Ribbon-Ordered Superlattice Enables Reversible Anion Redox and Stable High-Voltage Na-Ion Battery Cathodes.

High-voltage layered oxide cathodes attract great attention for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to the potential high energy density, but high voltage usually leads to rapid capacity decay. Herein, a stable high-voltage NaLi0.1Ni0.35Mn0.3Ti0.25O2 cathode with a ribbon-ordered superlattice is reported, and the intrinsic coupling mechanism between structure evolution and the anion redox reaction (ARR) is revealed. Li introduction constructs a special Li-O-Na configuration activating reversible nonbonded O 2p (|O2p)-type ARR and regulates the structure evolution way, enabling the reversible Li ions out-of-layer migration instead of the irreversible transition metal ions out-of-layer migration. The reversible structure evolution enhances the reversibility of the bonded O 2p (O2p)-type ARR and inhibits the generation of oxygen dimers, thus suppressing the irreversible molecular oxygen (O2)-type ARR. After the structure regulation, the structure evolution becomes reversible, |O2p-type ARR is activated, O2p-type ARR becomes stable, and O2-type ARR is inhibited, which largely suppresses the capacity degradation and voltage decay. The discharge capacity is increased from 154 to 168 mA h g-1, the capacity retention after 200 cycles significantly increases from 35 to 84%, and the voltage retention increases from 78 to 93%. This study presents some guidance for the design of high-voltage, O3-type oxide cathodes for high-performance SIBs.

A ß-1,3/1,6-glucan enhances anti-tumor effects of PD1 antibody by reprogramming tumor microenvironment.

Checkpoint blockades have emerged as a frontline approach in cancer management, designed to enhance the adaptive immune response against tumors. However, its clinical efficacy is limited to a narrow range of tumor types, which necessitates the exploration of novel strategies that target another main branch of the immune system. One such potential strategy is the therapeutic modulation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) pathways in innate immune cells, which have shown promise in tumor eradication. Previously, a ß-1,3/1,6-glucan with high purity from Durvillaea antarctica (BG136) was reported by our group to exhibit pan-antitumor effects. In the current study, we systemically studied the antitumor activity of BG136 in combination with anti-PD1 antibody in MC38 syngeneic tumor model in vivo. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses suggested that BG136 enhances the antitumor immunity of anti-PD1 antibody by reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to become more proinflammatory. In addition, an increase in innate and adaptive immune cell infiltration and activation, enhanced lipid metabolism, and a decreased in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism were also found. These findings provide mechanistic insights that support the potent antitumor efficacy of BG136 when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies.

HIF-1 Transcriptionally Regulates Basal Expression of STING to Maintain Cellular Innate Immunity.

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) is a critical component of the innate immune system, playing an essential role in defending against DNA virus infections. However, the mechanisms governing basal STING regulation remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the basal level of STING is critically maintained by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1)α through transcription. Under normal conditions, HIF-1α binds constitutively to the promoter region of STING, actively promoting its transcription. Knocking down HIF-1α results in a decrease in STING expression in multiple cell lines and zebrafish, which in turn reduces cellular responses to synthetic dsDNAs, including cell signaling and IFN production. Moreover, this decrease in STING levels leads to an increase in cellular susceptibility to DNA viruses HSV-1 and pseudorabies virus. These findings unveil a (to our knowledge) novel role of HIF-1α in maintaining basal STING levels and provide valuable insights into STING-mediated antiviral activities and associated diseases.

Structural insights into activation mechanisms on NADase of the bacterial DSR2 anti-phage defense system.

As a sirtuin (SIR2) family protein, defense-associated sirtuin2 (DSR2) has been demonstrated to participate in bacterial anti-phage resistance via depleting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) of infected cells, which can be activated by tail tube protein (TTP) and inhibited by DSR anti-defense 1 (DSAD1) of diverse phages. However, the regulating mechanism remains elusive. Here, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of apo DSR2, as well as the respective complex structures with TTP and DSAD1. Structural analyses and biochemical studies reveal that DSR2 forms a tetramer with a SIR2 central core and two distinct conformations. Monomeric TTP preferentially binds to the closed conformation of DSR2, inducing conformational distortions on SIR2 tetramer assembly to activate its NADase activity. DSAD1 combines with the open conformation of DSR2, directly or allosterically inhibiting TTP activation on DSR2 NAD+ hydrolysis. Our findings decipher the detailed molecule mechanisms for DSR2 NADase activity regulation and lay a foundation for in-depth understanding of the DSR2 anti-phage defense system.

The Evaluation of Interface Quality in HfO2 Films Probed by Time-Dependent Second-Harmonic Generation.

Time-dependent second-harmonic generation (TD-SHG) is an emerging sensitive and fast method to qualitatively evaluate the interface quality of the oxide/Si heterostructures, which is closely related to the interfacial electric field. Here, the TD-SHG is used to explore the interface quality of atomic layer deposited HfO2 films on Si substrates. The critical SHG parameters, such as the initial SHG signal and characteristic time constant, are compared with the fixed charge density (Qox) and the interface state density (Dit) extracted from the conventional electrical characterization method. It reveals that the initial SHG signal linearly decreases with the increase in Qox, while Dit is linearly correlated to the characteristic time constant. It verifies that the TD-SHG is a sensitive and fast method, as well as simple and noncontact, for evaluating the interface quality of oxide/Si heterostructures, which may facilitate the in-line semiconductor test.

20( S )-Protopanaxatriol Improves Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Degradation in ApoE KO Mice.

ABSTRACT: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic progressive disease caused by various factors and causes various cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Reducing the plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the primary goal in preventing and treating AS. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a crucial role in regulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism. Panax notoginseng has potent lipid-reducing effects and protects against CVDs, and its saponins induce vascular dilatation, inhibit thrombus formation, and are used in treating CVDs. However, the anti-AS effect of the secondary metabolite, 20( S )-protopanaxatriol (20( S )-PPT), remains unclear. In this study, the anti-AS effect and molecular mechanism of 20( S )-PPT were investigated in vivo and in vitro by Western blotting, real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence staining, and other assays. The in vitro experiments revealed that 20( S )-PPT reduced the levels of PCSK9 in the supernatant of HepG2 cells, upregulated low-density lipoprotein receptor protein levels, promoted low-density lipoprotein uptake by HepG2 cells, and reduced PCSK9 mRNA transcription by upregulating the levels of forkhead box O3 protein and mRNA and decreasing the levels of HNF1α and SREBP2 protein and mRNA. The in vivo experiments revealed that 20( S )-PPT upregulated aortic α-smooth muscle actin expression, increased the stability of atherosclerotic plaques, and reduced aortic plaque formation induced by a high-cholesterol diet in ApoE -/- mice (high-cholesterol diet-fed group). Additionally, 20( S )-PPT reduced the aortic expression of CD68, reduced inflammation in the aortic root, and alleviated the hepatic lesions in the high-cholesterol diet-fed group. The study revealed that 20( S )-PPT inhibited low-density lipoprotein receptor degradation via PCSK9 to alleviate AS.

Structural Optimization of Marine Natural Product Pretrichodermamide B for the Treatment of Colon Cancer by Targeting the JAK/STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Marine natural product (MNP) pretrichodermamide B (Pre B, 9) was identified as a novel STAT3 inhibitor in our previous work, while its metabolic instability hindered its further development. To address this drawback, ligand structure-based drug design was adopted leading to a series of Pre B derivatives. Among them, MNP trichodermamide B (tri B, 24) obtained by skeletal rearrangement exhibited more potent antiproliferative activity with an IC50 value of 0.12 µM against HCT116. Notably, 24 stood out with improved metabolic stability (T1/2 = 31 min) and more favorable oral bioavailability (F = 37.5%). Further studies indicated that 24 blocked JAK/STAT3 signaling in dose- and time-dependent manner. In vivo, 24 suppressed tumor growth (TGI = 65%) at a dose of 20 mg/kg in a HCT116-derived xenograft mouse model. Overall, 24 might be a promising lead compound for colon cancer and is worthy of further investigation.

Stress mitigation mechanism of rice leaf microbiota amid atmospheric deposition of heavy metals.

Leaf microbiota have been extensively applied in the biological control of plant diseases, but their crucial roles in mitigating atmospheric heavy metal (HM) deposition and promoting plant growth remain poorly understood. This study demonstrates that elevated atmospheric HM deposition on rice leaves significantly shapes distinct epiphytic and endophytic microbiota across all growth stages. HM stress consistently leads to the dominance of epiphytic Pantoea and endophytic Microbacterium in rice leaves, particularly during the booting and filling stages. Leaf-bound HMs stimulate the differentiation of specialized microbial communities in both endophytic and epiphytic compartments, thereby regulating leaf microbial interactions. Metagenomic binning retrieved high-quality genomes of keystone leaf microorganisms, indicating their potential for essential metabolic functions. Notably, Pantoea and Microbacterium show significant HM resistance, plant growth-promoting capabilities, and diverse element cycling functions. They possess genes associated with metal(loid) resistance, such as ars and czc, suggesting their ability to detoxify arsenic(As) and cadmium(Cd). They also support carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling, with genes linked to carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation, and sulfur reduction. Additionally, these bacteria may enhance plant stress resistance and growth by producing antioxidants, phytohormones, and other beneficial compounds, potentially improving HM stress tolerance and nutrient availability in rice plants. This study shows that atmospheric HMs affect rice leaf microbial communities, prompting plants to seek microbial help to combat stress. The unique composition and metabolic potential of rice leaf microbiota offer a novel perspective for mitigating adverse stress induced by atmospheric HM deposition. This contributes to the utilization of leaf microbiota to alleviate the negative impact of heavy metal deposition on rice development and food security.

Vinylcyclopropane-Cyclopentene (VCP-CP) Rearrangement Enabled by Pyridine-Assisted Boronyl Radical Catalysis.

An unprecedented VCP-CP (vinylcyclopropane-cyclopentene) rearrangement approach has been established herein by virtue of the pyridine-boronyl radical catalyzed intramolecular ring expansions. This metal-free radical pathway harnesses readily available catalysts and unactivated vinylcyclopropane starting materials, providing an array of cyclopentene derivatives chemoselectively under relatively mild conditions. Mechanistic studies support the idea that the boronyl radical engages in the generation of allylic/ketyl radical species, thus inducing the ring opening of cyclopropanes and the following intramolecular cyclization processes.

Engineering Reversible Lattice Structure for High-Capacity Co-Free Li-Rich Cathodes with Negligible Capacity Degradation.

Co-free Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials are garnering great interest because of high capacity and low cost. However, their practical application is seriously hampered by the irreversible oxygen escape and the poor cycling stability. Herein, a reversible lattice adjustment strategy is proposed by integrating O vacancies and B doping. B incorporation increases TM─O (TM: transition metal) bonding orbitals whereas decreases the antibonding orbitals. Moreover, B doping and O vacancies synergistically increase the crystal orbital bond index values enhancing the overall covalent bonding strength, which makes TM─O octahedron more resistant to damage and enables the lattice to better accommodate the deformation and reaction without irreversible fracture. Furthermore, Mott-Hubbard splitting energy is decreased due to O vacancies, facilitating electron leaps, and enhancing the lattice reactivity and capacity. Such a reversible lattice, more amenable to deformation and forestalling fracturing, markedly improves the reversibility of lattice reactions and mitigates TM migration and the irreversible oxygen redox which enables the high cycling stability and high rate capability. The modified cathode demonstrates a specific capacity of 200 mAh g-1 at 1C, amazingly sustaining the capacity for 200 cycles without capacity degradation. This finding presents a promising avenue for solving the long-term cycling issue of Li-rich cathode.

Ferrielectricity controlled widely-tunable magnetoelectric coupling in van der Waals multiferroics.

The discovery of various primary ferroic phases in atomically-thin van der Waals crystals have created a new two-dimensional wonderland for exploring and manipulating exotic quantum phases. It may also bring technical breakthroughs in device applications, as evident by prototypical functionalities of giant tunneling magnetoresistance, gate-tunable ferromagnetism and non-volatile ferroelectric memory etc. However, two-dimensional multiferroics with effective magnetoelectric coupling, which ultimately decides the future of multiferroic-based information technology, has not been realized yet. Here, we show that an unconventional magnetoelectric coupling mechanism interlocked with heterogeneous ferrielectric transitions emerges at the two-dimensional limit in van der Waals multiferroic CuCrP2S6 with inherent antiferromagnetism and antiferroelectricity. Distinct from the homogeneous antiferroelectric bulk, thin-layer CuCrP2S6 under external electric field makes layer-dependent heterogeneous ferrielectric transitions, minimizing the depolarization effect introduced by the rearrangements of Cu+ ions within the ferromagnetic van der Waals cages of CrS6 and P2S6 octahedrons. The resulting ferrielectric phases are characterized by substantially reduced interlayer magnetic coupling energy of nearly 50% with a moderate electric field of 0.3 V nm-1, producing widely-tunable magnetoelectric coupling which can be further engineered by asymmetrical electrode work functions.

Effects of wollastonite and phosphate treatments on cadmium bioaccessibility in pak choi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) grown in contaminated soils.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination of soil can strongly impact human health through the food chain due to uptake by crop plants. Inorganic immobilizing agents such as silicates and phosphates have been shown to effectively reduce Cd transfer from the soil to cereal crops. However, the effects of such agents on total Cd and its bioaccessibility in leafy vegetables are not yet known. Pak choi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) was here selected as a representative leafy vegetable to be tested in pots to reveal the effects of silicate-phosphate amendments on soil Cd chemical fractions, total plant Cd levels, and plant bioaccessibility. The collected Cd contaminated soil was mixed with control soil at 1:0, 1:1, 1:4, 0:1 with a view to Cd high/moderate/mild/control soil samples. Three heavy metal-immobilizing agents: wollastonite (W), potassium tripolyphosphate (KTPP), and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) were added to the soil in order to get four different treatment groups, i.e., control (CK), application of wollastonite alone (W), wollastonite co-applied with KTPP (WKTPP), application of wollastonite co-applied with SHMP (WSHMP) for remediation of soils with different levels of Cd contamination. All three treatments increased the effective bio-Cd concentration in the soils with varying levels of contamination, except for W under moderate and heavy Cd contamination. The total Cd concentration in pak choi plants grown in mildly Cd-contaminated soil was elevated by 86.2% after WKTPP treatment compared to the control treatment could function as a phytoremediation aid for mildly Cd-contaminated soil. Using an in vitro digestion method (physiologically based extraction test) combined with transmission electron microscopy, silicate and phosphorus agents were found to reduce the bioaccessibility of Cd in pak choi by up to 66.13% with WSHMP treatment. Application of silicate alone reduced soil bio-Cd concentration through the formation of insoluble complexes and silanol groups with Cd, but the addition of phosphate may have facilitated Cd translocation into pak choi by first co-precipitating with Ca in wollastonite while simultaneously altering soil pH. Meanwhile, wollastonite and phosphate treatments may cause Cd to be firmly enclosed in the cell wall in an insoluble form, reducing its translocation to edible parts and decreasing the bioaccessibility of Cd in pak choi. This study contributes to the mitigation of Cd bioaccessibility in pak choi by reducing soil Cd concentration through in situ remediation and will help us to extend the effects of wollastonite and phosphate on Cd bioaccessibility to other common vegetables. Therefore, this study thus reveals effective strategies for the remediation of soil Cd and the reduction of Cd bioaccessibility in crops based on two indicators: total Cd and Cd bioaccessibility. Our findings contribute to the development of methods for safer cultivation of commonly consumed leafy vegetables and for soil remediation.

Alginate oligosaccharide assimilation by gut microorganisms and the potential role in gut inflammation alleviation.

Dietary fiber metabolism by gut microorganisms plays important roles in host physiology and health. Alginate, the major dietary fiber of daily diet seaweeds, is drawing more attention because of multiple biological activities. To advance the understanding of alginate assimilation mechanism in the gut, we show the presence of unsaturated alginate oligosaccharides (uAOS)-specific alginate utilization loci (AUL) in human gut microbiome. As a representative example, a working model of the AUL from the gut microorganism Bacteroides clarus was reconstructed from biochemistry and transcriptome data. The fermentation of resulting monosaccharides through Entner-Doudoroff pathway tunes the metabolism of short-chain fatty acids and amino acids. Furthermore, we show that uAOS feeding protects the mice against dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute colitis probably by remodeling gut microbiota and metabolome. IMPORTANCE: Alginate has been included in traditional Chinese medicine and daily diet for centuries. Recently discovered biological activities suggested that alginate-derived alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) might be an active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, but how these AOS are metabolized in the gut and how it affects health need more information. The study on the working mechanism of alginate utilization loci (AUL) by the gut microorganism uncovers the role of unsaturated alginate oligosaccharides (uAOS) assimilation in tuning short-chain fatty acids and amino acids metabolism and demonstrates that uAOS metabolism by gut microorganisms results in a variation of cell metabolites, which potentially contributes to the physiology and health of gut.

Harnessing Van der Waals CrPS4 and Surface Oxides for Nonmonotonic Preset Field Induced Exchange Bias in Fe3GeTe2.

Two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures are an attractive platform for studying exchange bias due to their defect-free and atomically flat interfaces. Chromium thiophosphate (CrPS4), an antiferromagnetic material, possesses uncompensated magnetic spins in a single layer, rendering it a promising candidate for exploring exchange bias phenomena. Recent findings have highlighted that naturally oxidized vdW ferromagnetic Fe3GeTe2 exhibits exchange bias, attributed to the antiferromagnetic coupling of its ultrathin surface oxide layer (O-FGT) with the underlying unoxidized Fe3GeTe2. Anomalous Hall measurements are employed to scrutinize the exchange bias within the CrPS4/(O-FGT)/Fe3GeTe2 heterostructure. This analysis takes into account the contributions from both the perfectly uncompensated interfacial CrPS4 layer and the interfacial oxide layer. Intriguingly, a distinct and nonmonotonic exchange bias trend is observed as a function of temperature below 140 K. The occurrence of exchange bias induced by a "preset field" implies that the prevailing phase in the polycrystalline surface oxide is ferrimagnetic Fe3O4. Moreover, the exchange bias induced by the ferrimagnetic Fe3O4 is significantly modulated by the presence of the van der Waals antiferromagnetic CrPS4 layer, forming a heterostructure, along with additional iron oxide phases within the oxide layer. These findings underscore the intricate and complex nature of exchange bias in van der Waals heterostructures, highlighting their potential for tailored manipulation and control.

Robust room temperature perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and anomalous Hall effect of sputtered NiCo2O4film.

Inverse spinel ferrimagnetic NiCo2O4(NCO) exhibits volatile physical properties due to the complex ion/valence occupation, which complicates the study its intrinsic properties. In this work, robust room temperature perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is distinctly observed in high-quality RF-sputtered NCO film down to 3 uc (2.4 nm), confirmed by the room temperature anomalous Hall effect. The NCO films show a good metallic conductivity with a dimensional driven metal-insulator transition. The scaling relation between anomalous Hall conductivity (σxy) and the longitudinal conductivity (σxx) reveals the dirty metal behavior in conjunction with the contribution of intrinsic Berry phase or disorder-enhanced electron correlation contribute to the anomalous Hall effect for thick films while the dirty scaling law dominates for the thin films. This work introduces an oxide candidate with robust room temperature PMA as well as massive production ability for the functional spintronic applications.

The outcome of combined use of iRoot BP Plus and iRoot SP for root-end filling in endodontic microsurgery: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Root-end filling is important for the clinical outcome of endodontic microsurgery. Our previous study showed that combined application of iRoot BP Plus Root Repair Material (BP-RRM) and iRoot SP Injectable Root Canal Sealer (SP-RCS) in root-end filling exhibited better apical sealing as compared to the application of BP-RRM alone. The aim of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of BP-RRM and SP-RCS on the prognosis of teeth with refractory periapical diseases after endodontic microsurgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 240 teeth with refractory periapical diseases scheduled for endodontic microsurgery were randomly divided into BP-RRM/SP-RCS group (n = 120) and BP-RRM group (n = 120). The patients were followed up at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after endodontic microsurgery. Pre- and post-operative clinical and radiographic examinations were performed to evaluate the treatment outcome. The 1-year success rate of endodontic microsurgery in BP-RRM/SP-RCS and BP-RRM groups was compared by Chi-square test. Factors that might impact the prognosis were further analyzed using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: A total of 221 teeth completed the 12-month follow-up. The 1-year success rates of the BP-RRM/SP-RCS and BP-RRM groups were 94.5% (104/110) and 92.8% (103/111), respectively. The combined use of BP-RRM and SP-RCS achieved a clinical outcome comparable to BP-RRM alone (P = 0.784). Tooth type (P = 0.002), through-and-through/apico-marginal lesion (P = 0.049), periodontal status (P < 0.0001), and Kim's lesion classification (P < 0.0001) were critical factors associated with the 1-year success of endodontic microsurgery. CONCLUSIONS: The combined use of BP-RRM and SP-RCS is a practicable method for root-end filling in endodontic microsurgery with a satisfactory 1-year clinical outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The combined application of BP-RRM and SP-RCS in EMS is an effective root-end filling method with a satisfactory 1-year clinical outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100052174).

A visible-light-induced bromine radical initiates direct C-H alkylation of heteroaromatics.

Herein, a photoinduced direct C(sp2)-H alkylation of N-heteroaromatics by using commercially available tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB) as a HAT reagent is described. The method uses O2 as the oxidant, and features metal-free, mild reaction conditions and good functional group compatibility.

The usefulness of contrast echocardiography in the evaluation of cardiac masses: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac masses can encompass a variety of conditions, such as tumors, thrombi, vegetations, calcific lesions, and other rare diseases. Treatment and management of these types of cardiac masses differ considerably. Thus, accurately distinguishing among thrombi, benign tumors, and malignant tumors in the heart is of great importance. Contrast echocardiography (CE) has emerged as a promising technology. Although published guidelines suggest that CE can enhance image quality and assist in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions, most studies on CE diagnosis of cardiac masses are limited to case reports or retrospective/small-sample-sized prospective cohorts. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CE in patients with suspected cardiac masses and address the insufficient evidence for differential diagnosis using CE. METHODS: Between April 2018 and July 2022, a prospective multicenter study was conducted, which included 145 consecutive patients suspected to have cardiac masses based on transthoracic echocardiography. All patients underwent CE examinations. The echocardiographic diagnosis relied on qualitative factors such as echogenicity, boundary, morphology of the base, mass perfusion, pericardial effusion, and motility as well as quantitative factors such as the area of the masses and the peak intensity ratio of the masses to adjacent myocardium (A1/A2). RESULTS: The final confirmed diagnoses were as follows: 2 patients had no cardiac mass, 4 patients had pseudomass, 43 patients had thrombus, 66 patients had benign tumors, and 30 patients had malignant tumors. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that an optimal A1/A2 cutoff value of 0.499 distinguished a cardiac tumor from a thrombus, with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 0.977, 97.9%, 90.7%, 95.9%, and 95.1%, respectively. The optimal A1/A2 cutoff value of 1.583 distinguished a cardiac tumor from a thrombus, with AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 0.950, 93.3%, 93.9%, 87.5%, and 96.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Combined with qualitative and quantitative analyses, CE has the potential to accurately differentiate among different types of cardiac masses.

The therapeutic effects of marine sulfated polysaccharides on diabetic nephropathy.

Marine sulfated polysaccharide (MSP) is a natural high molecular polysaccharide containing sulfate groups, which widely exists in various marine organisms. The sources determine structural variabilities of MSPs which have high security and wide biological activities, such as anticoagulation, antitumor, antivirus, immune regulation, regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant, etc. Due to the structural similarities between MSP and endogenous heparan sulfate, a majority of studies have shown that MSP can be used to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) in vivo and in vitro. In this paper, we reviewed the anti-DN activities, the dominant mechanisms and structure-activity relationship of MSPs in order to provide the overall scene of MSPs as a modality of treating DN.

Efficient current-induced spin torques and field-free magnetization switching in a room-temperature van der Waals magnet.

The discovery of magnetism in van der Waals (vdW) materials has established unique building blocks for the research of emergent spintronic phenomena. In particular, owing to their intrinsically clean surface without dangling bonds, the vdW magnets hold the potential to construct a superior interface that allows for efficient electrical manipulation of magnetism. Despite several attempts in this direction, it usually requires a cryogenic condition and the assistance of external magnetic fields, which is detrimental to the real application. Here, we fabricate heterostructures based on Fe3GaTe2 flakes that have room-temperature ferromagnetism with excellent perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The current-driven nonreciprocal modulation of coercive fields reveals a high spin-torque efficiency in the Fe3GaTe2/Pt heterostructures, which further leads to a full magnetization switching by current. Moreover, we demonstrate the field-free magnetization switching resulting from out-of-plane polarized spin currents by asymmetric geometry design. Our work could expedite the development of efficient vdW spintronic logic, memory, and neuromorphic computing devices.