy-related ED compared to that in age-matched rats but was improved by repeated PRP injections. Immunofluorescence staining revealed a reduction in reactive oxygen species and additional benefits on the recovery of structures within the corpus cavernosum in rats that received PRP treatment compared to those in the saline-injected control group. Therefore, PRP could enhance functional and structural recovery in a severe HHcy-related ED model. A notable strength of the present study lies in the use of a repeated intracavernous injection method, mirroring protocols used in human studies, which offers more reliable results for translating the findings to humans.

Single Image Super-Resolution via Wide-Activation Feature Distillation Network.

Feature extraction plays a pivotal role in the context of single image super-resolution. Nonetheless, relying on a single feature extraction method often undermines the full potential of feature representation, hampering the model's overall performance. To tackle this issue, this study introduces the wide-activation feature distillation network (WFDN), which realizes single image super-resolution through dual-path learning. Initially, a dual-path parallel network structure is employed, utilizing a residual network as the backbone and incorporating global residual connections to enhance feature exploitation and expedite network convergence. Subsequently, a feature distillation block is adopted, characterized by fast training speed and a low parameter count. Simultaneously, a wide-activation mechanism is integrated to further enhance the representational capacity of high-frequency features. Lastly, a gated fusion mechanism is introduced to weight the fusion of feature information extracted from the dual branches. This mechanism enhances reconstruction performance while mitigating information redundancy. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves stable and superior results compared to the state-of-the-art methods, as evidenced by quantitative evaluation metrics tests conducted on four benchmark datasets. Furthermore, our WFDN excels in reconstructing images with richer detailed textures, more realistic lines, and clearer structures, affirming its exceptional superiority and robustness.

Adolescent co-exposure to environmental cadmium and high-fat diet induces cognitive decline via Larp7 m6A-mediated SIRT6 inhibition.

The effects and underlying mechanisms of adolescent exposure to combined environmental hazards on cognitive function remain unclear. Here, using a combined exposure model, we found significant cognitive decline, hippocampal neuronal damage, and neuronal senescence in mice exposed to cadmium (Cd) and high-fat diet (HFD) during adolescence. Furthermore, we observed a significant downregulation of Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) expression in the hippocampi of co-exposed mice. UBCS039, a specific SIRT6 activator, markedly reversed the above adverse effects. Further investigation revealed that co-exposure obviously reduced the levels of La ribonucleoprotein 7 (LARP7), disrupted the interaction between LARP7 and SIRT6, ultimately decreasing SIRT6 expression in mouse hippocampal neuronal cells. Overexpression of Larp7 reversed the combined exposure-induced SIRT6 decrease and senescence in mouse hippocampal neuronal cells. Additionally, the results showed notably elevated levels of Larp7 m6A and YTH domain family protein 2 (YTHDF2) in mouse hippocampal neuronal cells treated with the combined hazards. Ythdf2 short interfering RNA, RNA immunoprecipitation, and RNA stability assays further demonstrated that YTHDF2 mediated the degradation of Larp7 mRNA under combined exposure. Collectively, adolescent co-exposure to Cd and HFD causes hippocampal senescence and cognitive decline in mice by inhibiting LARP7-mediated SIRT6 expression in an m6A-dependent manner.

A cyanine based fluorescent probe for detecting hypochlorite in vitro and in vivo.

Hypochlorite (ClO-) is recognized as a bioactive substance that plays a crucial role in various physiological and pathological processes. The increase of ClO- content in cells is a key factor in the early atherosclerosis lesions, which are closely linked to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, the development of an efficient and sensitive method for detecting hypochlorite in tap water, serum, and living cells, including animal model in vivo is of paramount importance. In this study, a novel fluorescent probe (Cy-F) based on the cyanine group was designed for the specific detection of ClO-, demonstrating exceptional selectivity, high sensitivity, and rapid response. The probe successfully detected ClO- in tap water and serum with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.93 × 10-7 M, showcasing excellent anti-interference capabilities. Notably, the probe exhibited good biocompatibility, low biological toxicity, and proved effective for detecting and analyzing ClO- in live cells and zebrafish. This newly developed probe offers a promising approach and valuable tool for detecting ClO- with biosafety considerations, paving the way for the design of functional probes tailored for future biomedical applications.

Proxitome profiling reveals a conserved SGT1-NSL1 signaling module that activates NLR-mediated immunity.

Suppressor of G2 allele of skp1 (SGT1) is a highly conserved eukaryotic protein that plays a vital role in growth, development, and immunity in both animals and plants. Although some SGT1 interactors have been identified, the molecular regulatory network of SGT1 remains unclear. SGT1 serves as a co-chaperone to stabilize protein complexes such as the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) class of immune receptors, thereby positively regulating plant immunity. SGT1 has also been found to be associated with the SKP1-Cullin-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. However, whether SGT1 targets immune repressors to coordinate plant immune activation remains elusive. In this study, we constructed a toolbox for TurboID- and split-TurboID-based proximity labeling (PL) assays in Nicotiana benthamiana and used the PL toolbox to explore the SGT1 interactome during pre- and post-immune activation. The comprehensive SGT1 interactome network we identified highlights a dynamic shift from proteins associated with plant development to those linked with plant immune responses. We found that SGT1 interacts with Necrotic Spotted Lesion 1 (NSL1), which negatively regulates salicylic acid-mediated defense by interfering with the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of non-expressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1) during N NLR-mediated response to tobacco mosaic virus. SGT1 promotes the SCF-dependent degradation of NSL1 to facilitate immune activation, while salicylate-induced protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation of SGT1 further potentiates this process. Besides N NLR, NSL1 also functions in several other NLR-mediated immunity. Collectively, our study unveils the regulatory landscape of SGT1 and reveals a novel SGT1-NSL1 signaling module that orchestrates plant innate immunity.

Chemical Reaction Modulated Low-Dimensional Phase Toward Highly Efficient Sky-Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are crucial avenues for achieving full-color displays and lighting based on perovskite materials. However, the relatively low external quantum efficiency (EQE) has hindered their progression towards commercial applications. Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites stand out as promising candidates for blue PeLEDs, with optimized control over low-dimensional phases contributing to enhanced radiative properties of excitons. Herein, the impact of organic molecular dopants on the crystallization of various n-phase structures in quasi-2D perovskite films. The results reveal that the highly reactive bis(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)phosphine oxide (BTF-PPO) molecule could effectively restrain the formation of organic spacer cation-ordered layered perovskite phases through chemical reactions, simultaneously passivate those uncoordinated Pb2+ defects. Consequently, the prepared PeLEDs exhibited a maximum EQE of 16.6 % (@ 490 nm). The finding provides a new route to design dopant molecules for phase modulation in quasi-2D PeLEDs.

Induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without sintilimab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China (CONTINUUM): a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the role of PD-1 blockade remains unknown in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the addition of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, to standard chemoradiotherapy in this patient population. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was conducted at nine hospitals in China. Adults aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed high-risk non-metastatic stage III-IVa locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (excluding T3-4N0 and T3N1) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using blocks of four to receive gemcitabine and cisplatin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent cisplatin radiotherapy (standard therapy group) or standard therapy with 200 mg sintilimab intravenously once every 3 weeks for 12 cycles (comprising three induction, three concurrent, and six adjuvant cycles to radiotherapy; sintilimab group). The primary endpoint was event-free survival from randomisation to disease recurrence (locoregional or distant) or death from any cause in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints included adverse events. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03700476) and is now completed; follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 21, 2018, and March 31, 2020, 425 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the sintilimab (n=210) or standard therapy groups (n=215). At median follow-up of 41·9 months (IQR 38·0-44·8; 389 alive at primary data cutoff [Feb 28, 2023] and 366 [94%] had at least 36 months of follow-up), event-free survival was higher in the sintilimab group compared with the standard therapy group (36-month rates 86% [95% CI 81-90] vs 76% [70-81]; stratified hazard ratio 0·59 [0·38-0·92]; p=0·019). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 155 (74%) in the sintilimab group versus 140 (65%) in the standard therapy group, with the most common being stomatitis (68 [33%] vs 64 [30%]), leukopenia (54 [26%] vs 48 [22%]), and neutropenia (50 [24%] vs 46 [21%]). Two (1%) patients died in the sintilimab group (both considered to be immune-related) and one (<1%) in the standard therapy group. Grade 3-4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 20 (10%) patients in the sintilimab group. INTERPRETATION: Addition of sintilimab to chemoradiotherapy improved event-free survival, albeit with higher but manageable adverse events. Longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether this regimen can be considered as the standard of care for patients with high-risk locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation, Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission, and Cancer Innovative Research Program of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Hydrogel-Based Interfacial Solar-Driven Evaporation: Essentials and Trails.

Hydrogel-based interfacial solar-driven evaporation (ISDE) gives full play to the highly adjustable physical and chemical properties of hydrogel, which endows ISDE systems with excellent evaporation performance, anti-pollution properties, and mechanical behavior, making it more promising for applications in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. This review systematically introduces the latest advances in hydrogel-based ISDE systems from three aspects: the required properties, the preparation methods, and the role played in application scenarios of hydrogels used in ISDE. Additionally, we also discuss the remaining challenges and potential opportunities in hydrogel-based ISDE systems. By summarizing the latest research progress, we hope that researchers in related fields have some insight into the unique advantages of hydrogels in the ISDE field and contribute our efforts so that ISDE technology reaches the finishing line of practical application on the hydrogel track.

A Skin-Inspired High-Performance Tactile Sensor for Accurate Recognition of Object Softness.

High-performance tactile sensors with skin-sensing properties are crucial for intelligent perception in next-generation smart devices. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the sensitivity and response range of tactile sensation while neglecting the ability to recognize object softness. Therefore, achieving a precise perception of the softness remains a challenge. Here, we report an integrated tactile sensor consisting of a central hole gradient structure pressure sensor and a planar structure strain sensor. The recognition of softness and tactile perception is achieved through the synergistic effect of pressure sensors that sense the applied pressure and strain sensors that recognize the strain of the target object. The results indicate that the softness evaluation parameter (SC) of the integrated structural tactile sensor increases from 0.14 to 0.47 along with Young's modulus of the object decreasing from 2.74 to 0.45 MPa, demonstrating accurate softness recognition. It also exhibits a high sensitivity of 10.55 kPa-1 and an ultrawide linear range of 0-1000 kPa, showing an excellent tactile sensing capability. Further, an intelligent robotic hand system based on integrated structural tactile sensors was developed, which can identify the softness of soft foam and glass and grasp them accurately, indicating human skin-like sensing and grasping capabilities.

NAT10-mediated ac4C modification promotes stemness and chemoresistance of colon cancer by stabilizing NANOGP8.

Background: Colon cancer (CC) stem cells can self-renew as well as expand, thereby promoting tumor progression and conferring resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. The acetyltransferase NAT10 mediates N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification, which in turn drives tumorigenesis, metastasis, stemness properties maintenance, and cell fate decisions. Nonetheless, the specific involvement of ac4C modification mediated by NAT10 in regulating stemness and chemosensitivity in CC remains undetermined. Methods: The levels of NAT10 in normal colon and chemoresistant CC tissues were determined utilizing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction alongside immunohistochemistry. Assessing cancer cell stemness and chemosensitivity was conducted by various methods including spheroid and colony formation, western blotting, and flow cytometry. RNA-Seq was used to identify target genes, and RNA immunoprecipitation analysis was used to explore the potential mechanisms. Results: We observed NAT10 overexpression and increased ac4C modification levels in chemoresistant CC tissues. The in vivo and in vitro analysis findings suggested that NAT10 promoted CC cell stemness while suppressing their chemosensitivity. Conversely, Remodelin, a NAT10-specific inhibitor, enhanced CC cell chemosensitivity. Mechanistically, NAT10 increased the level of NANOGP8 ac4C modification and promoted NANOGP8 mRNA stability. Conclusions: NAT10 promotes the maintenance of stemness and chemoresistance in CC cells by augmenting the mRNA stability of NANOGP8. The inhibition of NAT10 via Remodelin improves chemotherapeutic efficacy and impedes CC progression.