Triboelectrically Empowered Biomimetic Heterogeneous Wettability Surface for Efficient Fog Collection.

Biomimetic engineering surfaces featuring heterogeneous wettability are vital for atmospheric water harvesting applications. Existing research predominantly focuses on the coordinated regulation of surface wettability through structural and chemical modifications, often overlooking the prevalent triboelectric charge effect at the liquid-solid interface. In this work, we designed a heterogeneous wettability surface by strategic masking and activated its latent triboelectric charge using triboelectric brushes, thereby enhancing the removal and renewal of surface droplets. By examining the dynamic evolution of droplets, the mechanism of triboelectric enhancement in the water collection efficiency is elucidated. Leveraging this inherent triboelectric charge interaction, fog collection capacity can be augmented by 29% by activating the system for 5 s every 60 s. Consequently, the advancement of triboelectric charge-enhanced fog collection technology holds both theoretical and practical significance for overcoming the limitations of traditional surface wettability regulation.

Effect of 23­hydroxybetulinic acid on lung adenocarcinoma and its mechanism of action.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Pulsatilla compounds on lung adenocarcinoma. The representative drug chosen was the compound 23-HBA. GeneCards, Swiss target prediction, DisGeNET and TCMSP were used to screen out related genes, and MTT and flow cytometry assays were used to verify the inhibitory effect of Pulsatilla compounds on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Subsequently, the optimal target, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, was selected using bioinformatics analysis, and its properties of low expression in lung adenocarcinoma cells and its role as a tumor suppressor gene were verified by western blot assay. The pathways related to immunity and inflammation, vascular function, cell proliferation, differentiation, development and apoptosis with the highest degree of enrichment and the mechanisms were explored through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. Finally, the clinical prognosis in terms of the survival rate of patients in whom the drug is acting on the target was analyzed using the GEPIA database. The results indicated that Pulsatilla compounds can inhibit the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells by blocking the cell cycle at the G1 phase. Subsequently, the related PPAR-γ gene was verified as a tumor suppressor gene. Further analysis demonstrated that this finding was related to the PPAR signaling pathway and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Finally, the clinical prognosis was found to be improved, as the survival rate of patients was increased. In conclusion, Pulsatilla compounds were indicated to inhibit the viability and proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells, and the mechanism of action was related to PPAR-γ, the PPAR signaling pathway and mitochondrial ROS. The present study provides novel insight to further explore the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

Correlation of Homocysteine, AHSG, CRP with Insulin Resistance, 25-(OH)2-VitD, Blood Lipids in Gestational Diabetes Patients.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the correlations of serum homocysteine (Hcy), α2-Heremans-Schmid glycoprotein (AHSG), and C-reactive protein (CRP) with insulin resistance (IR), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-VD), and blood lipids in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by detecting their levels. METHODS: A total of 72 GDM patients (GDM group) and 72 healthy pregnant women (control group) delivered in our hospital from February 2017 to January 2019 were randomly selected. The basic data, somatological parameters [height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, and body fat content], and biochemical indexes (glucose metabolism indexes, lipid metabolism indexes, Hcy, AHSG, CRP, and 25-OH-VD) were compared between the two groups. Additionally, Pearson's correlation analysis was employed to analyze the correlations among indicators. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, the GDM group had a higher average rate of family history of DM (p < 0.05), larger waist circumference and WHR, and higher body fat content (p < 0.05). Besides, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 1-hour plasma glucose (1hPG) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were higher in the GDM group than those in the control group (p < 0.05), while the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was lower in the GDM group than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with those in the control group, the serum Hcy, AHSG, and CRP levels rose, while the serum 25-OH-VD level declined in the GDM group (p < 0.05). The results of Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that HOMA-IR had positive correlations with FPG, FINS, TC, TG, Hcy, AHSG, and CRP (r = 0.591, 0.825, 0.312, 0.234, 0.458, 0.647, 0.487, p < 0.05) and negative correlation with 25-OH-VD (r = -0.323, p < 0.05). CRP was positively correlated with HOMA-IR, TC, and AHSG (r = 0.485, 0.331, 0.226, p < 0.05), negatively associated with 25-OH-VD (r = -0.443, p < 0.05), and had no correlation to TG and Hcy (r = 0.019, 0.058, p > 0.05). AHSG displayed positive correlations with HOMA-IR, TC, TG, and CRP (r = 0.647, 0.321, 0.314, 0.226, p < 0.05) and no association with Hcy and 25-OH-VD (r = 0.058, -0.034, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GDM patients have increased serum Hcy, AHSG, and CRP levels and a decreased serum 25-OH-VD level, indicating that serum Hcy, AHSG, CRP, and 25-OH-VD are correlated with glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in GDM patients.