Controllable Regulation of the Oxygen Redox Process in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries by High-Configuration-Entropy Spinel with an Asymmetric Octahedral Structure.

Designing bifunctional electrocatalysts to boost oxygen redox reactions is critical for high-performance lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). In this work, high-entropy spinel (Co0.2Mn0.2Ni0.2Fe0.2Cr0.2)3O4 (HEOS) is fabricated by modulating the internal configuration entropy of spinel and studied as the oxygen electrode catalyst in LOBs. Under the high-entropy atomic environment, the Co-O octahedron in spinel undergoes asymmetric deformation, and the reconfiguration of the electron structure around the Co sites leads to the upward shift of the d-orbital centers of the Co sites toward the Fermi level, which is conducive to the strong adsorption of redox intermediate LiO2 on the surface of the HEOS, ultimately forming a layer of a highly dispersed Li2O2 thin film. Thin-film Li2O2 is beneficial for ion diffusion and electron transfer at the electrode-electrolyte interface, which makes the product easy to decompose during the charge process, ultimately accelerating the kinetics of oxygen redox reactions in LOBs. Based on the above advantages, HEOS-based LOBs deliver high discharge/charge capacity (12.61/11.72 mAh cm-2) and excellent cyclability (424 cycles). This work broadens the way for the design of cathode catalysts to improve oxygen redox kinetics in LOBs.

Toward the Improvement of the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Braided Ligament for ACL Reconstruction: A "Carrot and Stick" Strategy.

Bone tunnel enlargement has been troubling the clinical adoption of braided artificial ligaments for decades, to which mechanical and tribological performance promotion shall be an effective and promising approach. Herein, a "carrot and stick" strategy has been introduced with two types of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers to fabricate hybrid textures, which is expected to advance fatigue and tribological performance without yielding essential mechanical strength and biocompatibility. Owing to advancements in such a "carrot and stick" strategy, the obtained grafts present three promising properties: i) enhancement of mechanical strength; ii) coefficient of friction (COF) reduction of 25% at the greatest extent, thus lowering the risk of bone tunnel enlargement; iii) final displacement shrinkage of graft length after cyclic loadings, favored in the clinic for isometric reconstruction. The results obtained in this study show that the "carrot and stick" strategy can be a creative and convenient method to optimize the service life, saving the complication rate of artificial ligaments for clinical applications.

Applications of Life Cycle Assessment in the Chocolate Industry: A State-of-the-Art Analysis Based on Systematic Review.

Chocolate is a popular food for its unique flavor and taste, rich nutritional value, and the psychological values brought to people. The raw material production of chocolate, product manufacturing, sales and transportation have different degrees of environmental impact. This review explores the environmental hot spots in the life cycle of chocolate and puts forward corresponding suggestions for the improvement. By applying a systematic review method, this paper collected 25 articles on life cycle assessment (LCA) of the environmental impact of the chocolate industry. It is found that the life cycle of chocolate has the highest environmental impact in the raw material production and chocolate manufacturing stages (accounting for 77-97% of total impacts), among which milk powder, sugar and cocoa derivatives are the important contributors to significant environmental burden. Dark chocolate generates the lowest carbon emissions (1.67 kg CO2 eq/kg product) among existing chocolate categories, while the chocolate confectionery products release the highest carbon emissions (6.76 kg CO2 eq/kg product) among chocolate-containing products. Improvement measures are proposed for reducing environmental impacts and for selecting environmentally friendly product formulae. This study can provide benchmarking for the chocolate industry and improves the understanding of life cycle environmental impacts of chocolate products.

Optimized Lithium Ion Coordination via Chlorine Substitution to Enhance Ionic Conductivity of Garnet-Based Solid Electrolytes.

Garnet-type solid-state electrolytes attract abundant attentions due to the broad electrochemical window and remarkable thermal stability while their poor ionic conductivity obstructs their widespread application in all-solid-state batteries. Herein, the enhanced ionic conductivity of garnet-type solid electrolytes is achieved by partially substituting O2- sites with Cl- anions, which effectively reduce Li+ migration barriers while preserving the highly conductive cubic phase of garnet-type solid-state electrolytes. This substitution not only weakens the anchoring effect of anions on Li+ to widen the size of Li+ diffusion channel but also optimizes the occupancy of Li+ at different sites, resulting in a substantial reduction of the Li+ migration barrier and a notable improvement in ionic conductivity. Leveraging these advantageous properties, the developed Li6.35 La3 Zr1.4 Ta0.6 O11.85 -Cl0.15 (LLZTO-0.15Cl) electrolyte demonstrates high Li+ conductivity of 4.21×10-6  S cm-1 . When integrated with LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode and metallic lithium anode, the LLZTO-0.15Cl electrolyte enables the solid-state battery to operate for more than 100 cycles with a high capacity retention of 76.61% and superior Coulombic efficiency of 99.48%. This work shows a new strategy for modulating anionic framework to enhance the conductivity of garnet-type solid-state electrolytes.

Structure and Charge Regulation Strategy Enabling Superior Cycling Stability of Ni-Rich Cathode Materials.

Ni-rich layered oxides LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2 (NCMs, x > 0.8) are the most promising cathode candidates for Li-ion batteries because of their superior specific capacity and cost affordability. Unfortunately, NCMs suffer from a series of formidable challenges such as structural instability and incompatibility with commonly used electrolytes, which seriously hamper their practical applications on a large scale. Herein, the Al/Ta codoping modification strategy is proposed to improve the performance of the LiNi0.83Co0.1Mn0.07O2 cathode, and the as-prepared Al/Ta-modified LiNi0.83Co0.1Mn0.07O2 delivers exceptional cycling stability with a capacity retention of 97.4% after 150 cycles at 1C and an excellent rate performance with a high capacity of 143.2 mAh g-1 even at 3C. Based on the experimental study, it is found that the structural stability of NCM is strengthened due to the regulated coordination of oxygen by introducing a robust Ta-O covalent bond, which prevents the layered structure from collapsing. Moreover, the reconstructed rock-salt-like surface is capable of effectively inhibiting interfacial side reactions as well as the overgrowth of the cathode-electrolyte interface. Theoretically, the energy of Li/Ni mixing is significantly increased with the introduction of Al and Ta elements in Al/Ta codoped NCM, leading to inhibited adverse phase transition during cycling. A feasible pathway for designing and developing advanced Ni-rich cathode materials for Li-ion batteries is provided in this work.

Adjusting Li+ Solvation Structures via Dipole-Dipole Interaction to Construct Inorganic-Rich Interphase for High-Performance Li Metal Batteries.

Practical applications of lithium metal batteries are limited by unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and uncontrollable dendrite Li deposition. Regulating the solvation structure of Li+ via modifying electrolyte components enables optimizing the structure of the SEI and realizing dendrite-free Li deposition. In this work, it is found that the ionic-dipole interactions between the electron-deficient B atoms in lithium oxalyldifluoro borate (LiDFOB) and the O atoms in the DME solvent molecule can weaken the interaction between the DME molecule and Li+ , accelerating the desolvation of Li+ . On this basis, the ionic-dipole interactions facilitate the entry of abundant anions into the inner solvation sheath of Li+ , which promotes the formation of inorganic-rich SEI. In addition, the interaction between DFOB- and DME molecules reduces the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level of DME molecules in electrolytes, which improves the oxidative stability of the electrolytes system. As a result, the Li||Li cells in LiDFOB-containing electrolytes exhibit an excellent cyclability of over 1800 h with a low overpotential of 18.2 mV, and the Li||LiFePO4 full cells display a high-capacity retention of 93.4% after 100 cycles with a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.3%.

Role of Artificial Intelligence in Multinomial Decisions and Preventative Nutrition in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects 50 million people worldwide, an increase of 35 million since 2015, and it is known for memory loss and cognitive decline. Considering the morbidity associated with AD, it is important to explore lifestyle elements influencing the chances of developing AD, with special emphasis on nutritional aspects. This review will first discuss how dietary factors have an impact in AD development and the possible role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in preventative care of AD patients through nutrition. The Mediterranean-DASH diets provide individuals with many nutrient benefits which assists the prevention of neurodegeneration by having neuroprotective roles. Lack of micronutrients, protein-energy, and polyunsaturated fatty acids increase the chance of cognitive decline, loss of memory, and synaptic dysfunction among others. ML software has the ability to design models of algorithms from data introduced to present practical solutions that are accessible and easy to use. It can give predictions for a precise medicine approach to evaluate individuals as a whole. There is no doubt the future of nutritional science lies on customizing diets for individuals to reduce dementia risk factors, maintain overall health and brain function.

Dachengqi decoction alleviates acute lung injury by suppressing HIF-1α-mediated glycolysis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Acute lung injury (ALI) is an aggressive inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by a high mortality rate. More and more researchers have found that herbal medicines are highly effective in preventing and treating inflammatory lung diseases. Among them, Dachengqi Decoction (DCQD) is considered to be the representative prescription of "lung-intestine combined treatment" in traditional Chinese medicine, and its potential protective mechanism against ALI is worthy of further study. AIM OF THE STUDY: Based on the theory of "lung-intestine combined treatment", the protective effect and molecular mechanism of DCQD in alleviating ALI were verified by network pharmacology and experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The active ingredients of DCQD were obtained by UPLC-MS. Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were used to screen the active ingredient-target pathway of DCQD for ALI treatment. Additionally, the ALI model was constructed and verified in vivo according to the predicted results. RESULTS: 34 active components and 570 potential targets of DCQD were selected by network pharmacological analysis. In addition, 950 target genes of ALI and 2095 target genes related to sepsis were obtained, and 570 interlinked target genes of the two were identified. We finally screened out 199 common target genes critical to DCQD treatment of ALI and sepsis, and then enriched them with GO and KEGG. In the ALI model, studies have found that DCQD alleviates the inflammatory response of ALI, possibly by inhibiting HIF-1α-mediated glycolysis. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the preventive effect of DCQD on ALI, and found that DCQD can improve the protective mechanism of ALI by regulating the expression of HIF-1α, down-regulating glycolysis and reducing inflammation.

p16 and p53 can Serve as Prognostic Markers for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to explore the expression and clinical significance of human papilloma virus-related pathogenic factors (p16, cyclin D1, p53) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and construct a predictive model. METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to obtain clinical data for 112 patients with HNSCC. Expression of p16, p53, and cyclin D1 was quantified. We used the survival package of the R program to set the cut-off value. Values above the cut-off were considered positive, while values below the cut-off were negative. Kaplan-Meier analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to investigate prognostic clinicopathological indicators and the expression of p16, p53, and cyclin D1. A predictive model was constructed based on the results of multifactor Cox regression analysis, and the accuracy of the predictive model was verified through final calibration analysis. Follow-up of patients with HNSCC at the Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University was conducted from 2015 to 2017, and reliability of the predictive model was validated based on follow-up data and molecular expression levels. RESULTS: According to the results, expression of p16 and p53 was significantly associated with prognosis (P < .05). The predictive model constructed based on the expression levels of p16 and p53 was useful for evaluating the prognosis of patients with HNSCC. The predictive model was validated using follow-up data obtained from the hospital, and the trend of the follow-up results was consistent with the predictive model. CONCLUSION: p16 and p53 can be used as key indicators to predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients and as critical immunohistochemical indicators in clinical practice. The survival model constructed based on p16 and p53 expression levels reliably predicts patient prognosis.

Bidirectional Invisible Photoresponse Implemented in a Traps Matrix-Combination toward Fully Optical Artificial Synapses.

Fully optical artificial synapses are crucial hardware for neuromorphic computing, which is very promising to address the future large-scale computing capacity problem. The key characteristic required in a semiconductor device to emulate synaptic potentiation and depression in a fully optical artificial synapse is the bidirectional photoresponse. This work integrates wide-band-gap TiO2 polycrystals and narrow-band-gap PbS quantum dots into a graphene transistor simultaneously, providing the device with both near-ultraviolet and near-infrared photoresponses through the photogating effect. Moreover, the TiO2 serves as a hole-trapping matrix and the PbS as an electron-trapping matrix, which impose opposite effects to the device after photoexcitation, resulting in a photoresponse in the opposite polarity. As a result, the device demonstrates a wavelength-dependent bidirectional photoresponse, which enables it to be utilized as a fully optical artificial synapse. By using near-ultraviolet or near-infrared lights as stimuli, the device successfully mimics synaptic plasticity, including synaptic potentiation/depression, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-rating-dependent plasticity, as well as the human brain-like transition of short-term memory and long-term memory and learning-experience behavior. This work validates the methodology of combining different trap matrices to achieve the bidirectional photoresponse, which can significantly inspire future research in fully optical artificial synapses.

Herba Patriniae and its component Isovitexin show anti-colorectal cancer effects by inducing apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest via p53 activation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prevalent cancer of the digestive tract. Herba Patriniae (also known as Bai Jiang Cao, HP) have been widely used to manage diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, and several cancers, including CRC. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological action of HP on CRC remain unclear. This study investigated the underlying mechanisms of HP against CRC using network pharmacology analysis and in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results revealed nine bioactive compounds of HP. Furthermore, 3460 CRC-related targets of the identified active compounds were predicted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Furthermore, 65 common targets were identified through the intersection of two related targets. Moreover, ten hub genes, including CDK4, CDK2, CDK1, CCND1, CCNB1, CCNA2, MYC, E2F1, CHEK1, and CDKN1A were identified through the topological analysis. Meanwhile, the GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the core target genes were majorly enriched in the p53 and HIF-1 signaling pathways. Moreover, HP promoted apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation by activating the p53 signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner, while a similar effect was observed for Isovitexin (the primary component of HP). Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of HP and its component Isovitexin against CRC, providing a theoretical foundation for additional experimental verification of its clinical application.

Supramolecular Responsive Chitosan Microcarriers for Cell Detachment Triggered by Adamantane.

Supramolecular responsive microcarriers based on chitosan microspheres were prepared and applied for nonenzymatic cell detachment. Briefly, chitosan microspheres (CSMs) were first prepared by an emulsion crosslinking approach, the surface of which was then modified with ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) by chemical grafting. Subsequently, gelatin was attached onto the surface of the CSMs via the host-guest interaction between ß-CD groups and aromatic residues in gelatin. The resultant microspheres were denoted CSM-g-CD-Gel. Due to their superior biocompatibility and gelatin niches, CSM-g-CD-Gel microspheres can be used as effective microcarriers for cell attachment and expansion. L-02, a human fetal hepatocyte line, was used to evaluate cell attachment and expansion with these microcarriers. After incubation for 48 h, the cells attached and expanded to cover the entire surface of microcarriers. Moreover, with the addition of adamantane (AD), cells can be detached from the microcarriers together with gelatin because of the competitive binding between ß-CD and AD. Overall, these supramolecular responsive microcarriers could effectively support cell expansion and achieve nonenzymatic cell detachment and may be potentially reusable with a new cycle of gelatin attachment and detachment.

Recent preparation, modification and application progress of starch nanocrystals: A review.

Due to the advantages of wide sources, high biocompatibility and favorable biodegradability, starch nanocrystals (SNCs) have gradually attracted attention and have bright development prospects in food, agriculture, materials, medicine and other fields. However, the traditional preparation method of SNCs is time-consuming and inefficient, and the physicochemical properties cannot fully meet the needs of multiple applications. Fortunately, the unique onion-like structure of starch granules and the large number of hydroxyl groups present on the surface entitle SNCs to efficient preparation and modification. This paper comprehensively reviewed the improvement methods of SNCs preparation process in recent years, and the advantages and disadvantages of the two improvement strategies were compared. Besides, the importance of introducing different pretreatment methods into the SNCs preparation process was emphasized. It also focused on the different modification treatment and application progress of SNCs, especially in the starch-based surface coating of fruits and vegetables. The information will contribute to further improve the preparation efficiency and physicochemical properties of SNCs, and ultimately expand the application field.

The Modulation of Sucrose Nonfermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2.6 State by Persulfidation and Phosphorylation: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

SnRK2.6 (SUCROSE NONFERMENTING 1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE2.6) has been characterized as a molecular switch for the intracellular abscisic acid (ABA) signal-transduction pathway. Normally, SnRK2.6 is kept in an "off" state, forming a binary complex with protein phosphatase type 2Cs (PP2Cs). Upon stressful conditions, SnRK2.6 turns into an "on" state by its release from PP2Cs and then phosphorylation at Ser175. However, how the "on" and "off" states for SnRK2.6 are fine-tuned, thereby controlling the initiation and braking processes of ABA signaling, is still largely unclear. SnRK2.6 activity was tightly regulated through protein post-translational modifications (PTM), such as persulfidation and phosphorylation. Taking advantage of molecular dynamics simulations, our results showed that Cys131/137 persulfidation on SnRK2.6 induces destabilized binding and weakened interactions between SnRK2.6 and HAB1 (HYPERSENSITIVE TO ABA1), an important PP2C family protein. This unfavorable effect on the association of the SnRK2.6-HAB1 complex suggests that persulfidation functions are a positive regulator of ABA signaling initiation. In addition, Ser267 phosphorylation in persulfidated SnRK2.6 renders a stable physical association between SnRK2.6 and HAB1, a key characterization for SnRK2.6 inhibition. Rather than Ser175, HAB1 cannot dephosphorylate Ser267 in SnRK2.6, which implies that the retained phosphorylation status of Ser267 could ensure that the activated SnRK2.6 reforms the binary complex to cease ABA signaling. Taken together, our findings expand current knowledge concerning the regulation of persulfidation and phosphorylation on the state transition of SnRK2.6 and provide insights into the fine-tuned mechanism of ABA signaling.

Ultrasound-Activated NIR Chemiluminescence for Deep Tissue and Tumor Foci Imaging.

Fluorescence imaging requires real-time external light excitation; however, it has the drawbacks of autofluorescence and shallower penetration depth, limiting its application in deep tissue imaging. At the same time, ultrasound (US) has high spatiotemporal resolution, deep penetrability, noninvasiveness, and precise localization of lesions; thus, it can be a promising alternative to light. However, US-activated luminescence has been rarely reported. Herein, an US-activated near-infrared (NIR) chemiluminescence (CL) molecule, namely, PNCL, is designed by protoporphyrin IX as a sonosensitizer moiety and a phenoxy-dioxetane precursor containing a dicyanomethyl chromone acceptor scaffold (NCL) as the US-responsive moiety. After therapeutic US radiation (1 MHz), the singlet oxygen (1O2), as an "intermediary", oxidizes the enol-ether bond of the NCL moiety and then emits NIR light via spontaneous decomposition. Combining the deep penetrability of US with a high signal-to-background ratio of NIR CL, the designed probe PNCL successfully realizes US-activated deep tissue imaging (∼20 mm) and selectively turns on signals in specific tumor foci. Bridging US chemistry with luminescence using an "intermediary" will provide new imaging methods for accurate cancer diagnosis.

MiR-874-5p targets VDR/NLRP3 to reduce intestinal pyroptosis and improve intestinal barrier damage in sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is associated with intestinal barrier damage in sepsis. However, the mechanism of action of miR-874-5p/VDR/NLRP3 axis in disease has not been clearly explained. Therefore, the main content of this study is to explore the mechanism of this axis in intestinal barrier damage in sepsis. METHODS: In order to confirm the progress of miR-874-5p regulation of VDR/NLRP3 pathway and its involvement in intestinal barrier damage in sepsis, a series of molecular biology and cell biology methods were carried out in this study. These include the establishment of cecal ligation puncture model, Western blot, RT-qPCR, hematoxylin and eosin staining, double luciferase reporting method, Fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorption assay. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-874-5p was higher and that of VDR was lower in sepsis. miR-874-5p was negatively correlated with VDR. Inhibition of miR-874-5p expression increased the expression of VDR, decreased the expression of NLRP3, reduced caspase-1 activation and IL-1ß secretion, reduced pyroptosis and inflammatory response, and thus protected the intestinal barrier damage in sepsis, all of which were reversed by the downregulation of VDR. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that down-regulation of miR-874-5p or up-regulation of VDR could reduce intestinal barrier damage in sepsis, which may provide potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for intestinal barrier damage in sepsis.

Oridonin promotes endoplasmic reticulum stress via TP53-repressed TCF4 transactivation in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of colorectal cancer and cancer death rate are increasing every year, and the affected population is becoming younger. Traditional Chinese medicine therapy has a unique effect in prolonging survival time and improving the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. Oridonin has been reported to have anti-cancer effects in a variety of tumors, but the exact mechanism remains to be investigated. METHODS: Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK8) and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining assay, Tranwell, and Wound healing assays were performed to measure cell proliferation, invasion, and migration capacities, respectively. The protein and mRNA expression levels of various molecules were reflected by Western blot and Reverse Transcription quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) and its target genes were analyzed by Position Weight Matrices (PWMs) software and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Immunofluorescence (IF) was performed to visualize the expression and position of Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress biomarkers. The morphology of the ER was demonstrated by the ER tracker-red. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels were measured using a flow cytometer (FCM) or fluorescent staining. Calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration was quantified by Fluo-3 AM staining. Athymic nude mice were modeled with subcutaneous xenografts. RESULTS: Oridonin inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of colorectal cancer, and this effect was weakened in a concentration-dependent manner by ER stress inhibitors. In addition, oridonin-induced colorectal tumor cells showed increased expression of ER stress biomarkers, loose morphology of ER, increased vesicles, and irregular shape. TCF4 was identified as a regulator of ER stress by PWMs software and GEO survival analysis. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that TCF4 inhibited ER stress, reduced ROS production, and maintained Ca2+ homeostasis. In addition, oridonin also activated TP53 and inhibited TCF4 transactivation, further exacerbating the elevated ROS levels and calcium ion release in tumor cells and inhibiting tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer cells in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Oridonin upregulated TP53, inhibited TCF4 transactivation, and induced ER stress dysregulation in tumor cells, promoting colorectal cancer cell death. Therefore, TCF4 may be one of the important nodes for tumor cells to regulate ER stress and maintain protein synthesis homeostasis. And the inhibition of the TP53/TCF4 axis plays a key role in the anti-cancer effects of oridonin.

Effects of telemedicine-based follow-up management on adults with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of telemedicine-based follow-up management on adults with obstructive sleep apnea. METHODS: Publications were searched in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase. Studies were selected according to the predefined screening criteria, and their qualities were assessed by the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. The statistical analyses were performed using Stata12.0 software. It was registered in PROSPERO with the number: CRD42021276414. RESULTS: A total of 33 articles with 8,689 participants were included. Telemedicine-based follow-up management improved average daily continuous positive airway pressure usage by 36 min (weighted mean difference:0.61;95% confidence interval: 0.39 to 0.83), and the percentage of days with continuous positive airway pressure usage more than four hours by 10.67% in obstructive sleep apnea patients. The meta-analysis of good continuous positive airway pressure compliance showed telemedicine-based follow-up management did not lead to good continuous positive airway pressure compliance (odds ratio: 1.13;95% confidence interval: 0.72 to 1.76). The pooled mean difference of sleep quality was 0.15 (standardized mean difference:0.15; 95% confidence interval: -0.03 to 0.32), and daytime sleepiness was -0.26 (weighted mean difference: -0.26;95% confidence interval: -0.79 to 0.28). The pooled mean difference of apnea hypopnea index was -0.53 (95% confidence interval: -3.58 to 2.51). As for the overall quality of life, the pooled mean difference was -0.25 (standardized mean difference: -0.25;95% confidence interval: -0.25 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Telemedicine-based follow-up management was beneficial for continuous positive airway pressure compliance of obstructive sleep apnea patients within six months. However, it could not improve sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, and quality of life in obstructive sleep apnea patients compared with traditional follow-up. Moreover, it was more cost-effective, but there was no consensus on whether it would increase the workload of medical staff.

Osteoarthritis models: From animals to tissue engineering.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative osteoarthropathy. Although it has been revealed that a variety of factors can cause or aggravate the symptoms of OA, the pathogenic mechanisms of OA remain unknown. Reliable OA models that accurately reflect human OA disease are crucial for studies on the pathogenic mechanism of OA and therapeutic drug evaluation. This review first demonstrated the importance of OA models by briefly introducing the OA pathological features and the current limitations in the pathogenesis and treatment of OA. Then, it mainly discusses the development of different OA models, including animal and engineered models, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of pathogenesis and pathology analysis. In particular, the state-of-the-art engineered models and their potential were emphasized, as they may represent the future direction in the development of OA models. Finally, the challenges in obtaining reliable OA models are also discussed, and possible future directions are outlined to shed some light on this area.

Addressing the Relationship between Leaf Nitrogen and Carbon Isotope Discrimination from the Three Levels of Community, Population and Individual.

The carbon, nitrogen and water cycles of terrestrial ecosystems are important biogeochemical cycles. Addressing the relationship of leaf nitrogen (N) and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) will enhance the understanding of the links between these three cycles in plant leaves because Δ can reflect time-integrated leaf-level water-use efficiency (WUE) over the period when the leaf material is produced. Previous studies have paid considerable attention to the relationship. However, these studies have not effectively eliminated the interference of environmental factors, inter-species, and inter-individual differences in this relationship, so new research is necessary. To minimize these interferences, the present work explored the relationship at the three levels of community, population, and plant individual. Three patterns of positive, negative and no relationship were observed across communities, populations, and individuals, which is dependent on environmental conditions, species, and plant individuals. The results strongly suggested that there is no general pattern for the relationship between leaf N and Δ. Furthermore, the results indicated that there is often no coupling between leaf-level long-term WUE and leaf N in the metabolic process of carbon, N and water in leaves. The main reason for the lack of this relationship is that most plants do not invest large amounts of nitrogen into photosynthesis. In addition, the present study also observed that, for most plant species, leaf N was not related to photosynthetic rate, and that variations in photosynthetic rates are mainly driven by stomatal conductance.