Chemerin regulates glucose and lipid metabolism by changing mitochondrial structure and function associated with androgen/androgen receptor.

The adipokine chemerin contributes to exercise-induced improvements in glucose and lipid metabolism; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to confirm the impact of reduced chemerin expression on exercise-induced improvement in glycolipid metabolism in male diabetic (DM) mice through exogenous chemerin administration. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of chemerin involved in changes in muscle mitochondria function mediated by androgen/androgen receptor (AR) was explored by generating adipose-specific and global chemerin knockout (adipo-chemerin-/- and chemerin-/-) mice. DM mice were categorized into the DM, exercised DM (EDM), and EDM + chemerin supplementation groups. Adipo-chemerin-/- and chemerin-/- mice were classified in the sedentary or exercised groups and fed either a normal or high-fat diet. Exercise mice underwent a 6-week aerobic exercise regimen. The serum testosterone and chemerin levels, glycolipid metabolism indices, mitochondrial function, and protein levels involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics were measured. Notably, exogenous chemerin reversed exercise-induced improvements in glycolipid metabolism, AR protein levels, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mitochondrial fusion in DM mice. Moreover, adipose-specific chemerin knockout improved glycolipid metabolism, enhanced exercise-induced increases in testosterone and AR levels in exercised mice, and alleviated the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet on mitochondrial morphology, biogenesis, and dynamics. Finally, similar improvements in glucose metabolism (but not lipid metabolism), mitochondrial function, and mitochondrial dynamics were observed in chemerin-/- mice. In conclusion, decreased chemerin levels affect exercise-induced improvements in glycolipid metabolism in male mice by increasing mitochondrial number and function, likely through changes in androgen/AR signaling.

HIIT Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization and Sympathetic Nerve Density to Induce Adipose Tissue Browning in T2DM Mice.

Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a focus of research in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolism, which may be a potential molecular mechanism for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to improve T2DM. In this study, male C57BL/6J wild-type mice were subjected to an 8-week HIIT regimen following T2DM induction through a high-fat diet (HFD) combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection. We found that HIIT improved glucose metabolism, body weight, and fat mass in T2DM mice. HIIT also decreased adipocyte size and induced browning of WAT. Our data revealed a decrease in TNFα and an increase in IL-10 with HIIT, although the expression of chemokines MCP-1 and CXCL14 was increased. We observed increased pan-macrophage infiltration induced by HIIT, along with a simultaneous decrease in the expression of M1 macrophage markers (iNOS and CD11c) and an increase in M2 macrophage markers (Arg1 and CD206), suggesting that HIIT promotes M2 macrophage polarization. Additionally, HIIT upregulated the expression of Slit3 and neurotrophic factors (BDNF and NGF). The expression of the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the nerve growth marker GAP43 was also increased, demonstrating the promotion of sympathetic nerve growth and density by HIIT. Notably, we observed macrophages co-localizing with TH, and HIIT induced the accumulation of M2 macrophages around sympathetic nerves, suggesting a potential association between M2 macrophages and increased density of sympathetic nerves. In conclusion, HIIT induces adipose tissue browning and improves glucose metabolism in T2DM mice by enhancing M2 macrophage polarization and promoting sympathetic nerve growth and density.

Porous, Self-Polarized Ferroelectric Polymer Films Exhibiting Behavior Reminiscent of Morphotropic Phase Boundary Induced by Size-Dependent Interface Effect for Self-Powered Sensing.

Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)), have attracted considerable attention due to their potential in flexible, biocompatible energy harvesting and sensing devices. However, their limited piezoelectric performance hinders their widespread application. Inspired by the concept of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) prevalent in high-performance piezoelectric ceramics, we successfully constructed MPB in the piezoelectric polymer P(VDF-TrFE) through size-dependent interface effects. We provided direct structural evidence using atomic force microscopy-infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and significantly improved the piezoelectric performance of P(VDF-TrFE). The emergence of MPB is attributed to the interface effect induced by electrostatic interactions between ZnO fillers and the -CH2, -CF2, and -CHF groups in P(VDF-TrFE). This interaction drives a concomitant competition between the all-trans ß phase (normal ferroelectric) and the 3/1 helical phase (relaxor), resulting in enhanced piezoelectric responses in the transition region. By coupling the MPB effect with a porous structure, we developed a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) that surpasses the electrical output limitation of current P(VDF-TrFE)-based PENGs. The fabricated PENG exhibits superior piezoelectric outputs (6.9 µW/cm2), impressive pressure sensitivity (2.3038 V/kPa), ultrafast response time (4.3 ms), and recovery time (46.4 ms)─notably, without the need for additional poling treatment. In practical applications, the constructed PENG can efficiently generate characteristic signals in response to various human movements and harvest biomechanical energy. This work offers insight into utilizing interface-induced MPB and proposes a simple, scalable approach for developing high-performance self-polarized piezoelectric polymer films for self-powered sensing systems toward human-machine interaction.

Fracture Conductivity Prediction Based on Machine Learning.

Hydraulic fracturing technology is the main method to develop low-permeability reservoirs. Fracture conductivity is not only the basis of fracture optimization design but also one of the key parameters to determine the effect of hydraulic fracturing. However, current methods of calculating fracture conductivity require a lot of time and labor cost. This research proposes a fracture conductivity prediction model based on machine learning. The main controlling factors of fracture conductivity are determined using the Pearson coefficient method and gray correlation analysis. Example application shows that the R2 values of the BP neural network model based on a genetic algorithm for predicting the fracture conductivity of block A and block B are 0.981 and 0.975, respectively, indicating that the machine learning model can accurately predict fracture conductivity.

Neutrophil lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 is a potential diagnostic marker for active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) poses challenges in rapid diagnosis within complex clinical conditions. Given the close association between neutrophils and tuberculosis, we explored differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in neutrophils as potential molecular markers for diagnosing active PTB. We employed a gene microarray to screen for lncRNA alterations in neutrophil samples from three patients with active PTB and three healthy controls. The results revealed differential expression of 1457 lncRNAs between the two groups, with 916 lncRNAs upregulated and 541 lncRNAs down-regulated in tuberculosis patients. Subsequent validation tests demonstrated down-regulation of lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 in patients with active PTB, which was restored following anti-tuberculosis treatment. Our findings further indicated a high diagnostic potential for lncRNA ZNF100-6:2, as evidenced by an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.9796 (95% confidence interval: 0.9479 to 1.000; P < 0.0001). This study proposes lncRNA ZNF100-6:2 as a promising and novel diagnostic biomarker for active PTB.

Proppant Settlement and Long-Term Conductivity Calculation in Complex Fractures.

The current research on fracture conductivity ignores the placement of the proppant in fractures and relies on single-fracture conductivity testing and calculation, which cannot represent the overall conductivity of complex fracture systems. This research proposes a calculation method for the long-term conductivity of complex fractures based on proppant placement. This method considers fracture morphology, proppant placement, proppant embedment, and deformation under high closing pressure. The research results show that fracture conductivity decreases with increasing time, which can be divided into three stages: the embedding stage, the creep stage, and the stabilization stage. The long-term conductivity of the main fracture is higher than that of the branching fracture. With increasing closing pressure, the conductivities of both the main fracture and the branching fracture decrease. This is because increasing closure stress accelerates proppant embedment and creep, compressing the fluid flow space and further reducing fracture conductivity. Fracture conductivity is related to the placement of the proppant and sand concentration. Increasing the sand ratio can significantly increase the placement of the proppant in the main fracture and branching fractures, thereby improving fracture conductivity. Increasing the fracturing fluid viscosity can increase its proppant migration capacity. The proppant does not easily settle prematurely in high-viscosity fracturing fluid and can enter more into branching fractures, thereby improving their conductivity.

A Coumarin-Hemicyanine Deep Red Dye with a Large Stokes Shift for the Fluorescence Detection and Naked-Eye Recognition of Cyanide.

In this study, we synthesized a coumarin-hemicyanine-based deep red fluorescent dye that exhibits an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The probe had a large Stokes shift of 287 nm and a large molar absorption coefficient (ε = 7.5 × 105 L·mol-1·cm-1) and is best described as a deep red luminescent fluorescent probe with λem = 667 nm. The color of probe W changed significantly when it encountered cyanide ions (CN-). The absorption peak (585 nm) decreased gradually, and the absorption peak (428 nm) increased gradually, so that cyanide (CN-) could be identified by the naked eye. Moreover, an obvious fluorescence change was evident before and after the reaction under irradiation using 365 nm UV light. The maximum emission peak (667 nm) decreased gradually, whilst the emission peak (495 nm) increased gradually, which allowed for the proportional fluorescence detection of cyanide (CN-). Using fluorescence spectrometry, the fluorescent probe W could linearly detect CN- over the concentration range of 1-9 µM (R2 = 9913, RSD = 0.534) with a detection limit of 0.24 µM. Using UV-Vis spectrophotometry, the linear detection range for CN- was found to be 1-27 µM (R2 = 0.99583, RSD = 0.675) with a detection limit of 0.13 µM. The sensing mechanism was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopic titrations, 13C NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallographic analysis and HRMS. The recognition and detection of CN- by probe W was characterized by a rapid response, high selectivity, and high sensitivity. Therefore, this probe provides a convenient, effective and economical method for synthesizing and detecting cyanide efficiently and sensitively.

Tuning [VO6] Octahedron of Ammonium Vanadates via F Incorporation for High-Performance Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries.

The electrochemical properties of vanadium-based materials as cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries are still restricted by low conductivity, sluggish reaction kinetics, and poor structural stability. Herein, the [VO6] octahedron, as the basic unit of vanadium-oxide layer of ammonium vanadates (NH4V4O10, denoted as NVO), is incorporated by F atoms to regulate the coordinated environment of vanadium. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental results show that both physicochemical and electrochemical properties of NVO are improved by F-doping. The enhanced electronic conductivity accelerates the electron transfer and the expanded interlayer spacing expedites the diffusion kinetics of zinc ions. As a result, the F-doped NVO (F-NVO) electrode shows a high discharge capacity (465 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1), good rate capability (260 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1), and long-term cycling stability (88% capacity retention over 2000 cycles at 4 A g-1). The reaction kinetics and energy storage mechanism of F-NVO are further validated by in situ and ex situ characterizations.

Novel Sandwich-Structured Flexible Composite Films with Enhanced Piezoelectric Performance.

Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers have been widely investigated for applications in wearable electric devices and sensing systems, owing to their intrinsic piezoelectricity and superior flexibility. However, their weak piezoelectricity poses major challenges for practical applications. To overcome these challenges, we propose a two-step synthesis approach to fabricate sandwich-structured piezoelectric films (BaTiO3@PDA/PVDF/BaTiO3@PDA) with significantly enhanced ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. As compared to pristine PVDF films or conventional 0-3 composite films, a maximum polarization (Pmax) of 11.24 µC/cm2, a remanent polarization (Pr) of 5.83 µC/cm2, and an enhanced piezoelectric coefficient (d33 ∼ 14.6 pC/N) were achieved. Simulation and experimental results have demonstrated that the sandwich structure enhances the ability of composite films to withstand higher poling electric fields in comparison with 0-3 composites. The sandwich-structured piezoelectric films are further integrated into a wireless sensor system with a high force sensitivity of 288 mV/N, demonstrating great potential for movement monitoring applications. This facile approach shows great promise for the large-scale production of composite films with remarkable flexibility, ferroelectricity, and piezoelectricity for wearable sensing devices.

Double Cross-Linked Hydrogel Dressings Based on Triblock Copolymers Bearing Antifreezing, Antidrying, and Inherent Antibacterial Properties.

Bacterial infections typically invade the living tissue of wounds, thereby aggravating the inflammatory response, delaying wound healing, or causing further complications. In this paper, the antibacterial hydrogel (PNVBA) with antifreezing and antidrying properties was prepared by a two-step method using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), 1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide (VBIMBr), and 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (AAPBA). PNVBA hydrogels exhibited a high adsorption capacity of 280 mg·g-1 for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and can adhere to the surface of different materials through ion-dipole or hydrogen-bonding interactions. Meanwhile, the PNVBA hydrogels exhibited high viscoelasticity and good adhesion after freezing at -20 °C or heating at 70 °C for 24 h with a sterilizing rate of up to 98% against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Moreover, a survival rate of up to 90% after incubation with L929 cells over 24 h was observed. Therefore, this inherent antibacterial hydrogel can be used as an excellent alternative material for wound dressings.

Progress in the contrary effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 and chemerin on obesity development.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), secreted by intestinal L-cells, plays a pivotal role in the modulation of ß-cell insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, concurrently promoting ß-cell survival and ß-cell mass. Notably, GLP-1 has emerged as an effective second-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, gaining further prominence for its pronounced impact on body weight reduction, positioning it as a potent antiobesity agent. However, the mechanism by which GLP-1 improves obesity remains unclear. Some reports suggest that this mechanism may be associated with the regulation of adipokine synthesis within adipose tissue. Chemerin, a multifunctional adipokine and chemokine, has been identified as a pivotal player in adipocyte differentiation and the propagation of systemic inflammation, a hallmark of obesity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms by which GLP-1 and chemerin play crucial roles in obesity and obesity-related diseases. It discusses well-established aspects, such as their effects on food intake and glycolipid metabolism, as well as recent insights, including their influence on macrophage polarization and adipose tissue thermogenesis. GLP-1 has been shown to increase the population of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages, promote brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, and induce the browning of white adipose tissue. In contrast, chemerin exhibits opposite effects in these processes. In addition, recent research findings have demonstrated the promising potential of GLP-1-based therapies in directly or indirectly regulating chemerin expression. In an intriguing reciprocal relationship, chemerin has also been newly identified as a negative regulator of GLP-1 in vivo. This review delineates the intricate interplay between GLP-1 and chemerin, unraveling their mutual inhibitory interactions. To the best of our knowledge, no previous reviews have focused on this specific topic, making this review particularly valuable in expanding our understanding of the endocrine mechanisms of obesity and providing potential strategies for the treatment of obesity and related diseases.

Self-Powered TENG with High Humidity Sensitivity from PVA Film Modified by LiCl and MXene.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are promising for a variety of applications that require a reliable output performance and stability. In this work, by utilizing the synergistic effect of lithium chloride (LiCl) and MXene, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) based composite films with humidity-sensitive properties were prepared and employed as a friction layer to achieve self-powered TENGs with enhanced output performance under high humidity. The composite material demonstrates exceptional and stable output performance in the humidity range of 30-95% while exhibiting a strong linear correlation with increasing relative humidity (RH). At 95% RH, its short-circuit current increases up to 31.91 µA, which is three times the output of the TENG fabricated by PVA and PTFE (P-TENG). The rich hydroxyl group in PVA, the strong hygroscopicity of LiCl, and the microcapacitor network provided by MXene nanosheets significantly improve the water absorption capacity and surface roughness of the composite material, resulting in an excellent triboelectric output of TENG. Short-circuit current of the TENG in a wide range of RH (from 50% to 98%) responds very sensitively to humidity fluctuations in the environment and superior adsorption-desorption performance as humidity decreases. Furthermore, TENG regarded as a power supply in high humidity conditions was realized and it can light up 240 LEDs instantaneously with the transfer charge density of TENG reaching 194.37 µC m-2. This technology presents an effective method for stable energy harvesting and self-powered sensing in fog, the ocean, and other high-humidity environments.

DENV-2 NS1 promotes AMPK-LKB1 interaction to activate AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway to induce autophagy.

The global incidence of dengue fever has gradually increased in recent years, posing a serious threat to human health. In the absence of specific anti-dengue drugs, understanding the interaction of Dengue virus (DENV) with the host is essential for the development of effective therapeutic measures. Autophagy is often activated during DENV infection to promote viral replication, but the mechanism of how DENV's own proteins induce autophagy has not been clarified. In this study, we first preliminarily identified DENV-2 NS1 as the most likely viral protein for DENV-2-induced autophagy with the help of molecular docking techniques. Further experimental results confirmed that DENV-2 NS1 regulates DENV-2 infection of HUVEC-induced autophagy through the AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway. Mechanistically, DENV-2 NS1 mainly interacted with AMPK by means of its Wing structural domain, and NS1 bound to all three structural domains on the AMPKα subunit. Finally, the experimental results showed that DENV-2 NS1 promoted the interaction between LKB1 and AMPKα1 and thus activated AMPK by both increasing the expression of LKB1 and binding LKB1. In conclusion, the results of this study revealed that DENV-2 NS1 protein served as a platform for the interaction between AMPK and LKB1 after DENV-2 infection with HUVEC, and pulled AMPK and LKB1 together to form a complex. LKB1 to form a complex, promoting LKB1 action on the kinase structural domain of AMPKα1, which in turn promotes phosphorylation of the Thr172 site on the AMPK kinase structural domain and activates AMPK, thereby positively regulating the AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway and inducing autophagy. The present discovery improves our understanding of DENV-2-induced host autophagy and contributes to the development of anti-dengue drugs.

Pyrene-Based Cationic Fluorophores with High Affinity for BF4-, PF6-, and ClO4- Anions: Detection and Removal.

Anions play an indispensable role in the balance and regulation of the ecological environment and human health; however, excess anions can cause serious ecological and environment problems. Therefore, the detection and removal of excess anions in aqueous solution is not only a technological problem but also crucial for environmental protection. Herein, a set of water-soluble pyrene-based cationic fluorophores were synthesized, which exhibit high sensitivity for the detection of the anions BF4-, PF6-, and ClO4- via electrostatic interactions. Such fluorescent probes exhibit "turn-on" emission characteristics even at low concentrations of anions due to anion-π+ interactions. Moreover, these fluorescence probes act as efficient precipitating agents for the removal of the BF4-, PF6-, and ClO4- anions from an aqueous environment. This work opens up new avenues for future research on pyrene-based fluorophores as turn-on fluorescence probes for anion detection and as excellent precipitating agents in environmental settings.

ATP2C2 as a novel immune-related marker that defines the tumor microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer that affects about 13/100,000 women yearly. Patients with TNBC are often resistant to endocrine and molecular targeted therapy, making clinical treatment challenging. Researches indicate that tumor microenvironment (TME) is related to prognosis in many cancers. Therefore, we aim to identify TME immune-related biomarkers to enhance the prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy in patients with TNBC. Methods: The bulk mRNA transcriptome data and clinical information of the (GSE58812) and (GSE25055) datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the ESTIMATE algorithm was used to calculate the ImmuneScore, StromalScore, and ESTIMATEScore. Patients were divided into low and high groups according to the quartiles of ImmuneScore, StromalScore, and the median of ESTIMATEScore to filter differential expression genes (DEGs), respectively. The DEGs were then evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression to identify TME-related genes and its association with survival rate for the construction of a TMErisk model with three biomarkers. Then Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were used to compare the gene expression in cancer and normal tissues. xCell analysis calculated the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in low and high expression of ATPase Secretory Pathway Ca2+ Transporting 2 (ATP2C2). In addition, samples from 20 TNBC patients admitted to our institution were used for immunohistochemical (IHC) examination. Results: Three immune-related DEGs were identified, including prolyl 3-hydroxylase 2 (P3H2), sodium voltage-gated channel beta subunit 3 (SCN3B), and ATP2C2 and a TMErisk model was constructed and validated. However, only ATP2C2 was selected for further analysis. ATP2C2 mRNA level of TNBC patients was higher than that of normal breast tissue. Survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of ATP2C2 had a bad prognosis. xCell analysis demonstrated that the expression of ATP2C2 was associated with 16 kinds of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Protein expression of ATP2C2 in TNBC tissues was higher compared to paired normal tissues in IHC. Conclusions: This study constructed and validated a TMErisk model that can effectively predict 3- and 5-year survival rate for TNBC patients. TNBC patients with lower expression of ATP2C2 had a good prognosis.

Prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response in lung adenocarcinoma based on CD79A, DKK1 and VEGFC.

Background: Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is crucial for tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis; however, its relationship with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is unknown. Traditional predictive models screen for biomarkers that are too general and infrequently associated with immune genes. Methods: RNA sequencing data of LUAD patients and immune-related gene sets were retrieved from public databases. Using the common genes shared by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (ImmPort), differential gene expression analysis, survival analysis, Lasso regression analysis, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to generate a novel risk score model. LUAD cohort in International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), GSE68465 cohort in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and an immunohistochemical assay were used to validate the key genes constructed risk score. The LUAD-related prognosis, clinical indicators, immune infiltrate characteristics, response to immunotherapy, and response to chemotherapeutic agents in different risk groups were evaluated by CIBERSORT, ImmuCellAI, pRRophetic and other tools. Results: The risk score model was constructed using CD79a molecule (CD79A), Dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1), and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC). High risk score was identified as a negative predictor for overall survival (OS) in subgroup analyses with tumor stage, TNM classification, therapy outcome, and ESTIMATE scores (P < 0.05). Low risk score was positively associated with plasma cells, memory B cells, CD8 T cells, regulatory T cells and γδT cells (P < 0.05). In low-risk group, programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and lymphocyte activating 3 (LAG3) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) were more robustly expressed (P < 0.05). The treatment responses of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy and chemotherapy were likewise superior in low-risk group (P < 0.05). In immunohistochemical analysis, the tumor group had significantly higher levels of CD79A, DKK1, and VEGFC than the adjacent normal group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: CD79A, DKK1 and VEGFC are important differential genes related to LUAD, risk score could reliably predict prognosis, composition of TIME and immunotherapy responses in LUAD patients. The excellent performance of the risk model shows its strong and broad application potential.

Development and validation of a machine learning model to predict prognosis in HIV-negative cryptococcal meningitis patients: a multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To predict prognosis in HIV-negative cryptococcal meningitis (CM) patients by developing and validating a machine learning (ML) model. METHODS: This study involved 523 HIV-negative CM patients diagnosed between January 1, 1998, and August 31, 2022, by neurologists from 3 tertiary Chinese centers. Prognosis was evaluated at 10 weeks after the initiation of antifungal therapy. RESULTS: The final prediction model for HIV-negative CM patients comprised 8 variables: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cryptococcal count, CSF white blood cell (WBC), altered mental status, hearing impairment, CSF chloride levels, CSF opening pressure (OP), aspartate aminotransferase levels at admission, and decreased rate of CSF cryptococcal count within 2 weeks after admission. The areas under the curve (AUCs) in the internal, temporal, and external validation sets were 0.87 (95% CI 0.794-0.944), 0.92 (95% CI 0.795-1.000), and 0.86 (95% CI 0.744-0.975), respectively. An artificial intelligence (AI) model was trained to detect and count cryptococci, and the mean average precision (mAP) was 0.993. CONCLUSION: A ML model for predicting prognosis in HIV-negative CM patients was built and validated, and the model might provide a reference for personalized treatment of HIV-negative CM patients. The change in the CSF cryptococcal count in the early phase of HIV-negative CM treatment can reflect the prognosis of the disease. In addition, utilizing AI to detect and count CSF cryptococci in HIV-negative CM patients can eliminate the interference of human factors in detecting cryptococci in CSF samples and reduce the workload of the examiner.

Depot-specific adaption of adipose tissue for different exercise approaches in high-fat diet/streptozocin-induced diabetic mice.

Background: Adipose tissue pathology plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Understanding the impact of exercise training on adipose tissue adaptation is of paramount importance in enhancing metabolic health. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of various exercise modalities on three distinct adipose tissue depots, namely, interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT), and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), in a murine model of diabetes. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice received a 12-week high-fat diet and a single injection of streptozotocin, followed by an 8-week exercise intervention. The exercise intervention included swimming, resistance training, aerobic exercise, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Results: We found that exercise training reduced body weight and body fat percentage, diminished adipocyte size and increased the expression of mitochondria-related genes (PGC1, COX4, and COX8B) in three adipose tissue depots. The effects of exercise on inflammatory status include a reduction in crown-like structures and the expression of inflammatory factors, mainly in eWAT. Besides, exercise only induces the browning of sWAT, which may be related to the expression of the sympathetic marker tyrosine hydroxylase. Among the four forms of exercise, HIIT was the most effective in reducing body fat percentage, increasing muscle mass and reducing eWAT adipocyte size. The expression of oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis-related genes in sWAT and eWAT was highest in the HIIT group. Conclusion: When targeting adipose tissue to improve diabetes, HIIT may offer superior benefits and thus represents a more advantageous choice.

Sodium-Ion Substituted Water Molecule in Layered Vanadyl Phosphate Enhancing Electrochemical Kinetics and Stability of Zinc Ion Storage.

Vanadyl phosphate (VOPO4 ·2H2 O) has been regarded as one of the most promising cathode materials for aqueous Zn-ion batteries due to its distinct layered structure. However, VOPO4 ·2H2 O has not yet demonstrated the exceptional Zn ion storage performance owing to the structural deterioration during repeated charging/discharging process and poor intrinsic conductivity. In this work, 2D sodium vanadyl phosphate (NaVOPO4 ·0.83H2 O, denoted as NaVOP) is designed as a cathode material for Zn-ion batteries, in which sodium ions are preinserted into the interlayer, replacing part of water. Benefiting from the in situ surface oxidization, improved electronic conductivity, and increased hydrophobicity, the NaVOP electrode exhibits a high discharge capacity of 187 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 after activation, excellent rate capability and enhanced cycling performance with 85% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 1 A g-1 . The energy storage mechanism of the NaVOP nanoflakes based on the rapid Zn2+ and H+ intercalation pseudocapacitance are investigated via multiple ex situ characterizations.

The significance of follow-up serum uric acid levels in predicting all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the change of serum uric acid (SUA) level post peritoneal dialysis (PD), and the correlation between follow-up SUA and prognosis in patients with PD. METHODS: A total of 1402 patients with PD were evaluated. We graded SUA levels into four grades at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months post PD, and then compared all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality among patients with different SUA grades at each time point. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used in the analysis. RESULTS: The SUA levels were 7.97 ± 1.79, 7.12 ± 1.48, 7.05 ± 1.33, 7.01 ± 1.30, and 6.93 ± 1.26 mg/dl at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, respectively. There was significant difference on all-cause mortality among patients with PD with different graded SUA levels at 6 months post PD (p = 0.010), and the all-cause mortality was lowest in patients with the grade of 5.65 mg/dl ≤ SUA <7.13 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: SUA level decreased after PD during follow-up. At 6 months post PD, the grade of 5.65 mg/dl ≤ SUA <7.13 mg/dl was appropriate for better patients' survival.